Lichens Of Ultramafic Rocks: A Multidisciplinary Approach To Understanding The Ecology Of An Understudied Organism In A Well-Studied System

Lichens are among the most prominent and successful life forms of metal-rich habitats, including ultramafic rocks and soils; however, research on lichens of ultramafic habitats is limited, especially on the North American continent. A review of the published literature on lichens of ultramafic substrates in North America yielded a total of 437 lichen species reported from ultramafic rocks and soils. Lichen assemblages of ultramafic substrates vary in composition and are dominated by acidophytic (low pH preferring) taxa with a minor, but consistent, basiphytic (high pH preferring) component. Species lists from ultramafic habitats in different geographic regions varied widely, suggesting that factors unrelated to substrate, such as climate, have a large effect on lichen assemblage composition. However, several studies showed clear differentiation between lichen composition on nearby or adjacent ultramafic and nonultramafic habitats, suggesting that ultramafic substrates harbor regionally unique lichen assemblages. In a regional community ecology study, we sampled lichen biotas of eight ultramafic and eight sandstone outcrops along a 70 km maritime influence gradient in order to test three hypotheses: 1) a substrate effect hypothesis that saxicolous lichen communities of ultramafic and sandstone outcrops are compositionally distinct; 2) a maritime gradient hypothesis that coastal and inland communities are compositionally distinct; and 3) a maritime moderation hypothesis that coastal ultramafic and sandstone communities are more similar than those of inland ultramafic and sandstone. Relationships between lichen communities and abiotic variables were analyzed using perMANOVA. Ultramafic communities showed significant differentiation from sandstone communities in the study area. A total of 134 taxa were recorded - 81 taxa from ultramafic outcrops and 100 taxa from sandstone, with 47 taxa found on both rock types. Ultramafic outcrops were characterized by greater similarity between samples, lower lichen cover, larger differences in cover between north and south aspects, and higher abundance and diversity of cyanolichen taxa relative to sandstone. Coastal, intermediate, and inland communities were compositionally distinct from one another, and sandstone and ultramafic assemblages were significantly differentiated in all coastal distance groups. This study is one of few to quantitatively examine lichen communities of two rock types, and is unique in that it does so at a regional scale. These results add to our understanding of the interactive roles of substrate and maritime influence in lichen community assembly

Water Organizations in the West

10 pages

Water Organizations in the West

10 pages

From Glass Ceiling to Green Canopy: An Intersectional Model of Feminist Sustainability in Fondes Amandes, Trinidad

The Fondes Amandes Community Reforestation Project is a sustainable model of agro-forestry that emerged contemporaneously with the more globally familiar Permaculture Design. Although the FACRP model has been recognized for their contributions to the Caribbean region and worldwide sustainability and environmental movements, they are not well known in the global North and West. Akilah and Kemba Jaramogi stress the importance of grassroots involvement as critical to adaptation and mitigation in combating climate impacts. However, there is a lack of acknowledgement and reciprocity within the movement that is linked to broader discourses on race, gender, and geography. The influence of these discourses impacts how permaculture practitioners in the global North and West perceive and acknowledge models rooted in feminism and/or traditional and/or Indigenous knowledge, as well as those models that emerged in the global South. An analysis of sentiment among permaculture practitioners of the global North suggests attitudes there are shifting toward an awareness of the need for more inclusive, equitable movements. As a feminist model of agro-forestry heavily influenced by Akilah\u27s Merikin heritage as well as Rastafarian values, FACRP was built upon the framework other models are now seeking to establish. The Sustainable Development Goals recently released by the United Nations contain targets that FACRP has already been working toward, whether or not they previously formally identified them as such. FACRP further employs an integration of such traditional knowledge with current technological and scientific information, drawing in researchers and students from the Caribbean and the United States. Strategies such as their agro-forestry model, for instance, are employed through a gendered lens - with planting not only focused on reforestation for climate adaptation and mitigation, and habitat restoration, but on the usefulness of cooking herbs and medicinal plants as well. However, challenges remain - such as equitable treatment for FACRP\u27s staff conducting fire prevention and management work. Although responses to ecological and climatic challenges are rooted locally in culturally specific contexts, the proper acknowledgement of whose knowledge and cultural traditions permaculture and other sustainable practices are founded upon is a necessary step toward building an equitable framework for global sustainable movements

The Truth Still Matters: Teaching Information Literacy to Combat Fake News and Alternative Facts

As the way we consume information has changed over the last two decades, so too have methods of deception and misinformation. It is clear that unlimited access to information has been equal parts enlightening and confusing as determining the truth becomes increasingly difficult. Despite popular wisdom which suggests that today’s young people are inherently skilled at assessing the credibility of online sources, evidence has shown that this could not be further from the truth. We can no longer view information literacy as merely a helpful skill for writing essays now that fake news and misinformation have proven their powers repeatedly on the world stage. It is up to educators to take a stand against misinformation by ensuring that each and every student leaves their classroom with the information literacy skills necessary for safety and success in the modern world

Strategies for Acquiring New Urban Water Supplies

10 pages