Simple Guidelines for Deciding When Soil Variability Does – and Doesn’t – Matter for Rangeland Management and Restoration

“Rangelands in most parts of the world are relatively homogenous and can be managed uniformly at the landscape scale” or “rangelands are extremely diverse and require different approaches even at the landscape scale.” Both statements are made frequently by rangelands scientists and managers. Both are correct. Whether or not it is worthwhile to consider soil variability when planning management and restoration at the landscape scale depends on objectives, location, and the management or restoration strategies under consideration. Together these factors determine whether outcomes are likely to be different at different locations in the landscape, and whether those outcomes can be significantly improved by varying management across the landscape. In this paper we present simple guidelines for deciding whether soil variability should be taken into account when planning management and restoration projects. We conclude by providing a few suggestions on how to decide whether existing soil maps are adequate where soil information is required, and suggestions for how to quickly field-check soil map accuracy

VERITAS (Venus Emissivity, Radio Science, InSAR, Topography, and Spectroscopy): Surface Science Objectives

The VERITAS mission is designed to understand Venus’ evolution through acquiring foundational, high resolution global datasets including those that inform our understanding of Venus’ surface and interior. VERITAS is the first in a trio of #DecadeofVenus missions, launching in December of 2027 and acquiring data beginning in 2029

VERITAS (Venus Emissivity, Radio Science, InSAR, Topography, and Spectroscopy): A Selected Discovery Mission

VERITAS was selected as a Discovery class mission on June 2, 2021. It is designed to understand Venus’ evolution through acquiring foundational, high resolution global datasets. A deep understanding of planetary habitability requires identifying key factors that govern the environment over time. Venus is the ultimate control case for studying how Earth developed and maintained conditions suited to life. Venus is very likely to have had elements essential to habitability [1,2] such as (past) surface water and even a dynamo. Tectonism and volcanism, with associated outgassing and driven by a robust internal energy budget, very likely persist today. Current interactions among the interior, surface, and atmosphere may include exchange of volatiles

Habitability, Geodynamics, and the Case for Venus

Geodynamics, like Earth’s plate tectonics (PT), governs long-term planetary evolution and habitability. Beyond Earth, only Venus may have key elements of PT: subduction (the 1st step in PT) and continents. Revealing Venus’ geodynamics is key to understanding how PT began on Earth, and how to predict the geodynamic evolution of other rocky bodies

ArguLens: Anatomy of Community Opinions On Usability Issues Using Argumentation Models

In open-source software (OSS), the design of usability is often influenced by the discussions among community members on platforms such as issue tracking systems (ITSs). However, digesting the rich information embedded in issue discussions can be a major challenge due to the vast number and diversity of the comments. We propose and evaluate ArguLens, a conceptual framework and automated technique leveraging an argumentation model to support effective understanding and consolidation of community opinions in ITSs. Through content analysis, we anatomized highly discussed usability issues from a large, active OSS project, into their argumentation components and standpoints. We then experimented with supervised machine learning techniques for automated argument extraction. Finally, through a study with experienced ITS users, we show that the information provided by ArguLens supported the digestion of usability-related opinions and facilitated the review of lengthy issues. ArguLens provides the direction of designing valuable tools for high-level reasoning and effective discussion about usability