Broughton Archipelago Clam Terrace Survey : final report

During a 1995 aerial video survey of the coastline of Johnstone Strait, an unusual shoreline feature was noted and termed “clam terraces” (inset) because of the terrace-type morphology and the apparent association with high clam productivity on the sandflats. Typical alongshore lengths of the terrace ridges are 20-50m, and across-shore widths are typically 20-40m. An area with an especially high density of clam terraces was noted in the Broughton Archipelago, between Broughton and Gilford Islands of southeastern Queen Charlotte Strait. Clam terraces in this area were inventoried from the aerial video imagery to quantify their distribution. The terraces accounted for over 14 km of shoreline and 365 clam terraces were documented. A three-day field survey by a coastal geomorphologist, archeologist and marine biologist was conducted to document the features and determine their origin. Nine clam terraces were surveyed. The field observations confirmed that: the ridges are comprised of boulder/cobblesized material, ridge crests are typically in the range of 1-1.5m above chart datum, sandflats are comprised almost entirely of shell fragments (barnacles and clams) and sandflats have very high shellfish production. There are an abundance of shell middens in the area (over 175) suggesting that the shellfish associated with the terraces were an important food source of aboriginal peoples. The origin of the ridges is unknown; they appear to be a relict feature in that they are not actively being modified by present-day processes. The ridges may be a relict sea-ice feature, although the mechanics of ridge formation is uncertain. Sand accumulates behind the ridge because the supply rate of the shell fragments exceeds the dispersal rate in these low energy environments. The high density areas of clam terraces correspond to high density areas of shell middens, and it is probable that the clam terraces were subjected to some degree of modification by aboriginal shellfish gatherers over the thousands of years of occupation in the region. (Document contains 39 pages

Coastal Erosion Rates along the Chukchi Sea Coast near Barrow, Alaska

Coastal cliff retreat along the Chukchi Sea coast from Barrow to Peard Bay is determined by comparison of 1949 and 1976 vertical aerial photographs. Results indicate that the cliffed coast line had a mean long-term retreat rate of 0.31 m/yr. This retreat is considerably lower than reported for the Beaufort Sea coast and suggests that offshore permafrost along the Chukchi Sea coast may be relatively scarce. Cliff retreat is lowest near Barrow, about 0.06 m/yr, and increases to the south. Migratory offshore bars, beach-borrow activity, and variations in annual wave energy levels due to storms cause temporal variation in the coastal erosion rates

Student Organizations as Venues for Black Identity Expression and Development among African American Male Student Leaders

Ways in which membership in student organizations, both predominantly Black and mainstream, provide space for Black identity expression and development were explored in this study. Based on individual interviews conducted with African American male student leaders at six predominantly White universities, findings reveal a nexus between Black identity status, the selection of venues for out-of-class engagement, and the use of student organizations as platforms for racial uplift and the advocacy of racial/ethnic minority student interests. Moreover, the acquisition of cross-cultural communication skills, the development of care for other disenfranchised groups, and the pursuit of social justice via leadership and student organization membership were reported by the participants and are connected to racial identity development theories in this article

O True Apothecary: How Forensic Science Helps Solve a Classic Crime

As part of a university-wide project to explore Shakespeare’s classic play, Romeo and Juliet, from a variety of perspectives, an interdisciplinary talk was presented to the university community on the chemistry of the potions and poisons referenced in Romeo and Juliet. To draw the multidisciplinary audience in and to teach about forensics as well as pharmaceutical herbs and chemicals, the presentation was given from the perspective of how a modern crime scene investigator would approach the famous play’s final death scene without any prior knowledge of the situation. An autopsy of Juliet’s body might have revealed the presence of the chemicals, hyoscine and atropine, that come from the plant Atropa belladonna. The autopsy could reveal whether the Friar had set out to sedate Juliet or if he had attempted to kill her. An autopsy of Romeo’s body might have revealed the presence of aconitine from the plant Aconitum napellus. Using a classic story to teach about chemistry, basic ideas were introduced about forensics and pharmacology, emphasizing the importance of dose when determining the effect of a drug on the human body

Maximum Storm Surge Elevations in the Tuktoyaktuk Region of the Canadian Beaufort Sea

Storm surges are a significant concern in the siting and design of structures along the Beaufort Sea coast in that the coastal relief is low and the magnitude of surges in this region is large. Coastal storm surge elevations along the southern Canadian Beaufort Sea coast were documented by surveying log debris lines in the Kugmallit Bay/Tuktoyaktuk region. Careful attention to sire selection and survey technique resulted in estimated errors in surge elevation measurements of less than ±0.3 m. The data indicate a local surge maximum has occurred at Tuktoyaktuk at approximately 2.4 m above mean sea level (MSL); lower maximum surge elevations (2 m above MSL) were documented to the north and west of Tuktoyaktuk. There is no evidence that higher surges have occurred during the last 100 years. A surge that occurred in August 1986 measured approximately 1.6 m above MSL at Tuktoyaktuk and decreased to approximately 1.4 m above MSL 20 km to the north and west of Tuktoyaktuk. These surge elevation data provide a basis for the calibration of numerical models of surge and can be used directly in siting and design analysis of coastal structures.Key words: Beaufort Sea coast, storm surges, Kugmallit Bay, TuktoyaktukMots clés: côte de la mer de Beaufort, houle des tempêtes, baie de Kugmallit, Tuktoyaktu

Shifting the onus from racial/ethnic minority students to faculty: Accountability for culturally inclusive pedagogy and curricula

In this article, our goal is to personalize the concerns of diverse student populations and encourage faculty to intentionally incorporate cultural inclusion into their pedagogy and their courses. In light of a student\u27s story (Julian) story and the responses of some of his peers, we emphasize that the onus needs to shift from students, who are expected to adjust to insensitive and monocultural classroom environments, to faculty, who need to change their teaching approaches to benefit an increasingly diverse array of students

Esthetic and Recreational Potential of Small Naturalistic Streams Near Urban Areas

The purpose of this study was to find a way to evaluate the esthetic and recreational potential of small streams and their watersheds. Research was limited to naturalistic streams with drainage areas under 100 square miles and located within 25 miles of a city. A methodology, based on some previous work of the U.S. Soil Conservation Service and the principles or concepts of terrain analysis, land use planning, value Judgment philosophy and the economics of outdoor recreation, was developed and applied in detail to two streams (Boone and Jessamine Creeks) near Lexington, Kentucky. Evaluations were made of the streams\u27 potential for camping (primitive, transient and group), fishing, picnicking, a trail system (hiking, horseback riding, bicycling and auto tour routes), esthetic enjoyment (sightseeing, nature walks and walking for pleasure) and the establishment of natural, scenic and historic areas, Limited applications were also made to two other watersheds and to selected recreation sites on Boone and Jessamine Creeks. Extensions of these case studies resulted in procedures for estimating: visitation to a developed site, future participation demand generated by an urban area and the proportion of that demand that would be satisfied at a specific site, and the economic benefits that would accrue if the sites were developed. Conclusions reached were: (1) Esthetic and recreational values can be identified, inventoried and used to evaluate a watershed\u27s development potential. (2) The methodology yielded fairly accurate evaluations for most of the recreational activities considered. (3) The case studies revealed that many small stream areas possess medium to high potential for camping, fishing, picnicking, trail system development and some forms of esthetic enjoyment. (4) Visitation estimates were judged to be only approximate due to lack of relevant data on similar existing recreation areas. Estimates of participation demand, acreage requirements and annual benefits were somewhat more reliable. Suggestions for further research include: (1) Additional applications of the evaluation methodology to streams in other Kentucky urban areas and in states having climatic, topographic and socio-economic conditions different from Kentucky\u27s and (2) A feasibility study of the use of a psychometrics approach to determine personal preferences about outdoor recreation and the preservation of natural areas