Restoration of Forested Ecosystems on the Monongahela National Forest, West Virginia

The focus of resource management on National Forests is slowly changing to restoration of ecosystems and habitats. In West Virginia, the revised Land and Resource Management Plan for the Monongahela National Forest (MNF) guides resource management on the MNF. The MNF revised Forest Plan restructured management areas and goals toward restoration of red spruce dominated forests and oak and oak-pine forests in two separate management prescriptions that cover approximately 48% of the MNF. Incorporating ecosystem restoration in forest management may be guided by goals and objectives based on known previous conditions and the range of natural variability of those conditions. The research presented here addresses: 1) the historical distribution and site-species relationships of tree species through the analysis of witness trees from the MNF, 2) stand dynamics of oak-dominated forest types in response to three disturbances, and 3) landscape patterns resulting after simulated restoration actions in high-elevation red spruce-dominated forest types.;A database of witness trees taken from land grants or deeds of what was to become the MNF was analyzed for species patterns of occurrence at the time of European settlement. Across the study area, white oak was the most frequent witness tree, followed by sugar maple, American beech, and American chestnut, however none of these were evenly distributed. Red spruce, hemlock, birch, American beech, magnolia, basswood, sugar maple, ash, northern red oak, and black cherry were all associated with higher elevations. Moderate elevations supported maple, pine, white pine, American chestnut, chestnut oak, and scarlet oak. Low elevation sites with high moisture were more likely to support black walnut, white oak, elm, and sycamore.;Three disturbance factors thought to influence the development of seedling and sapling layers of oak dominated hardwood forests were applied alone and in combination on experimental plots in a second-growth forest in eastern West Virginia. In all, eight treatments were applied: Fire, Fence, Gap, Control, Fire+Fence, Fire+Gap, Fence+Gap, and Fire+Gap+Fence. Oak seedlings were not affected by any factor other than time; oak saplings were negatively affected by fire and positively affected by fences. Red and striped maple seedlings and saplings were reduced by fire treatments however sugar maple seedlings and saplings were not. Black birch seedlings increased as fire stimulated germination of the seed bank. Creating gaps alone did not increase the seedling relative abundance or importance value of any of the species assessed here, although gaps when combined with other factors did increase black birch and yellow-poplar seedling relative abundances and sapling importance values.;An existing landscape-sale model (LANDIS-II) was used to create management scenarios that implement possible red spruce restoration actions consistent with the MNF Forest Plan. Three harvest scenarios and one succession only scenario were simulated for 100 years. Harvests for all three scenarios were patch cuts of 1 ha with partial removal of selected species and cohorts. Harvest scenarios modeled were: allowing harvest in all areas (S1), restrict harvest to areas of low to moderate probability of Virginia northern flying squirrel habitat only (S2), and allow harvest in all areas but exclude stands with 30% or greater red spruce 80 years or greater in age (S3); scenario 4 (S4) is succession only. The resulting stands were summarized by age classes and forest types used in the MNF Forest Plan and compared to age class goals. All scenarios resulted in the percentage of 1-19 year age class below the Forest Plan goal; however S3 was the closest at about 2% in the third decade. At year 30, the three harvest scenarios result in greater area in 20-39 year age class compared to succession only. Scenario 3 meets or slightly exceeds the lower limit of the MNF Forest Plan goal for this age class in years 40 through 70. For the 40-79 year age class, S1 and S3 remained well above S2 and the succession-only scenario in years 30 through 90. At the end of the model period, S1, S2, and S4 meet the MNF Forest Plan goal for this age class. During decades three through nine, S1 and S3 resulted in a consistent 40% of the area in the 80-119 year age class. All scenarios result in a landscape with much higher percentages of this age class than the MNF Forest Plan goal. For the last two decades of the model, the succession-only scenario results in greater amounts of area in the oldest age class (120 or greater years) as compared to the harvest scenarios

Initial Plant Growth in Sand Mine Spoil Amended with Peat Moss and Fertilizer Under Greenhouse Conditions: Potential Species for Use in Reclamation

The Great Lakes Basin exhibits the largest collection of freshwater sand dunes in the world. Sand dunes are ecologically important and support a unique assemblage of flora and fauna. Sand dunes are also economically valuable. However, when sand dunes are mined, soil quality is drastically reduced. Therefore, soil quality improvements followed by revegetation maybe necessary for successful reclamation. This study evaluates the germination and initial growth of 2 legume species, sundial lupine (Lupinus perennis) and Illinois bundleflower (Desmanthus illinoensis), and 2 warm-season grass species, Indian grass (Sorghastrum nutans) and little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium), in the presence of 2 soil amendments (inorganic fertilizer and sphagnum peat moss) added to spoil from a local sand mine. We sowed species in pots and propagated them under greenhouse conditions. Results indicate that sundial lupine and Illinois bundleflower exhibited the greatest germination and growth among species. Peat moss had the greatest overall impact on germination and growth while the addition of fertilizer positively affected initial growth. Based on these results, sundial lupine is recognized as a primary candidate for sand mine reclamation, while Illinois bundleflower is also recommended as an appropriate species for revegetation efforts. We recommend using soil amendments that are functionally equivalent to peat in increasing soil water holding capacity. We further suggest that fertilization may be accomplished by including legumes in plant species mixes used for revegetation. Results presented here may help to identify appropriate species and soil amendments for the reclamation of former sand mines or restoration of freshwater sand dunes

Regulation of Sulfotransferase and UDP-Glucuronosyltransferase Gene Expression by the PPARs

During phase II metabolism, a substrate is rendered more hydrophilic through the covalent attachment of an endogenous molecule. The cytosolic sulfotransferase (SULT) and UDP-glucuronosyltransferase (UGT) families of enzymes account for the majority of phase II metabolism in humans and animals. In general, phase II metabolism is considered to be a detoxication process, as sulfate and glucuronide conjugates are more amenable to excretion and elimination than are the parent substrates. However, certain products of phase II metabolism (e.g., unstable sulfate conjugates) are genotoxic. Members of the nuclear receptor superfamily are particularly important regulators of SULT and UGT gene transcription. In metabolically active tissues, increasing evidence supports a major role for lipid-sensing transcription factors, such as peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPARs), in the regulation of rodent and human SULT and UGT gene expression. This review summarizes current information regarding the regulation of these two major classes of phase II metabolizing enzyme by PPARs

Caught in the act: Implications for the increasing abundance of mafic enclaves during the eruption of the Soufriere Hills Volcano, Montserrat

An exceptional opportunity to sample several large blocks sourced from the same region of the growing Soufrière Hills lava dome has documented a significant increase in the presence of mafic enclaves in the host andesite during the course of a long-lived eruptive episode with several phases. In 1997 (Phase I) mafic inclusions comprised ~1 volume percent of erupted material; in 2007 (Phase III) deposits their volumetric abundance increased to 5–7 percent. A broader range of geochemically distinctive types occurs amongst the 2007 enclaves. Crystal-poor enclaves generally have the least evolved (basaltic) compositions; porphyritic enclaves represent compositions intermediate between basaltic and andesitic compositions. The absence of porphyritic enclaves prior to Phase III magmatism at Soufrière Hills Volcano suggests that a mixing event occurred during the course of the current eruptive episode, providing direct evidence consistent with geophysical observations that the system is continuously re-invigorated from depth

Brucella dissociation is essential for macrophage egress and bacterial dissemination

It has long been observed that smooth Brucella can dissociate into rough mutants that are cytotoxic to macrophages. However, the in vivo biological significance and/or mechanistic details of Brucella dissociation and cytotoxicity remain incomplete. In the current report, a plaque assay was developed using Brucella strains exhibiting varying degrees of cytotoxicity. Infected monolayers were observed daily using phase contrast microscopy for plaque formation while Brucella uptake and replication were monitored using an immunofluorescence assay (IFA). Visible plaques were detected at 4–5 days post infection (p.i.) with cytotoxic Brucella 16MΔmanBA at an MOI of 0.1. IFA staining demonstrated that the plaques consisted of macrophages with replicating Brucella. Visible plaques were not detected in monolayers infected with non-cytotoxic 16MΔmanBAΔvirB2 at an MOI of 0.1. However, IFA staining did reveal small groups of macrophages (foci) with replicating Brucella in the monolayers infected with 16MΔmanBAΔvirB2. The size of the foci observed in macrophage monolayers infected with rough Brucella correlated directly with cytotoxicity measured in liquid culture, suggesting that cytotoxicity was essential for Brucella egress and dissemination. In monolayers infected with 16M, small and large foci were observed. Double antibody staining revealed spontaneous rough mutants within the large, but not the small foci in 16M infected monolayers. Furthermore, plaque formation was observed in the large foci derived from 16M infections. Finally, the addition of gentamicin to the culture medium inhibited plaque formation, suggesting that cell-to-cell spread occurred only following release of the organisms from the cells. Taken together, these results demonstrate that Brucella-induced cytotoxicity is critical for Brucella egress and dissemination

The Role Of Institutional and Market Forces In Divergent Organizational Change

This paper focuses on a radical change, in which organizations abandon an institutionalized template for arranging their core activities, that is likely to occur in organizational fields that have strong, local market forces and strong but heterogeneous institutional forces. We examine the role of market forces and heterogeneous institutional elements in promoting divergent change in core activities among all U.S. rural hospitals from 1984 to 1991. Results support the view that divergent change depends on both market forces (proximity to competitors, disadvantages in service mix) and institutional forces (state regulation, ownership and governance norms, and mimicry of models of divergent change)

State of inequality in malaria intervention coverage in sub-Saharan African countries

Scale-up of malaria interventions over the last decade have yielded a significant reduction in malaria transmission and disease burden in sub-Saharan Africa. We estimated economic gradients in the distribution of these efforts and of their impacts within and across endemic countries.; Using Demographic and Health Surveys we computed equity metrics to characterize the distribution of malaria interventions in 30 endemic countries proxying economic position with an asset-wealth index. Gradients were summarized in a concentration index, tabulated against level of coverage, and compared among interventions, across countries, and against respective trends over the period 2005-2015.; There remain broad differences in coverage of malaria interventions and their distribution by wealth within and across countries. In most, economic gradients are lacking or favor the poorest for vector control; malaria services delivered through the formal healthcare sector are much less equitable. Scale-up of interventions in many countries improved access across the wealth continuum; in some, these efforts consistently prioritized the poorest. Expansions in control programs generally narrowed coverage gaps between economic strata; gradients persist in countries where growth was slower in the poorest quintile or where baseline inequality was large. Despite progress, malaria is consistently concentrated in the poorest, with the degree of inequality in burden far surpassing that expected given gradients in the distribution of interventions.; Economic gradients in the distribution of interventions persist over time, limiting progress toward equity in malaria control. We found that, in countries with large baseline inequality in the distribution of interventions, even a small bias in expansion favoring the least poor yielded large gradients in intervention coverage while pro-poor growth failed to close the gap between the poorest and least poor. We demonstrated that dimensions of disadvantage compound for the poor; a lack of economic gradients in the distribution of malaria services does not translate to equity in coverage nor can it be interpreted to imply equity in distribution of risk or disease burden. Our analysis testifies to the progress made by countries in narrowing economic gradients in malaria interventions and highlights the scope for continued monitoring of programs with respect to equity