Terminal ruthenium carbido complexes as σ-donor ligands

The terminal carbido ligand of (Pcy_3)_2(Cl)_2RuC coordinates to other metal centers in a σ-donor fashion, as in (Pcy_3)_2(Cl)_2Ru≡C–Pd(Cl)_2(Sme_2) and (Pcy_3)_2(Cl)_2Ru≡C–Mo(CO)_5

NESTING ECOLOGY OF THE NORTHERN BEARDLESSTYRANNULET (CAMPTOSTOMA IMBERBE) IN THE LOWER RIO GRANDE VALLEY OF TEXAS, U.S.A.

During 2002–2003, we studied the breeding ecology of the Northern Beardless-Tyrannulet (Camptostoma imberbe), a poorly known and rare permanent resident in the Lower Rio Grande Valley of Texas, United States of America. We found 28 nests in clusters of Spanish moss (Tillandsia usneoides) or ball moss (T. recurvata), 93% of which were in cedar elm (Ulmus crassifolia) trees. Nest-building, incubation, and nestling periods averaged 7.0, 14.0, and 18.5 days, respectively. Of the 28 nests, 43% were successful, while 38% of the failed nests showed obvious signs of depredation. Nests were located in areas with denser Tillandsia growth and with taller trees than nearby non-used areas. Availability of this habitat may limit the population size of Northern Beardless-Tyrannulets in the Lower Rio Grande Valley

A Comparison of Bird Detection Rates Derived from On-Road versus Off-Road Point Counts in Northern Montana

We conducted a series of 275 paired (on- and off-road) point counts within 4 distinct vegetation cover types in northwestern Montana. Roadside counts generated a bird list that was essentially the same as the list generated from off-road counts within the same vegetation cover type. Species that were restricted to either on- or off-road counts were rare, suggesting that restricted occurrences were a consequence of small sample sizes and not a product of habitat differences surrounding on-versus off-road points. Nevertheless, there were significant differences in the mean number of individuals detected between on- and off-road points for a number of species. Some of these differences appear to be a product of habitat changes associated with the presence of roads, and those differences appear to be less pronounced on narrower roads. Therefore, we recommend that, if one wishes to extrapolate results from on- to off-road areas, care should be taken to select smaller, secondary or tertiary roads as transect routes

Effects of Silvicultural Treatments in the Rocky Mountains

We offer a description of current forest structure and basic information on bird distribution across forest habitats in the Rockies as background knowledge for understanding the effects of silviculture on birds in these habitats. We also offer a comparison between the effects of silviculture, and the effects of fire and fire suppression on forest birds in an attempt to give a holistic perspective on the health of forest birds\u27 in the Rockies

Effects of Silvicultural Treatments on Forest Birds in the Rocky Mountains: Implications and Management Recommendations

The short-term effects of timber harvesting practices on landbird species vary widely among species. Thus, the maintenance of populations of all species will require a long-term management strategy that involves maintenance of a variety of habitats over a broad landscape

Hybrid Bermudagrass Responses to Impaired Water Sources

Low-quality (i.e., impaired) water sources are commonly used to irrigate warm-season turfgrass landscapes as a result of limited supplies of potable water sources. Currently, there is great need to define the impacts of impaired water sources on turfgrass water consumption, growth, and quality. The objectives of this study were to characterize actual evaporation (ETa), clipping production, and quality of three hybrid bermudagrass varieties [‘TifTuf’, ‘Tifway’, and ‘Midiron’; Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers. × C. traansvalensis Burtt Davy] grown under three water sources [reverse osmosis (RO), local well, and recycled], each supplied at full irrigation levels (1.0 × ETa) over two 8-week study periods. When pooling across water source and date, TifTuf maintained the highest visual quality and normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) compared with both Midiron and Tifway. This was accompanied by a greater daily ETa rate, clipping production, and water use efficiency (WUE) compared with Midiron in both studies. When pooling across variety and date, daily ETa of turfgrass receiving recycled water was 5% to 10% less than those receiving the local well or RO water. In addition, turfgrasses receiving local well water held the greatest visual quality and NDVI compared with those receiving either RO water in the summer study. Visual quality and NDVI were also less in turfgrasses receiving RO water compared with those receiving local well or recycled water in the fall. Despite turfgrasses having a lower ETa under recycled water in both study periods, these plants had significantly greater clipping production compared with RO water in the summer. Also, clipping production under recycled water did not differ significantly from the other two sources in the fall study. Furthermoe, in both studies, WUE was similar for turfgrasses receiving recycled water compared with those receiving RO or local well water. Results demonstrated that irrigation water quality influences critical factors for hybrid bermudagrass growth and that considerable variability exists among three commercially available varieties for evapotranspiration rates, quality, and clipping production

An Initiation Kinetics Prediction Model Enables Rational Design of Ruthenium Olefin Metathesis Catalysts Bearing Modified Chelating Benzylidenes

Rational design of second-generation ruthenium olefin metathesis catalysts with desired initiation rates can be enabled by a computational model that is dependent on a single thermodynamic parameter. Using a computational model with no assumption about the specific initiation mechanism, the initiation kinetics of a spectrum of second-generation ruthenium olefin metathesis catalysts bearing modified chelating ortho-alkoxy benzylidenes were predicted in this work. Experimental tests of the validity of the computational model were achieved by the synthesis of a series of ruthenium olefin metathesis catalysts and investigation of initiation rates by ultraviolet–visible light (UV-vis) kinetics, nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, and structural characterization by X-ray crystallography. Included in this series of catalysts were 13 catalysts bearing alkoxy groups with varied steric bulk on the chelating benzylidene, ranging from ethoxy to dicyclohexylmethoxy groups. The experimentally observed initiation kinetics of the synthesized catalysts were in good accordance with computational predictions. Notably, the fast initiation rate of the dicyclohexylmethoxy catalyst was successfully predicted by the model, and this complex is believed to be among the fastest initiating Hoveyda–Grubbs-type catalysts reported to date. The compatibility of the predictive model with other catalyst families, including those bearing alternative N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) ligands or disubstituted alkoxy benzylidenes, was also examined

Actual changes in system of urban planning in post-socialist city: the case of Prague

After the change of political system in Czechoslovakia (1989) came also a lot of social, economical and cultural changes. Today, all the Czech cities stay in front of the biggest change of city planning philosophy in last two decades. Prague, the capital city of Czech Republic, decided for a big institutional transition in 2012. The municipality, in cooperation with Faculty of Architecture CTU in Prague, is preparing completely pioneering methodology for quality commissioning of land use plans and, in cooperation with the new Institute of Planning and Development, is preparing innovative system of city planning. There are new ordinances, laws, regulations, tourist trade strategies and many other documents. Prague, as one of the strongest regions in East-Central Europe, can be seen like a laboratory of current development of post-socialist city. The new methodology of Metropolitan Plan could be a key to success