Browsing by Subject "network theory"

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    Ecological and physiological implications of vascular structure and function in oaks
    (2019-12) Teshera-Levye, Jennifer
    A plant's ability to transport water is one of its most critical physiological functions. Indeed, plant vasculature has been described as the ”backbone” supporting the productivity of terrestrial ecosystems. In my dissertation research I have investigated connections between plant hydraulics and ecological function at at two scales: first, the role that whole-plant water movement plays in how three oak species partition a hydrologic gradient, and second, the ways leaf level vascular structure can offer insights into overall plant function when studied through a framework informed by network theory. I will discuss results from a study testing how differences in water-use traits might permit three oak species to co-exist in a small geographic area, where we have shown that whole-plant hydraulic conductance is one of several characteristics that explains their local distribution. I will then introduce "LeafGrapher," a software tool I have developed to apply a network analysis approach to leaf venation architecture. Finally I demonstrate the validity of these metrics by looking at the relationships between these network-derived venation traits and known plant functional traits measured on North American and European oaks in a common garden. This work gives us some novel insights into the role plant vascular biology plays in a broader eco-physiological framework.
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    Second Order Networks, Gambling, and Corruption on Indian Mobile Phone Networks
    (Media, Culture & Society, 2015) Agur, Colin
    This article explores unintended effects of recent growth in India’s mobile phone network. Using a case study of the Indian Premier League (IPL) – a popular cricket league that has encouraged mobile phone usage among fans – this article argues that India’s large and inclusive mobile phone networks have enabled significant new gambling and corruption. The spatial possibilities of mobile networks have led to new organizational forms in gambling and corruption, with small-scale local activity increasingly supplanted by organized syndicates located in Mumbai and Dubai. Based on interviews with mobile phone users and participants in betting rings, this article shows that the IPL mobile network enables second-order networks of criminal activity by making it easier to administer illegal action and easier to escape detection. This article emphasizes three ways that mobile networks facilitate gambling. First, their functionality, portability, and near-universality allow for new flows of information and capital. Second, mobile networks allow for new scale and new organizational forms, allowing a shift from local bookies to national and international syndicates. Third, mobile networks have dramatically enlarged the gambling sector in India. These changes have helped turn cricket gambling into a global industry with India at its center.