The 2018 U.S. Trust® Study of High Net Worth Philanthropy

The results of the 2018 U.S. Trust Study of High Net Worth Philanthropy demonstrate, in many ways, a continuation of the broad trends seen in previous years’ Studies. Taken as a whole, giving by high net worth households appears to be stronger than ever. The familiarity of these ongoing trends is reassuring, but it may also be deceptive. Trends are, by definition, dynamic, and the trends in this year’s Study reveal a powerful undercurrent of social, economic, political and demographic forces that will compel nonprofit organizations to adopt strategies and business practices that are more inclusive and transparent

Very Low-mass Stellar and Substellar Companions to Solar-like Stars from MARVELS II: A Short-period Companion Orbiting an F Star with Evidence of a Stellar Tertiary And Significant Mutual Inclination

We report the discovery via radial velocity of a short-period (P = 2.430420 \pm 0.000006 days) companion to the F-type main sequence star TYC 2930-00872-1. A long-term trend in the radial velocities indicates the presence of a tertiary stellar companion with $P > 2000$ days. High-resolution spectroscopy of the host star yields T_eff = 6427 +/- 33 K, log(g) = 4.52 +/- 0.14, and [Fe/H]=-0.04 +/- 0.05. These parameters, combined with the broad-band spectral energy distribution and parallax, allow us to infer a mass and radius of the host star of M_1=1.21 +/- 0.08 M_\odot and R_1=1.09_{-0.13}^{+0.15} R_\odot. We are able to exclude transits of the inner companion with high confidence. The host star's spectrum exhibits clear Ca H and K core emission indicating stellar activity, but a lack of photometric variability and small v*sin(I) suggest the primary's spin axis is oriented in a pole-on configuration. The rotational period of the primary from an activity-rotation relation matches the orbital period of the inner companion to within 1.5 \sigma, suggesting they are tidally locked. If the inner companion's orbital angular momentum vector is aligned with the stellar spin axis, as expected through tidal evolution, then it has a stellar mass of M_2 ~ 0.3-0.4 M_\odot. Direct imaging limits the existence of stellar companions to projected separations < 30 AU. No set of spectral lines and no significant flux contribution to the spectral energy distribution from either companion are detected, which places individual upper mass limits of M < 1.0 M_\odot, provided they are not stellar remnants. If the tertiary is not a stellar remnant, then it likely has a mass of ~0.5-0.6 M_\odot, and its orbit is likely significantly inclined from that of the secondary, suggesting that the Kozai-Lidov mechanism may have driven the dynamical evolution of this system.Comment: 37 pages, 7 tables, 21 figures, Accepted in A

Iron (oxyhydr)oxide Crystallinity and Redox Conditions as a Function of Permafrost Thaw in Abisko, Sweden

https://kent-islandora.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/node/10070/10189-thumbnail.jpgIncreasing temperatures in the arctic can cause permafrost thaw that radically changes hydrological and redox conditions in the soil. Redox sensitive minerals like iron (Fe) oxides can precipitate or dissolve in response to redox changes. Fe oxides control the cycling of nutrients such as phosphorus (P), a limiting nutrient in arctic soils, by adsorption. The effects of progressing permafrost thaw and resulting changing hydrology on redox conditions and Fe oxide crystallinity in arctic environments are still unknown. To investigate these complex interactions, an in situ incubation experiment was conducted along a permafrost gradient in arctic soils in Abisko, Sweden. Permafrost thaw in Abisko results in ground collapse and surface ponding. Mesh bags were filled with Fe rich sediments and buried in the top soil along a permafrost gradient for either one or eight weeks. Redox conditions were measured continuously along the gradient and incubated materials were analyzed with x-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAFS) for changes in Fe oxide crystallinity. Changes in total Fe and P concentration were determined by sequential extractions of the incubated material. Preliminary results show a change from oxic to anoxic conditions as permafrost thaw progresses and surface ponding occurs. XAFS show a shift toward ferrihydrite, a poorly crystalline Fe oxide, in the soils with surface ponding after eight weeks. Ferrihydrite has a high capacity for P sorption and might limit the bioavailability of this critical nutrient in thawing arctic soils and potentially limit plant growth and microbial activity.</p

Influence of iron (oxyhydr)oxide crystallinity on phosphate bioavailability in contrasting redox and hydrological conditions

Hydrological shifts can change redox regimes in soils and can form poorly crystalline iron (Fe) oxides that have the potential to adsorb the limiting nutrient phosphate. The crystallinity and mineralogy of the Fe oxides that form as a function of redox fluctuations remain unknown. Phosphate bioavailability may decrease as hydrological changes drive the precipitation of Fe oxides, potentially limiting plant growth. To investigate these complex interactions, an in situ incubation experiment was conducted. Mesh bags filled with Fe-oxides of different crystallinity (ferrihydrite, goethite and hematite) were buried in and around a vernal pond in northeast Ohio. Fe-oxides were either phosphate-free or had high concentrations of sorbed phosphate. Lowland soils in vernal ponds were flooded during spring months but progressively dried out over the summer, while upland soils remained unsaturated, providing us with contrasting redox conditions. Bags were removed at two times intervals to capture flooded and dried conditions in the lowland soils. Redox conditions in the lowland soils shifted from anoxic to oxic as the pond above dried out. Fe-oxide crystallinity, analyzed using x-ray absorption fine structure spectroscopy, decreased over time for oxides incubated in the pond. Phosphate loss from phosphate-added treatments generally followed trends in Fe loss, indicating phosphate was released from dissolving iron oxides. Phosphate-free treatments in the lowlands gained phosphate over time despite losing Fe-oxides, indicating enhanced ability of small amounts of freshly precipitated Fe-oxides to adsorb phosphate. Results from this study will provide insight into the effect of Fe-oxide crystallinity on phosphate bioavailability

Understanding how microorganisms influence the bioavailability of iron-bound phosphate under shifting redox regimes in nutrient poor soils

Plants remove carbon dioxide (CO2) from the atmosphere and can mitigate climate change, but require nutrients like phosphorus (P) to increase primary productivity and build biomass. P can become limiting to plant growth as changes in the water table alter soil redox conditions. These anoxic-oxic changes can influence geochemical sorption of phosphate (PO43-) to iron (oxyhydr)oxides, modifying P bioavailability. Vernal ponds are one such system that experience seasonal hydrologic changes that result in redox fluctuations. Release of iron-bound phosphorus through microbial mechanisms could increase P bioavailability for plants to grow and in turn take up more CO2. To assess how microbes affect the availability of P in iron-bound PO43-, we examined P uptake by the microbial community in vernal pond soils in Northeast Ohio. Mesh bags were filled with organic material and three types of synthetic iron oxides (ferrihydrite, goethite, and hematite). Iron oxides were either saturated in a PO43- solution or not sorbed with PO43-. Bags were incubated in both lowland (pond) and adjacent upland environments and removed during flooded conditions and after the pond had dried. Preliminary results show that bags in both environments that contained iron-bound PO43- had higher mass following incubation than those without PO43-, suggesting biomass accumulation. Release of iron-bound PO43- could supply plants with vital nutrients needed to grow, resulting in greater uptake of atmospheric CO2.</p

Investigating the Bioavailability of Phosphorus in the Presence of Iron Under Fluctuating Redox Conditions in Arctic Soils

https://kent-islandora.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/node/10102/10364-thumbnail.jpgNorthern latitudes are rapidly warming. As permafrost thaws, soil carbon (C) stocks are at risk of being released into the atmosphere, transitioning arctic systems from C sinks to sources. Soil microbial C metabolism is constrained by temperature, water and nutrients. Nutrients such as phosphate (PO43-), are in turn regulated by iron (Fe) geochemistry, but these interactions vary across redox conditions in arctic soils. Where present, poorly crystalline Fe (oxyhydr)oxides sorb PO43-, limiting its bioavailability. To assess microbial PO43- acquisition in the presence of Fe, we examined phosphorus (P) uptake by the microbial community in arctic soils in Abisko, Sweden. Mesh bags were filled with Fe-rich soil that was either saturated with PO43- or not saturated. Bags were incubated for one week along a thaw gradient representing different redox conditions. Preliminary results show that PO43- concentrations in microbial biomass are low, suggesting that microbes are acclimated to low P conditions and/or may be limited by nutrients other than P in arctic soils resulting in limited uptake of P molecules. Alternatively, PO43- liberated from microbial biomass by chloroform fumigation may have re-sorbed to soil Fe oxides, resisting detection. Continued analysis of soil Fe and P will further elucidate P storage pools.</p

Very low mass stellar and substellar companions to solar-like stars from MARVELS. II. A short-period companios orbiting an F star with evidence of a stellar tertiary and significant mutual inclination

We report the discovery via radial velocity (RV) measurements of a short-period (P = 2.430420±0.000006 days) companion to the F-type main-sequence star TYC 2930-00872-1. A long-term trend in the RV data also suggests the presence of a tertiary stellar companion with P > 2000 days. High-resolution spectroscopy of the host star yields Teff = 6427 ± 33 K, log g = 4.52 ± 0.14, and [Fe/H] = −0.04 ± 0.05. These parameters, combined with the broadband spectral energy distribution (SED) and a parallax, allow us to infer a mass and radius of the host star of M1 = 1.21 ± 0.08 M and R1 = 1.09+0.15 −0.13 R . The minimum mass of the inner companion is below the hydrogen-burning limit; however, the true mass is likely to be substantially higher. We are able to exclude transits of the inner companion with high confidence. Further, the host star spectrum exhibits a clear signature of Ca H and K core emission, indicating stellar activity, but a lack of photometric variability and small v sin I suggest that the primary’s spin axis is oriented in a pole-on configuration. The rotational period of the primary estimated through an activity–rotation relation matches the orbital period of the inner companion to within 1.5 σ, suggesting that the primary and inner companion are tidally locked. If the inner companion’s orbital angular momentum vector is aligned with the stellar spin axis as expected through tidal evolution, then it has a stellar mass of ∼0.3–0.4 M . Direct imaging limits the existence of stellar companions to projected separations <30 AU. No set of spectral lines and no significant flux contribution to the SED from either companion are detected, which places individual upper mass limits of M{2,3} 1.0 M , provided they are not stellar remnants. If the tertiary is not a stellar remnant, then it likely has a mass of ∼0.5–0.6M , and its orbit is likely significantly inclined from that of the secondary, suggesting that the Kozai–Lidov mechanism may have driven the dynamical evolution of this system

Accelerating the Deployment of Anaerobic Digestion to Meet Zero Waste Goals.

The U.S. places approximately 53% of its total municipal solid waste (MSW) in landfills, but state and local governments across the country are now setting ambitious environmental and waste diversion policies requiring, among other things, diversion and utilization of organics. Municipalities across the U.S. are employing anaerobic digestion (AD) as part of their strategy to divert organic MSW from landfills, produce biogas, and yield other beneficial coproducts such as compost and fertilizer. However, AD faces many technical, regulatory, and economic barriers to greater deployment, including upstream waste contamination, local odor and air pollution concerns, lengthy siting and permitting processes, and requirements and sizable costs for interconnecting to the electric grid. We identify a combination of scientific, operational, and policy advancements that are needed to address these barriers

[In Press] Estimating flying-fox mortality associated with abandonments of pups and extreme heat events during the austral summer of 2019-20

Abstract. Mass mortalities in flying-foxes occur in summers that reach extremely hot temperatures. In this study, we examine the spatiotemporal distributions of mortality from pup abandonments and extreme heat events in Australian flying-fox camps during the 2019–20 summer. We recorded data on flying-fox mortality in known affected camps and applied a standard method to estimate the number of deaths. Pup mortalities from abandonments were recorded in 10 camps in New South Wales. A minimum estimate of 2612 flying-foxes died in pup abandonments, the majority of which occurred in one camp in Bomaderry. Die-offs from extreme heat events were recorded in 40 camps associated with eight separate heat events in south-eastern Australia. A minimum estimate of 72 175 flying-foxes died during these heat events, which all occurred within the range of the threatened grey-headed flying-fox (Pteropus poliocephalus). Further, 409 and 2251 live flying-foxes were taken into care from pup abandonments and heat events respectively. The minimum mortality estimated represents the highest recorded mortality of Australian flying-foxes within a single summer. This highlights a need to restore vegetation in flying-fox foraging areas and camps, address anthropogenic climate change and gather more empirical data to inform heat stress interventions to minimise flying-fox mortalities