An investigation of some differences between aspects in hill country : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Agricultural Science in Plant Science at Massey University

Climatic, edaphic and biotic variables were measured, over a twelve month period, at each of four aspects of a hill in the Southern Ruahine ranges. These variables were soil moisture status, soil temperature, air temperature, wind-speed, rainfall, soil nutrient status, sheep-dung deposition, and pasture botanical composition and productivity. Information on sunshine hours, maximum and minimum screen temperatures, relative humidity, and wind direction were obtained from the records of an adjacent meteorological station. Net radiation and potential evapotranspiration were calculated from meteorological data, and actual evapotranspiration from soil moisture data. Large differences were recorded between aspects for most of the above mentioned variables. The wind during the observational period was a prevailing West/Northwesterly. Differences in net radiation between the north and south aspects were largest during the Winter and smallest during the summer months. In all cases the evapotranspiration values calculated were larger for the north than for the south aspect. Soil moisture tension differences were not detected during the winter months, but during the remainder of the year the north aspect was driest, followed by the east and west aspects, and the south aspect respectively Differences between aspects, in terms of average monthly 4 cm. air temperature, were not apparent. However, large differences in the average monthly 4 cm. soil temperature of the various aspects were detected: during the January to August period the north aspect was warmest and the south coolest; during the October to December period the east aspect was warmest and the north and south aspects, which had similar average soil temperatures, were coolest. The south and west aspect soils had greater nutritional limitations to plant growth than did the soils of the east and north aspects. This was probably due, at least in part, to nutrient transfer by grazing animals, and the differential action of soil-forming factors. Nitrogen mineralisation was closely associated with soil total nitrogen status, and was one of the main factors limiting pasture productivity. Soil moisture status was the other major limitation to pasture productivity. Pasture production during the observational period (346 days), for the east, south, west and north aspects respectively, was 9683, 3637, 2959 and 2771 kg./DM./ha. Some of the pasture species present were found to be distributed in a definite pattern according to aspect, while for other species the pattern was indistinct. For a number of species no distribution pattern was detected. The patterns observed appeared to follow soil nutritional (especially mineral nitrogen) and soil moisture gradients. Possible reasons for the above-mentioned differences, and some practical implications of these differences, are discussed

Application of Organic Fertilizers for Lawn Establishment and Maintenance in Louisiana

Landscape contractors are increasingly interested in organic products for Louisiana\u27s residential and commercial turfgrass areas. However, the use, motivations, and barriers to adopting organic practices in the commercial turfgrass and landscape industry are undocumented. A survey with Louisiana Turfgrass Association (LTA) members to gauge their perceptions on current and future use of organic products in Louisiana was performed; and a field trial was conducted to evaluate organic fertilizers during turfgrass establishment. Substantial majorities of turfgrass professionals are currently applying organic fertilizers and believe organic product use will increase due to consumer demands, potential governmental regulation, and the belief that they are a more environmentally friendly alternative to synthetic products. However, turfgrass professionals’ knowledge of organic definitions and Organic Materials Review Institute (OMRI) labeling were limited. Greater efficacy and access to organic products coupled with increased extension and educational efforts would increase the number of Louisiana turfgrass professionals who adopt organic practices. In the field trial, three organic fertilizers (fish-based, insect-based, and plant-based) and an industry standard synthetic water-soluble fertilizer (WSF) effects on turfgrass establishment were evaluated as a best management practice to reduce surface runoff of nutrients. Organic fertilizers resulted in similar turfgrass groundcovers, cumulative total suspended solids (TSS), and inorganic N losses relative to the synthetic WSF for the 42-day establishment periods. Fertilizer incorporation and initial irrigation most likely muted inorganic N losses among the fertilizers tested. Landscape contractors can successfully establish perennial turfgrass without decreasing runoff resistance or increasing TSS and inorganic losses

Integration of land use and transportation : selection of an appropriate model with Nashville MPO case study

This study analyzes the information concerning the process of a selection technique for integrated land use/transportation models. The research presents a general history of the integration of the modeling process. It also includes an inventory that describes land use, transportation, and other integrated models. The main focus of this analysis deals with the process of the selection of an appropriate model applied to a specific region or agency. The selection process includes an investigation of what constitutes a good integrated model and the actual selection process itself. This selection process is conceptualized as a matrix table illustrating the method, which allows models to be weighed according to appropriate criteria. The thesis begins with a brief history of the land use/ transportation modeling techniques. Following the history is an overview of some of the current and operational models for the integration process. The main focus of the research follows which entails the selection process of an appropriate model for a specific region. The study answers the question as to what is the best method for selecting a model. The research concludes with an analysis of the selection process for the Nashville Metropolitan Organization case study and their applications. The study reveals that each agency has to select the appropriate model to best fit their needs. To achieve this, an understanding must first set out to determine what the agency is trying to achieve. This study provides a planning agency or firm with the necessary information to achieve the right selection for their specific requirements

The SJSU Ecological Footprint Challenge and Its Impacts on Pro-Environmental Behavior

Estimates suggest that humanity requires one-and-a-half Earths to sustainably provide the resources demanded. Observed consequences of this are rising atmospheric carbon, loss of arable land, fishery collapse, drinking water scarcity, and irreparable degradation to the Earth\u27s ecosystems. The ecological footprint is a tool that calculates the amount of land needed to support a population or an individual\u27s level of resource use. The action of calculating an individual\u27s footprint has been shown to improve knowledge about environmental issues, change attitudes about natural resources, and increase understanding about the connection between one\u27s actions and the environment. This research examined the impacts of a sustainability campaign on the pro-environmental behaviors of students, faculty, and staff at San José State University (SJSU) using an online ecological footprint quiz. It involved promotion of the campaign, administering the ecological footprint via an online survey, educational outreach on reducing one\u27s footprint, and measuring reported behavioral change over a seven-month period. An ecological footprint study of this scale using the pre-test and post-test method had not been attempted before. Data collection also included focus groups for investigating why people changed their lifestyles during the study period. On average, participants in the footprint challenge decreased their ecological footprint by 10.3%. By comparison, individuals who attended one of the monthly sustainability lectures reported a 17% decrease in footprin

Characteristics of emotional disturbance of female and male students in elementary, middle, and high school

Provide data on the five characteristics of emotional disturbance (ED). For 503 students with ED and 2016 without disabilities, teachers rated the characteristics (Inability to Learn; Relationship Problems; Inappropriate Behavior; Unhappiness or Depression; Physical Symptoms or Fears), plus Socially Maladjusted. We applied a 2 (ED, without disabilities) × 2 (female, male) × 3 (elementary, middle, high school) covariance analysis, with follow‐up comparisons. Students with ED showed greater problems than students without disabilities on all five characteristics, and Socially Maladjusted. On Inability to Learn, among students with ED genders did not differ at elementary but males had greater problems at middle school. On Inappropriate Behavior and Physical Symptoms or Fears, students with ED varied across school levels but students without disabilities did not. All five characteristics discriminated students with ED from those without disabilities. Differences between genders and school levels varied across characteristics

Lind-Bohanon Neighborhood Assessment.

Prepared for the Lind-Bohanon Neighborhood Association, 612/529-3244. Sponsored by Neighborhood Planning for Community Revitalization, Center for Urban and Regional Affairs, University of Minnesota

Parental Directiveness and Responsivity toward Young Children with Complex Communication Needs

Purpose: The aim of the present study was to determine if parent responsiveness to their children with complex communication needs (CCN) during naturalistic play changed over an 18-month period and determine if any such changes were influenced by the child’s overall level of receptive and expressive language development, motor development or differing play contexts. This longitudinal information is important for early intervention speech-language pathologists and parents of children with developmental disabilities for whom the use of parent-directed responsivity interventions may be encouraged. Method: Over an 18-month period, 37 parents of young children who had physical and/or neurological disabilities participated in three home-based parent–child play episodes. Videotapes of each play episode were extracted and coded. Result: Results indicated parents who were initially responsive showed a significant tendency to continue to be so. Early on, parents were significantly more likely to be directive during object play than social play and significantly more likely to interact responsively during social play than object play. Conclusion: Parents of children with developmental disabilities were not consistently less responsive to their children based on motor or language capabilities. Previous reports of higher parental directiveness with children who have developmental disabilities may be attributable to object-based play interactions