Lose the plot: cost-effective survey of the Peak Range, central Queensland

The Peak Range (22˚ 28’ S; 147˚ 53’ E) is an archipelago of rocky peaks set in grassy basalt rolling-plains, east of Clermont in central Queensland. This report describes the flora and vegetation based on surveys of 26 peaks. The survey recorded all plant species encountered on traverses of distinct habitat zones, which included the ‘matrix’ adjacent to each peak. The method involved effort comparable to a general flora survey but provided sufficient information to also describe floristic association among peaks, broad habitat types, and contrast vegetation on the peaks with the surrounding landscape matrix. The flora of the Peak Range includes at least 507 native vascular plant species, representing 84 plant families. Exotic species are relatively few, with 36 species recorded, but can be quite prominent in some situations. The most abundant exotic plants are the grass Melinis repens and the forb Bidens bipinnata. Plant distribution patterns among peaks suggest three primary groups related to position within the range and geology. The Peak Range makes a substantial contribution to the botanical diversity of its region and harbours several endemic plants among a flora clearly distinct from that of the surrounding terrain. The distinctiveness of the range’s flora is due to two habitat components: dry rainforest patches reliant upon fire protection afforded by cliffs and scree, and; rocky summits and hillsides supporting xeric shrublands. Plants endemic to the Peak Range are mainly associated with the latter of these habitats

Is 500m2 an effective plot size to sample floristic diversity for Queensland’s vegetation?

Species area curves from 37 sites spanning the diversity of native vegetation in Queensland were examined. For the majority of sites investigated a 500 m2 plot captured about 80–90% of the vascular plant species present at the time of sampling. Floristic data collected for grassland, heathland, acacia shrublands and most eucalypt woodlands using a 500 m2 plot is appropriate for floristic analysis and adequately represent the vascular plants present at the site at the time. Using a larger plot would only slightly increase the species capture at a site but it would generally be more efficient to increase the number of sites sampled to more adequately capture the diversity across the extent of the vegetation type. However for many Queensland rainforest communities, a much larger sample size is required to capture the full species richness of a site

Scalar Quarkonium and the Scalar Glueball

Valence approximation glueball mass and decay calculations support the identification of $f_J(1710)$ as the lightest scalar glueball. An alternate glueball candidate is $f_0(1500)$. I present evidence for the identification of $f_0(1500)$ as $s\overline{s}$ quarkonium.Comment: 4 pages of Latex, 2 PostScript figures, uses espcrc2.sty which is included, Talk presented at LATTICE96(spectrum

Reading the Temporal Nature of Lee Smith\u27s Fair and Tender Ladies through Oral History

This thesis looks at the work of Lee Smith and how he uses the theme of time to further the plots of some of his stories. These stories show the temporality of passing time and the resulting change in his characters and their stories

Web-Based Educational Seminars Compare Favorably with In-House Seminars for Bariatric Surgery Patients

Background Comprehensive preparative patient education is a key element in bariatric patient success. The primary objective of this study was to compare attrition rates, demographics, and surgery outcomes between patients who participated in the online vs in-house preparative seminars. Methods A retrospective chart review was performed involving patients who chose to participate in online vs in-house educational seminar between July of 2014 and December of 2016. The patients were divided into two groups based on their choice of educational seminar and tracked to see how many made it to an initial visit and to surgery. In those who had bariatric surgery, data was collected on age, type of insurance, length of stay (LOS), longest follow-up, and change in body mass index. Results Total of 1230 patients were included in this study. There was no difference in attrition rate to initial consultation visit (29.1% vs 29.9%), but there was a statistically higher attrition to surgery in the in-house seminar attendees (72.9%) compared to online participants (66.6%, p < 0.05). Between January 2015 and December 2016, 291 patients underwent primary bariatric surgery. The online group was on average 3 years younger which was statistically significant. There were no differences in LOS, longest follow-up, and weight loss at 12 months between the groups. Conclusion When comparing attrition rates and bariatric surgery outcomes, no overall difference was noted between patients who received web- or hospital-based preparative education. Bariatric programs should provide access to online seminars to attract younger population and save resources and cost

Archaeological Investigations at the Ikirahak Site Raise Questions Concerning Taltheilei Land Use in Southern Nunavut

We report a new Taltheilei site-type found off the west coast of Hudson Bay in southern Nunavut. The Taltheilei is an archaeological culture that existed in the Barrenlands of the central Canadian Subarctic between 2600 and 300 years ago. Their land use strategies were tethered to the seasonal migrations of the Beverly and Qamanirjuaq caribou herds throughout tundra and forest landscapes. Tundra-based sites are typically interpreted as short-lived summer camps, but our discovery of three unique pit-house sites on the shores of Maguse Lake raises new questions concerning diversity in Taltheilei tundra land use. Architectural, faunal, lithic, and geoarchaeological data recovered from the Ikirahak site (JjKs-7) support the hypothesis that Taltheilei groups were extending their tundra stays into the fall. We report the evidence from four excavated pit-house features. Terraced platforms along the internal perimeters of these houses suggest they were designed for cold season use. The faunal assemblage is dominated by caribou remains. Higher relative frequencies of appendicular elements suggest a focus on secondary butchering. A large fraction of the faunal assemblage is highly fragmented and calcined, which is consistent with heavy processing and the use of bone as an alternative fuel source. Higher frequencies of lithic debris around dwelling floor perimeters are suggestive of maintenance activities. Multi-element concentrations in dwelling and site-wide sediments also show that hearth refuse was dumped outside. These findings seem to reflect longer tundra occupations during fall, a land use strategy that was likely guided by Qamanirjuaq herd behaviour specific to the Maguse Lake area, fall hunting and processing goals, and ecologically couched mobility logistics. As just four pit-houses from one Taltheilei camp have been investigated to date, our understanding of these places within Taltheilei worlds and northern socio-ecologies is currently limited. Further research at Ikirahak, the other Maguse Lake pit-house sites, and at other caribou water crossings on the tundra&nbsp;of the Qamanirjuaq caribou range is needed to support or refute our hypotheses.Nous signalons un nouveau site de type taltheilei trouvé sur la côte ouest de la baie d’Hudson, dans le sud du Nunavut. La culture taltheilei est une culture archéologique qui a existé dans les landes de la zone subarctique centrale canadienne il y a de cela 2600 à 300 ans. Les stratégies d’utilisation des terres de cette culture étaient rattachées aux migrations saisonnières des hardes de caribous de Beverly et de Qamanirjuaq dans la toundra et la forêt. De manière générale, les sites trouvés dans la toundra sont interprétés comme des campements d’été de courte durée. Cependant, notre découverte de trois sites uniques de maisons semi-souterraines sur les rives du lac Maguse soulève de nouvelles questions au sujet de la diversité de l’utilisation de la toundra par les Taltheilei. Les données architecturales, fauniques, lithiques et géoarchéologiques recueillies au site d’Ikirahak soutiennent l’hypothèse selon laquelle les groupements de Taltheilei occupaient la toundra jusqu’à l’automne. Nous signalons des preuves en provenance de quatre aménagements de maisons semi-souterraines. Le long du périmètre interne de ces maisons, les plateformes en terrasses suggèrent qu’elles étaient conçues pour servir pendant la saison froide. Des restes de caribous dominent l’assemblage faunique. Des fréquences relatives plus élevées d’éléments appendiculaires laissent entrevoir que le dépeçage secondaire y occupait une grande place. Une grande fraction de l’assemblage faunique est fortement fragmentée et calcinée, ce qui correspond à une transformation importante et à l’utilisation des os comme source de combustible. Les grandes fréquences de débris lithiques entourant le périmètre des planchers d’habitations suggèrent des activités de maintenance. Les concentrations d’éléments multiples dans les sédiments des habitations et de l’ensemble du site indiquent également que les déchets des âtres étaient jetés à l’extérieur. Ces constatations laissent entrevoir de plus longues occupations de la toundra à l’automne, une stratégie d’utilisation des terres vraisemblablement guidée par le comportement propre à la harde de Qamanirjuaq dans la région du lac Maguse, par la chasse automnale et par les objectifs de transformation, de même que par la logistique de la mobilité en termes écologiques. Puisque seulement quatre maisons semi-souterraines d’un seul campement taltheilei ont été étudiées jusqu’à maintenant, nous comprenons toujours peu de choses au sujet de ces endroits dans le monde des Taltheilei et des socioécologies nordiques. Il y a lieu de pousser les recherches plus loin à Ikirahak, là où se trouvent les autres sites de maisons semi-souterraines du lac Maguse, ainsi qu’à d’autres passages de franchissement de l’eau&nbsp;sur la toundra du parcours des caribous de Qamanirjuaq afin de confirmer ou de réfuter nos hypothèses

Scientific Rationale and Requirements for a Global Seismic Network on Mars

Following a brief overview of the mission concepts for a Mars Global Network Mission as of the time of the workshop, we present the principal scientific objectives to be achieved by a Mars seismic network. We review the lessons for extraterrestrial seismology gained from experience to date on the Moon and on Mars. An important unknown on Mars is the expected rate of seismicity, but theoretical expectations and extrapolation from lunar experience both support the view that seismicity rates, wave propagation characteristics, and signal-to-noise ratios are favorable to the collection of a scientifically rich dataset during the multiyear operation of a global seismic experiment. We discuss how particular types of seismic waves will provide the most useful information to address each of the scientific objectives, and this discussion provides the basis for a strategy for station siting. Finally, we define the necessary technical requirements for the seismic stations