A Comparison of Urban Soil to Rural Soils

Previous studies have shown significantly more seedlings and saplings at control sites above Estacada, Oregon than in Forest Park. In an attempt to determine possible reasons for the lack of young trees in the urban forest, we measured the depth of the O horizon, as well as soil Carbon, Nitrogen, and CO2 (as a measure of respiration rate) in soil at multiple sites. We found significantly deeper O2 horizons at the control sites relative to the sites in any section of Forest Park. We also found significantly higher levels of C and higher C/N ratio at the control sites. We did not find significant differences among the level of soil respiration but did see a tendency for higher levels at the control sites

CIMMYT's Formal Training Activities: Perceptions of Impact from Former Trainees, NARS Research Leaders, and CIMMYT Scientists

This report provides information on the impact of CIMMYT training, based on a set of background interviews with center staff, reviews of relevant data and documents provided by CIMMYT, and two surveys: one of research leaders in trainees’ countries of origin and one of participants in CIMMYT courses on maize and wheat improvement, quality protein maize, soil-borne pathogens of cereals, and maize stress breeding during 2002-04. Evidence indicates that training provided by CIMMYT not only furnishes new knowledge and skills, but results in new ways of thinking about research and new research partnerships, is often shared within trainees’ home institutions, and changes the way the institutions work. The evidence in this study establishes the existence of impact but does not support conclusions about its extent.Training programmes, Training courses, Education, Extension, Agricultural research, Diffusion of research, Evaluation, Research and Development/Tech Change/Emerging Technologies, C10, A50,

Examining Water Quality along Cozine Creek

Water is an essential resource for all life. Water sustains ecological processes that are important to the survival of fish, vegetation, wetlands, and birds. It contributes to humans by providing drinking water, irrigation, and also is an inspiration for recreational, cultural, and spiritual practices. Anthropogenic activities affect water quality in various ways, and a significant portion of the human population is currently experiencing water stress. The quality of water, as well as its social and economic value, share a positive relationship. Therefore, as water quality becomes degraded by pollution, the environmental, social, and economic value also decrease. The recognition of the importance of safe water has created crucial policies in the United States and internationally. Our study looks specifically into the water quality of Cozine Creek, located in Yamhill County, Oregon. The goal of our study was to determine how water quality variables compared among our sampling sites in 2017 and across the years from 2011 to 2017. We used the definition of water quality as determined by measuring physical, chemical, and biological characteristics. We measured dissolved oxygen (DO), biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), pH, temperature, flow, turbidity, macroinvertebrates, bacterial counts, nutrients, and surrounding vegetation. To present a better understanding to the measurements of the water quality variables, we compared the measurements to the scientifically known parameters of healthy salmonid habitat, since the presence of salmon indicates a healthy watershed. Our data suggest that the overall quality of our three sites along Cozine Creek is poor, and there was little to no improvement of water quality when compared to previous years\u27 data. It is likely that the water quality can be attributed to agricultural and urban runoff possibly containing waste, storm water, pesticides, fertilizer, and other chemicals

Direct measurement of the fine-structure interval and g_J factors of singly ionized atomic carbon by laser magnetic resonance

We present the results of laser magnetic resonance measurements performed on the ground ^2P state of singly ionized atomic carbon (C_II). The 2^P_(3/2) ← ^2P_(1/2) fine-structure intervals of both ^(12)C^+ and ^(13)C^+ have been determined with a precision of approximately 1 ppm, and the g_J factors to approximately one part in 10^4. Specifically, we find that g_(J=(1/2)) = 0.66576(11) and g_(J=(3/2)) = 1.33412(11), while for ^(12)C^+ ΔE_0(^2P_(3/2) ← ^2P_(1/2))= 1900536.9(1.3) MHz, with ΔE_0(^2P_(3/2) ← ^2P_(1/2)) = 1900545.8(2.1) and ΔE(^2P(3/2) ← ^2P_(1/2), F = 2 ← 1) = 1900466.1(2.3) MHz in ^(13)C^+. The highly precise values of the ^(12)C_II and ^(13)C_II fine-structure intervals verify the already secure far-infrared astronomical identification of C^+ and should allow the interstellar (^(12)C / ^(13)C) ratio to be unambiguously determined in a number of environments

Cozine Creek Restoration Project

Our Environmental Studies senior capstone class (ENVS 470) wrote and submitted an application for a $15,000 grant from the Oregon Watershed and Enhancement Board (OWEB) to restore a section of the college’s property along Cozine Creek. We worked in partnership with the Greater Yamhill Watershed Council (GYWC) and Upshot LLC, a local contractor, to develop a restoration plan. The initial step will be to control invasive species, mainly Himalayan blackberry and English ivy. We then will plant native species such as Oregon grape, salmonberry, and Indian plum. The site will have five treatment options including combinations of manual and chemical removal. Future ENVS classes will monitor the effectiveness of the treatment options, the growth and survival of native plants, and the effectiveness of deer exclusion devices. The ENVS department, GYWC, and community members will maintain the area through ongoing volunteer work parties. The grant will also fund a Cozine Creek Stewardship student internship position to help coordinate future efforts. The goal of this project is to restore the water quality and ecological integrity of the area, encourage proper usage of the property, and renew our connection to Cozine Creek, both for Linfield College and the surrounding community

[12CII] and [13CII] 158 mum emission from NGC 2024: Large column densities of ionized carbon

Context: We analyze the NGC 2024 HII region and molecular cloud interface using [12CII] and [13CII] observations. Aims: We attempt to gain insight into the physical structure of the interface layer between the molecular cloud and the HII region. Methods. Observations of [12CII] and [13CII] emission at 158 {\mu}m with high spatial and spectral resolution allow us to study the detailed structure of the ionization front and estimate the column densities and temperatures of the ionized carbon layer in the PDR. Results: The [12CII] emission closely follows the distribution of the 8 mum continuum. Across most of the source, the spectral lines have two velocity peaks similar to lines of rare CO isotopes. The [13CII] emission is detected near the edge-on ionization front. It has only a single velocity component, which implies that the [12CII] line shape is caused by self-absorption. An anomalous hyperfine line-intensity ratio observed in [13CII] cannot yet be explained. Conclusions: Our analysis of the two isotopes results in a total column density of N(H)~1.6\times10^23 cm^-2 in the gas emitting the [CII] line. A large fraction of this gas has to be at a temperature of several hundred K. The self-absorption is caused by a cooler (T<=100 K) foreground component containing a column density of N(H)~10^22 cm^-2