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In this essay, a new framework for viewing the philosophy, principles and practice of systems science is proposed for furthering research and practice into transdisciplinary forms of intervention. This new framework reveals the effect of the interactions between systems principles and system structure in revealing complex systems behavior, demonstrates why such methodologies are classed as being systemic, and how these systemic methodologies can be used to explore, design and manage new transdisciplinary practice. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

AbstractThe purpose of this paper is to discuss the hierarchy of system complexity that Kenneth E. Boulding proposed in the article General Systems Thinking—The Skeleton of Science, originally published in Management Science, 2, (1956, pp. 197–208) and to explore the implications of the Skeleton for systems theory and practice as it currently stands. The nine‐level Skeleton of Science is presented and discussed with reference to four perceived underlying frameworks within the Skeleton. The implications of the Skeleton and suggested future directions for further research are also presented. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

A detailed history of the previously undocumented part played by South Kingstown, Rhode Island during the Revolutionary War.

Rangeomorphs were important components of Ediacaran macrobenthic ecosystems, yet their biology and ecology remain poorly constrained. They formed high-density, tiered communities that were subjected to intermittent burial events, the largest of which killed entire communities. Abundant thin event beds in the Ediacaran succession of Charnwood Forest indicate the additional, frequent impact of minor obrution events. The type surface of Charniamasoni is immediately underlain by one such lamina (a tuff) and preserves a distinctly bimodal population. It is dominated by Charnia fronds that are of smaller or comparable length to the holotype (19.4 cm), but also includes notably larger specimens (N45 cm) that would traditionally have been assigned to Charnia grandis. Multiple morphological- and morphometric parameters (length, width, spacing of primary branches) demonstrate that these are indistinguishable from the holotype of C. masoni, affirming the synonymy of the two taxa. Nevertheless, these outsized individuals are distinguished by their proportionally fewer primary branches per unit length. Taphonomic evidence indicates that they were survivors of an incumbent population, the rest of which was culled by a minor ashfall.We suggest that this temporary reduction in competition from neighbours allowed the survivors to grow larger and thereby gain access to a greater proportion of the water column. As the community recovered, their large sizewould have continued to provide themwith an advantage, divorcing them from the density-dependent competition seen in the new understory. The interlude between cohorts implies that newrecruitswere substrate-sensitive, presumably awaiting re-establishment of the biomat. Sub-lethal disturbance events thus played a significant role in structuring Ediacaran communities, and help explain the observed bed-by-bed variability. Taken as a whole, the growth trajectory of C. masoni resembles that of extant organismswith indeterminate growth programmes and no genetically-controlled upper size limit. ; PRW and CGK were supported by NERC grant NE/I005927/1. We thank our colleagues Mark Dean, Sue Martin, Louise Neep, Scott Renshaw and Paul Shepherd for assistance with moulding and casting; Paul Witney and Simon Harris for photography; and Henry Holbrook for drafting Figs. 1 and 2. We gratefully acknowledge the help in facilitating site access given by Natural England, the Mistaken Point Ecological Reserve (Parks and Natural Areas Division, Government of Newfoundland and Labrador) and landowners in Charnwood Forest. We enjoyed useful discussions with Alex Liu and Helen Boynton, and Mark Woods, Guy Harrington, Lidya Tarhan and two anonymous referees are thanked for their constructive comments on the manuscript. ; This is the final published version. It first appeared at http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0031018215001649.

Derived from an undergraduate course taught by the author, this accessible book seeks to challenge and provoke readers by posing a series of topical questions concerning climate change and society. Topic summaries provide answers to technical, socio-economic and moral questions surrounding the deployment of climate science. These include how to build and test a climate model, whom and what is most at risk from climate change, and whether we should geoengineer the climate. Practical exercises and case studies provide deeper insights by taking readers through role-play activities and authentic climate change projects. Supporting materials, including notes for instructors and students, graphics, video-clips, games, and online resources, offer scope for further private study and group work. With a focus on applying climate science in practice, this book is ideal for students of geography, natural science, engineering and economics, as well as practitioners involved in the climate service industry

AbstractA potentially useful forecasting relationship is demonstrated between the North Atlantic Oscillation index in winter (January‐February) and the following summer (July‐September) monthly mean flows for selected rivers in the British Isles. The relationship was strongest in August when up to 40% of the variance in monthly mean flow may be explained. For two rivers in southern and eastern England, positive phases of the winter North Atlantic Oscillation index were found to precede summer flows which were nearly 50% of long‐term average. A regression equation which was established to predict August flows in the Great Stour produced a correlation score of 0.6 at a lead time of six months. Further research is needed to determine the significance of catchment characteristics and geographic location relative to forecasting skill.

AbstractJane Addams, founder and head of Hull House, a social settlement in Chicago at the turn of the century, offers an intriguing model of a nonhierarchical, value‐oriented manager and leader. As the head resident of a group of some twenty volunteer residents—the staff of the settlement—Addams created an organizational culture and structure that encouraged individual initiative and self‐governance. Addams herself taught by example the value of tolerance and the meaning of social democracy, the moral goals whose attainment she sought.