Accelerated Reader Program: An Implementation Guide for Teachers

The purpose of this project was to develop a plan for educators, librarians and administrators to use in implementing the Accelerated Reader Program, a computerized reading management program. Research on the benefits of this program was studied. A handbook was created that includes information and processes for the set up, management and use of incentives for the Accelerated Reader Program. This information is presented both for implementation in the individual classrooms as well as school wide

Habitat heterogeneity of hadal trenches: considerations and implications for future studies

The hadal zone largely comprises a series of subduction trenches that do not form part of the continental shelf-slope rise to abyssal plain continuum. Instead they form geographically isolated clusters of deep-sea (6000-11000 m water depth) environments. There is a growing realization in hadal science that ecological patterns and processes are not driven solely by responses to hydrostatic pressure, with comparable levels of habitat heterogeneity as observed in other marine biozones. Furthermore, this heterogeneity can be expressed at multiple scales from inter-trench levels (degrees of geographical isolation, and biochemical province), to intra-trench levels (variation between trench flanks and axis), topographical features within the trench interior (sedimentary basins, ridges, escarpments, ‘deeps’, seamounts) to the substrate of the trench floor (seabed-sediment composition, mass movement deposits, bedrock outcrop). Using best available bathymetry data combined with the largest lander-derived imaging dataset that spans the full depth range of three hadal trenches (including adjacent slopes); the Mariana, Kermadec and New Hebrides trenches, the topographic variability, fine-scale habitat heterogeneity and distribution of seabed sediments of these three trenches have been assessed for the first time. As well as serving as the first descriptive study of habitat heterogeneity at hadal depths, this study also provides guidance for future hadal sampling campaigns taking into account geographic isolation, total trench particulate organic matter flux, maximum water depth and area

Long Term Potentiation (LTP) and Long Term Depression (LTD) Cause Differential Spatial Redistribution of the Synaptic Vesicle Protein Synaptophysin in the Middle Molecular Layer of the Dentate Gyrus in Rat Hippocampus

The presynaptic modifications that accompany long-term changes in synaptic plasticity are still not fully understood. Synaptophysin is a major synaptic vesicle protein involved in neurotransmitter release. We have used quantitative electron microscopy to study synaptophysin (Syn) immunolabelling in the hippocampus of adult rats 24h after induction in vivo of long term potentiation (LTP), and long term depression (LTD). Electrodes were implanted chronically in hippocampus with stimulation at either the medial (MPP) or lateral perforant path (LPP). 24h following induction of LTP or LTD rats were rapidly perfusion fixed and hippocampal tissue processed to electron microscopy via freeze substitution method. Anti-synaptophysin post-embedding immunolabelling was performed and tissue was imaged in the middle molecular layer (MML) of the dentate gyrus. There was a significant decrease in number of Syn labelled vesicles per unit area of bouton after LTP, but not LTD. An analysis of the spatial distribution of Syn labelled synaptic vesicles showed an increase in nearest neighbour distances, more so in the LTP than the LTD group, which is consistent with the overall decrease of Syn after LTP. These data are in agreement with the suggestion that Syn is involved in clathrin-dependent and “kiss and run” endocytosis which occurs perisynaptically. Thus, an increase in release of neurotransmitter and in consequence endocytosis would be consistent with an increased active zone distance for vesicles containing Syn

Assessing Ecological and Social Outcomes of a Bear-Proofing Experiment

Human-black bear conflicts within urban environments have been increasing throughout North America, becoming a high priority management issue. The main factor influencing these conflicts is black bears foraging on anthropogenic foods within areas of human development, primarily on residential garbage. Wildlife professionals have advocated for increased bear-proofing measures to decrease the accessibility of garbage to bears, but little research has been conducted to empirically test the effectiveness of this approach for reducing conflicts. Between 2011 and 2016, we conducted a before-after-control-impact experiment in Durango, Colorado where we distributed 1,110 bear-resistant trash containers, enhanced education, and increased enforcement to residents in 2 treatment areas, and monitored 2 paired control areas. We examined the ecological and social outcomes of this experiment, assessing whether bear-resistant containers were effective at reducing conflicts; the level of public compliance (i.e., properly locking away garbage) needed to reduce conflicts; whether the effectiveness of bear-resistant containers increased over time; and if the distribution of bear-resistant containers changed residents’ attitudes about bear management, support for ordinances that require bear-proofing, or perceptions of their future risk of garbage-related conflicts. After the bear-resistant containers were deployed, trash-related conflicts (i.e., observations of strewn trash) were 60% lower in treatment areas than control areas, resident compliance with local wildlife ordinances (properly locking away trash) was 39% higher in treatment areas than control areas, and the effectiveness of the new containers was immediate. Conflicts declined as resident compliance with wildlife ordinances increased to approximately 60% (by using a bear-resistant container or locking trash in a secure location), with minor additional declines in conflicts at higher levels of compliance. In addition to these ecological benefits, public mail surveys demonstrated that the deployment of bear-resistant containers was associated with increases in the perceived quality of bear management and support for ordinances that require bear-proofing, and declines in the perceived risk of future trash-related conflicts. Our results validate efforts by wildlife professionals and municipalities to reduce black bear access to human foods, and should encourage other entities of the merits of bear-proofing efforts for reducing human-bear conflicts and improving public attitudes about bears and their management

Assessing Ecological and Social Outcomes of a Bear-Proofing Experiment

Human-black bear conflicts within urban environments have been increasing throughout North America, becoming a high priority management issue. The main factor influencing these conflicts is black bears foraging on anthropogenic foods within areas of human development, primarily on residential garbage. Wildlife professionals have advocated for increased bear-proofing measures to decrease the accessibility of garbage to bears, but little research has been conducted to empirically test the effectiveness of this approach for reducing conflicts. Between 2011 and 2016, we conducted a before-after-control-impact experiment in Durango, Colorado where we distributed 1,110 bear-resistant trash containers, enhanced education, and increased enforcement to residents in 2 treatment areas, and monitored 2 paired control areas. We examined the ecological and social outcomes of this experiment, assessing whether bear-resistant containers were effective at reducing conflicts; the level of public compliance (i.e., properly locking away garbage) needed to reduce conflicts; whether the effectiveness of bear-resistant containers increased over time; and if the distribution of bear-resistant containers changed residents’ attitudes about bear management, support for ordinances that require bear-proofing, or perceptions of their future risk of garbage-related conflicts. After the bear-resistant containers were deployed, trash-related conflicts (i.e., observations of strewn trash) were 60% lower in treatment areas than control areas, resident compliance with local wildlife ordinances (properly locking away trash) was 39% higher in treatment areas than control areas, and the effectiveness of the new containers was immediate. Conflicts declined as resident compliance with wildlife ordinances increased to approximately 60% (by using a bear-resistant container or locking trash in a secure location), with minor additional declines in conflicts at higher levels of compliance. In addition to these ecological benefits, public mail surveys demonstrated that the deployment of bear-resistant containers was associated with increases in the perceived quality of bear management and support for ordinances that require bear-proofing, and declines in the perceived risk of future trash-related conflicts. Our results validate efforts by wildlife professionals and municipalities to reduce black bear access to human foods, and should encourage other entities of the merits of bear-proofing efforts for reducing human-bear conflicts and improving public attitudes about bears and their management

Scavenging amphipods from the Wallaby-Zenith Fracture Zone : Extending the hadal paradigm beyond subduction trenches

Acknowledgements We would like to thank Nick Cuomo for assis- tance with lander deployments, Prof Darren Evans and Dr James Kitson (Newcastle University, UK) for bench space in the Molecular Diagno- sis Facility, Ed Hendrycks (Canadian Museum of Nature, Canada) for guidance on the Cleonardo sp. identification, and Dr Shannon Flynn (Newcastle University, UK) for constructive comments on manuscript drafts. We extend thanks to the Captain and crew on the 2017 R/V SONNE Expedition SO258 Leg 1, especially joint Chief Scientists Dr Reinhard Werner (GEOMAR, Germany) and Prof Hans-Joachim Wagner (University of Tübingen, Germany) and Oleg Lechenko and Julia Marinova (P.P. Shirshov Institute of Oceanology of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Russia) for the acquisition and processing of the bathymetric data. We are appreciative of the reviewers for their constructive comments and suggestions that improved the manuscript. Funding Participation on the R/V SONNE Expedition SO258 was sup- ported by Newcastle University’s Research Infrastructure Fund (RiF), Exploration of Extreme Ocean Environments, awarded to AJJ. The genetic analysis was funded by Newcastle University through internal funds to JNJW and the University of Aberdeen by the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC), UK Grant NE/N01149X/1, awarded to SBP.Peer reviewedPublisher PD