Our Changing Land: Stone Mountain State Park. An Environmental Education Learning Experience Designed for Grades 4-6.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Trivette, Larry

Stone Mountain State Park's environmental education learning experience, Our Changing Land, introduces the student to the geology of the Blue Ridge Mountains, with emphasis on Stone Mountain, through a series of hands-on activities. The learning experience is designed for grades 4-6 and meets curriculum objectives of the standard course of study…

A extract method of mountainous area settlement place information from GF-1 high resolution optical remote sensing image under semantic constraints

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guo, H., II

2016-12-01

Spatial distribution information of mountainous area settlement place is of great significance to the earthquake emergency work because most of the key earthquake hazardous areas of china are located in the mountainous area. Remote sensing has the advantages of large coverage and low cost, it is an important way to obtain the spatial distribution information of mountainous area settlement place. At present, fully considering the geometric information, spectral information and texture information, most studies have applied object-oriented methods to extract settlement place information, In this article, semantic constraints is to be added on the basis of object-oriented methods. The experimental data is one scene remote sensing image of domestic high resolution satellite (simply as GF-1), with a resolution of 2 meters. The main processing consists of 3 steps, the first is pretreatment, including ortho rectification and image fusion, the second is Object oriented information extraction, including Image segmentation and information extraction, the last step is removing the error elements under semantic constraints, in order to formulate these semantic constraints, the distribution characteristics of mountainous area settlement place must be analyzed and the spatial logic relation between settlement place and other objects must be considered. The extraction accuracy calculation result shows that the extraction accuracy of object oriented method is 49% and rise up to 86% after the use of semantic constraints. As can be seen from the extraction accuracy, the extract method under semantic constraints can effectively improve the accuracy of mountainous area settlement place information extraction. The result shows that it is feasible to extract mountainous area settlement place information form GF-1 image, so the article proves that it has a certain practicality to use domestic high resolution optical remote sensing image in earthquake emergency preparedness.

Solar and lunar calendars of the mountain sanctuary Kokino

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kuzmanovska, Olgica; Stankovski, Jovica; Apostolovska, Gordana

2016-03-01

The mountain sanctuary Kokino is located in the northeast part of Macedonia, on the summit of a hill of volcanic origin. The archeological research that has been performed for more than a decade confirmed its use as a large extra-urban religious site during the whole period of the Bronze Age. Additional astronomical analyses showed that it has the characteristics of a megalithic observatory, with some of its religious cults related with the motion of the sun, moon and some of the brightest stars. For that purpose the periodic motion of these celestial objects was observed and their position on specific calendar dates marked by stone notches cut in the surrounding rocks. In this paper, we present the results of the astronomical investigation of a group of stone markers aligned toward the specific positions of the full moon and analyze their purpose in creating a simple solar and lunar calendar which was used in planning the everyday life of the Bronze Age people in the region.

4. LOWER NOTTINGHAM MINE. DETAIL OF OBJECTS ASSOCIATED WITH CABIN ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

4. LOWER NOTTINGHAM MINE. DETAIL OF OBJECTS ASSOCIATED WITH CABIN 'B'; PIPE, WOOD, STOVE MATERIALS, AND COLLAPSED ROOT CELLAR IN CENTRAL AREA. VERTICAL, DARK PIPE IS VISIBLE IN CENTER/UPPER THIRD. CAMERA POINTED EAST. - Florida Mountain Mining Sites, Lower Nottingham Mine, Western slope of Florida Mountain, Silver City, Owyhee County, ID

MOUNTAIN ACID DEPOSITION PROGRAM (MADPRO): CLOUD DEPOSITION TO THE APPALACHIAN MOUNTAINS, 1994 THROUGH 1999

EPA Science Inventory

The mountain Acid Deposition Program (MADPro) was initiated in 1993 as part of the research necessary to support the objectives of the Clean Air Status and Trends Network (CASTNet), which was created to address the requirements of the Clean Air Act Amendments (CAAA). The two ma...

Analysis of California Condor (Gymnogyps californianus) use of six management units using location data from global positioning system transmitters, southern California, 2004-09-Initial report

USGS Publications Warehouse

Johnson, Matthew; Kern, Jeffrey; Haig, Susan M.

2010-01-01

This report provides an analysis of California Condor (Gymnogyps californianus) space use of six management units in southern California (Hopper Mountain and Bitter Creek National Wildlife Refuges, Wildlands Conservancy-Wind Wolves Preserve, Tejon Mountain Village Specific Plan, California Condor Study Area, and the Tejon Ranch excluding Tejon Mountain Village Specific Plan and California Condor Study Area). Space use was analyzed to address urgent management needs using location data from Global Positioning System transmitters. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service provided the U.S. Geological Survey with location data (2004-09) for California Condors from Global Positioning System transmitters and Geographic Information System data for the six management units in southern California. We calculated relative concentration of use estimates for each management unit for each California Condor (n = 21) on an annual basis (n = 39 annual home ranges) and evaluated resource selection for the population each year using the individual as our sampling unit. The most striking result from our analysis was the recolonization of the Tejon Mountain Village Specific Plan, California Condor Study Area, and Tejon Ranch management units during 2008. During 2004-07, the home range estimate for two (25 percent) California Condors overlapped the Tejon Mountain Village Specific Plan, California Condor Study Area, and Tejon Ranch management units (n = 8), and use within the annual home range generally was bimodal and was concentrated on the Bitter Creek and Hopper Mountain National Wildlife Refuges. However, 10 (77 percent) California Condor home ranges overlapped the Tejon Mountain Village Specific Plan, California Condor Study Area, and Tejon Ranch management units during 2008 (n = 13), and by 2009, the home range of every condor carrying a Global Positioning System transmitter (n = 14) overlapped these management units. Space use was multimodal within the home range during 2008-09 and was concentrated on Hopper Mountain Refuge in the south, Bittercreek Refuge and the Wind Wolves Preserve in the northwest, and the Tejon Mountain Village Specific Plan, California Condor Study Area, and Tejon Ranch management units in the northeast. Recolonization of the Tejon Mountain Village Specific Plan, California Condor Study Area, and Tejon Ranch management units reestablished traditional condor movement and foraging patterns in southern California and provides the travel corridor (approximately 20 kilometers wide) for recolonization of the northeastern part of the species historical range.

Fuel characterization in the southern Appalachian Mountains: an application of landscape ecosystem classification

Treesearch

Aaron D. Stottlemeyer; Victor B. Shelburne; Thomas A. Waldrop; Sandra Rideout-Hanzak; William C. Bridges

2009-01-01

Prescribed fire has been widely used in the south-eastern United States to meet forest management objectives, but has only recently been reintroduced to the southern Appalachian Mountains. Fuel information is not available to forest managers in this region and direct measurement is often impractical owing to steep, remote topography. The objective of the present study...

Annual elk calf survival in a multiple carnivore system

USGS Publications Warehouse

Eacker, Daniel R.; Hebblewhite, Mark; Proffitt, Kelly M.; Jimenez, Benjamin S.; Mitchell, Michael S.; Robinson, Hugh S.

2016-01-01

The realized effect of multiple carnivores on juvenile ungulate recruitment may depend on the carnivore assemblage as well as compensation from forage and winter weather severity, which may mediate juvenile vulnerability to predation in ungulates. We used a time-to-event approach to test for the effects of risk factors on annual elk (Cervus canadensis) calf survival and to estimate cause-specific mortality rates for 2 elk populations in adjacent study areas in the southern Bitterroot Valley, Montana, USA, during 2011–2014. We captured and radio-tagged 286 elk calves: 226 neonates, and 60 6-month-old calves. Summer survival probability was less variable than winter (P = 0.12) and averaged 0.55 (95% CI = 0.47–0.63), whereas winter survival varied more than summer and significantly across study years (P = 0.003) and averaged 0.73 (95% CI = 0.64–0.81). During summer, elk calf survival increased with biomass of preferred forage biomass, and was slightly lower following winters with high precipitation; exposure to mountain lion (Puma concolor) predation risk was unimportant. In contrast, during winter, we found that exposure to mountain lion predation risk influenced survival, with a weak negative effect of winter precipitation. We found no evidence that forage availability or winter weather severity mediated vulnerability to mountain lion predation risk in summer or winter (e.g., an interaction), indicating that the effect of mountain lion predation was constant regardless of spatial variation in forage or weather. Mountain lions dominated known causes of elk calf mortality in summer and winter, with estimated cause-specific mortality rates of 0.14 (95% CI = 0.09–0.20) and 0.12 (95% CI = 0.07–0.18), respectively. The effect of carnivores on juvenile ungulate recruitment varies across ecological systems depending on relative carnivore densities. Mountain lions may be the most important carnivore for ungulates, especially where grizzly bears (Ursus arctos) and wolves (Canis lupus) are rare or recovering. Finally, managers may need to reduce adult female harvest of elk as carnivores recolonize to balance carnivore and ungulate management objectives, especially in less productive habitats for elk.

Management of Multi-Casualty Incidents in Mountain Rescue: Evidence-Based Guidelines of the International Commission for Mountain Emergency Medicine (ICAR MEDCOM).

PubMed

Blancher, Marc; Albasini, François; Elsensohn, Fidel; Zafren, Ken; Hölzl, Natalie; McLaughlin, Kyle; Wheeler, Albert R; Roy, Steven; Brugger, Hermann; Greene, Mike; Paal, Peter

2018-06-01

Blancher, Marc, François Albasini, Fidel Elsensohn, Ken Zafren, Natalie Hölzl, Kyle McLaughlin, Albert R. Wheeler III, Steven Roy, Hermann Brugger, Mike Greene, and Peter Paal. Management of multi-casualty incidents in mountain rescue: Evidence-based guidelines of the International Commission for Mountain Emergency Medicine (ICAR MEDCOM). High Alt Med Biol. 19:131-140, 2018. Multi-Casualty Incidents (MCI) occur in mountain areas. Little is known about the incidence and character of such events, and the kind of rescue response. Therefore, the International Commission for Mountain Emergency Medicine (ICAR MEDCOM) set out to provide recommendations for the management of MCI in mountain areas. Details of MCI occurring in mountain areas related to mountaineering activities and involving organized mountain rescue were collected. A literature search using (1) PubMed, (2) national mountain rescue registries, and (3) lay press articles on the internet was performed. The results were analyzed with respect to specific aspects of mountain rescue. We identified 198 MCIs that have occurred in mountain areas since 1956: 137 avalanches, 38 ski lift accidents, and 23 other events, including lightning injuries, landslides, volcanic eruptions, lost groups of people, and water-related accidents. General knowledge on MCI management is required. Due to specific aspects of triage and management, the approach to MCIs may differ between those in mountain areas and those in urban settings. Mountain rescue teams should be prepared to manage MCIs. Knowledge should be reviewed and training performed regularly. Cooperation between terrestrial rescue services, avalanche safety authorities, and helicopter crews is critical to successful management of MCIs in mountain areas.

Andean Mountain Building: An Integrated Topographic, GPS, Seismological and Numerical Study

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Liu, Mian; Stein, Seth

2003-01-01

The main objective of this project was to better understand the geodynamics controlling the mountain building and topographic evolution in the central Andes using an integrated approach that combines GPS, seismological, and numerical studies.

Mountain research

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

The newly incorporated International Mountain Society (IMS) will in May begin publication of an interdisciplinary scientific journal, Mountain Research and Development. The quarterly will be copublished with the United National University; additional support will come from UNESCO.A primary objective of IMS is to ‘help solve mountain land-use problems by developing a foundation of scientific and technical knowledge on which to base management decisions,’ according to Jack D. Ives, president of the Boulder-based organization. ‘The Society is strongly committed to the belief that a rational worldwide approach to mountain problems must involve a wide range of disciplines in the natural and human sciences, medicine, architecture, engineering, and technology.’

Radiography with cosmic-ray and compact accelerator muons; Exploring inner-structure of large-scale objects and landforms

PubMed Central

NAGAMINE, Kanetada

2016-01-01

Cosmic-ray muons (CRM) arriving from the sky on the surface of the earth are now known to be used as radiography purposes to explore the inner-structure of large-scale objects and landforms, ranging in thickness from meter to kilometers scale, such as volcanic mountains, blast furnaces, nuclear reactors etc. At the same time, by using muons produced by compact accelerators (CAM), advanced radiography can be realized for objects with a thickness in the sub-millimeter to meter range, with additional exploration capability such as element identification and bio-chemical analysis. In the present report, principles, methods and specific research examples of CRM transmission radiography are summarized after which, principles, methods and perspective views of the future CAM radiography are described. PMID:27725469

Radiography with cosmic-ray and compact accelerator muons; Exploring inner-structure of large-scale objects and landforms.

PubMed

Nagamine, Kanetada

2016-01-01

Cosmic-ray muons (CRM) arriving from the sky on the surface of the earth are now known to be used as radiography purposes to explore the inner-structure of large-scale objects and landforms, ranging in thickness from meter to kilometers scale, such as volcanic mountains, blast furnaces, nuclear reactors etc. At the same time, by using muons produced by compact accelerators (CAM), advanced radiography can be realized for objects with a thickness in the sub-millimeter to meter range, with additional exploration capability such as element identification and bio-chemical analysis. In the present report, principles, methods and specific research examples of CRM transmission radiography are summarized after which, principles, methods and perspective views of the future CAM radiography are described.

Cost effectiveness of three different release treatments of table mountain pine in a severely overstocked and pure stand

Treesearch

Amy L. Morgan; Wayne K. Clatterbuck

2013-01-01

Table Mountain pine (Pinus pungens Lamb.) (TMP) is a threatened species, endemic to the Southern Appalachian Mountains. This study focuses on the release of TMP stems in an overstocked and pure TMP stand on the Cherokee National Forest in eastern Tennessee. The objective of the case study was to produce a cost analysis/comparison of releasing young...

76 FR 64100 - Notice of Availability of Record of Decision for the Little Snake Resource Management Plan...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-10-17

... Mountain, Vermillion Basin, Dinosaur North, and Little Yampa Canyon. The management objectives for these... Spring Mountain, Dinosaur North and Vermillion Basin are closed to oil and gas leasing and development...

Topographic Response to the Yakutat Block Collision

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stock, Joann M.

2000-01-01

The principal objective of this grant and this research were to investigate the topographic development of an active glaciated orogenic belt in southern Alaska as that development relates to patterns of erosion and crustal deformation. A specific objective of the research was to investigate feedbacks between mountain building, orographic affects on climate, and patterns of exhumation and rock uplift. To that end, an orogen-scale analysis of topography was conducted with the aid of digital elevation models, magnitudes and patterns of crustal deformation were compiled from existing literature, present and past climate patterns were constrained using the modern and past distribution of glaciers, and styles, magnitudes, and extent of erosion were constrained with observations from the 1998 field season.

Influence of elevation and forest type on community assemblage and species distribution of shrews in the central and southern Appalachian mountains

Treesearch

W. Mark Ford; Timothy S. McCay; Michael A. Menzel; W. David Webster; Cathryn H. Greenberg; John F. Pagels; Joseph F. Merritt; Joseph F. Merritt

2005-01-01

We analyzed shrew community data from 398,832 pitfall trapnights at 303 sites across the upper Piedmont, Blue Ridge, northern Ridge and Valley, southern Ridge and Valley, Cumberland Plateau and Allegheny Mountains and Plateau sections of the central and southern Appalachian Mountains from Alabama to Pennsylvania. The objectives of our research were to describe regional...

Influence of elevation and forest type on community assemblage and species distribution of shrews in the central and southern Appalachian Mountains

Treesearch

W. Mark Ford; Timothy S. McCay; Michael A. Menzel; W. David Webster; Cathryn H. Greenberg; John F. Pagels; Joseph F. Merritt

2006-01-01

We analyzed shrew community data from 398,832 pitfall trapnights at 303 sites across the upper Piedmont, Blue Ridge, northern Ridge and Valley, southern Ridge and Valley, Cumberland Plateau and Allegheny Mountains and Plateau sections of the central and southern Appalachian Mountains from Alabama to Pennsylvania. The objectives of our research were to describe regional...

Influence of elevation and forest type on community assemblage and species distribution of shrews in the central and southern Appalachian mountains

Treesearch

W. Mark Ford; Timothy S. McCay; Michael A. Menzel; W. David Webster; Cathryn H. Greenberg; John F. Pagels; Joseph F. Merritt

2005-01-01

We analyzed shrew community data from 398,832 pitfall trapnights at 303 sites across the upper Piedmont, Blue ridge, northern Ridge and Valley, southern Ride and Valley, Cumberland Plateau and Allegheny Mountains and Plateau sections of the central and southern Appalachian Mountains from Alabama to Pennsylvania. The objectives of our research were to describe regional...

2014 NASA Centennial Challenges Sample Return Robot Challenge

NASA Image and Video Library

2014-06-14

The NASA Centennial Challenges prize, level one, is presented to team Mountaineers for successfully completing level one of the NASA 2014 Sample Return Robot Challenge, from left, Ryan Watson, Team Mountaineers; Lucas Behrens, Team Mountaineers; Jarred Strader, Team Mountaineers; Yu Gu, Team Mountaineers; Scott Harper, Team Mountaineers; Dorothy Rasco, NASA Deputy Associate Administrator for the Space Technology Mission Directorate; Laurie Leshin, Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) President; David Miller, NASA Chief Technologist; Alexander Hypes, Team Mountaineers; Nick Ohi,Team Mountaineers; Marvin Cheng, Team Mountaineers; Sam Ortega, NASA Program Manager for Centennial Challenges; and Tanmay Mandal, Team Mountaineers;, Saturday, June 14, 2014, at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) in Worcester, Mass. Team Mountaineers was the only team to complete the level one challenge. During the competition, teams were required to demonstrate autonomous robots that can locate and collect samples from a wide and varied terrain, operating without human control. The objective of this NASA-WPI Centennial Challenge was to encourage innovations in autonomous navigation and robotics technologies. Innovations stemming from the challenge may improve NASA's capability to explore a variety of destinations in space, as well as enhance the nation's robotic technology for use in industries and applications on Earth. Photo Credit: (NASA/Joel Kowsky)

2014 NASA Centennial Challenges Sample Return Robot Challenge

NASA Image and Video Library

2014-06-14

The NASA Centennial Challenges prize, level one, is presented to team Mountaineers for successfully completing level one of the NASA 2014 Sample Return Robot Challenge, from left, Ken Stafford, WPI Challenge technical advisor; Colleen Shaver, WPI Challenge Manager; Ryan Watson, Team Mountaineers; Marvin Cheng, Team Mountaineers; Alexander Hypes, Team Mountaineers; Jarred Strader, Team Mountaineers; Lucas Behrens, Team Mountaineers; Yu Gu, Team Mountaineers; Nick Ohi, Team Mountaineers; Dorothy Rasco, NASA Deputy Associate Administrator for the Space Technology Mission Directorate; Scott Harper, Team Mountaineers; Tanmay Mandal, Team Mountaineers; David Miller, NASA Chief Technologist; Sam Ortega, NASA Program Manager for Centennial Challenges, Saturday, June 14, 2014, at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) in Worcester, Mass. Team Mountaineers was the only team to complete the level one challenge. During the competition, teams were required to demonstrate autonomous robots that can locate and collect samples from a wide and varied terrain, operating without human control. The objective of this NASA-WPI Centennial Challenge was to encourage innovations in autonomous navigation and robotics technologies. Innovations stemming from the challenge may improve NASA's capability to explore a variety of destinations in space, as well as enhance the nation's robotic technology for use in industries and applications on Earth. Photo Credit: (NASA/Joel Kowsky)

Mountain Infantry - Is There a Need?

DTIC Science & Technology

1988-06-03

Valley and was used extensively by the Germans. The 9objective of the mountaineers was the Monte Belvedere- Monte Della Torraccia Ridge network which...hopes of attaining surprise. The 85th conducted a frontal attack against Monte Belvedere and Monte Gorgolesco, while the 87th attacked up the western...fought a bloody battle the last 300 yards from the summit of both mountains. Monte Della Torraccia proved to be a tough fight. On the afternoon of the

Peak discharges in steep mountain catchments in relation to rainfall variability, vegetation cover and geomorphology of the Rift Valley Escarpment of Northern Ethiopia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gebreyohannes, Tesfaalem; Frankl, Amaury; Haile, Mitiku; Abraha, Amanuel; Monsieurs, Elise; Nyssen, Jan

2015-04-01

The hydrological characteristics of steep mountain streams are often considered to be mainly influenced by rainfall distribution and topography. In this study, with the objective of analyzing the runoff response of mountain catchments, a total of 340 peak stage discharges were recorded in three rainy seasons (2012-2014) in 11 sloping (27-65%) mountain catchments (0.4 - 25 km²) of the marginal western Rift Valley escarpment of Northern Ethiopia. Daily rainfall data were collected using 7 rain gauges installed at different altitudes (1623 - 2851 m a.s.l) in and nearby the catchments, and used to calculate weighted average daily rain depths over the catchments. Event peak discharges were calculated from daily measurements by 11 crest stage gauges using the Manning's equation. Percentages of land use and cover classes were detected from high resolution (0.6 m) Google Earth imagery (February 1, 2014). Morphometric characteristics of the catchments were computed from ASTER digital elevation model and topographic maps. Correlation analysis between daily rainfall and peak discharge showed direct relationship (R² = 0.5-0.94, P<0.01) in all the catchments. The average specific peak discharge was negatively related to percentage of forest and grass cover (R² = 0.64, P<0.01), time of concentration (R² = 0.31, P<0.01), drainage texture (R² = 0.42, P<0.01), and catchment perimeter (R² = 0.36, P<0.01). The specific peak discharge was positively correlated with average slope gradient of the catchments (R² = 0.34, P<0.01) and with an index representing the spatial distribution of forest and grass cover (R² = 0.43, P<0.01). A stepwise multiple regression analyses showed that 84% (P<0.01) of the variability of the runoff response in the catchments can be predicted by the percentage of forest and grass cover and the relief ratio of the catchments. All in all, this study demonstrates that the magnitude of flash floods in mountain catchments is not only influenced by the morphometric characteristics of the catchments and by rainfall, but more importantly even by vegetation cover (forest and grasses).

Mountain cartography: revival of a classic domain

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Häberling, Christian; Hurni, Lorenz

The abstract representation of landscape objects such as mountain peaks, valleys, river networks, lakes, cultivated land and nonproductive areas (forests, pastures, boulder fields, glaciers), settlement areas, infrastructure and traffic networks has been the main concept behind all kind of maps for a long time. For over 300 years, mountain regions became an appropriate subject to be extensively explored and mapped. Together with the growing importance of mountainous areas, the demand for adequate cartographic representations with respect to its contents, graphic design and the presentation media has given new life to a classic domain of cartography: Mountain cartography. This paper gives an overview of the development and the current state of mountain cartography. After a brief description of the beginnings and the historic achievements, basic concepts of cartography such as map purpose, data management, cartographic design and map production and their application in modern mountain cartography are summarised. The paper then provides an overview of different kinds of cartographic representations in mountain cartography like topographic maps, maps derived from Geographical Information Systems (GIS) data, image maps, animations, perspective views and personalised maps. Finally, selected examples of modern mountain map applications are presented.

RESULTS FROM THE MOUNTAIN ACID DEPOSITION PROGRAM

EPA Science Inventory

The Mountain Acid Deposition Program (MADPro) was initiated in 1993 as part of the research necessary to support the objectives of the Clean Air Status and Trends Network (CASTNet), which was created to address the. requirements of the Clean Air Act Amendments (CAAA). The main ob...

Native Americans and state and local governments

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Rusco, E.R.

1991-10-01

Native Americans` concerns arising from the possibility of establishment of a nuclear repository for high level wastes at Yucca Mountain fall principally into two main categories. First, the strongest objection to the repository comes from traditional Western Shoshones. Their objections are based on a claim that the Western Shoshones still own Yucca Mountain and also on the assertion that putting high level nuclear wastes into the ground is a violation of their religious views regarding nature. Second, there are several reservations around the Yucca Mountain site that might be affected in various ways by building of the repository. There ismore » a question about how many such reservations there are, which can only be decided when more information is available. This report discusses two questions: the bearing of the continued vigorous assertion by traditionalist Western Shoshones of their land claim; and the extent to which Nevada state and local governments are able to understand and represent Indian viewpoints about Yucca Mountain.« less

Repeated application of fuel reduction treatments in the southern Appalachian Mountains, USA: implications for achieving management goals

Treesearch

Thomas A. Waldrop; Donald L. Hagan; Dean M. Simon

2016-01-01

Fire and resource managers of the southern Appalachian Mountains, USA, have many questions about the use of prescribed fire and mechanical treatments to meet various land management objectives. Three common objectives include restoration to an open woodland, oak regeneration, and fuel reduction. This paper provides information about reaching each of these three...

Extreme altitude: words from on high.

PubMed

Lankford, Harvey V

2014-09-01

Medical science has its own objective language for describing the effects of high altitude. Mountaineers' words and metaphors tell the story with subjectivity and feeling. This essay will include only limited physiology about lowlanders and high altitude. Instead, the focus will be literary, using the quotations of 20th-century mountaineers and mountaineer physicians to provide color commentary about the hardship. These are Words From on High. Copyright © 2014 Wilderness Medical Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Assessment of potential migration of radionuclides and trace elements from the White Mesa uranium mill to the Ute Mountain Ute Reservation and surrounding areas, southeastern Utah

USGS Publications Warehouse

Naftz, David L.; Ranalli, Anthony J.; Rowland, Ryan C.; Marston, Thomas M.

2011-01-01

In 2007, the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe requested that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and U.S. Geological Survey conduct an independent evaluation of potential offsite migration of radionuclides and selected trace elements associated with the ore storage and milling process at an active uranium mill site near White Mesa, Utah. Specific objectives of this study were (1) to determine recharge sources and residence times of groundwater surrounding the mill site, (2) to determine the current concentrations of uranium and associated trace elements in groundwater surrounding the mill site, (3) to differentiate natural and anthropogenic contaminant sources to groundwater resources surrounding the mill site, (4) to assess the solubility and potential for offsite transport of uranium-bearing minerals in groundwater surrounding the mill site, and (5) to use stream sediment and plant material samples from areas surrounding the mill site to identify potential areas of offsite contamination and likely contaminant sources.

Socio-Cultural and Economic Valuation of Ecosystem Services Provided by Mediterranean Mountain Agroecosystems

PubMed Central

Bernués, Alberto; Rodríguez-Ortega, Tamara; Ripoll-Bosch, Raimon; Alfnes, Frode

2014-01-01

The aim of this work was to elucidate the socio-cultural and economic value of a number of ecosystem services delivered by mountain agroecosystems (mostly grazing systems) in Euro-Mediterranean regions. We combined deliberative (focus groups) and survey-based stated-preference methods (choice modelling) to, first, identify the perceptions of farmers and other citizens on the most important ecosystem services and, second, to value these in economic terms according to the willingness to pay of the local (residents of the study area) and general (region where the study area is located) populations. Cultural services (particularly the aesthetic and recreational values of the landscape), supporting services (biodiversity maintenance) and some regulating services (particularly fire risk prevention) were clearly recognized by both farmers and citizens, with different degrees of importance according to their particular interests and objectives. The prevention of forest fires (≈50% of total willingness to pay) was valued by the general population as a key ecosystem service delivered by these agroecosystems, followed by the production of specific quality products linked to the territory (≈20%), biodiversity (≈20%) and cultural landscapes (≈10%). The value given by local residents to the last two ecosystem services differed considerably (≈10 and 25% for biodiversity and cultural landscape, respectively). The Total Economic Value of mountain agroecosystems was ≈120 € person−1 year−1, three times the current level of support of agro-environmental policies. By targeting and quantifying the environmental objectives of the European agri-environmental policy and compensating farmers for the public goods they deliver, the so-called “green” subsidies may become true Payments for Ecosystems Services. PMID:25036276

Socio-cultural and economic valuation of ecosystem services provided by Mediterranean mountain agroecosystems.

PubMed

Bernués, Alberto; Rodríguez-Ortega, Tamara; Ripoll-Bosch, Raimon; Alfnes, Frode

2014-01-01

The aim of this work was to elucidate the socio-cultural and economic value of a number of ecosystem services delivered by mountain agroecosystems (mostly grazing systems) in Euro-Mediterranean regions. We combined deliberative (focus groups) and survey-based stated-preference methods (choice modelling) to, first, identify the perceptions of farmers and other citizens on the most important ecosystem services and, second, to value these in economic terms according to the willingness to pay of the local (residents of the study area) and general (region where the study area is located) populations. Cultural services (particularly the aesthetic and recreational values of the landscape), supporting services (biodiversity maintenance) and some regulating services (particularly fire risk prevention) were clearly recognized by both farmers and citizens, with different degrees of importance according to their particular interests and objectives. The prevention of forest fires (≈50% of total willingness to pay) was valued by the general population as a key ecosystem service delivered by these agroecosystems, followed by the production of specific quality products linked to the territory (≈20%), biodiversity (≈20%) and cultural landscapes (≈10%). The value given by local residents to the last two ecosystem services differed considerably (≈10 and 25% for biodiversity and cultural landscape, respectively). The Total Economic Value of mountain agroecosystems was ≈120 € person(-1) year(-1), three times the current level of support of agro-environmental policies. By targeting and quantifying the environmental objectives of the European agri-environmental policy and compensating farmers for the public goods they deliver, the so-called "green" subsidies may become true Payments for Ecosystems Services.

Effect of lunar phase on diurnal activity of Rocky Mountain Elk (Cervus Elaphus Nelsonii)

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Rocky Mountain elk (Cervus elaphus nelsonii) are important components in many ecosystems across the western US and are integral with both Native American and contemporary western culture. They are prized by hunters and are the object of countless works of art. These magnificent creatures are studi...

Litter decomposition across an air-pollution gradient in the San Bernardino Mountains

Treesearch

Mark E. Fenn; Paul H. Dunn

1989-01-01

Air pollution may affect forest ecosystems by altering nutrient cycling rates. The objective of this study was to compare decomposition rates of L-layer litter of ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa Laws.) and Jeffrey pine (Pinus jeffreyi Grev. & Balf,) collected from across an air-pollution gradient in the San Bernardino Mountains...

Visualization of heterogeneous forest structures following treatment in the southern Rocky Mountains

Treesearch

Wade T. Tinkham; Yvette Dickinson; Chad M. Hoffman; Mike A. Battaglia; Seth Ex; Jeffrey Underhill

2017-01-01

Manipulation of forest spatial patterns has become a common objective in restoration prescriptions throughout the central and southern Rocky Mountain dry-mixed conifer forest systems. Pre-Euro-American settlement forest reconstructions indicate that frequent-fire regimes developed forests with complex mosaics of individual trees, tree clumps of varying size, and...

The relationship of recreation specialization to the setting preferences of mountain bicyclists

Treesearch

Timothy E. Hopkin; Roger L. Moore

1995-01-01

This study gathered information about mountain bike use and users on unpaved trails in a Raleigh, North Carolina park. Specifically, it attempted to determine if levels of recreation specialization were related to the setting preferences of mountain bike users. The results offered partial support for the existence of a relationship between recreation specialization and...

Development and characterization of microsatellite markers in the Point Arena mountain beaver Aplodontia rufa nigra

Treesearch

Kristine L. Pilgrim; William J. Zielinski; Mary J. Mazurek; Frederick V. Schlexer; Michael K. Schwartz

2006-01-01

The Point Arena mountain beaver (Aplodontia rufa nigra) is an endangered subspecies. Efforts to recover this sub-species will be aided by advances in molecular genetics, specifically the ability to estimate population size using noninvasive genetic sampling. Here we report on the development of nine polymorphic loci for the Point Arena mountain...

Measuring the Non-Line-of-Sight Ultra-High-Frequency Channel in Mountainous Terrain: A Spread-Spectrum, Portable Channel Sounder

DTIC Science & Technology

2018-03-01

ER D C/ CR RE L TR -1 8- 3 ERDC 6.1 Basic Research Measuring the Non-Line-of-Sight Ultra- High - Frequency Channel in Mountainous Terrain... High - Frequency Channel in Mountainous Terrain A Spread-Spectrum, Portable Channel Sounder Samuel S. Streeter and Daniel J. Breton U.S. Army...spread-spectrum, portable channel sounder specifically designed to meas- ure the non-line-of-sight, ultra- high -frequency channel in mountainous terrain

10 CFR 63.113 - Performance objectives for the geologic repository after permanent closure.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 10 Energy 2 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Performance objectives for the geologic repository after...-LEVEL RADIOACTIVE WASTES IN A GEOLOGIC REPOSITORY AT YUCCA MOUNTAIN, NEVADA Technical Criteria Postclosure Performance Objectives § 63.113 Performance objectives for the geologic repository after permanent...

Vascular plant flora of the alpine zone in the southern Rocky Mountains, U.S.A

Treesearch

James F. Fowler; B. E. Nelson; Ronald L. Hartman

2014-01-01

Field detection of changes in occurrence, distribution, or abundance of alpine plant species is predicated on knowledge of which species are in specific locations. The alpine zone of the Southern Rocky Mountain Region has been systematically inventoried by the staff and floristics graduate students from the Rocky Mountain Herbarium over the last 27 years. It is...

Downstream Warming and Headwater Acidity May Diminish Coldwater Habitat in Southern Appalachian Mountain Streams

Treesearch

T. C. McDonnell; M. R. Sloat; T. J. Sullivan; C. A. Dolloff; P. F. Hessburg; N. A. Povak; W. A Jackson; C. Sams

2015-01-01

Stream-dwelling species in the U.S. southern Appalachian Mountains region are particularly vulnerable to climate change and acidification. The objectives of this study were to quantify the spatial extent of contemporary suitable habitat for acid- and thermally sensitive aquatic species and to forecast future habitat loss resulting from expected temperature increases on...

Past and future changes in frost day indices on Catskill Mountain Region of New York

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Changes in frost indices in the New York’s Catskill Mountains region, the location of water supply reservoirs for New York City, have potentially important implications. Frost day is defined as a day with Tmin < 0ºC. The objective of this study was to investigate past and predicted changes in minimu...

Nonsuicidal Self-Injury in an American Indian Reservation Community: Results from the White Mountain Apache Surveillance System, 2007-2008

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cwik, Mary F.; Barlow, Allison; Tingey, Lauren; Larzelere-Hinton, Francene; Goklish, Novalene; Walkup, John T.

2011-01-01

Objective: To describe characteristics and correlates of nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI) among the White Mountain Apache Tribe. NSSI has not been studied before in American Indian samples despite associated risks for suicide, which disproportionately affect American Indian youth. Method: Apache case managers collected data through a tribally…

Lessons from a 5 yr citizen-science monitoring program, Mountain Watch, to engage hikers in air quality/visibility and plant phenology monitoring in the mountains

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Murray, G.; Weihrauch, D.; Kimball, K.; McDonough, C.

2010-12-01

The AMC’s citizen scientist monitoring program, Mountain Watch, engages hikers in observational monitoring while recreating in the northern Appalachian Mountains. The program uses two monitoring activities:1) tracking the phenology of 11 mountain flowers species, and 2) the visitors real world perception of on-mountain visibility and its ‘quality’ with proximate monitored air quality parameters. The Mountain Watch program objectives are a) to engage and educate the public through hands-on monitoring, b) to motivate the participant to take further action towards environmental stewardship, and c) to provide supplemental data to AMC’s ongoing science-based research to further our understanding of the impact of human activity on mountain ecosystems. The Mountain Watch plant monitoring includes recording the time and location of alpine and forest plants flowering and other phenological phases using AMC field guides and datasheets. In the White Mountains of New Hampshire concurrent meteorological data, including soil temperature, is paired with the phenology observations as part of AMC’s research to develop spatial and temporal phenology models with air and soil temperature for northeastern mountains. Mountain Watch’s visibility monitoring program has hikers record visual range and rate the view at select vistas in comparison to a clear day view photo guide when visiting AMC’s backcountry huts. The results are compared to proximate air quality measurements, which assists in determining how White Mountain National Forest air quality related values and natural resources management objectives are being met. Since 2006 the Mountain Watch program has received over 3,500 citizen datasheets for plant reproductive phenology and visibility monitoring. We estimate that we have reached more than 15,000 hikers through our facility based education programming focused on air quality and phenology and field monitoring hikes. While we consider this good success in engaging hikers to date, the ratio of resource expenditures in recruiting volunteers and QA/QCing their data for actual research application has been high. Mountain Watch staff are now refining the program to achieve education and research goals a manner that is sustainable into the future with limited fiscal and staff resources. The quality of our citizen phenology observations, in comparison to staff monitoring, has lead to refinements including directing general audience hikers to well-defined trailside observation stations, growing our more skilled amateur botanist volunteer base, and use of remote cameras for quality controls and better temporal coverage. Visibility monitoring at four mountain vistas has recently been analyzed in the context of policy applications. Refinements will be presented that will further inform natural resource management of air quality in relation to Clean Air Act Air Quality Related Values and a potential visibility focused particulate matter secondary National Ambient Air Quality Standard. Overall lessons learned, regarding audience considerations, resource needs, and long-term sustainability, from our 5-year field based geoscience programs will be discussed.

Summer spatial patterning of chukars in relation to free water in Western Utah

USGS Publications Warehouse

Larsen, R.T.; Bissonette, J.A.; Flinders, J.T.; Hooten, M.B.; Wilson, T.L.

2010-01-01

Free water is considered important to wildlife in arid regions. In the western United States, thousands of water developments have been built to benefit wildlife in arid landscapes. Agencies and researchers have yet to clearly demonstrate their effectiveness. We combined a spatial analysis of summer chukar (Alectoris chukar) covey locations with dietary composition analysis in western Utah. Our specific objectives were to determine if chukars showed a spatial pattern that suggested association with free water in four study areas and to document summer dietary moisture content in relation to average distance from water. The observed data for the Cedar Mountains study area fell within the middle of the random mean distance to water distribution suggesting no association with free water. The observed mean distance to water for the other three areas was much closer than expected compared to a random spatial process, suggesting the importance of free water to these populations. Dietary moisture content of chukar food items from the Cedar Mountains (59%) was significantly greater (P < 0.05) than that of birds from Box Elder (44%) and Keg-Dugway (44%). Water developments on the Cedar Mountains are likely ineffective for chukars. Spatial patterns on the other areas, however, suggest association with free water and our results demonstrate the need for site-specific considerations. Researchers should be aware of the potential to satisfy water demand with pre-formed and metabolic water for a variety of species in studies that address the effects of wildlife water developments. We encourage incorporation of spatial structure in model error components in future ecological research. ?? Springer Science+Business Media B.V. 2009.

A test of the compensatory mortality hypothesis in mountain lions: a management experiment in West-Central Montana

USGS Publications Warehouse

Robinson, Hugh S.; Desimone, Richard; Hartway, Cynthia; Gude, Justin A.; Thompson, Michael J.; Mitchell, Michael S.; Hebblewhite, Mark

2014-01-01

Mountain lions (Puma concolor) are widely hunted for recreation, population control, and to reduce conflict with humans, but much is still unknown regarding the effects of harvest on mountain lion population dynamics. Whether human hunting mortality on mountain lions is additive or compensatory is debated. Our primary objective was to investigate population effects of harvest on mountain lions. We addressed this objective with a management experiment of 3 years of intensive harvest followed by a 6-year recovery period. In December 2000, after 3 years of hunting, approximately 66% of a single game management unit within the Blackfoot River watershed in Montana was closed to lion hunting, effectively creating a refuge representing approximately 12% (915 km2) of the total study area (7,908 km2). Hunting continued in the remainder of the study area, but harvest levels declined from approximately 9/1,000 km2 in 2001 to 2/1,000 km2 in 2006 as a result of the protected area and reduced quotas outside. We radiocollared 117 mountain lions from 1998 to 2006. We recorded known fates for 63 animals, and right-censored the remainder. Although hunting directly reduced survival, parameters such as litter size, birth interval, maternity, age at dispersal, and age of first reproduction were not significantly affected. Sensitivity analysis showed that female survival and maternity were most influential on population growth. Life-stage simulation analysis (LSA) demonstrated the effect of hunting on the population dynamics of mountain lions. In our non-hunted population, reproduction (kitten survival and maternity) accounted for approximately 62% of the variation in growth rate, whereas adult female survival accounted for 30%. Hunting reversed this, increasing the reliance of population growth on adult female survival (45% of the variation in population growth), and away from reproduction (12%). Our research showed that harvest at the levels implemented in this study did not affect population productivity (i.e., maternity), but had an additive effect on mountain lion mortality, and therefore population growth. Through harvest, wildlife managers have the ability to control mountain lion populations.

Seasonal distribution and aerial surveys of mountain goats in Mount Rainier, North Cascades, and Olympic National Parks, Washington

USGS Publications Warehouse

Jenkins, Kurt; Beirne, Katherine; Happe, Patricia; Hoffman, Roger; Rice, Cliff; Schaberl, Jim

2011-01-01

We described the seasonal distribution of Geographic Positioning System (GPS)-collared mountain goats (Oreamnos americanus) in Mount Rainier, North Cascades, and Olympic National Parks to evaluate aerial survey sampling designs and provide general information for park managers. This work complemented a companion study published elsewhere of aerial detection biases of mountain goat surveys in western Washington. Specific objectives reported here were to determine seasonal and altitudinal movements, home range distributions, and temporal dynamics of mountain goat movements in and out of aerial survey sampling frames established within each park. We captured 25 mountain goats in Mount Rainier (9), North Cascades (5), and Olympic (11) National Parks, and fitted them with GPS-collars programmed to obtain 6-8 locations daily. We obtained location data on 23 mountain goats for a range of 39-751 days from 2003 to 2008. Altitudinal distributions of GPS-collared mountain goats varied individually and seasonally, but median altitudes used by individual goats during winter ranged from 817 to 1,541 meters in Olympic and North Cascades National Parks, and 1,215 to 1,787 meters in Mount Rainier National Park. Median altitudes used by GPS-collared goats during summer ranged from 1,312 to 1,819 meters in Olympic and North Cascades National Parks, and 1,780 to 2,061 meters in Mount Rainier National Park. GPS-collared mountain goats generally moved from low-altitude winter ranges to high-altitude summer ranges between June 11 and June 19 (range April 24-July 3) and from summer to winter ranges between October 26 and November 9 (range September 11-December 23). Seasonal home ranges (95 percent of adaptive kernel utilization distribution) of males and female mountain goats were highly variable, ranging from 1.6 to 37.0 kilometers during summers and 0.7 to 9.5 kilometers during winters. Locations of GPS-collared mountain goats were almost 100 percent within the sampling frame used for mountain goat surveys in Mount Rainier National Park, whereas generally greater than 80 and greater than 60 percent of locations were within sampling units delineated in North Cascades and Olympic National Parks, respectively. Presence of GPS-collared mountain goats within the sampling frame of Olympic National Park varied by diurnal period (midday versus crepuscular), survey season (July versus September), and the interaction of diurnal period and survey season. Aerial surveys conducted in developing a sightability model for mountain goat aerial surveys indicated mean detection probabilities of 0.69, 0.76, and 0.87 in North Cascades, Olympic, and Mount Rainier National Parks, respectively. Higher detection probabilities in Mount Rainier likely reflected larger group sizes and more open habitat conditions than in North Cascades and Olympic National Parks. Use of sightability models will reduce biases of population estimates in each park, but resulting population estimates must still be considered minimum population estimates in Olympic and North Cascades National Parks because the current sampling frames do not encompass those populations completely. Because mountain goats were reliably present within the sampling frame in Mount Rainier National Park, we found no compelling need to adjust mountain goat survey boundaries in that park. Expanding survey coverage in North Cascades and Olympic National Parks to more reliably encompass the altitudinal distribution of mountain goats during summer would enhance population estimation accuracy in the future. Lowering the altitude boundary of mountain goat survey units by as little as 100 meters to 1,425 meters in Olympic National Park would increase mountain goat presence within the survey and reduce variation in counts related to movements of mountain goats outside the survey boundaries.

Plant landscape design simulating natural community by using AHP method based on TWINSPAN classification

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Li Han

2018-06-01

Taking the forest vegetation in Zijin Mountain (Purple Mountain) Area of Nanjing as the research object, based on the simulation natural and semi natural plant communities, the systematic research on the construction of Nanjing regional plant landscape is carried out by the method such as literature and theory, investigation and evaluation, discussion and reference. On the basis of TWINSPAN classification, the species composition (flora and geographical composition), community structure, species diversity, interspecific relationship and ecological niche of Zijin Mountain natural vegetation are studied and analyzed as a basis for simulation design and planting. Then, from the three levels of ornamental value, resource development and utilization potential and biological characteristics, a comprehensive evaluation system used for wild ornamental plant resources in Zijin Mountain is built. Finally, some suggestions on the planting species of deep forest vegetation in Zijin Mountain are put forward.

Historical forest structure, composition, and spatial pattern in dry conifer forests of the western Blue Mountains, Oregon

Treesearch

Derek J. Churchill; Gunnar C. Carnwath; Andrew J. Larson; Sean A. Jeronimo

2017-01-01

In frequent-fire forests of the interior Western United States, historical (prefire suppression) conditions are often used as a reference to set management objectives, guide prescriptions, and monitor treatment effectiveness. We quantified the historical size, density, composition, and spatial patterns of dry mixed-conifer forests in the Blue Mountains of Oregon to...

The White Mountain Apache Child Protection Service Training Curriculum. Nohwii Chaghashe Baa da gontzaa (Protect Our Apache Children).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gonzalez-Santin, Edwin, Comp.

This curriculum manual provides 8 days of training for child protective services (CPS) personnel (social workers and administrators) working in the White Mountain Apache tribal community. Each of the first seven units in the manual contains a brief description of contents, course objectives, time required, key concepts, possible discussion topics,…

Detection and mapping of mountain pine beetle red attack: Matching information needs with appropriate remotely sensed data

Treesearch

M. A. Wulder; J. C. White; B. J. Bentz

2005-01-01

Estimates of the location and extent of the red attack stage of mountain pine beetle (Dentroctonus ponderosae Hopkins) infestations are critical for forest management. The degree of spatial and temporal precision required for these estimates varies according to the management objectives and the nature of the infestation. This paper outlines a hierarchy of information...

Augmenting the existing survey hierarchy for mountain pine beetle red-attack damage with satellite remotely sensed data

Treesearch

M. A. Wulder; J. C. White; B. J. Bentz; T. Ebata

2006-01-01

Estimates of the location and extent of the red-attack stage of mountain pine beetle (Dendroctonus ponderosae Hopkins) infestations are critical for forest management. The degree of spatial and temporal precision required for these estimates varies according to the management objectives and the nature of the infestation. This paper outlines the range...

Predicting Microstegium vimineum invasion in natural plant communities of the southern Blue Ridge Mountains, USA

Treesearch

Dean P. Anderson; Monica G. Turner; Scott M. Pearson; Thomas P. Albright; Robert K. Peet; Ann Wieben

2012-01-01

Shade-tolerant non-native invasive plant species may make deep incursions into natural plant communities, but detecting such species is challenging because occurrences are often sparse. We developed Bayesian models of the distribution of Microstegium vimineum in natural plant communities of the southern Blue Ridge Mountains, USA to address three objectives: (1) to...

Climate change, aquatic ecosystems, and fishes in the Rocky Mountain West: implications and alternatives for management

Treesearch

Bruce E. Rieman; Daniel J. Isaak

2010-01-01

Anthropogenic climate change is rapidly altering aquatic ecosystems across the Rocky Mountain West and may detrimentally impact populations of sensitive species that are often the focus of conservation efforts. The objective of this report is to synthesize a growing literature on these topics to address the following questions: (1) What is changing in climate and...

Jomeokee Geology. Pilot Mountain State Park: An Environmental Education Learning Experience Designed for Grades 9-12.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smith, Michael W.

This activity packet provides educators with a series of hands-on classroom and outdoor education activities for grades 9-12 that focus on geology using the Pilot Mountain State Park. The packet was designed to meet established curriculum objectives of the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction's Standard Course of Study. Three types of…

Restoring eastside ponderosa pine ecosystems at the Blacks Mountain Experimental Forest: a case study

Treesearch

Jianwei Zhang; Martin W. Ritchie

2008-01-01

The ecological research project of interior ponderosa pine forests at the Blacks Mountain Experimental Forest in northeastern California was initiated by an interdisciplinary team of scientists in the early 1990s. The objectives of this study were to determine the effect of stand structure, and prescribed fire on vegetation growth, resilience, and sustainability of...

Mountain pine beetle attack in ponderosa pine: Comparing methods for rating susceptibility

Treesearch

David C. Chojnacky; Barbara J. Bentz; Jesse A. Logan

2000-01-01

Two empirical methods for rating susceptibility of mountain pine beetle attack in ponderosa pine were evaluated. The methods were compared to stand data modeled to objectively rate each sampled stand for susceptibly to bark-beetle attack. Data on bark-beetle attacks, from a survey of 45 sites throughout the Colorado Plateau, were modeled using logistic regression to...

Site characterization progress report: Yucca Mountain, Nevada, October 1, 1994--March 31, 1995, Number 12. Nuclear Waste Policy Act (Section 113)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

NONE

1995-08-01

During the first half of fiscal year 1995, most activities at the Yucca Mountain Site Characterization Project were directed at implementing the Program Plan developed by the Office of Civilian Radioactive Waste Management. The Plan is designed to enable the Office to make measurable and significant progress toward key objectives over the next five years within the financial resources that can be realistically expected. Activities this period focused on the immediate goal of determining by 1998 whether Yucca Mountain, Nevada, is technically suitable as a possible site for a geologic repository for the permanent disposal of spent nuclear fuel andmore » high-level radioactive waste. Work on the Project advanced in several critical areas, including programmatic activities such as issuing the Program Plan, completing the first technical basis report to support the assessment of three 10 CFR 960 guidelines, developing the Notice of Intent for the Environmental Impact Statement, submitting the License Application Annotated Outline, and beginning a rebaselining effort to conform with the goals of the Program Plan. Scientific investigation and analysis of the site and design and construction activities to support the evaluation of the technical suitability of the site also advanced. Specific details relating to all Project activities and reports generated are presented in this report.« less

Improving energy sustainability for public buildings in Italian mountain communities.

PubMed

Mutani, Guglielmina; Cornaglia, Mauro; Berto, Massimo

2018-05-01

The objective of this work is to analyze and then optimize thermal energy consumptions of public buildings located within the mountain community of Lanzo, Ceronda and Casternone Valleys. Some measures have been proposed to reduce energy consumption and consequently the economic cost for energy production, as well as the harmful GHG emissions in the atmosphere. Initially, a study of the mountain territory has been carried out, because of its vast extension and climatic differences. Defined the communities and the buildings under investigation, energy dependant data were collected for the analysis of energy consumption monitoring: consumption data of three heating seasons, geometric buildings characteristics, type of opaque and transparent envelope, heating systems information with boiler performance and climatic data. Afterward, five buildings with critical energy performances were selected; for each of these buildings, different retrofit interventions have been hypothesized to reduce the energy consumption, with thermal insulation of vertical or horizontal structures, new windows or boiler substitution. The cost-optimal technique was used to choose the interventions that offered higher energy performance at lower costs; then a retrofit scenario has been planned with a specific financial investment. Finally, results showed possible future developments and scenarios related to buildings energy efficiency with regard to the topic of biomass exploitation and its local availability in this area. In this context, the biomass energy resource could to create a virtuous environmental, economic and social process, favouring also local development.

Speech motor control and acute mountain sickness

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cymerman, Allen; Lieberman, Philip; Hochstadt, Jesse; Rock, Paul B.; Butterfield, Gail E.; Moore, Lorna G.

2002-01-01

BACKGROUND: An objective method that accurately quantifies the severity of Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS) symptoms is needed to enable more reliable evaluation of altitude acclimatization and testing of potentially beneficial interventions. HYPOTHESIS: Changes in human articulation, as quantified by timed variations in acoustic waveforms of specific spoken words (voice onset time; VOT), are correlated with the severity of AMS. METHODS: Fifteen volunteers were exposed to a simulated altitude of 4300 m (446 mm Hg) in a hypobaric chamber for 48 h. Speech motor control was determined from digitally recorded and analyzed timing patterns of 30 different monosyllabic words characterized as voiced and unvoiced, and as labial, alveolar, or velar. The Environmental Symptoms Questionnaire (ESQ) was used to assess AMS. RESULTS: Significant AMS symptoms occurred after 4 h, peaked at 16 h, and returned toward baseline after 48 h. Labial VOTs were shorter after 4 and 39 h of exposure; velar VOTs were altered only after 4 h; and there were no changes in alveolar VOTs. The duration of vowel sounds was increased after 4 h of exposure and returned to normal thereafter. Only 1 of 15 subjects did not increase vowel time after 4 h of exposure. The 39-h labial (p = 0.009) and velar (p = 0.037) voiced-unvoiced timed separations consonants and the symptoms of AMS were significantly correlated. CONCLUSIONS: Two objective measures of speech production were affected by exposure to 4300 m altitude and correlated with AMS severity. Alterations in speech production may represent an objective measure of AMS and central vulnerability to hypoxia.

Characterization of Most Promising Sequestration Formations in the Rocky Mountain Region (RMCCS)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

McPherson, Brian; Matthews, Vince

2013-09-30

The primary objective of the “Characterization of Most Promising Carbon Capture and Sequestration Formations in the Central Rocky Mountain Region” project, or RMCCS project, is to characterize the storage potential of the most promising geologic sequestration formations within the southwestern U.S. and the Central Rocky Mountain region in particular. The approach included an analysis of geologic sequestration formations under the Craig Power Station in northwestern Colorado, and application or extrapolation of those local-scale results to the broader region. A ten-step protocol for geologic carbon storage site characterization was a primary outcome of this project.

Waste management outlook for mountain regions: Sources and solutions.

PubMed

Semernya, Larisa; Ramola, Aditi; Alfthan, Björn; Giacovelli, Claudia

2017-09-01

Following the release of the global waste management outlook in 2015, the United Nations Environment Programme (UN Environment), through its International Environmental Technology Centre, is elaborating a series of region-specific and thematic waste management outlooks that provide policy recommendations and solutions based on current practices in developing and developed countries. The Waste Management Outlook for Mountain Regions is the first report in this series. Mountain regions present unique challenges to waste management; while remoteness is often associated with costly and difficult transport of waste, the potential impact of waste pollutants is higher owing to the steep terrain and rivers transporting waste downstream. The Outlook shows that waste management in mountain regions is a cross-sectoral issue of global concern that deserves immediate attention. Noting that there is no 'one solution fits all', there is a need for a more landscape-type specific and regional research on waste management, the enhancement of policy and regulatory frameworks, and increased stakeholder engagement and awareness to achieve sustainable waste management in mountain areas. This short communication provides an overview of the key findings of the Outlook and highlights aspects that need further research. These are grouped per source of waste: Mountain communities, tourism, and mining. Issues such as waste crime, plastic pollution, and the linkages between exposure to natural disasters and waste are also presented.

76 FR 59250 - Approval and Promulgation of Air Quality Implementation Plans; North Carolina: Clean Smokestacks Act

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-09-26

... other NAAQS, improving visibility in the mountains and other scenic vistas, and reducing acid rain. EPA... the mountains and other scenic vistas, and reducing acid rain. The specific approved provisions...

Assessment of Post Forest Fire Landslides in Uttarakhand Himalaya, India

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sharma, N.; Singh, R. B.

2017-12-01

According to Forest Survey of India-State Forest Report (2015), the total geographical area of Uttarakhand is 53, 483 covers km2 out of which 24,402 km2 area covers under total forest covers. As noticed during last week of April, 2016 forest of Uttarakhand mountains was gutted down due to major incidences of fire. This incident caused huge damage to different species of flora-fauna, human being, livestock, property and destruction of mountain ecosystem. As per media reports, six people were lost their lives and recorded several charred carcasses of livestock's due to this incident. The forest fire was affected the eleven out of total thirteen districts which roughly covers the 0.2% (approx.) of total vegetation covers.The direct impact of losses are easy to be estimated but indirect impacts of this forest fire are yet to be occurred. The threat of post Forest fire induced landslides during rainfall is themain concern. Since, after forest fire top soil and rocks are loose due to loss of vegetation as binding and protecting agent against rainfall. Therefore, the pore water pressure and weathering will be very high during rainy season which can cause many landslides in regions affected by forest fire. The demarcation of areas worse affected by forest fire is necessary for issuing alerts to habitations and important infrastructures. These alerts will be based upon region specific probable rainfall forecasting through Indian Meteorological Department (IMD). The main objective is to develop a tool for detecting early forest fire and to create awareness amongst mountain community, researchers and concerned government agencies to take an appropriate measures to minimize the incidences of Forest fire and impact of post forest fire landslides in future through implementation of sustainable mountain strategy.

Rockin' On the Ridge. Medoc Mountain State Park: An Environmental Education Learning Experience Designed for Grades 4-6.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cavin, Mike

This activity guide, developed to provide environmental education through a series of hands-on activities geared to Medoc Mountain State Park in North Carolina, is targeted for grades 4, 5, and 6 and meets curriculum objectives of the standard course of study established by the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction. Three types of…

Responses of soil and water chemistry to mountain pine beetle induced tree mortality in Grand County, Colorado, USA

Treesearch

David W. Clow; Charles C. Rhoades; Jennifer Briggs; Megan Caldwell; William M. Lewis

2011-01-01

Pine forest in northern Colorado and southern Wyoming, USA, are experiencing the most severe mountain pine beetle epidemic in recorded history, and possible degradation of drinking-water quality is a major concern. The objective of this study was to investigate possible changes in soil and water chemistry in Grand County, Colorado in response to the epidemic,...

Fuels and predicted fire behavior in the southern Appalachian Mountains and fire and fire surrogate treatments

Treesearch

Thomas Waldrop; Ross J. Phillips; Dean A. Simon

2010-01-01

This study tested the success of fuel reduction treatments for mitigating wildfire behavior in an area that has had little previous research on fire, the southern Appalachian Mountains. A secondary objective of treatments was to restore the community to an open woodland condition. Three blocks of four treatments were installed in a mature hardwood forest in western...

Protecting whitebark pines through a mountain pine beetle epidemic with verbenone-is it working?

Treesearch

Dana L. Perkins; Carl L. Jorgensen; Matt Rinella

2011-01-01

We initiated a multi-year project to protect individual cone-bearing whitebark pines (Pinus albicaulis) from mountain pine beetle (MPB), Dendroctonus ponderosae (Hopkins), attack with the anti-aggregating pheromone, verbenone (4,5,5-trimethylbicyclo [3.1.1] hept-3-en-2-one). Our objective was to protect trees through the course of the epidemic that began ca. 2000 in...

Impact of tebuthiuron on biodiversity of high elevation mountain big sagebrush communities

Treesearch

Barbara A. Wachocki; Mohammad Sondossi; Stewart C. Sanderson; Bruce L. Webb; E. Durant McArthur

2001-01-01

The objectives of this study were to determine tebuthiuron’s (1) effectiveness at low application rates in thinning dense, high elevation stands of mountain big sagebrush, (2) impact on understory herbaceous plants and soil microflora, and (3) movement and stability in soil. Four study sites were established in the Fish Lake National Forest and adjacent Bureau of Land...

Response of lake chemistry to atmospheric deposition and climate in selected Class I wilderness areas in the western United States, 1993-2009

USGS Publications Warehouse

Mast, M. Alisa

2011-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service, Air Resource Management, conducted a study to evaluate long-term trends in lake-water chemistry for 64 high-elevation lakes in selected Class I wilderness areas in Colorado, Idaho, Utah, and Wyoming during 1993 to 2009. Understanding how and why lake chemistry is changing in mountain areas is essential for effectively managing and protecting high-elevation aquatic ecosystems. Trends in emissions, atmospheric deposition, and climate variables (air temperature and precipitation amount) were evaluated over a similar period of record. A main objective of the study was to determine if changes in atmospheric deposition of contaminants in the Rocky Mountain region have resulted in measurable changes in the chemistry of high-elevation lakes. A second objective was to investigate linkages between lake chemistry and air temperature and precipitation to improve understanding of the sensitivity of mountain lakes to climate variability.

Discrepancies in Weil-Felix and microimmunofluorescence test results for Rocky Mountain spotted fever.

PubMed Central

Hechemy, K E; Stevens, R W; Sasowski, S; Michaelson, E E; Casper, E A; Philip, R N

1979-01-01

Only 4.2% of 284 single specimens and 17.6% of 51 pairs of sera reactive in Weil-Felix agglutination tests for Rocky Mountain spotted fever were confirmed by a specific Rickettsia rickettsii microimmunofluorescence test. PMID:107194

Prevalence of acute mountain sickness in the Swiss Alps.

PubMed Central

Maggiorini, M; Bühler, B; Walter, M; Oelz, O

1990-01-01

OBJECTIVE--To assess the prevalence of symptoms and signs of acute mountain sickness of the Swiss Alps. DESIGN--A study using an interview and clinical examination in a representative population of mountaineers. Positive symptoms and signs were assigned scores to quantify the severity of acute mountain sickness. SETTING--Four huts in the Swiss Alps at 2850 m, 3050 m, 3650 m, and 4559 m. SUBJECTS--466 Climbers, mostly recreational: 47 at 2850 m, 128 at 3050 m, 82 at 3650, and 209 at 4559 m. RESULTS--In all, 117 of the subjects were entirely free of symptoms and clinical signs of acute mountain sickness; 191 had one or two symptoms and signs; and 158 had more than two. Those with more than two symptoms and signs were defined as suffering from acute mountain sickness. At 4559 m 11 climbers presented with high altitude pulmonary oedema or cerebral oedema, or both. Men and women were equally affected. The prevalence of acute mountain sickness correlated with altitude: it was 9% at 2850 m, 13% at 3050 m, 34% at 3650 m, and 53% at 4559 m. The most frequent symptoms and signs were insomnia, headache, peripheral oedema, and scanty pulmonary rales. Severe headache, vomiting, dizziness, tachypnoea, and pronounced pulmonary rales were associated with other symptoms and signs and therefore characteristic of acute mountain sickness. CONCLUSION--Acute mountain sickness is not an uncommon disease at moderately high altitude--that is, above 2800 m. Severe headache, vomiting, dizziness, tachypnoea, and pronounced pulmonary rales indicate severe acute mountain sickness, and subjects who suffer these should immediately descend to lower altitudes. PMID:2282425

A sightability model for mountain goats

USGS Publications Warehouse

Rice, C.G.; Jenkins, K.J.; Chang, W.-Y.

2009-01-01

Unbiased estimates of mountain goat (Oreamnos americanus) populations are key to meeting diverse harvest management and conservation objectives. We developed logistic regression models of factors influencing sightability of mountain goat groups during helicopter surveys throughout the Cascades and Olympic Ranges in western Washington during summers, 20042007. We conducted 205 trials of the ability of aerial survey crews to detect groups of mountain goats whose presence was known based on simultaneous direct observation from the ground (n 84), Global Positioning System (GPS) telemetry (n 115), or both (n 6). Aerial survey crews detected 77 and 79 of all groups known to be present based on ground observers and GPS collars, respectively. The best models indicated that sightability of mountain goat groups was a function of the number of mountain goats in a group, presence of terrain obstruction, and extent of overstory vegetation. Aerial counts of mountain goats within groups did not differ greatly from known group sizes, indicating that under-counting bias within detected groups of mountain goats was small. We applied HorvitzThompson-like sightability adjustments to 1,139 groups of mountain goats observed in the Cascade and Olympic ranges, Washington, USA, from 2004 to 2007. Estimated mean sightability of individual animals was 85 but ranged 0.750.91 in areas with low and high sightability, respectively. Simulations of mountain goat surveys indicated that precision of population estimates adjusted for sightability biases increased with population size and number of replicate surveys, providing general guidance for the design of future surveys. Because survey conditions, group sizes, and habitat occupied by goats vary among surveys, we recommend using sightability correction methods to decrease bias in population estimates from aerial surveys of mountain goats.

Meta-image navigation augmenters for GPS denied mountain navigation of small UAS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Teng; ćelik, Koray; Somani, Arun K.

2014-06-01

We present a novel approach to use mountain drainage patterns for GPS-Denied navigation of small unmanned aerial systems (UAS) such as the ScanEagle, utilizing a down-looking fixed focus monocular imager. Our proposal allows extension of missions to GPS-denied mountain areas, with no assumption of human-made geographic objects. We leverage the analogy between mountain drainage patterns, human arteriograms, and human fingerprints, to match local drainage patterns to Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) rendered parallax occlusion maps of geo-registered radar returns (GRRR). Details of our actual GPU algorithm is beyond the subject of this paper, and is planned as a future paper. The matching occurs in real-time, while GRRR data is loaded on-board the aircraft pre-mission, so as not to require a scanning aperture radar during the mission. For recognition purposes, we represent a given mountain area with a set of spatially distributed mountain minutiae, i.e., details found in the drainage patterns, so that conventional minutiae-based fingerprint matching approaches can be used to match real-time camera image against template images in the training set. We use medical arteriography processing techniques to extract the patterns. The minutiae-based representation of mountains is achieved by first exposing mountain ridges and valleys with a series of filters and then extracting mountain minutiae from these ridges/valleys. Our results are experimentally validated on actual terrain data and show the effectiveness of minutiae-based mountain representation method. Furthermore, we study how to select landmarks for UAS navigation based on the proposed mountain representation and give a set of examples to show its feasibility. This research was in part funded by Rockwell Collins Inc.

Volcanism on Io: Insights from Global Geologic Mapping

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Williams, D. A.; Keszthelyi, L. P.; Crown, D. A.; Geissler, P. E.; Schenk, P. M.; Yff, Jessica; Jaeger, W. L.

2009-01-01

We are preparing a new global geo-logic map of Jupiter s volcanic moon, Io. Here we report the type of data that are now available from our global mapping efforts, and how these data can be used to investigate questions regarding the volcano-tectonic evolution of Io. We are using the new map to investigate several specific questions about the geologic evolution of Io that previously could not be well addressed, including (for example) a comparison of the areas vs. the heights of Ionian mountains to assess their stability and evolution (Fig. 1). The area-height relationships of Io s visible mountains show the low abundance and low relief of volcanic mountains (tholi) relative to tectonic mountains, consistent with formation from low-viscosity lavas less likely to build steep edifices. Mottled mountains are generally less high than lineated mountains, consistent with a degradational formation.

Winter Tourism and mountain wetland management and restoration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gaucherand, S.; Mauz, I.

2012-04-01

The degradation and loss of wetlands is more rapid than that of other ecosystems (MEA 2005). In mountains area, wetlands are small and scattered and particularly sensitive to global change. The development of ski resorts can lead to the destruction or the deterioration of mountain wetlands because of hydrologic interferences, fill in, soil compression and erosion, etc. Since 2008, we have studied a high altitude wetland complex in the ski resort of Val Thorens. The aim of our study was to identify the impacts of mountain tourism development (winter and summer tourism) on wetland functioning and to produce an action plan designed to protect, rehabilitate and value the wetlands. We chose an approach based on multi-stakeholder participatory process at every stage, from information gathering to technical choices and monitoring. In this presentation, we show how such an approach can efficiently improve the consideration of wetlands in the development of a ski resort, but also the bottlenecks that need to be overcome. We will also discuss some of the ecological engineering techniques used to rehabilitate or restore high altitude degraded wetlands. Finally, this work has contributed to the creation in 2012 of a mountain wetland observatory coordinated by the conservatory of Haute-Savoie. The objective of this observatory is to estimate ecosystem services furnished by mountain wetlands and to find restoration strategies adapted to the local socio-economical context (mountain agriculture and mountain tourism).

Basal area growth for aspen suckers under simulated browsing on Cedar Mountain, southern Utah, western United States of America

Treesearch

K. Tshireletso; J. C. Malechek; D. L. Bartos

2010-01-01

The objective of the study was to determine the effects of season and intensity of clipping using simulated browsing on suckers' (Populus tremulaides Michx.) basal area growth on Cedar Mountain, Southern Utah, Western United States of America. Three randomly selected stands measuring 70 m x 70 m were clear-felled in mid-July, 2005, and fenced. Simulated browsing...

Historical patterns of western spruce budworm and Douglas-fir tussock moth outbreaks in the northern Blue Mountains, Oregon, since A.D. 1700.

Treesearch

Thomas Swetnam; Boyd E. Wickman; H. Gene Paul; Christopher H. Baisan

1995-01-01

Dendroecology methods were used to reconstruct a three-century history of western spruce budworm and Douglas-fir tussock moth outbreaks in the Blue Mountains of northeastern Oregon. Comparisons of 20th century Forest Service documentary records and host and nonhost tree-ring width chronologies provided an objective basis for distinguishing climatic effects from insect-...

Landscape Potential Analysis for Ecotourism Destination in the Resort Ii Salak Mountain, Halimun-Salak National Park

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kusumoarto, A.; Gunawan, A.; Nurazizah, G. R.

2017-10-01

The Resort II Salak Mountain has variety of landscape potential for created as ecotourism destination, especially the potential of the waterfall (curug) and sulphur crater (Kawah Ratu). The aim of this study was to identify and analyze the potential resources of the landscape to be created as ecotourism destination, Resort II Salak Mountain. This research was conducted through two phases: 1) identification of the attractions location that have potential resources for ecotourism destination, and 2) analysis of the level of potential resource of the landscape in each location using Analysis of Tourist Attraction Operational Destination (ATAOD). The study showed Resort II Salak Mountain has many ecotourism objects which have been used for ecotourism activities, such as hot spring baths, Curug Cigamea, Curug Ngumpet, Curug Seribu, Curug Pangeran, Curug Muara, Curug Cihurang, Kawah Ratu, camping ground, Curug Kondang and Curug Alami. The location of all waterfalls -curug, spread widely in the core zone for ecotourism. In the other hand, camping ground is located in the business zone, while Kawah Ratu is located in the natural forest, which is included in the buffer zone of Halimun-Salak National Park (HSNP). The result showed that the ecotourism objects with the highest potential value are Kawah Ratu, Curug Seribu, Curug Muara, Curug Kondang and Curug Ngumpet.

Mountains as early warning indicators of climate change

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Williams, M. W.

2015-12-01

The panoramic splendor and complexity of mountain environments have inspired and challenged humans for centuries. These areas have been variously perceived as physical structures to be conquered, as sites of spiritual inspiration, and as some of the last untamed natural places on Earth. In our time, the perception that "mountains are forever" may provide solace to those seeking stability in a rapidly changing world. However, changes in the hydrology and in the abundance and species composition of the native flora and fauna of mountain ecosystems are potential bellwethers of global change, because these systems have a propensity to amplify environmental changes within specific portions of this landscape. Mountain areas are thus sentinels of climate change. We are seeing effects today in case histories I present from the Himalaya's, Andes, Alps, and Rocky Mountains. Furthermore, these ecosystem changes are occurring in mountain areas before they occur in downstream ecosystems. Thus, mountains are early warning indicators of perturbations such as climate change. The sensitivity of mountain ecosystems begs for enhanced protection and worldwide protection. Our understanding of the processes that control mountain ecosystems—climate interactions, snowmelt runoff, biotic diversity, nutrient cycling—is much less developed compared to downstream ecosystems where human habitation and development has resulted in large investments in scientific knowledge to sustain health and agriculture. To address these deficiencies, I propose the formation of an international mountain research consortium.

Ecology, ethics, and professional environmental practice: The Yucca Mountain, Nevada, project as a case study

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Malone, C.R.

1995-09-01

The US Department of Energy (DOE) is proposing to develop a geologic repository for disposing of high-level nuclear waste at Yucca Mountain, Nevada. In this commentary, the ecology program for the DOE`s Yucca Mountain Project is discussed from the perspective of state-of-the-art ecosystem analysis, environmental ethics, and standards of professional practice. Specifically at issue is the need by the Yucca Mountain ecology program to adopt an ecosystem approach that encompasses the current strategy based on population biology and community ecology alone. The premise here is that an ecosystem approach is essential for assessing the long-term potential environmental impacts at Yuccamore » Mountain in light of the thermal effects expected to be associated with heat from radioactive decay.« less

Bringing wisents back to the Caucasus Mountains: 70 years of a grand mission

USGS Publications Warehouse

Sipko, Taras; Trepet, Sergei; Gogan, Peter J.; Mizin, Ivan

2010-01-01

We describe the history of mountain wisent restoration in the north-west Caucasus region. We review information on wisent during the 18th and 19th centuries, contemporary regional development and reasons for wisent extirpation. We emphasize the key role of the Kuban Hunting Reserve as a main factor in preserving wisent in this region between 1888 and 1909. The article provides information on the fate of three known Caucasus wisent and their impact on the common pedigree of EuropeanWisent. The importance of scientist’s efforts to conserve the survived wisent in Europe in 1920th and international cooperation is underscored. The issues of hybridization between wisent and American bison and the possible influence of hybridization events on the and taxonomic status of contemporary mountain wisent are discussed. We describes in detail the history of wisent reintroduced to the Caucasus, the establishment of seasonal migration patterns and adaptation to the mountainous region and poaching pressures. Mountain wisent reached a maximum number of 1500 animals in 1991. We review the significant role of the Caucasian Biosphere Reserve and its zoologists in conservation of mountain wisent in its historical area and current research objectives with the support of German conservation organizations.

Small scale analogs of the Cayley Formation and Descarts Mountains in impact associated deposits, part C

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Head, J. W.

1972-01-01

The exploration of the Cayley Formation and material of the Descartes Mountains and an understanding of the origin and evolution of these units were primary objectives of the Apollo 16 lunar mission. This section examines several areas associated with impact crater deposits that show small-scale features similar in morphology to the regional characteristics of the Cayley and Descartes units shown in the Apollo 16 photography.

Effects of watershed land use and geomorphology on stream low flows during severe drought conditions in the southern Blue Ridge Mountains, Georgia and North Carolina, United States

Treesearch

Katie Price; C. Jackson; Albert Parker; Trond Reitan; John Dowd; Mike Cyterski

2011-01-01

Land use and physiographic variability influence stream low flows, yet their interactions and relative influence remain unresolved. Our objective was to assess the influence of land use and watershed geomorphic characteristics on low-flow variability in the southern Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina and Georgia. Ten minute interval discharge data for 35 streams (...

Lessons learned from long-term ecosystem research and monitoring in alpine and subalpine basins of the Colorado Rocky Mountains, USA

USGS Publications Warehouse

Baron, Jill S.

2001-01-01

Long-term ecosystem research and monitoring was begun in the Loch Vale watershed of Rocky Mountain National Park in 1983, after extensive survey work to identify the best location. Then, as now, our scientific objectives were to understand natural biogeochemical cycles and variability, so that we could differentiate ecosystem changes from human-caused disturbances, such as atmospheric deposition of pollutants and climate change. We have learned many lessons, often through our mistakes, that are worth passing on. Clear scientific objectives, even for long-term monitoring, are essential. Standardized methods, including rigorous quality assurance procedures should be adhered to from the beginning of the program. All data, even those collected routinely for background records, should be scrutinized and summarized at least once a year. Freely share basic information such as weather, hydrologic, chemical, and descriptive records with other researchers who can build upon your efforts. Use many tools when asking complex ecological questions, in order to minimize bias toward specific results. Publish frequently; long-term studies do not imply there are no interim conclusions or interesting findings. Interpret findings frequently to policy makers and citizens; increased understanding of the environment and human-caused changes may improve natural resource management, and build support for ecological research. And finally, be persistent. Long-term ecological research can be frustrating and difficult to maintain, yet is often the best way to observe and understand ecological change on a meaningful time scale.

Road Cycling and Mountain Biking Produces Adaptations on the Spine and Hamstring Extensibility.

PubMed

Muyor, J M; Zabala, M

2016-01-01

The purposes of this study were as follows: 1) to analyse the influence of training in road cycling or cross-country mountain biking on sagittal spinal curvatures, pelvic tilt and trunk inclination in cyclists of both cycling modalities; 2) to evaluate the specific spinal posture and pelvic tilt adopted on the road bicycle and cross-country mountain bike; and 3) to compare the spinal sagittal capacity of flexion and pelvic tilt mobility as well as hamstring muscle extensibility among road cyclists, cross-country mountain bikers and non-cyclists. Thirty matched road cyclists, 30 mountain bikers and 30 non-cyclists participated in this study. The road cyclists showed significantly greater thoracic kyphosis and trunk inclination than did the mountain bikers and non-cyclists in a standing posture. On the bicycle, the road bicycling posture was characterised by greater lumbar flexion and more significant anterior pelvic tilt and trunk inclination compared with the mountain biking posture. The thoracic spine was more flexed in mountain biking than in road cycling. Road cyclists had significantly greater hamstring muscle extensibility in the active knee extension test, and showed greater anterior pelvic tilt and trunk inclination capacity in the sit-and-reach test, compared with mountain bikers and non-cyclists. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

Late glacial aridity in southern Rocky Mountains

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Davis, O K; Pitblado, B L

While the slopes of the present-day Colorado Rocky Mountains are characterized by large stands of subalpine and montane conifers, the Rockies of the late glacial looked dramatically different. Specifically, pollen records suggest that during the late glacial, Artemisia and Gramineae predominated throughout the mountains of Colorado. At some point between 11,000 and 10,000 B.P., however, both Artemisia and grasses underwent a dramatic decline, which can be identified in virtually every pollen diagram produced for Colorado mountain sites, including Como Lake (Sangre de Cristo Mountains), Copley Lake and Splains; Gulch (near Crested Butte), Molas Lake (San Juan Mountains), and Redrock Lakemore » (Boulder County). Moreover, the same pattern seems to hold for pollen spectra derived for areas adjacent to Colorado, including at sites in the Chuska Mountains of New Mexico and in eastern Wyoming. The implications of this consistent finding are compelling. The closest modem analogues to the Artemisia- and Gramineae-dominated late-glacial Colorado Rockies are found in the relatively arid northern Great Basin, which suggests that annual precipitation was much lower in the late-glacial southern Rocky Mountains than it was throughout the Holocene.« less

Mountaineering accidents in the European Alps: have the numbers increased in recent years?

PubMed

Lischke, V; Byhahn, C; Westphal, K; Kessler, P

2001-01-01

Media reports convey the impression that the incidence of fatal accidents in the European Alps has increased. Because more specific data are lacking, we analyzed available data from the mountain rescue services in Germany, Austria, southern Tirol, Zermatt/Switzerland, and Chamonix/France from 1987 until 1997. Information was gathered from the annual reports of the Austrian Mountain Rescue Service, the Swiss Alpine Club Rescue Station in Zermatt, the Mountain Rescue Service of the Southern Tirol Alpine Club, the Mountain Rescue Service of the Bavarian Red Cross, and the Department of Mountain Medicine and Traumatology from the Hospital in Chamonix. Although the total number of rescue missions and injured alpinists increased significantly during the period, the number of fatalities retrieved during such rescue missions showed no significant increase. Even taking into account the varying definitions of "mountain accident" used in these countries, available data from the analyzed areas of the European Alps do not demonstrate a drastic increase in the number of fatalities. In the future, data concerning mountain accidents in the European Alps should be monitored according to standard definitions and stored by the International Commission for Alpine Rescue.

U.S. Mountaineering Libraries: A Survey.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Seiser, Virginia; Lockerby, Robert

Over a 3-year period (1985-1987) site visits were made to selected U.S. libraries that focus on climbing or mountaineering as a specific area for comprehensive collection building to survey their monographic holdings, serial holdings, and special collections. The monographic collections were compared to two lists of outstanding mountaineering…

IDENTIFYING RECENT SURFACE MINING ACTIVITIES USING A NORMALIZED DIFFERENCE VEGETATION INDEX (NDVI) CHANGE DETECTION METHOD

EPA Science Inventory

Coal mining is a major resource extraction activity on the Appalachian Mountains. The increased size and frequency of a specific type of surface mining, known as mountain top removal-valley fill, has in recent years raised various environmental concerns. During mountainto...

Snow hydrology in Mediterranean mountain regions: A review

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fayad, Abbas; Gascoin, Simon; Faour, Ghaleb; López-Moreno, Juan Ignacio; Drapeau, Laurent; Page, Michel Le; Escadafal, Richard

2017-08-01

Water resources in Mediterranean regions are under increasing pressure due to climate change, economic development, and population growth. Many Mediterranean rivers have their headwaters in mountainous regions where hydrological processes are driven by snowpack dynamics and the specific variability of the Mediterranean climate. A good knowledge of the snow processes in the Mediterranean mountains is therefore a key element of water management strategies in such regions. The objective of this paper is to review the literature on snow hydrology in Mediterranean mountains to identify the existing knowledge, key research questions, and promising technologies. We collected 620 peer-reviewed papers, published between 1913 and 2016, that deal with the Mediterranean-like mountain regions in the western United States, the central Chilean Andes, and the Mediterranean basin. A large amount of studies in the western United States form a strong scientific basis for other Mediterranean mountain regions. We found that: (1) the persistence of snow cover is highly variable in space and time but mainly controlled by elevation and precipitation; (2) the snowmelt is driven by radiative fluxes, but the contribution of heat fluxes is stronger at the end of the snow season and during heat waves and rain-on-snow events; (3) the snow densification rates are higher in these regions when compared to other climate regions; and (4) the snow sublimation is an important component of snow ablation, especially in high-elevation regions. Among the pressing issues is the lack of continuous ground observation in high-elevation regions. However, a few years of snow depth (HS) and snow water equivalent (SWE) data can provide realistic information on snowpack variability. A better spatial characterization of snow cover can be achieved by combining ground observations with remotely sensed snow data. SWE reconstruction using satellite snow cover area and a melt model provides reasonable information that is suitable for hydrological applications. Further advances in our understanding of the snow processes in Mediterranean snow-dominated basins will be achieved by finer and more accurate representation of the climate forcing. While the theory on the snowpack energy and mass balance is now well established, the connections between the snow cover and the water resources involve complex interactions with the sub-surface processes, which demand future investigation.

Late Neogene deformation of the Chocolate Mountains Anticlinorium: Implications for deposition of the Bouse Formation and early evolution of the Lower Colorado River

USGS Publications Warehouse

Beard, Sue; Haxel, Gordon B.; Dorsey, Rebecca J.; McDougall, Kristin A.; Jacobsen, Carl E.

2016-01-01

Deformation related to late Neogene dextral shear can explain a shift from an estuarine to lacustrine depositional environment in the southern Bouse Formation north of Yuma, Arizona. We infer that late Neogene deformation in the Chocolate Mountain Anticlinorium (CMA) created a barrier that blocked an estuary inlet, and that pre-existing and possibly active structures subsequently controlled the local course of the lower Colorado River. Structural patterns summarized below suggest that the CMA absorbed transpressional strain caused by left-stepping segments of dextral faults of the San Andreas fault system and/or the eastern California shear zone and Gulf of California shear zone. For this hypothesis to be correct, about 200-250 m of post-6 Ma, pre- ~5.3 Ma uplift along the CMA crest would be required to cut off a marine inlet. The 220-km-long CMA, cored by the early Paleogene Orocopia Schist subduction complex, extends from the Orocopia Mountains (Calif.) southeastward through the Chocolate Mountains (parallel to the southern San Andreas fault). Where Highway 78 crosses the Chocolate Mountains (Fig. 1), the CMA turns eastward through the Black Mountain-Picacho area (Calif.) and Trigo Mountains (Ariz.) into southwest Arizona. It separates southernmost Bouse Formation outcrops of the Blythe basin from subsurface Bouse outcrops to the south in the Yuma area. South of Blythe basin the CMA is transected by the lower Colorado River along a circuitous path. Here we focus on the geology of an area between the central Chocolate Mountains and the Yuma Proving Grounds in Arizona. Specific landmarks include the southeast Chocolate Mountains, Midway Mountains, Peter Kane Mountain, Black Mountain, Picacho Peak, and Gavilan Hills. For simplicity, we refer to this as the eastern Chocolate Mountains.

Microbial eukaryote plankton communities of high-mountain lakes from three continents exhibit strong biogeographic patterns.

PubMed

Filker, Sabine; Sommaruga, Ruben; Vila, Irma; Stoeck, Thorsten

2016-05-01

Microbial eukaryotes hold a key role in aquatic ecosystem functioning. Yet, their diversity in freshwater lakes, particularly in high-mountain lakes, is relatively unknown compared with the marine environment. Low nutrient availability, low water temperature and high ultraviolet radiation make most high-mountain lakes extremely challenging habitats for life and require specific molecular and physiological adaptations. We therefore expected that these ecosystems support a plankton diversity that differs notably from other freshwater lakes. In addition, we hypothesized that the communities under study exhibit geographic structuring. Our rationale was that geographic dispersal of small-sized eukaryotes in high-mountain lakes over continental distances seems difficult. We analysed hypervariable V4 fragments of the SSU rRNA gene to compare the genetic microbial eukaryote diversity in high-mountain lakes located in the European Alps, the Chilean Altiplano and the Ethiopian Bale Mountains. Microbial eukaryotes were not globally distributed corroborating patterns found for bacteria, multicellular animals and plants. Instead, the plankton community composition emerged as a highly specific fingerprint of a geographic region even on higher taxonomic levels. The intraregional heterogeneity of the investigated lakes was mirrored in shifts in microbial eukaryote community structure, which, however, was much less pronounced compared with interregional beta-diversity. Statistical analyses revealed that on a regional scale, environmental factors are strong predictors for plankton community structures in high-mountain lakes. While on long-distance scales (>10 000 km), isolation by distance is the most plausible scenario, on intermediate scales (up to 6000 km), both contemporary environmental factors and historical contingencies interact to shift plankton community structures. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Monitoring the Snowpack in Remote, Ungauged Mountains

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dozier, J.; Davis, R. E.; Bair, N.; Rittger, K. E.

2013-12-01

Our objective is to estimate seasonal snow volumes, relative to historical trends and extremes, in snow-dominated mountains that have austere infrastructure, sparse gauging, challenges of accessibility, and emerging or enduring insecurity related to water resources. The world's mountains accumulate substantial snow and, in some areas, produce the bulk of the runoff. In ranges like Afghanistan's Hindu Kush, availability of water resources affects US policy, military and humanitarian operations, and national security. The rugged terrain makes surface measurements difficult and also affects the analysis of remotely sensed data. To judge feasibility, we consider two regions, a validation case and a case representing inaccessible mountains. For the validation case, we use the Sierra Nevada of California, a mountain range of extensive historical study, emerging scientific innovation, and conflicting priorities in managing water for agriculture, urban areas, hydropower, recreation, habitat, and flood control. For the austere regional focus, we use the Hindu Kush, where some of the most persistent drought in the world causes food insecurity and combines with political instability, and occasional flooding. Our approach uses a mix of satellite data and spare modeling to present information essential for planning and decision making, ranging from optimization of proposed infrastructure projects to assessment of water resources stored as snow for seasonal forecasts. We combine optical imagery (MODIS on Terra/Aqua), passive microwave data (SSM/I and AMSR-E), retrospective reconstruction with energy balance calculations, and a snowmelt model to establish the retrospective context. With the passive microwave data we bracket the historical range in snow cover volume. The rank orders of total retrieved volume correlates with reconstructions. From a library of historical reconstruction, we find similar cases that provide insights about snow cover distribution at a finer scale than the passive retrievals. Specifically, we examine the decade-long record from Terra and Aqua to bracket the historical record. In the California Sierra Nevada, surface measurements have sufficient spatial and temporal resolution for us to validate our approach, whereas in the Hindu Kush surface data are sparse and access presents significant difficulties.

Plasma cholinesterase levels of mountain plovers (Charadrius montanus) wintering in central California, USA

USGS Publications Warehouse

Iko, W.M.; Archuleta, A.S.; Knopf, F.L.

2003-01-01

Declines of over 60% in mountain plover (Charadrius montanus) populations over the past 30 years have made it a species of concern throughout its current range and a proposed species for listing under the U.S. Endangered Species Act. Wintering mountain plovers spend considerable time on freshly plowed agricultural fields where they may potentially be exposed to anticholinesterase pesticides. Because of the population status and wintering ecology of plovers, the objectives of our study were to use nondestructive methods to report baseline plasma cholinesterase (ChE) levels in free-ranging mountain plovers wintering in California, USA, and to assess whether sampled birds showed signs of ChE inhibition related to anticholinesterase chemical exposure. We compared plasma ChE activity for mountain plovers sampled from the Carrizo Plain (an area relatively free of anticholinesterase pesticide use) with similar measures for plovers from the Central Valley (where anticholinesterase pesticides are widely used). Analyses for ChE inhibition indicated that none of the plovers had been recently exposed to these chemicals. However, mean ChE levels of plovers from the Central Valley were significantly higher (32%) than levels reported for plovers from the Carrizo Plain. This result differs from our original assumption of higher exposure risk to mountain plovers in the Central Valley but does suggest that some effect is occurring in the ChE activity of mountain plovers wintering in California.

Dipole Models for UXO Discrimination at Live Sites - Pole Mountain

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-06-01

48 ESTCP MR-201159 Pole Mountain Demonstration Report viii April 2012 Acronyms API Application Programming...working on transitioning our inversion algorithms to an API that will be generally accessible. 8 3. PERFORMANCE OBJECTIVES The performance...2098 35 0 0 Frag (light) 6 MD PM-2098 35 0 0 Frag (light) 4 MD PM-2098 35 0 0 Frag (light) 3.5 MD PM-1354 8.5 0 0 Frag (medium) 5 MD PM- 1104 3 15

Putting a Twist on Inquiry

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kemp, Andrew

2005-01-01

Everything moves. Even apparently stationary objects such as houses, roads, or mountains are moving because they sit on a spinning planet orbiting the Sun. Not surprisingly, the concepts of motion and the forces that affect moving objects are an integral part of the middle school science curriculum. However, middle school students are often taught…

10 CFR 63.111 - Performance objectives for the geologic repository operations area through permanent closure.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 10 Energy 2 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Performance objectives for the geologic repository... (CONTINUED) DISPOSAL OF HIGH-LEVEL RADIOACTIVE WASTES IN A GEOLOGIC REPOSITORY AT YUCCA MOUNTAIN, NEVADA... repository operations area through permanent closure. (a) Protection against radiation exposures and releases...

Regional Demonstration of Comprehensive Rehabilitation Services in a Rural, Mountainous, Economically Depressed Area, Eastern Kentucky.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kentucky State Dept. of Education, Frankfort. Bureau of Rehabilitation Services.

The purpose of this project was to demonstrate that comprehensive rehabilitation services can more effectively meet the needs of severely and chronically disabled persons living in an isolated, mountainous, and depressed area: the Appalachian region. Specific subsidiary purposes were (1) to demonstrate that utilization of various…

Southern California Mountains and Foothills Assessment: Habitat and Species Conservation Issues

Treesearch

John R. Stephenson; Gena M. Calcarone

1999-01-01

The Southern California Mountains and Foothills Assessment: Habitat and Species Conservation Issues provides detailed information about current conditions and trends for ecological systems and species in the region. This information can be used by land managers to develop broad land management goals and priorities and provides the context for decisions specific to...

Does WEPP meet the specificity of soil erosion in steep mountain regions?

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

We chose the USDA-ARS-WEPP model (Water Erosion Prediction Project) to describe the soil erosion in the Urseren valley (Central Switzerland) as it seems to be one of the most promising models for steep mountain environments. Crucial model parameters were determined in the field (slope, plant species...

Mapping and monitoring Mt. Graham Red Squirrel habitat with GIS and thematic mapper imagery

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hatten, James R.; Koprowski, John L.; Sanderson, H. Reed; Koprowski, John L.

2009-01-01

To estimate the Mt. Graham red squirrel (MGRS) population, personnel visit a proportion of middens each year to determine their occupancy (Snow in this vol.). The method results in very tight confidence intervals (high precision), but the accuracy of the population estimate is dependent upon knowing where all the middens are located. I hypothesized that there might be areas outside the survey boundary that contained Mt. Graham red squirrel middens, but the ruggedness of the Pinaleno Mountains made mountain-wide surveys difficult. Therefore, I started exploring development of a spatially explicit (geographic information system [GIS]-based) habitat model in 1998 that could identify MGRS habitat remotely with satellite imagery and a GIS. A GIS-based model would also allow us to assess changes in MGRS habitat between two time periods because Landsat passes over the same location every 16 days, imaging the earth in 185 km swaths (Aronoff 1989). Specifically, the objectives of this analysis were to (1) develop a pattern recognition model for MGRS habitat, (2) map potential (predicted/modeled) MGRS habitat, (3) identify changes in potential MGRS habitat between 1993 and 2003, and (4) evaluate the current location of the MGRS survey boundary.

A monitor for continuous measurement of temperature, pH, and conductance of wet precipitation: Preliminary results from the Adirondack Mountains, New York

USGS Publications Warehouse

Johnsson, P.A.; Reddy, M.M.

1990-01-01

This report describes a continuous wet-only precipitation monitor designed by the U.S. Geological Survey to record variations in rainfall temperature, pH, and specific conductance at 1-min intervals over the course of storms. Initial sampling in the Adirondack Mountains showed that rainfall acidity varied over the course of summer storms, with low initial pH values increasing as storm intensity increased.This report describes a continuous wet-only precipitation monitor designed by the U.S. Geological Survey to record variations in rainfall temperature, pH, and specific conductance at 1-min intervals over the course of storms. Initial sampling in the Adirondack Mountains showed that rainfall acidity varied over the course of summer storms, with low initial pH values increasing as storm intensity increased.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

M.A. Wasiolek

Inhalation exposure pathway modeling has recently been investigated as one of the tasks of the BIOPROTA Project (BIOPROTA 2005). BIOPROTA was set up to address the key uncertainties in long term assessments of contaminant releases into the environment arising from radioactive waste disposal. Participants of this international Project include national authorities and agencies, both regulators and operators, with responsibility for achieving safe and acceptable radioactive waste management. The objective of the inhalation task was to investigate the calculation of doses arising from inhalation of particles suspended from soils within which long-lived radionuclides, particularly alpha emitters, had accumulated. It was recognizedmore » that site-specific conditions influence the choice of conceptual model and input parameter values. Therefore, one of the goals of the task was to identify the circumstances in which different processes included in specific inhalation exposure pathway models were important. This paper discusses evaluation of processes and modeling assumptions specific to the proposed repository at Yucca Mountain as compared to the typical approaches and other models developed for different assessments and project specific contexts. Inhalation of suspended particulates that originate from contaminated soil is an important exposure pathway, particularly for exposure to actinides such as uranium, neptunium and plutonium. Radionuclide accumulation in surface soil arises from irrigation of soil with contaminated water over many years. The level of radionuclide concentration in surface soil depends on the assumed duration of irrigation. Irrigation duration is one of the parameters used on biosphere models and it depends on a specific assessment context. It is one of the parameters addressed in this paper from the point of view of assessment context for the proposed repository at Yucca Mountain. The preferred model for the assessment of inhalation exposure uses atmospheric mass loading approach, which is based on the mass of airborne particulates per unit volume of air that is inhaled by the receptor. This type of model was used by the majority of the BIOPROTA inhalation task participants and is also used in the Yucca Mountain model. Although the mass loading model is conceptually straightforward, there are some considerations that need to be included when using this model. Small particles have larger surface to volume ratio than large particles and this ratio increases in inverse proportion to the particle size. This is particularly important for elements such as plutonium, which have high sorption coefficients, and thus are preferentially attached to small particles of soil. Suspended particulates originating from soil are composed of particles smaller than average soil particles and thus, on average, have larger available surface area, and consequently activity, per unit mass than that of soil. The increase of radionuclide concentration of suspended particulates compared with that of underlying soil is quantified in terms of the enhancement factor, which is included in the inhalation model for the Yucca Mountain repository. In this paper, the use of the enhancement factor in the inhalation exposure models is discussed. Then, enhancement factor values used in the Yucca Mountain model are discussed from the perspective of site-specific conditions as well as the microenvironmental approach to modeling inhalation exposure of the receptor: The receptor can spend specified time in several environments, each of them characterized by an occupancy time, suspended particulate level, enhancement factor and breathing rate. The environment where inhalation exposure is the highest is associated with the receptor being active outdoors and involved in activities that generate high levels of dust by using farm equipment, walking, or conducting other outdoor activities. I n summary, it is important to recognize that site-specific conditions play an important role in constructing conceptual and mathematical models of inhalation exposure.« less

Geology of the southwestern Pasco Basin

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

1978-09-01

The objective of this study was to define those aspects of the stratigraphic, structural, and tectonic setting which are important to the integrity of a deep-mined waste-isolation cavern in the Columbia River basalts. Three principal structural features received the focus of the field effort in the 1,485-square-kilometer area. These are the northern end of the Horse Heaven uplift, the linear ridges of the Badger Mountain-Red Mountain trend, and the Rattlesnake uplift. The thickest sequence of basalt exposed in the study area is on the steep, northeastern slope of Rattlesnake Mountain; about 485 meters of stratigraphic section can be examined inmore » the field area. Subsidence and weak deformation of the southwestern Pasco Basin area during Yakima time can be recognized in the disposition of flows and interbeds. In the southwestern Pasco Basin, most of the topographically expressed basalt bedrock mountains, ridges, hills, and knolls have developed since spreading of the Saddle Mountains flows. Deformation since Ice Harbor time (about 8 million years ago) has been by folding, faulting, and in some structures, by a combination of both. The doubly plunging anticlinal folds of Badger Mountain, Red Mountain, and easternmost Rattlesnake Hills have vertical structural amplitudes in the 80 to 200-meter range. The high-angle, possibly reverse Badger Mountain fault has offset up to 60 meters; offset is downward on the northeast. Rattlesnake Mountain is, in part, a tilted fault-block structure. The western end of the Rattlesnake uplift, Rattlesnake Hills, is principally a broad anticline with numerous minor folds and faults. Geomorphic relations suggest that the post-Ice Harbor structural movement in the study area is of one episode. 65 figures, 8 tables.« less

Sustainable Food Security in the Mountains of Pakistan: Towards a Policy Framework.

PubMed

Rasul, Golam; Hussain, Abid

2015-01-01

The nature and causes of food and livelihood security in mountain areas are quite different to those in the plains. Rapid socioeconomic and environmental changes added to the topographical constraints have exacerbated the problem of food insecurity in the Hindu Kush-Himalayan (HKH) region. In Pakistan, food insecurity is significantly higher in the mountain areas than in the plains as a result of a range of biophysical and socioeconomic factors. The potential of mountain niche products such as fruit, nuts, and livestock has remained underutilized. Moreover, the opportunities offered by globalization, market integration, remittances, and non-farm income have not been fully tapped. This paper analyzes the opportunities and challenges of food security in Pakistan's mountain areas, and outlines a framework for addressing the specific issues in terms of four different types of area differentiated by agro-ecological potential and access to markets, information, and institutional services.

Minerals in the foods eaten by mountain gorillas (Gorilla beringei).

PubMed

Cancelliere, Emma C; DeAngelis, Nicole; Nkurunungi, John Bosco; Raubenheimer, David; Rothman, Jessica M

2014-01-01

Minerals are critical to an individual's health and fitness, and yet little is known about mineral nutrition and requirements in free-ranging primates. We estimated the mineral content of foods consumed by mountain gorillas (Gorilla beringei beringei) in the Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, Uganda. Mountain gorillas acquire the majority of their minerals from herbaceous leaves, which constitute the bulk of their diet. However, less commonly eaten foods were sometimes found to be higher in specific minerals, suggesting their potential importance. A principal component analysis demonstrated little correlation among minerals in food items, which further suggests that mountain gorillas might increase dietary diversity to obtain a full complement of minerals in their diet. Future work is needed to examine the bioavailability of minerals to mountain gorillas in order to better understand their intake in relation to estimated needs and the consequences of suboptimal mineral balance in gorilla foods.

Minerals in the Foods Eaten by Mountain Gorillas (Gorilla beringei)

PubMed Central

Cancelliere, Emma C.; DeAngelis, Nicole; Nkurunungi, John Bosco; Raubenheimer, David; Rothman, Jessica M.

2014-01-01

Minerals are critical to an individual’s health and fitness, and yet little is known about mineral nutrition and requirements in free-ranging primates. We estimated the mineral content of foods consumed by mountain gorillas (Gorilla beringei beringei) in the Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, Uganda. Mountain gorillas acquire the majority of their minerals from herbaceous leaves, which constitute the bulk of their diet. However, less commonly eaten foods were sometimes found to be higher in specific minerals, suggesting their potential importance. A principal component analysis demonstrated little correlation among minerals in food items, which further suggests that mountain gorillas might increase dietary diversity to obtain a full complement of minerals in their diet. Future work is needed to examine the bioavailability of minerals to mountain gorillas in order to better understand their intake in relation to estimated needs and the consequences of suboptimal mineral balance in gorilla foods. PMID:25372712

Risk Management and Physical Modelling for Mountainous Natural Hazards

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lehning, Michael; Wilhelm, Christian

Population growth and climate change cause rapid changes in mountainous regions resulting in increased risks of floods, avalanches, debris flows and other natural hazards. Xevents are of particular concern, since attempts to protect against them result in exponentially growing costs. In this contribution, we suggest an integral risk management approach to dealing with natural hazards that occur in mountainous areas. Using the example of a mountain pass road, which can be protected from the danger of an avalanche by engineering (galleries) and/or organisational (road closure) measures, we show the advantage of an optimal combination of both versus the traditional approach, which is to rely solely on engineering structures. Organisational measures become especially important for Xevents because engineering structures cannot be designed for those events. However, organisational measures need a reliable and objective forecast of the hazard. Therefore, we further suggest that such forecasts should be developed using physical numerical modelling. We present the status of current approaches to using physical modelling to predict snow cover stability for avalanche warnings and peak runoff from mountain catchments for flood warnings. While detailed physical models can already predict peak runoff reliably, they are only used to support avalanche warnings. With increased process knowledge and computer power, current developments should lead to a enhanced role for detailed physical models in natural mountain hazard prediction.

Investigating Downscaling Methods and Evaluating Climate Models for Use in Estimating Regional Water Resources in Mountainous Regions under Changing Climatic Conditions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Frei, Allan; Nolin, Anne W.; Serreze, Mark C.; Armstrong, Richard L.; McGinnis, David L.; Robinson, David A.

2004-01-01

The purpose of this three-year study is to develop and evaluate techniques to estimate the range of potential hydrological impacts of climate change in mountainous areas. Three main objectives are set out in the proposal. (1) To develop and evaluate transfer functions to link tropospheric circulation to regional snowfall. (2) To evaluate a suite of General Circulation Models (GCMs) for use in estimating synoptic scale circulation and the resultant regional snowfall. And (3) to estimate the range of potential hydrological impacts of changing climate in the two case study areas: the Upper Colorado River basin, and the Catskill Mountains of southeastern New York State. Both regions provide water to large populations.

Predicted changes in climatic niche and climate refugia of conservation priority salamander species in the northeastern United States

USGS Publications Warehouse

Sutton, William B.; Barrett, Kyle; Moody, Allison T.; Loftin, Cynthia S.; deMaynadier, Phillip G.; Nanjappa, Priya

2015-01-01

Global climate change represents one of the most extensive and pervasive threats to wildlife populations. Amphibians, specifically salamanders, are particularly susceptible to the effects of changing climates due to their restrictive physiological requirements and low vagility; however, little is known about which landscapes and species are vulnerable to climate change. Our study objectives included, (1) evaluating species-specific predictions (based on 2050 climate projections) and vulnerabilities to climate change and (2) using collective species responses to identify areas of climate refugia for conservation priority salamanders in the northeastern United States. All evaluated salamander species were projected to lose a portion of their climatic niche. Averaged projected losses ranged from 3%–100% for individual species, with the Cow Knob Salamander (Plethodon punctatus), Cheat Mountain Salamander (Plethodon nettingi), Shenandoah Mountain Salamander (Plethodon virginia), Mabee’s Salamander (Ambystoma mabeei), and Streamside Salamander (Ambystoma barbouri) predicted to lose at least 97% of their landscape-scale climatic niche. The Western Allegheny Plateau was predicted to lose the greatest salamander climate refugia richness (i.e., number of species with a climatically-suitable niche in a landscape patch), whereas the Central Appalachians provided refugia for the greatest number of species during current and projected climate scenarios. Our results can be used to identify species and landscapes that are likely to be further affected by climate change and potentially resilient habitats that will provide consistent climatic conditions in the face of environmental change.

Site characterization progress report: Yucca Mountain, Nevada. Number 15, April 1--September 30, 1996

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

NONE

1997-04-01

During the second half of fiscal year 1996, activities at the Yucca Mountain Site Characterization Project (Project) supported the objectives of the revised Program Plan released this period by the Office of Civilian Radioactive Waste Management of the US Department of Energy (Department). Outlined in the revised plan is a focused, integrated program of site characterization, design, engineering, environmental, and performance assessment activities that will achieve key Program and statutory objectives. The plan will result in the development of a license application for repository construction at Yucca Mountain, if the site is found suitable. Activities this period focused on twomore » of the three near-term objectives of the revised plan: updating in 1997 the regulatory framework for determining the suitability of the site for the proposed repository concept and providing information for a 1998 viability assessment of continuing toward the licensing of a repository. The Project has also developed a new design approach that uses the advanced conceptual design published during the last reporting period as a base for developing a design that will support the viability assessment. The initial construction phase of the Thermal Testing Facility was completed and the first phase of the in situ heater tests began on schedule. In addition, phase-one construction was completed for the first of two alcoves that will provide access to the Ghost Dance fault.« less

A 2 °C warmer world is not safe for ecosystem services in the European Alps.

PubMed

Elkin, Ché; Gutiérrez, Alvaro G; Leuzinger, Sebastian; Manusch, Corina; Temperli, Christian; Rasche, Livia; Bugmann, Harald

2013-06-01

Limiting the increase in global average temperature to 2 °C is the objective of international efforts aimed at avoiding dangerous climate impacts. However, the regional response of terrestrial ecosystems and the services that they provide under such a scenario are largely unknown. We focus on mountain forests in the European Alps and evaluate how a range of ecosystem services (ES) are projected to be impacted in a 2 °C warmer world, using four novel regional climate scenarios. We employ three complementary forest models to assess a wide range of ES in two climatically contrasting case study regions. Within each climate scenario we evaluate if and when ES will deviate beyond status quo boundaries that are based on current system variability. Our results suggest that the sensitivity of mountain forest ES to a 2 °C warmer world depends heavily on the current climatic conditions of a region, the strong elevation gradients within a region, and the specific ES in question. Our simulations project that large negative impacts will occur at low and intermediate elevations in initially warm-dry regions, where relatively small climatic shifts result in negative drought-related impacts on forest ES. In contrast, at higher elevations, and in regions that are initially cool-wet, forest ES will be comparatively resistant to a 2 °C warmer world. We also found considerable variation in the vulnerability of forest ES to climate change, with some services such as protection against rockfall and avalanches being sensitive to 2 °C global climate change, but other services such as carbon storage being reasonably resistant. Although our results indicate a heterogeneous response of mountain forest ES to climate change, the projected substantial reduction of some forest ES in dry regions suggests that a 2 °C increase in global mean temperature cannot be seen as a universally 'safe' boundary for the maintenance of mountain forest ES. © 2013 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Secondary plant succession on disturbed sites at Yucca Mountain, Nevada

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Angerer, J.P.; Ostler, W.K.; Gabbert, W.D.

1994-12-01

This report presents the results of a study of secondary plant succession on disturbed sites created during initial site investigations in the late 1970s and early 1980s at Yucca Mountain, NV. Specific study objectives were to determine the rate and success of secondary plant succession, identify plant species found in disturbances that may be suitable for site-specific reclamation, and to identify environmental variables that influence succession on disturbed sites. During 1991 and 1992, fifty seven disturbed sites were located. Vegetation parameters, disturbance characteristics and environmental variables were measured at each site. Disturbed site vegetation parameters were compared to that ofmore » undisturbed sites to determine the status of disturbed site plant succession. Vegetation on disturbed sites, after an average of ten years, was different from undisturbed areas. Ambrosia dumosa, Chrysothamnus teretifolius, Hymenoclea salsola, Gutierrezia sarothrae, Atriplex confertifolia, Atriplex canescens, and Stephanomeria pauciflora were the most dominant species across all disturbed sites. With the exception of A. dumosa, these species were generally minor components of the undisturbed vegetation. Elevation, soil compaction, soil potassium, and amounts of sand and gravel in the soil were found to be significant environmental variables influencing the species composition and abundance of perennial plants on disturbed sites. The recovery rate for disturbed site secondary succession was estimated. Using a linear function (which would represent optimal conditions), the recovery rate for perennial plant cover, regardless of which species comprised the cover, was estimated to be 20 years. However, when a logarithmic function (which would represent probable conditions) was used, the recovery rate was estimated to be 845 years. Recommendations for future studies and site-specific reclamation of disturbances are presented.« less

Behavioral Profile Predicts Dominance Status in Mountain Chickadees.

PubMed

Fox, Rebecca A; Ladage, Lara D; Roth, Timothy C; Pravosudov, Vladimir V

2009-06-01

Individual variation in stable behavioral traits may explain variation in ecologically-relevant behaviors such as foraging, dispersal, anti-predator behavior, and dominance. We investigated behavioral variation in mountain chickadees (Poecile gambeli), a North American parid that lives in dominance-structured winter flocks, using two common measures of behavioral profile: exploration of a novel room and novel object exploration. We related those behavioral traits to dominance status in male chickadees following brief, pair-wise encounters. Low-exploring birds (birds that visited less than four locations in the novel room) were significantly more likely to become dominant in brief, pairwise encounters with high-exploring birds (i.e., birds that visited all perching locations within a novel room). On the other hand, there was no relationship between novel object exploration and dominance. Interestingly, novel room exploration was also not correlated with novel object exploration. These results suggest that behavioral profile may predict the social status of group-living individuals. Moreover, our results contradict the idea that novel object exploration and novel room exploration are always interchangeable measures of individuals' sensitivity to environmental novelty.

Predicting mountain lion activity using radiocollars equipped with mercury tip-sensors

USGS Publications Warehouse

Janis, Michael W.; Clark, Joseph D.; Johnson, Craig

1999-01-01

Radiotelemetry collars with tip-sensors have long been used to monitor wildlife activity. However, comparatively few researchers have tested the reliability of the technique on the species being studied. To evaluate the efficacy of using tip-sensors to assess mountain lion (Puma concolor) activity, we radiocollared 2 hand-reared mountain lions and simultaneously recorded their behavior and the associated telemetry signal characteristics. We noted both the number of pulse-rate changes and the percentage of time the transmitter emitted a fast pulse rate (i.e., head up) within sampling intervals ranging from 1-5 minutes. Based on 27 hours of observations, we were able to correctly distinguish between active and inactive behaviors >93% of the time using a logistic regression model. We present several models to predict activity of mountain lions; the selection of which to us would depend on study objectives and logistics. Our results indicate that field protocols that use only pulse-rate changes to indicate activity can lead to significant classification errors.

Definition and sensitivity of the conceptual MORDOR rainfall-runoff model parameters using different multi-criteria calibration strategies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Garavaglia, F.; Seyve, E.; Gottardi, F.; Le Lay, M.; Gailhard, J.; Garçon, R.

2014-12-01

MORDOR is a conceptual hydrological model extensively used in Électricité de France (EDF, French electric utility company) operational applications: (i) hydrological forecasting, (ii) flood risk assessment, (iii) water balance and (iv) climate change studies. MORDOR is a lumped, reservoir, elevation based model with hourly or daily areal rainfall and air temperature as the driving input data. The principal hydrological processes represented are evapotranspiration, direct and indirect runoff, ground water, snow accumulation and melt and routing. The model has been intensively used at EDF for more than 20 years, in particular for modeling French mountainous watersheds. In the matter of parameters calibration we propose and test alternative multi-criteria techniques based on two specific approaches: automatic calibration using single-objective functions and a priori parameter calibration founded on hydrological watershed features. The automatic calibration approach uses single-objective functions, based on Kling-Gupta efficiency, to quantify the good agreement between the simulated and observed runoff focusing on four different runoff samples: (i) time-series sample, (I) annual hydrological regime, (iii) monthly cumulative distribution functions and (iv) recession sequences.The primary purpose of this study is to analyze the definition and sensitivity of MORDOR parameters testing different calibration techniques in order to: (i) simplify the model structure, (ii) increase the calibration-validation performance of the model and (iii) reduce the equifinality problem of calibration process. We propose an alternative calibration strategy that reaches these goals. The analysis is illustrated by calibrating MORDOR model to daily data for 50 watersheds located in French mountainous regions.

Avalanche risk assessment in Russia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Komarov, Anton; Seliverstov, Yury; Sokratov, Sergey; Glazovskaya, Tatiana; Turchaniniva, Alla

2017-04-01

The avalanche prone area covers about 3 million square kilometers or 18% of total area of Russia and pose a significant problem in most mountain regions of the country. The constant growth of economic activity, especially in the North Caucasus region and therefore the increased avalanche hazard lead to the demand of the large-scale avalanche risk assessment methods development. Such methods are needed for the determination of appropriate avalanche protection measures as well as for economic assessments during all stages of spatial planning of the territory. The requirement of natural hazard risk assessments is determined by the Federal Law of Russian Federation. However, Russian Guidelines (SP 11-103-97; SP 47.13330.2012) are not clearly presented concerning avalanche risk assessment calculations. A great size of Russia territory, vast diversity of natural conditions and large variations in type and level of economic development of different regions cause significant variations in avalanche risk values. At the first stage of research the small scale avalanche risk assessment was performed in order to identify the most common patterns of risk situations and to calculate full social risk and individual risk. The full social avalanche risk for the territory of country was estimated at 91 victims. The area of territory with individual risk values lesser then 1×10(-6) covers more than 92 % of mountain areas of the country. Within these territories the safety of population can be achieved mainly by organizational activities. Approximately 7% of mountain areas have 1×10(-6) - 1×10(-4) individual risk values and require specific mitigation measures to protect people and infrastructure. Territories with individual risk values 1×10(-4) and above covers about 0,1 % of the territory and include the most severe and hazardous mountain areas. The whole specter of mitigation measures is required in order to minimize risk. The future development of such areas is not recommended. The case studies of specific territories are performed using large-scale risk assessment methods. Thus, we discuss these problems by presenting an avalanche risk assessment approach on example of the developing but poorly researched ski resort areas in the North Caucasus. The suggested method includes the formulas to calculate collective and individual avalanche risk. The results of risk analysis are shown in quantitative data that can be used to determine levels of avalanche risk (acceptable, admissible and unacceptable) and to suggest methods to decrease the individual risk to acceptable level or better. It makes possible to compare risk quantitative data obtained from different mountain regions, analyze it and evaluate the economic feasibility of protection measures. At present, we are developing methods of avalanche risk assessment in economic performance. It conceder costs of objects located in avalanche prone area, traffic density values and probability of financial loss.

Responses of soil and water chemistry to mountain pine beetle induced tree mortality in Grand County, Colorado, USA

USGS Publications Warehouse

Clow, David W.; Rhoades, Charles; Briggs, Jenny S.; Caldwell, Megan K.; Lewis, William M.

2011-01-01

Pine forest in northern Colorado and southern Wyoming, USA, are experiencing the most severe mountain pine beetle epidemic in recorded history, and possible degradation of drinking-water quality is a major concern. The objective of this study was to investigate possible changes in soil and water chemistry in Grand County, Colorado in response to the epidemic, and to identify major controlling influences on stream-water nutrients and C in areas affected by the mountain pine beetle. Soil moisture and soil N increased in soils beneath trees killed by the mountain pine beetle, reflecting reduced evapotranspiration and litter accumulation and decay. No significant changes in stream-water NO3-">NO3- or dissolved organic C were observed; however, total N and total P increased, possibly due to litter breakdown or increased productivity related to warming air temperatures. Multiple-regression analyses indicated that % of basin affected by mountain pine beetles had minimal influence on stream-water NO3-">NO3- and dissolved organic C; instead, other basin characteristics, such as percent of the basin classified as forest, were much more important.

Observed changes and future trends in vulnerability to natural hazards for mountain communities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Puissant, A.; Gazo, A.; Débonnaire, N.; Moravek, A.; Aguejdad, R.; -P., Malet J.; B., Martin

2015-04-01

Since 50 years, mountain areas are affected by important landcover and landuse changes characterized by the decrease of pastoral activities, reforestation or urbanization with the development of tourism activities and infrastructures. These natural and anthropogenic transformations have an impact on the socio-economic activities but also on the exposure of the communities to natural hazards. In the context of the ANR Project SAMCO which aims at enhancing the overall resilience of societies on the impacts of mountain risks, the objective of this research was to analyse landcover/use changes and to model future changes to assess the impacts of such change and to analyse trajectory of the vulnerability of mountain communities. For this research, an experiment is performed for two mountain areas of the French Alps (Barcelonnette Basin, Vars Basin). Changes in landcover and landuse are characterized over the period 1956-2010 for the two communities at two spatial scales (catchment, municipality). Four scenarios of landcover and landuse development (based on the Prelude European Project) are proposed for the period 2050 and 2100. Based on these scenarios, the evolution of vulnerability is estimated by using the Potential Damage Index method proposed by Puissant et al. (2013).

Mountain-Plains Handbook: The Design and Operation of a Residential Family Based Education Program. Appendix. Supplement II to Volume 5. Operational Support: Administrative Services Division.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Anderson, Newell B.; And Others

One of two supplements which accompany chapter 5 of "Mountain-Plains Handbook: The Design and Operation of a Residential, Family Oriented Career Education Model" (CE 014 630), this document contains specific information concerning the following components of the administrative services division: purchasing, property control, and…

Water quality signals from rural land use and exurbanization in a mountain landscape: What’s clear and what’s comfounded

Treesearch

C. Rhett Jackson; Robert A. Bahn; Jackson R. Webster

2017-01-01

In mountainous landscapes with high climatic and geomorphic variability, how do rural land uses and exurbanization alter hydrology and water quality? We evaluated effects of rural land use and exurbanization on streamflows, suspended sediment concentrations and loads, specific conductance, and summer water temperatures in 12 streams and rivers within the Upper...

Mountain-Plains Handbook: The Design and Operation of a Residential Family Based Education Program. Appendix. Supplement I to Volume 5. Operational Support: Administrative Services Division.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Anderson, Newell B.; And Others

One of two supplements which accompany chapter 5 of "Mountain-Plains Handbook: The Design and Operation of a Residential, Family Oriented Career Education Model" (CE 014 630), this document contains specific information concerning the reprographic and personnel components of the administrative services division. Several job descriptions…

Mountain pine beetle voltinism and life history characteristics across latitudinal and elevational gradients in the western United States

Treesearch

Barbara Bentz; James Vandygriff; Camille Jensen; Tom Coleman; Patricia Maloney; Sheri Smith; Amanda Grady; Greta Schen-Langenheim

2014-01-01

Substantial genetic variation in development time is known to exist among mountain pine beetle (Dendroctonus ponderosae Hopkins) populations across the western United States. The effect of this variation on geographic patterns in voltinism (generation time) and thermal requirements to produce specific voltinism pathways have not been investigated. The influence of...

REACH SPECIFIC CHANNEL STABILIZATION BASED ON COMPREHENSIVE EVALUATION OF VALLEY FILL HISTORY, ALLUVIAL ARCHITECTURE AND GROUNDWATER HYDROLOGY IN A MOUNTAIN STREAM IN THE CENTRAL GREAT BASIN, NEVADA

EPA Science Inventory

Kingston meadow, located in the Toiyabe Range, is one of many wet meadow complexes threatened by rapid channel incision in the mountain ranges of the central Great Basin. Channel incision can lower the baselevel for groundwater discharge and de-water meadow complexes resulting in...

Survival and cause-specific mortality of Merriam's Wild Turkeys in the Jemez Mountains, New Mexico

Treesearch

Mark A. Peyton; Sarah R. Kindschuh; Lance J. Bernal; Robert R. Parmenter; Philip S. Gipson

2014-01-01

Merriam's Wild Turkeys (Meleagris gallopavo merriami) is a species of interest for managers and is considered economically valuable through wildlife viewing and hunting. We captured, radio-marked, and monitored 49 turkeys (27 males, 22 females) over a 3-year period (2008-2011) in the Valles Caldera National Preserve, Jemez Mountains, New Mexico. Annual Kaplan-...

49 CFR 1139.1 - Application.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... with the objective of restructuring the rates on a wide range of traffic, involving both increases and... England Motor Rate Bureau, Inc. Pacific Inland Tariff Bureau, Inc. Rocky Mountain Motor Tariff Bureau, Inc...

49 CFR 1139.1 - Application.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... with the objective of restructuring the rates on a wide range of traffic, involving both increases and... England Motor Rate Bureau, Inc. Pacific Inland Tariff Bureau, Inc. Rocky Mountain Motor Tariff Bureau, Inc...

49 CFR 1139.1 - Application.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... with the objective of restructuring the rates on a wide range of traffic, involving both increases and... England Motor Rate Bureau, Inc. Pacific Inland Tariff Bureau, Inc. Rocky Mountain Motor Tariff Bureau, Inc...

49 CFR 1139.1 - Application.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... with the objective of restructuring the rates on a wide range of traffic, involving both increases and... England Motor Rate Bureau, Inc. Pacific Inland Tariff Bureau, Inc. Rocky Mountain Motor Tariff Bureau, Inc...

Mountaineering, Masculinity, and the Male Body in Mid-Victorian Britain.

PubMed

Reidy, Michael S

2015-01-01

Golden-age mountaineers attempted to codify gender, like flora and fauna, by altitude. They zoned the high Alps masculine. As women also reached into the highest regions, male alpinists increasingly turned to their bodies, and the bodies of their guides, to give scientific validity to their all-male preserve. Edward Whymper traveled to the Andes in 1879, where he transformed Chimborazo into a laboratory and his own body and those of his guides into scientific objects. His work helped spearhead a field-based, vertical approach to human physiology that proliferated after the turn of the century. By viewing gender through a spatial lens and using the sides of mountains to map it, this essay highlights the gendered notions that directed early research in high-altitude physiology.

Potential Distribution of Mountain Cloud Forest in Michoacán, Mexico: Prioritization for Conservation in the Context of Landscape Connectivity.

PubMed

Correa Ayram, Camilo A; Mendoza, Manuel E; Etter, Andrés; Pérez Salicrup, Diego R

2017-07-01

Landscape connectivity is essential in biodiversity conservation because of its ability to reduce the effect of habitat fragmentation; furthermore is a key property in adapting to climate change. Potential distribution models and landscape connectivity studies have increased with regard to their utility to prioritizing areas for conservation. The objective of this study was to model the potential distribution of Mountain cloud forests in the Transversal Volcanic System, Michoacán and to analyze the role of these areas in maintaining landscape connectivity. Potential distribution was modeled for the Mountain cloud forests based on the maximum entropy approach using 95 occurrence points and 17 ecological variables at 30 m spatial resolution. Potential connectivity was then evaluated by using a probability of connectivity index based on graph theory. The percentage of variation (dPCk) was used to identify the individual contribution of each potential area of Mountain cloud forests in overall connectivity. The different ways in which the potential areas of Mountain cloud forests can contribute to connectivity were evaluated by using the three fractions derived from dPCk (dPCintrak, dPCfluxk, and dPCconnectork). We determined that 37,567 ha of the TVSMich are optimal for the presence of Mountain cloud forests. The contribution of said area in the maintenance of connectivity was low. The conservation of Mountain cloud forests is indispensable, however, in providing or receiving dispersal flows through TVSMich because of its role as a connector element between another habitat types. The knowledge of the potential capacity of Mountain cloud forests to promote structural and functional landscape connectivity is key in the prioritization of conservation areas.

Death Valley Lower Carbonate Aquifer Monitoring Program Wells Down Gradient of the Proposed Yucca Mountain Nuclear Waste Repository, U. S. Department of Energy Grant DE-RW0000233 2010 Project Report, prepared by The Hydrodynamics Group, LLC for Inyo County Yucca Mountain Repository Assessment Office

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

King, Michael J; Bredehoeft, John D., Dr.

2010-09-03

Inyo County completed the first year of the U.S. Department of Energy Grant Agreement No. DE-RW0000233. This report presents the results of research conducted within this Grant agreement in the context of Inyo County's Yucca Mountain oversight program goals and objectives. The Hydrodynamics Group, LLC prepared this report for Inyo County Yucca Mountain Repository Assessment Office. The overall goal of Inyo County's Yucca Mountain research program is the evaluation of far-field issues related to potential transport, by ground water, of radionuclide into Inyo County, including Death Valley, and the evaluation of a connection between the Lower Carbonate Aquifer (LCA) andmore » the biosphere. Data collected within the Grant is included in interpretive illustrations and discussions of the results of our analysis. The centeral elements of this Grant prgoram was the drilling of exploratory wells, geophysical surveys, geological mapping of the Southern Funeral Mountain Range. The cullimination of this research was 1) a numerical ground water model of the Southern Funeral Mountain Range demonstrating the potential of a hydraulic connection between the LCA and the major springs in the Furnace Creek area of Death Valley, and 2) a numerical ground water model of the Amargosa Valley to evaluate the potential for radionuclide transport from Yucca Mountain to Inyo County, California. The report provides a description of research and activities performed by The Hydrodynamics Group, LLC on behalf of Inyo County, and copies of key work products in attachments to this report.« less

Analyzing public inputs to multiple objective decisions on national forests using conjoint analysis

Treesearch

Donald F. Dennis

1998-01-01

Faced with multiple objectives, national forest managers and planners need a means to solicit and analyze public preferences and values. A conjoint ranking survey was designed to solicit public preferences for various levels of timber harvesting, wildlife habitats, hiking trails, snowmobile use, and off-road-vehicle (ORV) access on the Green Mountain National Forest....

Ongoing Cerebral Vasculitis During Treatment of Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever.

PubMed

Sun, Lisa R; Huisman, Thierry A G M; Yeshokumar, Anusha K; Johnston, Michael V

2015-11-01

Rocky Mountain spotted fever is a tickborne infection that produces a systemic small-vessel vasculitis; its prognosis is excellent if appropriate treatment is initiated early. Because the advent of effective antirickettsial therapies predates the widespread use of brain magnetic resonance imaging, there are limited data on the effect of untreated Rocky Mountain spotted fever infection on neuroimaging studies. We describe a 7-year-old girl with delayed treatment of Rocky Mountain spotted fever who suffered severe neurological impairment. Serial brain magnetic resonance images revealed a progressive "starry sky appearance," which is proposed to result from the same small vessel vasculitis that causes the characteristic skin rash of this infection. Neurological injury can continue to occur despite specific antirickettsial therapy in Rocky Mountain spotted fever. This child's clinical features raise questions about the optimal management of this infection, particularly the utility of immune modulating therapies in cases of delayed treatment and neurological involvement. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Body composition and somatotype of experienced mountain climbers.

PubMed

Barbieri, Davide; Zaccagni, Luciana; Cogo, Annalisa; Gualdi-Russo, Emanuela

2012-03-01

In order to evaluate body composition and somatotype, 10 Italian experienced mountain climbers were assessed from an anthropometric point of view, before a high altitude ascent. Body mass, height, girths, skinfolds, and bone breadths were gathered and used to calculate body composition and somatotype of each subject. Means and standard deviations of the subjects' anthropometric characteristics were calculated. Mesomorphism (5.28±1.10) is the dominant somatotype component in all but one the participants, endomorphism (1.55±0.49) is low, and body fat percentage (11.76%±2.93) is low. Comparisons with athletes involved in other climbing subdisciplines highlight the specificity of elite mountain climbers anthropometry. The elite mountain climbers in our sample were predominantly mesomorphic with somatotype attitudinal mean values lower than reported for male athletes participating in free-climbing, volleyball, gymnastics, and soccer. Anthropometric characteristics may therefore play a role in mountain climbing, even though the trainable components may be more relevant than the nontrainable ones.

[Mountain biking : Breezy ups and traumatic downs].

PubMed

Schueller, G

2010-05-01

For more than two decades the popularity of mountain biking as a national pastime as well as a competitive sport has been undiminished. However, its related risks are not monitored as closely as those, for example, of skiing. The injuries caused by mountain biking are specific and cannot be compared with those caused by other cycling sports. This is due not only to the characteristics of the terrain but also to the readiness to assume a higher risk compared to cycle racing.The particular value of radiology is in the acute trauma setting. Most often musculoskeletal lesions must be examined and digital radiography and MRI are the most useful techniques. Severe trauma of the cranium, face, spine, thorax and abdomen are primarily evaluated with CT, particularly in dedicated trauma centers. Therefore, radiology can play a role in the rapid diagnosis and optimal treatment of the trauma-related injuries of mountain biking. Thus, the unnecessarily high economical damage associated with mountain biking can be avoided.

Validation of a German version of the Sport Motivation Scale (SMS28) and motivation analysis in competitive mountain runners.

PubMed

Burtscher, Johannes; Furtner, Marco; Sachse, Pierre; Burtscher, Martin

2011-06-01

This study validated a German version of the Sport Motivation Scale (SMS28) and investigated the sex-specific and age-related differences in motivation of competitive mountain runners. Translation and cross-cultural adaptation of the SMS28 was based on translation and back-translation methodology. Acceptable validity of the German version of the SMS28 was indicated by the high correlations (.81 to .98) of scores on the seven subscales for the English and German versions completed by 15 subjects. Motivation analysis was performed with 127 competitive male and female mountain runners. The seven subscales of the German version showed good internal consistency (Cronbach's coefficient alphas .70 to .85). Findings on motivation of competitive mountain runners were a decline across age groups of Intrinsic motivation toward accomplishment for both sexes and an age-related decline of External regulation only for females. These motivational changes might well be associated with the observed diminishing numbers of older participants in mountain running competitions.

NCCN Mountain Lakes Monitoring Strategy: Guidelines to Resolution

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hoffman, Robert L.; Huff, Mark H.

2008-01-01

The North Coast and Cascades Network (NCCN) Inventory and Monitoring Program provides funds to its Network Parks to plan and implement the goals and objectives of the National Park Services? (NPS) Inventory and Monitoring (I&M) Program. The primary purpose of the I&M program is to develop and implement a long-term monitoring program in each network. The purpose of this document is to describe the outcome of a meeting held to find solutions to obstacles inhibiting development of a unified core design and methodology for mountain lake monitoring.

Mountain-Plains Handbook: The Design and Operation of a Residential Family Based Education Program. Appendix. Supplement III to Volume 7. Preparing the Student: The Education Services Division.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mutterer, Richard H.

One of three supplements which accompany chapter 7 of "Mountain-Plains Handbook: The Design and Operation of a Residential, Family Oriented Career Education Model" (CE 014 630), this document contains specific information concerning the mobility and transportation component and marketing and tourism component of the educational services…

Teamwork in high-risk environments analogous to space

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kanki, Barbara G.

1990-01-01

Mountaineering expeditions combine a number of factors which make them potentially good analogs to the planetary exploration facet of long-duration space missions. A study of mountain climbing teams was conducted in order to evaluate the usefulness of the environment as a space analog and to specifically identify the factors and issues surrounding teamwork and 'successful' team performance in two mountaineering environments. This paper focuses on social/organizational factors, including team size and structure, leadership styles and authority structure which were found in the sample of 22 climb teams (122 individuals). The second major issue discussed is the construction of a valid performance measure in this high-risk environment.

Plan for a Sierra Nevada Hydrologic Observatory: Science Aims, Measurement Priorities, Research Opportunities and Expected Impacts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bales, R.; Dozier, J.; Famiglietti, J.; Fogg, G.; Hopmans, J.; Kirchner, J.; Meixner, T.; Molotch, N.; Redmond, K.; Rice, R.; Sickman, J.; Warwick, J.

2004-12-01

In response to NSF's plans to establish a network of hydrologic observatories, a planning group is proposing a Sierra Nevada Hydrologic Observatory (SNHO). As argued in multiple consensus planning documents, the semi-arid mountain West is perhaps the highest priority for new hydrologic understanding. Based on input from over 100 individuals, it is proposed to initiate a mountain-range-scale study of the snow-dominated hydrology of the region, focusing on representative 1,000-5,000 km2 river basins originating in the Sierra Nevada and tributary to the Sacramento-San-Joaquin Delta. The SNHO objective is to provide the necessary infrastructure for improved understanding of surface-water and ground-water systems, their interactions and their linkages with ecosystems, biogeochemistry, agriculture, urban areas and water resources in semi-arid regions. The SNHO will include east-west transects of hydrological observations across the Sierra Nevada and into the basin and range system, in four distinct latitude bands that span much of the variability found in the semi-arid West. At least one transect will include agricultural and urban landscapes of the Great Central Valley. Investments in measurement systems will address scales from the mountain range down to the basin, headwater catchment and study plot. The intent is to provide representative measurements that will yield general knowledge as opposed to site-specific problem solving of a unique system. The broader, general science question posed by the planning group is: How do mountain hydrologic processes vary across landscapes, spanning a range of latitudes, elevations and thus climate, soils, geology and vegetation zones?\\" Embodied are additional broad questions for the hydrologic science community as a whole: (i) How do hydrologic systems that are subjected to multiple perturbations respond? (ii) How do pulses and changes propagate through the hydrologic system? (iii) What are the time lags and delays of stresses in different systems? (iv) How can the predictive ability for these responses be improved? The water resources question is then "how can new information inform decision-making aimed at achieving water resources sustainability?" The planning group is soliciting participation from the wider community with a stake in mountain hydrology and related fields, in order to develop a focused yet broadly useful infrastructure that will accelerate science scientific progress for years and decades to come.

Carbon concentrations and carbon pool distributions in dry, moist, and cold mid-aged forests of the Rocky Mountains

Treesearch

Theresa B. Jain; Russell T. Graham; David Adams

2010-01-01

Although "carbon” management may not be a primary objective in forest management, influencing the distribution, composition, growth, and development of biomass to fulfill multiple objectives is; therefore, given a changing climate, managing carbon could influence future management decisions. Also, typically, the conversion from total biomass to total carbon is 50...

Hydrologic and water-quality data from Mountain Island Lake, North Carolina, 1994-97

USGS Publications Warehouse

Sarver, K.M.; Steiner, B.C.

1998-01-01

Continuous-record water-level gages were established at three sites on Mountain Island Lake and one site downstream from Mountain Island Dam. The water level of Mountain Island Lake is controlled by Duke Power Company releases at Cowans Ford Dam (upstream) and Mountain Island Dam (downstream). Water levels on Mountain Island Lake measured just downstream from Cowans Ford Dam fluctuated 11.15 feet during the study. Water levels just upstream from the Mountain Island Lake forebay fluctuated 6.72 feet during the study. About 3 miles downstream from Mountain Island Dam, water levels fluctuated 5.31 feet. Sampling locations included 14 sites in Mountain Island Lake, plus one downstream river site. At three sites, automated instruments recorded water temperature, dissolved-oxygen concentration, and specific conductance at 15-minute intervals throughout the study. Water temperatures recorded continuously during the study ranged from 4.2 to 35.2 degrees Celsius, and dissolved-oxygen concentrations ranged from 2.1 to 11.8 milligrams per liter. Dissolved-oxygen concentrations generally were inversely related to water temperature, with lowest dissolved-oxygen concentrations typically recorded in the summer. Specific conductance values recorded continuously during the study ranged from 33 to 89 microsiemens per centimeter; however, mean monthly values were fairly consistent throughout the study at all sites (50 to 61 microsiemens per centimeter). In addition, vertical profiles of water temperature, dissolved-oxygen concentration, specific conductance, and pH were measured at all sampling locations during 24 site visits. Water-quality constituent concentrations were determined for seven reservoir sites and the downstream river site during 17 sampling trips. Water-quality samples were routinely analyzed for biochemical oxygen demand, fecal coliform bacteria, hardness, alkalinity, total and volatile suspended solids, nutrients, total organic carbon, chlorophyll, iron, calcium, and magnesium; the samples were analyzed less frequently for trace metals, volatile organic compounds, semivolatile organic compounds, and pesticides. Maximum dissolved nitrite plus nitrate concentrations determined during the study were 0.348 milligram per liter in the mainstem sites and 2.77 milligrams per liter in the coves. Maximum total phosphorus concentrations were 0.143 milligram per liter in the mainstem sites and 0.600 milligram per liter in the coves. Fecal coliform and chlorophyll a concentrations were less than or equal to 160 colonies per 100 milliliters and 13 micrograms per liter, respectively, in all samples. Trace metals detected in at least one sample included arsenic, chromium, copper, lead, nickel, zinc, and antimony. Concentrations of all trace metals (except zinc) were 5.0 micrograms per liter or less; the maximum zinc concentration was 80 micrograms per liter. One set of bottom material samples was collected from Gar Creek and McDowell Creek for chemical analysis and analyzed for nutrients, trace metals, organochlorine pesticides, and semivolatile organic compounds. The only organochlorine pesticide identified in either sample was p,p'-DDE at an estimated concentration of 0.8 microgram per kilogram. Twenty semivolatile organic compounds, mainly polyaromatic hydrocarbons and plasticizers, were identified.

Maternal Education and Micro-Geographic Disparities in Nutritional Status among School-Aged Children in Rural Northwestern China

PubMed Central

Wang, Cuili; Kane, Robert L.; Xu, Dongjuan; Li, Lingui; Guan, Weihua; Li, Hui; Meng, Qingyue

2013-01-01

Objectives Prior evidence suggests geographic disparities in the effect of maternal education on child nutritional status between countries, between regions and between urban and rural areas. We postulated its effect would also vary by micro-geographic locations (indicated by mountain areas, plain areas and the edge areas) in a Chinese minority area. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted with a multistage random sample of 1474 school children aged 5-12 years in Guyuan, China. Child nutritional status was measured by height-for-age z scores (HAZ). Linear mixed models were used to examine its association with place of residence and maternal education. Results Micro-geographic disparities in child nutritional status and the level of socioeconomic composition were found. Children living in mountain areas had poorer nutritional status, even after adjusting for demographic (plain versus mountain, β = 0.16, P = 0.033; edge versus mountain, β = 0.29, P = 0.002) and socioeconomic factors (plain versus mountain, β = 0.12, P = 0.137; edge versus mountain, β = 0.25, P = 0.009). The disparities significantly widened with increasing years of mothers’ schooling (maternal education*plain versus mountain: β = 0.06, P = 0.007; maternal education*edge versus mountain: β = 0.07, P = 0.005). Moreover, the association between maternal education and child nutrition was negative (β = -0.03, P = 0.056) in mountain areas but positive in plain areas (β = 0.02, P = 0.094) or in the edge areas (β = 0.04, P = 0.055). Conclusions Micro-geographic disparities in child nutritional status increase with increasing level of maternal education and the effect of maternal education varies by micro-geographic locations, which exacerbates child health inequity. Educating rural girls alone is not sufficient; improving unfavorable conditions in mountain areas might make such investments more effective in promoting child health. Nutrition programs targeting to the least educated groups in plain and in edge areas would be critical to their cost-effectiveness. PMID:24340034

Past landscape dynamics in mountain territories: historical trajectory of vulnerability in the Vars catchment (French Alps)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Puissant, Anne; Cioloboc, Florin; Schlosser, Arnaud; Gazo, Aurelien; Martin, Brice; Malet, Jean-Philippe

2016-04-01

Over the last decades and centuries, mountain landscapes have experiment natural and man-made landcover/use changes with mainly the development of tourism activities and the reduction of agro-pastoral activities. These transformations have directly influenced the spatial organization of mountain landscapes. To better anticipate the future exposure of the territory to natural hazards, decision-makers need retrospective analyses of the past changes. In the frame of the SAMCO project, whose objective is to propose mountain risk assessment methodologies in the context of global changes, this research presents a retrospective analysis of land cover/use changes (from 1948 to 2013) in the Vars catchment (French South Alps) submitted to several natural hazards (rockfall, landslide, and flood). Database of elements at risk has been built for five dates and evolution of vulnerability is performed through a versatile GIS-based analysis tool developed for the estimation of vulnerability indicators (physical, economical, social) at a fine scale (1:5000). Results allow identifying several areas with different trajectories of vulnerability which can be use as input data for risk analysis and define future trends.

Guidelines for evaluating air pollution impacts on wilderness within the Rocky Mountain Region: Report of a workshop, 1990

Treesearch

Dennis Haddow; Robert Musselman; Tamara Blett; Richard Fisher

1998-01-01

This document is the product of an ongoing effort begun at a 4-day workshop sponsored by the Rocky Mountain Region of the USDA Forest Service, held in December 1990 in Estes Park, Colorado. Workshop participants gathered in groups to work on pollution impacts in three specific areas: aquatic ecosystems; terrestrial ecosystems; and visibility. Because the groups met...

Occurrence and molecular analysis of Balantidium coli in mountain gorilla (Gorilla beringei beringei) in the Volcanoes National Park, Rwanda.

PubMed

Hassell, James M; Blake, Damer P; Cranfield, Michael R; Ramer, Jan; Hogan, Jennifer N; Noheli, Jean Bosco; Waters, Michael; Hermosilla, Carlos

2013-10-01

Cysts morphologically resembling Balantidium coli were identified in the feces of a mountain gorilla (Gorilla beringei beringei). Confirmatory PCR and sequencing revealed two distinct B. coli-specific sequences (ITS-1, sub-types A0 and B1). This represents the first report of B. coli in this species, raising the possibility of infection from a reservoir host.

Trade-Offs between Growth Rate, Tree Size and Lifespan of Mountain Pine (Pinus montana) in the Swiss National Park

PubMed Central

Bigler, Christof

2016-01-01

A within-species trade-off between growth rates and lifespan has been observed across different taxa of trees, however, there is some uncertainty whether this trade-off also applies to shade-intolerant tree species. The main objective of this study was to investigate the relationships between radial growth, tree size and lifespan of shade-intolerant mountain pines. For 200 dead standing mountain pines (Pinus montana) located along gradients of aspect, slope steepness and elevation in the Swiss National Park, radial annual growth rates and lifespan were reconstructed. While early growth (i.e. mean tree-ring width over the first 50 years) correlated positively with diameter at the time of tree death, a negative correlation resulted with lifespan, i.e. rapidly growing mountain pines face a trade-off between reaching a large diameter at the cost of early tree death. Slowly growing mountain pines may reach a large diameter and a long lifespan, but risk to die young at a small size. Early growth was not correlated with temperature or precipitation over the growing period. Variability in lifespan was further contingent on aspect, slope steepness and elevation. The shade-intolerant mountain pines follow diverging growth trajectories that are imposed by extrinsic environmental influences. The resulting trade-offs between growth rate, tree size and lifespan advance our understanding of tree population dynamics, which may ultimately improve projections of forest dynamics under changing environmental conditions. PMID:26930294

Long-distance mountain biking does not disturb the measurement of total, free or complexed prostate-specific antigen in healthy men.

PubMed

Herrmann, Markus; Scharhag, Jürgen; Sand-Hill, Marga; Kindermann, Wilfried; Herrmann, Wolfgang

2004-03-01

Mechanical manipulation of the prostate is a generally accepted interfering factor for the measurement of prostate-specific antigen (PSA). However, only few studies have focused on common daily mechanical manipulations, such as bicycle riding. Furthermore, physical exercise is also supposed to modulate PSA serum concentration. Long-distance mountain biking is an excellent model to study the combined effect of mechanical prostate manipulation by bicycle riding and strenuous endurance exercise on total, free and complexed PSA (tPSA, fPSA, cPSA). We investigated tPSA, fPSA and cPSA in 42 healthy male cyclists (mean age 35+/-6 years) before and after a 120 km off-road mountain bike race. Blood sampling was done before, 15 min and 3 h after the race. Mean race time was 342+/-65 min. All athletes had normal serum levels of tPSA, fPSA or cPSA. None of these parameters was modified by the race. In healthy men the measurement of tPSA, fPSA and cPSA is not disturbed by preceding long distance mountain biking or endurance exercise. Based on the present data, there is no evidence for a recommendation to limit bicycle riding or physical activity before the measurement of tPSA, fPSA or cPSA.

A novel application of RNase H2-dependent quantitative PCR for detection and quantification of Grosmannia clavigera, a mountain pine beetle fungal symbiont, in environmental samples

PubMed Central

McAllister, Chandra H; Fortier, Colleen E; St Onge, Kate R; Sacchi, Bianca M; Nawrot, Meaghan J; Locke, Troy

2018-01-01

Abstract Mountain pine beetle (Dendroctonus ponderosae Hopkins; MPB) is an economically and ecologically important pest of pine species in western North America. Mountain pine beetles form complex multipartite relationships with microbial partners, including the ophiostomoid fungi Grosmannia clavigera (Robinson-Jeffrey and Davidson) Zipfel, de Beer and Wingfield, Ophiostoma montium (Rumbold) von Arx, Grosmannia aurea (Robinson-Jeffrey and Davidson) Zipfel, de Beer and Wingfield, Leptographium longiclavatum (Lee, Kim, and Breuil) and Leptographium terebrantis (Barras and Perry). These fungi are vectored by MPB to new pine hosts, where the fungi overcome host defenses to grow into the sapwood. A tree’s relative susceptibility to these fungi is conventionally assessed by measuring lesions that develop in response to fungal inoculation. However, these lesions represent a symptom of infection, representing both fungal growth and tree defense capacity. In order to more objectively assess fungal virulence and host tree susceptibility in studies of host–pathogen interactions, a reliable, consistent, sensitive method is required to accurately identify and quantify MPB-associated fungal symbionts in planta. We have adapted RNase H2-dependent PCR, a technique originally designed for rare allele discrimination, to develop a novel RNase H2-dependent quantitative PCR (rh-qPCR) assay that shows greater specificity and sensitivity than previously published PCR-based methods to quantify MPB fungal symbionts in pine xylem and MPB whole beetles. Two sets of assay probes were designed: one that amplifies a broad range of ophiostomoid species, and a second that amplifies G. clavigera but not other MPB-associated ophiostomoid species. Using these primers to quantify G. clavigera in pine stems, we provide evidence that lesion length does not accurately reflect the extent of fungal colonization along the stem nor the quantity of fungal growth within this colonized portion of stem. The sensitivity, specificity, reproducibility, cost effectiveness and high-throughput potential of the rh-qPCR assay makes the technology suitable for identification and quantification of a wide array of pathogenic and beneficial microbes that form associations with plants and other organisms, even when the microbial partner is present in low abundance. PMID:29329457

The Olympic Mountains Experiment (OLYMPEX)

DOE PAGES

Houze, Robert A.; McMurdie, Lynn A.; Petersen, Walter A.; ...

2017-10-30

The Olympic Mountains Experiment (OLYMPEX) took place during the 2015/16 fall–winter season in the vicinity of the mountainous Olympic Peninsula of Washington State. The goals of OLYMPEX were to provide physical and hydrologic ground validation for the U.S.–Japan Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) satellite mission and, more specifically, to study how precipitation in Pacific frontal systems is modified by passage over coastal mountains. Four transportable scanning dual-polarization Doppler radars of various wavelengths were installed for this study. Surface stations were placed at various altitudes to measure precipitation rates, particle size distributions, and fall velocities. Autonomous recording cameras monitored and recorded snowmore » accumulation. Four research aircraft supplied by NASA investigated precipitation processes and snow cover, and supplemental rawinsondes and dropsondes were deployed during precipitation events. Finally, numerous Pacific frontal systems were sampled, including several reaching “atmospheric river” status, warm- and cold-frontal systems, and postfrontal convection.« less

The Olympic Mountains Experiment (OLYMPEX)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Houze, Robert A.; McMurdie, Lynn A.; Petersen, Walter A.

The Olympic Mountains Experiment (OLYMPEX) took place during the 2015/16 fall–winter season in the vicinity of the mountainous Olympic Peninsula of Washington State. The goals of OLYMPEX were to provide physical and hydrologic ground validation for the U.S.–Japan Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) satellite mission and, more specifically, to study how precipitation in Pacific frontal systems is modified by passage over coastal mountains. Four transportable scanning dual-polarization Doppler radars of various wavelengths were installed for this study. Surface stations were placed at various altitudes to measure precipitation rates, particle size distributions, and fall velocities. Autonomous recording cameras monitored and recorded snowmore » accumulation. Four research aircraft supplied by NASA investigated precipitation processes and snow cover, and supplemental rawinsondes and dropsondes were deployed during precipitation events. Finally, numerous Pacific frontal systems were sampled, including several reaching “atmospheric river” status, warm- and cold-frontal systems, and postfrontal convection.« less

The Olympic Mountains Experiment (OLYMPEX)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Houze, Robert A.; McMurdie, Lynn A.; Petersen, Walter A.

the Olympic Mountains Experiment (OLYMPEX) took place during the 2015-2016 fall-winter season in the vicinity of the mountainous Olympic Peninsula of Washington State. The goals of OLYMPEX were to provide physical and hydrologic ground validation for the U.S./Japan Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) satellite mission and, more specifically, to study how precipitation in Pacific frontal systems is modified by passage over coastal mountains. Four transportable scanning dual-polarization Doppler radars of various wavelengths were installed. Surface stations were placed at various altitudes to measure precipitation rates, particle size distributions, and fall velocities. Autonomous recording cameras monitored and recorded snow accumulation. Four researchmore » aircraft supplied by NASA investigated precipitation processes and snow cover, and supplemental rawinsondes and dropsondes were deployed during precipitation events. Numerous Pacific frontal systems were sampled, including several reaching "atmospheric river" status, warm and cold frontal systems, and postfrontal convection« less

Using noble gases to investigate mountain-front recharge

USGS Publications Warehouse

Manning, A.H.; Solomon, D.K.

2003-01-01

Mountain-front recharge is a major component of recharge to inter-mountain basin-fill aquifers. The two components of mountain-front recharge are (1) subsurface inflow from the mountain block (subsurface inflow), and (2) infiltration from perennial and ephemeral streams near the mountain front (stream seepage). The magnitude of subsurface inflow is of central importance in source protection planning for basin-fill aquifers and in some water rights disputes, yet existing estimates carry large uncertainties. Stable isotope ratios can indicate the magnitude of mountain-front recharge relative to other components, but are generally incapable of distinguishing subsurface inflow from stream seepage. Noble gases provide an effective tool for determining the relative significance of subsurface inflow, specifically. Dissolved noble gas concentrations allow for the determination of recharge temperature, which is correlated with recharge elevation. The nature of this correlation cannot be assumed, however, and must be derived for the study area. The method is applied to the Salt Lake Valley Principal Aquifer in northern Utah to demonstrate its utility. Samples from 16 springs and mine tunnels in the adjacent Wasatch Mountains indicate that recharge temperature decreases with elevation at about the same rate as the mean annual air temperature, but is on average about 2??C cooler. Samples from 27 valley production wells yield recharge elevations ranging from the valley elevation (about 1500 m) to mid-mountain elevation (about 2500 m). Only six of the wells have recharge elevations less than 1800 m. Recharge elevations consistently greater than 2000 m in the southeastern part of the basin indicate that subsurface inflow constitutes most of the total recharge in this area. ?? 2003 Published by Elsevier Science B.V.

Influence of orographic precipitation on the incision within a mountain-piedmont system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zavala, Valeria; Carretier, Sébastien; Bonnet, Stephane

2017-04-01

The geomorphological evolution of a mountain-piedmont system depends both on tectonics and climate, as well as on couplings between the mountain and its piedmont. Although the interactions between climate and tectonics are a fundamental point for understanding the landscape evolution, the erosion of a mountain range and the sediment deposition at the mountain front, or piedmont, have been poorly studied as a coupled system. Here we focus on the conditions driving an incision within such a system. Classically, it is thought that incision results from a change in climate or uplift rates. However, it is not clear which are the specific conditions that favor the occurrence of river incision in the piedmont. In particular, studies have shown that the presence of a piedmont can modify the incision patterns, and even drive autogenic incision, without any change in external forcings. This is a crucial issue in order to interpret natural incisions in terms of uplift or climatic modifications. Such a problem is further complicated by the modification of local precipitations and temperatures during uplift, because the progressive effect of climate change may superimpose to uplift. In this work we explore the hypothesis that a mountain-piedmont coupled system may develop incision in its piedmont as a result of enhanced orographic precipitations during surface uplift. We use a landscape evolution model, Cidre, in order to explore the response of a mountain-piemont system in which the mountain is continuously uplifted but in which precipitation rates depend on elevations. Thus precipitation amounts change during the mountain uplift. We test different peaks and amplitudes of the orographic precipitation pattern, maintaining the other conditions constant. Preliminary results show that elevation-dependent precipitations drive temporary but pronounced incisions of the main rivers within the piedmont, contrary to experiments without orographic precipitations.

National coal resource assessment non-proprietary data: Location, stratigraphy, and coal quality for selected tertiary coal in the Northern Rocky Mountains and Great Plains region

USGS Publications Warehouse

Flores, Romeo M.; Ochs, A.M.; Stricker, G.D.; Ellis, M.S.; Roberts, S.B.; Keighin, C.W.; Murphy, E.C.; Cavaroc, V.V.; Johnson, R.C.; Wilde, E.M.

1999-01-01

One of the objectives of the National Coal Resource Assessment in the Northern Rocky Mountains and Great Plains region was to compile stratigraphic and coal quality-trace-element data on selected and potentially minable coal beds and zones of the Fort Union Formation (Paleocene) and equivalent formations. In order to implement this objective, drill-hole information was compiled from hard-copy and digital files of the: (1) U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM) offices in Casper, Rawlins, and Rock Springs, Wyoming, and in Billings, Montana, (2) State geological surveys of Montana, North Dakota, and Wyoming, (3) Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality in Cheyenne, (4) U.S. Office of Surface Mining in Denver, Colorado, (5) U.S. Geological Survey, National Coal Resource Data System (NCRDS) in Reston, Virginia, (6) U.S. Geological Survey coal publications, (7) university theses, and (8) mining companies.

Equilibrium of vegetation and climate at the European rear edge. A reference for climate change planning in mountainous Mediterranean regions.

PubMed

Ruiz-Labourdette, Diego; Martínez, Felipe; Martín-López, Berta; Montes, Carlos; Pineda, Francisco D

2011-05-01

Mediterranean mountains harbour some of Europe's highest floristic richness. This is accounted for largely by the mesoclimatic variety in these areas, along with the co-occurrence of a small area of Eurosiberian, Boreal and Mediterranean species, and those of Tertiary Subtropical origin. Throughout the twenty-first century, we are likely to witness a climate change-related modification of the biogeographic scenario in these mountains, and there is therefore a need for accurate climate regionalisations to serve as a reference of the abundance and distribution of species and communities, particularly those of a relictic nature. This paper presents an objective mapping method focussing on climate regions in a mountain range. The procedure was tested in the Cordillera Central Mountains of the Iberian Peninsula, in the western Mediterranean, one of the ranges occupying the largest area of the Mediterranean Basin. This regionalisation is based upon multivariate analyses and upon detailed cartography employing 27 climatic variables. We used spatial interpolation of data based on geographic information. We detected high climatic diversity in the mountain range studied. We identified 13 climatic regions, all of which form a varying mosaic throughout the annual temperature and rainfall cycle. This heterogeneity results from two geographically opposed gradients. The first one is the Mediterranean-Euro-Siberian variation of the mountain range. The second gradient involves the degree of oceanicity, which is negatively related to distance from the Atlantic Ocean. The existing correlation between the climatic regions detected and the flora existing therein enables the results to be situated within the projected trends of global warming, and their biogeographic and ecological consequences to be analysed.

Spatial and temporal interactions of sympatric mountain lions in Arizona

USGS Publications Warehouse

Nicholson, Kerry L.; Krausman, Paul R.; Munguia-Vega, Adrian; Culver, Melanie

2011-01-01

Spatial and temporal interactions among individual members of populations can have direct applications to habitat management of mountain lions (Puma concolor). Our objectives were to evaluate home range overlap and spatial/temporal use of overlap zones (OZ) of mountain lions in Arizona. We incorporated spatial data with genetic analyses to assess relatedness between mountain lions with overlapping home ranges. We recorded the space use patterns of 29 radio-collared mountain lions in Arizona from August 2005 to August 2008. We genotyped 28 mountain lions and estimated the degree of relatedness among individuals. For 26 pairs of temporally overlapping mountain lions, 18 overlapped spatially and temporally and eight had corresponding genetic information. Home range overlap ranged from 1.18% to 46.38% (x̄=2443, SE = 2.96). Male–male pairs were located within 1 km of each other on average, 0.04% of the time, whereas male–female pairs on average were 3.0%. Two male–male pairs exhibited symmetrical spatial avoidance and two symmetrical spatial attractions to the OZ. We observed simultaneous temporal attraction in three male–male pairs and four male–female pairs. Individuals from Tucson were slightly related to one another within the population (n = 13, mean R = 0.0373 ± 0.0151) whereas lions from Payson (n = 6, mean R = -0.0079 ± 0.0356) and Prescott (n = 9, mean R = -0.0242 ± 0.0452) were not as related. Overall, males were less related to other males (n = 20, mean R = -0.0495 ± 0.0161) than females were related to other females (n = 8, mean R = 0.0015 ± 0.0839). Genetic distance was positively correlated with geographic distance (r2 = 0.22, P = 0.001). Spatial requirements and interactions influence social behavior and can play a role in determining population density.

A field- and laboratory-based quantitative analysis of alluvium: Relating analytical results to TIMS data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wenrich, Melissa L.; Hamilton, Victoria E.; Christensen, Philip R.

1995-01-01

Thermal Infrared Multispectral Scanner (TIMS) data were acquired over the McDowell Mountains northeast of Scottsdale, Arizona during August 1994. The raw data were processed to emphasize lithologic differences using a decorrelation stretch and assigning bands 5, 3, and 1 to red, green, and blue, respectively. Processed data of alluvium flanking the mountains exhibit moderate color variation. The objective of this study was to determine, using a quantitative approach, what environmental variable(s), in the absence of bedrock, is/are responsible for influencing the spectral properties of the desert alluvial surface.

Integrating GIS-based geologic mapping, LiDAR-based lineament analysis and site specific rock slope data to delineate a zone of existing and potential rock slope instability located along the grandfather mountain window-Linville Falls shear zone contact, Southern Appalachian Mountains, Watauga County, North Carolina

USGS Publications Warehouse

Gillon, K.A.; Wooten, R.M.; Latham, R.L.; Witt, A.W.; Douglas, T.J.; Bauer, J.B.; Fuemmeler, S.J.

2009-01-01

Landslide hazard maps of Watauga County identify >2200 landslides, model debris flow susceptibility, and evaluate a 14km x 0.5km zone of existing and potential rock slope instability (ZEPRSI) near the Town of Boone. The ZEPRSI encompasses west-northwest trending (WNWT) topographic ridges where 14 active/past-active rock/weathered rock slides occur mainly in rocks of the Grandfather Mountain Window (GMW). The north side of this ridgeline is the GMW / Linville Falls Fault (LFF) contact. Sheared rocks of the Linville Falls Shear Zone (LFSZ) occur along the ridge and locally in the valley north of the contact. The valley is underlain principally by layered granitic gneiss comprising the Linville Falls/Beech Mountain/Stone Mountain Thrust Sheet. The integration of ArcGIS??? - format digital geologic and lineament mapping on a 6m LiDAR (Light Detecting and Ranging) digital elevation model (DEM) base, and kinematic analyses of site specific rock slope data (e.g., presence and degree of ductile and brittle deformation fabrics, rock type, rock weathering state) indicate: WNWT lineaments are expressions of a regionally extensive zone of fractures and faults; and ZEPRSI rock slope failures concentrate along excavated, north-facing LFF/LFSZ slopes where brittle fabrics overprint older metamorphic foliations, and other fractures create side and back release surfaces. Copyright 2009 ARMA, American Rock Mechanics Association.

Measurement of the Earth's Radius Based on Historical Evidence of Its Curvature

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Roura, Pere; Josep, Calbo

2005-01-01

Probably the most direct observation of the Earth's curvature is how objects appear from over the horizon when we approach them and disappear as we get further away from them. Similarly, the portion of a high object (a building or a mountain) that is visible depends on the height of the site where the observation is made. Based upon these very…

Winter Precipitation Efficiency of Mountain Ranges in the Colorado Rockies Under Climate Change

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Eidhammer, Trude; Grubišić, Vanda; Rasmussen, Roy; Ikdea, Kyoko

2018-03-01

Orographic precipitation depends on the environmental conditions and the barrier shape. In this study we examine the sensitivity of the precipitation efficiency (i.e., drying ratio (DR)), defined as the ratio of precipitation to incoming water flux, to mountain shape, temperature, stability, and horizontal velocity of the incoming air mass. Furthermore, we explore how the DR of Colorado mountain ranges might change under warmer and moister conditions in the future. For given environmental conditions, we find the DR to be primarily dependent on the upwind slope for mountain ranges wider than about 70 km and on both the slope and width for narrower ranges. Temperature is found to exert an influence on the DR for all Colorado mountain ranges, with DR decreasing with increasing temperature, under both the current and future climate conditions. The decrease of DR with temperature under warmer climate was found to be stronger for wider mountains than the narrower ones. We attribute this asymmetry to the sensitivity of DR to reduced horizontal velocity under warmer conditions. Specifically, while DR for wider mountains shows no sensitivity to changes in horizontal velocity, the DR for narrow ranges increases as the horizontal velocity decreases and more time is provided for precipitation to form. Thus, for narrower ranges, the horizontal velocity appears to offset the temperature effect slightly. The percentagewise decrease of DR for all examined mountain ranges is about 4%K-1. In comparison, the increase in precipitation is about 6%K-1 while the vapor flux increase is about 9%K-1.

Rocky Mountain spotted fever from an unexpected tick vector in Arizona.

PubMed

Demma, Linda J; Traeger, Marc S; Nicholson, William L; Paddock, Christopher D; Blau, Dianna M; Eremeeva, Marina E; Dasch, Gregory A; Levin, Michael L; Singleton, Joseph; Zaki, Sherif R; Cheek, James E; Swerdlow, David L; McQuiston, Jennifer H

2005-08-11

Rocky Mountain spotted fever is a life-threatening, tick-borne disease caused by Rickettsia rickettsii. This disease is rarely reported in Arizona, and the principal vectors, Dermacentor species ticks, are uncommon in the state. From 2002 through 2004, a focus of Rocky Mountain spotted fever was investigated in rural eastern Arizona. We obtained blood and tissue specimens from patients with suspected Rocky Mountain spotted fever and ticks from patients' homesites. Serologic, molecular, immunohistochemical, and culture assays were performed to identify the causative agent. On the basis of specific laboratory criteria, patients were classified as having confirmed or probable Rocky Mountain spotted fever infection. A total of 16 patients with Rocky Mountain spotted fever infection (11 with confirmed and 5 with probable infection) were identified. Of these patients, 13 (81 percent) were children 12 years of age or younger, 15 (94 percent) were hospitalized, and 2 (12 percent) died. Dense populations of Rhipicephalus sanguineus ticks were found on dogs and in the yards of patients' homesites. All patients with confirmed Rocky Mountain spotted fever had contact with tick-infested dogs, and four had a reported history of tick bite preceding the illness. R. rickettsii DNA was detected in nonengorged R. sanguineus ticks collected at one home, and R. rickettsii isolates were cultured from these ticks. This investigation documents the presence of Rocky Mountain spotted fever in eastern Arizona, with common brown dog ticks (R. sanguineus) implicated as a vector of R. rickettsii. The broad distribution of this common tick raises concern about its potential to transmit R. rickettsii in other settings. Copyright 2005 Massachusetts Medical Society.

Integrating science into management of ecosystems in the Greater Blue Mountains.

PubMed

Chapple, Rosalie S; Ramp, Daniel; Bradstock, Ross A; Kingsford, Richard T; Merson, John A; Auld, Tony D; Fleming, Peter J S; Mulley, Robert C

2011-10-01

Effective management of large protected conservation areas is challenged by political, institutional and environmental complexity and inconsistency. Knowledge generation and its uptake into management are crucial to address these challenges. We reflect on practice at the interface between science and management of the Greater Blue Mountains World Heritage Area (GBMWHA), which covers approximately 1 million hectares west of Sydney, Australia. Multiple government agencies and other stakeholders are involved in its management, and decision-making is confounded by numerous plans of management and competing values and goals, reflecting the different objectives and responsibilities of stakeholders. To highlight the complexities of the decision-making process for this large area, we draw on the outcomes of a recent collaborative research project and focus on fire regimes and wild-dog control as examples of how existing knowledge is integrated into management. The collaborative research project achieved the objectives of collating and synthesizing biological data for the region; however, transfer of the project's outcomes to management has proved problematic. Reasons attributed to this include lack of clearly defined management objectives to guide research directions and uptake, and scientific information not being made more understandable and accessible. A key role of a local bridging organisation (e.g., the Blue Mountains World Heritage Institute) in linking science and management is ensuring that research results with management significance can be effectively transmitted to agencies and that outcomes are explained for nonspecialists as well as more widely distributed. We conclude that improved links between science, policy, and management within an adaptive learning-by-doing framework for the GBMWHA would assist the usefulness and uptake of future research.

Integrating Science into Management of Ecosystems in the Greater Blue Mountains

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chapple, Rosalie S.; Ramp, Daniel; Bradstock, Ross A.; Kingsford, Richard T.; Merson, John A.; Auld, Tony D.; Fleming, Peter J. S.; Mulley, Robert C.

2011-10-01

Effective management of large protected conservation areas is challenged by political, institutional and environmental complexity and inconsistency. Knowledge generation and its uptake into management are crucial to address these challenges. We reflect on practice at the interface between science and management of the Greater Blue Mountains World Heritage Area (GBMWHA), which covers approximately 1 million hectares west of Sydney, Australia. Multiple government agencies and other stakeholders are involved in its management, and decision-making is confounded by numerous plans of management and competing values and goals, reflecting the different objectives and responsibilities of stakeholders. To highlight the complexities of the decision-making process for this large area, we draw on the outcomes of a recent collaborative research project and focus on fire regimes and wild-dog control as examples of how existing knowledge is integrated into management. The collaborative research project achieved the objectives of collating and synthesizing biological data for the region; however, transfer of the project's outcomes to management has proved problematic. Reasons attributed to this include lack of clearly defined management objectives to guide research directions and uptake, and scientific information not being made more understandable and accessible. A key role of a local bridging organisation (e.g., the Blue Mountains World Heritage Institute) in linking science and management is ensuring that research results with management significance can be effectively transmitted to agencies and that outcomes are explained for nonspecialists as well as more widely distributed. We conclude that improved links between science, policy, and management within an adaptive learning-by-doing framework for the GBMWHA would assist the usefulness and uptake of future research.

Feline immunodeficiency virus cross-species transmission: Implications for emergence of new lentiviral infections

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lee, Justin; Malmberg, Jennifer L.; Wood, Britta A.; Hladky, Sahaja; Troyer, Ryan; Roelke, Melody; Cunningham, Mark W.; McBride, Roy; Vickers, Winston; Boyce, Walter; Boydston, Erin E.; Serieys, Laurel E.K.; Riley, Seth P D; Crooks, Kevin R.; VandeWoude, Sue

2016-01-01

Owing to a complex history of host-parasite coevolution, lentiviruses exhibit a high degree of species specificity. Given the well-documented viral archeology of HIV emergence following human exposures to SIV, understanding processes that promote successful cross-species lentiviral transmissions is highly relevant. We have previously reported natural cross-species transmission of a subtype of feline immunodeficiency virus, puma lentivirus A (PLVA), between bobcats (Lynx rufus) and mountain lions (Puma concolor) in a small number of animals in California and Florida. In this study we investigate host-specific selection pressures, within-host viral fitness, and inter- vs. intra-species transmission patterns among a larger collection of PLV isolates from free-ranging bobcats and mountain lions. Analysis of proviral and viral RNA levels demonstrates that PLVA fitness is severely restricted in mountain lions compared to bobcats. We document evidence of diversifying selection in three of six PLVA genomes from mountain lions, but did not detect selection among twenty PLVA isolates from bobcats. These findings support that PLVA is a bobcat-adapted virus, which is less fit in mountain lions and under intense selection pressure in the novel host. Ancestral reconstruction of transmission events reveals intraspecific PLVA transmission has occurred among panthers (Puma concolor coryi) in Florida following initial cross-species infection from bobcats. In contrast, interspecific transmission from bobcats to mountain lions predominates in California. These findings document outcomes of cross-species lentiviral transmission events among felids that compare to emergence of HIV from nonhuman primates.IMPORTANCE Cross-species transmission episodes can be singular, dead-end events or can result in viral replication and spread in the new species. The factors that determine which outcome will occur are complex, and the risk of new virus emergence is therefore difficult to predict. Here we use molecular techniques to evaluate transmission, fitness, and adaptation of puma lentivirus A (PLVA) between bobcats and mountain lions in two geographic regions. Our findings illustrate that mountain lion exposure to PLVA is relatively common, but does not routinely result in infections communicable in the new host. This is attributed to efficient species barriers that largely prevent lentiviral adaptation. However, the evolutionary capacity for lentiviruses to adapt to novel environments may ultimately overcome host restriction mechanisms over time and under certain ecological circumstances. This phenomenon provides a unique opportunity to examine cross-species transmission events leading to new lentiviral emergence.

Geothermal data for 95 thermal and nonthermal waters of the Valles Caldera - southern Jemez Mountains region, New Mexico

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Goff, F.; McCormick, Trujillo, P.E. Jr.; Counce, D.

1982-05-01

Field, chemical, and isotopic data for 95 thermal and nonthermal waters of the southern Jemez Mountains, New Mexico are presented. This region includes all thermal and mineral waters associated with Valles Caldera and many of those located near the Nacimiento Uplift, near San Ysidro. Waters of the region can be categorized into five general types: (1) surface and near surface meteoric waters; (2) acid-sulfate waters (Valles Caldera); (3) thermal meteoric waters (Valles Caldera); (4) deep geothermal and derivative waters (Valles Caldera); and (5) mineralized waters near San Ysidro. Some waters display chemical and isotopic characteristics intermediate between the types listed.more » The object of the data is to help interpret geothermal potential of the Jemez Mountains region and to provide background data for investigating problems in hydrology, structural geology, hydrothermal alterations, and hydrothermal solution chemistry.« less

Letter Report: Yucca Mountain Environmental Monitoring Systems Initiative - Air Quality Scoping Study for Caliente, Lincoln County, Nevada

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

J. Englebrecht; I. Kavouras; D. Campbell

2008-08-01

The Desert Research Institute (DRI) is performing a scoping study as part of the U.S. Department of Energy's Yucca Mountain Environmental Monitoring Systems Initiative (EMSI). The main objective is to obtain baseline air quality information for Yucca Mountain and an area surrounding the Nevada Test Site (NTS). Air quality and meteorological monitoring and sampling equipment housed in a mobile trailer (shelter) is collecting data at eight sites outside the NTS, including Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge (NWR), Beatty, Sarcobatus Flats, Rachel, Caliente, Pahranagat NWR, Crater Flat, and Tonopah Airport, and at four sites on the NTS (Engelbrecht et al., 2007a-d).more » The trailer is stationed at any one site for approximately eight weeks at a time. This letter report provides a summary of air quality and meteorological data, on completion of the site's sampling program.« less

Letter Report: Yucca Mountain Environmental Monitoring Systems Initiative - Air Quality Scoping Study for Pahranagat National Wildlife Refuge, Lincoln County, Nevada

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

J. Englebrecht; I. Kavouras; D. Campbell

2008-08-01

The Desert Research Institute (DRI) is performing a scoping study as part of the U.S. Department of Energy's Yucca Mountain Environmental Monitoring Systems Initiative (EMSI). The main objective is to obtain baseline air quality information for Yucca Mountain and an area surrounding the Nevada Test Site (NTS). Air quality and meteorological monitoring and sampling equipment housed in a mobile trailer (shelter) is collecting data at eight sites outside the NTS, including Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge (NWR), Pahranagat NWR, Beatty, Rachel, Caliente, Crater Flat, and Tonopah Airport, and at four sites on the NTS (Engelbrecht et al., 2007a-d). The trailermore » is stationed at any one site for approximately eight weeks at a time. This letter report provides a summary of air quality and meteorological data on completion of the site's sampling program.« less

Letter Report Yucca Mountain Environmental Monitoring Systems Initiative - Air Quality Scoping Study for Pahranagat National Wildlife Refuge, Lincoln County, Nevada

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

J. Engelbrecht; I. Kavouras; D. Campbell

2009-04-02

The Desert Research Institute (DRI) is performing a scoping study as part of the U.S. Department of Energy's Yucca Mountain Environmental Monitoring Systems Initiative (EMSI). The main objective is to obtain baseline air quality information for Yucca Mountain and an area surrounding the Nevada Test Site (NTS). Air quality and meteorological monitoring and sampling equipment housed in a mobile trailer (shelter) is collecting data at eight sites outside the NTS, including Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge (NWR), Pahranagat NWR, Beatty, Rachel, Caliente, Crater Flat, and Tonopah Airport, and at four sites on the NTS (Engelbrecht et al., 2007a-d). The trailermore » is stationed at any one site for approximately eight weeks at a time. This letter report provides a summary of air quality and meteorological data on completion of the site's sampling program.« less

DOE/NV/26383-LTR2008-01 Letter Report Yucca Mountain Environmental Monitoring Systems Initiative - Air Quality Scoping Study for Caliente, Lincoln County, Nevada

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

J. Engelbrecht; I. Kavouras; D. Campbell

2009-04-02

The Desert Research Institute (DRI) is performing a scoping study as part of the U.S. Department of Energy's Yucca Mountain Environmental Monitoring Systems Initiative (EMSI). The main objective is to obtain baseline air quality information for Yucca Mountain and an area surrounding the Nevada Test Site (NTS). Air quality and meteorological monitoring and sampling equipment housed in a mobile trailer (shelter) is collecting data at eight sites outside the NTS, including Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge (NWR), Beatty, Sarcobatus Flats, Rachel, Caliente, Pahranagat NWR, Crater Flat, and Tonopah Airport, and at four sites on the NTS (Engelbrecht et al., 2007a-d).more » The trailer is stationed at any one site for approximately eight weeks at a time. This letter report provides a summary of air quality and meteorological data, on completion of the site's sampling program.« less

Growth response and drought susceptibility of red spruce seedlings exposed to simulated acidic rain and ozone

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lee, W.S.; Chevone, B.I.; Seiler, J.R.

1988-01-01

Red spruce (Picea rubens Sarg.) is a long-lived, shade-tolerant tree that is commonly present in the cool, moist climates at high elevations of the Appalachian Mountains. Recently, an accelerated decline of red spruce has been reported in the northern Appalachians in the Green Mountains on Camels Hump, Vermont and on Whiteface Mountain in New York as well as in the mid and southern Appalachians. Even though many possible causes of this decline have been suggested, none have been established conclusively at present. High acid inputs and elevated concentrations of heavy metals, in addition to ozone stress, have been strongly suspectedmore » as contributing factors for the decline. The objectives of this research is to investigate the efforts of simulated acidic rain and ozone on growth and drought susceptibility of red spruce seedlings by measuring biomass, foliar nutrient status, root hydraulic conductivity, and gas exchange rates.« less

Letter Report Yucca Mountain Environmental Monitoring Systems Initiative - Air Quality Scoping Study for Tonopah Airport, Nye County, Nevada

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

J. Engelbrecht; I. Kavouras; D. Campbell

2009-04-02

The Desert Research Institute (DRI) is performing a scoping study as part of the U.S. Department of Energy's Yucca Mountain Environmental Monitoring Systems Initiative (EMSI). The main objective is to obtain baseline air quality information for Yucca Mountain and an area surrounding the Nevada Test Site (NTS). Air quality and meteorological monitoring and sampling equipment housed in a mobile trailer (shelter) is collecting data at eight sites outside the NTS, including Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge (NWR), Tonopah Airport, Beatty, Rachel, Caliente, Pahranagat NWR, Crater Flat, and the Tonopah Airport, and at four sites on the NTS (Engelbrecht et al.,more » 2007a-d). The trailer is stationed at any one site for approximately eight weeks at a time. This letter report provides a summary of air quality and meteorological data, on completion of the site's sampling program.« less

Letter Report: Yucca Mountain Environmental Monitoring Systems Initiative - Air Quality Scoping Study for Tonopah Airport, Nye County, Nevada

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

J. Engelbrecht; I. Kavouras; D Campbell

2008-08-01

The Desert Research Institute (DRI) is performing a scoping study as part of the U.S. Department of Energy's Yucca Mountain Environmental Monitoring Systems Initiative (EMSI). The main objective is to obtain baseline air quality information for Yucca Mountain and an area surrounding the Nevada Test Site (NTS). Air quality and meteorological monitoring and sampling equipment housed in a mobile trailer (shelter) is collecting data at eight sites outside the NTS, including Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge (NWR), Tonopah Airport, Beatty, Rachel, Caliente, Pahranagat NWR, Crater Flat, and the Tonopah Airport, and at four sites on the NTS (Engelbrecht et al.,more » 2007a-d). The trailer is stationed at any one site for approximately eight weeks at a time. This letter report provides a summary of air quality and meteorological data, on completion of the site's sampling program.« less

Non-Native Plant Invasion along Elevation and Canopy Closure Gradients in a Middle Rocky Mountain Ecosystem

PubMed Central

Averett, Joshua P.; McCune, Bruce; Parks, Catherine G.; Naylor, Bridgett J.; DelCurto, Tim; Mata-González, Ricardo

2016-01-01

Mountain environments are currently among the ecosystems least invaded by non-native species; however, mountains are increasingly under threat of non-native plant invasion. The slow pace of exotic plant invasions in mountain ecosystems is likely due to a combination of low anthropogenic disturbances, low propagule supply, and extreme/steep environmental gradients. The importance of any one of these factors is debated and likely ecosystem dependent. We evaluated the importance of various correlates of plant invasions in the Wallowa Mountain Range of northeastern Oregon and explored whether non-native species distributions differed from native species along an elevation gradient. Vascular plant communities were sampled in summer 2012 along three mountain roads. Transects (n = 20) were evenly stratified by elevation (~70 m intervals) along each road. Vascular plant species abundances and environmental parameters were measured. We used indicator species analysis to identify habitat affinities for non-native species. Plots were ordinated in species space, joint plots and non-parametric multiplicative regression were used to relate species and community variation to environmental variables. Non-native species richness decreased continuously with increasing elevation. In contrast, native species richness displayed a unimodal distribution with maximum richness occurring at mid–elevations. Species composition was strongly related to elevation and canopy openness. Overlays of trait and environmental factors onto non-metric multidimensional ordinations identified the montane-subalpine community transition and over-story canopy closure exceeding 60% as potential barriers to non-native species establishment. Unlike native species, non-native species showed little evidence for high-elevation or closed-canopy specialization. These data suggest that non-native plants currently found in the Wallowa Mountains are dependent on open canopies and disturbance for establishment in low and mid elevations. Current management objectives including restoration to more open canopies in dry Rocky Mountain forests, may increase immigration pressure of non-native plants from lower elevations into the montane and subalpine zones. PMID:26824750

Non-Native Plant Invasion along Elevation and Canopy Closure Gradients in a Middle Rocky Mountain Ecosystem.

PubMed

Averett, Joshua P; McCune, Bruce; Parks, Catherine G; Naylor, Bridgett J; DelCurto, Tim; Mata-González, Ricardo

2016-01-01

Mountain environments are currently among the ecosystems least invaded by non-native species; however, mountains are increasingly under threat of non-native plant invasion. The slow pace of exotic plant invasions in mountain ecosystems is likely due to a combination of low anthropogenic disturbances, low propagule supply, and extreme/steep environmental gradients. The importance of any one of these factors is debated and likely ecosystem dependent. We evaluated the importance of various correlates of plant invasions in the Wallowa Mountain Range of northeastern Oregon and explored whether non-native species distributions differed from native species along an elevation gradient. Vascular plant communities were sampled in summer 2012 along three mountain roads. Transects (n = 20) were evenly stratified by elevation (~70 m intervals) along each road. Vascular plant species abundances and environmental parameters were measured. We used indicator species analysis to identify habitat affinities for non-native species. Plots were ordinated in species space, joint plots and non-parametric multiplicative regression were used to relate species and community variation to environmental variables. Non-native species richness decreased continuously with increasing elevation. In contrast, native species richness displayed a unimodal distribution with maximum richness occurring at mid-elevations. Species composition was strongly related to elevation and canopy openness. Overlays of trait and environmental factors onto non-metric multidimensional ordinations identified the montane-subalpine community transition and over-story canopy closure exceeding 60% as potential barriers to non-native species establishment. Unlike native species, non-native species showed little evidence for high-elevation or closed-canopy specialization. These data suggest that non-native plants currently found in the Wallowa Mountains are dependent on open canopies and disturbance for establishment in low and mid elevations. Current management objectives including restoration to more open canopies in dry Rocky Mountain forests, may increase immigration pressure of non-native plants from lower elevations into the montane and subalpine zones.

Influence of a Pre-Exercise Glycerol Hydration Beverage on Performance and Physiologic Function During Mountain-Bike Races in the Heat

PubMed Central

Wingo, Jonathan E.; Berger, Erik M.; Dellis, William O.; Knight, J. Chad; McClung, Joseph M.

2004-01-01

Objective: To determine if pre-exercise hydration with and without glycerol differentially affects physiologic and performance responses during mountain-bike races in the heat. Design and Setting: Testing (random, crossover, double-blind design) included the following 3 treatments administered in conjunction with a 30-mile mountain-bike race consisting of three 10-mile (16-km) loops: (1) no water during exercise (NE): water consumed before the race and no water consumed during the race, (2) glycerol (G): mixture of water and glycerol consumed before the race and water via 2 water bottles consumed during the race, and (3) water (W): water consumed before the race and water via 2 water bottles consumed during the race. Subjects stopped for 8 minutes after each 10-mile loop for collection of data. Subjects: Twelve heat-acclimated male mountain bikers with age = 24.5 ± 1.1 years, percentage of body fat = 14.3 ± 1.0%, mass = 76.9 ± 1.9 kg, height = 179 ± 2 cm. Measurements: We measured body weight, percentage of body fat, rectal temperature, blood lactate, blood glucose, urine volume, urine color, urine specific gravity, thirst sensation, thermal sensation, rating of perceived exertion, fluid consumption, heart rate, and sweat rate. Each subject completed the Environmental Symptoms Questionnaire. Results: The G trial was less dehydrated than the NE and W trials postexercise. Pre-exercise urine volume was less in the G trial than in the NE and W trials, and postexercise thirst was less in the G trial than the NE and W trials. Postexercise Environmental Symptoms Questionnaire scores were lower in the G trial than the NE or W trials. It is noteworthy that, although not significant, the G trial performed 5 minutes faster on loop 3 than the NE and W trials. Conclusions: Lower Environmental Symptoms Questionnaire scores and percentage of dehydration may indicate decreased signs and symptoms of heat strain in the G trial. Based on the NE trial performance, adequate pre-exercise hydration, even without glycerol, may limit the detrimental effects of dehydration. PMID:15173869

Fire history, related to climate and land use in three southern Appalachian landscapes in the eastern United States.

PubMed

Flatley, William T; Lafon, Charles W; Grissino-Mayer, Henri D; LaForest, Lisa B

2013-09-01

Fire-maintained ecosystems and associated species are becoming increasingly rare in the southern Appalachian Mountains because of fire suppression policies implemented in the early 20th century. Restoration of these communities through prescribed fire has been hindered by a lack of information on historical fire regimes. To characterize past fire regimes, we collected and absolutely dated the tree rings on cross sections from 242 fire-scarred trees at three different sites in the southern Appalachian Mountains of Tennessee and North Carolina. Our objectives were to (1) characterize the historical frequency of fire in southern Appalachian mixed pine-oak forests, (2) assess the impact of interannual climatic variability on the historical occurrence of fire, and (3) determine whether changes in human culture and land use altered the frequency of fire. Results demonstrate that fires burned frequently at all three sites for at least two centuries prior to the implementation of fire suppression and prevention in the early to mid 20th century. Composite mean fire return intervals were 2-4 yr, and point mean fire return intervals were 9-13 yr. Area-wide fires that burned across multiple stands occurred at 6-13-yr intervals. The majority of fires were recorded during the dormant season. Fire occurrence exhibited little relationship with reconstructed annual drought conditions. Also, fire activity did not change markedly during the transition from Native American to Euro-American settlement or during the period of industrial logging at the start of the 20th century. Fire activity declined significantly, however, during the fire suppression period, with a nearly complete absence of fire during recent decades. The characterization of past fire regimes should provide managers with specific targets for restoration of fire-associated communities in the southern Appalachian Mountains. The fire chronologies reported here are among the longest tree-ring reconstructions of fire history compiled for the eastern United States and support the hypothesis that frequent burning has played a long and important role in the development of forests in the southern Appalachian Mountains.

Mortality on Mount Everest, 1921-2006: descriptive study

PubMed Central

Zheng, Hui; Windsor, Jeremy S; Sutherland, Andrew I; Imray, Christopher H; Moore, G W K; Semple, John L; Roach, Robert C; Salisbury, Richard A

2008-01-01

Objective To examine patterns of mortality among climbers on Mount Everest over an 86 year period. Design Descriptive study. Setting Climbing expeditions to Mount Everest, 1921-2006. Participants 14 138 mountaineers; 8030 climbers and 6108 sherpas. Main outcome measure Circumstances of deaths. Results The mortality rate among mountaineers above base camp was 1.3%. Deaths could be classified as involving trauma (objective hazards or falls, n=113), as non-traumatic (high altitude illness, hypothermia, or sudden death, n=52), or as a disappearance (body never found, n=27). During the spring climbing seasons from 1982 to 2006, 82.3% of deaths of climbers occurred during an attempt at reaching the summit. The death rate during all descents via standard routes was higher for climbers than for sherpas (2.7% (43/1585) v 0.4% (5/1231), P<0.001; all mountaineers 1.9%). Of 94 mountaineers who died after climbing above 8000 m, 53 (56%) died during descent from the summit, 16 (17%) after turning back, 9 (10%) during the ascent, 4 (5%) before leaving the final camp, and for 12 (13%) the stage of the summit bid was unknown. The median time to reach the summit via standard routes was earlier for survivors than for non-survivors (0900-0959 v 1300-1359, P<0.001). Profound fatigue (n=34), cognitive changes (n=21), and ataxia (n=12) were the commonest symptoms reported in non-survivors, whereas respiratory distress (n=5), headache (n=0), and nausea or vomiting (n=3) were rarely described. Conclusions Debilitating symptoms consistent with high altitude cerebral oedema commonly present during descent from the summit of Mount Everest. Profound fatigue and late times in reaching the summit are early features associated with subsequent death. PMID:19074222

Single-vehicle crashes along rural mountainous highways in Malaysia: An application of random parameters negative binomial model.

PubMed

Rusli, Rusdi; Haque, Md Mazharul; King, Mark; Voon, Wong Shaw

2017-05-01

Mountainous highways generally associate with complex driving environment because of constrained road geometries, limited cross-section elements, inappropriate roadside features, and adverse weather conditions. As a result, single-vehicle (SV) crashes are overrepresented along mountainous roads, particularly in developing countries, but little attention is known about the roadway geometric, traffic and weather factors contributing to these SV crashes. As such, the main objective of the present study is to investigate SV crashes using detailed data obtained from a rigorous site survey and existing databases. The final dataset included a total of 56 variables representing road geometries including horizontal and vertical alignment, traffic characteristics, real-time weather condition, cross-sectional elements, roadside features, and spatial characteristics. To account for structured heterogeneities resulting from multiple observations within a site and other unobserved heterogeneities, the study applied a random parameters negative binomial model. Results suggest that rainfall during the crash is positively associated with SV crashes, but real-time visibility is negatively associated. The presence of a road shoulder, particularly a bitumen shoulder or wider shoulders, along mountainous highways is associated with less SV crashes. While speeding along downgrade slopes increases the likelihood of SV crashes, proper delineation decreases the likelihood. Findings of this study have significant implications for designing safer highways in mountainous areas, particularly in the context of a developing country. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Rocky Mountain Arsenal, Sections 26 and 25 Contamination Survey. Phase 1

DTIC Science & Technology

1987-12-01

mapping specifications for scale, overlap, density, and image quality. Utilizing the aerial photography and ground control described above, orthophoto ...base maps with superimposed contours will be prepared. £ 3-2 RMA06-D.1/TPGEO 1.3 11/20/87 Orthophoto negatives will be prepared directly at the final...cdial lnvestigation/Feasibiliy Studv (RI/FS) at tile Rocky Mountain Arsenal. Tasks 4 and 6 were prepared by ’Environmental Science and Engineering (ESE

Relating actual with subfossil chironomid assemblages. Holocene habitat changes and paleoenvironmental reconstruction of Basa de la Mora Lake (Central Pyrenees)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tarrats, Pol; Rieradevall, Maria; González-Sampériz, Penélope; Pérez-Sanz, Ana; Valero-Garcés, Blas; Moreno, Ana

2014-05-01

Analyses of subfossil and actual macroinvertebrate fauna and Chironomidae larvae (Insecta: Diptera) assemblages of Basa de la Mora Lake (Central Pyrenees, Spain, 1914 m a.s.l.) improves the environmental calibration for lake paleoreconstruction and allow to infer lake habitat changes throughout the Holocene. The results of the actual Chironomidae community are consistent with other mountain lake studies (either in the Pyrenees or other regions), with a few mismatching due to lake specific conditions. The actual and the subfossil Chironomidae taxa present in Basa de la Mora Lake are the same, which is an essential requirement to apply the analogue methods. Although we could not find habitat-specific taxa, significant differences between the different habitats present in the lake were found. This circumstance allowed applying the Modern Analogue Technique (MAT) to infer lake habitat changes. The MAT method relates the actual community, defined from the species abundance matrix and an environmental variable (which is the object of the inference), and the past community, defined from the species abundance matrix downcore. Because the first axis of DCA carried out for the study of the actual Chironomidae larvae explained the assemblage changes between the different habitats, the scores of this first axis were used as representative of the environmental variable (dominant habitat type) to be inferred. The application of the MAT has allowed identifying two periods of lake productivity increase through the Holocene: i) around 2800 cal. yrs BP, which coincides with the first documented human occupation of the area, and ii) the last four centuries, synchronous to the maximum population of mountain areas in the Pyrenees and development of stockbreeding activities.

Histologic characterization of dilated cardiomyopathy in Estrela mountain dogs.

PubMed

Lobo, L; Carvalheira, J; Canada, N; Bussadori, C; Gomes, J L; Faustino, A M R

2010-07-01

Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) is the second-most-important acquired cardiovascular disease in dogs (excluding heartworm disease in some geographic regions) and a major cause of morbidity and mortality in Estrela Mountain Dogs. The objective of this study is to describe the histologic features of DCM in Estrela Mountain Dogs, with special attention to the localization and quantification of attenuated wavy fibers (AWFs), fibrosis, and fatty infiltration. Myocardial samples from 10 areas were collected from the hearts of 10 dogs with DCM and 7 dogs without signs of cardiac disease-namely, the basal, middle, and apical portions of the free wall of both cardiac ventricles and the interventricular septum, as well as the left ventricular papillary muscle. In each sample, the presence or absence of AWFs was noted, and fatty infiltration and fibrosis were quantified. Fatty infiltration, fibrosis, and AWFs were observed in the myocardium of all dogs with DCM, in contrast to what has been described in other breeds. The left ventricular myocardium was the best tissue for diagnosis of DCM, based on these histologic features. The authors concluded that quantification of fibrosis and observation of AWFs in the left ventricular myocardium are useful in the histologic diagnosis of DCM in Estrela Mountain dogs.

Independent Review of Simulation of Net Infiltration for Present-Day and Potential Future Climates

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Review Panel: Soroosh Sorooshian, Ph.D., Panel Chairperson, University of California, Irvine; Jan M. H. Hendrickx, Ph.D., New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology; Binayak P. Mohanty, Ph.D., Texas A&M University

The DOE Office of Civilian Radioactive Waste Management (OCRWM) tasked Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE) with providing an independent expert review of the documented model and prediction results for net infiltration of water into the unsaturated zone at Yucca Mountain. The specific purpose of the model, as documented in the report MDL-NBS-HS-000023, Rev. 01, is “to provide a spatial representation, including epistemic and aleatory uncertainty, of the predicted mean annual net infiltration at the Yucca Mountain site ...” (p. 1-1) The expert review panel assembled by ORISE concluded that the model report does not provide a technicallymore » credible spatial representation of net infiltration at Yucca Mountain. Specifically, the ORISE Review Panel found that: • A critical lack of site-specific meteorological, surface, and subsurface information prevents verification of (i) the net infiltration estimates, (ii) the uncertainty estimates of parameters caused by their spatial variability, and (iii) the assumptions used by the modelers (ranges and distributions) for the characterization of parameters. The paucity of site-specific data used by the modeling team for model implementation and validation is a major deficiency in this effort. • The model does not incorporate at least one potentially important hydrologic process. Subsurface lateral flow is not accounted for by the model, and the assumption that the effect of subsurface lateral flow is negligible is not adequately justified. This issue is especially critical for the wetter climate periods. This omission may be one reason the model results appear to underestimate net infiltration beneath wash environments and therefore imprecisely represent the spatial variability of net infiltration. • While the model uses assumptions consistently, such as uniform soil depths and a constant vegetation rooting depth, such assumptions may not be appropriate for this net infiltration simulation because they oversimplify a complex landscape and associated hydrologic processes, especially since the model assumptions have not been adequately corroborated by field and laboratory observations at Yucca Mountain.« less

Detection of viruses using discarded plants from wild mountain gorillas and golden monkeys.

PubMed

Smiley Evans, Tierra; Gilardi, Kirsten V K; Barry, Peter A; Ssebide, Benard Jasper; Kinani, Jean Felix; Nizeyimana, Fred; Noheri, Jean Bosco; Byarugaba, Denis K; Mudakikwa, Antoine; Cranfield, Michael R; Mazet, Jonna A K; Johnson, Christine K

2016-11-01

Infectious diseases pose one of the most significant threats to the survival of great apes in the wild. The critically endangered mountain gorilla (Gorilla beringei beringei) is at high risk for contracting human pathogens because approximately 60% of the population is habituated to humans to support a thriving ecotourism program. Disease surveillance for human and non-human primate pathogens is important for population health and management of protected primate species. Here, we evaluate discarded plants from mountain gorillas and sympatric golden monkeys (Cercopithecus mitis kandti), as a novel biological sample to detect viruses that are shed orally. Discarded plant samples were tested for the presence of mammalian-specific genetic material and two ubiquitous DNA and RNA primate viruses, herpesviruses, and simian foamy virus. We collected discarded plant samples from 383 wild human-habituated mountain gorillas and from 18 habituated golden monkeys. Mammalian-specific genetic material was recovered from all plant species and portions of plant bitten or chewed by gorillas and golden monkeys. Gorilla herpesviral DNA was most consistently recovered from plants in which leafy portions were eaten by gorillas. Simian foamy virus nucleic acid was recovered from plants discarded by golden monkeys, indicating that it is also possible to detect RNA viruses from bitten or chewed plants. Our findings show that discarded plants are a useful non-invasive sampling method for detection of viruses that are shed orally in mountain gorillas, sympatric golden monkeys, and potentially other species. This method of collecting specimens from discarded plants is a new non-invasive sampling protocol that can be combined with collection of feces and urine to evaluate the most common routes of viral shedding in wild primates. Am. J. Primatol. 78:1222-1234, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

The Role of Wildfire, Prescribed Fire, and Mountain Pine Beetle Infestations on the Population Dynamics of Black-Backed Woodpeckers in the Black Hills, South Dakota

PubMed Central

Rota, Christopher T.; Millspaugh, Joshua J.; Rumble, Mark A.; Lehman, Chad P.; Kesler, Dylan C.

2014-01-01

Wildfire and mountain pine beetle infestations are naturally occurring disturbances in western North American forests. Black-backed woodpeckers (Picoides arcticus) are emblematic of the role these disturbances play in creating wildlife habitat, since they are strongly associated with recently-killed forests. However, management practices aimed at reducing the economic impact of natural disturbances can result in habitat loss for this species. Although black-backed woodpeckers occupy habitats created by wildfire, prescribed fire, and mountain pine beetle infestations, the relative value of these habitats remains unknown. We studied habitat-specific adult and juvenile survival probabilities and reproductive rates between April 2008 and August 2012 in the Black Hills, South Dakota. We estimated habitat-specific adult and juvenile survival probability with Bayesian multi-state models and habitat-specific reproductive success with Bayesian nest survival models. We calculated asymptotic population growth rates from estimated demographic rates with matrix projection models. Adult and juvenile survival and nest success were highest in habitat created by summer wildfire, intermediate in MPB infestations, and lowest in habitat created by fall prescribed fire. Mean posterior distributions of population growth rates indicated growing populations in habitat created by summer wildfire and declining populations in fall prescribed fire and mountain pine beetle infestations. Our finding that population growth rates were positive only in habitat created by summer wildfire underscores the need to maintain early post-wildfire habitat across the landscape. The lower growth rates in fall prescribed fire and MPB infestations may be attributed to differences in predator communities and food resources relative to summer wildfire. PMID:24736502

The role of wildfire, prescribed fire, and mountain pine beetle infestations on the population dynamics of black-backed woodpeckers in the black hills, South Dakota.

PubMed

Rota, Christopher T; Millspaugh, Joshua J; Rumble, Mark A; Lehman, Chad P; Kesler, Dylan C

2014-01-01

Wildfire and mountain pine beetle infestations are naturally occurring disturbances in western North American forests. Black-backed woodpeckers (Picoides arcticus) are emblematic of the role these disturbances play in creating wildlife habitat, since they are strongly associated with recently-killed forests. However, management practices aimed at reducing the economic impact of natural disturbances can result in habitat loss for this species. Although black-backed woodpeckers occupy habitats created by wildfire, prescribed fire, and mountain pine beetle infestations, the relative value of these habitats remains unknown. We studied habitat-specific adult and juvenile survival probabilities and reproductive rates between April 2008 and August 2012 in the Black Hills, South Dakota. We estimated habitat-specific adult and juvenile survival probability with Bayesian multi-state models and habitat-specific reproductive success with Bayesian nest survival models. We calculated asymptotic population growth rates from estimated demographic rates with matrix projection models. Adult and juvenile survival and nest success were highest in habitat created by summer wildfire, intermediate in MPB infestations, and lowest in habitat created by fall prescribed fire. Mean posterior distributions of population growth rates indicated growing populations in habitat created by summer wildfire and declining populations in fall prescribed fire and mountain pine beetle infestations. Our finding that population growth rates were positive only in habitat created by summer wildfire underscores the need to maintain early post-wildfire habitat across the landscape. The lower growth rates in fall prescribed fire and MPB infestations may be attributed to differences in predator communities and food resources relative to summer wildfire.

Effects of urban development on stream ecosystems alongthe Front Range of the Rocky Mountains, Colorado and Wyoming

USGS Publications Warehouse

Sprague, Lori A.; Zuellig, Robert E.; Dupree, Jean A.

2006-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) conducted a study from 2002 through 2003 through its National Water-Quality Assessment (NAWQA) Program to determine the effects of urbanization on the physical, chemical, and biological characteristics of stream ecosystems along the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains. The objectives of the study were to (1) examine physical, chemical, and biological responses at sites ranging from minimally to highly developed; (2) determine the major physical, chemical, and landscape variables affecting aquatic communities at these sites; and (3) evaluate the relevance of the results to the management of water resources in the South Platte River Basin.

77 FR 19700 - Notice of Intent to Repatriate Cultural Items: California Department of Parks and Recreation...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-04-02

... north end of the Salton Basin and the Chocolate Mountains. The eastern boundary ran along the summit of... information is available for these objects, they appear consistent with the material culture of Cahuilla or...

Monitoring of Airport Revenues at Arlington Municipal Airport; Federal Aviation Administration Northwest Mountain Region

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1997-01-15

The objectives of our audit were to determine whether Federal Aviation : Administration (FAA) monitoring of Arlington Municipal Airport (Airport) was : adequate to ensure (i) a fee and rental structure was maintained which made the : Airport as self-...

Assessing the impact of pluriactivity on sustainable agriculture. A case study in rural areas of Beotia in Greece.

PubMed

Giourga, Christina; Loumou, Angeliki

2006-06-01

Pluriactivity of farms, or part-time farming, is a common feature of agriculture in all countries regardless of their socioeconomic system and level of development. Currently, pluriactivity is related to the values of sustainable agriculture. The objective of this study is to delineate those specific characteristics of pluriactive farms that contribute to sustainable agriculture. In rural areas of Boetia in Greece, a socioeconomic survey was carried out on 114 farms to determine the types of farming applied. The results demonstrate that pluriactivity is a stable component of the agricultural structure in the rural areas of Boetia. It is widespread in plains, but its presence is more important in mountainous and semimountainous areas. The choice of young farmers is to opt for pluriactivity. Farm size does not differ between pluriactive and full-time farms. Pluriactive and full- time farms use the same level of input and get the same output for the same type of crop. However, pluriactive farmers under the same land-productive conditions are oriented toward a more extensive farming system, managing their land with crops that need less inputs. Considering these findings, it can be claimed that pluriactivity can contribute to diminishing the demand on natural resources in favored (level and irrigated) areas, to continue agricultural production in unfavorable (mountainous and semimountainous) areas, and to help the sustenance of the rural population.

Rocky Mountain spotted fever in Mexico: past, present, and future.

PubMed

Álvarez-Hernández, Gerardo; Roldán, Jesús Felipe González; Milan, Néstor Saúl Hernández; Lash, R Ryan; Behravesh, Casey Barton; Paddock, Christopher D

2017-06-01

Rocky Mountain spotted fever, a tick-borne zoonosis caused by Rickettsia rickettsii, is among the most lethal of all infectious diseases in the Americas. In Mexico, the disease was first described during the early 1940s by scientists who carefully documented specific environmental determinants responsible for devastating outbreaks in several communities in the states of Sinaloa, Sonora, Durango, and Coahuila. These investigators also described the pivotal roles of domesticated dogs and Rhipicephalus sanguineus sensu lato (brown dog ticks) as drivers of epidemic levels of Rocky Mountain spotted fever. After several decades of quiescence, the disease re-emerged in Sonora and Baja California during the early 21st century, driven by the same environmental circumstances that perpetuated outbreaks in Mexico during the 1940s. This Review explores the history of Rocky Mountain spotted fever in Mexico, current epidemiology, and the multiple clinical, economic, and social challenges that must be considered in the control and prevention of this life-threatening illness. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Smith, L.

A regional hydrogeologic model is used to investigate the potential for water recharging in the Tushar Mountains to move at depth beneath the Mineral Mountains to discharge in Milford Valley. Simulations carried out over a range of water table positions and assumed depths to a lower impermeable boundary suggest it is unlikely that the topographic configuration alone could drive such a flow system. Specific geologic conditions are necessary if interbasin flow is to occur. However, simulations based on a simplified hydrologic model of the regional geology suggest this is not the case. A regional hydraulic anisotropy greater than 10:1 (Kx/Kz)more » leads to interflow if the granitic Mineral Mountain pluton and the volcanics in the Tushar Mountains have similar hydraulic conductivities. If either of these units is more nearly isotropic or if the granitic rocks have a greater vertical than horizontal hydraulic conductivity, no interbasin flow is observed. On the basis of available geologic evidence, this latter case seems to be the most likely.« less

Rocky Mountain snowpack physical and chemical data for selected sites, 2009

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ingersoll, George P.; Mast, M. Alisa; Swank, James M.; Campbell, Chelsea D.

2010-01-01

The Rocky Mountain Snowpack program established a network of snowpack-sampling sites in the Rocky Mountain region from New Mexico to Montana to monitor the chemical content of snow and to understand the effects of regional atmospheric deposition. The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the National Park Service; the U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service; the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment; Teton County, Wyoming; and others, collected and analyzed snowpack samples annually for 48 or more sites in the Rocky Mountain region during 1993-2009. Sixty-three snowpack-sampling sites were sampled once each in 2009 and data are presented in this report. Data include acid-neutralization capacity, specific conductance, pH, hydrogen ion concentrations, dissolved concentrations of major constituents (calcium, magnesium, sodium, potassium, ammonium, chloride, sulfate, and nitrate), dissolved organic carbon concentrations, snow-water equivalent, snow depth, total mercury concentrations, and ionic charge balance. Quality-assurance data for field and laboratory blanks and field replicates for 2009 also are included.

Mountain plover nest survival in relation to prairie dog and fire dynamics in shortgrass steppe

USGS Publications Warehouse

Augustine, David J.; Skagen, Susan K.

2014-01-01

Disturbed xeric grasslands with short, sparse vegetation provide breeding habitat for mountain plovers (Charadrius montanus) across the western Great Plains. Maintaining local disturbance regimes through prairie dog conservation and prescribed fire may contribute to the sustainability of recently declining mountain plover populations, but these management approaches can be controversial. We estimated habitat-specific mountain plover densities and nest survival rates on black-tailed prairie dog (Cynomys ludovicianus) colonies and burns in the shortgrass steppe of northeastern Colorado. Mountain plover densities were similar on prairie dog colonies (5.9 birds/km2; 95% CI = 4.7–7.4) and sites burned during the preceding dormant season (6.7 birds/km2; 95% CI = 4.6–9.6), whereas the 29-day nest survival rate was greater on prairie dog colonies (0.81 in 2011 and 0.39 in 2012) compared to the burned sites (0.64 in 2011 and 0.17 in 2012). Reduced nest survival in 2012 compared to 2011 was associated with higher maximum daily temperatures in 2012, consistent with a previous weather-based model of mountain plover nest survival in the southern Great Plains. Measurements of mountain plover density relative to time since disturbance showed that removal of prairie dog disturbance by sylvatic plague reduced mountain plover density by 70% relative to active prairie dog colonies after 1 year. Plover densities declined at a similar rate (by 78%) at burned sites between the first and second post-burn growing season. Results indicate that black-tailed prairie dog colonies are a particularly important nesting habitat for mountain plovers in the southern Great Plains. In addition, findings suggest that prescribed burning can be a valuable means to create nesting habitat in landscapes where other types of disturbances (such as prairie dog colonies) are limited in distribution and size. 

Developing scenarios to assess future landslide risks: a model-based approach applied to mountainous regions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vacquie, Laure; Houet, Thomas

2016-04-01

In the last century, European mountain landscapes have experienced significant transformations. Natural and anthropogenic changes, climate changes, touristic and industrial development, socio-economic interactions, and their implications in terms of LUCC (land use and land cover changes) have directly influenced the spatial organization and vulnerability of mountain landscapes. This study is conducted as part of the SAMCO project founded by the French National Science Agency (ANR). It aims at developing a methodological approach, combining various tools, modelling platforms and methods, to identify vulnerable regions to landslide hazards accounting for futures LUCC. It presents an integrated approach combining participative scenarios and a LULC changes simulation models to assess the combined effects of LUCC and climate change on landslide risks in the Cauterets valley (French Pyrenees Mountains) up to 2100. Through vulnerability and risk mapping, the objective is to gather information to support landscape planning and implement land use strategies with local stakeholders for risk management. Four contrasting scenarios are developed and exhibit contrasting trajectories of socio-economic development. Prospective scenarios are based on national and international socio-economic contexts relying on existing assessment reports. The methodological approach integrates knowledge from local stakeholders to refine each scenario during their construction and to reinforce their plausibility and relevance by accounting for local specificities, e.g. logging and pastoral activities, touristic development, urban planning, etc. A process-based model, the Forecasting Scenarios for Mountains (ForeSceM) model, developed on the Dinamica Ego modelling platform is used to spatially allocate futures LUCC for each prospective scenario. Concurrently, a spatial decision support tool, i.e. the SYLVACCESS model, is used to identify accessible areas for forestry in scenario projecting logging activities. The method results in the development of LULC maps providing insights into a range of alternative futures using a scope of socio-economic and environmental conditions. A landslides assessment model, the ALICE model is then used as a final tool to analyze the potential impacts of simulated LUCC on landslide risks and the consequences in terms of vulnerability, e.g. changes in disaster risk allocation or characterization, degree of perturbation. This assessment intends to provide insights onto the potential future development of the valley to help identify areas at stake and to guide decision makers to help the risk management. Preliminary results show strong differences of futures land use and land cover maps that have significant influence on landslides hazards.

Selection of Batteries and Fuel Cells for Yucca Mountain Robots

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Upadhye, R S

2003-12-08

The Performance Confirmation program of the Yucca Mountain Repository Development Project needs to employ remotely operated robots to work inside the emplacement drifts which will have an environment unsuitable for humans (radiation environment of up to 200 rad/hour (mostly gamma rays, some neutrons)) and maximum temperatures of 180 C. The robots will be required to operate inside the drifts for up to 8 hours per mission. Based on available functional requirements, we have developed the following specifications for the power needed by the robots:

National parks. (Latest citations from the NTIS database). Published Search

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

The bibliography contains citations concerning U.S. and foreign national parks. Citations discuss terrestrial biology, botany, coastal biology, fire ecology, endangered and exotic species, and resource analysis. Topics also include the impact of park visitors on natural resources in the parks, resource management, planning, and mapping. Information about specific parks including Rocky Mountain, Great Smoky Mountains, Redwood, Grand Canyon, Sequoia, Glacier Bay, and others is presented. (Contains a minimum of 55 citations and includes a subject term index and title list.)

Mapping geodiversity and cultural heritage; a case study: Aït Bou Oulli valley in central High-Atlas, Morocco.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bouzekraoui, Hicham; Barakat, Ahmed; El Youssi, Mohammed; El Khalki, Yahia; Hafid, Abdelatif; Mouaddine, Atika

2016-04-01

Central High-Atlas mountain in the centre of Morocco, contains an exceptional geodiversity. Some geomorphological and geological objects of it are included and protected recently by the World Heritage list. The valley of Aït Bou Oulli is located in the heart of the Moroccan central High-Atlas, whose height is 4068 m in Ighil M'goun and 3800 m in Rat Mountain. The mountain areas are characterized by higher geodiversity in comparison with other areas. The valley possesses a geological and geomorphological heritage which is very rich, much diversified and exceptional landscapes of high mountains. It is part of geopark M'Goun; the valley attracts a number of tourists every year. However, this number remains restricted because of the lack of the tools of promotion, valuation and mediation of this geoheritage. Moreover, the touristic infrastructure is modest. Regarding this situation, the geotouristic map appears as a tool of promotion of the geotourism and diversification of the regional and national tourist product. This work aims at elaborating new maps of geomorphosites, cultural sites, and geomonuments in high Mountain landscapes of the valley, suggested in geotourism circuits. The first results reveal the low exploitation of the geodiversity of this valley-oasis: the spectacular waterfalls, water sources, canyons, glacial cirques and U-shaped valleys, superficial karstic forms (sinkholes and swallow-holes), high-Atlas peaks and cliffs, spectacular scree slopes, badlands landscapes, fairy chimneys, and the geological history dating back to the Paleozoic and angular unconformity. In addition, the valley has diverse tangible cultural heritage spanning hundreds of years such as the enigmatic rock engravings (dating from 2000 to 3000 years), troglodyte caves and terraced agriculture landscapes, geomonuments (old cooperative storage, Kasbah, traditional water mills) and the architecture of the villages. It has also an intangible cultural heritage such as folklore. This cultural heritage, however, remains low valued. This richness was the object of 3 geodidactic and geotouristic circuits and itineraries that will be proposed at the end of this work. Keywords: geomorphosites, geoheritage, cultural heritage, circuits, geotouristic map, geotourism.

Lyme Disease

MedlinePlus

... My Lyme Disease Risk? Bug Bites and Stings Bell's Palsy Rocky Mountain Spotted ... only. For specific medical advice, diagnoses, and treatment, consult your doctor. © 1995- The Nemours Foundation. All ...

Specialization of Perceptual Processes.

DTIC Science & Technology

1994-09-01

population rose and fell, furniture was rearranged, a small mountain range was built in part of the lab (really), carpets were shampooed , and oce lighting...common task is the tracking of moving objects. Coombs [22] implemented a system 44 for xating and tracking objects using a stereo eye/ head system...be a person (person?). Finally, a motion unit is used to detect foot gestures. A pair of nod-of-the- head detectors were implemented and tested, but

Hydrologic and geologic characteristics of the Yucca Mountain site relevant to the performance of a potential repository: Day 1, Las Vegas, Nevada to Pahrump, Nevada: Stop 6A. Keane Wonder Spring and regional groundwater flow in the Death Valley region

USGS Publications Warehouse

Steinkampf, W.C.

2000-01-01

Yucca Mountain, located ~100 mi northwest of Las Vegas, Nevada, has been designated by Congress as a site to be characterized for a potential mined geologic repository for high-level radioactive waste. This field trip will examine the regional geologic and hydrologic setting for Yucca Mountain, as well as specific results of the site characterization program, The first day focuses on the regional seeing with emphasis on current and paleo hydrology, which are both of critical concern for predicting future performance of a potential repository. Morning stops will be in southern Nevada and afternoon stops will be in Death Valley. The second day will be spent at Yucca Mountain. The filed trip will visit the underground testing sites in the "Exploratory Studies Facility" and the "Busted Butte Unsaturated Zone Transport Field Test" plus several surface-based testing sites. Much of the work at the site has concentrated on studies of the unsaturated zone, and element of the hydrologic system that historically has received little attention. Discussions during the second day will comprise selected topics of Yucca Mountain geology, mic hazard in the Yucca Mountain area. Evening discussions will address modeling of regional groundwater flow, the geology and hydrology of Yucca Mountain to the performance of a potential repository. Day 3 will examine the geologic framework and hydrology of the Pahute Mesa-Oasis Valley Groundwater Basin and then will continue to Reno via Hawthorne, Nevada and the Walker Lake area.

Carpathian mountain forest vegetation and its responses to climate stressors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zoran, Maria A.; Savastru, Roxana S.; Savastru, Dan M.; Tautan, Marina N.; Baschir, Laurentiu V.; Dida, Adrian I.

2017-10-01

Due to anthropogenic and climatic changes, Carpathian Mountains forests in Romania experience environmental degradation. As a result of global climate change, there is growing evidence that some of the most severe weather events could become more frequent in Romania over the next 50 to 100 years. In the case of Carpathian mountain forests, winter storms and heat waves are considered key climate risks, particularly in prealpine and alpine areas. Effects of climate extremes on forests can have both short-term and long-term implications for standing biomass, tree health and species composition. The preservation and enhancement of mountain forest vegetation cover in natural, semi-natural forestry ecosystems is an essential factor in sustaining environmental health and averting natural hazards. This paper aims to: (i) describe observed trends and scenarios for summer heat waves, windstorms and heavy precipitation, based on results from satellite time series NOAA AVHRR, MODIS Terra/Aqua and Landsat TM/ETM+/OLI NDVI and LAI data recorded during 2000-2016 period correlated with meteorological parameters, regional climate models, and other downscaling procedures, and (ii) discuss potential impacts of climate changes and extreme events on Carpathian mountain forest system in Romania. The response of forest land cover vegetation in Carpathian Mountains, Romania to climatic factors varies in different seasons of the years, the diverse vegetation feedbacks to climate changes being related to different vegetation characteristics and meteorological conditions. Based on integrated analysis of satellite and field data was concluded that forest ecosystem functions are responsible of the relationships between mountain specific vegetation and climate.

Feline Immunodeficiency Virus Cross-Species Transmission: Implications for Emergence of New Lentiviral Infections.

PubMed

Lee, Justin; Malmberg, Jennifer L; Wood, Britta A; Hladky, Sahaja; Troyer, Ryan; Roelke, Melody; Cunningham, Mark; McBride, Roy; Vickers, Winston; Boyce, Walter; Boydston, Erin; Serieys, Laurel; Riley, Seth; Crooks, Kevin; VandeWoude, Sue

2017-03-01

Owing to a complex history of host-parasite coevolution, lentiviruses exhibit a high degree of species specificity. Given the well-documented viral archeology of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) emergence following human exposures to simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV), an understanding of processes that promote successful cross-species lentiviral transmissions is highly relevant. We previously reported natural cross-species transmission of a subtype of feline immunodeficiency virus, puma lentivirus A (PLVA), between bobcats ( Lynx rufus ) and mountain lions ( Puma concolor ) for a small number of animals in California and Florida. In this study, we investigate host-specific selection pressures, within-host viral fitness, and inter- versus intraspecies transmission patterns among a larger collection of PLV isolates from free-ranging bobcats and mountain lions. Analyses of proviral and viral RNA levels demonstrate that PLVA fitness is severely restricted in mountain lions compared to that in bobcats. We document evidence of diversifying selection in three of six PLVA genomes from mountain lions, but we did not detect selection among 20 PLVA isolates from bobcats. These findings support the hypothesis that PLVA is a bobcat-adapted virus which is less fit in mountain lions and under intense selection pressure in the novel host. Ancestral reconstruction of transmission events reveals that intraspecific PLVA transmission has occurred among panthers ( Puma concolor coryi ) in Florida following the initial cross-species infection from bobcats. In contrast, interspecific transmission from bobcats to mountain lions predominates in California. These findings document outcomes of cross-species lentiviral transmission events among felids that compare to the emergence of HIV from nonhuman primates. IMPORTANCE Cross-species transmission episodes can be singular, dead-end events or can result in viral replication and spread in the new species. The factors that determine which outcome will occur are complex, and the risk of new virus emergence is therefore difficult to predict. We used molecular techniques to evaluate the transmission, fitness, and adaptation of puma lentivirus A (PLVA) between bobcats and mountain lions in two geographic regions. Our findings illustrate that mountain lion exposure to PLVA is relatively common but does not routinely result in communicable infections in the new host. This is attributed to efficient species barriers that largely prevent lentiviral adaptation. However, the evolutionary capacity for lentiviruses to adapt to novel environments may ultimately overcome host restriction mechanisms over time and under certain ecological circumstances. This phenomenon provides a unique opportunity to examine cross-species transmission events leading to new lentiviral emergence. Copyright © 2017 American Society for Microbiology.

Feline Immunodeficiency Virus Cross-Species Transmission: Implications for Emergence of New Lentiviral Infections

PubMed Central

Lee, Justin; Malmberg, Jennifer L.; Wood, Britta A.; Hladky, Sahaja; Troyer, Ryan; Roelke, Melody; Cunningham, Mark; McBride, Roy; Vickers, Winston; Boyce, Walter; Boydston, Erin; Serieys, Laurel; Riley, Seth; Crooks, Kevin

2016-01-01

ABSTRACT Owing to a complex history of host-parasite coevolution, lentiviruses exhibit a high degree of species specificity. Given the well-documented viral archeology of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) emergence following human exposures to simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV), an understanding of processes that promote successful cross-species lentiviral transmissions is highly relevant. We previously reported natural cross-species transmission of a subtype of feline immunodeficiency virus, puma lentivirus A (PLVA), between bobcats (Lynx rufus) and mountain lions (Puma concolor) for a small number of animals in California and Florida. In this study, we investigate host-specific selection pressures, within-host viral fitness, and inter- versus intraspecies transmission patterns among a larger collection of PLV isolates from free-ranging bobcats and mountain lions. Analyses of proviral and viral RNA levels demonstrate that PLVA fitness is severely restricted in mountain lions compared to that in bobcats. We document evidence of diversifying selection in three of six PLVA genomes from mountain lions, but we did not detect selection among 20 PLVA isolates from bobcats. These findings support the hypothesis that PLVA is a bobcat-adapted virus which is less fit in mountain lions and under intense selection pressure in the novel host. Ancestral reconstruction of transmission events reveals that intraspecific PLVA transmission has occurred among panthers (Puma concolor coryi) in Florida following the initial cross-species infection from bobcats. In contrast, interspecific transmission from bobcats to mountain lions predominates in California. These findings document outcomes of cross-species lentiviral transmission events among felids that compare to the emergence of HIV from nonhuman primates. IMPORTANCE Cross-species transmission episodes can be singular, dead-end events or can result in viral replication and spread in the new species. The factors that determine which outcome will occur are complex, and the risk of new virus emergence is therefore difficult to predict. We used molecular techniques to evaluate the transmission, fitness, and adaptation of puma lentivirus A (PLVA) between bobcats and mountain lions in two geographic regions. Our findings illustrate that mountain lion exposure to PLVA is relatively common but does not routinely result in communicable infections in the new host. This is attributed to efficient species barriers that largely prevent lentiviral adaptation. However, the evolutionary capacity for lentiviruses to adapt to novel environments may ultimately overcome host restriction mechanisms over time and under certain ecological circumstances. This phenomenon provides a unique opportunity to examine cross-species transmission events leading to new lentiviral emergence. PMID:28003486

Comparison of conventional and internally cured concrete bridge decks in Utah : Mountain View corridor project.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2014-12-01

The objectives of this research were to 1) monitor in-situ moisture and diffusivity for both conventional concrete : and concrete containing pre-wetted lightweight fine aggregate (LWFA), 2) compare deck performance in terms of : early-age cracking, c...

Nye County Nevada Perspectives on the State of the Yucca Mountain Project - 12388

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lacy, Darrell; Voegele, Michael; Jaszczak, Casmier

2012-07-01

Responding to the Department of Energy decision to try to withdraw the Yucca Mountain license application and the Administration actions to close down the Yucca Mountain project, Nye County undertook a number of activities to articulate its support for continuing the Yucca Mountain project. The activities included responding to inquiries from federal agencies, including investigations undertaken by the Government Accountability Office addressing other potential uses for the Yucca Mountain site, responding to a Draft Environmental Impact Statement on the possible use of Yucca Mountain for disposal of Greater than Class C wastes, testifying in hearings, and interacting with the President'smore » Blue Ribbon Commission on America's Nuclear Future. The paper summarizes Nye County's position on the Yucca Mountain repository, Nye County's perspectives on the various activities that were developed and considered by the Government Accountability Office, Nye County's concerns with the use of the Nevada National Security Site for Disposal of Greater than Class C Low-Level Radioactive Wastes, testimony of Nye County officials expressing local community support for the Yucca Mountain project, and Nye County's perspectives on recommendations provided by the Blue Ribbon Commission to move the nation's high-level radioactive waste disposal programs forward without consideration of the role Yucca Mountain could have served in those recommendations. Nye County believes that every effort should be made to, at a minimum, fund the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to complete the license application review. Then, if Congress does decide to change the Nuclear Waste Policy Act, there will be valuable information available to support new policy development. This administration contends that Congressional language associated with the FY2010 and FY2011 appropriations and authorization process is sufficient evidence of its intent to terminate the Yucca Mountain repository program. The appropriation process needs to be explicit that, absent explicit language to the contrary, the Nuclear Waste Policy Act stands. It also should include language that requires the Department of Energy to preserve all necessary records until the Nuclear Waste Policy Act is amended or rescinded by specific Congressional action. (authors)« less

NaturAnalogs for the Unsaturated Zone

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

A. Simmons; A. Unger; M. Murrell

2000-03-08

The purpose of this Analysis/Model Report (AMR) is to document natural and anthropogenic (human-induced) analog sites and processes that are applicable to flow and transport processes expected to occur at the potential Yucca Mountain repository in order to build increased confidence in modeling processes of Unsaturated Zone (UZ) flow and transport. This AMR was prepared in accordance with ''AMR Development Plan for U0135, Natural Analogs for the UZ'' (CRWMS 1999a). Knowledge from analog sites and processes is used as corroborating information to test and build confidence in flow and transport models of Yucca Mountain, Nevada. This AMR supports the Unsaturatedmore » Zone (UZ) Flow and Transport Process Model Report (PMR) and the Yucca Mountain Site Description. The objectives of this AMR are to test and build confidence in the representation of UZ processes in numerical models utilized in the UZ Flow and Transport Model. This is accomplished by: (1) applying data from Boxy Canyon, Idaho in simulations of UZ flow using the same methodologies incorporated in the Yucca Mountain UZ Flow and Transport Model to assess the fracture-matrix interaction conceptual model; (2) Providing a preliminary basis for analysis of radionuclide transport at Pena Blanca, Mexico as an analog of radionuclide transport at Yucca Mountain; and (3) Synthesizing existing information from natural analog studies to provide corroborating evidence for representation of ambient and thermally coupled UZ flow and transport processes in the UZ Model.« less

SAMCO: Society Adaptation for coping with Mountain risks in a global change COntext

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Grandjean, Gilles; Bernardie, Severine; Malet, Jean-Philippe; Puissant, Anne; Houet, Thomas; Berger, Frederic; Fort, Monique; Pierre, Daniel

2013-04-01

The SAMCO project aims to develop a proactive resilience framework enhancing the overall resilience of societies on the impacts of mountain risks. The project aims to elaborate methodological tools to characterize and measure ecosystem and societal resilience from an operative perspective on three mountain representative case studies. To achieve this objective, the methodology is split in several points with (1) the definition of the potential impacts of global environmental changes (climate system, ecosystem e.g. land use, socio-economic system) on landslide hazards, (2) the analysis of these consequences in terms of vulnerability (e.g. changes in the location and characteristics of the impacted areas and level of their perturbation) and (3) the implementation of a methodology for quantitatively investigating and mapping indicators of mountain slope vulnerability exposed to several hazard types, and the development of a GIS-based demonstration platform. The strength and originality of the SAMCO project will be to combine different techniques, methodologies and models (multi-hazard assessment, risk evolution in time, vulnerability functional analysis, and governance strategies) and to gather various interdisciplinary expertises in earth sciences, environmental sciences, and social sciences. The multidisciplinary background of the members could potentially lead to the development of new concepts and emerging strategies for mountain hazard/risk adaptation. Research areas, characterized by a variety of environmental, economical and social settings, are severely affected by landslides, and have experienced significant land use modifications (reforestation, abandonment of traditional agricultural practices) and human interferences (urban expansion, ski resorts construction) over the last century.

Analysis of passive microwave signatures over snow-covered mountainous area

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, R. S.; Durand, M. T.

2015-12-01

Accurate knowledge of snow distribution over mountainous area is critical for climate studies and the passive microwave(PM) measurements have been widely used and invested in order to obtain information about snowpack properties. Understanding and analyzing the signatures for the explicit inversion of the remote sensing data from land surfaces is required for successful using of passive microwave sensors but this task is often ambiguous due to the large variability of physical conditions and object types. In this paper, we discuss the pattern of measured brightness temperatures and emissivities at vertical and horizontal polarization over the frequency range of 10.7 to 89 GHz of land surfaces under various snow and vegetation conditions. The Multiband polarimetric Scanning Radiometer(PSR) imagery is used over NASA Cold Land Processes Field Experiment(CLPX) study area with ground-based measurements of snow depth and snow properties. Classification of snow under various conditions in mountainous area is implemented based on different patterns of microwave signatures.

FORMATION PROCESS AND HISTORICAL FUNCTIONS OF OLD AKIHA ROAD

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nakane, Yoji; Okuda, Masao; Kani, Yukihiko; Hayakawa, Kiyoshi; Matsui, Tamotsu

An object of this study is the old Akiha road located along the southern parts of the Akaishi Mountains in Sizuoka Prefecture. The old Akiha road between Hamamatsu city in Enshu and Iida city in Shinshu had been utilized by people for the purposes of making a pilgrimage, megalithic faith, transporting obsidian since the primitive age, practicing the mountaineering asceticism, operating the military activities in the warlike age, transporting salt from coastal area to mountainous area and so on. Through the investigation of literature, site reconnaissance and hearing, the formation process and the historical functions of the old Akiha road were studied, including the situation in medieval times or before. As the results, it was elucidated that the oldest road between two cities had located over the Hyoukoshi Pass, the road routes had the lowering trend from mountainside to riverside, and the historical functions of old Akiha road were the passage for transportation of various kinds of goods and human being, faith and culture.

[Automated mapping of urban forests' disturbance and recovery in Nanjing, China].

PubMed

Lyu, Ying-ying; Zhuang, Yi-lin; Ren, Xin-yu; Li, Ming-shi; Xu, Wang-gu; Wang, Zhi

2016-02-01

Using Landsat TM/ETM dense time series observations spanning from 1987 to 2011, taking Laoshan forest farm and Purple Mountain as the research objects, the landsat ecosystem disturbance adaptive processing system (Ledaps) algorithm was used to generate surface reflectance datasets, which were fed to the vegetation change tracker model (VCT) model to derive urban forest disturbance and recovery products over Nanjing, followed by an intensive validation of the products. The results showed that there was a relatively high spatial agreement for forest disturbance products mapped by VCT, ranging from 65.4% to 95.0%. There was an apparent fluctuating forest disturbance and recovery rate over time, and the change trend of forest disturbance occurring at the two sites was roughly similar, but forest recovery was obviously different. Forest coverage in Purple Mountain was less than that in Laoshan forest farm, but the forest disturbance and recovery rates in Laoshan forest farm were larger than those in Purple Mountain.

Thermal evaluation for exposed stone house with quantitative and qualitative approach in mountainous area, Wonosobo, Indonesia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hermawan, Hermawan; Prianto, Eddy

2017-12-01

A building can be considered as having a good thermal performance if it can make the occupant comfortable. Thermal comfort can be seen from the occupant's respond toward the architectural elements and the environment, such as lighting, the room crowding, air temperature, humidity, oxygen level, and occupant's behaviours. The objective of this research is to analyse the thermal performance of four different orientation houses in mountainous area. The research was conducted on the four expose stone houses with four different orientations in the slope of Sindoro Mountain which has relative cool temperature, about 26°C. The measurement of the elements above was done quantitatively and qualitatively for 24 hours. The results are as follows. First, the most comfortable house is west-orientation house. Second, based on the quantitative and qualitative observation, there is no significant difference (±5 %). Third, the occupant's behaviours (caring and genen) also become factors influencing occupant's comfort.

Milestones for Selection, Characterization, and Analysis of the Performance of a Repository for Spent Nuclear Fuel and High-Level Radioactive Waste at Yucca Mountain.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Rechard, Robert P.

This report presents a concise history in tabular form of events leading up to site identification in 1978, site selection in 1987, subsequent characterization, and ongoing analysis through 2008 of the performance of a repository for spent nuclear fuel and high-level radioactive waste at Yucca Mountain in southern Nevada. The tabulated events generally occurred in five periods: (1) commitment to mined geologic disposal and identification of sites; (2) site selection and analysis, based on regional geologic characterization through literature and analogous data; (3) feasibility analysis demonstrating calculation procedures and importance of system components, based on rough measures of performance usingmore » surface exploration, waste process knowledge, and general laboratory experiments; (4) suitability analysis demonstrating viability of disposal system, based on environment-specific laboratory experiments, in-situ experiments, and underground disposal system characterization; and (5) compliance analysis, based on completed site-specific characterization. Because the relationship is important to understanding the evolution of the Yucca Mountain Project, the tabulation also shows the interaction between four broad categories of political bodies and government agencies/institutions: (a) technical milestones of the implementing institutions, (b) development of the regulatory requirements and related federal policy in laws and court decisions, (c) Presidential and agency directives and decisions, and (d) critiques of the Yucca Mountain Project and pertinent national and world events related to nuclear energy and radioactive waste.« less

BENTHIC MICROBIAL RESPIRATION IN APPALACHIAN MOUNTAIN, PIEDMONT, AND COASTAL PLAINS, STREAMS OF THE EASTERN USA

EPA Science Inventory

Our study had two objectives. First, in order to quantify the potential underestimation of community respiration caused by the exclusion of anaerobic processes, we compared benthic microbial respiration measured as 02 consumption with estimated based on DHA. Second, our previous ...

Faith Moves Mountains: An Appalachian Cervical Cancer Prevention Program

PubMed Central

Schoenberg, Nancy E.; Hatcher, Jennifer; Dignan, Mark B.; Shelton, Brent; Wright, Sherry; Dollarhide, Kaye F.

2009-01-01

Objective To provide a conceptual description of Faith Moves Mountains (FMM), an intervention designed to reduce the disproportionate burden of cervical cancer among Appalachian women. Methods FMM, a community-based participatory research program designed and implemented in collaboration with churches in rural, southeastern Kentucky, aims to increase cervical cancer screening (Pap tests) through a multiphase process of educational programming and lay health counseling. Results We provide a conceptual overview to key elements of the intervention, including programmatic development, theoretical basis, intervention approach and implementation, and evaluation procedures. Conclusions After numerous modifications, FMM has recruited and retained over 400 women, 30 churches, and has become a change agent in the community. PMID:19320612

Tree Height and DBH Growth Model Establishment of Main Tree Species in Wuling Mountain Small Watershed

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Luo, Jia; Zhang, Min; Zhou, Xiaoling; Chen, Jianhua; Tian, Yuxin

2018-01-01

Taken 4 main tree species in the Wuling mountain small watershed as research objects, 57 typical sample plots were set up according to the stand type, site conditions and community structure. 311 goal diameter-class sample trees were selected according to diameter-class groups of different tree-height grades, and the optimal fitting models of tree height and DBH growth of main tree species were obtained by stem analysis using Richard, Logistic, Korf, Mitscherlich, Schumacher, Weibull theoretical growth equations, and the correlation coefficient of all optimal fitting models reached above 0.9. Through the evaluation and test, the optimal fitting models possessed rather good fitting precision and forecast dependability.

The lodgepole × jack pine hybrid zone in Alberta, Canada: a stepping stone for the mountain pine beetle on its journey East across the boreal forest?

PubMed

Lusebrink, Inka; Erbilgin, Nadir; Evenden, Maya L

2013-09-01

Historical data show that outbreaks of the tree killing mountain pine beetle are often preceded by periods of drought. Global climate change impacts drought frequency and severity and is implicated in the range expansion of the mountain pine beetle into formerly unsuitable habitats. Its expanded range has recently reached the lodgepole × jack pine hybrid zone in central Alberta, Canada, which could act as a transition from its historical lodgepole pine host to a jack pine host present in the boreal forest. This field study tested the effects of water limitation on chemical defenses of mature trees against mountain pine beetle-associated microorganisms and on beetle brood success in lodgepole × jack pine hybrid trees. Tree chemical defenses as measured by monoterpene emission from tree boles and monoterpene concentration in needles were greater in trees that experienced water deficit compared to well-watered trees. Myrcene was identified as specific defensive compound, since it significantly increased upon inoculation with dead mountain pine beetles. Beetles reared in bolts from trees that experienced water deficit emerged with a higher fat content, demonstrating for the first time experimentally that drought conditions benefit mountain pine beetles. Further, our study demonstrated that volatile chemical emission from tree boles and phloem chemistry place the hybrid tree chemotype in-between lodgepole pine and jack pine, which might facilitate the host shift from lodgepole pine to jack pine.

Strontium isotopes reveal distant sources of architectural timber in Chaco Canyon, New Mexico

USGS Publications Warehouse

English, N.B.; Betancourt, J.L.; Dean, J.S.; Quade, Jay

2001-01-01

Between A.D. 900 and 1150, more than 200,000 conifer trees were used to build the prehistoric great houses of Chaco Canyon, New Mexico, in what is now a treeless landscape. More than one-fifth of these timbers were spruce (Picea) or fir (Abies) that were hand-carried from isolated mountaintops 75-100 km away. Because strontium from local dust, water, and underlying bedrock is incorporated by trees, specific logging sites can be identified by comparing 87Sr/86Sr ratios in construction beams from different ruins and building periods to ratios in living trees from the surrounding mountains. 87Sr/86Sr ratios show that the beams came from both the Chuska and San Mateo (Mount Taylor) mountains, but not from the San Pedro Mountains, which are equally close. Incorporation of logs from two sources in the same room, great house, and year suggest stockpiling and intercommunity collaboration at Chaco Canyon. The use of trees from both the Chuska and San Mateo mountains, but not from the San Pedro Mountains, as early as A.D. 974 suggests that selection of timber sources was driven more by regional socioeconomic ties than by a simple model of resource depletion with distance and time.

Strontium isotopes reveal distant sources of architectural timber in Chaco Canyon, New Mexico.

PubMed

English, N B; Betancourt, J L; Dean, J S; Quade, J

2001-10-09

Between A.D. 900 and 1150, more than 200,000 conifer trees were used to build the prehistoric great houses of Chaco Canyon, New Mexico, in what is now a treeless landscape. More than one-fifth of these timbers were spruce (Picea) or fir (Abies) that were hand-carried from isolated mountaintops 75-100 km away. Because strontium from local dust, water, and underlying bedrock is incorporated by trees, specific logging sites can be identified by comparing (87)Sr/(86)Sr ratios in construction beams from different ruins and building periods to ratios in living trees from the surrounding mountains. (87)Sr/(86)Sr ratios show that the beams came from both the Chuska and San Mateo (Mount Taylor) mountains, but not from the San Pedro Mountains, which are equally close. Incorporation of logs from two sources in the same room, great house, and year suggest stockpiling and intercommunity collaboration at Chaco Canyon. The use of trees from both the Chuska and San Mateo mountains, but not from the San Pedro Mountains, as early as A.D. 974 suggests that selection of timber sources was driven more by regional socioeconomic ties than by a simple model of resource depletion with distance and time.

The Imperial Valley of California is critical to wintering Mountain Plovers

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wunder, Michael B.; Knopf, F.L.

2003-01-01

We surveyed Mountain Plovers (Charadrius montanus) wintering in the Imperial Valley of California in January 2001, and also recorded the types of crop fields used by plovers in this agricultural landscape. We tallied 4037 plovers in 36 flocks ranging in size from 4 to 596 birds. Plovers were more common on alfalfa and Bermudagrass fields than other field types. Further, most birds were on alfalfa fields that were currently being (or had recently been) grazed, primarily by domestic sheep. Plovers used Bermudagrass fields only after harvest and subsequent burning. Examination of Christmas Bird Count data from 1950–2000 indicated that the Mountain Plover has abandoned its historical wintering areas on the coastal plains of California. Numbers in the Central Valley seem to have undergone recent declines also. We believe that the cultivated landscape of the Imperial Valley provides wintering habitats for about half of the global population of Mountain Plovers. We attribute the current importance of the Imperial Valley for Mountain Plovers to loss of native coastal and Central Valley habitats rather than to a behavioral switching of wintering areas through time. Future changes in specific cropping or management practices in the Imperial Valley will have a major impact on the conservation status of this species.

Evaluation of the genetic structure of sika deer (Cervus nippon) in Japan's Kanto and Tanzawa mountain areas, based on microsatellite markers.

PubMed

Konishi, Sayaka; Hata, Shoko; Matsuda, Sayumi; Arai, Kazushi; Mizoguchi, Yasushi

2017-11-01

The browsing habits of sika deer (Cervus nippon) in Japan have caused serious ecological problems. Appropriate management of sika deer populations requires understanding the different genetic structures of local populations. In the present study, we used 10 microsatellite polymorphisms to explore the genetic structures of sika deer populations (162 individuals) living in the Kanto region. The expected heterozygosity of the Tanzawa mountain range population (Group I) was lower than that of the populations in the Kanto mountain areas (Group II). Our results suggest that moderate gene flow has occurred between the sika deer populations in the Kanto mountain areas (Group II), but not to or from the Tanzawa mountain range population (Group I). Also, genetic structure analysis showed that the Tanzawa population was separated from the other populations. This is probably attributable to a genetic bottleneck that developed in the Tanzawa sika deer population in the 1950s. However, we found that the Tanzawa population has since recovered from the bottleneck situation and now exhibits good genetic diversity. Our results show that it is essential to periodically evaluate the genetic structures of deer populations to develop conservation strategies appropriate to the specific structures of individual populations at any given time. © 2017 Japanese Society of Animal Science.

Application of soil block without burning process and calcium silicate panels as building wall in mountainous area

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Noerwasito, Vincentius Totok; Nasution, Tanti Satriana Rosary

2017-11-01

Utilization of local building materials in a residential location in mountainous area is very important, considering local material as a low-energy building material because of low transport energy. The local building materials used in this study are walls made from soil blocks. The material was made by the surrounding community from compacted soil without burning process. To maximize the potential of soil block to the outdoor temperature in the mountains, it is necessary to add non-local building materials as an insulator from the influence of the outside air. The insulator was calcium silicate panel. The location of the research is Trawas sub-district, Mojokerto regency, which is a mountainous area. The research problem is on applying the composition of local materials and calcium silicate panels that it will be able to meet the requirements as a wall building material and finding to what extent the impact of the wall against indoor temperature. The result from this research was the application of soil block walls insulated by calcium silicate panels in a building model. Besides, because of the utilization of those materials, the building has a specific difference between indoor and outdoor temperature. Thus, this model can be applied in mountainous areas in Indonesia.

Pennsylvanian-Permian tectonism in the Great Basin: The Dry Mountain trough and related basins

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Snyder, W.S.; Spinosa, C.; Gallegos, D.M.

1991-02-01

Pennsylvanian-Permian tectonism affected the continental margin of western North America from the Yukon to the Mojave Desert. Specific signatures of this tectonism include local angular unconformities, regional disconformities, renewed outpouring of clastic debris from a reactivated Antler and related highlands, and development of deeper water basins with anoxic sediments deposited below wave base. The basins formed include Ishbel trough (Canada), the Wood River basin (Idaho), Cassia basin, Ferguson trough, Dry Mountain trough (all Nevada), and unnamed basins in Death Valley-Mojave Desert region. The Dry Mountain trough (DMT) was initiated during early Wolfcampian and received up to 1,200 m of sedimentmore » by the late Leonardian. The lower contact is a regional unconformity with the Ely Limestone, or locally with the Diamond Peak or Vinini formations. Thus, following a period of localized regional uplift that destroyed the Ely basin, portions of the uplifted and exposed shelf subsided creating the Dry Mountain trough. Evidence suggesting a tectonic origin for the DMT includes (1) high subsidence rates (60-140 m/m.y.); (2) renewed influx of coarse clastic debris from the Antler highlands: (3) possible pre-Early Permian folding, thrusting, and tilting within the highlands; and (4) differential subsidence within the Dry Mountain trough, suggesting the existence of independent fault blocks.« less

Investigating the Adult Ixodid Tick Populations and Their Associated Anaplasma, Ehrlichia, and Rickettsia Bacteria at a Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever Hotspot in Western Tennessee.

PubMed

Trout Fryxell, Rebecca T; Hendricks, Brain M; Pompo, Kimberly; Mays, Sarah E; Paulsen, Dave J; Operario, Darwin J; Houston, Allan E

2017-08-01

Ehrlichiosis and rickettsiosis are two common bacterial tick-borne diseases in the southeastern United States. Ehrlichiosis is caused by ehrlichiae transmitted by Amblyomma americanum and rickettsiosis is caused by rickettsiae transmitted by Amblyomma maculatum and Dermacentor variabilis. These ticks are common and have overlapping distributions in the region. The objective of this study was to identify Anaplasma, Ehrlichia, and Rickettsia species associated with questing ticks in a Rocky Mountain spotted fever (RMSF) hotspot, and identify habitats, time periods, and collection methods for collecting questing-infected ticks. Using vegetation drags and CO 2 -baited traps, ticks were collected six times (May-September 2012) from 100 sites (upland deciduous, bottomland deciduous, grassland, and coniferous habitats) in western Tennessee. Adult collections were screened for Anaplasma and Ehrlichia (simultaneous polymerase chain reaction [PCR]) and Rickettsia using genus-specific PCRs, and resulting positive amplicons were sequenced. Anaplasma and Ehrlichia were only identified within A. americanum (Ehrlichia ewingii, Ehrlichia chaffeensis, Panola Mountain Ehrlichia, and Anaplasma odocoilei sp. nov.); more Ehrlichia-infected A. americanum were collected at the end of June regardless of habitat and collection method. Rickettsia was identified in three tick species; "Candidatus Rickettsia amblyommii" from A. americanum, R. parkeri and R. andeanae from A. maculatum, and R. montanensis ( = montana) from D. variabilis. Overall, significantly more Rickettsia-infected ticks were identified as A. americanum and A. maculatum compared to D. variabilis; more infected-ticks were collected from sites May-July and with dragging. In this study, we report in the Tennessee RMSF hotspot the following: (1) Anaplasma and Ehrlichia are only found in A. americanum, (2) each tick species has its own Rickettsia species, (3) a majority of questing-infected ticks are collected May-July, (4) A. americanum and A. maculatum harbor pathogenic bacteria in western Tennessee, and (5) R. rickettsii remains unidentified.

Verification of specific selection SNPs between broiler and layer chicken in Chinese indigenous chicken breeds.

PubMed

Lan, D; Hu, Y D; Zhu, Q; Li, D Y; Liu, Y P

2015-07-28

The direction of production for indigenous chicken breeds is currently unknown and this knowledge, combined with the development of chicken genome-wide association studies, led us to investigate differences in specific loci between broiler and layer chicken using bioinformatic methods. In addition, we analyzed the distribution of these seven identified loci in four Chinese indigenous chicken breeds, Caoke chicken, Jiuyuan chicken, Sichuan mountain chicken, and Tibetan chicken, using DNA direct sequencing methods, and analyzed the data using bioinformatic methods. Based on the results, we suggest that Caoke chicken could be developed for meat production, while Jiuyuan chicken could be developed for egg production. As Sichuan mountain chicken and Tibetan chicken exhibited large polymorphisms, these breeds could be improved by changing their living environment.

Hydrologic and geologic characteristics of the Yucca Mountain site relevant to the performance of a potential repository

USGS Publications Warehouse

Levich, R.A.; Linden, R.M.; Patterson, R.L.; Stuckless, J.S.

2000-01-01

Yucca Mountain, located ~100 mi northwest of Las Vegas, Nevada, has been designated by Congress as a site to be characterized for a potential mined geologic repository for high-level radioactive waste. This field trip will examine the regional geologic and hydrologic setting for Yucca Mountain, as well as specific results of the site characterization program. The first day focuses on the regional setting with emphasis on current and paleo hydrology, which are both of critical concern for predicting future performance of a potential repository. Morning stops will be southern Nevada and afternoon stops will be in Death Valley. The second day will be spent at Yucca Mountain. The field trip will visit the underground testing sites in the "Exploratory Studies Facility" and the "Busted Butte Unsaturated Zone Transport Field Test" plus several surface-based testing sites. Much of the work at the site has concentrated on studies of the unsaturated zone, an element of the hydrologic system that historically has received little attention. Discussions during the second day will compromise selected topics of Yucca Mountain geology, hydrology and geochemistry and will include the probabilistic volcanic hazard analysis and the seismicity and seismic hazard in the Yucca Mountain area. Evening discussions will address modeling of regional groundwater flow, the results of recent hydrologic studies by the Nye County Nuclear Waste Program Office, and the relationship of the geology and hydrology of Yucca Mountain to the performance of a potential repository. Day 3 will examine the geologic framework and hydrology of the Pahute Mesa-Oasis Valley Groundwater Basin and then will continue to Reno via Hawthorne, Nevada and the Walker Lake area.

Isolation of Bartonella henselae and Two New Bartonella Subspecies, Bartonella koehlerae Subspecies boulouisii subsp. nov. and Bartonella koehlerae Subspecies bothieri subsp. nov. from Free-Ranging Californian Mountain Lions and Bobcats

PubMed Central

Chomel, Bruno B.; Molia, Sophie; Kasten, Rickie W.; Borgo, Gina M.; Stuckey, Matthew J.; Maruyama, Soichi; Chang, Chao-chin; Haddad, Nadia; Koehler, Jane E.

2016-01-01

Domestic cats are the natural reservoir of Bartonella henselae, B. clarridgeiae and B. koehlerae. To determine the role of wild felids in the epidemiology of Bartonella infections, blood was collected from 14 free-ranging California mountain lions (Puma concolor) and 19 bobcats (Lynx rufus). Bartonella spp. were isolated from four (29%) mountain lions and seven (37%) bobcats. These isolates were characterized using growth characteristics, biochemical reactions, molecular techniques, including PCR-RFLP of selected genes or interspacer region, pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE), partial sequencing of several genes, and DNA-DNA hybridization. Two isolates were identical to B. henselae genotype II. All other isolates were distinguished from B. henselae and B. koehlerae by PCR-RFLP of the gltA gene using endonucleases HhaI, TaqI and AciI, with the latter two discriminating between the mountain lion and the bobcat isolates. These two novel isolates displayed specific PFGE profiles distinct from B. henselae, B. koehlerae and B. clarridgeiae. Sequences of amplified gene fragments from the three mountain lion and six bobcat isolates were closely related to, but distinct from, B. henselae and B. koehlerae. Finally, DNA-DNA hybridization studies demonstrated that the mountain lion and bobcat strains are most closely related to B. koehlerae. We propose naming the mountain lion isolates B. koehlerae subsp. boulouisii subsp. nov. (type strain: L-42-94), and the bobcat isolates B. koehlerae subsp. bothieri subsp. nov. (type strain: L-17-96), and to emend B. koehlerae as B. koehlerae subsp. koehlerae. The mode of transmission and the zoonotic potential of these new Bartonella subspecies remain to be determined. PMID:26981874

Why on the snow? Winter emergence strategies of snow-active Chironomidae (Diptera) in Poland.

PubMed

Soszyńska-Maj, Agnieszka; Paasivirta, Lauri; Giłka, Wojciech

2016-10-01

A long-term study of adult non-biting midges (Chironomidae) active in winter on the snow in mountain areas and lowlands in Poland yielded 35 species. The lowland and mountain communities differed significantly in their specific composition. The mountain assemblage was found to be more diverse and abundant, with a substantial contribution from the subfamily Diamesinae, whereas Orthocladiinae predominated in the lowlands. Orthocladius wetterensis Brundin was the most characteristic and superdominant species in the winter-active chironomid communities in both areas. Only a few specimens and species of snow-active chironomids were recorded in late autumn and early winter. The abundance of chironomids peaked in late February in the mountain and lowland areas with an additional peak in the mountain areas in early April. However, this second peak of activity consisted mainly of Orthocladiinae, as Diamesinae emerged earliest in the season. Most snow-active species emerged in mid- and late winter, but their seasonal patterns differed between the 2 regions as a result of the different species composition and the duration of snow cover in these regions. Spearman's rank correlation coefficient tests yielded positive results between each season and the number of chironomid individuals recorded in the mountain area. A positive correlation between air temperature, rising to +3.5 °C, and the number of specimens recorded on the snow in the mountain community was statistically significant. The winter emergence and mate-searching strategies of chironomids are discussed in the light of global warming, and a brief compilation of most important published data on the phenomena studied is provided. © 2015 Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences.

Uplifting model of the Longmenshan mountain in the eastern margin of Tibetan plateau

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, S.; Ding, R.; Mao, C.

2010-12-01

Longmenshan mountain is a vivid manifestation of the Cenozoic orogenesis in the eastern margin of the Tibetan plateau, and a key to understand the geodynamics of eastward extending of the plateau. Thus the uplift mechanism of Longmenshan mountain became a hot spot issue of geosciences about the Tibetan plateau. Two entirely different hypotheses, i.e., crustal shortening and lower crustal channel flow, were put forward, but the solution is open. Further discussion need our deeper understanding about the uplifting features of the Longmenshan mountain. Fortunately, the uplifting processes were recorded objectively by peneplains and river landforms. We first analysed the peneplains and pediplanes of Longmenshan mountain and its surrounding areas, and surveyed the terraces of Dadu river running across the mountain. Then we studied the uplifting features of the study areas in late Cenozoic time on the basis of landform geometries. Finaly we discussed the possible mechanisms for the uplifting. There are two levels of peneplains whose peneplanations may begin in early Cenozoic time and end at late Miocene when the final fluctuations of elevations were possibly less than one kilometers. The valley of Dadu river is incised into the peneplains and has a staircase of no less than ten levels of terraces. The highest terrace is a strath which was contemporary with the pediplane in the piedmont formed in late Pliocene or in early Pleistocene. Due to their originally flat features, the peneplains and the strath terraces were used as datum planes for judging neotectonic deformations. Since late Miocene, the southeastern side of Longmenshan mountain has been dominated by thrust-faulting with a total vertical displacement of about 4500 m against the Sichuan basin, meantime the northwest side has been maintained flexural uplift with syncline hinge approximately following the Longriba fault. As a landform barrier between Tibetan plateau and Sichuan basin, the crest lines of the mountain are about 500 to 1000 m higher than the hinterland surface on the west side. In a word, Longmenshan mountain has been formed by the combination of eastern-wing thrusting and west-wing flexing which are attested by the deformation of the Tertiary peneplains and the longitudinal profiles of Quaternary strath terraces of Dadu river. The possible mechanisms for the uplifting of the mountain are the fault-bend folding of the upper crust, the upwelling of plastic lower crust , and crustal isostasy induced by surface erosion. In the light of the existence of longitudinal thrust faults or reversely strike-slip fault along the eastern and western wings of Longmenshan mountain, and no finding of longitudinal extensional faults there, fault-bend folding is proposed to be the leading factor.

Combining Landform Thematic Layer and Object-Oriented Image Analysis to Map the Surface Features of Mountainous Flood Plain Areas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chuang, H.-K.; Lin, M.-L.; Huang, W.-C.

2012-04-01

The Typhoon Morakot on August 2009 brought more than 2,000 mm of cumulative rainfall in southern Taiwan, the extreme rainfall event caused serious damage to the Kaoping River basin. The losses were mostly blamed on the landslides along sides of the river, and shifting of the watercourse even led to the failure of roads and bridges, as well as flooding and levees damage happened around the villages on flood bank and terraces. Alluvial fans resulted from debris flow of stream feeders blocked the main watercourse and debris dam was even formed and collapsed. These disasters have highlighted the importance of identification and map the watercourse alteration, surface features of flood plain area and artificial structures soon after the catastrophic typhoon event for natural hazard mitigation. Interpretation of remote sensing images is an efficient approach to acquire spatial information for vast areas, therefore making it suitable for the differentiation of terrain and objects near the vast flood plain areas in a short term. The object-oriented image analysis program (Definiens Developer 7.0) and multi-band high resolution satellite images (QuickBird, DigitalGlobe) was utilized to interpret the flood plain features from Liouguei to Baolai of the the Kaoping River basin after Typhoon Morakot. Object-oriented image interpretation is the process of using homogenized image blocks as elements instead of pixels for different shapes, textures and the mutual relationships of adjacent elements, as well as categorized conditions and rules for semi-artificial interpretation of surface features. Digital terrain models (DTM) are also employed along with the above process to produce layers with specific "landform thematic layers". These layers are especially helpful in differentiating some confusing categories in the spectrum analysis with improved accuracy, such as landslides and riverbeds, as well as terraces, riverbanks, which are of significant engineering importance in disaster mitigation. In this study, an automatic and fast image interpretation process for eight surface features including main channel, secondary channel, sandbar, flood plain, river terrace, alluvial fan, landslide, and the nearby artificial structures in the mountainous flood plain is proposed. Images along timelines can even be compared in order to differentiate historical events such as village inundations, failure of roads, bridges and levees, as well as alternation of watercourse, and therefore can be used as references for safety evaluation of engineering structures near rivers, disaster prevention and mitigation, and even future land-use planning. Keywords: Flood plain area, Remote sensing, Object-oriented, Surface feature interpretation, Terrain analysis, Thematic layer, Typhoon Morakot

36 CFR 7.7 - Rocky Mountain National Park.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... signs, snow poles or other appropriate means. (2) When may I operate a snowmobile on the North Supply...) Fishing. (1) Fishing restrictions, based on management objectives described in the park's Resources... 1.7 of this chapter, on any activity pertaining to fishing, including, but not limited to species of...

36 CFR 7.7 - Rocky Mountain National Park.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... signs, snow poles or other appropriate means. (2) When may I operate a snowmobile on the North Supply...) Fishing. (1) Fishing restrictions, based on management objectives described in the park's Resources... 1.7 of this chapter, on any activity pertaining to fishing, including, but not limited to species of...

Interspecific and environmentally induced variation in foliar dark respiration among eighteen southeastern deciduous tree species

Treesearch

Katherine A. Mitchell; Paul V. Bolstad; James M. Vose

1999-01-01

We measured variations in leaf dark respiration rate (Rd) and leaf nitrogen (N) across species, canopy light environment, and elevation for 18 co-occurring deciduous hardwood species in the Southern Appalachian Mountains of Western North Carolina. Our overall objective was to estimate leaf...

Risk of cardiovascular events during mountain activities.

PubMed

Burtscher, Martin

2007-01-01

Sudden cardiac death (SCD) is the major cause of fatalities in males over 34 years of age during hiking or downhill skiing in the mountains. The main goal of the present study was the identification of risk factors and triggers associated with SCDs during these mountain activities. Besides recording individual circumstances associated with SCD, a case-control study was performed comparing the risk factor profiles of 247 males over the age of 34 who suffered SCD during mountain hiking or downhill skiing with those of 741 matched controls. The SCD risk was greatest on the first day at altitude but altitude per se and the duration of activity did not appear to markedly modify this risk. In contrast, the longer the time from the last food and fluid intake during hiking, the higher was the SCD risk. Early cardio-pulmonary resuscitation was started in 33% of skiers and in 14 % of hikers after occurrence of unconsciousness. Hikers who died suddenly during mountain hiking were much more likely to have had a prior myocardial infarction (MI) (17% vs. 0.9%), known coronary artery disease (CAD) without prior MI (17% vs. 4%), diabetes (6% vs. 1%), hypercholesterolemia (54 % vs. 20%), and were also less engaged in regular mountaineering activities (31% vs. 58%) compared with hikers from the control group (all P < 0.001). Skiers who suffered SCD had much more frequently a prior MI (41% vs. 1.5%), hypertension (50% vs. 17%), known CAD without prior MI (9% vs. 3%), and were less engaged in regular strenuous exercise (4% vs. 15%) when compared to controls (all P < 0.05). These findings enable identification of skiers and hikers at increased SCD-risk and recommendation of preventive measures, e.g. pharmacological interventions and adaptation to specific mountain activities. They also underline the need for intensified cardio-pulmonary resuscitation training for all mountaineers.

Aspects of late Quaternary geomorphological development in the Khangai Mountains and the Gobi Altai Mountains (Mongolia)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lehmkuhl, Frank; Nottebaum, Veit; Hülle, Daniela

2018-07-01

The reconstruction of geomorphological processes as a result of environmental change is approached by investigating and dating some fluvial, aeolian and lacustrine archives at specific locations that form a N-S basin and range transect across the Khangai Mountains south to the eastern Gobi Altai mountains in Mongolia. Geomorphological processes varied a) spatially with different climatic conditions and vegetation cover in relation to different elevation and latitude and b) temporally due to climatic shifts during the late Quaternary. In total, 15 sections from three distinct sub-regions along that transect were dated by 22 OSL ages. The Khangai Mountain sub-region exhibits mainly late Glacial to Holocene aeolian silty to sandy cover sediments mainly in the upper catchment reaches (>1800 m a.s.l.). Sections in the northern and central Gobi represent river terraces and alluvial fans in basin areas as well as aeolian sediments in the mountains above 2200 m a.s.l. The oldest terrace surface found in this study (T2; NGa1) dates to the penultimate Glacial cycle. The T1 terrace surfaces, on the northern Khangai Mountain front and in the central Gobi sub-region yield a maximum accumulation during the global Last Glacial Maximum (gLGM) and late Glacial time. During the gLGM phase represents rather sheetflow dominated transport built the alluvial fans and in late Glacial times the sediments exhibit more debrisflow controlled accumulation. Incision, forming the T1-terrace edges is therefore, supposed for the Pleistocene-Holocene transition and subsequent early Holocene. The geomorphic evidence is interpreted as stronger fluvial morphodynamics induced by enhanced humidity under beginning interglacial conditions. These processes coincided with the development of aeolian mantles at higher altitudes in the Khangai and Gobi Altai mountains where higher temperatures and humidities supported the formation of a vegetation cover, that served as a dust trap at least since late Glacial times and reduced the sediment supply on the alluvial fans.

Mycoplasma conjunctivae in domestic small ruminants from high mountain habitats in Northern Spain.

PubMed

Fernández-Aguilar, Xavier; Cabezón, Oscar; Marco, Ignasi; Mentaberre, Gregorio; Frey, Joachim; Lavín, Santiago; López-Olvera, Jorge R

2013-12-13

Infectious keratoconjunctivitis (IKC) is a clinical condition affecting eyes of domestic and wild Caprinae worldwide, and Mycoplasma conjunctivae is considered the primary causative agent of IKC in sheep, goats and wild Caprinae. Domestic ruminants from high mountain habitats share grazing areas with wild mountain ungulates, such as chamois (Rupicapra spp.), Alpine ibex (Capra ibex) and European mouflon (Ovis aries musimon), and domestic sheep seem to act as M. conjunctivae reservoir. In this study, the presence of M. conjunctivae in domestic sheep and goats from the two main mountain ranges of Northern Spain, the Pyrenees and the Cantabrian Mountains, has been investigated. Eye swabs were obtained from 439 domestic small ruminants selected from flocks that seasonally graze in alpine meadows during three consecutive years (2011-2012-2013). Seventy-nine out of the 378 domestic sheep (20.9%) tested positive to a M. conjunctivae specific real time-PCR (rt-PCR) in at least one eye, whereas all the 61 sampled domestic goats were negative. Statistically significant higher prevalence and higher proportion of infected flocks (P < 0.001) was observed in the Pyrenees (25.7%; 12 flocks out of 13), where M. conjunctivae is widespread and probably endemic in domestic sheep, than in the Cantabrian Mountains (7.8%; one flock out of six). Twenty-five sheep (three from the Pyrenees and 22 from the Cantabrian Mountains) which showed clinical signs consistent with infectious keratoconjunctivitis (IKC) were negative by rt-PCR. In contrast, 62 out of the 71 (87.3%) M. conjunctivae-positive sheep from the Pyrenees and the eight positive sheep from the Cantabrian Mountains were asymptomatic. This study provides rt-PCR-based evidences of M. conjunctivae maintenance in domestic sheep, as well as a relationship between prevalence in domestic sheep and previously reported M. conjunctivae and IKC in wild ruminants. Domestic goats do not seem to play an important role in the epidemiology of M. conjunctivae in alpine habitats from Northern Spain.

NASA Electronic Library System (NELS): The system impact of security

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mcgregor, Terry L.

1993-01-01

This paper discusses security issues as they relate to the NASA Electronic Library System which is currently in use as the repository system for AdaNET System Version 3 (ASV3) being operated by MountainNET, Inc. NELS was originally designed to provide for public, development, and secure collections and objects. The secure feature for collections and objects was deferred in the initial system for implementation at a later date. The NELS system is now 9 months old and many lessons have been learned about the use and maintenance of library systems. MountainNET has 9 months of experience in operating the system and gathering feedback from the ASV3 user community. The user community has expressed an interest in seeing security features implemented in the current system. The time has come to take another look at the whole issue of security for the NELS system. Two requirements involving security have been put forth by MountainNET for the ASV3 system. The first is to incorporate at the collection level a security scheme to allow restricted access to collections. This should be invisible to end users and be controlled by librarians. The second is to allow inclusion of applications which can be executed only by a controlled group of users; for example, an application which can be executed by librarians only. The requirements provide a broad framework in which to work. These requirements raise more questions than answers. To explore the impact of these requirements a top down approach will be used.

Congress Examines Nuclear Waste Disposal Recommendations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Showstack, Randy

2012-02-01

During an 8 February U.S. congressional hearing to examine how to move forward on dealing with spent nuclear fuel and to review other recommendations of the recently released final report of the White House-appointed Blue Ribbon Commission on America's Nuclear Future (BRC), Yucca Mountain was the 65,000-ton gorilla in the room. BRC's charge was to conduct a comprehensive review of policies to manage the back end of the nuclear fuel cycle and recommend a new strategy for dealing with the 65,000 tons of spent nuclear fuel currently stored at 75 sites around the country and the 2000 tons of new spent fuel being produced each year. However, BRC specifically did not evaluate Yucca Mountain. A 26 January letter from BRC to U.S. secretary of energy Steven Chu states, "You directed that the Commission was not to serve as a siting body. Accordingly, we have not evaluated Yucca Mountain or any other location as a potential site for the storage of spent nuclear fuel or disposal of high-level waste nor have we taken a position on the administration's request to withdraw the Yucca Mountain license application."

Rocky Mountain snowpack physical and chemical data for selected sites, 2010

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ingersoll, George P.; Mast, M. Alisa; Swank, James M.; Campbell, Chelsea D.

2010-01-01

The Rocky Mountain Snowpack program established a network of snowpack-sampling sites in the Rocky Mountain region, from New Mexico to Montana, to monitor the chemical content of snow and to understand the effects of regional atmospheric deposition on freshwater systems. Scientists with the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the National Park Service; the U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service; the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment; Teton County, Wyoming; and others, annually collected and analyzed snow-pack samples at 48 or more sites in the Rocky Mountain region during 1993-2010. Sixty-three snowpack-sampling sites were each sampled once in 2010, and those data are presented in this report. Data include acid-neutralization capacity, specific conductance, pH, hydrogen ion concentrations, dissolved concentrations of major constituents (calcium, magnesium, sodium, potassium, ammonium, chloride, sulfate, and nitrate), dissolved organic carbon concentrations, snow-water equivalent, snow depth, total mercury concentrations, and ionic charge balance. Quality-assurance data for field and laboratory blanks and field replicates for 2010 also are included.

Rocky Mountain Snowpack Physical and Chemical Data for Selected Sites, 1993-2008

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ingersoll, George P.; Mast, M. Alisa; Campbell, Donald H.; Clow, David W.; Nanus, Leora; Turk, John T.

2009-01-01

The Rocky Mountain Snowpack program established a network of snowpack-sampling sites in the Rocky Mountain region from New Mexico to Montana to monitor the chemical content of snow to help in the understanding of the effects of atmospheric deposition to this region. The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the National Park Service, the USDA Forest Service, Teton County in Wyoming, Rio Blanco County in Colorado, Pitkin County in Colorado, and others, collected and analyzed snowpack samples annually for 48 or more sites in the Rocky Mountain region during 1993-2008. Forty-eight of the 162 snow-sampling sites have been sampled annually since 1993. Data include acid-neutralization capacity, specific conductance, pH, hydrogen ion concentrations, dissolved concentrations of major constituents (calcium, magnesium, sodium, potassium, ammonium, chloride, sulfate, and nitrate), dissolved organic carbon concentrations, snow/ water equivalent, snow depth, stable sulfur isotope ratios, total mercury concentrations (beginning in 2001), and ionic charge balance. Quality-assurance data for field and laboratory blanks and field replicates for individual years (1993-2008) also are included.

Triaxial- and uniaxial-compression testing methods developed for extraction of pore water from unsaturated tuff, Yucca Mountain, Nevada

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Mower, T.E.; Higgins, J.D.; Yang, I.C.

1989-12-31

To support the study of hydrologic system in the unsaturated zone at Yucca Mountain, Nevada, two extraction methods were examined to obtain representative, uncontaminated pore-water samples from unsaturated tuff. Results indicate that triaxial compression, which uses a standard cell, can remove pore water from nonwelded tuff that has an initial moisture content greater than 11% by weight; uniaxial compression, which uses a specifically fabricated cell, can extract pore water from nonwelded tuff that has an initial moisture content greater than 8% and from welded tuff that has an initial moisture content greater than 6.5%. For the ambient moisture conditions ofmore » Yucca Mountain tuffs, uniaxial compression is the most efficient method of pore-water extraction. 12 refs., 7 figs., 2 tabs.« less

Molecular characterization of Blastocystis sp. in captive wild animals in Qinling Mountains.

PubMed

Zhao, G H; Hu, X F; Liu, T L; Hu, R S; Yu, Z Q; Yang, W B; Wu, Y L; Yu, S K; Song, J K

2017-08-01

Blastocystis is one common protist inhabiting in gastrointestinal tracts of animals and humans. Examining the subtypes has important implications for assessing the zoonotic potential of Blastocystis and intestinal health of hosts. In the present study, a total of 497 fecal samples collected from 37 wild animal species in Qinling Mountains were investigated for the presence and subtypes of Blastocystis. Of them, 200 (40.2%) were positive for Blastocystis and 13 subtypes were found, including eight known subtypes (STs1-3, 5, 10, 12-14) and five possible novel subtypes (temporarily named as STs18-22), with ST10 as the predominate subtype and the subtype ST5 was detected in an ostrich for the first time. These findings indicated the wide distribution and specific subtype characteristics of Blastocystis in wild animals of Qinling Mountains.

GAPHAZ: improving knowledge management of glacier and permafrost hazards and risks in mountains

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huggel, Christian; Burn, Chris; Clague, John J.; Hewitt, Ken; Kääb, Andreas; Krautblatter, Michael; Kargel, Jeffrey S.; Reynolds, John; Sokratov, Sergey

2014-05-01

High-mountain environments worldwide are undergoing changes at an historically unprecedented pace due to the sensitivity of the high-mountain cryosphere to climate change. Humans have settled in many mountain regions hundreds, even thousands of years ago, but recent intensive socio-economic developments have increased exposure and vulnerability of people and infrastructure to a large range of natural hazards related to high-mountain processes. Resulting risks are therefore increasing and highly dynamic. GAPHAZ, the Standing Group on Glacier and Permafrost Hazards in Mountains of the International Association of Cryospheric Sciences (IACS) and International Permafrost Association (IPA), is positioned in this context. The objectives of GAPHAZ are to: • improve the international scientific communication on glacier and permafrost hazards; • stimulating and strengthen research collaborations in the field of glacier and permafrost hazards; • compile a state of knowledge related to glacier and permafrost hazards in high mountains; • work towards a greater transfer of information and improved communication between the scientific and governmental/policy communities; • signpost sources of advice to international and national agencies, responsible authorities, and private companies; and • act as a focal point for information for international media during relevant crises. GAPHAZ has initiated a variety of activities over the past years to meet these objectives. One of the important issues is the development of standards of (1) how to make and portray technical assessments of glacier and permafrost related hazards and risks; and (2) how to communicate these to the public and a range of actors including those who implement measures. Thereby, difficulties of and need for better translation between techno-scientific understanding, and the situations and concerns of people most at risk in cold regions need to be recognized. Knowledge-transfer from the few well-researched and monitored regions to the more extensive and diverse regions needs to be addressed.. Standards are required to ensure an adequate level of quality and to avoid incorrect assessments with potentially adverse consequences, as experiences in the past have shown. Concepts and terminologies related to hazard and risk assessments must follow recently issued consensus statements, such as those of UN-ISDR and IPCC. Hazard assessments must be undertaken routinely and regularly, combined with appropriate ground-based and remote sensing monitoring. Assessments need to adequately consider the physical processes and their interactions. Integrative risk assessments should be achieved by interdisciplinary cooperation. There is still a lack of integration of physical/engineering and social aspects of glacier and permafrost hazards; therefore communication and exchange between natural and social science experts must be strengthened. In the design and implementation of risk reduction and adaptation measures, a close collaboration among scientists, policy makers, and local populations is necessary. Recognizing different perceptions of risks among actors are particularly important if risk reduction efforts are to be successful. Measures should generally be adapted to the local social, cultural, economic, political, and institutional context. Early warning systems are becoming increasingly important, and a growing number of experiences are available also for high-mountain environments. A systematic analysis and exchange of experiences using dedicated expert networks will be fostered by GAPHAZ in collaboration with other initiatives and actors.

Sources of ozone and sulfate in northeastern United States. Annual progress report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Husain, L.

1980-06-30

Ozone observed at Whiteface Mountain, NY, may be derived from the stratosphere, photochemical production from pollutant NO/sub x/ and hydrocarbons emitted in urban/industrial areas, with subsequent transport of O/sub 3/ to Whiteface Mountain, and/or photochemical production from NO/sub x/ and hyodrocarbons including terpenes, etc., emitted from vegetation in the vicinity of Whiteface Mountain. The principal objective of this work was to assess /sup 7/Be and /sup 32/P as stratospheric tracers and, if possible, use them to quantify stratospheric O/sub 3/. Other objectives of this program were: to study the relationship between O/sub 3/ and SO/sub 4//sup 2 -/, use SO/submore » 4//sup 2 -/ as an indicator of photochemical production originating in urban areas, to study the long-range transport of pollutants and try to identify emission sources and establish daily, monthly, and seasonal variations of SO/sub 4//sup 2 -/ and trace elements thus generating a data base to study long-term trends. The salient features of this study were the first determinations of /sup 7/Be/O/sub 3/ ratios in the lower stratosphere and upper troposphere and gathering continuous data of radionuclides /sup 7/Be, /sup 32/P, and /sup 33/P along with O/sub 3/, SO/sub 4//sup 2 -/, and several trace elements. Some of the significant accomplishments of this study are: a quantitative relationships between /sup 7/Be and O/sub 3/ in the stratosphere was established, and it is applied to estimate stratospheric O/sub 3/ on a global and episodic basis; global /sup 7/Be measurements suggest that the stratospheric influx in the northern hemisphere is twice that in the southern; and, the /sup 7/Be//sup 32/P ratios yield an average transport time of approx. 7 days during spring and summer for stratospheric air from tropopause to Whiteface Mountain, supporting tropopause folding as the predominant mechanism of stratospheric-tropospheric exchange during spring and summer. (JGB)« less

Simulating hydrological processes of a typical small mountainous catchment in Tibetan Plateau

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xu, Y. P.; Bai, Z.; Fu, Q.; Pan, S.; Zhu, C.

2017-12-01

Water cycle of small watersheds with seasonal/permanent frozen soil and snow pack in Tibetan Plateau is seriously affected by climate change. The objective of this study is to find out how much and in what way the frozen soil and snow pack will influence the hydrology of small mountainous catchments in cold regions and how can the performance of simulation by a distributed hydrological model be improved. The Dong catchment, a small catchment located in Tibetan Plateau, is used as a case study. Two measurement stations are set up to collect basic meteorological and hydrological data for the modeling purpose. Annual and interannual variations of runoff indices are first analyzed based on historic data series. The sources of runoff in dry periods and wet periods are analyzed respectively. Then, a distributed hydrology soil vegetation model (DHSVM) is adopted to simulate the hydrological process of Dong catchment based on limited data set. Global sensitivity analysis is applied to help determine the important processes of the catchment. Based on sensitivity analysis results, the Epsilon-Dominance Non-Dominated Sorted Genetic Algorithm II (ɛ-NSGAII) is finally added into the hydrological model to calibrate the hydrological model in a multi-objective way and analyze the performance of DHSVM model. The performance of simulation is evaluated with several evaluation indices. The final results show that frozen soil and snow pack do play an important role in hydrological processes in cold mountainous region, in particular in dry periods without precipitation, while in wet periods precipitation is often the main source of runoff. The results also show that although the DHSVM hydrological model has the potential to model the hydrology well in small mountainous catchments with very limited data in Tibetan Plateau, the simulation of hydrology in dry periods is not very satisfactory due to the model's insufficiency in simulating seasonal frozen soil.

Effect of Short-Term Acclimatization to High Altitude on Sleep and Nocturnal Breathing

PubMed Central

Nussbaumer-Ochsner, Yvonne; Ursprung, Justyna; Siebenmann, Christoph; Maggiorini, Marco; Bloch, Konrad E.

2012-01-01

Study Objective: Objective physiologic data on sleep and nocturnal breathing at initial exposure and during acclimatization to high altitude are scant. We tested the hypothesis that acute exposure to high altitude induces quantitative and qualitative changes in sleep and that these changes are partially reversed with acclimatization. Design: Prospective observation. Setting: One night in a sleep laboratory at 490 meters, the first and the third night in a mountain hut at 4559 meters. Participants: Sixteen healthy mountaineers. Intervention: Altitude exposure. Measurements: Polysomnography, questionnaire evaluation of sleep and acute mountain sickness. Results: Compared to 490 m, median nocturnal oxygen saturation decreased during the 1st night at 4559 m from 96% to 67%, minute ventilation increased from 4.4 to 6.3 L/min, and the apnea-hypopnea index increased from 0.1 to 60.9/h; correspondingly, sleep efficiency decreased from 93% to 69%, and slow wave sleep from 18% to 6% (P < 0.05, all instances). During the 3rd night at 4559 m, oxygen saturation was 71%, slow wave sleep 11% (P < 0.05 vs. 1st night, both instances) and the apnea/hypopnea index was 86.5/h (P = NS vs. 1st night). Symptoms of AMS and of disturbed sleep were significantly reduced in the morning after the 3rd vs. the 1st night at 4559 m. Conclusions: In healthy mountaineers ascending rapidly to high altitude, sleep quality is initially impaired but improves with acclimatization in association with improved oxygen saturation, while periodic breathing persists. Therefore, high altitude sleep disturbances seem to be related predominantly to hypoxemia rather than to periodic breathing. Citation: Nussbaumer-Ochsner Y; Ursprung J; Siebenmann C; Maggiorini M; Bloch KE. Effect of short-term acclimatization to high altitude on sleep and nocturnal breathing. SLEEP 2012;35(3):419-423. PMID:22379248

Whitebark pine mortality related to white pine blister rust, mountain pine beetle outbreak, and water availability

USGS Publications Warehouse

Shanahan, Erin; Irvine, Kathryn M.; Thoma, David P.; Wilmoth, Siri K.; Ray, Andrew; Legg, Kristin; Shovic, Henry

2016-01-01

Whitebark pine (Pinus albicaulis) forests in the western United States have been adversely affected by an exotic pathogen (Cronartium ribicola, causal agent of white pine blister rust), insect outbreaks (Dendroctonus ponderosae, mountain pine beetle), and drought. We monitored individual trees from 2004 to 2013 and characterized stand-level biophysical conditions through a mountain pine beetle epidemic in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. Specifically, we investigated associations between tree-level variables (duration and location of white pine blister rust infection, presence of mountain pine beetle, tree size, and potential interactions) with observations of individual whitebark pine tree mortality. Climate summaries indicated that cumulative growing degree days in years 2006–2008 likely contributed to a regionwide outbreak of mountain pine beetle prior to the observed peak in whitebark mortality in 2009. We show that larger whitebark pine trees were preferentially attacked and killed by mountain pine beetle and resulted in a regionwide shift to smaller size class trees. In addition, we found evidence that smaller size class trees with white pine blister rust infection experienced higher mortality than larger trees. This latter finding suggests that in the coming decades white pine blister rust may become the most probable cause of whitebark pine mortality. Our findings offered no evidence of an interactive effect of mountain pine beetle and white pine blister rust infection on whitebark pine mortality in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. Interestingly, the probability of mortality was lower for larger trees attacked by mountain pine beetle in stands with higher evapotranspiration. Because evapotranspiration varies with climate and topoedaphic conditions across the region, we discuss the potential to use this improved understanding of biophysical influences on mortality to identify microrefugia that might contribute to successful whitebark pine conservation efforts. Using tree-level observations, the National Park Service-led Greater Yellowstone Interagency Whitebark Pine Long-term Monitoring Program provided important ecological insight on the size-dependent effects of white pine blister rust, mountain pine beetle, and water availability on whitebark pine mortality. This ongoing monitoring campaign will continue to offer observations that advance conservation in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem.

International development workshops. Final technical report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

NONE

1997-08-06

The US Department of Energy (DOE) and the Nuclear Energy Agency of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development/Nuclear Energy Agency (OECD/NEA) began to act on their recognition of the importance of education in nuclear literacy, specifically in radioactive waste management (RWM), several years ago. To address this Goal for nuclear literacy, the US DOE; through the Information and Education Division of the Office of Civilian Radioactive Waste Management (OCRWM) and in cooperation with the OECD/NEA, organized an ``International Workshop on Education in the Field of Radioactive Waste Management`` in Engelberg, Switzerland in June of 1991. To this end, amore » grant to support nuclear literacy and RWM was written and funded by the OCRWM and the education division of the DOE Yucca Mountain Office in 1990. The over-riding Goal of that workshop and the DOE grant was to find ways of raising the level of nuclear literacy in the general public through educational programs in radioactive waste management (RWM). The two Main Objectives of the workshop were: first, to contribute to an information base for education systems, on global aspects of radioactive waste management; and second, to achieve international consensus on the basic tools and methods required to develop the information base. These two objectives also became the principal objectives of the DOE International Workshops grant. In other words, the global and local (Nevada) objectives were one and the same. Workshop overviews and accomplishments are summarized in this report.« less

Effects of butter from mountain-pasture grazing cows on risk markers of the metabolic syndrome compared with conventional Danish butter: a randomized controlled study

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background There is considerable interest in dairy products from low-input systems, such as mountain-pasture grazing cows, because these products are believed to be healthier than products from high-input conventional systems. This may be due to a higher content of bioactive components, such as phytanic acid, a PPAR-agonist derived from chlorophyll. However, the effects of such products on human health have been poorly investigated. Objective To compare the effect of milk-fat from mountain-pasture grazing cows (G) and conventionally fed cows (C) on risk markers of the metabolic syndrome. Design In a double-blind, randomized, 12-week, parallel intervention study, 38 healthy subjects replaced part of their habitual dietary fat intake with 39 g fat from test butter made from milk from mountain-pasture grazing cows or from cows fed conventional winter fodder. Glucose-tolerance and circulating risk markers were analysed before and after the intervention. Results No differences in blood lipids, lipoproteins, hsCRP, insulin, glucose or glucose-tolerance were observed. Interestingly, strong correlations between phytanic acid at baseline and total (P<0.0001) and LDL cholesterol (P=0.0001) were observed. Conclusions Lack of effects on blood lipids and inflammation indicates that dairy products from mountain-pasture grazing cows are not healthier than products from high-input conventional systems. Considering the strong correlation between LDL cholesterol and phytanic acid at baseline, it may be suggested that phytanic acid increases total and LDL cholesterol. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT01343589 PMID:23842081

Influence of Meteorological Regimes on Cloud Microphysics Over Ross Island, Antarctica

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Glennon, C.; Wang, S. H.; Scott, R. C.; Bromwich, D. H.; Lubin, D.

2017-12-01

The Antarctic provides a sharp contrast in cloud microphysics from the high Arctic, due to orographic lifting and resulting strong vertical motions induced by mountain ranges and other varying terrain on several spatial scales. The Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) West Antarctic Radiation Experiment (AWARE) deployed advanced cloud remote sensing equipment to Ross Island, Antarctica, from December 2015 until January 2016. This equipment included scanning and zenith radars operating in the Ka and X bands, a high spectral resolution lidar (HSRL), and a polarized micropulse lidar (MPL). A major AWARE objective is to provide state-of-the-art data for improving cloud microphysical parameterizations in climate models. To further this objective we have organized and classified the local Ross Island meteorology into distinct regimes using k-means clustering on ERA-Interim reanalysis data. We identify synoptic categories producing unique regimes of cloud cover and cloud microphysical properties over Ross Island. Each day of observations can then be associated with a specific meteorological regime, thus assisting modelers with identifying case studies. High-resolution (1 km) weather forecasts from the Antarctic Mesoscale Prediction System (AMPS) are sorted into these categories. AMPS-simulated anomalies of cloud fraction, near-surface air temperature, and vertical velocity at 500-mb are composited and compared with ground-based radar and lidar-derived cloud properties to identify mesoscale meteorological processes driving Antarctic cloud formation. Synoptic lows over the Ross and Amundsen Seas drive anomalously warm conditions at Ross Island by injecting marine air masses inland over the West Antarctic Ice Sheet (WAIS). This results in ice and mixed-phase orographic cloud systems arriving at Ross Island from the south to southeast along the Transantarctic Mountains. In contrast, blocking over the Amundsen Sea region brings classical liquid-dominated mixed-phase and thin liquid water clouds from the Southern Ocean. Low pressure systems over the Bellingshausen Sea produce outflow of cold, dry continental polar air, yielding predominantly tenuous ice cloud at Ross Island.

Adoption of Geospatial Systems towards evolving Sustainable Himalayan Mountain Development

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Murthy, M. S. R.; Bajracharya, B.; Pradhan, S.; Shestra, B.; Bajracharya, R.; Shakya, K.; Wesselmann, S.; Ali, M.; Bajracharya, S.; Pradhan, S.

2014-11-01

Natural resources dependence of mountain communities, rapid social and developmental changes, disaster proneness and climate change are conceived as the critical factors regulating sustainable Himalayan mountain development. The Himalayan region posed by typical geographic settings, diverse physical and cultural diversity present a formidable challenge to collect and manage data, information and understands varied socio-ecological settings. Recent advances in earth observation, near real-time data, in-situ measurements and in combination of information and communication technology have transformed the way we collect, process, and generate information and how we use such information for societal benefits. Glacier dynamics, land cover changes, disaster risk reduction systems, food security and ecosystem conservation are a few thematic areas where geospatial information and knowledge have significantly contributed to informed decision making systems over the region. The emergence and adoption of near-real time systems, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV), board-scale citizen science (crowd-sourcing), mobile services and mapping, and cloud computing have paved the way towards developing automated environmental monitoring systems, enhanced scientific understanding of geophysical and biophysical processes, coupled management of socio-ecological systems and community based adaptation models tailored to mountain specific environment. There are differentiated capacities among the ICIMOD regional member countries with regard to utilization of earth observation and geospatial technologies. The region can greatly benefit from a coordinated and collaborative approach to capture the opportunities offered by earth observation and geospatial technologies. The regional level data sharing, knowledge exchange, and Himalayan GEO supporting geospatial platforms, spatial data infrastructure, unique region specific satellite systems to address trans-boundary challenges would go a long way in evolving sustainable Himalayan livelihoods.

Molecular Phylogeography and Population Genetic Structure of O. longilobus and O. taihangensis (Opisthopappus) on the Taihang Mountains

PubMed Central

Wang, Yiling; Yan, Guiqin

2014-01-01

Historic events such as the uplift of mountains and climatic oscillations in the Quaternary periods greatly affected the evolution and modern distribution of the flora. We sequenced the trnL–trnF, ndhJ-trnL and ITS from populations throughout the known distributions of O. longilobus and O. taihangensis to understand the evolutionary history and the divergence related to the past shifts of habitats in the Taihang Mountains regions. The results showed high genetic diversity and pronounced genetic differentiation among the populations of the two species with a significant phylogeographical pattern (N ST>G ST, P<0.05), which imply restricted gene flow among the populations and significant geographical or environmental isolation. Ten chloroplast DNA (cpDNA) and eighteen nucleus ribosome DNA (nrDNA) haplotypes were identified and clustered into two lineages. Two corresponding refuge areas were revealed across the entire distribution ranges of O. longilobus and at least three refuge areas for O. taihangensis. O. longilobus underwent an evolutionary historical process of long-distance dispersal and colonization, whereas O. taihangensis underwent a population expansion before the main uplift of Taihang Mountains. The differentiation time between O. longilobus and O. taihangensis is estimated to have occurred at the early Pleistocene. Physiographic complexity and paleovegetation transition of Taihang Mountains mainly shaped the specific formation and effected the present distribution of these two species. The results therefore support the inference that Quaternary refugial isolation promoted allopatric speciation in Taihang Mountains. This may help to explain the existence of high diversity and endemism of plant species in central/northern China. PMID:25148249

Helicopter Mountain Rescue in Slovenia from 2011 to 2015.

PubMed

Deeb, Janina Golob; Walter, Nicholas; Carrico, Caroline; Gašperin, Miha; Deeb, George R

2018-03-01

The popularity of adventure recreation in wilderness areas across the world continues to increase. Nevertheless, the risk of injury and illness remains significant. The purpose of this study is to analyze the mountain rescue operations performed in Slovenia between 2011 and 2015. This retrospective study reports mountain rescue operations documented by the Slovenian National Mountain Rescue Association. The annual number of ground-based and helicopter-based rescues were identified and compared. For 2015, the indication for rescue and the severity of injury were also analyzed, specifically for interventions requiring the use of a helicopter. From 2011 through 2015, the number of rescues remained consistent with an annual average of 413 (SD ±15; range, 393-434) rescues. However, the percentage of ground-based rescues varied significantly year by year (P=0.016), with highest rate in 2014 (68%) and the lowest in 2015 (56%). In 2015, 434 mountain rescue operations were reported in Slovenia. Injury accounted for 44%, illness for 10%, and fatality for 9% of the rescues. In 37%, no illness or injury was reported. Helicopter rescue was used in 190 (44%) of all interventions. Among the 190 helicopter rescues, 49% of patients had nonfatal injuries, 29% required no medical treatment, 15% had illness, and 7% had fatal injuries. A significant number of mountain rescue operations were conducted in Slovenia from 2011 through 2015. Most of these were needed for injured, ill, or deceased persons. A notable number of rescues in 2015 required a helicopter. Copyright © 2017 Wilderness Medical Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Primary and secondary prevention of skin cancer in mountain guides: attitude and motivation for or against participation.

PubMed

Zink, A; Thomé, F; Schielein, M; Spinner, C D; Biedermann, T; Tizek, L

2018-05-30

Outdoor professionals such as mountain guides are at a substantial risk of developing non-melanoma skin cancer (NMSC) due to solar ultraviolet radiation (UVR) exposure. Despite major recent primary prevention efforts, studies on secondary skin cancer prevention efforts are limited and corresponding data on outdoor workers scarce. To assess the sun protective behaviour and individual motivations for or against skin cancer screening examinations in the German mountain guide population to aid in the development of effective awareness and prevention strategies. A cross-sectional study among all registered mountain guides in Germany was conducted using a 35-item online questionnaire on primary and secondary prevention of NMSC as well as perceived barriers for prevention. A total of 145 mountain guides participated in the study in January 2017. Of these, 86.2% reported using sunscreen often or always, 62.1% with a sun protection factor (SPF) of 30-50% and 60.7% had undergone dermatological examination by a medical professional. The most common reasons for using secondary prevention efforts were hope of an early diagnosis (77.3%), fear of skin cancer (73.9%) and the intention to be aware of one's own health (70.5%). The main reasons for not doing so were absence of conspicuous skin conditions (63.2%) and feeling healthy (59.6%). Awareness of prevention strategies recommended by the scientific community is low among affected occupationally high-risk mountain guide populations. Understanding the specific needs of this high-risk group is essential for the development of sustainable awareness and prevention strategies. © 2018 European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology.

Discrimination of grassland species and their classification in botanical families by laboratory scale hyperspectral imaging NIR: preliminary results

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The objective of this study was to discriminate by on-line hyperspectral imaging, taxonomic plant families comprised of different grassland species. Plants were collected from semi-natural meadows of the National Apuseni Park, Apuseni Mountains, Gârda area (Romania) according to botanical families. ...

Fragaria cascadensis K.E. Hummer: first investigation of volatile organic compounds of fruit

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

In 2012, Fragaria cascadensis was described as a decaploid strawberry species from the Oregon Cascade Mountains. The objective of this study was to examine the aroma patterns of fruits of this F. cascadensis in contrast to those of F. vesca ssp. bracteata (A. Heller) Staudt and F. virginiana ssp. pl...

Effects of Watershed Land Use and Geomorphology on Stream Baseflows In the Southern Blue Ridge Mountains, NC and GA

EPA Science Inventory

While it has been shown in many settings that both human land use and natural topographic variability influence stream baseflows, their interactions and relative influences have remained unresolved. Our objective was to determine the influence of human land use and watershed geo...

Research of the Rio Grande Ecosystem Management Program

Treesearch

Deborah M. Finch

2000-01-01

This paper describes the mission, objectives, and preliminary results of the Middle Rio Grande Ecosystem Management Research Program managed at the Rocky Mountain Research Station's Albuquerque laboratory. This program was initiated in 1994 to address growing pressures to effectively manage the limited resources of the middle Rio Grande Basin. The program is...

Postfire shrub-cover dynamics: a 70-year fire history in big sagebrush communities.

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Land managers use prescribed fire to meet rangeland management objectives. This study was conducted to quantify, from present conditions, the effect of time since last burn (TSLB) on shrub cover over 70 yr of fire history. We sampled mountain big sagebrush communities at the USDA, ARS, U.S. Sheep ...

Hydraulic risk assessment of bridges using UAV photogrammetry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hackl, Jürgen; Adey, Bryan T.; Woźniak, Michał; Schümperlin, Oliver

2017-04-01

Road networks are essential for economic growth and development. Of the objects within a road network, bridges are of special interest, because their failure often results in relatively large interruptions to how the network is used, their replacement costs are generally large, and it usually takes a considerable amount of time to restore them once they have failed. Of the different types of bridges, bridges in mountainous regions are of special interest because their failure could cause severe societal consequences, for example, if it renders an area inaccessible. One of the main causes of the failure of bridges in mountainous regions is the occurrence of a hydraulic event, for example, flood waters above a certain level, scour below a certain depth or debris build up beyond a certain level. An assessment of risk related to a bridge in a mountainous region is challenging. The probability of occurrence of these events, and the resulting consequences, depend greatly on the characteristics (e.g. slope, soil, vegetation, precipitation, …) of the specific regions where the bridges are located. An indication of the effect of these characteristics can be seen in the sediment deposition during floods in mountain catchments. Additionally, there is often no, or no recent, topological information that can be used to develop terrain models to be used for realistic water flow simulations in mountain regions, and most hydrology and hydraulic models have been developed for lower gradient rivers and can often not be directly used to model water flow in mountain rivers. In an effort to improve the assessment of risk related to bridges in mountainous regions, using the setting for risk assessments established by Hackl et al. (2015) and Adey et al. (2016), an investigation was undertaken to determine whether unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and photogrammetry could be used to generate the topological information required to run realistic water flow simulations. The process investigated includes: the use of geo-referenced images, taken by an UAV, the exportation of these images into a photogrammetric software, the creation of a 3D mesh of the terrain from these images, the conversion of the 3D mesh to a computational mesh, the use of the computational mesh to build a hydrodynamic model, and the use of the hydrodynamic model to run flow simulations. The process was used to estimate the complex water flow near a single span concrete bridge in the Canton of Grisons, Switzerland. The hydraulic events (abutment scour and overflow) predicted by the developed model were compared with with historical observations from a recent flood event in the region. The hydraulic events predicted by the developed model correspond with historical observations, indicating that the topological information collected in this way is sufficiently accurate to be used to simulate complex flow situations, which can be used in bridge risk assessments. Hackl, J., Adey, B.T., Heitzler, M., and Iosifescu Enescu, I. (2015). "An Overarching Risk Assessment Process to Evaluate the Risks Associated with Infrastructure Networks due to Natural Hazards." International Journal of Performability Engineering, 11(2), 153-168. Adey, B.T., Hackl, J., Lam, J.C., van Gelder, P., Prak, P., van Erp, N., Heitzler, M., Iosifescu Enescu, I., and Hurni, L. (2016). "Ensuring acceptable levels of infrastructure related risks due to natural hazards with emphasis on conducting stress tests." 1st International Symposium on Infrastructure Asset Management (SIAM2016), K. Kobayashi, ed., Kyoto, Japan, 19-29 (Jan).

Atmospheric speciation of mercury in two contrasting Southeastern US airsheds

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gabriel, Mark C.; Williamson, Derek G.; Brooks, Steve; Lindberg, Steve

Simultaneous measurement of gaseous elemental, reactive gaseous, and fine particulate mercury took place in Tuscaloosa AL, (urban airshed) and Cove Mountain, TN (non-urban airshed) during the summers of 2002 and 2003. The objective of this research was to (1) summarize the temporal distribution of each mercury specie at each site and compare to other speciation data sets developed by other researchers and (2) provide insight into urban and non-urban mercury speciation effects using various statistical methods. Average specie concentrations were as follows: 4.05 ng m -3 (GEM), 13.6 pg m -3 (RGM), 16.4 pg m -3 (Hg-p) for Tuscaloosa; 3.20 ng m -3 (GEM), 13.6 pg m -3 (RGM), 9.73 pg m -3 (Hg-p) for Cove Mountain. As a result of urban airshed impacts, short periods of high concentration for all mercury species was common in Tuscaloosa. At Cove Mountain a consistent mid-day rise and evening drop for mercury species was found. This pattern was primarily the result of un-impacted physical boundary layer movement, although, other potential impacts were ambient photochemistry and air-surface exchange of mercury. Meteorological parameters that are known to heavily impact mercury speciation were similar for the study period for Tuscaloosa and Cove Mountain except for wind speed (m s -1), which was higher at Cove Mountain. For both sites statistically significant ( p<0.0001), inverse relationships existed between wind speed and Hg 0 concentration. A weaker windspeed-Hg 0 correlation existed for Tuscaloosa. By analyzing Hg concentration—wind speed magnitude change at both sites it was found that wind speed at Cove Mountain had a greater influence on Hg 0 concentration variability than Tuscaloosa by a factor of 3. Using various statistical tests, we concluded that the nature of Tuscaloosa's atmospheric mercury speciation was the result of typical urban airshed impacts. Cove Mountain showed atmospheric mercury speciation characteristics indicative of a non-urban area along with potential influence from steady regional input of mercury pollution from larger sources.

Near Fault Observatories: multidisciplinary research infrastructures, high resolution data and scientific products available through dedicated services implemented within the EPOS-IP project

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Festa, Gaetano; Chiaraluce, Lauro; Ergintav, Semih; Bernard, Pascal; Clinton, John; Marmureanu, Alexandru; Tataru, Dragos; Vogfjord, Kristin

2017-04-01

Near Fault Observatories (NFOs) are innovative research infrastructures based on dense, state of the art networks of multi-parametric sensors that continuously monitor the underlying Earth instability processes over a broad time interval. They aim at understanding the physical/chemical processes responsible for earthquakes and faulting and tracking their evolution over time by enabling advancements in ground shaking prediction. EPOS-IP is aimed at contributing in creating and harmonizing data and products distributors from seven NFOs, operating on different tectonic regimes and different areas of Europe. They include plate boundary systems at South Iceland Seismic Zone, the Marmara Sea and the Corinth rift. In mountain settings, NFOs monitor the Alto Tiberina and Irpinia faults in the Apennine mountain range, the Valais region in the Alps, and the Vrancea fault in the Carpathian Mountains. They monitor diverse faulting mechanisms (strike-slip, normal and thrust), high to low angle faults, shallow and deep faults, as well as regions with fast and slow strain rate accumulation. The focus of the observatories varies, ranging from small- to large-scale seismicity and includes the role of different parameters such as fluid playing in fault initiation, the internal structure of fault systems, site effects and derived processes such as earthquake generated landslides and tsunamis. In response to their specific objectives, the NFOs operate a diverse set of monitoring instrumentation using seismic, deformation, strain, geochemical and electromagnetic equipment. Since NFO methodological approach is based on extremely dense networks and less common instruments deserving multi-parameter data description, a main goal of this group is to build inclusive and harmonised services supporting the installation over the next decade of tens of near-fault observatories monitoring active faults in different tectonic environments in Europe. The NFO Thematic Core Service (TCS) relies on external platforms and services for accessing to standard data (e.g. seismic and geodetic) and on the direct access to the e-infrastructures of individual NFOs for distribution of non standard data (e.g. strain- and tilt-meters, geochemical data, electro- magneto-telluric data) and high-level data products. To define standards for formats and metadata, the TCS actively participates into the several harmonization groups across EPOS. Two main specific services are under implementation at the TCS level. FRIDGE (EU - NFO Specific Data and Products Gateway and Virtual Laboratory) is a NFO common gateway that enables the specific data and high-level data products availability also furnishing simple visualization tools. CREW (EU - Testing Centre for Early Warning and Source characterization) is a testing facility built on real-time and offline high-resolution data, whose focus is on operating and benchmarking various existing Earthquake Early Warning (EEW) methodologies. The backbone of the testing centre is the Irpinia NFO.

Multidisciplinary study of Wyoming test sites. [hydrology, biology, geology, lithology, geothermal, and land use

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Houston, R. S. (Principal Investigator); Marrs, R. W.; Agard, S. S.; Downing, K. G.; Earle, J. L.; Froman, N. L.; Gordon, R.; Kolm, K. E.; Tomes, B.; Vietti, J.

1974-01-01

The author has identified the following significant results. Investigation of a variety of applications of EREP photographic data demonstrated that EREP S-190 data offer a unique combination of synoptic coverage and image detail. The broad coverage is ideal for regional geologic mapping and tectonic analysis while the detail is adequate for mapping of crops, mines, urban areas, and other relatively small features. The investigative team at the University of Wyoming has applied the EREP S-190 data to: (1) analysis of photolinear elements of the Powder River Basin, southern Montana, and the Wind River Mountains; (2) drainage analysis of the Powder River Basin and Beartooth Mountains; (3) lithologic and geologic mapping in the Powder River Basin, Black Hills, Green River Basin, Bighorn Basin and Southern Bighorn Mountains; (4) location of possible mineralization in the Absaroka Range; and (5) land use mapping near Riverton and Gillette. All of these applications were successful to some degree. Image enhancement procedures were useful in some efforts requiring distinction of small objects or subtle contrasts.

2014 NASA Centennial Challenges Sample Return Robot Challenge

NASA Image and Video Library

2014-06-14

Members of team Mountaineers pose with officials from the 2014 NASA Centennial Challenges Sample Return Robot Challenge on Saturday, June 14, 2014 at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) in Worcester, Mass. Team Mountaineer was the only team to complete the level one challenge this year. Team Mountaineer members, from left (in blue shirts) are: Ryan Watson, Marvin Cheng, Scott Harper, Jarred Strader, Lucas Behrens, Yu Gu, Tanmay Mandal, Alexander Hypes, and Nick Ohi Challenge judges and competition staff (in white and green polo shirts) from left are: Sam Ortega, NASA Centennial Challenge program manager; Ken Stafford, challenge technical advisor, WPI; Colleen Shaver, challenge event manager, WPI. During the competition, teams were required to demonstrate autonomous robots that can locate and collect samples from a wide and varied terrain, operating without human control. The objective of this NASA-WPI Centennial Challenge was to encourage innovations in autonomous navigation and robotics technologies. Innovations stemming from the challenge may improve NASA's capability to explore a variety of destinations in space, as well as enhance the nation's robotic technology for use in industries and applications on Earth. Photo Credit: (NASA/Joel Kowsky)

Water Futures for Cold Mountain Ecohydrology under Climate Change - Results from the North American Cordilleran Transect

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rasouli, K.; Pomeroy, J. W.; Fang, X.; Whitfield, P. H.; Marks, D. G.; Janowicz, J. R.

2017-12-01

A transect comprising three intensively researched mountain headwater catchments stretching from the northern US to northern Canada provides the basis to downscale climate models outputs for mountain hydrology and insight for an assessment of water futures under changing climate and vegetation using a physically based hydrological model. Reynolds Mountain East, Idaho; Marmot Creek, Alberta and Wolf Creek, Yukon are high mountain catchments dominated by forests and alpine shrub and grass vegetation with long-term snow, hydrometric and meteorological observations and extensive ecohydrological process studies. The physically based, modular, flexible and object-oriented Cold Regions Hydrological Modelling Platform (CRHM) was used to create custom spatially distributed hydrological models for these three catchments. Model parameterisations were based on knowledge of hydrological processes, basin physiography, soils and vegetation with minimal or no calibration from streamflow measurements. The models were run over multidecadal periods using high-elevation meteorological observations to assess the recent ecohydrological functioning of these catchments. The results showed unique features in each catchment, from snowdrift-fed aspen pocket forests in Reynolds Mountain East, to deep late-lying snowdrifts at treeline larch forests in Marmot Creek, and snow-trapping shrub tundra overlying discontinuous permafrost in Wolf Creek. The meteorological observations were then perturbed using the changes in monthly temperature and precipitation predicted by the NARCCAP modelling outputs for the mid-21st C. In all catchments there is a dramatic decline in snow redistribution and sublimation by wind and of snow interception by and sublimation from evergreen canopies that is associated with warmer winters. Reduced sublimation loss only partially compensated for greater rainfall fractions of precipitation. Under climate change, snowmelt was earlier and slower and at the lowest elevations and latitudes produced less proportion of runoff from snowmelt. Transient vegetation changes counteracted increasing streamflow yields from climate change partly due to increased snow retention by enhanced vegetation heights at high elevations and reduced vegetation canopy coverage at low elevations.

Fish Communities and Habitat of Geomorphically Stable Reference Reaches in Streams of the Catskill Mountain Region, New York

USGS Publications Warehouse

Mulvihill, Christiane I.; Baldigo, Barry P.; Ernst, Anne G.

2009-01-01

In 2002, the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the New York City Department of Environmental Protection, began a 5-year study to develop a database that documents the physical and biological characteristics of nine stable reference reaches from seven streams in the New York City West of Hudson Water Supply Watershed in the Catskill Mountain region of New York State. Primary objectives of this study were to (1) develop a reference-reach database of morphology, aquatic biology, and fluvial processes, and (2) summarize the relations between fish communities, aquatic habitat, and stable stream morphology in streams in the Catskill Mountain region. Secondary objectives included documenting year-to-year variability in fish populations and stream habitat in geomorphically stable streams and demonstrating how reliably Habitat Suitability Index models can be used to characterize habitat conditions and predict the presence and abundance of populations of trout species. Fish and habitat databases were developed, and several important relations were identified. Fish-community indices differed considerably among sites where trout were present and where they were either absent or present in very low numbers; these differences were reflected in higher Habitat Suitability Index scores at trout-dominated sites. Several fish- community and habitat variables were found to be strongly associated with indices of stability and, therefore, determined to be useful tools for evaluating stream condition. Lastly, preliminary results suggest Rosgen stream type data can help refine fish and habitat relations and assist in our ability to predict habitat potential and fish-community composition.

Conditions and development case studies for mountainous deposits in Siberia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Talgamer, B. L.; Franchuk, A. V.

2017-10-01

The article contains the materials on deposits development intensification under challenging climatic and mining conditions, including mountainous areas of Siberia. The exploitation case studies for mountainous deposits all over the world and in Russia have been described. The authors have been set out the factors impeding the development of such deposits, and the extent of mining and transportation equipment performance degradation is also indicated. There have been stated the characteristics and the description of one of the newly mountainous gold ore deposits in Siberia which is being developed at an altitude of 2684m. A number of specific factors concerning its development have also been introduced as well as the description of mining technologies engineered by Irkutsk National Research Technical University (IRNRTU) specialists. The depth and principal dimensions of the open pit together with the mining and transportation equipment and facilities have been justified. The prime cost analysis of mineral extraction has been made, which results showed the substantial growth in expenditures for the transportation of the overburden rocks and ores. In view of the above mentioned research, there appeared the necessity for the search of new and the enhancement of current transport vehicles and communications.

Descriptive risk assessment of the effects of acidic deposition on Rocky Mountain amphibians

USGS Publications Warehouse

Corn, Paul Stephen; Vertucci, Frank A.

1992-01-01

We evaluated the risk of habitat acidification to the six species of amphibians that occur in the mountains of Colorado and Wyoming. Our evaluation included extrinsic environmental factors (habitat sensitivity and amount of acidic atmospheric deposition) and species-specific intrinsic factors (sensitivity to acid conditions, habitat preferences, and timing of breeding). Only one of 57 surveyed localities had both acid neutralizing capacity μeq/L and sulfate deposition >10 kg/ha/yr, extrinsic conditions with a possible risk of acidification. Amphibian breeding habitats in the Rocky Mountains do not appear to be sufficiently acidic to kill amphibian embryos. Some species breed in high-elevation vernal pools during snowmelt, and an acidic pulse during snowmelt may pose a risk to embryos of these species. However, the acidic pulse, if present, probably occurs before open water appears and before breeding begins. Although inherent variability of amphibian population size may make detection of declines from anthropogenic effects difficult, acidic deposition is unlikely to have caused the observed declines of Bufo boreas and Rana pipiens in Colorado and Wyoming. Amphibians in the Rocky Mountains are not likely to be at risk with acidification inputs at present levels.

Chemistry of selected high-elevation lakes in seven national parks in the western United States

USGS Publications Warehouse

Clow, David W.; Striegl, Robert G.; Nanus, Leora; Mast, M. Alisa; Campbell, Donald H.; Krabbenhoft, David P.

2002-01-01

A chemical survey of 69 high-altitude lakes in seven national parks in the western United States was conducted during the fallof 1999; the lakes were previously sampled during the fall of 1985, as part of the Western Lake Survey. Lakes in parks in the Sierra/southern Cascades (Lassen Volcanic, Yosemite, Sequoia/Kings Canyon National Parks) and in the southern RockyMountains (Rocky Mountain National Park) were very dilute; medianspecific conductance ranged from 4.4 to 12.2 μS cm-1 andmedian alkalinity concentrations ranged from 32.2 to 72.9 μeqL-1. Specific conductances and alkalinity concentrations were substantially higher in lakes in the central and northernRocky Mountains parks (Grand Teton, Yellowstone, and GlacierNational Parks), probably due to the prevalence of more reactivebedrock types. Regional patterns in lake concentrations of NO3 and SO4 were similar to regional patterns in NO3 and SO4 concentrations in precipitation, suggestingthat the lakes are showing a response to atmospheric deposition.Concentrations of NO3 were particularly high in Rocky Mountain National Park, where some ecosystems appear to be undergoing nitrogen saturation.

Contribution of cosmic ray particles to radiation environment at high mountain altitude: Comparison of Monte Carlo simulations with experimental data.

PubMed

Mishev, A L

2016-03-01

A numerical model for assessment of the effective dose due to secondary cosmic ray particles of galactic origin at high mountain altitude of about 3000 m above the sea level is presented. The model is based on a newly numerically computed effective dose yield function considering realistic propagation of cosmic rays in the Earth magnetosphere and atmosphere. The yield function is computed using a full Monte Carlo simulation of the atmospheric cascade induced by primary protons and α- particles and subsequent conversion of secondary particle fluence (neutrons, protons, gammas, electrons, positrons, muons and charged pions) to effective dose. A lookup table of the newly computed effective dose yield function is provided. The model is compared with several measurements. The comparison of model simulations with measured spectral energy distributions of secondary cosmic ray neutrons at high mountain altitude shows good consistency. Results from measurements of radiation environment at high mountain station--Basic Environmental Observatory Moussala (42.11 N, 23.35 E, 2925 m a.s.l.) are also shown, specifically the contribution of secondary cosmic ray neutrons. A good agreement with the model is demonstrated. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Water quality in alluvial aquifers of the southern Rocky Mountains Physiographic Province, upper Colorado River basin, Colorado, 1997

USGS Publications Warehouse

Apodaca, Lori Estelle; Bails, Jeffrey B.

2000-01-01

Water-quality samples were collected in the summer of 1997 from 45 sites (43 wells and 2 springs) in selected alluvial aquifers throughout the Southern Rocky Mountains physiographic province of the Upper Colorado River Basin study unit as part of the U.S. Geological Survey National Water-Quality Assessment Program. The objective of this study was to assess the water-quality conditions in selected alluvial aquifers in the Southern Rocky Mountains physiographic province. Alluvial aquifers are productive aquifers in the Southern Rocky Mountains physiographic province and provide for easily developed wells. Water-quality samples were collected from areas where ground water is used predominantly for domestic or public water supply. Twenty-three of the 45 sites sampled were located in or near mining districts. No statistical differences were observed between the mining sites and sites not associated with mining activities for the majority of the constituents analyzed. Water samples were analyzed for major ions, nutrients, dissolved organic carbon, trace elements, radon-222, pesticides, volatile organic compounds, bacteria, and methylene blue active substances. In addition, field parameters consisting of water temperature, specific conductance, dissolved oxygen, pH, turbidity, and alkalinity were measured at all sites.Specific conductance for the ground-water sites ranged from 57 to 6,650 microsiemens per centimeter and had higher concentrations measured in areas such as the northwestern part of the study unit. Dissolved oxygen ranged from 0.1 to 6.0 mg/L (milligrams per liter) and had a median concentration of 2.9 mg/L. The pH field values ranged from 6.1 to 8.1; about 4 percent of the sites (2 of 45) had pH values outside the range of 6.5 to 8.5 and so did not meet the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency secondary maximum contaminant level standard for drinking water. About 5 percent (2 of 43) of the samples exceeded the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recommended turbidity value of 5 nephelometric turbidity units; one of these samples was from a monitoring well. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency secondary maximum contaminant levels for dissolved solids, sulfate, iron, and manganese were exceeded at some of the sites. Higher dissolved-solids concentrations were detected where sedimentary rocks are exposed, such as in the northwestern part of the Southern Rocky Mountains physiographic province. The dominant water compositions for the sites sampled are calcium, magnesium, and bicarbonate. However, sites in areas where sedimentary rocks are exposed and sites located in or near mining areas show more sulfate-dominated waters. Nutrient concentrations were less than the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency drinking-water standards. Only one site had a nitrate concentration greater than 3.0 mg/L, a level indicating possible influence from human activities. No significant differences among land-use/land-cover classifications (forest, rangeland, and urban) for drinking-water wells (42 sites) were identified for dissolved-solids, sulfate, nitrate, iron or manganese concentrations. Radon concentrations were higher in parts of the study unit where Precambrian rocks are exposed. All radon concentrations in ground water exceeded the previous U.S. Environmental Protection Agency proposed maximum contaminant level for drinking water, which has been withdrawn pending further review.Pesticide detections were at concentrations below the reporting limits and were too few to allow for comparison of the data. Eight volatile organic compounds were detected at six sites; all concentrations complied with U.S. Environmental Protection Agency drinking-water standards. Total coliform bacteria were detected at six sites, but no Escherichia coli (E. coli) was detected. Methylene blue active substances were detected at three sites at concentrations just above the reporting limit. Overall, the water quality in the Southern Rocky Mountains physiograph

Rainfall-Runoff Dynamics Following Wildfire in Mountainous Headwater Catchments, Alberta, Canada.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Williams, C.; Silins, U.; Bladon, K. D.; Martens, A. M.; Wagner, M. J.; Anderson, A.

2015-12-01

Severe wildfire has been shown to increase the magnitude and advance the timing of rainfall-generated stormflows across a range of hydro-climate regions. Loss of canopy and forest floor interception results in increased net precipitation which, along with the removal of forest organic layers and increased shorter-term water repellency, can result in strongly increased surface flow pathways and efficient routing of precipitation to streams. These abrupt changes have the potential to exacerbate flood impacts and alter the timing of runoff delivery to streams. However, while these effects are well documented in drier temperate mountain regions, changes in post-fire rainfall-runoff processes are less well understood in colder, more northern, snowfall dominated regimes. The objectives of this study are to explore longer term precipitation and runoff dynamics of burned and unburned (reference) watersheds from the Southern Rockies Watershed Project (SRWP) after the 2003 Lost Creek wildfire in the front-range Rocky Mountains of southwestern Alberta, Canada. Streamflow and precipitation were measured in 5 watersheds (3.7 - 10.4 km2) for 10 years following the wildfire (2005-2014). Measurements were collected from a dense network of meteorological and hydrometric stations. Stormflow volume, peak flow, time to peak flow, and total annual streamflow were compared between burned and reference streams. Event-based data were separated into 3 post-fire periods to detect changes in rainfall-runoff dynamics as vegetation regenerated. Despite large increases in post-fire snowpacks and net summer rainfall, rainfall-generated runoff from fire-affected watersheds was not large in comparison to that reported from more temperate snowfall-dominated Rocky Mountain hydrologic settings. High proportions of groundwater contribution to annual runoff regimes (as opposed to surface flow pathways) and groundwater storage were likely contributors to greater watershed resistance to wildfire effects in these northern Rocky Mountain catchments.

The SAMCO Web-platform for resilience assessment in mountainous valleys impacted by landslide risks.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Grandjean, Gilles; Thomas, Loic; Bernardie, Severine

2016-04-01

The ANR-SAMCO project aims to develop a proactive resilience framework enhancing the overall resilience of societies on the impacts of mountain risks. The project aims to elaborate methodological tools to characterize and measure ecosystem and societal resilience from an operative perspective on three mountain representative case studies. To achieve this objective, the methodology is split in several points: (1) the definition of the potential impacts of global environmental changes (climate system, ecosystem e.g. land use, socio-economic system) on landslide hazards, (2) the analysis of these consequences in terms of vulnerability (e.g. changes in the location and characteristics of the impacted areas and level of their perturbation) and (3) the implementation of a methodology for quantitatively investigating and mapping indicators of mountain slope vulnerability exposed to several hazard types, and the development of a GIS-based demonstration platform available on the web. The strength and originality of the SAMCO project lies in the combination of different techniques, methodologies and models (multi-hazard assessment, risk evolution in time, vulnerability functional analysis, and governance strategies) that are implemented in a user-oriented web-platform, currently in development. We present the first results of this development task, architecture and functions of the web-tools, the case studies database showing the multi-hazard maps and the stakes at risks. Risk assessment over several area of interest in Alpine or Pyrenean valleys are still in progress, but the first analyses are presented for current and future periods for which climate change and land-use (economical, geographical and social aspects) scenarios are taken into account. This tool, dedicated to stakeholders, should be finally used to evaluate resilience of mountainous regions since multiple scenarios can be tested and compared.

Fall-related accidents among hikers in the Austrian Alps: a 9-year retrospective study

PubMed Central

Faulhaber, Martin; Pocecco, Elena; Ruedl, Gerhard; Walter, Dagmar; Sterr, Regina; Ebner, Hans; Schobersberger, Wolfgang; Burtscher, Martin

2017-01-01

Objective To analyse the circumstances of fatal and non-fatal mountain hiking accidents caused by falls. Methods The study was designed as a retrospective analysis. Mountain hiking accidents caused by falls were documented during a 9-year period (2006–2014). After screening of all data for potential exclusion criteria the final sample size of 5368 accidents and 5665 victims was included into the analyses. Main outcome measures were details about accidents, victims, type of trail and surface. Results The annual number of accidents showed a continuous increase from 467 in 2006 to 700 in 2014. In total, 5.8% of all victims died during the 9-year period. 75.3% of the hikers fell during descent and 80.9% of the victims had their accident on a marked hiking trail or small path. The sex ratio for non-fatal accidents was 55% female and 45% male; for fatal accidents the female-to-male ratio was 28%:72%. Mean age of all victims was 52.5±17.5 years and victims of fatalities were about 5 years older compared with victims of non-fatal accidents (57.5±16.5 vs 52.2±17.5 years, P<0.01). Conclusion Descent is the most risky part for accidents caused by falls during mountain hiking. Male hikers are at greater risk for fatalities independent of age and this is associated with accidents occurring in pathless terrain. The death rate from falls was 6%. We recommend a critical self-assessment of the individual capabilities and mountain hiking skills and adequate planning of the hiking tours for mountain hikers. PMID:29259815

Observing Semi-Arid Ecoclimates across Mountain Gradients in the Great Basin, USA

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Strachan, Scotty

Observation of climate and ecohydrological variables in mountain systems is a necessary (if challenging) endeavor for modern society. Water resources are often intimately tied to mountains, and high elevation environments are frequently home to unique landscapes and biota with limited geographical distributions. This is especially true in the temperate and semi-arid mountains of the western United States, and specifically the Great Basin. Stark contrasts in annual water balance and ecological populations are visible across steep elevational gradients in the region; and yet the bulk of our historical knowledge of climate and related processes comes from lowland observations. Interpolative models that strive to estimate conditions in mountains using existing datasets are often found to be inaccurate, making future projections of mountain climate and ecosystem response suspect. This study details the results of high-resolution topographically-diverse ecohydrological monitoring, and describes the character and seasonality of basic climatic variables such as temperature and precipitation as well as their impact on soil moisture and vegetation during the 2012-2015 drought sequence. Relationships of topography (elevation/aspect) to daily and seasonal temperatures are shown. Tests of the PRISM temperature model are performed at the large watershed scale, revealing magnitudes, modes, and potential sources of bias that could dramatically affect derivative scientific conclusions. A new method of precipitation phase partitioning to detect and quantify frozen precipitation on a sub-daily basis is described. Character of precipitation from sub-daily to annual scales is quantified across all major Great Basin vegetation/elevation zones, and the relationship of elevation to precipitation phase, intensity, and amount is explored. Water-stress responses of Great Basin conifers including Pinus flexilis, Pinus longaeva, and Pinus ponderosa are directly observed, showing potential differences in drought adaptation. Overall results highlight the seasonal flexibility of semi-arid conifer water use, as well as the tendency of topoclimate to buffer mountain ecosystems from extreme seasonal events. Methods and practices used in this study are globally applicable to mountain observatory efforts; especially the themes of topographic diversity, siting design, and leverage of technology and cyberinfrastructure.

PROFILE: Tourism Contribution to Agro-Ecosystems Conservation: The Case of Lesbos Island, Greece.

PubMed

Loumou; Giourga; Dimitrakopoulos; Koukoulas

2000-10-01

/ The modernization of agriculture and the development of other economic sectors have prompted the abandonment of cultivated areas, which are marginally productive. Specifically, olive groves in Greece are transformed into pastures due to their location in inaccessible mountainous regions where breeding and raising of sheep and goats are the main economic activities. Overgrazing degrades the environment, exhausts natural resources, and prevents natural regeneration. The Greek islands have limited possibilities of development, except for their coastal areas where the growth of tourism is possible.The objective of this study was to investigate the impact of tourism activities on olive tree cultivation and the human population of the island of Lesbos. The presence or absence of tourism is related with the maintenance or abandonment of olive tree cultivation and population changes for each community. A spatial segregation of the island is evident, related to tourist development, olive tree cultivation, and population change. The results of the study demonstrate that in communities where tourism plays an important role olive tree cultivation is preserved and the population is stable. The preservation of the agro-ecosystem is assured while the olive groves remain productive. Simultaneously, the landscape, which provides specific attractions for tourism, is not altered.

Optimizing any-aged management of mixed-species stands: II. effects of decision criteria

Treesearch

Robert G. Haight; Robert A. Monserud

1990-01-01

The effects of maximum present value and maximum volume objectives on the efficiencies of alternative silvicultural systems are determined by solving any-aged management problems for mixed-conifer stands in the Northern Rocky Mountains. Any-aged management problems are formulated with periodic planting and harvesting controls and without constraints on the stand age or...

Landscape patterns of phenotypic variation and population structuring in a selfing grass, Elymus glaucus (blue wildrye).

Treesearch

Vicky J. Erickson; Nancy L. Mandel; Frank C. Sorensen

2004-01-01

Source-related phenotypic variance was investigated in a common garden study of populations of Elymus glaucus Buckley (blue wildrye) from the Blue Mountain Ecological Province of northeastern Oregon and adjoining Washington. The primary objective of this study was to assess geographic patterns of potentially adaptive differentiation in this self-...

Managing western white pine plantations for multiple resource objectives

Treesearch

Russell T. Graham; Jonalea R. Tonn; Theresa B. Jain

1994-01-01

Western white pine (Pinus monticola Dougl. ex D. Don) continues to be one of the most important coniferous tree species growing in Northern Rocky Mountain forests. Because large wildfires occurred early in the 1900s, many plantations of western white pine with varying levels of resistance to blister rust (Cronartium ribicola Fisch.) were established. Thinning these...

Development of field-based models of suitable thermal regimes for interior Columbia Basin salmonids

Treesearch

Jason B. Dunham; Bruce Rieman; Gwynne Chandler

2001-01-01

This report describes results of research sponsored through an interagency agreement between the U.S. Forest Service Rocky Mountain Research Station and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (Interagency Agreement #00-IA-11222014-521). The primary objectives of this research included 1) develop models relating occurrence of two threatened inland salmonid fishes to...

Disturbance history and stand dynamics in secondary and old-growth forests of the Southern Appalachain Mountains, USA

Treesearch

Sarah M. Butler; Alan S. White; Katherine J. Elliott; Robert S. Seymour

2014-01-01

Understanding the patterns of past disturbance allows further insight into the complex composition, structure, and function of current and future forests, which is increasingly important in a world where disturbance characteristics are changing. Our objectives were to define disturbance causes, rates (percent disturbance per decade), magnitudes and frequency (time...

Ecological classification and management characteristics of montane forest land in southwestern Washington.

Treesearch

D.G. Brockway; C. Topik

1984-01-01

Vegetation, soil, and site data werecollectedthroughout the forested portion of the Pacific silver fir and mountain hemlock zones of the Gifford Pinchot National Forest as part of the Forest Service program to develop anecoIogicallybasedplant association classification system for the Pacific Northwest Region. The major objective of sampling was to include a wide...

Background for AFIS, the Annual Forrest Inventory System

Treesearch

Ronald E. McRoberts

2000-01-01

The Annual Forest Inventory System. AFIS, was jointly proposed and developed in the early 1990s by the Forest Inventory and Analysis programs of the North Central and Rocky Mountain Research Stations of the USDA Forest Service and the Forestry Division of the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. The objective of AFIS was to establish the capability of producing...

Project Organization and Management; Analysis of a Model. Satellite Technology Demonstration, Technical Report No. 0127.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lokey, Kenneth R.

The Satellite Technology Demonstration (STD), a project of the Federation of Rocky Mountain States, Inc. (FRMS), employed a project management model for its organizational structure. The organization and management system utilized by the STD was designed to accomplish a predetermined set of objectives with the highest quality possible within a…

Effects of watershed land use and geomorphology on stream low flows during severe drought conditions in the southern Blue Ridge Mountains, Georgia and North Carolina

EPA Science Inventory

Watershed land use and topographic variability influence stream low flows, yet their interactions and relative influence remain unresolved. Our objective was to assess the relative influences of land use and watershed geomorphic characteristics on low flow variability in the sour...

Landscape-scale analysis of aboveground tree carbon stocks affected by mountain pine beetles in Idaho

Treesearch

Benjamin Bright; J. A. Hicke; A. T. Hudak

2012-01-01

Bark beetle outbreaks kill billions of trees in western North America, and the resulting tree mortality can significantly impact local and regional carbon cycling. However, substantial variability in mortality occurs within outbreak areas. Our objective was to quantify landscape-scale effects of beetle infestations on aboveground carbon (AGC) stocks using field...

Dating the Moon: Teaching Lunar Stratigraphy and the Nature of Science

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Murphy, Edward; Bell, Randy

2013-01-01

As our closest celestial neighbor, the Moon is a familiar and inspiring object to investigate using a small telescope, binoculars, or even photographs or one of the many high quality maps available online. The wondrously varied surface of the Moon--filled with craters, mountains, volcanic flows, scarps, and rilles--makes the Moon an excellent…

Elevation-dependent warming in global climate model simulations at high spatial resolution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Palazzi, Elisa; Mortarini, Luca; Terzago, Silvia; von Hardenberg, Jost

2018-06-01

The enhancement of warming rates with elevation, so-called elevation-dependent warming (EDW), is one of the regional, still not completely understood, expressions of global warming. Sentinels of climate and environmental changes, mountains have experienced more rapid and intense warming trends in the recent decades, leading to serious impacts on mountain ecosystems and downstream. In this paper we use a state-of-the-art Global Climate Model (EC-Earth) to investigate the impact of model spatial resolution on the representation of this phenomenon and to highlight possible differences in EDW and its causes in different mountain regions of the Northern Hemisphere. To this end we use EC-Earth climate simulations at five different spatial resolutions, from ˜ 125 to ˜ 16 km, to explore the existence and the driving mechanisms of EDW in the Colorado Rocky Mountains, the Greater Alpine Region and the Tibetan Plateau-Himalayas. Our results show that the more frequent EDW drivers in all regions and seasons are the changes in albedo and in downward thermal radiation and this is reflected in both daytime and nighttime warming. In the Tibetan Plateau-Himalayas and in the Greater Alpine Region, an additional driver is the change in specific humidity. We also find that, while generally the model shows no clear resolution dependence in its ability to simulate the existence of EDW in the different regions, specific EDW characteristics such as its intensity and the relative role of different driving mechanisms may be different in simulations performed at different spatial resolutions. Moreover, we find that the role of internal climate variability can be significant in modulating the EDW signal, as suggested by the spread found in the multi-member ensemble of the EC-Earth experiments which we use.

Turbulence sources in mountain terrain: results from MATERHORN program

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Di Sabatino, Silvana; Leo, Laura S.; Fernando, Harindra J. S.; Pardyjak, Eric R.; Hocut, Chris M.

2016-04-01

Improving high-resolution numerical weather prediction in complex terrain is essential for the many applications involving mountain weather. It is commonly recognized that high intensity weather phenomena near mountains are a safety hazard to aircrafts and unmanned aerial vehicles, but the prediction of highly variable weather is often unsatisfactory due to inadequacy of resolution or lack of the correct dynamics in the model. Improving mountain weather forecasts has been the goal of the interdisciplinary Mountain Terrain Atmospheric Modeling and Observations (MATERHORN) program (2011-2016). In this paper, we will report some of the findings focusing on several mechanisms of generating turbulence in near surface flows in the vicinity of an isolated mountain. Specifically, we will discuss nocturnal flows under low synoptic forcing. It has been demonstrated that such calm conditions are hard to predict in typical weather predictions models where forcing is dominated by local features that are poorly included in numerical models. It is found that downslope flows in calm and clear nights develop rapidly after sunset and usually persists for few hours. Owing to multiscale flow interactions, slope flows appear to be intermittent and disturbed, with a tendency to decay through the night yet periodically and unexpectedly generated. One of the interesting feature herein is the presence of oscillations that can be associated to different types of waves (e.g. internal and trapping waves) which may break to produce extra mixing. Pulsations of katabatic flow at critical internal-wave frequency, flow intrusions arriving from different topographies and shear layers of flow fanning out from the gaps all contribute to the weakly or intermittently turbulent state. Understanding of low frequency contributions to the total kinetic energy represent a step forward into modelling sub-grid effects in numerical models used for aviation applications.

Design and test of an object-oriented GIS to map plant species in the Southern Rockies

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Morain, Stanley A.; Neville, Paul R. H.; Budge, Thomas K.; Morrison, Susan C.; Helfrich, Donald A.; Fruit, Sarah

1993-01-01

Elevational and latitudinal shifts occur in the flora of the Rocky Mountains due to long term climate change. In order to specify which species are successfully migrating with these changes, and which are not, an object-oriented, image-based geographic information system (GIS) is being created to animate evolving ecological regimes of temperature and precipitation. Research at the Earth Data Analysis Center (EDAC) is developing a landscape model that includes the spatial, spectral and temporal domains. It is designed to visualize migratory changes in the Rocky Mountain flora, and to specify future community compositions. The object-oriented database will eventually tag each of the nearly 6000 species with a unique hue, intensity, and saturation value, so their movements can be individually traced. An associated GIS includes environmental parameters that control the distribution of each species in the landscape, and satellite imagery is used to help visualize the terrain. Polygons for the GIS are delineated as landform facets that are static in ecological time. The model manages these facets as a triangular irregular net (TIN), and their analysis assesses the gradual progression of species as they migrate through the TIN. Using an appropriate climate change model, the goal will be to stop the modeling process to assess both the rate and direction of species' change and to specify the changing community composition of each landscape facet.

On the Nature of Severe Orographic Thunderstorms near the Andes in Subtropical South America

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rasmussen, Kristen Lani Emi

Identifying common features and differences between the mechanisms producing extreme convection near major mountain ranges of the world is an essential step toward a general understanding of orographic precipitation on a global scale. The overarching objective of this dissertation is to understand and examine orographic convective processes in general, while specifically focusing on systems in the lee of the Andes Mountains. Diagnosing the key ingredients necessary for generating high impact weather near extreme topography is crucial to our understanding of orographic precipitating systems. An investigation of the most intense storms in 11 years of TRMM Precipitation Radar (PR) data has shown a tendency for squall lines to initiate and develop east of the Andes with a mesoscale organization similar to storms in the U.S. Great Plains (Rasmussen and Houze 2011). In subtropical South America, however, the topographical influence on the convective initiation and maintenance of the mesoscale convective systems (MCSs) is unique. The Andes and other mountainous terrain of Argentina focus deep convective initiation in the foothills of western Argentina (Romatschke and Houze 2010; Rasmussen and Houze 2011). Subsequent to initiation, the convection often evolves into propagating MCSs similar to those seen over the U.S. Great Plains sometimes producing damaging tornadoes, hail and floods across a wide agricultural region (Rasmussen and Houze 2011; Rasmussen et al. 2014b). The TRMM satellite was designed to determine the spatial and temporal variation of tropical and subtropical rainfall amounts and storm structures around the globe with the goal of understanding the factors controlling the precipitation. However, the TRMM PR algorithm significantly underestimates surface rainfall in deep convection over land (Nesbitt et al. 2004; Iguchi et al. 2009; Kozu et al. 2009). When the algorithm rates are compared to a range of conventional Z-R relations, the rain bias tends to be worse in storms with significant mixed phase hydrometeors, such as graupel and hail, that are similarly affected by assumptions in the TRMM PR algorithm (Rasmussen et al. 2013). A quantitative approach that mitigates this bias using TRMM PR data was developed and employed to investigate the role of the most extreme precipitating systems on the hydrological cycle in South America (Rasmussen et al. 2014c). Results from this study indicate that ~95% of the accumulated warm season precipitation in La Plata Basin in subtropical South America is contributed by echoes structurally related to MCSs and their life cycle. From a hydrologic and climatological viewpoint, this empirical knowledge is critical, as the type of runoff and flooding that may occur depends on the specific character of the convective storm and precipitation reaching the surface, and has broad implications for the hydrological cycle in this region. Numerical simulations conducted with the NCAR Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model extends the observational analysis and provides an objective dynamical evaluation of storm initiation, development mechanisms, dynamics (Rasmussen and Houze 2014), and microphysics (Rasmussen et al. 2014d). The capping inversion in the lee of the Andes (Rasmussen and Houze 2011) is important in preventing premature triggering in the simulations. The impingement of the South American Low Level Jet on foothills and low mountains to the east of the main Andes range triggers extremely deep and intense convection. The simulated mesoscale systems closely resemble the storm structures seen by the TRMM satellite as well as the overall shape and character of the storms shown in GOES satellite data (Rasmussen and Houze 2014; Rasmussen et al. 2014d). Sensitivity studies removing and/or reducing various topographic features have shown the profound influence of the terrain on the initiation and upscale growth of the subsequent MCSs. The extreme vertical extent of the Andes tends to keep the South American storms tied to the topography during upscale organization and development longer than similar storms east of the Rocky Mountains in the U.S. and is related to enhanced lee cyclogenesis, flow deformation, and wake effects (Rasmussen and Houze 2014). From this research, an original conceptual model for convective storm environments leading to convective initiation was developed for subtropical South America.

Comparison of hand use and forelimb posture during vertical climbing in mountain gorillas (Gorilla beringei beringei) and chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes).

PubMed

Neufuss, Johanna; Robbins, Martha M; Baeumer, Jana; Humle, Tatyana; Kivell, Tracy L

2017-12-01

Studies on grasping and limb posture during arboreal locomotion in great apes in their natural environment are scarce and thus, attempts to correlate behavioral and habitat differences with variation in morphology are limited. The aim of this study is to compare hand use and forelimb posture during vertical climbing in wild, habituated mountain gorillas (Gorilla beringei beringei) and semi-free-ranging chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) to assess differences in the climbing styles that may relate to variation in hand or forelimb morphology and body size. We investigated hand use and forelimb posture during both ascent and descent vertical climbing in 15 wild mountain gorillas and eight semi-free-ranging chimpanzees, using video records obtained ad libitum. In both apes, forelimb posture was correlated with substrate size during both ascent and descent climbing. While climbing, both apes used power grips and diagonal power grips, including three different thumb postures. Mountain gorillas showed greater ulnar deviation of the wrist during vertical descent than chimpanzees, and the thumb played an important supportive role when gorillas vertically descended lianas. We found that both apes generally had the same grip preferences and used similar forelimb postures on supports of a similar size, which is consistent with their overall similarity in hard and soft tissue morphology of the hand and forelimb. However, some species-specific differences in morphology appear to elicit slightly different grasping strategies during vertical climbing between mountain gorillas and chimpanzees. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

[A fatal case series of Rocky Mountain spotted fever in Sonora, México].

PubMed

Delgado-De la Mora, Jesús; Licona-Enríquez, Jesús David; Leyva-Gastélum, Marcia; Delgado-De la Mora, David; Rascón-Alcantar, Adela; Álvarez-Hernández, Gerardo

2018-03-15

Rocky Mountain spotted fever is a highly lethal infectious disease, particularly if specific treatment with doxycycline is given belatedly. To describe the clinical profile of fatal Rocky Mountain spotted fever cases in hospitalized patients in the state of Sonora, México. We conducted a cross-sectional study on a series of 47 deaths caused by Rickettsia rickettsii from 2013 to 2016. The diagnosis of Rocky Mountain spotted fever was confirmed in a single blood sample by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) or by a four-fold increase in immunoglobulin G measured in paired samples analyzed by indirect immunofluorescence. Clinical and laboratory characteristics were compared stratifying subjects into two groups: pediatric and adult. There were no differences in clinical characteristics between groups; petechial rash was the most frequent sign (96%), followed by headache (70%) and myalgia (67%). Although that doxycycline was administered before the fifth day from the onset of symptoms, death occurred in 55% of patients. In clinical laboratory, thrombocytopenia, and biomarkers of liver acute failure and acute kidney failure were the most frequent. Rocky Mountain spotted fever remains as one of the most lethal infectious diseases, which may be related not only to the lack of diagnostic suspicion and delayed administration of doxycycline, but to genotypic characteristics of Rickettsia rickettsii that may play a role in the variability of the fatality rate that has been reported in other geographical regions where the disease is endemic.

Mapping Alpine Vegetation Location Properties by Dense Matching

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Niederheiser, Robert; Rutzinger, Martin; Lamprecht, Andrea; Steinbauer, Klaus; Winkler, Manuela; Pauli, Harald

2016-06-01

Highly accurate 3D micro topographic mapping in mountain research demands for light equipment and low cost solutions. Recent developments in structure from motion and dense matching techniques provide promising tools for such applications. In the following, the feasibility of terrestrial photogrammetry for mapping topographic location properties of sparsely vegetated areas in selected European mountain regions is investigated. Changes in species composition at alpine vegetation locations are indicators of climate change consequences, such as the pronounced rise of average temperatures in mountains compared to the global average. Better understanding of climate change effects on plants demand for investigations on a micro-topographic scale. We use professional and consumer grade digital single-lens reflex cameras mapping 288 plots each 3 x 3 m on 18 summits in the Alps and Mediterranean Mountains within the GLORIA (GLobal Observation Research Initiative in Alpine environments) network. Image matching tests result in accuracies that are in the order of millimetres in the XY-plane and below 0.5 mm in Z-direction at the second image pyramid level. Reconstructing vegetation proves to be a challenge due to its fine and small structured architecture and its permanent movement by wind during image acquisition, which is omnipresent on mountain summits. The produced 3D point clouds are gridded to 6 mm resolution from which topographic parameters such as slope, aspect and roughness are derived. At a later project stage these parameters will be statistically linked to botanical reference data in order to conclude on relations between specific location properties and species compositions.

Fluid geochemistry of Yucca Mountain and vicinity

USGS Publications Warehouse

Marshall, Brian D.; Moscati, Richard J.; Patterson, Gary L.; Stuckless, John S.

2012-01-01

Yucca Mountain, a site in southwest Nevada, has been proposed for a deep underground radioactive waste repository. An extensive database of geochemical and isotopic characteristics has been established for pore waters and gases from the unsaturated zone, perched water, and saturated zone waters in the Yucca Mountain area. The development of this database has been driven by diverse needs of the Yucca Mountain Project, especially those aspects of the project involving process modeling and performance assessment. Water and gas chemistries influence the sorption behavior of radionuclides and the solubility of the radionuclide compounds that form. The chemistry of waters that may infiltrate the proposed repository will be determined in part by that of water present in the unsaturated zone above the proposed repository horizon, whereas pore-water compositions beneath the repository horizon will influence the sorption behavior of the radionuclides transported toward the water table. However, more relevant to the discussion in this chapter, development and testing of conceptual flow and transport models for the Yucca Mountain hydrologic system are strengthened through the incorporation of natural environmental tracer data into the process. Chemical and isotopic data are used to establish bounds on key hydrologic parameters and to provide corroborative evidence for model assumptions and predictions. Examples of specific issues addressed by these data include spatial and temporal variability in net fluxes, the role of faults in controlling flow paths, fracture-matrix interactions, the age and origin of perched water, and the distribution of water traveltimes.

75 FR 78944 - Proposed Establishment of the Pine Mountain-Mayacmas Viticultural Area; Comment Period Reopening

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-12-17

...The Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau is reopening the comment period for Notice No. 105, which concerned a proposal to establish an American viticultural area having the name Pine Mountain- Mayacamas. This reopening of the comment period solicits comments from the public on issues that were raised in public comments received in response to Notice No. 105. Three specific issues which we seek comments on concern the proper name for the proposed viticultural area, the viticultural significance of a suggested alternative name for the viticultural area, and the propriety of expanding the boundary of the proposed viticultural area.

Sampling protocol for monitoring abiotic and biotic characteristics of mountain ponds and lakes

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hoffman, Robert L.; Tyler, Torrey J.; Larson, Gary L.; Adams, Michael J.; Wente, Wendy; Galvan, Stephanie

2005-01-01

This document describes field techniques and procedures used for sampling mountain ponds and lakes. These techniques and procedures will be used primarily to monitor, as part of long-term programs in National Parks and other protected areas, the abiotic and biotic characteristics of naturally occurring permanent montane lentic systems up to 75 ha in surface area. However, the techniques and procedures described herein also can be used to sample temporary or ephemeral montane lentic sites. Each Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) section addresses a specific component of the limnological investigation, and describes in detail field sampling methods pertaining to parameters to be measured for each component.

Degenerative encephalopathy in a coastal mountain kingsnake (Lampropeltis zonata multifasciata) due to adenoviral-like infection.

PubMed

Raymond, James T; Lamm, Marnie; Nordhausen, Robert; Latimer, Ken; Garner, Michael M

2003-04-01

In March 2000, an approximately 30-yr-old, male coastal mountain kingsnake (Lampropeltis zonata multifasciata) presented with disequilibrium and unresponsiveness to stimuli that ultimately lead to euthanasia. Histologically, there were foci of gliosis primarily within the caudal cerebrum, brainstem, and cervical spinal cord. Several glial cells and endothelial cells contained magenta, intranuclear inclusion bodies. Electron microscopy of the inclusions revealed paracrystalline arrays of 79-82 nm, viral-like particles. DNA in situ hybridization of sections of formalin-fixed brain using a mixture of two digoxigenin-end-labeled, adenovirus specific, oligonucleotide probes at low and high stringency was positive for adenovirus.

Surviving at high elevations: an inter- and intra-specific analysis in a mountain bird community.

PubMed

Bastianelli, G; Tavecchia, G; Meléndez, L; Seoane, J; Obeso, J R; Laiolo, P

2017-06-01

Elevation represents an important selection agent on self-maintenance traits and correlated life histories in birds, but no study has analysed whether life-history variation along this environmental cline is consistent among and within species. In a sympatric community of passerines, we analysed how the average adult survival of 25 open-habitat species varied with their elevational distribution and how adult survival varied with elevation at the intra-specific level. For such purpose, we estimated intra-specific variation in adult survival in two mountainous species, the Water pipit (Anthus spinoletta) and the Northern wheatear (Oenanthe oenanthe) in NW Spain, by means of capture-recapture analyses. At the inter-specific level, high-elevation species showed higher survival values than low elevation ones, likely because a greater allocation to self-maintenance permits species to persist in alpine environments. At the intra-specific level, the magnitude of survival variation was lower by far. Nevertheless, Water pipit survival slightly decreased at high elevations, while the proportion of transient birds increased. In contrast, no such relationships were found in the Northern wheatear. Intra-specific analyses suggest that living at high elevation may be costly, such as for the Water pipit in our case study. Therefore, it seems that a species can persist with viable populations in uplands, where extrinsic mortality is high, by increasing the investment in self-maintenance and prospecting behaviours.

An eco-efficient and economical optimum evaluation technique for the forest road networks: the case of the mountainous forest of Metsovo, Greece.

PubMed

Tampekis, Stergios; Samara, Fani; Sakellariou, Stavros; Sfougaris, Athanassios; Christopoulou, Olga

2018-02-12

The sustainable forest management can be achieved only through environmentally sound and economically efficient and feasible forest road networks and transportation systems that can potentially improve the multi-functional use of forest resources. However, road network planning and construction suggest long-term finance that require a capital investment (cash outflow), which would be equal to the value of the total revenue flow (cash inflow) over the whole lifecycle project. This paper emphasizes in an eco-efficient and economical optimum evaluation method for the forest road networks in the mountainous forest of Metsovo, Greece. More specifically, with the use of this technique, we evaluated the forest roads' (a) total construction costs, (b) annual maintenance cost, and (c) log skidding cost. In addition, we estimated the total economic value of forest goods and services that are lost from the forest roads' construction. Finally, we assessed the optimum eco-efficient and economical forest roads densities based on linear equations that stem from the internal rate of return method (IRR) and have been presented graphically. Data analysis and its presentation are achieved with the contribution of geographic information systems (GIS). The technique which is described in this study can be for the decision makers an attractive and useful implement in order to select the most eco-friendly and economical optimum solution to plan forest road network or to evaluate the existing forest transportation systems. Hence, with the use of this method, we can combine not only the multi-objective utilization of natural resources but also the environmental protection of forest ecosystems.

> Exploring the Scandinavian Mountain Belt by Deep Drilling (COSC)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Juhlin, C.; Gee, D. G.; Lorenz, H.; Pascal, C.; Pedersen, K.; Tsang, C.-F.

2012-04-01

The Collisional Orogeny in the Scandinavian Caledonides (COSC) project proposes to drill two fully cored scientific boreholes, both to c. 2.5 km depth, in the Swedish Caledonides, one near the town of Åre (COSC 1) and the other further east (COSC 2). Together they will provide a c. 5 km deep high-resolution mid-crustal section through this major mid-Palaeozoic orogen. Main project objectives include (i) improved understanding of mountain building processes (orogeny), (ii) investigation of the geothermal gradient and its response to palaeoclimatic influences, (iii) the hydrogeological-hydrochemical state of the mountain belt, (iv) the deep biosphere in the metamorphic rocks and crystalline basement, and (v) calibration of surface geophysics and geology. The Caledonide Orogen is comparable in size and many other respects to today's Himalayan mountain belt. Silurian collision with underthrusting of the paleo-continent Baltica below Laurentia resulted in widespread formation of eclogite. Major allochthons were transported many hundreds of kilometers onto the Baltoscandian Platform, including high-grade metamorphic rocks and migmatites which were generated during continental margin subduction and emplaced ductilely at mid-crustal levels. COSC will provide detailed insight into mid-Palaeozoic mountain building processes and further our understanding of past, present and future orogen dynamics. Located in a key-area for Caledonian geology, it is close to a major geophysical transect across the mountain belt which has been complemented recently with high-resolution reflection seismics and aerogeophysics for site-selection. The COSC research program is being developed by five working groups, geology, geophysics, geothermics, hydrogeology and microbiology. It has direct relevance for society by improving our understanding of mountain building processes, hydrological-hydrochemical regimes in mountain areas and Precambrian shields, deep subsurface conditions for underground engineering, ore genesis and assessment of geothermal potential. After a general scientific workshop supported by ICDP in 2010, the hydrogeological aspects of deep drilling were the topic of a separate workshop last year; orogen dynamics will provide a focus at EGU; and geothermics research will be addressed at a workshop in Autumn 2012. The geothermics workshop will be announced on the ICDP homepage. Partial funding for the drilling has been achieved through national sources and ICDP. Additional funding (c. 500000€) is being sought to allow drilling to commence in 2013. Scientific and financial partners, both from academia and industry, are welcome to the project. The presentation will review the current status of the COSC project and the research leading up to the site selection for COSC 1.

The role of the memory inherited by the system from the Cretaceous-Tertiary evolution of convergent margins into the build-up of the Source area (Apuseni Mountains, Romania).

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Reiser, Martin; Fügenschuh, Bernhard; Schuster, Ralf

2010-05-01

The Apuseni mountains in Romania take a central position in the Alpine Carpathian Dinaride system and separate the Pannonian basin in the west from the Transsylvanian basin in the east. The Cretaceous age nappe stack involves from bottom to top Tisza- (Bihor and Codru) and Dacia-derived units (Biharia, according to Schmid et al., 2008) overlain by the South Apuseni and Transylvanian ophiolite belt. This study tries to provide new and additional information on the structural and metamorphic evolution of these units from the Jurassic obduction to neotectonic activity. This also comprises information on their interaction with the neighbouring basins. The objective is to show the impact of large scale (plate) tectonics (f.i. in terms of its thermal configuration and strengths profile) and the impact of early-formed tectonic features for the further evolution, specifically the formation of the surrounding basins together with its feedback with topography. This approach includes investigation of kinematics along first order contacts during distinct events together with the thermotectonic characterization of the involved units. While the early "high-grade" evolution will be geochronologically addressed by Sm/Nd, Rb/Sr and Ar/Ar dating, fission track analysis on zircon and apatite will be used to constrain the low-temperature part of the story. Already available data by Sanders (1998), Schuller (2004), Merten (in preparation) and Kounov (in preparation) together with new own data will be used to provide a 4D model for the late-stage thermal evolution of the Apuseni mountains. Thermal modelling will be compared and integrated with numerical modelling of the landscape evolution. The hereby generated data and information on erosion and exhumation will be further used in associated partner projects of the Source to Sink research network which addresses the evolution of the Danube system from the hinterland to the Black Sea. References: Sanders, C. A. E. (1998), Tectonics and erosion - Competitive forces in a compressive orogen: A fission track study of the Romanian Carpathians, PhD-thesis, Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam, pp. 204. Schuller, V. (2004), Evolution and geodynamic significance of the Upper Cretaceous Gosau basin in the Apuseni Mountains (Romania), PhD Thesis, Tubinger Geowiss. Arb. Reihe A70, 112 pp. Schmid, S. M., D. Bernoulli, B. Fügenschuh, L. Matenco, S. Schaefer, R. Schuster, M. Tischler and K. Ustaszewski (2008), The Alps-Carpathians-Dinaridic orogenic system: correlation and evolution of tectonic units, Swiss Journal of Geosciences, 2008.

Native plant development and restoration program for the Great Basin, USA

Treesearch

N. L. Shaw; M. Pellant; P. Olweli; S. L. Jensen; E. D. McArthur

2008-01-01

The Great Basin Native Plant Selection and Increase Project, organized by the USDA Bureau of Land Management, Great Basin Restoration Initiative and the USDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station in 2000 as a multi-agency collaborative program (http://www.fs.fed.us/rm/boise/research/shrub/greatbasin.shtml), has the objective of improving the availability of...

Thinning results from a mixed upland hardwood stand after 35 years

Treesearch

Ronald J., Jr. Myers; Kenneth R. Roeder; W. Henry McNab

2008-01-01

A long-term study of precommercial thinning was installed in a 6-year-old oak-dominated stand regenerated by clearcutting in the southern Appalachian Mountains of North Carolina. Three levels of residual stand density were tested: control (no thinning), and 200, and 400 residual trees per acre (TPA). Objectives of the study were to determine the response of an upland...

Long-term response of yellow-poplar to thinning in the southern Appalachian Mountains

Treesearch

Tara L. Keyser; Peter M. Brown

2014-01-01

As the focus of forest management on many public lands shifts away from timber production and extraction to habitat, restoration, and diversity-related objectives, it is important to understand the long-term effects that previous management activities have on structure and composition to better inform current management decisions. In this paper, we analyzed 40 years of...

Comparisons with results from the Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest in the Northern Appalachians

Treesearch

James Hornbeck; Amey S. Bailey; Christopher Eagar; John L. Campbell

2014-01-01

The Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest (HBEF) is located in central New Hampshire, in the heart of the White Mountains, toward the northern end of the Appalachian chain. HBEF was established in 1955, two decades after Coweeta Hydrologic Laboratory (CHL), but research objectives at both sites have long been similar, that is, to understand hydrologic and nutrient cycling...

Development of an ecological classification system for the Cooper Creek watershed of the Chattahoochee National Forest: a first approximation

Treesearch

W. Henry McNab; Ronald B. Stephens; Erika M. Mavity; Joanne E. Baggs; James M. Wentworth; Richard D. Rightmyer; Alex J. Jaume; Brian D. Jackson; Michael P. Joyce

2015-01-01

The 2004 management plan for the Chattahoochee National Forest states that many future resource objectives and goals have an ecological basis. Assessment of resource needs in the Cooper Creek watershed area of the southern Appalachian Mountains of north Georgia were identified with awareness of ecological constraints and suitability. An interdisciplinary team of...

Status of biological control of banana poka, P. mollissima (aka P. tarminiana) in Hawaii

Treesearch

R. D. Friesen; C. E. Causton; G. P. Markin

2008-01-01

Surveys were conducted between 1982 and 1995 on banana poka, Passiflora mollissima Bailey (also known as P. tarminiana, subgenus Tacsonia) and related species in the Andes Mountains of South America. The objective was to identify potential biocontrol agents for control of banana poka in Hawaii, USA. Host-related insect diversity was greatest in Colombia,...

Effects of riparian zone buffer widths on vegetation diversity in southern Appalachian headwater catchments

Treesearch

Katherine J. Elliott; James M. Vose

2016-01-01

In mountainous areas such as the southern Appalachians USA, riparian zones are difficult to define. Vegetation is a commonly used riparian indicator and plays a key role in protecting water resources, but adequate knowledge of floristic responses to riparian disturbances is lacking. Our objective was to quantify changes in stand-level floristic diversity of...

Effects of Watershed Land Use and Geomorphology on Stream Low Flows During Severe Drought Conditions in the Southern Blue Ridge Mountains, Georgia and North Carolina, United States

EPA Science Inventory

Land use and physiographic variability influence stream low flows, yet their interactions and relative influence remain unresolved. Our objective was to assess the influence of land use and watershed geomorphic characteristics on low-flow variability in the southern Blue Ridge Mo...

Recovery of Nitrogen Pools and Processes in Degraded Riparian Zones in the Southern Appalachians

Treesearch

John T. Walker; James M. Vose; Jennifer Knoepp; Christopher D. Geron

2009-01-01

Establishment of riparian buffers is an effective method for reducing nutrient input to streams. However, the underlying biogeochemical processes are not fully understood. The objective of this 4-yr study was to examine the effects of riparian zone restoration on soil N cycling mechanisms in a mountain pasture previously degraded by cattle. Soil inorganic N pools,...

Microcomputer software for calculating an elk habitat effectiveness index on Blue Mountain winter ranges.

Treesearch

Mark Hitchcock; Alan Ager

1992-01-01

National Forests in the Pacific Northwest Region have incorporated elk habitat standards into Forest plans to ensure that elk habitat objectives are met on multiple use land allocations. Many Forests have employed versions of the habitat effectiveness index (HEI) as a standard method to evaluate habitat. Field application of the HEI model unfortunately is a formidable...

Carbon to organic matter ratios for soils in Rocky Mountain coniferous forests

Treesearch

Theresa B. Jain; Russell T. Graham; David L. Adams

1997-01-01

Vegetation type, soils, climate, and conversion ratios influence estimates of terrestrial C. Our objectives were to (i) determine carbon to organic matter (C/OM) ratios for brown cubical rotten wood, litter, surface humus, soil wood, and mineral soils; (ii) evaluate the validity of using 0.58 and 0.50 ratios for estimating C in mineral and organic soil components,...

Songbird response to group selection harvests and clearcuts in a New Hampshire northern hardwood forest

Treesearch

Christine A. Costello; Mariko Yamasaki; Peter J. Pekins; William B. Leak; Christopher D. Neefus

2000-01-01

Clearcutting creates habitat for many species of early successional songbirds; however, little information is available on bird use of small forest openings created by group selection harvests. Group selection harvests are increasing on the White Mountain National Forest due to negative public response to clearcutting. The objective of this study was to determine if...

Characterization of Stream Channel Evolution Due to Extensional Tectonics Along the Western Margin of North Boulder Basin (Bull Mountain), SW Montana with the Use of Geologic Mapping and Thermochronologic (U-Th/He) Dating.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cataldo, K.; Douglas, B. J.; Yanites, B.

2017-12-01

Landscape response to active tectonics, such as fault motion or regional uplift, can be recorded in river profiles as changes in slope (i.e. knickpoints) or topography. North Boulder basin region (SW Montana), experienced two separate phases of extension, from 45 - 35 Ma and again beginning 14 Ma to the present, producing basin-and-range style fault-blocks. Focusing on the Bull Mountain region, located on the western margin of the North Boulder basin, data is collected to test the hypothesis that Bull Mountain is located on the hanging wall of a half-graben. Our objective is to elucidate the active tectonics of the study area within a regional context by utilizing river profile analysis and thermochronometric data. High-resolution (< 5cm) river profile data is obtained from five of the main tributaries of Bull Mountain. Comprehensive geologic mapping along the main tributaries and topographic highs of the region allowed for the identification and measurement of knickpoints, composition of detailed lithologic descriptions, and analysis of key structural features. The absence of knickpoints within the four tributaries mapped on east Bull Mountain are consistent with a lack of tectonic activity. In contrast, Dearborn Creek, on western Bull Mountain, is located along an active normal fault and presents several knickpoints. Geologic mapping confirms that the primary lithologies of the region belong to the Elkhorn Mountain Volcanics. At lower elevations, there are massive plutonic intrusions of Quartz Monzonite and Diorite, both constituents of the Boulder batholith. These lithologies contain minerals suited for low-temperature thermochronology (U-Th/He) to constrain the timing of tectonic activity (i.e. uplift and exhumation) and erosion rates in the region. High-resolution stream profiles and a 10m DEM are used to delineate watersheds and produce steepness and concavity maps of major tributaries to investigate changes in slope or topography. The effects of extensional tectonic events can reshape drainage patterns of streams and their distribution of water, which is an important commodity in SW Montana for ranchers and farmers. Thus, the ability to discern the probability of recurring tectonic events and the effects on the regional watersheds, could help facilitate solutions before these events take place.

NEW HOST DATA FOR THE LEECH OLIGOBDELLA BIANNULATE (EUHIRUDINEA: GLOSSIPHONIIDAE)

EPA Science Inventory

The leech Oligobdella biannulata is a relatively rare species, endemic to mountain streams of the Southern Blue Ridge Physiographic Zone, exclusive of Virginia. Oligobdella biannulata was originally thought to be host specific to Desmognathus quadramaculatus. However, the host ...

First Gridded Spatial Field Reconstructions of Snow from Tree Rings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Coulthard, B. L.; Anchukaitis, K. J.; Pederson, G. T.; Alder, J. R.; Hostetler, S. W.; Gray, S. T.

2017-12-01

Western North America's mountain snowpacks provide critical water resources for human populations and ecosystems. Warmer temperatures and changing precipitation patterns will increasingly alter the quantity, extent, and persistence of snow in coming decades. A comprehensive understanding of the causes and range of long-term variability in this system is required for forecasting future anomalies, but snowpack observations are limited and sparse. While individual tree ring-based annual snowpack reconstructions have been developed for specific regions and mountain ranges, we present here the first collection of spatially-explicit gridded field reconstructions of seasonal snowpack within the American Rocky Mountains. Capitalizing on a new western North American snow-sensitive network of over 700 tree-ring chronologies, as well as recent advances in PRISM-based snow modeling, our gridded reconstructions offer a full space-time characterization of snow and associated water resource fluctuations over several centuries. The quality of reconstructions is evaluated against existing observations, proxy-records, and an independently-developed first-order monthly snow model.

Is the ecological belt zonation of the Swiss Alps relevant for moth diversity and turnover?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Beck, Jan; Rüdlinger, Cecil M.; McCain, Christy M.

2017-04-01

Mountain ecosystems are traditionally envisioned as elevational belts of homogenous vegetation, separated by intervening ecotones. Recent research has cast doubt on such predictable layering at least in animal communities. We test the link of two a priori defined ecological belt zonations to noctuid moth distributions in the Swiss Alps. Predictions, in particular, were a coincidence of proposed ecotones with increased range endpoint frequencies and with increased species turnover or species richness between equidistant elevational bands. Using >320,000 distributional records for >500 noctuid species, we found no support for these three predictions despite several contrasting analytical approaches. Concurrent with recently published vertebrate data, we conclude that simple ecological belt zonations are unrelated to the moth communities found along mountain slopes. Rather, species are distributed idiosyncratically following their specific niche requirements. Additional rigorous evidence, particularly comparing insect clades spanning a spectrum of host-plant relationships, may be required to support the relevance of the ecological belt concept in structuring mountain ecosystems beyond tree and plant communities.

The Genetic Basis of Chronic Mountain Sickness

PubMed Central

Ronen, Roy; Zhou, Dan; Bafna, Vineet; Haddad, Gabriel G.

2014-01-01

Chronic mountain sickness (CMS) is a disease that affects many high-altitude dwellers, particularly in the Andean Mountains in South America. The hallmark symptom of CMS is polycythemia, which causes increased risk of pulmonary hypertension and stroke (among other symptoms). A prevailing hypothesis in high-altitude medicine is that CMS results from a population-specific “maladaptation” to the hypoxic conditions at high altitude. In contrast, the prevalence of CMS is very low in other high-altitude populations (e.g., Tibetans and Ethiopians), which are seemingly well adapted to hypoxia. In recent years, concurrent with the advent of genomic technologies, several studies have investigated the genetic basis of adaptation to altitude. These studies have identified several candidate genes that may underlie the adaptation, or maladaptation. Interestingly, some of these genes are targeted by known drugs, raising the possibility of new treatments for CMS and other ischemic diseases. We review recent discoveries, alongside the methodologies used to obtain them, and outline some of the challenges remaining in the field. PMID:25362634

Modeling the potential effects of climate change on high elevation vegetation in the Olympic Mountains

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Zolbrod, A.N.; Peterson, D.L.

1995-06-01

Subalpine and alpine vegetation may be particularly sensitive to climatic change, such as expected temperature increases and altered precipitation patterns with global warming. The gap replacement model ZELIG was modified and used to examine transient and steady-state changes in altitudinal treeline, tree species distribution, and forest structure and composition along elevation gradients in the Olympic Mountains, Washington, under a range of temperature and precipitation changes. Changes in vegetation pattern were examined for north vs. south aspects, and wet (southwest) vs. dry (northeast) regions of the mountains. The seedling establishment subroutine in ZELIG was improved to specifically model the complexities ofmore » tree invasion in subalpine meadows and include empirical data. A function allowing for stand replacement fire was also added in order to examine the role of altered disturbance regimes on vegetation change. Results indicate that distribution of tree species will change under various climate change scenarios, but future elevation of treeline depends greatly on precipitation levels, disturbance frequency, and aspect.« less

The chronology of reindeer hunting on Norway's highest ice patches

PubMed Central

Pilø, Lars; Finstad, Espen; Ramsey, Christopher Bronk; Martinsen, Julian Robert Post; Nesje, Atle; Solli, Brit; Wangen, Vivian; Callanan, Martin

2018-01-01

The melting of perennial ice patches globally is uncovering a fragile record of alpine activity, especially hunting and the use of mountain passes. When rescued by systematic fieldwork (glacial archaeology), this evidence opens an unprecedented window on the chronology of high-elevation activity. Recent research in Jotunheimen and surrounding mountain areas of Norway has recovered over 2000 finds—many associated with reindeer hunting (e.g. arrows). We report the radiocarbon dates of 153 objects and use a kernel density estimation (KDE) method to determine the distribution of dated events from ca 4000 BCE to the present. Interpreted in light of shifting environmental, preservation and socio-economic factors, these new data show counterintuitive trends in the intensity of reindeer hunting and other high-elevation activity. Cold temperatures may sometimes have kept humans from Norway's highest elevations, as expected based on accessibility, exposure and reindeer distributions. In times of increasing demand for mountain resources, however, activity probably continued in the face of adverse or variable climatic conditions. The use of KDE modelling makes it possible to observe this patterning without the spurious effects of noise introduced by the discrete nature of the finds and the radiocarbon calibration process. PMID:29410869

Monitoring air quality in mountains: Designing an effective network

USGS Publications Warehouse

Peterson, D.L.

2000-01-01

A quantitatively robust yet parsimonious air-quality monitoring network in mountainous regions requires special attention to relevant spatial and temporal scales of measurement and inference. The design of monitoring networks should focus on the objectives required by public agencies, namely: 1) determine if some threshold has been exceeded (e.g., for regulatory purposes), and 2) identify spatial patterns and temporal trends (e.g., to protect natural resources). A short-term, multi-scale assessment to quantify spatial variability in air quality is a valuable asset in designing a network, in conjunction with an evaluation of existing data and simulation-model output. A recent assessment in Washington state (USA) quantified spatial variability in tropospheric ozone distribution ranging from a single watershed to the western third of the state. Spatial and temporal coherence in ozone exposure modified by predictable elevational relationships ( 1.3 ppbv ozone per 100 m elevation gain) extends from urban areas to the crest of the Cascade Range. This suggests that a sparse network of permanent analyzers is sufficient at all spatial scales, with the option of periodic intensive measurements to validate network design. It is imperative that agencies cooperate in the design of monitoring networks in mountainous regions to optimize data collection and financial efficiencies.

Prime Astroarchaeological Researches near Mountain Monastyri in the Western Altai

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Marsadolov, L.; Dmitrieva, N.

2009-08-01

On the Western Altai, 50 km southward from the city of Ust-Kamenogorsk, at the same latitude as the Ak-Baur sanctuary, another interesting complex of ancient objects was examined in 2006-2007. This complex consists of a grotto, ``spotty'' stone and platforms with holes. In the grotto anthropomorphic and geometric drawings madein red ochre were found. The centre of the composition schematically represents human figures with joined hands. One kilometer to the west from the complex there is a sharp-pointed mountain Zhangiztas. In its bottom part a ``zoomorphic'' ledge is visible; it reminds a sideview of a ``head with the opened mouth and tongue''. Observing the sunset on the days of equinox, one can watch the Sun ``setting down'' on the top of Mt. Zhangistas, then ``sliding'' along the right-side slope and finally ``rolling into the mouth''; in other words, it is ``swallowed by a monster''. The ``zoomorphic'' peculiarity of the mountain outliers (monad nocks) of the Monastyri complex as a whole and of their separate rocky juts was comprehended in the antiquity; the evidence for it is the presence of manmade holes near them; these holes might have an astronomical meaning.

Milestones for Selection, Characterization, and Analysis of the Performance of a Repository for Spent Nuclear Fuel and High-Level Radioactive Waste at Yucca Mountain.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Rechard, Robert P.

This report presents a concise history in tabular form of events leading up to site identification in 1978, site selection in 1987, subsequent characterization, and ongoing analysis through 2009 of the performance of a repository for spent nuclear fuel and high - level radioactive waste at Yucca Mountain in southern Nevada. The tabulated events generally occurred in five periods: (1) commitment to mined geologic disposal and identification of sites; (2) site selection and analysis, based on regional geologic characterization through literature and analogous data; (3) feasibility analysis demonstrating calculation procedures and importance of system components, based on rough measures ofmore » performance using surface exploration, waste process knowledge, and general laboratory experiments; (4) suitability analysis demonstrating viability of disposal system, based on environment - specific laboratory experiments, in - situ experiments, and underground disposal system characterization; and (5) compliance analysis, based on completed site - specific characterization . The current sixth period beyond 2010 represents a new effort to set waste management policy in the United States. Because the relationship is important to understanding the evolution of the Yucca Mountain Project , the tabulation also shows the interaction between the policy realm and technical realm using four broad categories of events : (a) Regulatory requirements and related federal policy in laws and court decisions, (c) Presidential and agency directives, (c) technical milestones of implementing institutions, and (d) critiques of the Yucca Mountain Project and pertinent national and world events related to nuclear energy and radioactive waste. Preface The historical progression of technical milestones for the Yucca Mountain Project was originally developed for 10 journal articles in a special issue of Reliability Engineering System Safety on the performance assessment for the Yucca Mountain license application [1-10]. The listing of mile stones, a distinct feature of those articles, has been collected and tabulated here. A lthough a brief description is presented here (based on the summaries in the 10 journal articles), the emphasis remains on the tabulation because of its usefulness in providing a comprehensive but concise history of the Yucca Mountain Project. The tabulation presented here is more elaborate than originally presented in that many of the interactions that occurred between the technical realm and policy realm can be depicted in separate columns. The usefulness of the milestones table is due in part to L.A. Connolly, for editorial and reference support, and S.K. Best, Raytheon, and L. Mays, Sandia National Laboratories (SNL), for illustration support. Reviewers P.N. Swift, SNL, and K. Gupta, University of Oklahoma, helped improve the discussion. The historical perspective presented is that of the author and is not necessarily held by reviewers, Sandia National Laboratories , and the US Department of Energy. As a historic perspective, the author is reporting on the work of others; however, any interpretative error s of the documentation are those of the author alone. The characterization and modeling of the Yucca Mountain disposal system required numerous participants with expertise in many areas of science and technology, as evident from the extensive reference list. Their diligent efforts are generally acknowledged here and through the many references to their impressive work, but the 10 journal articles acknowledge by name many of the numerous participants that contributed to the Yucca Mountain Project .« less

Use of GIS Technology in Surface Water Monitoring fro Targeted Policy Intervention in a Mountainous Catchment in Romania

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Giali, Gabriela; Schneider, Petra

2015-04-01

USE OF GIS TECHNOLOGY IN SURFACE WATER MONITORING FOR TARGETED POLICY INTERVENTION IN A MOUNTAINOUS CATCHMENT IN ROMANIA The collection of information on surface water quality is a specific activity that takes place systematically and regularly at regional and national scale, and it is important for the assessment of the water quality as well as for water management policy-making. A data base information management using a Geographical Information System (GIS) forms an important aspect of environmental management, which provides the frame for processing and visualisation of water monitoring data and information as well as for the optimisation of monitoring concepts. This paper presents an architecture performed by a GIS which provides a grafic database and attributes the nesessary measurements of the water quality to different sections of the mountainous catchment of the Suceava river in the north of Romania. With this approach the location of the water sampling points can be optimised in terms of the selection and setting of the river sections. To facilitate the setting of the sampling locations in the various sections of water sampling in the river, the presented GIS system provides to the user different information layers with combined or isolated data according to the objectives. In the frame of the research were created 5 layers of information in the basin under study, underlying the determination of a new information layer, namely the "Hydrografic Network Graded to Hydrographic Sections". Practically, in the studied basin were established 8 sections for water sampling locations, and the water quality characterization was done by the consideration of 15 quality indicators. The GIS system presented in this research is a valuable, useful and adaptable to land use changes data base that can be exploited by any number of combinations, its capabilities justify it's role as "tool to support decision making." With this characteristics it supports the policy-making of the competent bodies to fulfil the requirements of EC Water Framework Directive on catchment scale and it serves as planning tool for hydroengineering and water resources management.

Integrated Precipitation and Hydrology Experiment (IPHEx)/Orographic Precipitation Processes Study Field Campaign Report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Barros, A. P.; Petersen, W.; Wilson, A. M.

2016-04-01

Three Microwave Radiometers (two 3-channel and one 2-channel) were deployed in the Southern Appalachian Mountains in western North Carolina as part of the Integrated Precipitation and Hydrology Experiment (IPHEx), which was the first National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Global Precipitation Mission (GPM) Ground Validation (GV) field campaign after the launch of the GPM Core Satellite (Barros et al. 2014). The radiometers were used along with other instrumentation to estimate the liquid water content of low-level clouds and fog. Specifically, data from the radiometers were collected to help, with other instrumentation, to characterize fog formation, evolution, and dissipation in themore » region (by monitoring the liquid water path in the column) and observe the effect of that fog on the precipitation regime. Data were collected at three locations in the Southern Appalachians, specifically western North Carolina: a valley in the inner mountain region, a valley in the open mountain pass region, and a ridge in the inner region. This project contributes to the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)’s Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) Climate Research Facility mission by providing in situ observations designed to improve the understanding of clouds and precipitation processes in complex terrain. The end goal is to use this improved understanding of physical processes to improve remote-sensing algorithms and representations of orographic precipitation microphysics in climate and earth system models.« less

Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis Shows High Genetic Diversity and Ecological Niche Specificity among Haplotypes in the Maya Mountains of Belize

PubMed Central

Kaiser, Kristine; Pollinger, John

2012-01-01

The amphibian pathogen Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd) has been implicated in amphibian declines around the globe. Although it has been found in most countries in Central America, its presence has never been assessed in Belize. We set out to determine the range, prevalence, and diversity of Bd using quantitative PCR (qPCR) and sequencing of a portion of the 5.8 s and ITS1-2 regions. Swabs were collected from 524 amphibians of at least 26 species in the protected areas of the Maya Mountains of Belize. We sequenced a subset of 72 samples that had tested positive for Bd by qPCR at least once; 30 samples were verified as Bd. Eight unique Bd haplotypes were identified in the Maya Mountains, five of which were previously undescribed. We identified unique ecological niches for the two most broadly distributed haplotypes. Combined with data showing differing virulence shown in different strains in other studies, the 5.8 s - ITS1-2 region diversity found in this study suggests that there may be substantial differences among populations or haplotypes. Future work should focus on whether specific haplotypes for other genomic regions and possibly pathogenicity can be associated with haplotypes at this locus, as well as the integration of molecular tools with other ecological tools to elucidate the ecology and pathogenicity of Bd. PMID:22389681

Sensitivity analysis of monthly reference crop evapotranspiration trends in Iran: a qualitative approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mosaedi, Abolfazl; Ghabaei Sough, Mohammad; Sadeghi, Sayed-Hossein; Mooshakhian, Yousof; Bannayan, Mohammad

2017-05-01

The main objective of this study was to analyze the sensitivity of the monthly reference crop evapotranspiration (ETo) trends to key climatic factors (minimum and maximum air temperature ( T max and T min), relative humidity (RH), sunshine hours ( t sun), and wind speed ( U 2)) in Iran by applying a qualitative detrended method, rather than the historical mathematical approach. Meteorological data for the period of 1963-2007 from five synoptic stations with different climatic characteristics, including Mashhad (mountains), Tabriz (mountains), Tehran (semi-desert), Anzali (coastal wet), and Shiraz (semi-mountains) were used to address this objective. The Mann-Kendall test was employed to assess the trends of ETo and the climatic variables. The results indicated a significant increasing trend of the monthly ETo for Mashhad and Tabriz for most part of the year while the opposite conclusion was drawn for Tehran, Anzali, and Shiraz. Based on the detrended method, RH and U 2 were the two main variables enhancing the negative ETo trends in Tehran and Anzali stations whereas U 2 and temperature were responsible for this observation in Shiraz. On the other hand, the main meteorological variables affecting the significant positive trend of ETo were RH and t sun in Tabriz and T min, RH, and U 2 in Mashhad. Although a relative agreement was observed in terms of identifying one of the first two key climatic variables affecting the ETo trend, the qualitative and the quantitative sensitivity analysis solutions did never coincide. Further research is needed to evaluate this interesting finding for other geographic locations, and also to search for the major causes of this discrepancy.

Investigation of geophysical fields in pyrite deposits under mountainous conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Khesin, B. E.; Alexeyev, V. V.; Eppelbaum, L. V.

1993-05-01

Geophysical surveys under mountainous conditions are generally complicated by various noises, primarily by rugged topography effects. A rational integration of mobile geophysical methods (gravity prospecting, magnetic prospecting and VLF technique has been substantiated and effective methods of interpretation have been developed for copper pyrite deposits of a Kuroko type (an important source of non-ferrous and noble metals) not infrequently occurring in mountainous regions. A special scheme for obtaining the Bouguer anomalies has been employed to suppress the terrain relief effects dampening the anomaly effects from the objects of prospecting. The scheme is based on calculating the difference between the free-air anomaly ( Δg F.a) and the field determined from a 3-D model of a uniform medium with a real topography. This scheme almost doubled the accuracy of the Δg B chart. The further interpretation includes the following basic steps: (1) singling out the object of search using summation of the amounts of information obtained in various fields; (2) revision of the geological section using the methods specially devised for quantitative interpretation of anomalies under conditions of a rugged topography, inclined polarization and an unknown level of the normal field; and (3) physical-geological simulation realized as man-computer selection with the use of an effective algorithm for solving a direct 3-D problem of gravity and magnetic prospecting under the conditions of complex mediums and rugged observation surfaces. The method has been successfully tested at various stages of geophysical investigation under a variety of geological conditions, including saturated prospecting on the Kuroko-type Kyzylbulakh deposit (Lesser Caucasus) which has been thoroughly investigated by mining and drilling operations.

High similarity between bacterioneuston and airborne bacterial community compositions in a high mountain lake area.

PubMed

Hervas, Anna; Casamayor, Emilio O

2009-02-01

The bacterioneuston (bacteria inhabiting the air-water interface) is poorly characterized and possibly forms a unique community in the aquatic environment. In high mountain lakes, the surface film is subjected to extreme conditions of life, suggesting the development of a specific and adapted bacterioneuston community. We have studied the surface film of a remote high mountain lake in the Pyrenees by cloning the PCR-amplified 16S rRNA gene and comparing with bacteria present in underlying waters (UW), and airborne bacteria from the dust deposited on the top of the snow pack. We did not detect unusual taxa in the neuston but rather very common and widespread bacterial groups. Betaproteobacteria and Actinobacteria accounted for >75% of the community composition. Other minor groups were Gammaproteobacteria (between 8% and 12%), Alphaproteobacteria (between 1% and 5%), and Firmicutes (1%). However, we observed segregated populations in neuston and UW for the different clades within each of the main phylogenetic groups. The soil bacterium Acinetobacter sp. was only detected in the snow-dust sample. Overall, higher similarities were found between bacterioneuston and airborne bacteria than between the former and bacterioplankton. The surface film in high mountain lakes appears as a direct interceptor of airborne bacteria useful for monitoring long-range bacterial dispersion.

Rural migration in Nevada: Lincoln County. Phase 1, 1992--1993

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Soden, D.L.; Carns, D.E.; Mosser, D.

1993-12-31

The principal objective of this project was to develop insight into the scope of migration of working age Nevadans out of their county of birth; including the collection of data on their skill levels, desire to out or in-migrate, interactions between families of migratory persons, and the impact that the proposed high-level nuclear waste repository at Yucca mountain might have on their individual, and collective, decisions to migrate and return. The initial phase of this project reported here was conducted in 1992 and 1993 in Lincoln County, Nevada, one of the counties designated as ``affected`` by the proposed repository program.more » The findings suggest that a serious out-migration problem exists in Lincoln County, and that the Yucca mountain project will likely affect decisions relating to migration patterns in the future.« less

Application of GIS technologies to monitor secondary radioactive contamination in the Delegen mountain massif

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alipbeki, O.; Kabzhanova, G.; Kurmanova, G.; Alipbekova, Ch.

2016-06-01

The territory of the Degelen mountain massif is located within territory of the former Semipalatinsk nuclear test site and it is an area of ecological disaster. Currently there is a process of secondary radioactive contamination that is caused by geodynamic processes activated at the Degelen array, violation of underground hydrological cycles and as a consequence, water seepage into the tunnels. One of the methods of monitoring of geodynamic processes is the modern technology of geographic information systems (GIS), methods of satellite radar interferometry and high accuracy satellite navigation system in conjunction with radioecological methods. This paper discusses on the creation of a GIS-project for the Degelen array, facilitated by quality geospatial analysis of the situation and simulation of the phenomena, in order to maximize an objective assessment of the radiation situation in this protected area.

Species-level phylogeographical history of Myricaria plants in the mountain ranges of western China and the origin of M. laxiflora in the Three Gorges mountain region.

PubMed

Liu, Yifei; Wang, Yong; Huang, Hongwen

2009-06-01

Myricaria species in China occur mostly in the major high-altitude mountain areas in and around the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau. The one major exception to this is M. laxiflora which is restricted to the Three Gorges mountain region. In this study, we investigate species-level phylogeographical patterns of Myricaria species in western China and the origin of M. laxiflora. The results show that most chloroplast haplotypes are species-specific, except for one haplotype which is shared by three widespread species. Higher haplotype diversity within the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau region supports the hypothesis that the Himalayas are the centre of origin for Myricaria. The phylogeny of Myricaria was geographically structured, and an estimated Bayesian chronology suggested the main divergence events occurred during the Late Pliocene and Early Pleistocene (approximately 1.46-2.30 million years ago). The overall phylogeographical pattern was characterized by vicariance events and regional demographical expansion, reflecting a major influence of geological and climatic events on the evolution of Myricaria species. Our data suggest that M. laxiflora has an ancient origin, but has experienced recent population expansion through the Three Gorges Valley. The origin of M. laxiflora was estimated to be during the Early Pleistocene but its demographical expansion was more recent at about 0.015 million years ago. This highlights the unique phylogeographical history of the Three Gorges mountain region, and the deep imprint of the watercourse connections of the Yangtze River Valley on the phylogeographical structure of the species in this region.

Niche similarities among introduced and native mountain ungulates.

PubMed

Lowrey, B; Garrott, R A; McWhirter, D E; White, P J; DeCesare, N J; Stewart, S T

2018-03-24

The niche concept provides a strong foundation for theoretical and applied research among a broad range of disciplines. When two ecologically similar species are sympatric, theory predicts they will occupy distinct ecological niches to reduce competition. Capitalizing on the increasing availability of spatial data, we built from single species habitat suitability models to a multispecies evaluation of the niche partitioning hypothesis with sympatric mountain ungulates: native bighorn sheep (BHS; Ovis canadensis) and introduced mountain goats (MTG; Oreamnos americanus) in the northeast Greater Yellowstone Area. We characterized seasonal niches using two-stage resource selection functions with a used-available design and descriptive summaries of the niche attributes associated with used GPS locations. We evaluated seasonal similarity in niche space according to confidence interval overlap of model coefficients and similarity in geographic space by comparing model predicted values with Schoener's D metric. Our sample contained 37,962 summer locations from 53 individuals (BHS = 31, MTG = 22), and 79,984 winter locations from 57 individuals (BHS = 35, MTG = 22). Slope was the most influential niche component for both species and seasons, and showed the strongest evidence of niche partitioning. Bighorn sheep occurred on steeper slopes than mountain goats in summer and mountain goats occurred on steeper slopes in winter. The pattern of differential selection among species was less prevalent for the remaining covariates, indicating similarity in niche space. Model predictions in geographic space showed broad seasonal similarity (summer D = 0.88, winter D = 0.87), as did niche characterizations from used GPS locations. The striking similarities in seasonal niches suggest that introduced mountain goats will continue to increase their spatial overlap with native bighorn. Our results suggest that reducing densities of mountain goats in hunted areas where they are sympatric with bighorn sheep and impeding their expansion may reduce the possibility of competition and disease transfer. Additional studies that specifically investigate partitioning at finer scales and along dietary or temporal niche axes will help to inform an adaptive management approach. © 2018 by the Ecological Society of America.

Local Community Entrepreneurship in Mount Agung Trekking

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mudana, I. G.; Sutama, I. K.; Widhari, C. I. S.

2018-01-01

Since its last major eruption in 1963, Mount Agung in Selat District, Karangasem Regency, the highest mountain in Bali Province began to be visited by tourists climbers. Because of the informal obligation that every climbing/trekking should be guided by local guides, since the 1990s, there have been initiatives from a number of local community members to serve climbing tourists who were keen to climb the volcano/mountain. This study was conducted to understand and describe the entrepreneurial practices which appeared in the local surrounding community. Specifically, Selat Village, in guiding the climbing/trekking. This study used qualitative data analysis and its theories were adapted to data needed in the field. The results of study showed that Mount Agung was considered attractive by climbing tourists not only because of the exotic beauty and challenges of difficulty (as well as the level of danger) to conquer it, but also because it kept certain myths from its status as a holy/sacred mountain to Balinese Hindus. In fact, a number of tourists who did the climbing/trekking without being guided very often got lost, harmed in an accident, or fell to their death. As a direct result, all climbing activities require guidance. Especially guides from local community organizations who really understand the intricacies of climbing and the curvature of the mountain. The entrepreneurial practices of Selat Village community had arisen not only to serve usual climbing activities, but also to preserve the environment of the mountain and the safety of the climbing tourists with the many taboos related to the climb. These facts could be seen clearly from descriptions of local experts and local climbing guides who have been doing their work for years. As a form of entrepreneurship, they basically did their work for the main purpose of seeking livelihoods (or making money) but their responsibility as local people made them commit to guarding the sanctity of the mountain. This was what distinguished these locals and their unique sense of entrepreneurialism from climbing/trekking entrepreneurship on many other mountains and regions.

Relative growth, ontogeny, and sexual dimorphism in gorilla (Gorilla gorilla gorilla and G. g. beringei): evolutionary and ecological considerations.

PubMed

Taylor, A B

1997-01-01

Gorillas are the largest and among the most sexually dimorphic of all extant primates. While gorillas have been incorporated in broad-level comparisons among large-bodied hominoids or in studies of the African apes, comparisons between gorilla subspecies have been rare. During the past decade, however, behavioral, morphological, and molecular data from a number of studies have indicated that the western lowland (Gorilla gorilla gorilla) and eastern mountain (Gorilla gorilla beringei) subspecies differ to a greater extent than has been previously believed. In this study I compare patterns of relative growth of the postcranial skeleton to evaluate whether differences between subspecies result from the differential extension of common patterns of relative growth. In addition, patterns of ontogeny and sexual dimorphism are also examined. Linear skeletal dimensions and skeletal weight were obtained for ontogenetic series of male and female G.g. gorilla (n = 315) and G.g. beringei (n = 38). Bivariate and multivariate methods of analysis were used to test for differences in patterns of relative growth, ontogeny, and sexual dimorphism between sexes of each subspecies and in same-sex comparisons between subspecies. Results indicate males and females of both subspecies are ontogenetically scaled for postcranial proportions and that females undergo an earlier skeletal growth spurt compared to males. However, results also indicate that the onset of the female growth spurt occurs at different dental stages in lowland and mountain gorillas and that mountain gorillas may be characterized by higher rates of growth. Finally, data demonstrate lowland and mountain gorilla females do not differ significantly in adult body size, but mountain gorilla males are significantly larger than lowland gorilla males, suggesting mountain gorillas are characterized by a higher degree of sexual dimorphism in body size. Thus, although lowland and mountain gorillas do not appear to have evolved novel adaptations of the postcranium which correlate with differences in locomotor behavior, the present investigation establishes subspecies differences in ontogeny and sexual dimorphism which may be linked with ecological variation. Specifically, these findings are evaluated in the context of risk aversion models which predict higher growth rates and increased levels of sexual dimorphism in extreme folivores.

Soil properties in old-growth Douglas-fir gaps in the western Cascade Mountains of Oregon

Treesearch

Robert P. Griffiths; Andrew N. Gray; Thomas A. Spies

2010-01-01

This study had three objectives: (1) to determine if there are correlations between aboveground vegetation and belowground soil properties within large 50-m-diameter gaps, (2) to determine how large gaps influence forest soils compared with nongap soils, and (3) to measure the effects of differently sized gaps on gap soils. Circular canopy gaps were created in old-...

Oak decline in the Boston Mountains, Arkansas, USA: Spatial and temporal patterns under two fire regimes

Treesearch

Martin A. Spetich; Hong S. He

2008-01-01

A spatially explicit forest succession and disturbance model is used to delineate the extent and dispersion of oak decline under two fire regimes over a 150-year period. The objectives of this study are to delineate potential current and future oak decline areas using species composition and age structure data in combination with ecological land types, and to...

Carbon storage and long-term rate of accumulation in high-altitude Andean peatlands of Bolivia

Treesearch

J.A. Hribljan; D.J. Cooper; J. Sueltenfuss; E.C. Wolf; K.A. Heckman; Erik Lilleskov; R.A. Chimner

2015-01-01

The high-altitude (4,500+ m) Andean mountain range of north-western Bolivia contains many peatlands. Despite heavy grazing pressure and potential damage from climate change, little is known about these peatlands. Our objective was to quantify carbon pools, basal ages and long-term peat accumulation rates in peatlands in two areas of the arid puna ecoregion of Bolivia:...

An observational and modeling study of impacts of bark beetle-caused tree mortality on surface energy and hydrological cycles

Treesearch

Fei Chen; Guo Zhang; Michael Barlage; Ying Zhang; Jeffrey A. Hicke; Arjan Meddens; Guangsheng Zhou; William J. Massman; John Frank

2015-01-01

Bark beetle outbreaks have killed billions of trees and affected millions of hectares of forest during recent decades. The objective of this study was to quantify responses of surface energy and hydrologic fluxes 2-3 yr following a spruce beetle outbreak using measurements and modeling. The authors used observations at the Rocky Mountains Glacier Lakes Ecosystem...

Short-term effects of prescribed fire on mixed oak forests in the southern Appalachians: vegetation response

Treesearch

Katherine Elliott; James Vose

2010-01-01

We examined vegetation responses to prescribed fire on three mixed-oak sites located in the Blue Ridge Physiographic province of the southern Appalachian Mountains: Alarka Laurel Branch (AL), Robin Branch (RB), and Roach Mill Branch (RM). Each of the study sites was within a sub-watershed that drained a first order stream. Our objectives were to: 1) evaluate overstory...

Reply to discussion by David L. Rosgen: The role of observer variation in determining Rosgen stream types in northeastern Oregon mountain streams

Treesearch

John M. Buffington; Brett B. Roper; Eric Archer; Chris Moyer

2009-01-01

We thank Rosgen (this issue) for his comments, which provide valuable insight regarding his channel classification and its correct application. However, we believe that many of his objections are based on misinterpretation of our analysis, which we hope to clarify through this reply.Because our measurement techniques differed from those advocated by...

Historical reconstructions of high-elevation spruce forests in the Appalachian mountains

Treesearch

Carolyn A. Copenheaver

2010-01-01

The objective of this study was to determine whether the historical distribution of a small, high-elevation red spruce stand could be reconstructed based upon historical records. The study site was Giles County, VA, where a small stand of red spruce exists today, indicating that it has been in this location for as long as the written record exists for this region....

Pezizalean mycorrhizas and sporocarps in ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa) after prescribed fires in eastern Oregon, USA.

Treesearch

K.E. Fujimura; J.E. Smith; T.R. Horton; N.S. Weber; J.W. Spatafora

2005-01-01

Post-fire Pezizales fruit commonly in many forest types after fire. The objectives of this study were to determine which Pezizales appeared as sporocarps after a prescribed fire in the Blue Mountains of eastern Oregon, and whether species of Pezizales formed mycorrhizas on ponderosa pine, whether or not they were detected from sporocarps. Forty-two sporocarp...

Monitoring nitrogen deposition in throughfall using ion exchange resin columns: a field test in the San Bernardino Mountains

Treesearch

Mark E. Fenn; Mark A. Poth

2004-01-01

Conventional throughfall collection methods are labor intensive and analytically expensive to implement at broad scales. This study was conducted to test an alternative approach requiring infrequent sample collection and a greatly reduced number of chemical analyses. The major objective of the study was to determine the feasibility of using ion exchange resin (IER) to...

Science You Can Use Bulletin: Revisiting disturbance: A new guide for keeping dry mixed conifer forests healthy through fuel management

Treesearch

Sue Miller; Theresa Jain; Mike A. Battaglia; Han-Sup Han; Russell T. Graham; Christopher R. Keyes; Jeremy S. Fried; Jonathan E. Sandquist

2014-01-01

Planning for hazardous fuels reduction can be challenging, given that land managers must balance multiple resource objectives. To help managers with planning and implementing fuel treatments, the Rocky Mountain Research Station, with support from the Joint Fire Science Program, has published A Comprehensive Guide to Fuel Management Practices for Dry Mixed Conifer...

Monitoring Idaho fescue grasslands in the Big Horn Mountains, Wyoming, with a modified robel pole

Treesearch

Daniel W. Uresk; Thomas M. Juntti

2008-01-01

The reliability of monitoring visual obstruction and estimating standing herbage with a modified Robel pole was examined for high-elevation meadows in sedimentary soils on the Bighorn National Forest, Wyoming. Our objectives were to (1) test a modified pole graduated with 1.27-cm (0.5-inch) bands for estimating standing herbage based on linear regression of visual...

Long-term monitoring of air pollution effects on selected forest ecosystems in the Bucegi-Piatra Craiului and Retezat Mountains, southern Carpathians (Romania)

Treesearch

O. Badea; S. Neagu; Andrzej Bytnerowicz; D. Silaghi; I. Barbu; C. Iacoban; F. Popescu; M. Andrei; E. Preda; C. Iacob; I. Dumitru; H. Iuncu; C. Vezeanu; V. Huber

2011-01-01

The monitoring studies carried out in the southern Romanian Carpathians (Retezat and Bucegi - Piatra Craiului Mts) provide a scientific support for long term ecosystem research (LTER). Their general objective is to characterize the air pollution and its potential effects upon forest ecosystems' status and biodiversity in close connection with climatic changes. Two...

Raven Rock: Then and Now. Medoc Mountain State Park: An Environmental Education Learning Experience Designed for Grades 5-7.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brown, David G.

This activity guide, developed to provide environmental education through a series of hands-on activities geared to Raven Rock State Park in North Carolina, is targeted for grades 5, 6, and 7 and meets curriculum objectives of the standard course of study established by the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction. Three types of activities…

Effects of Catch-and-Release Angling on Salmonids at Elevated Water Temperatures

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Boyd, James W.; Guy, Christopher S.; Horton, Travis

2010-08-01

Few studies have assessed catch and release mortality of salmonids at water temperatures ≥23°C, despite predictions of warming stream temperatures due to climate change. In addition, the effects of diel temperature fluctuations on salmonid mortality have largely been ignored in catch and release angling studies. The primary objective of this study was to measure catch and release mortality of rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss, brown trout Salmo trutta, and mountain whitefish Prosopium williamsoni in three water temperature treatments; when daily maximum water temperatures were cool (<20°C), warm (20 to 22.9°C), and hot ( 23°C). A secondary objective was to assess catchmore » and release mortality of salmonids angled in morning and evening within water-temperature treatments. These objectives were related to Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks’ Drought Fishing Closure Policy (DFCP). Angling (fly-fishing only) occurred in the Gallatin and Smith rivers. All angled fish were confined to in-stream holding cages and monitored for mortality for 72 h. Mortality of rainbow trout peaked at 16% in the Gallatin River and 9% in the Smith River during the hot treatment. Mortality of brown trout was less than 5% in all water-temperature treatments in both rivers. Mountain whitefish mortality peaked at 28% in the hot treatment in the Smith River. No mortality for any species occurred in either river when daily maximum water temperatures were <20°C. Mortality of rainbow trout peaked at 16% in the evening hot treatment in the Smith River. Mortality of brown trout and mountain whitefish was not related to time of day. The catch and release mortality values presented here likely represent fishing mortality given that most anglers in southwest Montana practice catch and release angling. The mortality values we observed were lower than predicted (< 30%), given reports in the literature. The difference is likely related to the in situ nature of the study and periods of cooler water temperatures between peaks facilitating recovery from thermal stress.« less

10 CFR 963.2 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... the sealing of shafts and ramps, except those openings that may be designed for ventilation or... repository, as defined by this section, at the Yucca Mountain site. Design means a description of the... includes the engineered barrier system. Design bases means that information that identifies the specific...

10 CFR 963.2 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... the sealing of shafts and ramps, except those openings that may be designed for ventilation or... repository, as defined by this section, at the Yucca Mountain site. Design means a description of the... includes the engineered barrier system. Design bases means that information that identifies the specific...

10 CFR 963.2 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... the sealing of shafts and ramps, except those openings that may be designed for ventilation or... repository, as defined by this section, at the Yucca Mountain site. Design means a description of the... includes the engineered barrier system. Design bases means that information that identifies the specific...

10 CFR 963.2 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... the sealing of shafts and ramps, except those openings that may be designed for ventilation or... repository, as defined by this section, at the Yucca Mountain site. Design means a description of the... includes the engineered barrier system. Design bases means that information that identifies the specific...

10 CFR 963.2 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... the sealing of shafts and ramps, except those openings that may be designed for ventilation or... repository, as defined by this section, at the Yucca Mountain site. Design means a description of the... includes the engineered barrier system. Design bases means that information that identifies the specific...

Verifying a computational method for predicting extreme ground motion

USGS Publications Warehouse

Harris, R.A.; Barall, M.; Andrews, D.J.; Duan, B.; Ma, S.; Dunham, E.M.; Gabriel, A.-A.; Kaneko, Y.; Kase, Y.; Aagaard, Brad T.; Oglesby, D.D.; Ampuero, J.-P.; Hanks, T.C.; Abrahamson, N.

2011-01-01

In situations where seismological data is rare or nonexistent, computer simulations may be used to predict ground motions caused by future earthquakes. This is particularly practical in the case of extreme ground motions, where engineers of special buildings may need to design for an event that has not been historically observed but which may occur in the far-distant future. Once the simulations have been performed, however, they still need to be tested. The SCEC-USGS dynamic rupture code verification exercise provides a testing mechanism for simulations that involve spontaneous earthquake rupture. We have performed this examination for the specific computer code that was used to predict maximum possible ground motion near Yucca Mountain. Our SCEC-USGS group exercises have demonstrated that the specific computer code that was used for the Yucca Mountain simulations produces similar results to those produced by other computer codes when tackling the same science problem. We also found that the 3D ground motion simulations produced smaller ground motions than the 2D simulations.

Hydrogeologic data for the northern Rocky Mountains intermontane basins, Montana

USGS Publications Warehouse

Dutton, DeAnn M.; Lawlor, Sean M.; Briar, D.W.; Tresch, R.E.

1995-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey began a Regional Aquifer- System Analysis of the Northern Rocky Mountains Intermontane Basins of western Montana and central and central and northern Idaho in 1990 to establish a regional framework of information for aquifers in 54 intermontane basins in an area of about 77,500 square miles. Selected hydrogeologic data have been used as part of this analysis to define the hydro- logic systems. Records of 1,376 wells completed in 31 of the 34 intermontane basins in the Montana part of the study area are tabulated in this report. Data consist of location, alttiude of land surface, date well constructed, geologic unit, depth of well, diameter of casing, type of finish, top of open interval, primary use of water, water level, date water level measured, discharge, specific capacity, source of discharge data, type of log available, date water-quality parameters measured, specific conductance, pH, and temperature. Hydrographs for selected wells also are included. Locations of wells and basins are shown on the accompanying plate.

Monitoring Stone Degradation on Coastal Structures in the Great Lakes - Summary Report

DTIC Science & Technology

2005-06-01

Iron Mountain Quarry, Iron Mountain, MI). The Iron Mountain Quarry produces taconite . c. Quarry sample microstructural analyses. Microstructural...Iron Mountain Quarry, Iron Mountain, MI. The Iron Mountain Quarry produces taconite . Also, stone from a tenth quarry (Cedarville Quarry, Cedarville, MI...Quarry, Iron Mountain, MI). The Iron Mountain Quarry produces taconite . Samples of taconite from the Iron Mountain Quarry also were evaluated by

Water Inrush Analysis of the Longmen Mountain Tunnel Based on a 3D Simulation of the Discrete Fracture Network

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xiong, Ziming; Wang, Mingyang; Shi, ShaoShuai; Xia, YuanPu; Lu, Hao; Bu, Lin

2017-12-01

The construction of tunnels and underground engineering in China has developed rapidly in recent years in both the number and the length of tunnels. However, with the development of tunnel construction technology, risk assessment of the tunnels has become increasingly important. Water inrush is one of the most important causes of engineering accidents worldwide, resulting in considerable economic and environmental losses. Accordingly, water inrush prediction is important for ensuring the safety of tunnel construction. Therefore, in this study, we constructed a three-dimensional discrete network fracture model using the Monte Carlo method first with the basic data from the engineering geological map of the Longmen Mountain area, the location of the Longmen Mountain tunnel. Subsequently, we transformed the discrete fracture networks into a pipe network model. Next, the DEM of the study area was analysed and a submerged analysis was conducted to determine the water storage area. Finally, we attempted to predict the water inrush along the Longmen Mountain tunnel based on the Darcy flow equation. Based on the contrast of water inrush between the proposed approach, groundwater dynamics and precipitation infiltration method, we conclude the following: the water inflow determined using the groundwater dynamics simulation results are basically consistent with those in the D2K91+020 to D2K110+150 mileage. Specifically, in the D2K91+020 to D2K94+060, D2K96+440 to D2K98+100 and other sections of the tunnel, the simulated and measured results are in close agreement and show that this method is effective. In general, we can predict the water inflow in the area of the Longmen Mountain tunnel based on the existing fracture joint parameters and the hydrogeological data of the Longmen Mountain area, providing a water inrush simulation and guiding the tunnel excavation and construction stages.

Quantifying Heterogeneities in Soil Cover and Weathering in the Bitterroot and Sapphire Mountains, Montana: Implications for Glacial Legacies and their Morphologic Control on Soil Formation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Benjaram, S. S.; Dixon, J. L.

2017-12-01

To what extent is chemical weathering governed by a landscape's topography? Quantifying chemical weathering in both steep rocky landscapes and soil-mantled landscapes requires describing heterogeneity in soil and rock cover at local and landscape scales. Two neighboring mountain ranges in the northern Rockies of western Montana, USA, provide an ideal natural laboratory in which to investigate the relationship between soil chemical weathering, persistence of soil cover, and topography. We focus our work in the previously glaciated Bitterroot Mountains, which consist of steep, rock-dominated hillslopes, and the neighboring unglaciated Sapphire Mountains, which display convex, soil-mantled hillslopes. Soil thickness measurements, soil and rock geochemistry, and digital terrain analysis reveal that soils in the rock-dominated Bitterroot Mountains are only slightly less weathered than those in the Sapphire Mountains. However, these differences are magnified when adjusted for rock fragments at a local scale and bedrock cover at a landscape scale, using our newly developed metric, the rock-adjusted chemical depletion fraction (RACDF) and rock-adjusted mass transfer coefficient (RA τ). The Bitterroots overall are 30% less weathered than the Sapphires despite higher mean annual precipitation in the former, with an average rock-adjusted CDF of 0.38 in the postglacial Bitterroots catchment and 0.61 in the nonglacial Sapphire catchment, suggesting that 38% of rock mass is lost in the conversion to soil in the Bitterroots, whereas 61% of rock mass is lost in the nonglaciated Sapphires. Because the previously glaciated Bitterroots are less weathered despite being wetter, we conclude that the glacial history of this landscape exerts more influence on soil chemical weathering than does modern climate. However, while previous studies have correlated weathering intensity with topographic parameters such as slope gradient, we find little topographic indication of specific controls on weathering in these complex systems.

Impacts of nitrogen addition on plant biodiversity in mountain grasslands depend on dose, application duration and climate: a systematic review.

PubMed

Humbert, Jean-Yves; Dwyer, John M; Andrey, Aline; Arlettaz, Raphaël

2016-01-01

Although the influence of nitrogen (N) addition on grassland plant communities has been widely studied, it is still unclear whether observed patterns and underlying mechanisms are constant across biomes. In this systematic review, we use meta-analysis and metaregression to investigate the influence of N addition (here referring mostly to fertilization) upon the biodiversity of temperate mountain grasslands (including montane, subalpine and alpine zones). Forty-two studies met our criteria of inclusion, resulting in 134 measures of effect size. The main general responses of mountain grasslands to N addition were increases in phytomass and reductions in plant species richness, as observed in lowland grasslands. More specifically, the analysis reveals that negative effects on species richness were exacerbated by dose (ha(-1) year(-1) ) and duration of N application (years) in an additive manner. Thus, sustained application of low to moderate levels of N over time had effects similar to short-term application of high N doses. The climatic context also played an important role: the overall effects of N addition on plant species richness and diversity (Shannon index) were less pronounced in mountain grasslands experiencing cool rather than warm summers. Furthermore, the relative negative effect of N addition on species richness was more pronounced in managed communities and was strongly negatively related to N-induced increases in phytomass, that is the greater the phytomass response to N addition, the greater the decline in richness. Altogether, this review not only establishes that plant biodiversity of mountain grasslands is negatively affected by N addition, but also demonstrates that several local management and abiotic factors interact with N addition to drive plant community changes. This synthesis yields essential information for a more sustainable management of mountain grasslands, emphasizing the importance of preserving and restoring grasslands with both low agricultural N application and limited exposure to N atmospheric deposition. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Non-invasive Positive Pressure Ventilation during Sleep at 3800m: relationship to Acute Mountain Sickness and sleeping oxyhemoglobin saturation

PubMed Central

Johnson, PL; Popa, DA; Prisk, GK; Sullivan, CE; Edwards, N

2014-01-01

Background and objectives Ascent to high altitude results in hypobaric hypoxia and some individuals will develop Acute Mountain Sickness, which has been shown to be associated with low oxyhemoglobin saturation during sleep. Previous research has shown that positive end-expiratory pressure by use of expiratory valves in a face mask while awake, results in a reduction in AMS symptoms and higher oxyhemoglobin saturation. We aimed to test whether pressure ventilation during sleep would prevent AMS by keeping oxyhaemoglobin higher during sleep. Methods We compared sleeping oxyhemoglobin saturation and the incidence and severity of Acute Mountain Sickness in seven subjects sleeping for two consecutive nights at 3800m above sea level using either non-invasive positive pressure ventilation that delivered positive inspiratory and expiratory airway pressure via a face mask, or sleeping without assisted ventilation. The presence and severity of Acute Mountain Sickness was assessed by administration of the Lake Louise questionnaire. Results We found significant increases in the mean and minimum sleeping oxyhemoglobin saturation and decreases in AMS symptoms in subjects who used positive pressure ventilation during sleep. Mean and minimum sleeping SaO2 was lower in subjects who developed AMS after the night spent without positive pressure ventilation. Conclusion The use of positive pressure ventilation during sleep at 3800m significantly increased the sleeping oxygen saturation; we suggest that the marked reduction in symptoms of AMS is due to this higher sleeping SaO2. We agree with the findings from previous studies that the development of AMS is associated with a lower sleeping oxygen saturation. PMID:20051046

Effect of short-term acclimatization to high altitude on sleep and nocturnal breathing.

PubMed

Nussbaumer-Ochsner, Yvonne; Ursprung, Justyna; Siebenmann, Christoph; Maggiorini, Marco; Bloch, Konrad E

2012-03-01

Objective physiologic data on sleep and nocturnal breathing at initial exposure and during acclimatization to high altitude are scant. We tested the hypothesis that acute exposure to high altitude induces quantitative and qualitative changes in sleep and that these changes are partially reversed with acclimatization. Prospective observation. One night in a sleep laboratory at 490 meters, the first and the third night in a mountain hut at 4559 meters. Sixteen healthy mountaineers. Altitude exposure. Polysomnography, questionnaire evaluation of sleep and acute mountain sickness. Compared to 490 m, median nocturnal oxygen saturation decreased during the 1st night at 4559 m from 96% to 67%, minute ventilation increased from 4.4 to 6.3 L/min, and the apnea-hypopnea index increased from 0.1 to 60.9/h; correspondingly, sleep efficiency decreased from 93% to 69%, and slow wave sleep from 18% to 6% (P < 0.05, all instances). During the 3rd night at 4559 m, oxygen saturation was 71%, slow wave sleep 11% (P < 0.05 vs. 1st night, both instances) and the apnea/hypopnea index was 86.5/h (P = NS vs. 1st night). Symptoms of AMS and of disturbed sleep were significantly reduced in the morning after the 3rd vs. the 1st night at 4559 m. In healthy mountaineers ascending rapidly to high altitude, sleep quality is initially impaired but improves with acclimatization in association with improved oxygen saturation, while periodic breathing persists. Therefore, high altitude sleep disturbances seem to be related predominantly to hypoxemia rather than to periodic breathing.

Religio-cultural factors contributing to perinatal mortality and morbidity in mountain villages of Nepal: Implications for future healthcare provision

PubMed Central

Javanparast, Sara; Dasvarma, Gouranga; Newman, Lareen

2018-01-01

Objective and the context This paper examines the beliefs and experiences of women and their families in remote mountain villages of Nepal about perinatal sickness and death and considers the implications of these beliefs for future healthcare provision. Methods Two mountain villages were chosen for this qualitative study to provide diversity of context within a highly disadvantaged region. Individual in-depth interviews were conducted with 42 women of childbearing age and their family members, 15 health service providers, and 5 stakeholders. The data were analysed using a thematic analysis technique with a comprehensive coding process. Findings Three key themes emerged from the study: (1) ‘Everyone has gone through it’: perinatal death as a natural occurrence; (2) Dewata (God) as a factor in health and sickness: a cause and means to overcome sickness in mother and baby; and (3) Karma (Past deeds), Bhagya (Fate) or Lekhanta (Destiny): ways of rationalising perinatal deaths. Conclusion Religio-cultural interpretations underlie a fatalistic view among villagers in Nepal’s mountain communities about any possibility of preventing perinatal deaths. This perpetuates a silence around the issue, and results in severe under-reporting of ongoing high perinatal death rates and almost no reporting of stillbirths. The study identified a strong belief in religio-cultural determinants of perinatal death, which demonstrates that medical interventions alone are not sufficient to prevent these deaths and that broader social determinants which are highly significant in local life must be considered in policy making and programming. PMID:29544226

Quantitative Comparison of Mountain Belt Topographic Profiles on Earth and Venus

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stoddard, P. R.; Jurdy, D. M.

2016-12-01

Earth's mountain belts result from interactions between tectonic plates. Several styles of belts reflect the differing nature of those interactions: The narrow spine of the Andes results from subduction of the oceanic Nazca plate under the continental South American plate, the soaring Himalayas from the collision of India and Asia, the broad Rockies and Alaskan cordillera from multiple collisions, and the gentle Appalachians and Urals are remnants from ancient collisions. Venus' mountain chains - Maxwell, Freyja, Akna and Danu - surround Lakshmi Planum, a highland with an elevation of 4 km. These make up Ishtar Terra. Maxwell Montes ascends to over 11 km, the highest elevation on the planet. Freyja rises just over 7 km and Akna to about 6 km. The arcuate Danu belt on Ishtar's western boundary comes up to only 1.5 km over the planum. No other mountain belts exist on Venus. The origins of these venusian orogenic belts remain unknown. Earliest explanations invoked subduction around Lakshmi Planum; subsequent models included either up- or down-welling of the mantle, horizontal convergence, or crustal thickening. We quantitatively compare topography of Venus' mountain chains with Earth's for similarities and differences. Patterns may provide clues to the dynamics forming venusian orogenic belts. To do this, we find topographic profiles across the various chains, determine average profiles for each, and then correlate averages to establish the degree of similarity. From this correlation we construct a covariance matrix, diagonalized for eigenvalues, or principal components. These can be displayed as profiles. Correlations and principal components allow us to assess the degree of similarity and variability of the shapes of the average profiles. These analyses thus offer independent and objective modes of comparison; for example, with respect to terrestrial mid-ocean ridges, some Venus chasmata were shown to most closely resemble the ultra-slow Arctic spreading center.

Regulation of Post-Logging N Turnover and Mobile N by Solar Insolation in a Steep Rocky Mountain Watershed

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stewart, D. M.; Silins, U.; Emelko, M.; Stone, M.

2016-12-01

While forest harvesting effects on nitrogen (N) cycling and watershed nitrogen export are generally well documented, the factors that govern variation in post-disturbance watershed export of N after forest disturbance across different hydro-climatic regions as less well understood. Factors that regulate the coupling of N dynamics on hillslopes with receiving streams are not well understood in steeper mountainous terrain where strong spatial variation in radiation, temperature, and nutrient turnover potentially govern post-disturbance catchment exports of N. Objectives of this study were to explore the relative influence of variation in hillslope position (upper vs lower) and radiation load among contrasting south- and north-facing hillslope positions in regulating soil nitrogen turnover and mobile nitrogen (NO-3) after clear-cut logging in the Rocky Mountains of south-west Alberta, Canada. A combined approach employing replicated measurement of key soil N species in soil solution (available N, using ion exchange membranes) and shallow hillslope pore water N (using suction lysimeters) was used to explore how variation in hillslope position and radiation load (S/N facing) after clear-cut logging of a Lodgepole pine dominated Rocky Mountain watershed in southwest Alberta. These were compared to parallel measurements in unharvested (reference) hillslopes in the same watershed. Logging was completed in 2015 with measurements of soil and shallow groundwater N at 6 week intervals from April to Oct. 2016. Compared to other types of forest disturbance (i.e. wildfire) common in this region, clear-cut harvesting did not produce a large impact on both surface and deeper available N for reference and harvested stands. In particular, early season available NO-3 is enriched in upper stands, while other factors showed less of an effect. Overall, results provide important insights into how disturbance effects on mobile N among hillslopes of contrasting energy gain, soil moisture, and thermal regimes interact in driving post-disturbance N export in steep, mountainous terrain.

Slope Controls Grain Yield and Climatic Yield in Mountainous Yunnan province, China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Duan, X.; Rong, L.; Gu, Z.; Feng, D.

2017-12-01

Mountainous regions are increasingly vulnerable to food insecurity because of limited arable land, growing population pressure, and climate change. Development of sustainable mountain agriculture will require an increased understanding of the effects of environmental factors on grain and climatic yields. The objective of this study was to explore the relationships between actual grain yield, climatic yield, and environmental factors in a mountainous region in China. We collected data on the average grain yield per unit area in 119 counties in Yunnan province from 1985 to 2012, and chose 17 environmental factors for the same period. Our results showed that actual grain yield ranged from 1.43 to 6.92 t·ha-1, and the climatic yield ranged from -0.15 to -0.01 t·ha-1. Lower climatic yield but higher grain yield was generally found in central areas and at lower slopes and elevations in the western and southwestern counties of Yunnan province. Higher climatic yield but lower grain yield were found in northwestern parts of Yunnan province on steep slopes. Annual precipation and temperature had a weak influence on the climatic yield. Slope explained 44.62 and 26.29% of the variation in grain yield and climatic yield. The effects of topography on grain and climatic yields were greater than climatic factors. Slope was the most important environmental variable for the variability in climatic and grain yields in the mountainous Yunnan province due to the highly heterogeneous topographic conditions. Conversion of slopes to terraces in areas with higher climatic yields is an effective way to maintain grain production in response to climate variability. Additionally, soil amendments and soil and water conservation measures should be considered to maintain soil fertility and aid in sustainable development in central areas, and in counties at lower slopes and elevations in western and southwestern Yunnan province.

Permafrost in the Himalayas: specific characteristics, evolution vs. climate change and impacts on potential natural hazards

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fort, Monique

2015-04-01

Mountain environments are very sensitive to climate change, yet assessing the potential impacts of these changes is not easy because of the complexity and diversity of mountain systems. The Himalayan permafrost belt presents three main specificities: (1) it develops in a geodynamically active mountain, which means that the controlling factors are not only temperature but also seismo-tectonic activity; (2) due to the steepness of the southern flank of the Greater Himalaya and potential large scale rock failures, permafrost evidence manifests itself best in the inner valleys and on the northern, arid side of the Himalayas (elevations >4000m); (3) the east-west strike of the mountain range creates large spatial discontinuity in the "cold" belt, mostly related to precipitation nature and availability. Only limited studies have been carried to date, and there is no permanent "field laboratory", nor continuous records but a few local studies. Based on preliminary observations in the Nepal Himalayas (mostly in Mustang and Dolpo districts), and Indian Ladakh, we present the main features indicating the existence of permafrost (either continuous or discontinuous). Rock-glaciers are quite well represented, though their presence may be interpreted as a combined result from both ground ice and large rock collapse. The precise altitudinal zonation of permafrost belt (specifying potential permafrost, probable permafrost, observed permafrost belts) still requires careful investigations in selected areas. Several questions arise when considering the evolution of permafrost in a context of climate change, with its impacts on the development of potential natural hazards that may affect the mountain population. Firstly, permafrost degradation (ground ice melting) is a cause of mountain slope destabilization. When the steep catchments are developed in frost/water sensitive bedrock (shales and marls) and extend to high elevations (as observed in Mustang or Dolpo), it would supply more mass-wasting and debris-flow events and may directly threat the infrastructures recently built to unlock these remote areas. Secondly, acceleration of permafrost degradation might also affect the steepest rock walls (as in Khumbu, Manang and Mustang Himals) and cause rock avalanches that could impact nearby settlements, as suggested by relicts of past events. Lastly, ground ice is a hidden source of water in areas without permanent glacial ice. In a context of global warming this non-renewable resource would be depleted and no longer available for the population living in these areas, all the more as growing tourism activities are increasing the demand for water consumption that may conflicts with irrigated agricultural uses down valley. More in-situ observations and long-term monitoring studies should certainly be useful to understand climate trends hence permafrost evolution and their consequences in order to help mountain populations of the cold, arid Himalayas to adjust to progressive changes in their environmental conditions and resources.

Determinants of farmers' choice for veterinary service providers in Nepal Mountains.

PubMed

Lamichhane, Dirga Kumar; Shrestha, Sabina

2012-08-01

This study was aimed to analyze factors that affect farmers' choice for major actors of veterinary service providers in village areas of Kaski district of Nepal, with the objective of identifying choice-specific attributes which could be addressed for improving the penetration of professional veterinary services in village areas. The information was obtained from 125 farmers using a structured questionnaire. A proportional hazard model was used for data analysis because of its ability to accommodate the attributes of both the chooser and the choice simultaneously. The results showed that village animal health workers (VAHWs) were the most preferred service providers followed by veterinarians and mid-level technicians. The farmers' age and education level had a significant but inverse relationship with the probability of choosing any of the three service providers. From our study, we found that the main choice-specific attributes with a significant impact on the choice probability was the distance to the preferred service provider. Since there was a high preference for VAHW, this suggests the possibility of poorly trained service providers dominating veterinary service market in village areas of Kaski district. Hence, the efforts put forward in the legalization of VAHW system in Nepal should first address the constraints that obstruct the accessibility of professional veterinary service providers in village areas.

Water-quality and ground-water-level trends, 1990-99, and data collected from 1995 through 1999, East Mountain area, Bernalillo County, central New Mexico

USGS Publications Warehouse

Rankin, D.R.

2000-01-01

Bernalillo County officials recognize the importance of monitoring water quality and ground-water levels in rapidly developing areas. For this reason, water-quality and ground-water- level data were collected from 87 wells, 3 springs, and the Ojo Grande Acequia in the east mountain area of Bernalillo County between January 1990 and June 1999. The water samples were analyzed for selected nutrient species; total organic carbon; major dissolved constituents; methylene blue active substances; and dissolved arsenic. Analytical results were used to compute hardness, sodium adsorption ratio, and dissolved solids. Specific conductance, pH, air and water temperature, alkalinity, and dissolved oxygen were measured in the field at the time of sample collection. Ground-water levels were measured at the time of sample collection. From January 1990 through June 1993, water-quality and ground- water-level data were collected monthly from an initial set of 20 wells; these data were published in a 1995 report. During 1995, water samples and ground-water-level data were collected and analyzed from the initial set of 20 wells and from an additional 31 wells, 2 springs, and the Ojo Grande Acequia; these data were published in a 1996 report. Additional water-quality and ground-water-level data have been collected from sites in the east mountain area: 34 wells and the acequia during 1997, 14 wells and 1 spring during 1998, and 6 wells during 1999. Water-quality and ground- water-level data collected in the east mountain area during 1995 through 1999 are presented in tables. In addition, temporal trends for ground-water levels, concentrations of total and dissolved nitrite plus nitrate, concentrations of dissolved chloride, and specific conductance are presented for 20 selected wells in water-quality and water- level hydrographs.

Comparing hiking, mountain biking and horse riding impacts on vegetation and soils in Australia and the United States of America.

PubMed

Pickering, Catherine Marina; Hill, Wendy; Newsome, David; Leung, Yu-Fai

2010-01-01

Hiking, horse riding and mountain biking are popular in protected areas in Australia and the United States of America. To help inform the often contentious deliberations about use of protected areas for these three types of activities, we review recreation ecology research in both countries. Many impacts on vegetation, soils and trails are similar for the three activities, although there can be differences in severity. Impacts include damage to existing trails, soil erosion, compaction and nutrification, changes in hydrology, trail widening, exposure of roots, rocks and bedrock. There can be damage to plants including reduction in vegetation height and biomass, changes in species composition, creation of informal trails and the spread of weeds and plant pathogens. Due to differences in evolutionary history, impacts on soil and vegetation can be greater in Australia than in the USA. There are specific social and biophysical impacts of horses such as those associated with manure and urine, grazing and the construction and use of tethering yards and fences. Mountain bike specific impacts include soil and vegetation damage from skidding and the construction of unauthorised trails, jumps, bridges and other trail technical features. There are gaps in the current research that should be filled by additional research: (1) on horse and mountain bike impacts to complement those on hiking. The methods used need to reflect patterns of actual usage and be suitable for robust statistical analysis; (2) that directly compares types and severity of impacts among activities; and (3) on the potential for each activity to contribute to the spread of weeds and plant pathogens. Additional research will assist managers and users of protected areas in understanding the relative impacts of these activities, and better ways to manage them. It may not quell the debates among users, managers and conservationists, but it will help put it on a more scientific footing. 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The Microbiology of Traditional Hard and Semihard Cooked Mountain Cheeses.

PubMed

Beuvier, Eric; Duboz, Gabriel

2013-10-01

Traditional cheeses originate from complex systems that confer on them specific sensory characteristics. These characteristics are linked to various factors of biodiversity such as animal feed, the use of raw milk and its indigenous microflora, the cheese technology, and the ripening conditions, all in conjunction with the knowledge of the cheesemaker and affineur. In Europe, particularly in France, the preservation of traditional cheesemaking processes, some of which have protected designation of origin, is vital for the farming and food industry in certain regions. Among these cheeses, some are made in the Alps or Jura Mountains, including Comté, Beaufort, Abondance, and Emmental, which are made from raw milk. The principle of hard or semihard cooked cheese, produced in the Alps and Jura Mountains, was to make a product during the summer-a period during which the animals feed more and milk production is high-with a shelf life of several months that could be consumed in winter. Today, these traditional cheeses are produced according to a specific approach combining science and tradition in order to better understand and preserve the elements that contribute to the distinctiveness of these cheeses. To address this complex problem, a global approach to the role of the raw milk microflora in the final quality of cheeses was initially chosen. The modifications resulting from the elimination of the raw milk microflora, either by pasteurization or by microfiltration, to the biochemistry of the ripening process and ultimately the sensory quality of the cheeses were evaluated. This approach was achieved mainly with experimental hard cooked cheeses. Other types of traditional cheese made with raw and pasteurized milk are also considered when necessary. Besides the native raw milk microflora, traditional lactic starters (natural or wild starters) also participate in the development of the characteristics of traditional hard and semihard cooked mountain cheeses. After an initial description, their roles are described, mainly for Comté.

Investigating Seed Longevity of Big Sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata)

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wijayratne, Upekala C.; Pyke, David A.

2009-01-01

The Intermountain West is dominated by big sagebrush communities (Artemisia tridentata subspecies) that provide habitat and forage for wildlife, prevent erosion, and are economically important to recreation and livestock industries. The two most prominent subspecies of big sagebrush in this region are Wyoming big sagebrush (A. t. ssp. wyomingensis) and mountain big sagebrush (A. t. ssp. vaseyana). Increased understanding of seed bank dynamics will assist with sustainable management and persistence of sagebrush communities. For example, mountain big sagebrush may be subjected to shorter fire return intervals and prescribed fire is a tool used often to rejuvenate stands and reduce tree (Juniperus sp. or Pinus sp.) encroachment into these communities. A persistent seed bank for mountain big sagebrush would be advantageous under these circumstances. Laboratory germination trials indicate that seed dormancy in big sagebrush may be habitat-specific, with collections from colder sites being more dormant. Our objective was to investigate seed longevity of both subspecies by evaluating viability of seeds in the field with a seed retrieval experiment and sampling for seeds in situ. We chose six study sites for each subspecies. These sites were dispersed across eastern Oregon, southern Idaho, northwestern Utah, and eastern Nevada. Ninety-six polyester mesh bags, each containing 100 seeds of a subspecies, were placed at each site during November 2006. Seed bags were placed in three locations: (1) at the soil surface above litter, (2) on the soil surface beneath litter, and (3) 3 cm below the soil surface to determine whether dormancy is affected by continued darkness or environmental conditions. Subsets of seeds were examined in April and November in both 2007 and 2008 to determine seed viability dynamics. Seed bank samples were taken at each site, separated into litter and soil fractions, and assessed for number of germinable seeds in a greenhouse. Community composition data from each site, as well as several environmental variables, were used to evaluate seed viability within the context of habitat variation. Initial viability of seeds used in the seed retrieval experiment was 81 and 92 percent for mountain and Wyoming big sagebrush, respectively. After remaining in the field for 24 months, buried Wyoming big sagebrush seeds retained 28-58 percent viability,11-23 percent of seeds under litter remained viable, and no seeds remained viable on the surface (estimates are 95-percent confidence intervals). The odds of remaining viable did not change from 12 to 24 months. However, after 24 months the odds of seeds beneath litter being viable decreased to 75 percent of the odds of viability at 12 months. Similar to Wyoming big sagebrush, buried seeds of mountain big sagebrush were 31-68 percent viable, seeds under litter retained 10-22 percent of their viability, and no surface seeds were viable after 24 months. Both subspecies of big sagebrush had some portion of seed that remained viable for more than one growing season provided they were buried or under litter. Although seeds beneath litter may remain viable in intact communities, seeds are susceptible to incineration during fires. Nine months after seed dispersal, seed bank estimates for Wyoming big sagebrush ranged from 19 to 49 viable seeds/m2 in litter samples and 19-57 viable seeds/m2 in soil samples (95-percent confidence interval). For mountain big sagebrush, estimates were 27-75 viable seeds/m2 in litter samples and 54-139 viable seeds/m2 in soil (95-percent confidence interval). The number of viable seeds present in the seed bank 9 months after seed dispersal was not significantly different from the number present immediately after seed dispersal. Seed viability was highest in mountain big sagebrush sites for seeds on the surface and beneath litter, but decreased after one season. Buried seeds of both subspecies were in equal abundances and may be insulated from the effect

Old Rock on Young Rock.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Simmons, Henry

1983-01-01

In determining how the Appalachian Mountains were formed, various workings of tectonic processes at continental margins are also being illuminated. The research has important implications for understanding specific processes which shaped the earth and for unraveling the record of plate movements now preserved only in present and former continental…

Annual Progress Report Fiscal Year 1983.

DTIC Science & Technology

1983-09-30

Phosphatidylglycerol with one- and two-dimensional high performance thin layer chromatography. 38tn SW & 6th Rocky Mountain Combined Regional Meeting, American...infected by an organism that does not nT1ake urease * . (i.e., split urea). Their urine can be chronically sterilized with culture-specific 0 oral

Arizona TeleMedicine Network: Engineering Master Plan.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Atlantic Research Corp., Alexandria, VA.

As the planning document for establishing a statewide health communications system initially servicing the Papago, San Carlos and White Mountain Apache, Navajo, and Hopi reservations, this document prescribes the communications services to be provided by the Arizona TeleMedicine Network. Specifications include: (1) communications services for each…

Medicinal Plant Use and Health Sovereignty: Findings from the Tajik and Afghan Pamirs

PubMed Central

Karamkhudoeva, Munira; Ruelle, Morgan; Baumflek, Michelle

2010-01-01

Medicinal plants are indicators of indigenous knowledge in the context of political volatility and sociocultural and ecological change in the Pamir Mountains of Afghanistan and Tajikistan. Medicinal plants are the primary health care option in this region of Central Asia. The main objective of this paper is to demonstrate that medicinal plants contribute to health security and sovereignty in a time of instability. We illustrate the nutritional as well as medicinal significance of plants in the daily lives of villagers. Based on over a decade and half of research related to resilience and livelihood security, we present plant uses in the context of mountain communities. Villagers identified over 58 cultivated and noncultivated plants and described 310 distinct uses within 63 categories of treatment and prevention. Presence of knowledge about medicinal plants is directly connected to their use. PMID:21258436

Sensory impairment and driving: the Blue Mountains Eye Study.

PubMed Central

Ivers, R Q; Mitchell, P; Cumming, R G

1999-01-01

OBJECTIVES: This study examined the associations between vision, hearing, loss, and car accidents. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey of 3654 people aged 49 years and older in the Blue Mountains, Australia, was used. Each subject had a detailed eye examination and interview. RESULTS: Self-reported car accident rates in the past year among 2379 current drivers were 5.6% for those aged 49 to 79 years and 9.1% for those 80 years and older. A 2-line difference in visual acuity was associated with increased risk of accidents (adjusted prevalence ratio [PR] = 1.6), as was visual acuity worse than 6/18 in the right eye (PR = 2.0), overall moderate hearing loss (PR = 1.9), and hearing loss in the right ear (PR = 1.8). CONCLUSIONS: Sensory loss in drivers may be an important risk factor for car accidents. PMID:9987472

The MOSO field experiment - Overview of findings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ólafsson, Haraldur; Jonassen, Marius O.; Ágústsson, Hálfdán; Rögnvaldsson, Ólafur; Hjarðar, Bjarni G. Þ.; Rasol, Dubravka; Reuder, Joachim; Jónsson, Sigurður; Líf Kristinsdóttir, Birta

2013-04-01

In 2009 and 2011, the MOSO I and MOSO II meteorological field experiments took place in SW-Iceland. The main objectives were to describe the low level atmospheric coastal flows in the vicinity of mountains. The observations for the MOSO dataset were made using a large number of automatic weather stations, microbarographs, radiosoundings and a remotely piloted aircraft. The highlights of the findings include a four-dimensional description of the sea-breeze in Iceland, weak downslope acceleration, summer- and winter-time mountain wake flow, transition between wake flow and sea-breeze. The orographic drag force is explored and shown to be not so high most of the time in the predicted high-drag state. The observations from the remotely piloted aircraft have been used successfully to nudge simulations of the flow and are shown to be promising for operational use in numerical prediction of mesoscale coastal and orographic flows.

New distribution record for the rare limpet Acroloxus coloradensis (Henderson) (Gastropoda: Acroloxidae) from Montana

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hossack, Blake R.; Robert L. Newell,

2013-01-01

The Rocky Mountain Capshell, Acroloxus coloradensis (Henderson, 1930), the only North American member of the basommatophoran family Acroloxidae, is broadly distributed across southern Canada and south into the Rocky Mountains in the USA (Turgeon et al., 1998; Lee and Ackerman, 2000). Despite its wide geographic range, A. coloradensis has been documented from < 30 locations, mostly in British Columbia, Alberta, Ontario, and Quebec (Lee and Ackerman, 2000; Anderson, 2005). Relict populations of A. coloradensis in the USA have been documented from only 6 sites in Colorado and 2 sites in Glacier National Park (Glacier NP), Montana (Anderson, 2005; Ellis et al., 2004). In Glacier NP, A. coloradensis was first reported from Lost Lake (Figure 1; Russell and Brunson, 1967). A second population in the park was discovered in Trout Lake in 2001 (Ellis et al., 2004). In both lakes, A. coloradensis was found primarily under rocks and other cover objects.

Geochemical, aeromagnetic, and generalized geologic maps showing distribution and abundance of antimony and tungsten, Golconda and Iron Point quadrangles, Humboldt County, Nevada

USGS Publications Warehouse

Erickson, R.L.; Marsh, S.P.

1971-01-01

Detailed geologic and geochemical studies of the four 7 1/2-minute quadrangles that make up the Edna Mountain 15-minute quadrangle in Humboldt County, Nevada, were begun during the 1969 summer field season. The objectives of the project are to map the geology of this structurally complex area at 1:24,000 scale and to determine the regional distribution and abundance of metals in rocks of the area and the factors that control the distribution and abundance of those metals. Tungsten-bearing hot-spring tufa, metalliferous black shale in Ordovician rocks , base-metal and barite deposits in Paleozoic sedimentary rocks, and copper molydbenum in granodiorite plutons of Cretaceous age occur in the Edna Mountain area. None of these deposits have been of much economic significance, although tungsten was mined from the hot-spring deposits during World War II. 

Geochemical, aeromagnetic, and generalized geologic maps showing distribution and abundance of gold and copper, Golconda and Iron Point quadrangles, Humboldt County, Nevada

USGS Publications Warehouse

Erickson, R.L.; Marsh, S.P.

1971-01-01

Detailed geologic and geochemical studies of the four 7 1/2-minute quadrangles that make up the Edna Mountain 15-minute quadrangle in Humboldt County, Nevada, were begun during the 1969 summer field season.  The objectives of the project are to map the geology of this structurally complex area at 1:24,000 scale and to determine the regional distribution and abundance of metals in rocks of the area and the factors that control the distribution and abundance of those metals.  Tungsten-bearing hot-spring tufa, metalliferous black shale in Ordovician rocks, base-metal and barite deposits in Paleozoic sedimentary rocks, and copper-molybdenum in granodiorite plutons of Cretaceous age occur in the Edna Mountain area.  None of these deposits have been of much economic signigicance, although tungsten was mined from the hot-spring deposits during World War II.

Geochemical, aeromagnetic, and generalized geologic maps showing distribution and abundance of mercury and arsenic, Golconda and Iron Point quadrangles, Humboldt County, Nevada

USGS Publications Warehouse

Erickson, R.L.; Marsh, S.P.

1971-01-01

Detailed geologic and geochemical studies of the four 7 1/2-minute wuadrangles that make up the Edna Mountain 15-minute quadrangle in Humboldt County, Nevada, were begun druring the 1969 summer field season. The objectives of the project are to map the geology of this structurally complex area at 1:24,000 scale and to determine the regional distribution and abundance of metals in rocks of the area and the factors that control the distribution and abundance of those metals. Tungsten-bearing hot-spring tufa, metalliferous black shale in Ordovician rocks, base-metal and barite deposits in Paleozoic sedimentary rocks, and copper-molybdenum in granodiorite plutons of Creataceous age occur in the Edna Mountain dare. None of these deposits have been of much economic significance, although tungsten was mined from the hot-spring deposits during World War II. 

A data base approach for prediction of deforestation-induced mass wasting events

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Logan, T. L.

1981-01-01

A major topic of concern in timber management is determining the impact of clear-cutting on slope stability. Deforestation treatments on steep mountain slopes have often resulted in a high frequency of major mass wasting events. The Geographic Information System (GIS) is a potentially useful tool for predicting the location of mass wasting sites. With a raster-based GIS, digitally encoded maps of slide hazard parameters can be overlayed and modeled to produce new maps depicting high probability slide areas. The present investigation has the objective to examine the raster-based information system as a tool for predicting the location of the clear-cut mountain slopes which are most likely to experience shallow soil debris avalanches. A literature overview is conducted, taking into account vegetation, roads, precipitation, soil type, slope-angle and aspect, and models predicting mass soil movements. Attention is given to a data base approach and aspects of slide prediction.

Long-Term Global Morphology of Gravity Wave Activity Using UARS Data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Eckermann, Stephen D.; Bacmeister, Julio T.; Wu, Dong L.

1998-01-01

This is the first quarter's report on research to extract global gravity-wave data from satellite data and to model those observations synoptically. Preliminary analysis of global maps of extracted middle atmospheric temperature variance from the CRISTA instrument is presented, which appear to contain gravity-wave information. Corresponding simulations of global gravity-wave and mountain-wave activity during this mission period are described using global ray-tracing and mountain-wave models, and interesting similarities among simulated data and CRISTA data are noted. Climatological simulations of mesospheric gravity-wave activity using the HWM-03 wind-temperature climatology are also reported, for comparison with UARS MLS data. Preparatory work on modeling of gravity wave observations from space-based platforms and subsequent interpretation of the MLS gravity-wave product are also described. Preliminary interpretation and relation to the research objectives are provided, and further action for the next quarter's research is recommended.

New explorations along the northern shores of Lake Bonneville

USGS Publications Warehouse

Oviatt, Charles G.; Miller, D.M.

1997-01-01

This field trip begins in Salt Lake City and makes a clockwise circuit of Great Salt Lake, with primary objectives to observe stratigraphie and geomorphic records of Lake Bonneville. Stops include Stansbury Island, Puddle Valley, gravel pits at Lakeside and the south end of the Hogup Mountains, several stops in Curlew Valley and Hansel Valley, and a final stop at the north end of Great Salt Lake east of the Promontory Mountains. Stratigraphie observations at gravel-pit and natural exposures will be linked to interpretations of lake-level change, which were caused by climate change. Evidence of paleoseismic and volcanic activity will be discussed at several sites, and will be tied to the lacustrine stratigraphic record. The trip provides an overview of the history of Lake Bonneville and introduces participants to some new localities with excellent examples of Lake Bonneville landforms and stratigraphy.

3D GPR in forensics: Finding a clandestine grave in a mountainous environment.

PubMed

Novo, Alexandre; Lorenzo, Henrique; Rial, Fernando I; Solla, Mercedes

2011-01-30

In the present work we show a forensic case study carried out in a mountainous environment. Main objective was to locate a clandestine grave which is around 10-20 years old and contains human remains of one individual and a metallic tool, probably a pick. Survey design started with an experimental burial of a pick at the expected depth (1m) as well as the calculation of synthetic radargrams in order to know if the 250MHz antenna was suitable for its detection and to have a record of the reflection of the pick. Conclusions extracted from the experiments together with rough terrain conditions suggested the use of the 250MHz antenna which allowed a good compromise between target detection and dense grid acquisition of an extensive survey area. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Hydrologic, chemical, and isotopic characterization of two small watersheds on Catoctin Mountain, north-central Maryland, U.S.A.

USGS Publications Warehouse

Rice, Karen C.; Bricker, O.P.

1993-01-01

Two small (100 ha) watersheds located on Catoctin Mountain in north-central Maryland were intensively instrumented in 1990 and have been hydrologically, chemically, and isotopically monitored for 3 years. Dissolved concentrations of major ions (Ca2+, Mg2+, Na+, K+, total AI, CI-, NO3-, SO42- , HCO3-, and SiO2) and stable isotopic (D and 18O) values have been analyzed for most types of water (precipitation, throughfall, two depths of soil water, shallow groundwater, and streamwater) that enter, travel through, and exit each watershed. The major objectives of the study were to characterize the chemical and isotopic signatures of all aqueous components of the watersheds and to interpret the causes of the changes in chemical and isotopic compositions of streamwater during storm runoff. This paper describes selected results of the study.

Analysis of umbu (Spondias tuberosa Arruda (Anacardiaceae)) in different landscape management regimes: a process of incipient domestication?

PubMed

Lins Neto, Ernani Machado de Freitas; Peroni, Nivaldo; Maranhão, Christine Maria Carneiro; Maciel, Maria Inês Sucupira; de Albuquerque, Ulysses Paulino

2012-07-01

Plant domestication is an evolutionary process guided by human groups who modify the landscape for their needs. The objective of this study was to evaluate the phenotypic variations between populations of Spondias tuberosa Arruda (umbuzeiro) when subjected to different local landscape management strategies. The influence of the landscape management system on these populations was evaluated in five identified regional units (mountains, base of mountains, pastures, cultivated areas and home gardens). Ten individuals were randomly selected from each region and subjected to morphological and chemical fruit analysis. The diversity index, based on Simpson's index, was determined for the different populations. We then evaluated the morphological differences between the individual fruits from the distinct landscape areas. We observed no significant differences in morphological diversity between the areas studied. Our data suggest that the umbuzeiro specimens in this region may be in the process of incipient domestication.

La Ruta de los Origenes stops in Montsec: observations and other educational activities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ribas, S. J.

2013-05-01

La Ruta de los Origenes is an European Cooperation Project POCTEFA funded by FEDER- UE. The main objective of this project is to establish a touristic route on both sides of the Pyrenees to approach Origins topic to the public. This project is developed by six partners, three in Catalonia and three in Midi-Pyrenees, and is focused in Astronomy, Paleontology and Archaelogy. Montsec mountains are placed in the Pre-Pyrenees area of Lleida province and they are a very good place for astronomy (dark skies, good seeing, good weather conditions). Parc Astronomic Montsec is the major astronomy project in that area and it includes a research astronomical observatory and an outreach and education center. So Montsec mountains and their Parc Astronomic are one of the stops of this route with an important number of activities to approach astronomy to public.

Field guide to geologic excursions in southwestern Utah and adjacent areas of Arizona and Nevada

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lund, William R.; Lund, William R.

2002-01-01

This field guide contains road logs for field trips planned in conjunction with the 2002 Rocky Mountain Section meeting of the Geological Society of America held at Southern Utah University in Cedar City, Utah. There are a total of eight field trips, covering various locations and topics in southwestern Utah and adjacent areas of Arizona and Nevada. In addition, the field guide contains a road log for a set of Geological Engineering Field Camp Exercises run annually by the University of Missouri at Rolla in and around Cedar City. Two of the field trips address structural aspects of the geology in southwestern Utah and northwestern Arizona; two trips deal with ground water in the region; and along with the Field Camp Exercises, one trip, to the Grand Staircase, is designed specifically for educators. The remaining trips examine the volcanology and mineral resources of a large area in and around the Tusher Mountains in Utah; marine and brackish water strata in the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument; and the Pine Valley Mountains, which are cored by what may be the largest known laccolith in the world. The "Three Corners" area of Utah, Arizona, and Nevada is home to truly world-class geology, and I am confident that all of the 2002 Rocky Mountain Section meeting attendees will find a field trip suited to their interests.

Denudational slope processes and slope response to global climate changes and other disturbances: insights from the Nepal Himalayas.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fort, Monique

2016-04-01

Hillslope geomorphology results from a large range of denudational processes mainly controlled by relief, structure, lithology, climate, land-cover and land use. In most areas of the world, the "critical zone" concept is a good integrator of denudation that operates on a long-term scale. However, in large and high mountain areas, short-time scale factors often play a significant role in the denudational pattern, accelerating and/or delaying the transfer of denudation products and fluxes, and creating specific, spatially limited disturbances. We focus on the Nepal Himalayas, where the wide altitudinal range of bio-climatic zones and the intense geodynamic activity create a complex mosaic of landforms, as expressed by the present geomorphology of mountain slopes. On the basis of examples selected in the different Himalayan mountain belts (Siwaliks hills, middle mountains, High Himalaya), we illustrate different types of slopes and disturbances induced by active tectonics, climate extremes, and climate warming trends. Special attention is paid to recent events, such as landslide damming, triggered by either intense rainfalls (Kali Gandaki and Sun Kosi valleys) or the last April-May 2015 Gorkha seismic sequence (southern Khumbu). Lastly, references to older, larger events show that despite the highly dynamic environment, landforms caused by large magnitude disturbances may persist in the landscape in the long term.

Mountain treelines: A roadmap for research orientation

USGS Publications Warehouse

Malanson, George P.; Resler, Lynn M.; Bader, Maaike Y.; Holtmeier, Fredrich-Karl; Butler, David R.; Weiss, Daniel J.; Daniels, Lori D.; Fagre, Daniel B.

2011-01-01

For over 100 years, mountain treelines have been the subject of varied research endeavors and remain a strong area of investigation. The purpose of this paper is to examine aspects of the epistemology of mountain treeline research-that is, to investigate how knowledge on treelines has been acquired and the changes in knowledge acquisition over time, through a review of fundamental questions and approaches. The questions treeline researchers have raised and continue to raise have undoubtedly directed the current state of knowledge. A continuing, fundamental emphasis has centered on seeking the general cause of mountain treelines, thus seeking an answer to the question, "What causes treeline?" with a primary emphasis on searching for ecophysiological mechanisms of low-temperature limitation for tree growth and regeneration. However, treeline research today also includes a rich literature that seeks local, landscape-scale causes of treelines and reasons why treelines vary so widely in three-dimensional patterns from one location to the next, and this approach and some of its consequences are elaborated here. In recent years, both lines of research have been motivated greatly by global climate change. Given the current state of knowledge, we propose that future research directions focused on a spatial approach should specifically address cross-scale hypotheses using statistics and simulations designed for nested hierarchies; these analyses will benefit from geographic extension of treeline research.

Wildfire effects on hiking and biking demand in New Mexico: a travel cost study.

PubMed

Hesseln, Hayley; Loomis, John B; González-Cabán, Armando; Alexander, Susan

2003-12-01

We use a travel cost model to test the effects of wild and prescribed fire on visitation by hikers and mountain bikers in New Mexico. Our results indicate that net benefits for mountain bikers is $150 per trip and that they take an average of 6.2 trips per year. Hikers take 2.8 trips per year with individual net benefits per trip of $130. Both hikers' and mountain bikers' demand functions react adversely to prescribed burning. Net benefits for both groups fall as areas recover from prescribed burns. Because both visitation and annual recreation benefits decrease to these two types of visitors, this gives rise to multiple use costs associated with prescribed burning. With respect to wildfire, hikers and mountain bikers both exhibit decreased visitation as areas recover from wildfires, however, only hikers indicate an increase in per trip net benefits. Bikers' demand effectively drops to zero. These results differ from previous findings in the literature and have implications for efficient implementation of the National Fire Plan and whether prescribed burning is a cost effective tool for multiple use management of National Forests. Specifically, that fire and recreation managers cannot expect recreation users to react similarly to fire across recreation activities, or different geographic regions. What is cost effective in one region may not be so in another.

A 240-year history of avalanche risk in the Vosges Mountains based on non-conventional (re)sources

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Giacona, Florie; Eckert, Nicolas; Martin, Brice

2017-06-01

Despite the strong societal impact of mountain risks, their systematic documentation remains poor. Therefore, snow avalanche chronologies exceeding several decades are exceptional, especially in medium-high mountain ranges. This article implements a combination of historical and geographical methods leading to the reconstruction, at the scale of the entire Vosges Mountains (north-east of France), of more than 700 avalanches that have occurred since the late eighteenth century on 128 paths. The clearly episodic nature of the derived geo-chronology can be explained by three interrelated factors that have changed together over time: the body and reliability of sources, social practices conditioning the vulnerability and the natural hazard itself. Finally, the geo-chronology reflects the changes in the meaning of the hazard in social space. Specifically, the event which could be retrieved from the historical sources is an aspect of the interaction between society and its environment. These results confirm the role of the historian in contextualising and evaluating such data. It transforms these data into information that is relevant for mitigating risk and understanding its change over time. The work also demonstrates the usefulness of constructing an original database from a diverse suite of historical data and field investigations. This approach could be applied to other risk phenomena in the frequent situation in which archival data are sparse.

Direction of interaction between mountain pine beetle (Dendroctonus ponderosae) and resource-sharing wood-boring beetles depends on plant parasite infection.

PubMed

Klutsch, Jennifer G; Najar, Ahmed; Cale, Jonathan A; Erbilgin, Nadir

2016-09-01

Plant pathogens can have cascading consequences on insect herbivores, though whether they alter competition among resource-sharing insect herbivores is unknown. We experimentally tested whether the infection of a plant pathogen, the parasitic plant dwarf mistletoe (Arceuthobium americanum), on jack pine (Pinus banksiana) altered the competitive interactions among two groups of beetles sharing the same resources: wood-boring beetles (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) and the invasive mountain pine beetle (Dendroctonus ponderosae) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae). We were particularly interested in identifying potential mechanisms governing the direction of interactions (from competition to facilitation) between the two beetle groups. At the lowest and highest disease severity, wood-boring beetles increased their consumption rate relative to feeding levels at moderate severity. The performance (brood production and feeding) of mountain pine beetle was negatively associated with wood-boring beetle feeding and disease severity when they were reared separately. However, when both wood-boring beetles and high severity of plant pathogen infection occurred together, mountain pine beetle escaped from competition and improved its performance (increased brood production and feeding). Species-specific responses to changes in tree defense compounds and quality of resources (available phloem) were likely mechanisms driving this change of interactions between the two beetle groups. This is the first study demonstrating that a parasitic plant can be an important force in mediating competition among resource-sharing subcortical insect herbivores.

Does This Patient Have Acute Mountain Sickness?: The Rational Clinical Examination Systematic Review.

PubMed

Meier, David; Collet, Tinh-Hai; Locatelli, Isabella; Cornuz, Jacques; Kayser, Bengt; Simel, David L; Sartori, Claudio

2017-11-14

Acute mountain sickness (AMS) affects more than 25% of individuals ascending to 3500 m (11 500 ft) and more than 50% of those above 6000 m (19 700 ft). AMS may progress from nonspecific symptoms to life-threatening high-altitude cerebral edema in less than 1% of patients. It is not clear how to best diagnose AMS. To systematically review studies assessing the accuracy of AMS diagnostic instruments, including the visual analog scale (VAS) score, which quantifies the overall feeling of sickness at altitude (VAS[O]; various thresholds), Acute Mountain Sickness-Cerebral score (AMS-C; ≥0.7 indicates AMS), and the clinical functional score (CFS; ≥2 indicates AMS) compared with the Lake Louise Questionnaire Score (LLQS; score of ≥5). Searches of MEDLINE and EMBASE from inception to May 2017 identified 1245 publications of which 91 were suitable for prevalence analysis (66 944 participants) and 14 compared at least 2 instruments (1858 participants) using a score of 5 or greater on the LLQS as a reference standard. To determine the prevalence of AMS for establishing the pretest probability of AMS, a random-effects meta-regression was performed based on the reported prevalence of AMS as a function of altitude. AMS prevalence, likelihood ratios (LRs), sensitivity, and specificity of screening instruments. The final analysis included 91 articles (comprising 66 944 study participants). Altitude predicted AMS and accounted for 28% of heterogeneity between studies. For each 1000-m (3300-ft) increase in altitude above 2500 m (8200 ft), AMS prevalence increased 13% (95% CI, 9.5%-17%). Testing characteristics were similar for VAS(O), AMS-C, and CFS vs a score of 5 or greater on the LLQS (positive LRs: range, 3.2-8.2; P = .22 for comparisons; specificity range, 67%-92%; negative LRs: range, 0.30-0.36; P = .50 for comparisons; sensitivity range, 67%-82%). The CFS asks a single question: "overall if you had any symptoms, how did they affect your activity (ordinal scale 0-3)?" For CFS, moderate to severe reduction in daily activities had a positive LR of 3.2 (95% CI, 1.4-7.2) and specificity of 67% (95% CI, 37%-97%); no reduction to mild reduction in activities had a negative LR of 0.30 (95% CI, 0.22-0.39) and sensitivity of 82% (95% CI, 77%-87%). The prevalence of acute mountain sickness increases with higher altitudes. The visual analog scale for the overall feeling of sickness at altitude, Acute Mountain Sickness-Cerebral, and clinical functional score perform similarly to the Lake Louise Questionnaire Score using a score of 5 or greater as a reference standard. In clinical and travel settings, the clinical functional score is the simplest instrument to use. Clinicians evaluating high-altitude travelers who report moderate to severe limitations in activities of daily living (clinical functional score ≥2) should use the Lake Louise Questionnaire Score to assess the severity of acute mountain sickness.

Great Basin paleoenvironmental studies project; Third quarterly technical progress report, December 1993--February 1994

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

NONE

1994-04-01

Examination of the paleolithic and geomorphic records to determine the local and regional impact of past climates will advance assessment of Yucca Mountain`s suitability as a high-level nuclear waste repository. The project includes the integration of botanical, faunal, and geomorphic components to accomplish this goal. Paleobotanical studies will reconstruct the response of vegetation to climate change at the community and the organismal levels by integrating data obtained from nearly continuous sediment records of pollen, plant macrofossils, and stable isotopes from fossil woodrat middens. The goal of the paleofaunas study is to construct a history of Great Basin vertebrates, particularly mammals,more » that will provide empirical evidence of past environmental and climatic conditions within the Great Basin as it is recorded by the animals. Taxonomic composition of archaeological and paleontological faunas from various areas within the Great Basin and morphological change within individual mammalian taxa at specific localities are being investigated to monitor faunal response to changing environmental conditions. The objective of the geomorphology component of the paleoenvironmental program is to document the responses of surficial processes and landforms to the climatic changes documented by studies of packrat middens, pollen, and faunal distributions. The project will focus on: (1) stratigraphic relationships between lake deposits and aeolian or fluvial sediments and landforms; (2) cut and fill sequences in floodplain and river-channel deposits; (3) identification of periods of dune mobility and stability; (4) documentation of episodes of alluvial fan and terrace development and erosion; and (5) correlation of (3) and (4) to climatically driven lake-level fluctuation as revealed by shoreline features such as strandlines and beach ridges. Accomplishments for this period are presented for these studies.« less

Images of a place and vacation preferences: Implications of the 1989 surveys for assessing the economic impacts of a nuclear waste repository in Nevada

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Slovic, P.; Layman, M.; Flynn, J.H.

1990-11-01

In July, 1989 the authors produced a report titled Perceived Risk, Stigma, and Potential Economic Impacts of a High-Level Nuclear-Waste Repository in Nevada (Slovic et al., 1989). That report described a program of research designed to assess the potential impacts of a high-level nuclear waste repository at Yucca Mountain, Nevada upon tourism, retirement and job-related migration, and business development in Las Vegas and the state. It was concluded that adverse economic impacts potentially may result from two related social processes. Specifically, the study by Slovic et al. employed analyses of imagery in order to overcome concerns about the validity ofmore » direct questions regarding the influence of a nuclear-waste repository at Yucca Mountain upon a person`s future behaviors. During the latter months of 1989, data were collected in three major telephone surveys, designed to achieve the following objectives: (1) to replicate the results from the Phoenix, Arizona, surveys using samples from other populations that contribute to tourism, migration, and development in Nevada; (2) to retest the original Phoenix respondents to determine the stability of their images across an 18-month time period and to determine whether their vacation choices subsequent to the first survey were predictable from the images they produced in that original survey; (3) to elicit additional word-association images for the stimulus underground nuclear waste repository in order to determine whether the extreme negative images generated by the Phoenix respondents would occur with other samples of respondents; and (4) to develop and test a new method for imagery elicitation, based upon a rating technique rather than on word associations. 2 refs., 8 figs., 13 tabs.« less

Geoethics and pedagogy of mountain and risk: the case of transhumance in Sila (Southern Italy)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bernardo, Marcello; Muto, Francesco; De Pascale, Francesco

2015-04-01

Geoethics and Geography, as "channels" between the social and physical sciences, interact between areas of knowledge which allow quantitative measurement and others which instead mainly rely on qualitative considerations. Due to their educational values and the methodological possibilities they open up, such possibilities for interaction would be most valuable in educational environment, as they would represent a significant step toward educational-methodological settings that permit the acquisition of skills and competencies of immediate spendability, for example the importance of "knowing how to translate quantitative elements into qualitative and vice-verse". In a context of alternation between quantity and quality, the concept of resource is open to a multiplicity of ideas. If we consider the mountains as a resource, ideas develop from that of the riches of the mountains as being measurable through quantitative indexes (but not always) and reach one of the mountains as a whole as a resource, valuable mainly through qualitative criteria (but not only). This game between quantity and quality leads to informed evaluation of environmental conditions and human actions. In addition, the signs of the past, etiche into the mountains and often still influential in the present, constitute the fourth dimension of space, of which the teaching of Geography can not do without. However, the exploration of time also concerns the future, especially with regard the ethics of responsibility: it investigates the consequences of choices made in the present and how they can affect the future. Due to its many specificities (especially, but not exclusively, in terms of resources and risks), planning for a mountainous territory lends to an inexhaustible series of educational applications. The building of an "education about the mountains" project for primary and secondary school children through a series of learning units, from direct and indirect observation to territorial analysis, could bring out the range of perceptions that mountains can arouse in a child or pre-adolescent: from images of sadness and unhappiness to others of joy and elation. Perception is, of course, the first operational level and is essential in the exploration and understanding of space. This exploration and understanding is initially based on sensory perceptions and is then added to by perceptions of the environmental condition of the mountains, the weaknesses and risks, the links to history and to demographic, economic, social and cultural trends. The school, traditionally delegated to the training of the boy, can contribute to the acquisition of a new consciousness that can change the current image that the public has of the mountain and the phenomena connected with it as, indeed, the transhumance. Transhumance is a technical term of the pastoral economy, the "best" that is to point out a typical aspect of life, almost symbiotic, leading, for the whole year, men and flocks, with a double seasonal allocation, in mountain and plain, and a dual path (outward and return), almost always quite long, and for particular routes. In Calabria, the most significant and sustained transhumance settled between Sila plateau and Crotone plains.

Developing the OORCC: A Multifaceted Astronomical Research and Outreach Facility at the University of Oregon

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kwan, Teiler J.; Bullis, Jeremy; Gustafsson, Annika; Fisher, Robert Scott

2015-01-01

The University of Oregon (UO) owns and operates Pine Mountain Observatory (PMO), located in central Oregon on the summit of Pine Mountain at an elevation of 1980 meters. PMO consists of four telescopes ranging in size from 0.35 - 0.8 meters. The Oregon Observatory Remote Control Center (OORCC) is a remote-observing center within the Department of Physics on the UO campus (~140 miles from the observatory) that has a direct connection to PMO through a dedicated fiber-optic cable. With this facility, we will enable UO undergraduate student researchers, UO faculty, and the non-scientific community to fully control and operate a newly installed robotic telescope on the summit of Pine Mountain from Eugene, or any other authorized site in Oregon. In addition to providing undergraduates with instrumentation and engineering experience, we will implement research by photometrically monitoring bright and variable astronomical sources including main belt comets, Herbig Ae/Be stars, and active galactic nuclei in extragalactic systems. The primary objective with the OORCC is to manage a multifaceted astronomy and astrophysics research facility, extending as a state-wide resource for K-12 STEM activities and public outreach programs. With the OORCC, we intend to bring unique and enriching astronomy exposure to many different groups of people throughout the state of Oregon.

The Secondary Contact Zone of Phylogenetic Lineages of the Philaenus spumarius (Hemiptera: Aphrophoridae): An Example of Incomplete Allopatric Speciation

PubMed Central

Lis, Agata; Maryańska-Nadachowska, Anna; Lachowska-Cierlik, Dorota; Kajtoch, Łukasz

2014-01-01

Abstract Previous studies on the phylogeography of the meadow spittlebug Philaenus spumarius (L.) (Hemiptera: Aphrophoridae) suggest the existence of a contact zone of its main phylogenetic lineages along mountain chains in Europe and western Asia. This study presents a detailed examination of the population genetics of P. spumarius within the Carpathian Mountains. The main objective was to determine whether the populations inhabiting that area consist of individuals belonging to different genetic units and whether the observed pattern could be an example of secondary contact zone which formed after incomplete allopatric speciation. Specimens from six transects across the Carpathian arc were examined. The mitochondrial phylogeography of the meadow spittlebug in the examined area clearly shows that individuals from both main clades meet and mix there. Representatives of all three main EF1-α clades were also found. The present distribution of the main clades with a zone of overlap along the mountain ranges may suggest that these phylogenetic lineages form a young hybrid zone. Moreover, a limited number of individuals were shown to possess heteroplasmic mitochondrial DNA, which gives additional support to intraspecific hybridization. P. spumarius could be used in future work as an excellent model species in investigating population genetics, intraspecific hybridization, and speciation in progress. PMID:25500280

Effect of succession after fire on species contribution to evapotranspiration in sagebrush steppe

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Naithani, K.; Ewers, B. E.; Pendall, E.; Bayless, M. K.

2005-12-01

Shrubland ecosystems play an important role in the hydrology of the often drought stricken inter-mountain basins of the United Sates. Our objective was to investigate the impact of changing environmental conditions on three major plant functional types, shrubs, grasses and forbs. We measured changes in diurnal water flux from Artemisia tridentata var vaseyana (mountain big sagebrush), Elymus smithii (western wheatgrass) and Lupinus argentus (lupine) with changing environmental drivers for a sagebrush ecosystem fire chronosequence near the Sierra Madre Mountains, Wyoming, USA. The measurements were conducted on four stands ranging in age from 2 to 38 years, during the summers of 2004 and 2005. Leaf scale measurements and shrub sapflux were compared with ecosystem scale measurements. We explained the diurnal and monthly variability of water fluxes from June through October using vapor pressure deficit, soil moisture, light and temperature. In the year 2005, peak ecosystem level evapotranspiration of 5-7 mmol m-2 s-1 was higher than 2004 with 2-3 mmol m-2 s-1. The interannual difference in evapotranspiration was explained by higher precipitation causing greater biomass, especially in non shrub species, in 2005. Our results show that environmental conditions have impacts on total evapotranspiration that depend on plant functional type.

[Factors associated with cross-nursing in two cities in Southeast Brazil].

PubMed

Seehausen, Mariana Pujól von; Oliveira, Maria Inês Couto de; Boccolini, Cristiano Siqueira; Leal, Maria do Carmo

2017-06-01

The objective was to estimate the prevalence of cross-nursing in two Brazilian cities and analyze factors associated with the practice. This was a cross-sectional study nested in a cohort of pregnant women recruited at public health services that offered prenatal care in two medium-sized cities in the State of Rio de Janeiro: one in Greater Metropolitan Rio and the other in the Mountainous Region, conducted from 2008 to 2010. The current study included women interviewed when their infants were six months old. Adjusted prevalence ratios were obtained with a Poisson regression model, and exposure variables that reached p ≤ 0.05 comprised the final model. Cross-nursing was practiced by 43.4% of the mothers in Greater Metropolitan Rio de Janeiro and 34.5% in Mountainous Region. Low socioeconomic status was associated with cross-nursing in both cities. In addition, in Mountainous Region the outcome was directly associated with adolescent motherhood, maternal schooling less than or equal to complete primary, and fewer than six prenatal visits. In Greater Metropolitan Rio de Janeiro, in addition to socioeconomic status, only multiparity was associated (inversely) with cross-nursing. Cross-nursing, although contraindicated by the Brazilian Ministry of Health, showed high prevalence among the mothers in the sample and was more frequent among the more vulnerable population groups.

Characterizing the physical-basis of orographic rainfall retrieval errors due to terrain artifacts on GPM-DPR reflectivity profiles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arulraj, M.; Barros, A. P.

2017-12-01

GPM-DPR reflectivity profiles in mountainous regions are severely handicapped by low level ground-clutter artifacts which have different error characteristics depending on landform (upwind slopes of high mountains versus complex topography in middle-mountains) and precipitation regime. These artifacts result in high detection and estimation errors especially in mid-latitude and tropical mountain regions where low-level light precipitation and complex multi-layer clouds interact with incoming storms. Here, we present results assessment studies in the Southern Appalachian Mountains (SAM) and preliminary results over the eastern slopes of the Andes using ground-based observations from the long-term hydrometeorological networks and model studies toward developing a physically-based framework to systematically identify and attribute measurement errors. Specifically, the focus is on events when GPM-DPR Ka- and Ku- Band precipitation radar misses low-level precipitation with vertical altitude less than 2 km AGL (above ground level). For this purpose, ground-based MRR and Parsivel disdrometer observations near the surface are compared with the reflectivity profiles observed by the GPM-DPR overpasses, the raindrop-size spectra are used to classify the precipitation regime associated with different classes of detection and estimation errors. This information will be used along with a coupled rainfall dynamics and radar simulator model to 1) merge the low-level GPM-DPR measured reflectivity with the MRR reflectivities optimally under strict physically-based constraints and 2) build a library of reflectivity profile corrections. Finally, preliminary 4D analysis of the organization of reflectivity correction modes, microphysical regimes, topography and storm environment will be presented toward developing a general physically-based error model.

Potential impacts on Colorado Rocky Mountain weather due to land use changes on the adjacent Great Plains

USGS Publications Warehouse

Chase, T.N.; Pielke, R.A.; Kittel, T.G.F.; Baron, Jill S.; Stohlgren, T.J.

1999-01-01

Evidence from both meteorological stations and vegetational successional studies suggests that summer temperatures are decreasing in the mountain-plain system in northeast Colorado, particularly since the early 1980s. These trends are coincident with large changes in regional land cover. Trends in global, Northern Hemisphere and continental surface temperatures over the same period are insignificant. These observations suggest that changes in the climate of this mountain-plain system may be, in some part, a result of localized forcing mechanisms. In this study the effects of land use change on the northern Colorado plains, where large regions of grasslands have been transformed into both dry and irrigated agricultural lands, on regional weather is examined in an effort to understand this local deviation from larger-scale trends. We find with high-resolution numerical simulations of a 3-day summer period using a regional atmospheric-land surface model that replacing grasslands with irrigated and dry farmland can have impacts on regional weather and therefore climate which are not limited to regions of direct forcing. Higher elevations remote from regions of land use change are affected as well. Specifically, cases with altered landcover had cooler, moister boundary layers, and diminished low-level upslope winds over portions of the plains. At higher elevations, temperatures also were lower as was low-level convergence. Precipitation and cloud cover were substantially affected in mountain regions. We advance the hypothesis that observed land use changes may have already had a role in explaining part of the observed climate record in the northern Colorado mountain-plain system. Copyright 1999 by the American Geophysical Union.

Mountaineering-induced bilateral plantar paresthesia.

PubMed

Henderson, Kyle K; Parker, Justine; Heinking, Kurt P

2014-07-01

Flat feet (pes planus) have been implicated in multiple musculoskeletal complaints, which are often exacerbated by lack of appropriate arch support or intense exercise. To investigate the efficacy of osteopathic manipulative treatment (OMT) on a patient (K.K.H.) with mountaineering-induced bilateral plantar paresthesia and to assess the association of pes planus with paresthesia in members of the mountaineering expedition party that accompanied the patient. A patient history and physical examination of the musculoskeletal system were performed. The hindfoot, midfoot, forefoot, big toe, and distal toes were evaluated for neurologic function, specifically pin, vibration, 10-g weight sensitivity, and 2-point discrimination during the 4-month treatment period. To determine if OMT could augment recovery, the patient volunteered to use the contralateral leg as a control, with no OMT performed on the sacrum or lower back. To determine if pes planus was associated with mountaineering-induced paresthesia, a sit-to-stand navicular drop test was performed on members of the expedition party. Osteopathic manipulative treatment improved fibular head motion and muscular flexibility and released fascial restrictions of the soleus, hamstring, popliteus, and gastrocnemius. The patient's perception of stiffness, pain, and overall well-being improved with OMT. However, OMT did not shorten the duration of paresthesia. Of the 9 expedition members, 2 experienced paresthesia. Average navicular drop on standing was 5.1 mm for participants with no paresthesia vs 8.9 mm for participants with paresthesia (t test, P<.01; Mann-Whitney rank sum test, P=.06). These preliminary findings suggest that weakened arches may contribute to mountaineering-induced plantar paresthesia. Early diagnosis of pes planus and treatment with orthotics (which may prevent neuropathies)--or, less ideally, OMT after extreme exercise--should be sought to relieve tension and discomfort. © 2014 The American Osteopathic Association.

Co1 DNA supports conspecificity of Geomyphilus pierai and G. barrerai (Coleoptera, Scarabaeidae, Aphodiinae) and is a good marker for their phylogeographic investigation in Mexican mountains

PubMed Central

Arriaga-Jiménez, Alfonsina; Roy, Lise

2015-01-01

Abstract Members of Geomyphilus are associated with rodent burrows, such as pocket gophers and prairie dogs. In Mexico, they are found in the mountains of the Mexican Volcanic Belt and in Sierra Madre Oriental. Our study aims to initiate the exploration of the dispersal modes of Geomyphilus pierai and Geomyphilus barrerai from burrows of pocket gophers. In order to estimate the dispersal scale of the beetles, the utility of mitochondrial and nuclear molecular markers for studying the phylogeographic structure of this complex of species (Geomyphilus pierai and Geomyphilus barrerai) was tested from 49 beetle individuals. High intraspecific and intra-mountain nucleotidic diversity was captured from this sample using Co1 mitochondrial sequences, whilst the ITS2 nuclear ribosomal sequence did not allow observing informative variation. Mitochondrial phylogenetic analysis revealed that the specific delineation between the two species under study was doubtful. In this preliminary study, Co1 was shown to be a good marker for elucidating dispersal routes of the burrowing rodent-associated beetles. PMID:26257561

Genetics and the physiological ecology of conifers

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Mitton, J.B.

1995-07-01

Natural selection acts on the diversity of genotypes, adapting populations to their specific environments and driving evolution in response to changes in climate. Genetically based differences in physiology and demography adapt species to alternate environments and produce, along with historical accidents, the present distribution of species. The sorting of conifer species by elevation is so marked that conifers help to define plant communities arranged in elevational bands in the Rocky Mountains. For these reasons, a genetic perspective is necessary to appreciate the evolution of ecophysiological patterns in the coniferous forests of the Rocky Mountains. The fascinating natural history and themore » economic importance of western conifers have stimulated numerous studies of their ecology, ecological genetics, and geographic variation. These studies yield some generalizations, and present some puzzling contradictions. This chapter focuses on the genetic variability associated with the physiological differences among genotypes in Rocky Mountain conifers. Variation among genotypes in survival, growth, and resistance to herbivores is used to illustrate genetically based differences in physiology, and to suggest the mechanistic studies needed to understand the relationships between genetic and physiological variation.« less

Evaluation of the US DOE's conceptual model of hydrothermal activity at Yucca Mountain, Nevada

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dublyansky, Y. V.

2014-08-01

A unique conceptual model describing the conductive heating of rocks in the thick unsaturated zone of Yucca Mountain, Nevada by a silicic pluton emplaced several kilometers away is accepted by the US Department of Energy (DOE) as an explanation of the elevated depositional temperatures measured in fluid inclusions in secondary fluorite and calcite. Acceptance of this model allowed the DOE to keep from considering hydrothermal activity in the performance assessment of the proposed high-level nuclear waste disposal facility. The evaluation presented in this paper shows that no computational modeling results have yet produced a satisfactory match with the empirical benchmark data, specifically with age and fluid inclusion data that indicate high temperatures (up to ca. 80 °C) in the unsaturated zone of Yucca Mountain. Auxiliary sub-models complementing the DOE model, as well as observations at a natural analog site, have also been evaluated. Summarily, the model cannot be considered as validated. Due to the lack of validation, the reliance on this model must be discontinued and the appropriateness of decisions which rely on this model must be re-evaluated.

Variation in shrub and herb cover and production on ungrazed pine and sagebrush sites in eastern Oregon: a 27-year photomonitoring study.

Treesearch

Frederick C. Hall

2007-01-01

Study objectives were to evaluate yearly fluctuations in herbage canopy cover and production to aid in defining characteristics of range condition guides. Sites are located in the forested Blue Mountains of central Oregon. They were selected from those used to develop range condition guides where soil, topographic, and vegetation parameters were measured as a...

Systems Analysis for Rural Community Services. A Seminar on Problems of Research on Delivery of Community Services in Rural Areas of the Northeast (Stratton Mountain, Vermont, July 29, 1972).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Leadley, S. M., Ed.; Pignone, M. M., Ed.

Inadequacies in the quality and quantity of human services for Northeastern rural area residents prompted the seminar from which these transcripts are derived. Presented via chronological order, these transcripts reflect development of a framework and methodology for analysis of community service systems. Major seminar objectives are identified…

The hostel or the warehouse? Spatiotemporal exposure assessment for natural hazards

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fuchs, S.; Keiler, M.; Zischg, A.

2015-04-01

A spatially explicit object-based temporal assessment of buildings and citizens exposed to natural hazards in Austria is presented, including elements at risk to river flooding, torrential flooding, and snow avalanches. It is shown that the repeatedly-stated assumption of increasing losses due to continued population growth and related increase in assets has to be opposed to the local development of building stock. While some regions have shown a clearly above-average increase in assets, other regions were characterised by a below-average development. This mirrors the topography of the country, but also the different economic activities. While hotels and hostels are extraordinary prone to mountain hazards, commercial buildings as well as buildings used for recreation purpose are considerably exposed to river flooding. Residential buildings have shown an average exposure, compared to the amount of buildings of this type in the overall building stock. In sum, around 5% of all buildings are exposed to mountain hazards, and around 9% to river flooding, with around 1% of the buildings stock being multi-exposed. It is shown that the dynamics of elements at risk exposed have a time lag once land use regulations are enforced, and it is concluded that an object-based assessment has clear advantages compared to the assessment using aggregated land use data.

Synoptic variability of extreme snowfall in the St. Elias Mountains, Yukon, Canada

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Andin, Caroline; Zdanowicz, Christian; Copland, Luke

2015-04-01

Glaciers in the Wrangell and St. Elias Mountains (Alaska and Yukon) are presently experiencing some of the highest regional wastage rates worldwide. While the effect of regional temperatures on glacier melt rates in this region has been investigated, comparatively little is known about how synoptic climate variations, for example in the position and strength of the Aleutian Low, modulate snow accumulation on these glaciers. Such information is needed to accurately forecast future wastage rates, glacier-water resource availability, and contributions to sea-level rise. Starting in 2000, automated weather stations (AWS) were established in the central St-Elias Mountains (Yukon) at altitudes ranging from 1190 to 5400 m asl, to collect climatological data in support of glaciological research. These data are the longest continuous year-round observations of surface climate ever obtained from this vast glaciated region. Here we present an analysis of snowfall events in the icefields of the St-Elias Mountains based on a decade-long series of AWS observations of snow accumulation. Specifically, we investigated the synoptic patterns and air mass trajectories associated with the largest snowfall events (> 25 cm/12 hours) that occurred between 2002 and 2012. Nearly 80% of these events occurred during the cold season (October-March), and in 74 % of cases the precipitating air masses originated from the North Pacific south of 50°N. Zonal air mass advection over Alaska, or from the Bering Sea or the Arctic Ocean, was comparatively rare (20%). Somewhat counter-intuitively, dominant surface winds in the St. Elias Mountains during high snowfall events were predominantly easterly, probably due to boundary-layer frictional drag and topographic funneling effects. Composite maps of sea-level pressure and 700 mb winds reveal that intense snowfall events between 2002 and 2012 were associated with synoptic situations characterized by a split, eastwardly-shifted or longitudinally-stretched Aleutian Low (AL) having an easternmost node near the Kenai Peninsula, conditions that drove a strong southwesterly upper airstream across the Gulf of Alaska towards the coast. Situations with a single-node, westerly-shifted AL were comparatively rare. The spatial configuration of the synoptic AL pressure pattern appears to play a greater role in determining snowfall amount in the central St. Elias Mountains than do pressure anomalies within the AL. The estimated snowfall gradient from coastal Alaska to the central St. Elias Mountains during intense snowfall events averaged +2.0 ± 0.7 mm/km (SWE), while the continental-side gradient from the mountains towards the Yukon plateau averaged -3.3 ± 0.9 mm/km (SWE). The findings presented here can better constrain the climatic interpretation of long proxy records of snow accumulation variations developed from glacier cores drilled in the St. Elias Mountains or nearby regions.

ESTIMATES OF CLOUD WATER DEPOSITION AT MOUNTAIN DEPOSITION AT MOUNTAIN ACID DEPOSITION PROGRAM SITES IN THE APPALACHIAN MOUNTAINS

EPA Science Inventory

Cloud water deposition was estimated at three high elevation sites in the Appalachian Mountains of the eastern United States (Whiteface Mountain, NY, Whitetop Mountain, VA, and Clingrnan's Dome, TN) from 1994 through 1999 as part of the Mountain Acid Deposition Program (MADPro). ...

Rocky Mountain Arsenal Chemical Index. Volume 3. Potential Chemical- Specific ARARs for On-Post Operable Unit, RMA

DTIC Science & Technology

1988-08-01

clover, corn, cottonseed, cowpeas , grain sorghum (milo), grapes, grass (pasture and range), kohlrabi, lima beans, meat, milk, oats, onions, peaches...cauliflower, cherries, clover, corn, cottonseed, cowpeas , grain sorghum (milo), grapes, grass (pasture and range), kohlrabi, lima beans, meat, milk, oats

78 FR 56939 - Notice Pursuant to the National Cooperative Research and Production Act of 1993-Opendaylight...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-09-16

... of antitrust plaintiffs to actual damages under specified circumstances. Specifically, Adva Optical Networking SE., Munich, Germany; Versa Networks, Santa Clara, CA; Guavus, San Mateo, CA; Pantheon.... In addition, Big Switch Networks, Mountain View, CA has withdrawn as a party to this venture. No...

PARTITIONING OF WATER FLUX IN A SIERRA NEVADA PONDEROSA PINE PLANTATION. (R826601)

EPA Science Inventory

The weather patterns of the west side of the Sierra Nevada Mountains (cold, wet winters and hot, dry summers) strongly influence how water is partitioned between transpiration and evaporation and result in a specific strategy of water use by ponderosa pine trees (Pinus pond...