Applications of remote sensing (ERTS) to resource management and development in Sahelien Africa (Republic of Mali)

The primary resource management problem in Sub-Saharan Africa (the Sahel) is increasing aridity or desertification. Space observations of sand streams, dune orientations, moisture and vegetation changes and other factors associated with desertification have been made. A second major interest is grazing of cattle, sheep and goats which is associated with major movements of people and animals twice yearly to obtain forage. The changes in available forage are being observed. The location of the cultivators is also being mapped from ERTS imagery. Hydrological analysis is being carried on in the Niger and Bani river watersheds. So far, good imagery of the maximum flood stage has been obtained and assessed

Observation of plant growth and annual flooding in the inland delta of the Niger River, Republic of Mali, West Africa

There are no author-identified significant results in this report

Bacterial contamination monitor

Economical, simple, and fast method uses apparatus which detects bacteria by photography. Apparatus contains camera, film assembly, calibrated light bulb, opaque plastic plate with built-in reflecting surface and transparent window section, opaque slide, plate with chemical packages, and cover containing roller attached to handle

Digital analysis of Potomac River Basin ERTS imagery: Sedimentation levels at the Potomac-Anacostia confluence and strip mining in Allegheny County, Maryland

Two simple algorithms for classification of sedimentation levels in water and for delineation of active strip mines are in use as part of the development of a more general resource management information system. ERTS MSS CCT's are processed so that each pixel in each channel is geographically referenced and can be accessed individually during whole frame, multi-channel analysis or partial frame analysis. The sedimentation analysis clearly separates classes representing the turbid Anacostia water, the less disturbed Potomac (really), and mud flats resulting from effluent of a major sewage treatment plant. Mud flats of organic or mineral origin are easily distinguished

Analysis of multispectral images simulating ERTS observations

Simulation studies of selected aircraft and spacecraft acquired images were initiated in response to anticipated desires of the user community for simulated imagery prior to launch of ERTS-A. Principal modes of simulation included: (1) areas of coverage comparable to ERTS; (2) spatial resolutions within these images similar to ERTS; (3) spectral responses analogous to that expected from each channel on both the return beam vidicon and multispectral scanner, leading to production of photographic images that should appear similar to those representing each band in the two sensors; and (4) runthroughs of several analytical techniques, such as color density slicing, color additive viewing, and computer-generated reflectance and surface temperature maps, by which ERTS data can be analyzed, interpreted, and applied. The two areas involved in the simulation study were Wyoming and the Chesapeake Bay region

Determining trophic niche width: a novel approach using stable isotope analysis

1. Although conceptually robust, it has proven difficult to find practical measures of niche width that are simple to obtain, yet provide an adequate descriptor of the ecological position of the population examined. 2. Trophic niche has proven more tractable than other niche dimensions. However, indices used as a proxy for trophic niche width often suffer from the following difficulties. Such indices rarely lie along a single scale making comparisons between populations or species difficult; have difficulty in combining dietary prey diversity and evenness in an ecologically meaningful way; and fail to integrate diet over ecological time-scales thus usually only comprise single snapshots of niche width. 3. We propose an alternative novel method for the comparison of trophic niche width: the use of variance of tissue stable isotope ratios, especially those of nitrogen and carbon. 4. This approach is a potentially powerful method of measuring trophic niche width, particularly if combined with conventional approaches, because: it provides a single measure on a continuous axis that is common to all species; it integrates information on only assimilated prey over time; the integration period changes with choice of tissue sampled; and data production is theoretically fast and testing among populations simple. 5. Empirical studies are now required to test the benefits of using isotopic variance as a measure of niche width, and in doing so help refine this approach

The Internationalization of the Student Body at Oceans College, Canada – An Appreciative Inquiry and Shared Leadership Approach to Change

This Organizational Improvement Plan (OIP) addresses a problem of practice (PoP) at Oceans College (a pseudonym), a multilocation, panprovincial community college. Oceans College currently focuses on recruiting, admitting, and graduating domestic, in-province students. The number of international students, however, is growing. Currently there are no formal processes at the College for international students, unlike at the other postsecondary institutions in the province which actively recruit and enroll international students. The PoP is the lack of readiness at Oceans College to cope with the significant enrollment of international students. Different leadership theories were examined to develop this OIP, and appreciative inquiry (AI) and shared leadership were chosen as frameworks. They both take a positive approach, looking for the best in people. They both fit the matrix organization of Oceans College. Three key tenets used in this OIP are that Oceans College is doing many things well, that understanding the culture of the College is key, and that communication is core to the success of this OIP. The conceptual model I developed is the 4 C’s of Change—context, culture, clarity, and communication. Using this conceptual model, AI, and shared leadership, along with cultural theory, I developed an implementation plan that will allow Oceans College to internationalize the student body over a period of several years. Assessment and evaluation plans were also developed, as was a detailed plan to communicate the change to all stakeholders. The conjunction of theory, concepts, and experience has created an OIP that not only solves the PoP, but also keeps in mind what is already being done well and what would complement the college culture. Keywords: organizational improvement plan, appreciative inquiry, shared leadership, internationalization, chang

Views of mathematics of women restarting their education : looking for safety in numbers.

Inclusiveness and usefulness are principles underlying community college education and reform in mathematics teaching. But adults restarting their education may view mathematics as inaccessible, threatening, and of limited personal use. The purpose of this study was to gain awareness and appreciation of the beliefs about mathematics and attitudes about themselves as learners of mathematics of a group of financially and educationally disadvantaged women preparing to enter community college and technical occupations. In the event that these beliefs and attitudes seemed to be counter productive to the effective mathematics education of the students, the study considered how they changed in a learning community where science, mathematics, communication, and career development skills were integrated and learned experientially. The methods used were qualitative and interpretive. The researcher interviewed six women at the beginning and end of the semester, and talked with the math/science instructors about their objectives and methods. She observed the students in the classroom and laboratory and administered an attitude questionnaire. Literature from the fields of human development, teaching and learning, and mathematics education formed the background for the study. The study found that the students varied in their attitudes and in their responses to the learning experiences. Students perceived little change in their own attitudes during the program, but the instructors and researcher observed positive change in the group, with the least change occurring in those expressing most resistance to the methods. The researcher found that the program was evolving from a learning community into a more traditional collection of subjects, that assessment methods conflicted with the experiential and integrated model, and that there was poor communication within the program. These problems seemed to work against some of the anticipated changes in attitude toward mathematics of the students and highlighted difficulties of putting theory into practice. The study verified that the relationship between attitudes and a program designed to affect them is complex and sensitive to many factors including the dynamics within the program itself and the developmental characteristics of the student