Resilience Planning in a Coastal Urban Environment: An Analysis of climate change planning policy and procedure in Charleston, South Carolina

The purpose of this thesis was to understand the roles of shared learning and cooperation among local and regional levels of governance in building or enhancing resilience to disturbances of climate change. In seeking to understand the roles shared learning and cooperation have in resilience building, I analyzed planning strategies being promoted or taken in the Charleston, South Carolina region. Specifically, I examined seven planning documents put forth by local and regional jurisdictions and interviewed five planning professionals working at local and regional levels to gauge the degree to which shared learning and cooperation operate in building and enhancing this region's resilience

Nitrogen Response Efficiencies from Grazed Dairy Pastures under Dry Conditions

Experiments were conducted within a long-term nitrogen (N) fertiliser experiment under grazing. The objective was to examine N response efficiencies (kg dry matter (DM)/kg N) and herbage crude protein (CP) content to fertiliser N applied under dry soil conditions (gravimetric soil moisture content of 17% at 10cm; soil field capacity = 38% and wilting point = 11%) during autumn (April 1999) and late spring (November 1999) in southeastern Australia. Visually, N treated plots were greener in colour than control (no N) plots. No differences were recorded in primary or residual DM yields, N response efficiencies, and pasture growth rates between N fertilised plots and control plots for both autumn and late spring applications. Fertiliser N, however, had increased herbage CP content six weeks after application in autumn, but had no effect on primary (autumn and late spring applications) or residual CP content in late spring. It was concluded that N fertiliser applications under dry soil conditions are economically and environmently questionable

Nitrogen Fertiliser Effects on Perennial Ryegrass Nutritive and Nitrate Content during the Cool Season

A study was undertaken to determine the effects of differing levels of nitrogen (N) application (0 (N1), 25 (N2), 50 (N3) and 75 kgN/ha (N4)) during late autumn (T1), early (T2) and late winter (T3) on the nutritive characteristics and nitrate content of perennial ryegrass. Changes in crude protein (CP) for all treatments at each application time were similar irrespective of level of N application. At the commencement of all treatments, the existing CP content was highest in N3, followed by N2, N1 and N0. Nitrate content decreased throughout T1 primarily due to dry conditions, whilst during T2, levels for N3 and N2 were significantly (P \u3c 0.05) higher than N1 and N0. During T3, nitrate content increased for all treatments throughout the 28 day period, with highest nitrate levels being observed during T3. The findings indicate that N fertiliser did not elevate nitrate content in perennial ryegrass to levels considered toxic. It is likely that environmental effects (rain and temperature) impacting on soil N mineralisation may have a greater impact on nitrate content than fertiliser N

Climate Change and the Canadian Higher Education System: An Institutional Policy Analysis

Climate change is a pressing concern. Higher education can address the challenge, but systematic analyses of climate change in education policy are sparse. This paper addresses this gap in the literature by reporting on how Canadian postsecondary educational institutions have engaged with climate change through policy actions. We used descriptive quantitative methods to analyze climate change-specific policies from a representative sample of 50 institutions across Canada and found that nearly half had some form of climate policy. Existing policies were then qualitatively analyzed. We found that the most common form of response focused on the built campus environment, with underdeveloped secondary responses focused on research, curriculum, community engagement, and governance policies. We consider the motivations for such institutional action and end with implications for policy makers and future research.  Le changement climatique est une préoccupation urgente. L’enseignement supérieur peut relever ce défi mais les analyses systématiques du changement climatique dans l’éducation sont rares.  Ce document aborde cette lacune dans la littérature en signalant comment les établissements d’enseignement postsecondaires canadiens se sont impliqués dans l’analyse du changement climatique grâce à des mesures politiques. Nous avons utilisé des méthodes quantitatives et descriptives pour analyser ces politiques de changement climatique à partir d’un échantillon représentatif de cinquante établissements canadiens et découvert que plus de la moitié possèdent une politique climatique. Nous les avons analysées de manière qualitative et trouvé que la forme de réponse la plus commune était axée sur le milieu bâti du campus avec des réponses secondaires sous-développées axées sur la recherche, le programme, la participation communautaire et la gouvernance. Nous considérons les motivations de ces mesures institutionnelles et finissons par les implications pour les décisionnaires et les  recherches futures

The Effect of Perennial Ryegrass Cultivar Lock up Length and Nitrogen on Forage Quality for Silage

A study was undertaken to determine the effects of three perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.) cultivars (Vedette, Impact and Nevis) with differing maturities, lock up length and nitrogen (N) application upon the dry matter (DM) yield and nutritive characteristics of pasture for silage. The addition of N at 50 kgN/ha significantly (P\u3c 0.05) increased DM yield for all cultivars. Metabolisable energy (ME) (MJ/kgDM) of the ryegrass declined with time for all treatments, although by week 8 of lock up the ME content of Vedette was significantly (P\u3c 0.05) lower than for other cultivars. When the DM yield and ME content of ryegrass at early ear emergence for each cultivar was compared, the harvestable metabolisable energy (MJ/ha) was highest for Nevis followed by Impact and Vedette. In conclusion, there is potential to use later maturing cultivars of ryegrass in south east Australia to allow for later harvesting of forage for silage, whilst maintaining ME and maximising DM yields. Furthermore the use of N fertiliser can also increase DM yields without impinging on pasture quality

Severe Lumbar Disability Is Associated With Decreased Psoas Cross-Sectional Area in Degenerative Spondylolisthesis

Study Design: Retrospective cohort. Objectives: Alterations in lumbar paraspinal muscle cross-sectional area (CSA) may correlate with lumbar pathology. The purpose of this study was to compare paraspinal CSA in patients with degenerative spondylolisthesis and severe lumbar disability to those with mild or moderate lumbar disability, as determined by the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI). Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 101 patients undergoing lumbar fusion for degenerative spondylolisthesis. Patients were divided into ODI score ≤40 (mild/moderate disability, MMD) and ODI score \u3e40 (severe disability, SD) groups. The total CSA of the psoas and paraspinal muscles were measured on preoperative magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Results: There were 37 patients in the SD group and 64 in the MMD group. Average age and body mass index were similar between groups. For the paraspinal muscles, we were unable to demonstrate any significant differences in total CSA between the groups. Psoas muscle CSA was significantly decreased in the SD group compared with the MMD group (1010.08 vs 1178.6 mm2, P =.041). Multivariate analysis found that psoas CSA in the upper quartile was significantly protective against severe disability (P =.013). Conclusions: We found that patients with severe lumbar disability had no significant differences in posterior lumbar paraspinal CSA when compared with those with mild/moderate disability. However, severely disabled patients had significantly decreased psoas CSA, and larger psoas CSA was strongly protective against severe disability, suggestive of a potential association with psoas atrophy and worsening severity of lumbar pathology. © The Author(s) 2018

August 1963

Turf and Lawn Grass Association Better turf through research and Educatio

Hemlock Woolly Adelgid and Elongate Hemlock Scale Induce Changes in Foliar and Twig Volatiles of Eastern Hemlock

Eastern hemlock (Tsuga canadensis) is in rapid decline because of infestation by the invasive hemlock woolly adelgid (Adelges tsugae; \u27HWA\u27) and, to a lesser extent, the invasive elongate hemlock scale (Fiorinia externa; \u27EHS\u27). For many conifers, induced oleoresin-based defenses play a central role in their response to herbivorous insects; however, it is unknown whether eastern hemlock mobilizes these inducible defenses. We conducted a study to determine if feeding by HWA or EHS induced changes in the volatile resin compounds of eastern hemlock. Young trees were experimentally infested for 3 years with HWA, EHS, or neither insect. Twig and needle resin volatiles were identified and quantified by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. We observed a suite of changes in eastern hemlock\u27s volatile profile markedly different from the largely terpenoid-based defense response of similar conifers. Overall, both insects produced a similar effect: most twig volatiles decreased slightly, while most needle volatiles increased slightly. Only HWA feeding led to elevated levels of methyl salicylate, a signal for systemic acquired resistance in many plants, and benzyl alcohol, a strong antimicrobial and aphid deterrent. Green leaf volatiles, often induced in wounded plants, were increased by both insects, but more strongly by EHS. The array of phytochemical changes we observed may reflect manipulation of the tree\u27s biochemistry by HWA, or simply the absence of functional defenses against piercing-sucking insects due to the lack of evolutionary contact with these species. Our findings verify that HWA and EHS both induce changes in eastern hemlock\u27s resin chemistry, and represent the first important step toward understanding the effects of inducible chemical defenses on hemlock susceptibility to these exotic pests

TERPENE CHEMISTRY OF EASTERN HEMLOCKS RESISTANT TO HEMLOCK WOOLLY ADELGID

Recent studies have identified a small number of individual eastern hemlock trees that demonstrate relative resistance to the introduced sap-feeding insect, the hemlock woolly adelgid. Using gas chromatography, we compared concentrations of twenty-two terpenoids in susceptible and relatively resistant trees, both in the forest and in propagated cuttings in a common-garden setting. Terpenoid concentrations were higher in twig tissue of resistant versus susceptible trees, across six sampling dates and at both sites. These changes may be particularly important because the hemlock woolly adelgid feeds on twig tissue. Because the common-garden cuttings were free of herbivores, the higher terpenoid concentrations are interpreted as a constitutive defense. Increased levels of monoterpenes and sesquiterpenes imply an overall increase in the input of carbon precursors to both terpenoid synthesis pathways

Book Reviews

Reviews of the following books: Second Nature: An Environmental History of New England by Richard W. Judd; Hope and Fear in Margaret Chase Smith\u27s America: A Continuous Tangle by Gregory P. Gallant; The 2nd Maine Cavalry in the Civil War: A History and Roster by Ned Smith; Distilled in Maine: A History of Libations, Temperance and Craft Spirits by Kate McCarty; Bangor in World War II: From the Homefront to the Embattled Skies by David H. Bergquist; The Night the Sky Turned Red: The Story of the Great Portland Maine Fire of July 4th 1866, as told by Those Who Lived Through It by Allan M. Levinsk