Effect of Reservoir Function on Water Quality and Phytoplankton in Lake Taylorville, Christian County, Illinois

As is true for most reservoirs in agricultural areas, Lake Taylorville is currently impacted by excess sedimentation. A system of floodplain wetlands, holding ponds, and sediment basins is being constructed on the tributaries to the reservoir in effort to reduce sediment and nutrient loads. A comprehensive twelve-month assessment of water quality has been conducted to provide a baseline for evaluating the success of this restoration project and to allow predictions regarding future management strategies. In reservoirs, a continuum of longitudinal gradients result in the establishment of three distinct zones possessing unique physical, chemical and biological properties. The function of these zones (termed the riverine zone, transitional zone and the lacustrine zone) can be used to characterize the ecosystem of a reservoir. In Lake Taylorville, only the riverine and transitional zones were found. The elimination of the lacustrine zone in Lake Taylorville is consistent with the large watershed to surface area ratio found there. Lake Taylorville can be characterized as a high flow reservoir that is more river like than lake like in function. Light penetration in Lake Taylorville was usually limited to less than a meter at the surface by high suspended solids concentrations and although nutrient concentrations were high, phytoplankton density, primary productivity and chlorophyll a concentrations were lower than expected. Carlson Trophic State Index (TSI) calculated for total phosphorus and Secchi depth suggest hypereutrophy while those calculated from chlorophyll a data indicate a lower trophic state. Algae may be unable to maximize utilization of available nutrients as a result of low light availability. Because algal bioassays and nitrogen : phosphorus ratios indicate phosphorus limitation of primary productivity, productivity and phytoplankton standing crop may increase if light regimes are improved by sediment reduction resulting from wetland creation. Wetlands have been found to be effective at denitrification as well as sediment reduction. The combination of reduced sediments and nitrates coupled with high in-lake phosphate levels could cause a shift in algal community structure from a currently Chlorophycean dominated community to a community dominated by Cyanophyceae. Future reservoir management may need to address the possibility of frequent blue-green algal blooms and perhaps target phosphorus reduction

Ciliated Protozoan Colonization of Substrates From Weeks Bay, Alabama

Ciliated protozoan colonization of artificial substrates was examined during a 12-mo period from Jan. to Dec. 2001 in Weeks Bay, Alabama. Artificial substrates (glass slides) were suspended in the water at three locations in the Bay for a period of I wk/mo, and the population density of the stalked peritrich Vorticella was determined. Environmental data collected during the colonization period were compared with the population results. There was a positive correlation between colonization and water temperature at two sites and between phosphate and colonization at one site. Additionally, a negative correlation was determined between colonization and dissolved oxygen at two sites, between colonization and nitrate at one site, and between colonization and pH at one site. The protozoan assemblage varied from month to month, although the overall dominance of Vorticella was maintained. Although the size of the population of Vorticella is likely influenced by a number of different variables, we believe that temperature and bacterial abundance are the likely controlling factors

Settlement of the Acorn Barnacle Balanus From Mobile Bay and Weeks Bay, Alabama

Barnacle cyprids and metamorphosed settlers were collected using glass slides as artificial substrates at six sites in the Mobile Bay area. Three sites were located in Weeks Bay, Alabama, where the highest settlement concentration occurred near the entrance to Mobile Bay. Two sites in the north end of Weeks Bay near the Fish River had very reduced settlement. The remaining three locations were on the north shore of Dauphin Island, Alabama. Settlement at Dauphin Island was most abundant at the deeper of two sites at the Dauphin Island Sea Lab boat dock, possibly because the substrates were exposed to less wave action. The other two sites at Dauphin Island were shallow and relatively unsettled when compared with the deep site. Adult barnacles recovered from the Weeks Bay and Dauphin Island locations include Balanus eburneus, B. venustus, B. improvisus, and B. subalbidus. Our data indicate two primary settlement periods for these species, late winter to spring and late summer to fall, with the highest settlement occurring in Feb. and March

The influence of large predators on the feeding ecology of two African mesocarnivores: the black-backed jackal and the brown hyaena

Interactions between apex and mesopredators and their impacts on prey populations have been well documented, while the influence of apex predators such as lions on carrion availability and the subsequent impacts at lower trophic levels are not fully understood. Here we assess dietary overlap between two sympatric carnivores (brown hyaena, Parahyaena brunnea, and black-backed jackal, Canis mesomelas) in neighbouring reserves with and without apex predators (lions, Panthera leo,and wild dog, Lycaon pictus). We investigate whether apex predators facilitate niche partitioning between mesocarnivores by creating additional scavenging opportunities through predatory activity. We found that brown hyaena density was higher in the area with apex predators, while black-backed jackal density was higher in the area without apex predators. Black-backed jackal scats contained broadly similar dietary items at both sites, while large mammal remains occurred significantly more frequently in brown hyaena scats collected inthe presence of apex predators. In the absence of apex predators there was a markedly higher degree of overlap between brown hyaena and jackal diets, suggesting increased levels of inter-specific competition. Our results suggest that apex predators potentially reduce levels of inter-specific competition for food between mesocarnivores by providing additional scavenging opportunities for specialist scavengers such as brown hyaena

Coseismic deformation observed with radar interferometry: Great earthquakes and atmospheric noise

Spatially dense maps of coseismic deformation derived from Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (InSAR) datasets result in valuable constraints on earthquake processes. The recent increase in the quantity of observations of coseismic deformation facilitates the examination of signals in many tectonic environments associated with earthquakes of varying magnitude. Efforts to place robust constraints on the evolution of the crustal stress field following great earthquakes often rely on knowledge of the earthquake location, the fault geometry, and the distribution of slip along the fault plane. Well-characterized uncertainties and biases strengthen the quality of inferred earthquake source parameters, particularly when the associated ground displacement signals are near the detection limit. Well-preserved geomorphic records of earthquakes offer additional insight into the mechanical behavior of the shallow crust and the kinematics of plate boundary systems. Together, geodetic and geologic observations of crustal deformation offer insight into the processes that drive seismic cycle deformation over a range of timescales. In this thesis, I examine several challenges associated with the inversion of earthquake source parameters from SAR data. Variations in atmospheric humidity, temperature, and pressure at the timing of SAR acquisitions result in spatially correlated phase delays that are challenging to distinguish from signals of real ground deformation. I characterize the impact of atmospheric noise on inferred earthquake source parameters following elevation-dependent atmospheric corrections. I analyze the spatial and temporal variations in the statistics of atmospheric noise from both reanalysis weather models and InSAR data itself. Using statistics that reflect the spatial heterogeneity of atmospheric characteristics, I examine parameter errors for several synthetic cases of fault slip on a basin-bounding normal fault. I show a decrease in uncertainty in fault geometry and kinematics following the application of atmospheric corrections to an event spanned by real InSAR data, the 1992 M5.6 Little Skull Mountain, Nevada, earthquake. Finally, I discuss how the derived workflow could be applied to other tectonic problems, such as solving for interseismic strain accumulation rates in a subduction zone environment. I also study the evolution of the crustal stress field in the South American plate following two recent great earthquakes along the Nazca- South America subduction zone. I show that the 2010 Mw 8.8 Maule, Chile, earthquake very likely triggered several moderate magnitude earthquakes in the Andean volcanic arc and backarc. This suggests that great earthquakes modulate the crustal stress field outside of the immediate aftershock zone and that far-field faults may pose a heightened hazard following large subduction earthquakes. The 2014 Mw 8.1 Pisagua, Chile, earthquake reopened ancient surface cracks that have been preserved in the hyperarid forearc setting of northern Chile for thousands of earthquake cycles. The orientation of cracks reopened in this event reflects the static and likely dynamic stresses generated by the recent earthquake. Coseismic cracks serve as a reliable marker of permanent earthquake deformation and plate boundary behavior persistent over the million-year timescale. This work on great earthquakes suggests that InSAR observations can play a crucial role in furthering our understanding of the crustal mechanics that drive seismic cycle processes in subduction zones

Managing the Tensions at the Intersection of the Triple Bottom Line: A Paradox Theory Approach to Sustainability Management

Corporate sustainability management encompasses multiple dimensions: environmental, social, and economic. Companies are increasingly evaluated within the public sphere, and within their own organizations, according to the degree to which they are perceived to simultaneously promote this nexus of virtues. This article seeks to explore the tensions frequently faced by organizations that strive to manage these dimensions and the role of public policy in that pursuit. A multiple–case study approach is utilized in which the authors selected case organizations according to whether they were attempting to manage the three dimensions of sustainability. The authors utilize paradox theory and a typology provided by previous research to understand the nature of the tensions that emerge in the selected case study organizations. They extend this previous work by examining the role of public policy in providing the situational conditions to make these paradoxical tensions salient, and they examine organizational responses to these conditions. Directions for firms, policy makers, and future researchers are provided on the basis of this study’s findings

Topical rosiglitazone is an effective anti-scarring agent in the cornea

Corneal scarring remains a major cause of blindness world-wide, with limited treatment options, all of which have side-effects. Here, we tested the hypothesis that topical application of Rosiglitazone, a Thiazolidinedione and ligand of peroxisome proliferator activated receptor gamma (PPARγ), can effectively block scar formation in a cat model of corneal damage. Adult cats underwent bilateral epithelial debridement followed by excimer laser ablation of the central corneal stroma to a depth of ~160 µm as a means of experimentally inducing a reproducible wound. Eyes were then left untreated, or received 50 µl of either 10 µM Rosiglitazone in DMSO/Celluvisc, DMSO/Celluvisc vehicle or Celluvisc vehicle twice daily for 2 weeks. Cellular aspects of corneal wound healing were evaluated with in vivo confocal imaging and post-mortem immunohistochemistry for alpha smooth muscle actin (αSMA). Impacts of the wound and treatments on optical quality were assessed using wavefront sensing and optical coherence tomography at 2, 4, 8 and 12 weeks post-operatively. In parallel, cat corneal fibroblasts were cultured to assess the effects of Rosiglitazone on TGFβ-induced αSMA expression. Topical application of Rosiglitazone to cat eyes after injury decreased αSMA expression and haze, as well as the induction of lower-order and residual, higher-order wavefront aberrations compared to vehicle-treated eyes. Rosiglitazone also inhibited TGFβ-induced αSMA expression in cultured corneal fibroblasts. In conclusion, Rosiglitazone effectively controlled corneal fibrosis in vivo and in vitro, while restoring corneal thickness and optics. Its topical application may represent an effective, new avenue for the prevention of corneal scarring with distinct advantages for pathologically thin corneas

Managing the Tensions at the Intersection of the Triple Bottom Line: A Paradox Theory Approach to Sustainability Management

Corporate sustainability management encompasses multiple dimensions: environmental, social, and economic. Companies are increasingly evaluated within the public sphere, and within their own organizations, according to the degree to which they are perceived to simultaneously promote this nexus of virtues. This article seeks to explore the tensions frequently faced by organizations that strive to manage these dimensions and the role of public policy in that pursuit. A multiple–case study approach is utilized in which the authors selected case organizations according to whether they were attempting to manage the three dimensions of sustainability. The authors utilize paradox theory and a typology provided by previous research to understand the nature of the tensions that emerge in the selected case study organizations. They extend this previous work by examining the role of public policy in providing the situational conditions to make these paradoxical tensions salient, and they examine organizational responses to these conditions. Directions for firms, policy makers, and future researchers are provided on the basis of this study’s findings

A Creative Writing Case Study of Gender-Based Violence in Coach Education: Stacey’s Story

Accepted author manuscript version reprinted, by permission, from Women in Sport and Physical Activity Journal, 2020, 28 (1): 72–80, https://doi.org/10.1123/wspaj.2018-0046]. © 2020 University of North Carolina at Greensboro (UNCG).Creative nonfiction writing is the literary technique employed in this article to explore insights and assist our understanding of an “alleged” sexual assault in a sport coach education environment. Creative nonfiction employs various narrative tools— characters, setting, figurative language, sequences of events, plot, sub-plot, and dialogue—designed to render the sensitive and controversial elements of sexual assault significant. Readers are, therefore, invited to engage with Stacey’s Story and reflect on the actions of both the perpetrator(s) and the victim. While there are risks associated with the sharing of stories, especially those which are considered dangerous, it is envisaged that Stacey’s Story will be viewed as an opportunity to develop more critical responses and advance our understanding of gender-based violence in sport.Peer reviewe