Aim The evolution of montane species provides critical insights into the drivers of adaptation and diversification. Topographic complexity, a defining feature of many mountainous landscapes, promotes ecological and geographic isolation, often accelerating speciation rates. However, the extent to which topographic complexity directly shapes diversification remains unresolved. Here, we investigate the evolutionary dynamics of Anolis lizards across Neotropical mountain ranges to test two hypotheses: (1) higher elevation environments promote higher speciation rates in species that inhabit them; and (2) greater topographic complexity and climatic stability (i.e., lower past climatic-change velocity) positively influence speciation rates.Location The Americas.Time Period Present.Major Taxa Studied Anolis lizards.Methods We gathered topographic complexity and past climatic-change velocity data for 303 anole species and performed phylogenetic analyses to assess how speciation rates change across mountain ranges in the Americas.Results We found that topographic complexity and past climatic-change velocity do not significantly influence speciation rates, diverging from prior studies that link rugged landscapes or past climatic-change velocity to high diversification rates.Main Conclusions Our findings challenge assumptions about the direct role of topographic complexity in speciation, highlighting the need to consider multifaceted ecological and biogeographical factors driving evolutionary processes. By disentangling the relative contributions of climatic stability (i.e., lower past climatic-change velocity) and topographic heterogeneity, this study highlights the complex dynamics shaping biodiversity in tropical mountains and calls for further integrative approaches to understand species diversification in the face of climatic and geological change.
Wood products used in residential structures need to be treated with water-based preservatives to enhance their durability against indoor and outdoor weathering exposures. In this study, we considered the wood-pH as one of the indicators of natural weathering exposures of wood products. To assess the potential of using near-infrared spectroscopy to estimate wood-pH, multivariable models were established between pH and NIR spectra in the case of Southern pine (Pinus resinosa Ait.) wood products that were subjected to treatments with alkaline copper quat type D preservatives and then examined for 15 months under different weathering conditions (indoor and outdoor laboratory screening exposures). The results performed through wood pellet products were noteworthy in indicating that the prediction of wood-pH can be used to determine which wavelengths of the absorption spectra of Southern pine samples are subjected to the strongest influence of the weathering.
This study helps reimagine the future of work in public accounting by identifying the drivers, processes, and outcomes of telework in public practice based on accountants' experiences during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. We interviewed 21 public accountants and conducted a thematic analysis, using Campbell and McDonald's Systems-based Conceptual Model for Understanding Telework Practices. We find that telework drivers are either motivators or deterrents or act as both. We also find that telework outcomes are primarily adverse from an organizational perspective but are more balanced from an employee perspective, with most benefits accruing to managers. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to use a qualitative design that mobilizes a theoretical framework for teleworking to understand the drivers, processes, and outcomes of telework. Furthermore, we make a theoretical contribution by extending the conceptual model of Campbell and McDonald to suggest that telework drivers can act as either motivators or deterrents in public practice.
This narrative inquiry examines how three secondary science teachers from Canada, Saudi Arabia, and the United States constituted new professional identities as they assumed the role of a secondary school science department chair. Using positioning analysis and dialogical self-theory as conceptual frameworks, semi-structured interviews were conducted within a three-week data-collection window; interviews were transcribed verbatim and subject to member checks. The analysis focused on how participants accepted, rejected, or amended positions in discourse when negotiating the teacher-chair boundary. Findings indicate that chairs negotiated identities integrating teaching, instructional leadership, and teacher-education functions, and that supportive leadership, collaborative professional learning, and classroom credibility shaped those identity trajectories. Implications include reconsidering selection and support processes for department chairs to prioritize pedagogical credibility and relational leadership. Future research should include mixed-methods research approaches whereby larger samples of department chairs can be effectively compared across appointment models, different schooling contexts, and longitudinal methods to trace identity development over the duration of a department chair appointment.
In recent years, circular approaches to concrete production have gained increasing attention, yet comparative evaluations between different circular concrete types remain limited and inconsistent. In this context, previous comparative studies between circular ordinary concrete (COC) and circular geopolymer concrete (CGC) have been hindered by biases, including a narrow focus on carbon emissions, neglect of service life differences, and inconsistent compressive strength (CS) comparisons. This study presents a novel integrated framework that combines life cycle assessment (LCA), circular economy strategies, and multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA) to robustly evaluate the sustainability of COC and CGC across six CS ranges. The case study is based in Tehran, reflecting local material availability, environmental conditions, and priorities, influencing mixture designs and MCDA weightings. This underscores the necessity of region-specific approaches in sustainability assessments. Accordingly, circular mixtures were optimized using response surface methodology (RSM), service life was incorporated via the fib model, and a cradle-to-cradle LCA was performed. MCDA, informed by local expert opinions, prioritized environmental indicators. Results demonstrate that CGC consistently outperforms COC across all examined CS ranges (23-41 MPa), with its sustainability performance improving at higher CS. This advantage is attributed to CGC's lower sensitivity to CS-related environmental burdens and substantially longer service life. Moreover, circularity metrics confirm the benefits of circular designs over linear alternatives, with resource inflow circularity rates of approximately 88 % for COC and 71 % for CGC. This research provides a comprehensive decision-making tool by emphasizing the need for holistic and context-specific assessments to advance circularity in the concrete construction industry.
