1999-2000 Fact Sheet

This is the archive of Boston University's fact sheet for 1999-2000

Further Education Funding Council : circular : 99/21 : individualised student record data collection 1999-2000

"The specification of the individualised student record (ISR) for 1999-2000 and the arrangements for the collection of data. Returns are requested by 6 December 1999, 4 September 2000 and 5 February 2001" -- front cover

Year-class formation in Pacific herring (Clupea pallasi) estimated from spawning-date distributions of juveniles in San Francisco Bay, California

Inter and intra-annual variation in year-class strength was analyzed for San Francisco Bay Pacific herring (Clupea pallasi) by using otoliths of juveniles. Juvenile herring were collected from March through June in 1999 and 2000 and otoliths from subsamples of these collections were aged by daily otolith increment analysis. The composition of the year classes in 1999 and 2000 were determined by back-calculating the birth date distribution for surviving juvenile herring. In 2000, 729% more juveniles were captured than in 1999, even though an estimated 12% fewer eggs were spawned in 2000. Spawning-date distributions show that survival for the 2000 year class was exceptionally good for a short (approximately 1 month) period of spawning, resulting in a large abundance of juvenile recruits. Analysis of age at size shows that growth rate increased significantly as the spawning season progressed both in 1999 and 2000. However, only in 2000 were the bulk of surviving juveniles a product of the fast growth period. In the two years examined, year-class strength was not predicted by the estimated number of eggs spawned, but rather appeared to depend on survival of eggs or larvae (or both) through the juvenile stage. Fast growth through the larval stage may have little effect on year-class strength if mortality during the egg stage is high and few larvae are available

World Commodity Prices 1999-2000

The decline of most world commodity prices came to an end in recent months. The aggregate dollar price level was 15 per cent lower in the first quarter of 1999 compared to a year previously, and since autumn 1997 it even decreased by about 30 per cent. Oil prices fell particularly sharply, but quotations began to pick up strongly in March in anticipation of further production cuts. The price index for non-energy commodities, on the other hand, decreased only slightly since last October, although prices for food items - oilseeds, sugar and tropical beverages - sank again markedly this year. The decline in industrial commodity prices largely came to a standstill in the final months of last year, but there has as yet been no recovery. This is primarily due to a subdued demand from processors of industrial commodities following the slowdown of world economic growth. In the case of several commodities, weak prices are fostered by abundant supplies. Commodities continue to be available in ample global supply, whereas raw materials demand, in spite of an expected stabilisation of the situation in Asia's emerging economies and the start of recovery in Japan, will expand only slowly. As a consequence only a small increase in commodity prices is expected in the forecast period.Demand and Price Analysis, International Relations/Trade,

Effect of conservation tillage and peat application on weed infestation on a clay soil

Amendment of soil with peat is an attempt to avoid crop yield variation in the transition to conservation tillage, as it improves seedbed conditions and crop growth in drought-sensitive clay soils. Weed infestations were compared in 1999-2000 between the original and peat-amended clay (Typic Cryaquept, very fine, illitic or mixed) under different autumn tillage systems in an oats-barley rotation. In a field experiment, sphagnum peat (H = 4) had been spread (0.02 m 3 m -2 ) on the soil surface in August 1995. Tillage treatments included mouldboard ploughing (to 20 cm) and stubble cultivations of different working depths (8 or 15 cm) and intensity (once or twice). Weed biomass and density were assessed by an area of 1 m 2 per field plot in August 1999-2000 and June 2000. The 1999 season was dry, but soil moisture conditions were more favourable in 2000. Peat application tended to increase the number of volunteer oats and Chenopodium album in 1999, while decreasing Galium spurium biomass. Ploughing significantly increased the abundance of Chenopodium album and Lamium purpureum in barley (Hordeum vulgare) in 1999. Weed infestation was much lower in 2000, and tillage effect on Chenopodium album was minor in oats (Avena sativa). Growth of Lamium purpureum and Fumaria officinalis was stimulated in ploughed soils both years. Intensity and working depth of stubble cultivation had no significant effect on weeds

Reaching DEEP in Math (Developing Educational Excellence and Proficiency in Mathematics)

This paper describes the DEEP in Math Program developed in the academic year 1998-1999 from a collaborative effort of the Louisiana Systemic lnitiative Program (LaSlP) and the Louisiana Department of Education (LDE). It includes evidence of impressive results in low achieving schools and in high-poverty districts targeted by the effort. The plan was for LaSlP to give intensive content and leadership training in Summer 1999 and academic year 1999-2000 to carefully selected. well-qualified math leaders. These leaders were then employed full-time in the 1999-2000 academic year and beyond by their local education authorities to work with all math teachers in a few designated schools at some cohesive subset of grades 3-8