Factors determining the adoption or non-adoption of precision agriculture by producers across the cotton belt

The purpose of this study was to determine factors influencing cotton producer adoption of Precision Agriculture in the cotton belt according to members of the American Cotton Producers of the National Cotton Council. The National Research CouncilÂs Board on Agriculture defines Precision Agriculture (PA) as Âa management strategy that uses information technologies to bring data from multiple sources to bear on decisions associated with crop production. For the purpose of this study, Precision Agriculture technologies included yield monitors, global positioning units, variable rate applicators, and similar components. Many studies have found that adoption of Precision Agriculture can be profitable for agricultural producers. However, the fact that Precision Agriculture is relatively new and unproven hinders rapid adoption by agricultural producers. According to the National Research Council Board of Agriculture widespread adoption relies on economic gains outweighing the costs of the technology. This study attempted to find the factors associated with adoption of these technologies in the cotton belt. The sample population consisted of cotton producer representatives from the leading cotton-producing states. A Delphi approach was utilized to establish a consensus of cotton producer perceptions of the advantages of adopting Precision Agriculture technologies. Advantages included more accurate farming (i.e., row spacing, reduced overlap, and cultivation). Barriers to adoption were also documented, questioning employee capability to operate equipment, learning curve, technology complexity, and uncertain return on investment

Building the Climate for Optimal Organizational Transfer of Learning: An Examination of USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service Employee Training Motivation and Perceived Training Transfer

Significant strides have been made in the human resources field over the last two decades; however, securing transfer of learning from formal training to the work setting still poses a problem. Following Ford and Baldwin’s (1988) Model of Training Transfer, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) employees were surveyed to examine if they are motivated and able to transfer skills learned in formal training into the work environment. Multiple regression analyses were utilized to determine which Learning Transfer System Inventory (LTSI) explanatory variables explained variance in self-perceived content recall and content transfer from an agency training series. This work identified personal, training, and work climate constructs indicative to this particular agency that at times are effective precursors to learning transfer. USDA-NRCS employees who completed the Conservation Boot Camp training series, a 3-week in-boarding training, comprised the sample for the study. A total of 268 responses (50.0%) were returned for analysis. It was concluded that significant relationships do exist between NRCS employees’ self-perceived content recall and content transferred scores and selected demographics and explanatory variables measuring learning constructs

Climate recorded in seawater: A workshop on water-mass transformation analysis for ocean and climate studies

First workshop on water-mass transformation analysis for ocean physics, biogeochemistry, and climate. 4–6 February 2019, Sydney, New South Wales, AustraliaInternational audienceAn international cohort of oceanographers, marine biogeochemists, and climate modelers gathered to expand the use of water-mass transformation diagnostics in studies of ocean physics, biogeochemistry, and climate. Led by early-career scientists, the group laid out avenues to leverage growing oceanic observational databases and new model capabilities, using fundamental understanding of the ocean’s layering

Rare Species Support Vulnerable Functions in High-Diversity Ecosystems

Around the world, the human-induced collapses of populations and species have triggered a sixth mass extinction crisis, with rare species often being the first to disappear. Although the role of species diversity in the maintenance of ecosystem processes has been widely investigated, the role of rare species remains controversial. A critical issue is whether common species insure against the loss of functions supported by rare species. This issue is even more critical in species-rich ecosystems where high functional redundancy among species is likely and where it is thus often assumed that ecosystem functioning is buffered against species loss. Here, using extensive datasets of species occurrences and functional traits from three highly diverse ecosystems (846 coral reef fishes, 2,979 alpine plants, and 662 tropical trees), we demonstrate that the most distinct combinations of traits are supported predominantly by rare species both in terms of local abundance and regional occupancy. Moreover, species that have low functional redundancy and are likely to support the most vulnerable functions, with no other species carrying similar combinations of traits, are rarer than expected by chance in all three ecosystems. For instance, 63% and 98% of fish species that are likely to support highly vulnerable functions in coral reef ecosystems are locally and regionally rare, respectively. For alpine plants, 32% and 89% of such species are locally and regionally rare, respectively. Remarkably, 47% of fish species and 55% of tropical tree species that are likely to support highly vulnerable functions have only one individual per sample on average. Our results emphasize the importance of rare species conservation, even in highly diverse ecosystems, which are thought to exhibit high functional redundancy. Rare species offer more than aesthetic, cultural, or taxonomic diversity value; they disproportionately increase the potential breadth of functions provided by ecosystems across spatial scales. As such, they are likely to insure against future uncertainty arising from climate change and the ever-increasing anthropogenic pressures on ecosystems. Our results call for a more detailed understanding of the role of rarity and functional vulnerability in ecosystem functioning

Timing of Favorable Conditions, Competition and Fertility Interact to Govern Recruitment of Invasive Chinese Tallow Tree in Stressful Environments

The rate of new exotic recruitment following removal of adult invaders (reinvasion pressure) influences restoration outcomes and costs but is highly variable and poorly understood. We hypothesize that broad variation in average reinvasion pressure of Triadica sebifera (Chinese tallow tree, a major invader) arises from differences among habitats in spatiotemporal availability of realized recruitment windows. These windows are periods of variable duration long enough to permit establishment given local environmental conditions. We tested this hypothesis via a greenhouse mesocosm experiment that quantified how the duration of favorable moisture conditions prior to flood or drought stress (window duration), competition and nutrient availability influenced Triadica success in high stress environments. Window duration influenced pre-stress seedling abundance and size, growth during stress and final abundance; it interacted with other factors to affect final biomass and germination during stress. Stress type and competition impacted final size and biomass, plus germination, mortality and changes in size during stress. Final abundance also depended on competition and the interaction of window duration, stress type and competition. Fertilization interacted with competition and stress to influence biomass and changes in height, respectively, but did not affect Triadica abundance. Overall, longer window durations promoted Triadica establishment, competition and drought (relative to flood) suppressed establishment, and fertilization had weak effects. Interactions among factors frequently produced different effects in specific contexts. Results support our ‘outgrow the stress’ hypothesis and show that temporal availability of abiotic windows and factors that influence growth rates govern Triadica recruitment in stressful environments. These findings suggest that native seed addition can effectively suppress superior competitors in stressful environments. We also describe environmental scenarios where specific management methods may be more or less effective. Our results enable better niche-based estimates of local reinvasion pressure, which can improve restoration efficacy and efficiency by informing site selection and optimal Management

Gammapy: A Python package for gamma-ray astronomy

In this article, we present Gammapy, an open-source Python package for the analysis of astronomical $\gamma$-ray data, and illustrate the functionalities of its first long-term-support release, version 1.0. Built on the modern Python scientific ecosystem, Gammapy provides a uniform platform for reducing and modeling data from different $\gamma$-ray instruments for many analysis scenarios. Gammapy complies with several well-established data conventions in high-energy astrophysics, providing serialized data products that are interoperable with other software packages. Starting from event lists and instrument response functions, Gammapy provides functionalities to reduce these data by binning them in energy and sky coordinates. Several techniques for background estimation are implemented in the package to handle the residual hadronic background affecting $\gamma$-ray instruments. After the data are binned, the flux and morphology of one or more $\gamma$-ray sources can be estimated using Poisson maximum likelihood fitting and assuming a variety of spectral, temporal, and spatial models. Estimation of flux points, likelihood profiles, and light curves is also supported. After describing the structure of the package, we show, using publicly available $\gamma$-ray data, the capabilities of Gammapy in multiple traditional and novel $\gamma$-ray analysis scenarios, such as spectral and spectro-morphological modeling and estimations of a spectral energy distribution and a light curve. Its flexibility and power are displayed in a final multi-instrument example, where datasets from different instruments, at different stages of data reduction, are simultaneously fitted with an astrophysical flux model.Comment: 26 pages, 16 figure

Consistency of satellite climate data records for Earth system monitoring

Climate Data Records (CDRs) of Essential Climate Variables (ECVs) as defined by the Global Climate Observing System (GCOS) derived from satellite instruments help to characterize the main components of the Earth system, to identify the state and evolution of its processes, and to constrain the budgets of key cycles of water, carbon and energy. The Climate Change Initiative (CCI) of the European Space Agency (ESA) coordinates the derivation of CDRs for 21 GCOS ECVs. The combined use of multiple ECVs for Earth system science applications requires consistency between and across their respective CDRs. As a comprehensive definition for multi-ECV consistency is missing so far, this study proposes defining consistency on three levels: (1) consistency in format and metadata to facilitate their synergetic use (technical level); (2) consistency in assumptions and auxiliary datasets to minimize incompatibilities among datasets (retrieval level); and (3) consistency between combined or multiple CDRs within their estimated uncertainties or physical constraints (scientific level). Analysing consistency between CDRs of multiple quantities is a challenging task and requires coordination between different observational communities, which is facilitated by the CCI program. The inter-dependencies of the satellite-based CDRs derived within the CCI program are analysed to identify where consistency considerations are most important. The study also summarizes measures taken in CCI to ensure consistency on the technical level, and develops a concept for assessing consistency on the retrieval and scientific levels in the light of underlying physical knowledge. Finally, this study presents the current status of consistency between the CCI CDRs and future efforts needed to further improve it

Unsuspected prevalence of Pinus cembra in the high-elevation sky islands of the western Alps

A survey of Pinus cembra (Arolla pine) growing above 2800 m elevation was conducted in an ecoregion of the western Alps, where the highest treeline is at ~2650 m. The concepts of treeline and species line are discussed based on these field observations. The species line is the biological limit of a species, with inherited nested historical and current processes of high-mountain socio-ecosystems, while the treeline strictly concerns the limit of erect trees. Arolla pines were located and described (height, physiognomy), and their habitats recorded (elevation, slope, aspect). Individuals occurred up to 3200 m on east-facing steep and rocky slopes, with density decreasing exponentially with increasing elevation (halving every 40 m). East-facing habitats benefit from the main atmospheric moisture coming from the east (Italy). Individuals were mostly dwarf-shaped/prostrate (58%), or trees (39%; max height 3.8 m). They usually do not bear female cones, and needles are smaller by half compared to those of pines growing in lower elevation forests. Their morphology indicates harsh growing conditions due to elevation (aridity, frost) and disturbances (wind, snow, rockfall). Habitat preference primarily on grass-free steep rocky slopes and cliffs at high elevation is likely explained by the exclusion of livestock impacts (grazing, trampling). These pines constitute noteworthy "sky island" populations. Larix decidua and Pinus uncinata were also recorded above the treeline, but with lower maximum elevation and density than Pinus cembra. These observations highlight a complex pattern of species treeline in the western Alps, and probably beyond, with relevance to issues in conservation science

Exploring man-made hazards in our communities: a toxic tour of Kansas

Although we live in a world of frequent, nature-related disasters such as tornados in the Midwest, hurricanes along the eastern coast and earthquakes among the major fault lines in the west, many disasters experienced by the public are man-made. Whether city planners allow residential building permits for flood planes or chemical plants to be erected to boost a local economy, many citizens may feel the adverse effect of this progress when disaster strikes. The U.S. constitution mandates an equality among the population, but sociologists such as Tierney (1999) state “risks are imposed unequally in society, and frequently those most exposed are least able to cope with risk” (p. 231). This presentation showcases a 2008 Tilford Multicultural Grant funded project, an interdisciplinary collaboration of a combined experiential learning module in three (3) courses within two university departments. The Department of Communications in the College of Agriculture and the A.Q. Miller School of Journalism & Mass Communication in the College of Arts & Sciences partnered together to provide a field trip/direct experience opportunity for students, enrolling in AGCOM 420 – Crisis Communications, AGCOM/MC 712 – Environmental Communication and MC 740 – Risk Communication, to see the effects of man-made hazards and disaster on marginalized Kansan populations. The overall course objective is to expose students to the concepts and best practices of risk, crisis, and environmental communications. Through the proposed experiential module, the students were lead on two separate field trips in the spring semester of 2008 to experience the effects of 100 year-old mining techniques in the rural town of Galena, KS, and to tour the Jefferies Energy plant, a coal-fired energy production facility

Moderately Low Magnesium Intake Impairs Growth of Lean Body Mass in Obese-Prone and Obese-Resistant Rats Fed a High-Energy Diet

The physical and biochemical changes resulting from moderately low magnesium (Mg) intake are not fully understood. Obesity and associated co-morbidities affect Mg metabolism and may exacerbate Mg deficiency and physiological effects. Male rats selectively bred for diet-induced obesity (OP, obese-prone) or resistance (OR, obese-resistant) were fed a high-fat, high-energy diet containing moderately low (LMg, 0.116 ± 0.001 g/kg) or normal (NMg, 0.516 ± 0.007 g/kg) Mg for 13 weeks. The growth, body composition, mineral homeostasis, bone development, and glucose metabolism of the rats were examined. OP and OR rats showed differences (p < 0.05) in many physical and biochemical measures regardless of diet. OP and OR rats fed the LMg diet had decreased body weight, lean body mass, decreased femoral size (width, weight, and volume), and serum Mg and potassium concentrations compared to rats fed the NMg diet. The LMg diet increased serum calcium (Ca) concentration in both rat strains with a concomitant decrease in serum parathyroid hormone concentration only in the OR strain. In the femur, Mg concentration was reduced, whereas concentrations of Ca and sodium were increased in both strains fed the LMg diet. Plasma glucose and insulin concentrations in an oral glucose tolerance test were similar in rats fed the LMg or NMg diets. These results show that a moderately low Mg diet impairs the growth of lean body mass and alters femoral geometry and mineral metabolism in OP and OR rats fed a high-energy diet