Oral History Interview: Robert L. Britton

This interview is one of series conducted concerning the Oral History of Appalachia. Mr. Britton was a professor at Marshall University and a member of the original committee that started the Marshall Artists Series. He discusses: his education; his family; a brief discussion of the Great Depression; individuals such as Frances Corrie Burgess, Sam Clagg, Lesley David, Curtis Baxters, & Cam Henderson; coming to work at the Geography Department at Marshall; his job and duties at Marshall; the Marshall Artists Series; some discussion of his retirement; and other topics.https://mds.marshall.edu/oral_history/1467/thumbnail.jp

Testing Strength of Biotic Resistance against an Introduced Fish: Inter-Specific Competition or Predation through Facultative Piscivory?

Biotic resistance is the process where aspects of the receiving environment inhibit the establishment and invasion of an introduced species. Resistance against an introduced fish can be through strong competition and/or predation from resident fishes. Here, the biotic resistance against introduced topmouth gudgeon Pseudorasbora parva (a highly invasive fish in Europe) by resident carp Cyprinus carpio was tested in experimental mesocosms. The introduction scenario was six adult P. parva (three male, three female) on a single occasion. Resistance to their establishment was provided by three and six resident C. carpio whose effects on P. parva growth and reproduction were compared to a Control (no resident fish at the time of introduction) and treatments containing three and six P. parva. After 120 days, the growth rates of the introduced P. parva were significantly depressed in C. carpio presence and in mesocosms with three C. carpio present, significantly decreased numbers of 0+P. parva were recorded. Where six C. carpio were present, no 0+P. parva were recorded, indicating resistance strength increased with carp abundance. In contrast, there were no differences in P. parva reproduction and growth rates between the Control and treatments containing conspecifics. Stable isotope analysis (δ15N, δ13C) revealed C. carpio were feeding at one trophic level above 0+P. parva, suggesting the process of resistance was predation (facultative piscivory) rather than competition. Thus, if P. parva are to establish and invade following an introduction, they must overcome this biotic resistance from cyprinid fishes such as C. carpio

The impact of cormorants (Phalacrocorax carbo carbo and Phalacrocorax carbo sinensis) on inland fisheries in the UK

Cormorants are piscivorous birds with a daily food intake (DFI) of approximately 500 g. They are a protected species under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. In the UK, the number of over-wintering, inland cormorants increased steadily between 1970 and 1987, at a rate of between 5 and 10 % per annum. An increase of 74 % occurred between winter 1987/88 and 1990/91, and the population is still believed to be rising. The population growth was observed in all regions of the UK, on all habitat types. As cormorants exploited new habitats, ornithologists welcomed their increased presence. This contrasts with the views of angling bodies, who assert that the presence of cormorants, feeding daily on their fisheries, has a damaging impact on fish stocks with inevitable financial losses. Due to a lack of effective non-lethal control methods, the angling bodies wish to see the cormorants removed from the protected species list so their inland numbers can be controlled. Ornithologists insist that there is no scientific evidence proving cormorants are damaging to inland fisheries and so are opposed to any culling.A review of previous cormorant studies was undertaken to evaluate information on their ecology, feeding behaviour and predation impact. The general conclusion was no study had been able to prove cormorant predation damages fish populations, because few studies had moved beyond determining the mass of fish removed by the birds over the particular study period. No assessment had been made of the impact of that fish removal on the fish population dynamics and the angling performance of the fishery. This highlighted the requirement for research into the impact of cormorant predation on inland fisheries. This study was formulated to estimate cormorant predation impact on fisheries in a more realistic and robust manner than had previously been undertaken.The principal objective of the study was to integrate fish population and cormorant feeding dynamics data on specific fisheries (study sites) in such a way as to quantify, where possible, the full impacts of the cormorant predation. This required the following criteria at each study site:- evaluation of the historical status of fish and cormorant populations;- determination of the population and community dynamics of the fish stocks;- analysis of the angling effort and angling performance;- identification of the species, and estimation of the numbers and sizes of fish consumed and wounded by cormorants, and comparison with the numbers and sizes of the fish populations present;- determination of the occupancy on, and use by, cormorants at the selected sites.The work programme ran between September 1995 and July 1998, covering three winters of cormorant predation. At each study site, the cormorant feeding dynamics were assessed by detailed feeding observations and cormorant counts. This enabled data to be collected on the species, size and amount of fish being ingested during each foraging bout, and the diurnal and seasonal patterns of cormorant occupancy. As feeding observations were unable to completed at each site everyday, a modelling system was designed, using a Monte Carlo Simulation (MCS), to estimate the number and mass of fish being removed from the site over the whole winter period. The fisheries data were collected by electric fishing, seine netting, hydro-acoustics and angler catch analysis. The actual methods used at each site were dependent upon the physical conditions present. The data were analysed for fish population dynamics, including length frequency of species, year class strength, natural mortality rate and growth indices; and for angling performance, including catch per unit effort and the relative importance of species. Combining site-specific data for the fish species composition, and the length frequency distribution from fisheries surveys and the cormorants' diet, allowed preliminary predation impact assessment. Reconstruction of life tables from the fisheries data allowed integration of the cormorant feeding data from the Monte Carlo Simulation to assess impact in terms of the numbers of fish consumed on subsequent population densities. This enabled the status of the fish population at each study site to be shown, with and without cormorant predation over the three-year period, resulting in a detailed predation impact assessment.The fisheries studied were located in two regions of the UK, the Midlands and the North West of England. This enabled the research to be completed in two distinct geographical areas, with known and established over-wintering cormorant roosts. The Midland study sites were Holme Pierrepont Rowing Course, Colwick Park Trout Lake and the River Trent. The North West study sites were the lower River Ribble and Grimsargh number 3 Reservoir. These sites encompassed cyprinid and salmonid fish populations, and covered riverine and lacustrine fisheries

Quantifying imperfect detection in an invasive pest fish and the implications for conservation management

In managing non-native species, surveillance programmes aim to minimise the opportunity for invasions to develop from initial introductions through early detection. However, this is dependent on surveillance methods being able to detect species at low levels of abundance to avoid false-negative recordings through imperfect detection. We investigated through field experimentation the ability to detect Pseudorasbora parva, a highly invasive pest fish in Europe, in relation to their known density and sampling method. Secure pond mesocosms of area 100 m2 contained P. parva densities from 0.02 to 5.0 m"122; each density was in triplicate. These were searched using point sampling electric fishing and deployment of fish traps (non-baited and baited). No fish were captured at densities 0.5 m"122, whereas for electric fishing it only exceeded 0.95 at 5.0 m"122 using high searching effort. These data reveal that small pest fishes such as P. parva may be prone to imperfect detection when at low densities and this is consistent with a number of other invasive species. This indicates the importance of designing surveillance programmes using methods of known statistical power to optimise conservation resource expenditure and enhance management outcomes

Results of a sub-scale model rotor icing test

A heavily instrumented sub-scale model of a helicopter main rotor was tested in the NASA Lewis Research Center Icing Research Tunnel (IRT) in September and November 1989. The four-bladed main rotor had a diameter of 1.83 m (6.00 ft) and the 0.124 m (4.9 in) chord rotor blades were specially fabricated for this experiment. The instrumented rotor was mounted on a Sikorsky Aircraft Powered Force Model, which enclosed a rotor balance and other measurement systems. The model rotor was exposed to a range of icing conditions that included variations in temperature, liquid water content, and median droplet diameter, and was operated over ranges of advance ratio, shaft angle, tip Mach number (rotor speed) and weight coefficient to determine the effect of these parameters on ice accretion. In addition to strain gage and balance data, the test was documented with still, video, and high speed photography, ice profile tracings, and ice molds. The sensitivity of the model rotor to the test parameters, is given, and the result to theoretical predictions are compared. Test data quality was excellent, and ice accretion prediction methods and rotor performance prediction methods (using published icing lift and drag relationships) reproduced the performance trends observed in the test. Adjustments to the correlation coefficients to improve the level of correlation are suggested

Model rotor icing tests in the NASA Lewis icing research tunnel

Tests of a lightly instrumented two-bladed teetering rotor and a heavily instrumented sub-scale articulated main rotor were conducted in the NASA Lewis Research Center Icing Research Tunnel (IRT) in August 1988 and September and November 1989. The first was an OH-58 tail rotor which had a diameter of 1.575 m and a blade chord of 0.133 m, and was mounted on a NASA designed test rig. The second, a four bladed articulated rotor, had a diameter of 1.83 m with 0.124 m chord blades specially fabricated for the experiment. This rotor was mounted on a Sikorsky Aircraft Powered Force Model, which enclosed a rotor balance and other measurement systems. The models were exposed to variations in temperature, liquid water content, and medium droplet diameter, and were operated over ranges of advance ratio, shaft angle, tip Mach number (rotor speed), and weight coefficient to determine the effect of these parameters on ice accretion. In addition to strain gage and balance data, the test was documented with still, video, and high speed photography, ice profile tracing, and ice molds. Presented here are the sensitivity of the model rotors to the test parameters and a comparison of the results to theoretical predictions

Rare enemies and rare friends: adaptations that make other adaptations maladaptive

We show that certain adaptations can make other adaptations maladaptive. For example, one line of defence against an enemy can make an otherwise valuable, but subsequent line of defence detrimental. This can occur through indirect rare enemy effects

Sugardale Marketing Research Project

This is a marketing research project for Sugardale meat company. Our group will be conducting primary and secondary research in order to answer questions and achieve goals that will help the Sugardale meat company market to millennials

Clinical Features and Management of Chronic Chikungunya Arthritis

Chikungunya virus is a single-stranded RNA alphavirus transmitted to humans by Aedes species mosquitos, causing an acute illness known as chikungunya fever with maculopapular rash, headache, polyarthritis/arthralgias, and gastrointestinal symptoms. Up to half of affected patients develop a chronic disabling arthritis following resolution of the acute infection, which can last for months or even years. The pathophysiology of chronic chikungunya arthritis remains controversial; it may result from a dysregulated immune response or be caused by persistent viral infection. Treatment for patients with chronic chikungunya arthritis remains investigational. Limited data suggests that immunosuppressive therapies such as methotrexate and TNF alpha inhibitors may be beneficial, though randomized clinical trials are needed