The Discovery of Trissolcus japonicus (Hymenoptera: Scelionidae) in Michigan

The invasive brown marmorated stink bug, Halyomorpha halys (Stål), is a pest of growing economic importance in the United States, the control of which currently relies on pesticide applications. Biological control could provide sustainable and long-term control but classical biological control agents have not yet been approved. Adventive populations of a potential biological control agents, the Samurai wasp, Trissolcus japonicus (Ashmead), have been found in the United States, first in Maryland in 2014, expanding its range west to Ohio by 2017. Trissolcus japonicus is a highly effective parasitoid of H. halys eggs, but its redistribution and augmentative releases are restricted to states where it has been detected in the wild. To assess the presence of T. japonicus in Michigan and attack rates of H. halys by native natural enemies we deployed 189 H. halys egg masses at ten sites in lower Michigan between May and October in 2018. In addition, we deployed 51 native stink bug egg masses at the same sites to evaluate potential non-target effects of T. japonicus in the field, which were shown to occur in laboratory studies. We found T. japonicus in a single H. halys egg mass, which constitutes the first record of this Asian parasitoid in Michigan. Native predators and parasitoids caused minimal mortality of H. halys eggs and we did not find evidence of non-target effects of T. japonicus on native stink bug species. These findings open the door to initiation of a classical biological control program using an efficient, coevolved parasitoid from the native range of H. halys

Seismic exploration for the Morrow trend

The Southwest Kansas basin, encompassing the southwest one-third of Kansas, southeast Colorado, and northwest Oklahoma, was the major structural feature influencing the deposition of the Pennsylvanian rock units in this area. Morrow production here currently is attracting attention. Multiple oil- and gas-producing zones are found in these Pennsylvanian clastics. They were eroded, in part, from the ancestral Rocky Mountain uplift for the upper sequence and from the Amarillo uplift for the basal sequence. The Central Kansas uplift also contributed its share of sediments. Deformation and subsequent erosional processes during Late Mississippian time had a profound effect, especially on Morrowan deposition, in this vicinity. Therefore, paleostructure and stratigraphic studies are essential for delineation of hydrocarbon reservoirs in this region. The use of a datumized Pennsylvanian reflecting horizon helps to correct the effects caused by the variations of the Permian salt beds. This provides the means of defining the erosional channels of the Mississippian surface and the associated deposition of the Morrow sands. The regional seismic program shown is designed to provide high-quality structural and stratigraphic information through the use of innovative near-surface static corrections. The seismic-refraction breaks (first arrivals) of existing 100% data are used in conjunction with uphole velocity surveys to obtain more exact corrections. This near-surface velocity control produces a final seismic section of superior quality

Seismic exploration for the Morrow trend

The Southwest Kansas basin, encompassing the southwest one-third of Kansas, southeast Colorado, and northwest Oklahoma, was the major structural feature influencing the deposition of the Pennsylvanian rock units in this area. Morrow production here currently is attracting attention. Multiple oil- and gas-producing zones are found in these Pennsylvanian clastics. They were eroded, in part, from the ancestral Rocky Mountain uplift for the upper sequence and from the Amarillo uplift for the basal sequence. The Central Kansas uplift also contributed its share of sediments. Deformation and subsequent erosional processes during Late Mississippian time had a profound effect, especially on Morrowan deposition, in this vicinity. Therefore, paleostructure and stratigraphic studies are essential for delineation of hydrocarbon reservoirs in this region. The use of a datumized Pennsylvanian reflecting horizon helps to correct the effects caused by the variations of the Permian salt beds. This provides the means of defining the erosional channels of the Mississippian surface and the associated deposition of the Morrow sands. The regional seismic program shown is designed to provide high-quality structural and stratigraphic information through the use of innovative near-surface static corrections. The seismic-refraction breaks (first arrivals) of existing 100% data are used in conjunction with uphole velocity surveys to obtain more exact corrections. This near-surface velocity control produces a final seismic section of superior quality

Four problems with global carbon markets: a critical review

This article offers a critique of global carbon markets and trading, with a special focus on the Clean Development Mechanism of the Kyoto Protocol. It explores problems with the use of tradable permits to address climate change revolving around four areas: homogeneity, justice, gaming, and information. Homogeneity problems arise from the non-linear nature of climate change and sensitivity of emissions, which complicate attempts to calculate carbon offsets. Justice problems involve issues of dependency and the concentration of wealth among the rich, meaning carbon trading often counteracts attempts to reduce poverty. Gaming problems include pressures to promote high-volume, least-cost projects and the consequences of emissions leakage. Information problems encompass transaction costs related to carbon trading and market participation and the comparatively weak institutional capacity of project evaluators

Geo-Referencing and Map Layer Development: A Data Recovery Task in Zinder, Niger

The Purdue University Libraries’ GIS department is working to advance geospatial services campus wide. In addition to conducting data curation profiles research in an IRB approved manner, we aim to validate new ways and means to make GIS services viable for large and diverse student and faculty community of over 40,000 students, all departments and along interdisciplinary boundaries. Here is a prototype of our mobile dissemination GIS of services and development in collaboration with Aalto University Library. Here, we discuss in a 3-fold manner how the GIS Dept. has prototyped a means of mobile GIS knowledge dissemination towards the development of library-led campus wide geospatial data services for future considerations. Such may offer timely and low cost data navigation of GIS resources using one’s smartphone or tablet device

Effect of Micro-Credit Institution on Small Enterprises Performance in Akure South Local Government, Ondo State, Nigeria

This study examined the effect of micro-credit institution on small enterprises in akure south local government, Ondo State. The research design adopted was the survey method. The population of this study were small scale enterprises at Akure South Local Government, Akure, Ondo State. In this study, 200 small scale enterprises were selected. Majority of the respondents agree that micro finance institution has a significant effect on the profitability of small scale enterprise. Also, many of the respondents agreed that micro finance institution product boost small scale performance thereby result to their growth. The result of the hypothesis showed that there was a positive correlation between bank lending and business growth (r = .0.85%, p<.05) which implies that micro finance institution product has a significant influence on profitability of small scale enterprises at Akure South Local Government, Akure, Ondo State. The study recommends that The interest on loans should be reviewed downward so that the end-users (small scale enterprises) will be able to service the loans and also have some margin on the net returns