Characters implementing agroforestry practices in Virginia, USA: challenges and paths forward

info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Drying Events in the Rio Grande: Effects on Hydrology, Riparian Vegetation, and Arthropod Communities

1. Anthropogenic-induced river intermittency is an increasing global concern with far-reaching ecological consequences. Cessation of flow outside of a rivers natural regime can have cascading effects on aquatic and terrestrial community composition and structure. Water abstraction during summer months often leaves the Rio Grande below Isleta Diversion Dam dry. This research investigates differences in hydrology, riparian vegetation, and arthropod communities within the Rio Grande floodplain, known locally as the \u27bosque,\u27 between perennial and intermittent reaches of the river. 2. Despite the high degree of interannual variability, a spatio-temporal analysis of stream discharge revealed a trend of declining flow in both reaches throughout the study period. The intermittent reach showed between 15 — 210 days per year with recorded discharge values low enough to be potential riverbed drying events. An increasing trend of low flow and no flow events was seen for the period of record. 3. The floodplain bordering the perennial reach throughout Albuquerque is dry and disconnected from the river due to the high degree of river incision, which rarely has overbank floods. The groundwater table in the perennial reach is significantly deeper than in the intermittent reach, but is more responsive to higher flows. The intermittent reach is less incised because it flows through an aggrading section of the river, leading to more overbank and seep flood events despite the annual drying events. 4. Vegetation cover and plant species diversity were significantly greater within the intermittent reach of the Rio Grande. Plant species richness was significantly greater in the sites adjacent to the perennial reach. Community composition varied among reaches with significantly more native shrub and tree species found throughout the perennial reach. Significantly more exotic trees, weeds, grasses (native annual, native perennial) and forbs (native annual, exotic annual, native perennial), and sedges were found throughout the intermittent reach. 5. Significantly greater abundance of arthropods, including indicator groups Carabidae, Tenebrionidae, and Isopoda, were found in the southern sites adjacent to the intermittent reach of the river. Functional groups were dominated by detritivores within both reaches. There was no significant difference between reaches for herbivores, ants, or predator arthropod species

Winter Limnological Conditions in a PRAIRIE Pothole and the Application of Molecular Oxygen

The physical, chemical, and biological conditions in Round Lake, Oakwood Lakes State Park, South Dakota were monitored during the 1977-1978 winter, and reaeration utilizing molecular oxygen was evaluated as a practical method to prevent winterkill. Ice and snow conditions after 20 December, 1977 allowed little light penetration, and phytoplankton numbers (6174/ml to 1668/ml) and chlorophyll concentration (46.6 mg/L to 14.1 mg/L) decreased throughout the winter. Aquatic bacteria and fungi comprised from 87.0% to 93.7% by number of the total cells identified (phytoplankton, bacteria, and fungi) in the lake water under ice. Dissolved oxygen declined to anoxic conditions after 19 January, 1978, and hydrogen sulfide gas reached a mean maximum (6.0 mg/L) on 12 February. Analysis of chemical parameters indicated increased chemical concentrations attributable to the freezing out of ions. A mean free carbon dioxide level increase from 0.95 mg/L to 59 mg/L was caused by increased respiration not counterbalanced by photosynthesis Community respiration measured by the diel oxygen method (community metabolism) varied from 1.4 mg O2/L/24 hrs 1-2 December, 1977, to a low (0.2 mg O2/L/24 hrs) 11-12 January, 1978. Water biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) measurements from samples incubated below the ice indicated that mean lake BOD increased from 0.8 mg O2/L/24 hrs 12 February, 1978, to 8.5 mg O2/L/24 hrs 16 March, 1978. Sediment BOD was 10 to 15 times that of the water BOD during the same period. Liquid oxygen stored in 127,440 L o2 gas capacity tanks, rubber welders hose, and graphite air stones comprised the molecular oxygenation apparatus. Oxygenation employing 3 different strategies, resulted in 711,400 liters of oxygen gas being expended under the ice with few positive effects noted in reducing anoxic conditions in the lake. The total lake oxygen demand for the 4 month period was calculated to be 1.05 X 10 8 L O2. Depending on molecular oxygen dissolution efficiency, an expenditure of $70,000 to$350,000 for oxygen alone, might have been required to prevent winterkill in Round Lake during 1977-1978

Family-focused Counseling: A New Dimension in Probation

Probation and child welfare workers are looking for ways to serve their clients more effectively and efficiently. New research on family diagnosis and treatment, role theory, and crisis theory can be helpful. However, not much of this new material has appeared in the literature that is most widely read by probation and child welfare workers. This article describes the theories of family interaction, social role, and crisis; and then, through the use of illustrations from probation and child welfare cases, applies these theories to the primary tasks of workers in these settings—diagnosis, prediction, choice of treatment method, and treatment itself. It also examines the question that is especially applicable to workers carrying unmanageable caseloads: Whom shall you serve, and when?Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/67270/2/10.1177_001112876801400404.pd

Women in Ambiguity: Fictitious Monogamy in Genji monogatari

The Heian classic tale Genji monogatari (c. early eleventh century) follows the amorous adventures of the Shining Prince Genji. After his death, the text continues to depict the romantic affairs of the next generation. Over the course of fifty-four chapters, an image of Heian-era romance comes to life, fraught with ambiguities surrounding romantic entanglements. The term “marriage” itself is contentious, as it is difficult to determine how the text interprets the marriage system and relationship practices at the time. The unclear stratification of women leaves many of the monogatari’s main female figures living in insecurity, where informal marriage seems to entail reliance on the husband’s feelings. An exploration of relationships in the text investigates curiously monogamous elements, namely the appeal of the concept, present within the text. Further, this thesis uncovers feelings of anxiety as they are filtered through the presence of monogatari within the story, which inspire women to lament the discrepancy between fairytale-like marriages and their own stressful realities

Components Of Chinese Culture And Education

The research question and addressed in this study was: What are three of the most important components of Chinese culture and how do they influence their education system? Key influences included Jin Li, G. Hofstede and H.C. Triandis. This topic was explored through a combination of personal experiences, reflections of those experiences, extensive online research and conversations with former and current EFL/ESL teachers who have taught, and in some cases are still currently teaching, in Mainland China. The three components of Chinese culture this study focuses on are the concept of face, collectivism and Confucianism. All three components are examined and related to education in Mainland China. Additionally, each component is contrasted with Western culture, specifically the United States. Results indicated, as expected, that Chinese culture and Western culture differ tremendously. The concept of face is less significant and widespread in the West. Whereas China is a collectivist culture countries like the United States are more individualistic. Finally, China has been influenced by Confucius whereas Western countries have been influenced by Greek Philosophy and the Judeo-Christian tradition