An analysis of the changing publication patterns in the social sciences and humanities (SSH) in the period 2000-2009 is presented on the basis of the VABB-SHW, a full coverage database of peer reviewed publication output in SSH developed for the region of Flanders, Belgium. Data collection took place as part of the Flemish performance-based funding system for university research. The development of the database is described and an overview of its contents presented.In terms of coverage of publications by the Web of Science we observe considerable differences across disciplines in the social sciences and humanities. The overall growth rate in number of publications is over 62.1%, but varies across disciplines between 7.5% and 172.9%. Publication output grew faster in the social sciences than in the humanities. A steady increase in the number and the proportion of publications in English is observed, going hand in hand with a decline in publishing in Dutch and other languages. However, no overall shift away from book publishing is observed. In the humanities, the share of book publications even seems to be increasing. The study shows that additional full coverage regional databases are needed to be able to characterise publication output in the social sciences and humanities.

This article addresses the following issues: How did external funding of Flemish academic research develop during the 1980's and early 1990's? What are the effects of the increase of external funding on the size and the composition of the research capacity in Flemish universities, and on research performance as reflected in bibliometric indicators? We present results of a quantitative analysis of 340 research departments in the natural and life sciences at three Flemish universities. We found that the externally funded research capacity increased strongly and is more and more concentrated in a limited number of departments. Deparmaents with a high intemalional standing have profited more from external funds than groups with a low impact. In the class of departments showing the slrongest increase in the externally funded research capacity, the ratio of the number of junior and senior scientists in these departments increased radically, while the publication productivity decreased. Our findings point towards the problem that if these trends continue to develop, a situation may emerge in which the basis normally provided by the university itself has become too small for externally funded research activities.

During the past few years, bibliometric studies were conpolicy. Both limit the possibilities for financing scientific

ABSTRACIWater uptake of seeds of Phaseolus vulgaris L. cv Limburg was monitored in a controlled atmosphere every day at solar noon for a period of 2 years. The imbibition rate, determined as the mean of five replicas, was related to the lunar cycle, maximal water uptake occurring between the new phases of the cycle. The monthly mean value of imbibition rate, calculated from the daily measurements, displayed a circannual rhythm reaching maximal values in August-September and minimal values in February-March. These monthly values were positively correlated with the mean of the maximal temperatures recorded daily outside.Since the (presumably) first mention of rhythmic phenomena in plants, made by Androsthenes, a soldier in the expedition army of Alexander the Great (5), this topic has been studied intensively as is obvious from the numerous review papers (e.g. 13, 27) and text books (11,21). Rhythms have been observed in many morphological, physiological, and biochemical parameters of plant development. They illustrate the wide range of possible wavelengths (ultradian, circadian, infradian, circalunar, and (30), and in the rate ofseed imbibition (26). In this last paper an effect ofthe moment of onset of imbibition on the rate of water uptake of bean seeds was demonstrated pointing to an ultradian rhythm with a period length of 6 h.We now report on the relation between the moment of imbibition onset and the rate of water uptake by the seeds on a longer time scale, searching for the occurrence of circalunar or circannual rhythms.MATERIALS AND METHODS Seeds. Phaseolus vulgaris L. cv Limburg seeds were obtained at the 'Verenigde tuinbouwers' seed company in Roeselare, Belgium. A large stock was purchased and stored at 4°C in darkness. At regular intervals, part of the stock was transferred into an incubator at 25°C in darkness, so that seeds were kept in these conditions for at least 1 month prior to the experiments. The experiments were also carried out in an incubator at 25°C in the basement ofthe building. The temperature ofthe incubator was regularly controlled and never found to oscillate. The ambient temperature in the basement room was fairly constant throughout the year at about 20C. The utmost care was taken to perform identical manipulations every day for the measurements of water uptake.Imbibition. Seeds were imbibed in prewarmed distilled water of25°C. A fixed amount of 30 g (about 100 seeds) was submerged in 250 ml of water in a Petri dish with a diameter of 28 cm. Seeds were weighed to the nearest 0.1 mg with a Sartorius 1601 analytical balance before and after imbibition. Seeds were wetted before imbibition started. Before weighing, the seed coats were dried with laboratory paper towels.Experimental Arrangement. Water uptake was determined every day over a period of more than 2 years. Five replicas were carried out each time. Imbibition started 2 h before solar noon and ended 2 h after solar noon. Water uptake of the seeds was expressed as the percent (w/w) increase of weight compared to the initial...

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