Specialty oilseed crops provide an attractive source of pollen for beneficial insects

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The continuing pollinator crisis is due, in part, to the lack of year-round floral resources. In intensive farming regions, such as the Upper Midwest (UMW) of the USA, natural and pastoral vegetation largely has been replaced by annual crops such as corn, soybean, and wheat. Neither the energy (nect...

Prohexadione-calcium responsive alfalfa varieties ensure success of corn-interseeded alfalfa production systems

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Recent USDA-NASS data indicate alfalfa and corn were planted on about 0.8 and 1.9 million hectares per year, respectively, in the Northeast, Great Lakes, Upper Midwest, and Northern Mountain regions the USA. Because both crops are often grown in rotation, alfalfa could be interseeded at corn plantin...

Fish and land use influence Gammarus lacustris and Hyalella azteca (Amphipoda) densities in large wetlands across the upper Midwest

USGS Publications Warehouse

Anteau, M.J.; Afton, A.D.; Anteau, A.C.E.; Moser, E.B.

2010-01-01

Gammarus lacustris and Hyalella azteca (hereafter G. lacustris and H. azteca, respectively) are important components of secondary production in wetlands and shallow lakes of the upper Midwest, USA. Within the past 50 years, amphipod densities have decreased while occurrences of fish and intensity of agricultural land use have increased markedly across this landscape. We investigated influences of fish, sedimentation, and submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV) on densities of G. lacustris and H. azteca in semipermanent and permanent wetlands and shallow lakes (n = 283) throughout seven eco-physiographic regions of Iowa, Minnesota, and North Dakota during 2004-2005. G. lacustris and H. azteca densities were positively correlated with densities of SAV (P<0.001 and P<0.001, respectively). Both species were negatively correlated with densities of large fish (non-Cyprinidae; P = 0.01 and P = 0.013, respectively) and with high densities of fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas; P<0.001 and P = 0.033, respectively). H. azteca densities also were negatively correlated with densities of small fish (e.g., other minnows [Cyprinidae] and sticklebacks [Gasterosteidae]; P = 0.048) and common carp (Cyprinus spp.; P = 0.022). G. lacustris densities were negatively correlated with high levels of suspended solids (an index for sedimentation; P<0.001). H. azteca densities were positively correlated with the width of upland-vegetation buffers (P = 0.004). Our results indicate that sedimentation and fish reduce amphipod densities and may contribute to the current low densities of amphipods in the upper Midwest. Thus, removing/excluding fish, and providing a thick buffer of upland vegetation around wetlands may help restore amphipod densities and wetland and water quality within this landscape. ?? Springer Science+Business Media B.V. (outside the USA) 2011.

Wetland use and feeding by lesser scaup during spring migration across the upper Midwest, USA

USGS Publications Warehouse

Anteau, M.J.; Afton, A.D.

2009-01-01

Low food availability and forage quality and concomitant decreased lipid reserves of lesser scaup (Aythya affinis; hereafter scaup) during spring migration in the upper Midwest may partially explain reductions in the continental population of scaup. In springs 20042005, we examined wetland use and feeding activity of scaup on 356 randomly-selected wetlands within 6 regions in Iowa, Minnesota, and North Dakota. We examined wetland characteristics that favor high scaup use in 286 of these wetlands. We found that probabilities of wetland use and feeding by scaup increased with turbidity up to 45 and 30 NTU, respectively, but then declined at higher turbidity levels. Wetland use was positively correlated with size of open-water zone and amphipod densities, but was not correlated with chironomid densities. Feeding increased with amphipod density up to 26 m-3 and then declined at higher amphipod densities; scaup seemingly forage most efficiently at amphipod densities above 26 m -3. Wetland use was higher in North Dakota than in southern Minnesota and Iowa. Our results indicate that effective wetland restoration efforts to benefit scaup require maintaining abundant populations of amphipods (generally near 26 m-3 landscape geometric mean) in wetlands with large (> 500 m diameter) open-water zones throughout the upper Midwest, but especially within Iowa and southern Minnesota.

Wilderness discount on livestock compensation costs for imperiled gray wolf Canis lupus

Treesearch

J. Christopher Haney; Timm Kroeger; Frank Casey; Alysa Quarforth; Gina Schrader; Suzanne Asha Stone

2007-01-01

There is evidence that Wilderness reduces costs for livestock depredations caused by the endangered and threatened gray wolf (Canis lupus) in the northern Rockies and upper Midwest, U.S.A. From 1995 to 2004, direct costs for compensation in the northern Rockies came to only 47 to 78 percent of losses anticipated at wolf reintroduction and projected...

Macro and microminerals of four Cuphea genotypes grown across the upper Midwest USA

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Cuphea seed oil can be used for many purposes from motor oil and cosmetic components to jet fuel because its seeds are a rich source of medium-chain fatty acids (C8:0 to C14:0). Processing cuphea oil to biofuel and other bioproducts of high quality can depend on the heavy metal content of its seed. ...

Cuphea growth, yield, and oil characteristics as influenced by climate and soil environments across the Upper Midwest USA

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Cuphea is a potential new oilseed crop rich in medium-chain fatty acids (C8:0 to C14:0) that may serve as a renewable, biodegradable source of oil for lubricants, motor oil, and aircraft fuel. Impacts of climate and soil environment on cuphea growth and development are not well understood. The objec...

Transformation of a landscape in the upper mid-west, USA: The history of the St. Croix river valley, 1830 to present

Treesearch

Osh (Barbara) Andersen; Thomas R. Crow; Sue M. Lietz; Forest Stearns

1996-01-01

Learning the history of a landscape is critical to understanding present land-use patterns. We document the history of landscape change in the lower St. Croix River valley from 1830 to the present. Significant changes in land use and cover have occurred during this time. Because of the convergence of prairie, savanna and forest vegetation in this area, and because of...

7 CFR 1030.2 - Upper Midwest marketing area.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 9 2014-01-01 2013-01-01 true Upper Midwest marketing area. 1030.2 Section 1030.2 Agriculture Regulations of the Department of Agriculture (Continued) AGRICULTURAL MARKETING SERVICE (MARKETING AGREEMENTS AND ORDERS; MILK), DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE MILK IN THE UPPER MIDWEST MARKETING AREA Order...

7 CFR 1030.2 - Upper Midwest marketing area.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 9 2013-01-01 2013-01-01 false Upper Midwest marketing area. 1030.2 Section 1030.2 Agriculture Regulations of the Department of Agriculture (Continued) AGRICULTURAL MARKETING SERVICE (MARKETING AGREEMENTS AND ORDERS; MILK), DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE MILK IN THE UPPER MIDWEST MARKETING AREA Order...

7 CFR 1030.2 - Upper Midwest marketing area.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 9 2010-01-01 2009-01-01 true Upper Midwest marketing area. 1030.2 Section 1030.2 Agriculture Regulations of the Department of Agriculture (Continued) AGRICULTURAL MARKETING SERVICE (Marketing Agreements and Orders; Milk), DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE MILK IN THE UPPER MIDWEST MARKETING AREA Order...

7 CFR 1030.2 - Upper Midwest marketing area.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 9 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Upper Midwest marketing area. 1030.2 Section 1030.2 Agriculture Regulations of the Department of Agriculture (Continued) AGRICULTURAL MARKETING SERVICE (Marketing Agreements and Orders; Milk), DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE MILK IN THE UPPER MIDWEST MARKETING AREA Order...

7 CFR 1030.2 - Upper Midwest marketing area.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 9 2012-01-01 2012-01-01 false Upper Midwest marketing area. 1030.2 Section 1030.2 Agriculture Regulations of the Department of Agriculture (Continued) AGRICULTURAL MARKETING SERVICE (Marketing Agreements and Orders; Milk), DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE MILK IN THE UPPER MIDWEST MARKETING AREA Order...

Mitigation strategies and unforseen consequences: A systematic assessment of the adaption of upper midwest agriculture to future climate change

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

Doering, O.; Lowenberg-DeBoer, J.; Habeck, M.

1997-12-31

Our starting point is the assumption of global climate change that doubles CO{sub 2} in the Upper Midwest by 2050. This work then concentrates on determining agriculture in the Upper Midwest successfully adapts to such a climate change.

Associations of intestinal helminth infections with health parameters of spring-migrating female lesser scaup (Aythya affinis) in the upper Midwest, USA.

PubMed

Conner England, J; Levengood, Jeffrey M; Osborn, Josh M; Yetter, Aaron P; Suski, Cory D; Cole, Rebecca A; Hagy, Heath M

2018-06-01

Thousands of lesser scaup (Aythya affinis) die during spring and fall migrations through the upper Midwest, USA, from infections with Cyathocotyle bushiensis and Sphaeridiotrema spp. (Class: Trematoda) after ingesting infected intermediate hosts, such as non-native faucet snails (Bithynia tentaculata). The lesser scaup is a species of conservation concern and is highly susceptible to these infections. We collected female lesser scaup from spring migratory stopover locations throughout Illinois and Wisconsin and assessed biochemical and morphological indicators of health in relation to intestinal helminth loads. Helminth species diversity, total trematode abundance, and the infection intensities of the trematodes C. bushiensis and Sphaeridiotrema spp. were associated with percent body fat, blood metabolites, hematological measures, and an index of foraging habitat quality. Helminth diversity was negatively associated with percent body fat, albumin concentrations, and monocytes, whereas glucose concentrations displayed a slight, positive association. Total trematode abundance was negatively associated with blood concentrations of non-esterified fatty acids and albumin. Infections of C. bushiensis were positively related to basophil levels, whereas Sphaeridiotrema spp. infection intensity was negatively associated with packed cell volume and foraging habitat quality. Thus, commonly measured health metrics may indicate intestinal parasite infections and help waterfowl managers understand overall habitat quality. Intestinal parasitic loads offer another plausible mechanism underlying the spring condition hypothesis.

Assessing the influence of multiple stressors on stream diatom metrics in the upper Midwest, USA

USGS Publications Warehouse

Munn, Mark D.; Waite, Ian R.; Konrad, Christopher P.

2018-01-01

Water resource managers face increasing challenges in identifying what physical and chemical stressors are responsible for the alteration of biological conditions in streams. The objective of this study was to assess the comparative influence of multiple stressors on benthic diatoms at 98 sites that spanned a range of stressors in an agriculturally dominated region in the upper Midwest, USA. The primary stressors of interest included: nutrients, herbicides and fungicides, sediment, and streamflow; although the influence of physical habitat was incorporated in the assessment. Boosted Regression Tree was used to examine both the sensitivity of various diatom metrics and the relative importance of the primary stressors. Percent Sensitive Taxa, percent Highly Motile Taxa, and percent High Phosphorus Taxa had the strongest response to stressors. Habitat and total phosphorous were the most common discriminators of diatom metrics, with herbicides as secondary factors. A Classification and Regression Tree (CART) model was used to examine conditional relations among stressors and indicated that fine-grain streams had a lower percentage of Sensitive Taxa than coarse-grain streams, with Sensitive Taxa decreasing further with increased water temperature (>30 °C) and triazine concentrations (>1500 ng/L). In contrast, streams dominated by coarse-grain substrate contained a higher percentage of Sensitive Taxa, with relative abundance increasing with lower water temperatures (<29 °C) and shallower water depth (<0.3 m). Quantile regression indicated that maximum water temperature appears to be a major limiting factor in Midwest streams; whereas both total phosphorus and percent fines showed a slight subsidy-stress response. While using benthic algae for assessing stream quality can be challenging, field-based studies can elucidate stressor effects and interactions when the response variables are appropriate, sufficient stressor resolution is achieved, and the number and type of sites represent a gradient of stressor conditions and at least a quasi-factorial design.

Airborne surveys of USA urban areas at 121.5/243 MHz

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Taylor, R. E.; Hill, J. S.

1979-01-01

In situ, aircraft flight measurements were made in 1976 and 1977 by NASA of the radio-frequency environment over USA urban areas within the emergency distress search and rescue frequency bands at 121.5 and 243.0 MHz. This paper analyzes test results reported previously for USA East Coast and Midwest flight surveys; presented also are test results obtained in May 1977 for the USA West Coast during the NASA, ASSESS-II, Space Shuttle/Spacelab simulation aircraft flights. The USA West Coast flight include data at 121.5/243 MHz during an extensive series of aircraft passes for the Los Angeles urban area. The USA East Coast/Midwest measurements show correlation with population count.

Stability of loess

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lutenegger, A.J.; Hallberg, G.R.

1988-01-01

Lutenegger, A.J. and Hallberg, G.R., 1988. Stability of loess. Eng. Geol., 25: 247-261. The natural stability of loess soils can be related to fundamental geotechnical properties such as Atterberg limits, water content and void ratio. Field observations of unstable conditions in loess deposits in the upper midwest, U.S.A. show relationships between instability and the in situ moisture content and the liquidity index of the loess. Unstable loess can attain natural moisture contents equal to, or greater than, its liquid limit. Implications of these observations for applied engineering works are described. ?? 1988.

Submersed Aquatic Vegetation Modeling Output Online

DTIC Science & Technology

2005-11-01

La Grange Pool of the Upper Mississippi River System: U.S. Geologi- cal Survey Upper Midwest Environmental Science Center, La Crosse, Wisconsin...information, please contact: Yao Yin1, Jim Rogala2, and Jason Rohweder3 USGS Upper Midwest Environmental Science Center 2630 Fanta Reed Road La Crosse, WI

Flight Synchrony among the Major Moth Pests of Cranberries in the Upper Midwest, USA.

PubMed

Steffan, Shawn A; Singleton, Merritt E; Sojka, Jayne; Chasen, Elissa M; Deutsch, Annie E; Zalapa, Juan E; Guédot, Christelle

2017-02-26

The cranberry fruitworm ( Acrobasis vaccinii Riley), sparganothis fruitworm ( Sparganothis sulfureana Clemens), and blackheaded fireworm ( Rhopobota naevana Hübner) are historically significant pests of cranberries ( Vaccinium macrocarpon Aiton) in the Upper Midwest (Wisconsin), USA. Their respective natural histories are well documented but correlations between developmental benchmarks (e.g., larval eclosion) and degree-day accruals are not yet known. Treatment timings are critical to the optimization of any given control tactic, and degree-day accrual facilitates optimization by quantifying the developmental status of pest populations. When key developmental benchmarks in the pest life cycle are linked to degree-days, real-time weather data can be used to predict precise treatment timings. Here, we provide the degree-day accumulations associated with discrete biological events (i.e., initiation of flight and peak flight) for the three most consistent moth pests of cranberries in Wisconsin. Moths were trapped each spring and summer from 2003 to 2011. To characterize flight dynamics and average timing of flight initiation, pheromone-baited trap-catch data were tallied for all three pest species within each of seven growing seasons. These flight dynamics were then associated with the corresponding degree-day accumulations generated using the cranberry plant's developmental thresholds. Finally, models were fit to the data in order to determine the peak flight of each species. The initiation of the spring flight among all three moth species was highly synchronous, aiding in the timing of control tactics; however, there were substantial differences in the timing of peak flight among the moth species. Characterization of the relationship between temperature and pest development allows pest management professionals to target specific life stages, improving the efficacy of any given pest control tactic.

Evaluation of WRF Parameterizations for Air Quality Applications over the Midwest USA

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zheng, Z.; Fu, K.; Balasubramanian, S.; Koloutsou-Vakakis, S.; McFarland, D. M.; Rood, M. J.

2017-12-01

Reliable predictions from Chemical Transport Models (CTMs) for air quality research require accurate gridded weather inputs. In this study, a sensitivity analysis of 17 Weather Research and Forecast (WRF) model runs was conducted to explore the optimum configuration in six physics categories (i.e., cumulus, surface layer, microphysics, land surface model, planetary boundary layer, and longwave/shortwave radiation) for the Midwest USA. WRF runs were initally conducted over four days in May 2011 for a 12 km x 12 km domain over contiguous USA and a nested 4 km x 4 km domain over the Midwest USA (i.e., Illinois and adjacent areas including Iowa, Indiana, and Missouri). Model outputs were evaluated statistically by comparison with meteorological observations (DS337.0, METAR data, and the Water and Atmospheric Resources Monitoring Network) and resulting statistics were compared to benchmark values from the literature. Identified optimum configurations of physics parametrizations were then evaluated for the whole months of May and October 2011 to evaluate WRF model performance for Midwestern spring and fall seasons. This study demonstrated that for the chosen physics options, WRF predicted well temperature (Index of Agreement (IOA) = 0.99), pressure (IOA = 0.99), relative humidity (IOA = 0.93), wind speed (IOA = 0.85), and wind direction (IOA = 0.97). However, WRF did not predict daily precipitation satisfactorily (IOA = 0.16). Developed gridded weather fields will be used as inputs to a CTM ensemble consisting of the Comprehensive Air Quality Model with Extensions to study impacts of chemical fertilizer usage on regional air quality in the Midwest USA.

Expansion of the American elm restoration effort to the upper Midwest

Treesearch

James M. Slavicek

2007-01-01

The Forestry Sciences Laboratory, Northeastern Research Station, initiated a project in 2003 to restore the American elm in the state of Ohio. This effort has been expanded to the upper Midwest through establishment of a restoration site in Decorah, IA, Eagle Island, WI, and Hastings, MN.

Long-term productivity in traditional, organic and low-input management systems of the Upper Midwest

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Traditional cropping practices in the Upper Midwest are marked by low-diversity and high tillage disturbance. Eight years of production were evaluated to determine potential benefits of adopting low-input and organic management practices on system productivity. Increased crop rotation diversity, red...

The effects of more extreme rainfall patterns on nitrogen leaching from a field crop system in the upper Midwest, USA

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hess, L.; Hinckley, E. L. S.; Robertson, G. P.; Matson, P. A.

2016-12-01

As global surface temperatures rise, the proportion of total rainfall that falls in heavy storm events is increasing in many areas, in particular the US Midwest, a major agricultural region. These changes in rainfall patterns may have consequences for ecosystem nutrient losses, especially from agricultural ecosystems. We conducted a multi-year rainfall manipulation experiment to examine how more extreme rainfall patterns affect nitrogen (N) leaching from row-crop ecosystems in the upper Midwest, and to what extent tillage may moderate these effects. 5x5m rainout shelters were installed in April 2015 to impose control and extreme rainfall patterns in replicated plots under conventional tillage and no-till management at the Kellogg Biological Station LTER site. Plots exposed to the control rainfall treatment received ambient rainfall, and those exposed to the extreme rainfall treatment received the same total amount of water but applied once every 2 weeks, to simulate larger, less frequent storms. N leaching was calculated as the product of measured soil water N concentrations and modeled soil water drainage at 1.2m depth using HYDRUS-1D. Based on data to date, more N has been leached from both tilled and no-till soils exposed to the extreme rainfall treatment compared to the control rainfall treatment. Results thus far suggest that greater soil water drainage is a primary driver of this increase, and changes in within-system nitrogen cycling - such as net N mineralization and crop N uptake - may also play a role. The experiment is ongoing, and our results so far suggest that intensifying precipitation patterns may exacerbate N leaching from agricultural soils, with potentially negative consequences for receiving ground- and surface waters, as well as for farmers.

Regional patterns of major nonnative invasive plants and associated factors in upper Midwest forests

Treesearch

Zhaofei Fan; W. Keith Moser; Mark H. Hansen; Mark D. Nelson

2013-01-01

Nonnative invasive plants (IPs) are rapidly spreading into natural ecosystems (e.g., forests and grasslands). Potential threats of IP invasion into natural ecosystems include biodiversity loss, structural and environmental change, habitat degradation, and economic losses. The Upper Midwest of the United States encompasses the states of Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan...

Manure and residue inputs maintained SOC in conservation production systems in the Upper Midwest

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Conservation production systems are needed in the upper Midwest to slow down soil and nutrient loss through tillage-induced erosion. However, due to the cool, wet climate, producers are reluctant to adapt no-till strategies. With focus on strip-tillage (ST) and a diverse four-year crop rotation (4y...

Indirect Costs SEA-LEA Workshop. Report of Workshop Conducted by Upper Midwest Regional Interstate Project. (Chicago, Illinois, January 17-18, 1973).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shanks, Robb L., Comp.

The Policy Committee of the Upper Midwest Regional Interstate Project saw a need to inform the State Education Agencies (SEAs) concerning the implications of federal program indirect costs. The Indirect Cost Workshop was established to develop communication concerning the problems between the United States Office of Education (USOE), SEAs, and…

Estimation of invasive probability of multiflora rose in the upper Midwest

Treesearch

Weiming Yu; Zhaofei Fan; W. K. Moser; M. H. Hansen; M. D. Nelson

2012-01-01

Multiflora rose (Rosa Multiflora Thunb.) (MFR) is widely spreading across the United States, with up to 38 states in the contiguous United States reporting the presence of this species. In this study, U.S. Forest Service, Northern Research Station Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) data from the Upper Midwest states for the period of 2005-2006 were...

Native American Students: Perceptions of Lived Experiences Attending a Small Predominantly White University in the Upper Midwest

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Simons, Dennis Richard

2010-01-01

The purpose of this qualitative study was to better understand the lived experiences of Native American students when studying on a predominantly white campus at a small university in the Upper Midwest. Using a phenomenological approach, the researcher interviewed each of the eight participants for one hour, although there were two interviews that…

Brief overview of historical non-timber forest product use in the U.S. Pacific Northwest and Upper Midwest

Treesearch

Marla Emery; Shandra L. O' Halek

2001-01-01

Non-timber forest products (NTFPs) have sustained indigenous and immigrant populations alike since their arrival in North America. This brief overview focuses on the historical use of NTFPs in the U.S. Pacific Northwest and Upper Midwest. Drawing on sources as diverse as accounts by early European arrivals, archaeological evidence, and contemporary ethnobotanical...

Experiences of Female Faculty with Maternity Leave at Four-Year Universities in an Upper Midwest State

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Myerchin, Audra Dawn

2012-01-01

The purpose of this mixed methods study was to explore female faculty members' experiences with maternity leave, while working as a career academic in higher education. Participants consisted of women currently employed in an upper Midwest state at six four-year institutions. An online survey was completed by 121 women, and 30 of these women also…

How on Earth Did You Hear About Us? A Study of Exemplary Rural School Practices in the Upper Midwest.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

D'Amico, Joseph J.

As part of ongoing research into rural school improvement, the North Central Regional Educational Laboratory (NCREL) at the request of its Rural Advisory Council set out to find, examine, and profile exemplary, successful school improvement programs in rural schools and districts in the upper Midwest. This paper is a summary of the first year…

Family, Community, and School Influences on Resilience among American Indian Adolescents in the Upper Midwest

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

LaFromboise, Teresa D.; Hoyt, Dan R.; Oliver, Lisa; Whitbeck, Les B.

2006-01-01

This study examines resilience among a sample of American Indian adolescents living on or near reservations in the upper Midwest. Data are from a baseline survey of 212 youth (115 boys and 97 girls) who were enrolled in the fifth through eighth grades. Based upon the definition of resilience, latent class analyses were conducted to identify youth…

Land fragmentationn and impacts to streams and fish in the central and upper midwest

Treesearch

Elon S. Verry

2000-01-01

Fragmentation of the land means changes in the vegetative cover. This alone has caused significant and wide spread physical and water quality changes to the streams and rivers in the central and upper Midwest. Removal of the forest canopy that changes land use to "open" conditions: agricultural, urban, or rights of way, is sufficient to initiate and prolong...

Use of DNA sequencing to detect pathogenic, saprotrophic, and stain fungi in sapwood of declining red pine (Pinus resinosa) in the Upper Midwest

Treesearch

M.T. Banik; D.L. Lindner; J. Juzwik; J.A. Glaeser

2013-01-01

An inexpensive kit was developed to collect wood samples for molecular detection of pathogenic, saprotrophic and stain fungi in declining Pinus resinosa in the Upper Midwest. The kit contained materials for "clean" collection of sapwood drill shavings, which were then subjected to PCR of the rDNA ITS region with fungal-specific primers,...

Upper Midwest farmer perceptions: Too much uncertainty about impacts of climate change to justify changing current agricultural practices

Treesearch

Lois Wright Morton; Gabrielle E. Roesch-McNally; Adam Wilke

2017-01-01

To be uncertain is to be unsure or have doubt. Results from a random sample survey show the majority (89.5%) of farmers in the Upper Midwest perceived there was too much uncertainty about the impacts of climate to justify changing their agricultural practices and strategies, despite scientific evidence regarding the causes and potential consequences of climate change....

Farmers' objectives toward their woodlands in the upper Midwest of the United States: implications for woodland volumes and diversity

Treesearch

W. Keith Moser; Earl C. Leatherberry; Mark H. Hansen; Brett J. Butler

2009-01-01

This paper reports the results of a study that explores the relationship between farm woodland owners' stated intentions for owning woodland, and the structure and composition of these woodlands in the states of Illinois, Indiana and Iowa in the upper Midwest of the United States. Data from two sample-based inventories conducted by the USDA Forest Service, Forest...

Atmospheric changes in North America during the last deglaciation from dune-wetland records in the Midwestern United States

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Hong; Stumpf, Andrew J.; Miao, Xiaodong; Lowell, Thomas V.

2012-12-01

Reconstructing moisture conditions during the early retreat of the Laurentide Ice Sheet (LIS) may help define the phase relationship of deglacial conditions and atmospheric changes over North America. Here, we report two sediment successions near the concurrent ice margins in the Midwest of the U.S.A. to show that dune formation was active from 17.7 to 14.7 and from 12.8 to 11.8 thousand years ago (ka) and lowland soils formed at 14.7 and wetland sediments developed from 13.5 to 12.8 ka. Our results suggest that moisture conditions in the Midwestern U.S.A. were inversely phased with those in the southwestern U.S.A. During the Heinrich event 1 (H1) and Younger Dryas (YD) stadials, the northern area became drier and southern area became wetter, whereas during the Bølling/Allerød (B/A) interstadials, the northern area became wetter and southern area became drier. This pattern is also observed on phase change levels within the H1 interval. In detail, from 17.7 to 16.5 ka during the H1b phase, major aridity in the Midwest corresponded to wet conditions in the Southwest U.S.A. From 16.5 to 15.0 ka during the H1a phase, climate reversed from dry to wet in the Midwest, whereas conditions went from wet to dry in the Southwest. From 15.0 to 14.7 ka during the transition to the Bølling/Allerød (t-B/A) phase, a return of aridity in the Midwest corresponded to a return of humidity in the Southwest.

Influence of Land Cover Heterogeneity, Land-Use Change and Management on the Regional Carbon Cycle in the Upper Midwest USA as Evaluated by High-Density Observations and a Dynamic Ecosystem Model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Desai, A. R.; Bolstad, P. V.; Moorcroft, P. R.; Davis, K. J.

2005-12-01

The interplay between land use change, forest management and land cover variability complicates the ability to characterize regional scale (10-1000 km) exchange of carbon dioxide between the land surface and atmosphere in heterogeneous landscapes. An attempt was made to observe and model these factors and their influence on the regional carbon cycle across the upper Midwest USA. A high density of eddy-covariance carbon flux, micrometeorology, carbon dioxide mixing ratio, stand-scale biometry and canopy component flux observations have been occurring in this area as part of the Chequamegon Ecosystem-Atmosphere Study. Observations limited to sampling only dominant stands and coarse-resolution biogeochemical models limited to biome-scale parameterization neither accurately capture the variability of carbon fluxes measured by the network of eddy covariance towers nor match the regional-scale carbon flux inferred from very tall tower eddy covariance measurements and multi-site upscaling. Analysis of plot level biometric data, U.S. Forest Service Forest Inventory Analysis data and high-resolution land cover data around the tall tower revealed significant variations in vegetation type, stand age, canopy stocking and structure. Wetlands, clearcuts and recent natural disturbances occur in characteristic small non-uniformly distributed patches that aggregate to form more than 30% of the landscape. The Ecosystem Demography model, a dynamic ecosystem model that incorporates vegetation heterogeneity, canopy structure, stand age, disturbance, land use change and forest management, was parameterized with regional biometric data and meteorology, historical records of land management and high-resolution satellite land cover maps. The model will be used to examine the significance of past land use change, natural disturbance history and current forest management in explaining landscape structure and regional carbon fluxes observed in the region today.

Climatic variability of soil water in the American Midwest: Part 2. Spatio-temporal analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Georgakakos, Konstantine P.; Bae, Deg-Hyo

1994-11-01

A study of the model-estimated soil water, aggregated over three large drainage basins of the Midwestern USA, is reported. The basin areas are in the range from 2000 km 2 to 3500 km 2, and allow the study of mesoscale (1000-10000 km 2) soil water features. In each case, a conceptual hydrologic model was used to produce upper and lower soil water estimates that are consistent with the atmospheric forcing of daily precipitation, potential evapotranspiration and air temperature, and with the observed daily streamflow divergence over a 40 year period. It is shown that the water contents of the upper and lower soil reach peaks in different months, with the soil column being most saturated in June, when the area is prone to serious flooding. Temporal and spatial features of the variability of model-estimated soil water content are identified. The autocorrelation function of monthly averaged soil water shows that the upper soil water remains persistent for about a season, whereas the persistence of the lower soil water extends to several seasons. The soil water estimates of the three study basins exhibit strong similarities in annual cycles and interannual variability. It is shown that the frequency of significant positive (wet) soil water anomalies that extend over a 2° × 2° region is lower than that of significant negative (dry) ones of the same extent in this region of the USA.

Water Transformation and Storage in the Mountains and at the Coast: Midwest Students' Disconnected Conceptions of the Hydrologic Cycle

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shepardson, Daniel P.; Wee, Bryan; Priddy, Michelle; Schellenberger, Lauren; Harbor, Jon

2009-01-01

The purpose of the present study was to investigate students' conceptions of the hydrologic cycle and to examine whether these conceptions vary by grade level and community setting. This study was descriptive in nature and reflected a cross-age design involving the collection of qualitative data from 1,298 students from the Midwest, USA. These…

Summary of a Regional Workshop on Monitoring Programs for the Interior Least Tern (Sternula Antillarum) - Tulsa, Oklahoma, 15-16 November 2005

DTIC Science & Technology

2006-12-01

Terry Shaffer of the USGS-Northern Prairies Wildlife Research Center and Eileen Kirsch of the USGS-Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center...years that variation in chick survival may be the most important factor in overall reproductive success (i.e., Kirsch 1996), monitoring nest success at...Center (NPWRC) o Jennifer Stucker, USGS, NPWRC o Eileen Kirsch , USGS, Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center o Mark Sherfy, USGS, NPWRC o

Changes in forest habitat classes under alternative climate and land-use change scenarios in the northeast and midwest, USA

Treesearch

Brian G. Tavernia; Mark D. Nelson; Michael E. Goerndt; Brian F. Walters; Chris Toney

2013-01-01

Large-scale and long-term habitat management plans are needed to maintain the diversity of habitat classes required by wildlife species. Planning efforts would benefit from assessments of potential climate and land-use change effects on habitats. We assessed climate and land-use driven changes in areas of closed- and open-canopy forest across the Northeast and Midwest...

Three Cultures: The Hopi Indians of the Southwest Desert, the Indians of the Northwest Pacific Coast, and the People of Midwest U.S.A. An Anthropological Unit.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Marksberry, Mary Lee

Intended to acquaint fifth-, sixth-, and seventh-grade children with the concept of culture, this anthropology unit focuses on two groups of Indians who lived in prehistoric times and present-day non-Indian families living in the Midwest. Objectives are to help students understand the behavior of the Northwest Pacific Coast Indians, the Hopi…

Genetic Variation of 17 Wild Yellow Perch Populations from the Midwest and East Coast Analyzed Via Microsatellites

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

We used microsatellite loci, including seven newly developed by us, to analyze the population genetic structure of wild yellow perch Perca flavescens from 17 sampling areas in the Upper Midwest and East Coast of the United States. Our results revealed greater genetic differentiation and finer-scale ...

Comparison of Vector Efficiency of Ixodes scapularis (Acari: Ixodidae) From the Northeast and Upper Midwest of the United States for the Lyme Disease Spirochete Borrelia mayonii.

PubMed

Eisen, Lars; Breuner, Nicole E; Hojgaard, Andrias; Hoxmeier, J Charles; Pilgard, Mark A; Replogle, Adam J; Biggerstaff, Brad J; Dolan, Marc C

2017-01-01

Borrelia mayonii, a recently recognized species within the Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato complex, has been detected in host-seeking Ixodes scapularis Say ticks and found to be associated with Lyme disease in the Upper Midwest. This spirochete has, to date, not been documented from the Northeast, but we previously demonstrated that I. scapularis ticks originating from Connecticut are capable of serving as a vector of B. mayonii In this follow-up study, we compared the vector efficiency for B. mayonii (strain MN14-1420) of I. scapularis ticks originating from Minnesota in the Upper Midwest and Connecticut in the Northeast. CD-1 outbred white mice previously infected with B. mayonii via tick bite were exposed to simultaneous feeding by Minnesota and Connecticut larvae contained within separate feeding capsules. We found no difference in the ability of Minnesota and Connecticut larvae to acquire B. mayonii from infected mice and pass spirochetes to the nymphal stage (overall nymphal infection rates of 11.6 and 13.3%, respectively). Moreover, the efficiency of transmission of B. mayonii by single infected nymphs was similar for the Minnesota and Connecticut ticks (33 and 44%, respectively). We conclude that the examined I. scapularis ticks from the Upper Midwest and Northeast did not differ in their efficiency as vectors for B. mayonii. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Entomological Society of America 2016 This work is written by US Government employees and is in the public domain in the US.

Where is the USA Corn Belt, and how is it changing?

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The “Corn Belt” is a commonly used term, but often referenced as a vaguely defined region in the Midwest USA. A few key studies have delineated synoptic maps of the Corn Belt boundaries going back to the early 20th century, but a modern flexible and accessible framework for mapping the Corn Belt in ...

Future Midwest Heat Waves in WRF

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huber, M.; Buzan, J. R.; Yoo, J.

2017-12-01

We present heat stress results for the upper Midwest derived from convection resolving Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model simulations carried out for the RCP 8.5 Scenario and driven by Community Earth System Model (CESM) boundary conditions as part of the Indiana Climate Change Assessment. Using this modeling system we find widespread and severe increases in moist heat stress metrics in the Midwest by end of century. We detail scaling arguments that suggest our results are robust and not model dependent and describe potential health, welfare, and productivity implications of these results.

Gasoline and tourism in the Upper Midwest. [Booklet

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

Murphy, M.J.

The effect of high gasoline prices on tourism in the Midwest is confusing as some data show Americans finding new ways to express their right to freedom of mobility through shorter and less-expensive trips, while other data reveal no impact on travel behavior. Although the tourism patterns of out-of-state visitors during 1979-80 are based on statistics that are collected differently in each state, several major findings in this report are that (1) high prices affect vacation plans; (2) the upper Midwest states were especially hurt because of their remoteness; (3) new transportation modes are replacing cars as vacationers select singlemore » destinations; and (4) small, independent businesses have suffered the most. This report suggests ways to promote tourism in the immediate vicinity of recreation areas, and recommends state promotional efforts that will taken advantage of new travel trends. 29 references, 4 tables. (DCK)« less

AmeriFlux US-Syv Sylvania Wilderness Area

DOE Data Explorer

Desai, Ankur [University of Wisconsin

2016-01-01

This is the AmeriFlux version of the carbon flux data for the site US-Syv Sylvania Wilderness Area. Site Description - Old growth forest consisting primarily of sugar maple and eastern hemlock. Note that a small lake to the north and data analyses suggest that wind direction screening is appropriate (see Desai, A.R., Bolstad, P.V., Cook, B.D., Davis, K.J., and Carey, E.V., 2005. Comparing net ecosystem exchange of carbon dioxide between an old-growth and mature forest in the upper midwest, USA. Ag. For. Met. 128(1-2): 33-55 (doi: 10.1016/j.agrformet.2004). Site was chosen to represent an end member representative of the upland forests in the WLEF tall tower flux footprint. (Note, however, that old growth forests are not found within the WLEF tall tower flux footprint.)

Effects of Land Use Change for Crops on Water and Carbon Budgets in the Midwest USA

DOE PAGES

Sun, Jian; Twine, Tracy; Hill, Jason; ...

2017-02-07

By increasing the demand for food and bioenergy, the global landscape has altered dramatically in recent years. Land use and land cover change affects the environmental system in many ways through biophysical and biogeochemical mechanisms. Here, we evaluate the impacts of land use and land cover change driven by recent crop expansion and conversion on the water budget, carbon exchange, and carbon storage in the Midwest USA. A dynamic global vegetation model was used to simulate and examine the impacts of landscape change in a historical case based on crop distribution data from the United States Department of Agriculture Nationalmore » Agricultural Statistics Services. Furthermore, the simulation results indicate that recent crop expansion not only decreased soil carbon sequestration (60 Tg less of soil organic carbon) and net carbon flux into ecosystems (3.7 Tg • year -1 less of net biome productivity), but also lessened water consumption through evapotranspiration (1.04 x 10 10 m 3 • year -1 less) over 12 states in the Midwest. More water yield at the land surface does not necessarily make more water available for vegetation. Crop residue removal might also exacerbate the soil carbon loss.« less

Effects of Land Use Change for Crops on Water and Carbon Budgets in the Midwest USA

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

Sun, Jian; Twine, Tracy; Hill, Jason

By increasing the demand for food and bioenergy, the global landscape has altered dramatically in recent years. Land use and land cover change affects the environmental system in many ways through biophysical and biogeochemical mechanisms. Here, we evaluate the impacts of land use and land cover change driven by recent crop expansion and conversion on the water budget, carbon exchange, and carbon storage in the Midwest USA. A dynamic global vegetation model was used to simulate and examine the impacts of landscape change in a historical case based on crop distribution data from the United States Department of Agriculture Nationalmore » Agricultural Statistics Services. Furthermore, the simulation results indicate that recent crop expansion not only decreased soil carbon sequestration (60 Tg less of soil organic carbon) and net carbon flux into ecosystems (3.7 Tg • year -1 less of net biome productivity), but also lessened water consumption through evapotranspiration (1.04 x 10 10 m 3 • year -1 less) over 12 states in the Midwest. More water yield at the land surface does not necessarily make more water available for vegetation. Crop residue removal might also exacerbate the soil carbon loss.« less

Effects of regional temperature on electric vehicle efficiency, range, and emissions in the United States.

PubMed

Yuksel, Tugce; Michalek, Jeremy J

2015-03-17

We characterize the effect of regional temperature differences on battery electric vehicle (BEV) efficiency, range, and use-phase power plant CO2 emissions in the U.S. The efficiency of a BEV varies with ambient temperature due to battery efficiency and cabin climate control. We find that annual energy consumption of BEVs can increase by an average of 15% in the Upper Midwest or in the Southwest compared to the Pacific Coast due to temperature differences. Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from BEVs vary primarily with marginal regional grid mix, which has three times the GHG intensity in the Upper Midwest as on the Pacific Coast. However, even within a grid region, BEV emissions vary by up to 22% due to spatial and temporal ambient temperature variation and its implications for vehicle efficiency and charging duration and timing. Cold climate regions also encounter days with substantial reduction in EV range: the average range of a Nissan Leaf on the coldest day of the year drops from 70 miles on the Pacific Coast to less than 45 miles in the Upper Midwest. These regional differences are large enough to affect adoption patterns and energy and environmental implications of BEVs relative to alternatives.

Establishment of alleycropped hybrid aspen "Crandon" in central Iowa, USA: effects of topographic position and fertilizer rate on above ground biomass production and allocation

Treesearch

William L. Headlee; Richard B. Hall; Ronald S., Jr. Zalesny

2013-01-01

Hybrid poplars have demonstrated high productivity as short rotation woody crops (SRWC) in the Midwest USA, and the hybrid aspen "Crandon" (Populus alba L. × P. grandidenta Michx.) has exhibited particularly promising yields on marginal lands. However, a key obstacle for wider deployment is the lack of economic...

Applicability of predictive models of drought-induced tree mortality between the midwest and northeast United States

Treesearch

Eric J. Gustafson

2014-01-01

Regression models developed in the upper Midwest (United States) to predict drought-induced tree mortality from measures of drought (Palmer Drought Severity Index) were tested in the northeastern United States and found inadequate. The most likely cause of this result is that long drought events were rare in the Northeast during the period when inventory data were...

Use of the Youth Risk Behavior Survey to Monitor Trends for Nutrition and Physical Activity in a Midwest City School District

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Edwards, Jane U.; Magel, Rhonda

2007-01-01

Background: The Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) was used by a city school district (approximately 11,000 students) in the upper Midwest to monitor trends for nutrition and physical activity (PA) behaviors both within and between years and to compare with national 2003 data. Methods: Independent random samples were obtained in 1999 (387 middle…

Social.Water--Open Source Citizen Science Software for CrowdHydrology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fienen, M. N.; Lowry, C.

2013-12-01

CrowdHydrology is a crowd-sourced citizen science project in which passersby near streams are encouraged to read a gage and send an SMS (text) message with the water level to a number indicated on a sign. The project was initially started using free services such as Google Voice, Gmail, and Google Maps to acquire and present the data on the internet. Social.Water is open-source software, using Python and JavaScript, that automates the acquisition, categorization, and presentation of the data. Open-source objectives pervade both the project and the software as the code is hosted at Github, only free scripting codes are used, and any person or organization can install a gage and join the CrowdHydrology network. In the first year, 10 sites were deployed in upstate New York, USA. In the second year, expansion to 44 sites throughout the upper Midwest USA was achieved. Comparison with official USGS and academic measurements have shown low error rates. Citizen participation varies greatly from site to site, so surveys or other social information is sought for insight into why some sites experience higher rates of participation than others.

Cosmic Rays over the Upper Mid-West. Ph.D. Thesis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rygg, T. A.

1972-01-01

Differential energy spectra of cosmic ray protons and helium nuclei in the 100 to 260 MeV/nucleon were measured on balloon flights in the upper midwestern (U.S.) area. Solar cycle variations of atmospheric secondary protons were also investigated.

Chicago, Illinois, USA

NASA Image and Video Library

1990-03-04

In this late winter scene of Chicago, Illinois, USA (41.5N, 87.0W) the light dusting of snow has actually enhanced the determination of the cities street pattern, parks and other cultural features. Sited at the south end of Lake Michigan, Chicago has long served as an industrial, transportation and communications center for the midwest. The obvious snowline on the ground enables meteorologists to trace the regional groundtracks of winter storms.

Recognizing loss of open forest ecosystems by tree densification and land use intensification in the Midwestern USA

Treesearch

Brice B. Hanberry; Marc D. Abrams

2018-01-01

Forests and grasslands have changed during the past 200 years in the eastern USA, and it is now possible to quantify loss and conversion of vegetation cover at regional scales. We quantified historical (ca. 1786-1908) and current land cover and determined long-term ecosystem change to either land use or closed forests in eight states of the Great Lakes and Midwest....

Fire history and age structure analysis in the Sherburne National Wildlife Refuge, Minnesota: establishing reference conditions in a remnant oak savanna woodland

Treesearch

Kurt F. Kipfmueller; Tim Hepola

2009-01-01

Oak savanna woodlands were once a dominant ecotone in southwestern Minnesota and throughout the upper Midwest. These ecosystems represented a transitional zone between prairie communities to the west that eventually graded into Big Woods forest. Most of the oak savanna landscape of southern Minnesota (and indeed most of the Midwest) were extensively homesteaded and...

Fire history and age structure analysis in the Sherburne National Wildlife Refuge: Establishing reference conditions in a remnant oak savanna woodland

Treesearch

Kurt F. Kipfmueller; Tim Hepola

2007-01-01

Oak savanna woodlands were once a dominant ecotone throughout the upper Midwest. These ecosystems represented a transitional zone between prairie communities to the west that eventually graded into Big Woods forest. Most of the oak savanna landscapes of most of the Midwest were extensively homesteaded and farmed during the middle 1800s and few intact savanna landscapes...

Midwest vision for sustainable fuel production

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Meeting the challenge of providing 30% of the transportation fuels used in the USA from those developed from biomass will require significant improvements in technology across the supply chain, significant commercial investment in infrastructure, and, because of the unique characteristics of biomass...

Pollen resources for pollinators in specialty oilseed crops

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Simplified agroecosystems have depleted habitats for beneficial insects throughout the Midwest and Northern Great Plains of the USA. Beneficial insects include pollinators and natural enemies of crop pests, and both rely heavily on floral resources and habitat diversity to maintain healthy populatio...

Climate induced changes in biome distribution, NPP and hydrology for potential vegetation of the Upper Midwest U.S

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Motew, M.; Kucharik, C. J.

2011-12-01

While much attention is focused on future impacts of climate change on ecosystems, much can be learned about the previous interactions of ecosystems with recent climate change. In this study, we investigated the impacts of climate change on potential vegetation distributions (i.e. grasses, trees, and shrubs) and carbon and water cycling across the Upper Midwest USA from 1948-2007 using the Agro-IBIS dynamic vegetation model. We drove the model using a historical, gridded daily climate data set (temperature, precipitation, humidity, solar radiation, and wind speed) at a spatial resolution of 5 min x 5 min. While trends in climate variables exhibited heterogeneous spatial patterns over the study period, the overall impact of climate change on vegetation productivity was positive. We observed total increases in net primary productivity (NPP) ranging from 20-150 g C m-2, based on linear regression analysis. We determined that increased summer relative humidity, increased annual precipitation and decreased mean maximum summer temperatures were key variables contributing to these positive trends, likely through a reduction in soil moisture stress (e.g., increased available water) and heat stress. Model simulations also illustrated an increase in annual drainage throughout the region of 20-140 mm yr-1, driven by substantial increases in annual precipitation. Evapotranspiration had a highly variable spatial trend over the 60-year period, with total change over the study period ranging between -100 and +100 mm yr-1. We also analyzed potential changes in plant functional type (PFT) distributions at the biome level, but hypothesize that the model may be unable to adequately capture competitive interactions among PFTs as well as the dynamics between upper and lower canopies consisting of trees, grasses and shrubs. An analysis of the bioclimatic envelopes for PFTs common to the region revealed no significant change to the boreal conifer tree climatic domain over the study period, yet did reveal a slightly expanded domain for temperate deciduous broadleaf trees. The location of the Tension Zone, a broad ecotone dividing mixed forests in the north and southern hardwood forests and prairies in the south, was not observed to shift using analyses of both meteorological variables and through the results of simulated vegetation distributions. In general, our results supported the idea that climate change is spatially variable in nature, having significant effects on ecosystem structure and function. Our analysis also revealed interesting relationships among the key climatic quantities driving plant productivity and hydrology in the region. Most notably, while the model suggested that potential biome and PFT distributions have not likely shifted significantly in the past 60 years, climate change has contributed to substantial changes in coupled carbon, water, and energy exchange in natural ecosystems of the Upper Midwest US. We conclude that incorporating recent, high-resolution climate records into ecological studies offers valuable insight into the heterogeneous nature of climate change and its impacts on ecosystems at the local level.

Research instrumentation for tornado electromagnetics emissions detection

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jenkins, H. H.; Wilson, C. S.

1977-01-01

Instrumentation for receiving, processing, and recording HF/VHF electromagnetic emissions from severe weather activity is described. Both airborne and ground-based instrumentation units are described on system and subsystem levels. Design considerations, design decisions, and the rationale behind the decisions are given. Performance characteristics are summarized and recommendations for improvements are given. The objectives, procedures, and test results of the following are presented: (1) airborne flight test in the Midwest U.S.A. (Spring 1975) and at the Kennedy Space Center, Florida (Summer 1975); (2) ground-based data collected in North Georgia (Summer/Fall 1975); and (3) airborne flight test in the Midwest (late Spring 1976) and at the Kennedy Space Center, Florida (Summer 1976). The Midwest tests concentrated on severe weather with tornadic activity; the Florida and Georgia tests monitored air mass convective thunderstorm characteristics. Supporting ground truth data from weather radars and sferics DF nets are described.

Peak growing season gross uptake of carbon in North America is largest in the Midwest USA

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hilton, Timothy W.; Whelan, Mary E.; Zumkehr, Andrew; Kulkarni, Sarika; Berry, Joseph A.; Baker, Ian T.; Montzka, Stephen A.; Sweeney, Colm; Miller, Benjamin R.; Elliott Campbell, J.

2017-06-01

Gross primary production (GPP) is a first-order uncertainty in climate predictions. Large-scale CO2 observations can provide information about the carbon cycle, but are not directly useful for GPP. Recently carbonyl sulfide (COS or OCS) has been proposed as a potential tracer for regional and global GPP. Here we present the first regional assessment of GPP using COS. We focus on the North American growing season--a global hotspot for COS air-monitoring and GPP uncertainty. Regional variability in simulated vertical COS concentration gradients was driven by variation in GPP rather than other modelled COS sources and sinks. Consequently we are able to show that growing season GPP in the Midwest USA significantly exceeds that of any other region of North America. These results are inconsistent with some ecosystem models, but are supportive of new ecosystem models from CMIP6. This approach provides valuable insight into the accuracy of various ecosystem land models.

Satellite-tagged osprey nearly sets longevity record and productivity response to initial captures

USGS Publications Warehouse

Henny, Charles J.; Martell, Mark S.

2017-01-01

We equipped adult Ospreys (Pandion haliaetus) from 24 nests in Oregon/Washington with satellite-tracked battery-powered radios, known as platform transmitter terminals (PTTs), in 1996–1999. These Ospreys from the lower Columbia River (river miles 76–286), and the Willamette Valley in western Oregon were part of a larger study of Osprey fall migration, wintering ecology, and spring migration, which included additional adults from the Upper Midwest and East Coast of the United States (Martell et al. 2001, 2014, Washburn et al. 2014). These early-generation PTTs weighed 30–35 g (Microwave Telemetry Inc., Columbia, MD U.S.A.) and utilized the ARGOS tracking system (www.argos-system.org). We placed PTTs on the birds' backs using Teflon ribbon (Bally Ribbon, Bally, PA U.S.A.) in a standard backpack configuration (Kenward 2001). With the mass of adult male Ospreys 1400 to 1500 g (Poole et al. 2002), the ratio of tag mass to body mass was 2.0 to 2.5%. Ospreys also received a standard size 8 bird band (U.S. Geological Survey) on one leg and a numbered color band on the other. For more details on trapping techniques, attachment procedures, the battery-powered units, turn-on, turn-off cycles, and tracking equipment, see Martell et al. (2001).

Nectar production in oilseeds: Food for pollinators in an agriculture dominated landscape

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Simplified agroecosystems have degraded habitats for beneficial insects throughout the Midwest and Northern Great Plains of the USA. Beneficial insects include pollinators and natural enemies of crop pests, and both rely heavily on floral resources and habitat diversity to maintain healthy populatio...

A River Runs through It: Art, Geology and Life on the Upper Mississippi

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Henderson, Lynette K.

2015-01-01

This article presents a pilot interdisciplinary project for middle-school students including visual literacy, studio art, English-language literacy, geology and the study of indigenous groups. The location of the pilot was in the upper Midwest, along the Mississippi river bluffs of St. Paul, Minnesota. English-as-a-Second Language (ESL) students…

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

VonThoma, E.; Mosiman, G.

This report documents the process and outcomes involved in achieving the U.S. Department of Energy Zero Energy Ready Home (ZERH) program certification standards while helping homebuilders in Climate Zones 5 and 6 in the Upper Midwest achieve ZERH certification.

Hepatic element concentrations of lesser scaup (Aythya affinis) during spring migration in the upper Midwest

USGS Publications Warehouse

Pillatzki, Angela E.; Neiger, Regg D.; Chipps, Steven R.; Higgins, Kenneth F.; Thiex, Nancy; Afton, Alan D.

2011-01-01

High concentrations of some hepatic elements might be contributing to the decline of the continental lesser scaup (Aythya affinis) population. We evaluated hepatic element concentrations of male and female lesser scaup collected from the upper Midwest (Iowa, Minnesota, North Dakota, and South Dakota) during the 2003 and 2004 spring migrations. We measured concentrations of 24 elements in livers of 117 lesser scaup. We found that only selenium concentrations were at levels (>3.0 μg/g wet weight [ww)]) proposed to adversely affect reproduction. Approximately 49% of females (n = 61) had individual hepatic concentrations >3.0 μg/g ww selenium (Se). Our observed hepatic concentration of Se was similar to that reported in lesser scaup collected from the mid-continental United States but less than Se concentrations reported from the Great Lakes region. We found that the liver cadmium (Cd) concentration for males was significantly higher than that for females. Gender differences in hepatic Cd concentrations have not been previously reported for lesser scaup, but Cd is known to have negative impacts on male reproduction. Our results indicate that lesser scaup migrating through the upper Midwest in spring have elevated Se levels and that males carry a significantly greater Cd burden than females. Moreover, elemental concentrations might be high enough to affect reproduction in both male and female lesser scaup, but controlled laboratory studies are needed to adequately assess the effects of Se and Cd on lesser scaup reproduction.

Hepatic element concentrations of lesser scaup (aythya affinis) during spring migration in the upper midwest

USGS Publications Warehouse

Pillatzki, A.E.; Neiger, R.D.; Chipps, S.R.; Higgins, K.F.; Thiex, N.; Afton, A.D.

2011-01-01

High concentrations of some hepatic elements might be contributing to the decline of the continental lesser scaup (Aythya affinis) population. We evaluated hepatic element concentrations of male and female lesser scaup collected from the upper Midwest (Iowa, Minnesota, North Dakota, and South Dakota) during the 2003 and 2004 spring migrations. We measured concentrations of 24 elements in livers of 117 lesser scaup. We found that only selenium concentrations were at levels (>3.0 ??g/g wet weight [ww)]) proposed to adversely affect reproduction. Approximately 49% of females (n = 61) had individual hepatic concentrations >3.0 ??g/g ww selenium (Se). Our observed hepatic concentration of Se was similar to that reported in lesser scaup collected from the mid-continental United States but less than Se concentrations reported from the Great Lakes region. We found that the liver cadmium (Cd) concentration for males was significantly higher than that for females. Gender differences in hepatic Cd concentrations have not been previously reported for lesser scaup, but Cd is known to have negative impacts on male reproduction. Our results indicate that lesser scaup migrating through the upper Midwest in spring have elevated Se levels and that males carry a significantly greater Cd burden than females. Moreover, elemental concentrations might be high enough to affect reproduction in both male and female lesser scaup, but controlled laboratory studies are needed to adequately assess the effects of Se and Cd on lesser scaup reproduction. ?? 2010 Springer Science+Business Media, LLC.

Proceedings of the Annual Meeting of the Eastern Snow Conference (47th) Held in Bangor, Maine on 7-8 June 1990

DTIC Science & Technology

1990-06-01

western U.S. Ten additional windows contain basin boundary data sets to map snow cover for the Upper Midwest , the Great Lakes, New England, and... Midwest and in the East. The User’s Guide gives the data format. 4.3.2 Satellite Areal Extent of Snow Cover by Basin/Zone (MCI/AFOS-ASCII) Alphanumeric...acres) of lake shore land in the snowbelt and this perennial vine is susceptible to winter cold damage. County extension agents indicated that winter

MERCURY DEPOSITION AND LAKE QUALITY TRENDS IN MINNESOTA

EPA Science Inventory

Mercury wet deposition was monitored at six Upper Midwest sites for a period of six years, 1990-1995. The three northern-most sites had significantly less mercury deposition than the more urban southern sites...

American Elementary Education Pre-Service Teachers' Attitudes towards Biotechnology Processes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chabalengula, Vivien Mweene; Mumba, Frackson; Chitiyo, Jonathan

2011-01-01

This study examined elementary education pre-service teachers' attitudes towards biotechnology processes. A sample comprised 88 elementary education pre-service teachers at a mid-sized university in the Midwest of the USA. Sixty and 28 of these pre-service teachers were enrolled in Introductory Science Methods course and Advance Science Methods…

TRICLOSAN MONITORING OF WASTEWATER AND RIVER WATER SAMPLES FROM THE NORTHEAST OF SPAIN AND THE MIDWEST USA BY ELISA AND GC/MS

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Triclosan (5-chloro-2-(2,4-dichlorophenoxy)phenol) is a broad spectrum antibacterial that is incorporated into numerous household products such as soaps, deodorants, toothpastes, toys, bedding, socks, and trash bags to decrease bacterial contamination. Triclosan is structurally similar to environmen...

How Pre-Service Teachers' Understand and Perform Science Process Skills

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chabalengula, Vivien Mweene; Mumba, Frackson; Mbewe, Simeon

2012-01-01

This study explored pre-service teachers' conceptual understanding and performance on science process skills. A sample comprised 91 elementary pre-service teachers at a university in the Midwest of the USA. Participants were enrolled in two science education courses; introductory science teaching methods course and advanced science methods course.…

Elementary Education Preservice Teachers' Understanding of Biotechnology and Its Related Processes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chabalengula, Vivien Mweene; Mumba, Frackson; Chitiyo, Jonathan

2011-01-01

This study examined preservice teachers' understanding of biotechnology and its related processes. A sample comprised 88 elementary education preservice teachers at a large university in the Midwest of the USA. A total of 60 and 28 of the participants were enrolled in introductory and advanced science methods courses, respectively. Most…

Sensitive high resolution ion microprobe (SHRIMP) detrital zircon geochronology provides new evidence for a hidden neoproterozoic foreland basin to the Grenville Orogen in the eastern Midwest, U.S.A

USGS Publications Warehouse

Santos, J.O.S.; Hartmann, L.A.; McNaughton, N.J.; Easton, R. M.; Rea, R.G.; Potter, P.E.

2002-01-01

A sensitive high resolution ion microprobe (SHRIMP) was used in combination with backscattered electron (BSE) and cathodoluminescence (CL) images to determine the age of detrital zircons from sandstones in the Neoproterozoic Middle Run Formation of the eastern Midwest, United States. Eleven samples from seven drill cores of the upper part of the Middle Run Formation contain detrital zircons ranging in age from 1030 to 1982 Ma (84 analyses), with six distinctive modes at 1.96, 1.63, 1.47, 1.34, 1.15, and 1.08 Ga. This indicates that most, but not all, of the zircon at the top of the Middle Run Formation was derived from the Grenville Orogen. The youngest concordant detrital zircon yields a maximum age of 1048 ?? 22 Ma for the Middle Run Formation, indicating that the formation is younger than ca. 1026 Ma minus the added extra time needed for later uplift, denudation, thrusting, erosion, and transport to southwestern Ohio. Thus, as judged by proximity, composition, thickness, and geochronology, it is a North American equivalent to other Neoproterozoic Grenvillian-derived basins, such as the Torridon Group of Scotland and the Palmeiral Formation of South America. An alternate possibility, although much less likely in our opinion, is that it could be much younger, any time between 1048 ?? 22 Ma and the deposition of the Middle Cambrian Mount Simon Sandstone at about 510 Ma, and still virtually almost all derived from rocks of the Grenville Orogen.

Is there a real-estate bubble in the US?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhou, Wei-Xing; Sornette, Didier

2006-02-01

Using a methodology developed in previous papers, we analyze the quarterly average sale prices of new houses sold in the USA as a whole, in the Northeast, Midwest, South, and West of the USA, in each of the 50 states and the District of Columbia of the USA, to determine whether they have grown at a faster-than-exponential rate which we take as the diagnostic of a bubble. We find that 22 states (mostly Northeast and West) exhibit clear-cut signatures of a fast-growing bubble. From the analysis of the S&P 500 Home Index, we conclude that the turning point of the bubble will probably occur around mid-2006.

Evidence that higher CO2 increases tree growth sensitivity to ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Aim: To test the growth-sensitivity to temperature under different ambient CO2 concentrations, we determined paleo tree growth rates as they relate to variation in temperature during the last deglacial period, and compare these to modern tree growth rates as they relate to spatial variation in temperature across the modern species distributional range. During the deglacial period, [CO2] averaged about 230 ppm, whereas modern [CO2] averaged about 330 ppm.Location: Paleo oaks were sampled from Northern Missouri, USA. The paleo temperature reconstruction was from a lake in Northern Illinois, USA. Data used to quantify the growth-sensitivity to temperature for modern oaks were collected across the Great Plains, Midwest and Upper Great Lakes regions.Methods: Growth data were from 53 paleo bur oak log cross-sections collected in Missouri that were preserved in river and stream sediments. These oaks were radiocarbon-dated to between 10.5 and 13.3 cal kyr BP, which spans rapid warming during the last deglaciation. Growth data from modern bur oaks were obtained from increment core collections paired with USDA Forest Service Forest Inventory and Analysis data. Paleotemperatures were obtained from a high-resolution pollen-based reconstruction and modern temperatures were obtained from gridded meteorological data. Results: Growth-sensitivity to temperature (i.e. the slope of growth rate versus temperature) was significantly greater for modern oaks growing at an average [CO2

Seventh Grade Students' Conceptions of Global Warming and Climate Change

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shepardson, Daniel P.; Niyogi, Dev; Choi, Soyoung; Charusombat, Umarporn

2009-01-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate seventh grade students' conceptions of global warming and climate change. The study was descriptive in nature and involved the collection of qualitative data from 91 seventh grade students from three different schools in the Midwest, USA. An open response and draw and explain assessment instrument was…

Hardwood genetics and tree improvement - A Midwest USA perspective

Treesearch

C. H. Michler; R. Meilan; K. E. Woeste; P. M. Pijut; D. Jacobs; P. Aldrich; J. Glaubitz

2005-01-01

Fine hardwood trees in the Central Hardwoods region of the United States are an important resource for the furniture, cabinetry, flooring, modular home, and paneling manufacturing industries. Consumers find wood from these trees to be very desirable because of quality factors such as grain, strength and color. To enhance wood production, tree improvement programs can...

Bonded Relationships: Supporting Pre-Service Teachers to Develop Confidence and Competency as Elementary Literacy Educators

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ticknor, Anne Swenson; Cavendish, Leslie M.

2015-01-01

Relationships matter in learning and in particular they matter for pre-service teachers engaged in learning how to teach in Midwest University, USA. This article reports findings from an 18-month long study that investigated how relationships supported and constrained four elementary pre-service literacy teachers' professional identities as…

Technology for French Learning: A Mismatch between Expectations and Reality

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Karabulut, Aliye; Levelle, Kimberly; Li, Jinrong; Suvorov, Ruslan

2012-01-01

The qualitative study reported in this article explored the use of technology for language learning in a third-year French class at a public university in the Midwest of the USA. To address the need for a more holistic study of technology for language learning (Basharina, 2007; Thorne, 2003), an Activity Theory framework was employed to…

The influence of age-specific migration on housing growth in the rural Midwest (USA)

Treesearch

Yohan Lee; Claire A. Montgomery; Jeff Kline

2016-01-01

Natural resource policymakers and planners increasingly rely on regional and national-level spatial data describing projections of future housing growth, to anticipate development impacts on natural resources and identify policy and planning needs. Such projections have not always been well-grounded in demographic and other factors that influence population and thus...

The temporal distribution and carbon storage of large oak wood in streams and floodplain deposits

Treesearch

Richard P. Guyette; Daniel C. Dey; Michael C. Stambaugh

2008-01-01

We used tree-ring dating and 14C dating to document the temporal distribution and carbon storage of oak (Quercus spp.) wood in trees recruited and buried by streams and floodplains in northern Missouri, USA. Frequency distributions indicated that oak wood has been accumulating in Midwest streams continually since at least the...

Reconstructing vegetation past: Pre-Euro-American vegetation for the midwest driftless area, USA

Treesearch

Monika E. Shea; Lisa A. Schulte; Brian J. Palik

2014-01-01

Historical reference conditions provide important context for creating ecological restoration and management plans. The U.S. 19th Century Public Land Survey (PLS) records provide extensive ecological information for constructing such reference conditions. We used PLS records to reconstruct pre-Euro-American tree species cover class and vegetation structure types for...

Carbon sequestration potential of poplar energy crops in the Midwest, USA

Treesearch

R.S. Jr. Zalesny; W.L. Headlee; R.B. Hall; D.R. Coyle

2010-01-01

Energy use and climate change mitigation are closely linked via ecological, social, and economic factors, including carbon management. Energy supply is a key 21st century National security issue for the United States; identifying and developing woody feedstocks for transportation fuels and combined heat and power operations are a crucial component of the future...

Measure of Truck Delay and Reliability at the Corridor Level

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2018-04-01

Freight transportation provides a significant contribution to our nations economy. A reliable and accessible freight network enables business in the Twin Cities to be more competitive in the Upper Midwest region. Accurate and reliable freight data...

Can Rural Minimally Invasive Surgery Fellowships Provide Operative Experience Similar to Urban Programs?

PubMed

Ryan, James Patrick; Borgert, Andrew J; Kallies, Kara J; Carlson, Lea M; McCollister, Howard; Severson, Paul A; Kothari, Shanu N

2016-01-01

Operative experience in rural fellowship programs is largely unknown. The 2 of the most rural minimally invasive surgery (MIS)/bariatric fellowships are located in the upper Midwest. We hypothesized that these 2 programs would offer a similar operative experience to other U.S. programs in more urban locations. The 2011 to 2012 and 2012 to 2013 fellowship case logs from 2 rural Midwest programs were compared with case logs from 23 U.S. MIS/bariatric programs. All rural Midwest fellowship graduates completed a survey describing their fellowship experience and current practice. Statistical analysis included Wilcoxon rank-sum test. Setting included the 2 rural Midwest U.S. MIS/bariatric fellowship programs. Graduates from MIS/bariatric fellowship programs participated in the study. Mean volumes for bariatric, foregut, abdominal wall, small intestine, and hepatobiliary cases for rural Midwest fellows vs. other U.S. programs were 123.8 ± 23.7 vs. 150.2 ± 49.2 (p = 0.20); 44.3 ± 19.4 vs. 66.3 ± 35.5 (p = 0.18); 48.3 ± 28.0 vs. 57.9 ± 27.8 (p = 0.58); 11.3 ± 1.9 vs. 12.0 ± 8.7 (p = 0.58); and 55.0 ± 34.8 vs. 48.1 ± 42.6 (p = 0.63), respectively. Mean endoscopy volume was significantly higher among rural Midwest fellows (451.0 ± 395.2 vs. 99.7 ± 83.4; p = 0.05). All rural Midwest fellows reported an adequate number of cases as operating surgeon during fellowship. A total of 60% of fellows currently practice in a rural area. In all, 87% and 13% reported that their fellowship training was extremely or somewhat beneficial to their current practice, respectively. Rural MIS fellowship programs offer a similar operative experience to other U.S. programs. A greater volume of endoscopy cases was observed in rural Midwest fellowships. Copyright © 2016 Association of Program Directors in Surgery. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Impacts of managing perennial grasses in the northern Midwest United States for bioenergy on soil organic C and nitrous oxide emission

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

In the USA perennial grasses [e.g., switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.) and big bluestem (Andropogon gerdardii Vitman)] are proposed as cellulosic feedstock. Perennial grasses are often touted as being low input and as having a C-neutral foot print, but managing them as bioenergy feedstock means addin...

Watershed features and stream water quality: Gaining insight through path analysis in a Midwest urban landscape, USA

Treesearch

Jiayu Wu; Timothy W. Stewart; Janette R. Thompson; Randy Kolka; Kristie J. Franz

2015-01-01

Urban stream condition is often degraded by human activities in the surrounding watershed. Given the complexity of urban areas, relationships among variables that cause stream degradation can be difficult to isolate. We examined factors affecting stream condition by evaluating social, terrestrial, stream hydrology and water quality variables from 20 urban stream...

An Evaluation of an Elementary Science Methods Course with Respect to Preservice Teacher's Pedagogical Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lee, Carole Kwan-Ping

2012-01-01

The science methods course is a requirement for the Bachelor of Science degree in elementary education licensure program in a mid-west state university in the U.S.A. In one semester, the author decided to evaluate the effectiveness of the science methods course in pedagogical content knowledge areas such as theory, planning and implementation.…

10 CFR 210.1 - Records.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

...)(E)(I); 212.83(c)(2)(iii)(E)(II); 212.83(c)(2)(iii); “Fi t”; 212.83(i); 212.93(a); 212.93(b)(4)(iii... Amarillo, TX. Midway Oil Co Rock Island, IL. Midwest Industrial Fuels, Inc La Crosse, WI. Mississippi River..., TX. U.S. Compressed Gas Company King of Prussia, PA. U.S. Oil Company Combined Locks, WI. U.S.A...

10 CFR 210.1 - Records.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

...)(E)(I); 212.83(c)(2)(iii)(E)(II); 212.83(c)(2)(iii); “Fi t”; 212.83(i); 212.93(a); 212.93(b)(4)(iii... Amarillo, TX. Midway Oil Co Rock Island, IL. Midwest Industrial Fuels, Inc La Crosse, WI. Mississippi River..., TX. U.S. Compressed Gas Company King of Prussia, PA. U.S. Oil Company Combined Locks, WI. U.S.A...

10 CFR 210.1 - Records.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

...)(E)(I); 212.83(c)(2)(iii)(E)(II); 212.83(c)(2)(iii); “Fi t”; 212.83(i); 212.93(a); 212.93(b)(4)(iii... Amarillo, TX. Midway Oil Co Rock Island, IL. Midwest Industrial Fuels, Inc La Crosse, WI. Mississippi River..., TX. U.S. Compressed Gas Company King of Prussia, PA. U.S. Oil Company Combined Locks, WI. U.S.A...

10 CFR 210.1 - Records.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

...)(E)(I); 212.83(c)(2)(iii)(E)(II); 212.83(c)(2)(iii); “Fi t”; 212.83(i); 212.93(a); 212.93(b)(4)(iii... Amarillo, TX. Midway Oil Co Rock Island, IL. Midwest Industrial Fuels, Inc La Crosse, WI. Mississippi River..., TX. U.S. Compressed Gas Company King of Prussia, PA. U.S. Oil Company Combined Locks, WI. U.S.A...

10 CFR 210.1 - Records.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

...)(E)(I); 212.83(c)(2)(iii)(E)(II); 212.83(c)(2)(iii); “Fi t”; 212.83(i); 212.93(a); 212.93(b)(4)(iii... Amarillo, TX. Midway Oil Co Rock Island, IL. Midwest Industrial Fuels, Inc La Crosse, WI. Mississippi River..., TX. U.S. Compressed Gas Company King of Prussia, PA. U.S. Oil Company Combined Locks, WI. U.S.A...

What Are the Roles that Children's Drawings Play in Inquiry of Science Concepts?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chang, Ni

2012-01-01

This study was designed to identify the roles that drawing played in the process of children's acquisition of science concepts. Seventy pre-service teachers through four semesters from a Midwest University in the USA developed lesson plans on science concepts and then taught them to 70 young children ages 4-7, respectively. This experience was…

7 CFR 1030.10 - Producer-handler.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... Regulations of the Department of Agriculture (Continued) AGRICULTURAL MARKETING SERVICE (Marketing Agreements and Orders; Milk), DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE MILK IN THE UPPER MIDWEST MARKETING AREA Order Regulating... farm and a distributing plant from which there is route disposition in the marketing area during the...

NASA Satellite Images Annual Spring Thaw, Red River, North Dakota

NASA Image and Video Library

2011-04-21

NASA Terra spacecraft shows the annual spring thaw in the upper Midwest is underway. Snow-covered ground contrasts with the dark tones of water under broken cloud cover. Along the Red River in North Dakota, floodwaters are moving northward into Canada.

Forward phenomics of oat panicles

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

There is a growing need for adapted and more productive germplasm to expand oat production, optimize its yield, improve groat quality, and satisfy farmers and consumers demand, especially in the Upper Midwest of the US. Oat germplasm, representing different eco-geographical origins and breeding stat...

7 CFR 1030.86 - Deduction for marketing services.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 9 2013-01-01 2013-01-01 false Deduction for marketing services. 1030.86 Section 1030.86 Agriculture Regulations of the Department of Agriculture (Continued) AGRICULTURAL MARKETING SERVICE (MARKETING AGREEMENTS AND ORDERS; MILK), DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE MILK IN THE UPPER MIDWEST...

7 CFR 1030.86 - Deduction for marketing services.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 9 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Deduction for marketing services. 1030.86 Section 1030.86 Agriculture Regulations of the Department of Agriculture (Continued) AGRICULTURAL MARKETING SERVICE (Marketing Agreements and Orders; Milk), DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE MILK IN THE UPPER MIDWEST...

7 CFR 1030.86 - Deduction for marketing services.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 9 2014-01-01 2013-01-01 true Deduction for marketing services. 1030.86 Section 1030.86 Agriculture Regulations of the Department of Agriculture (Continued) AGRICULTURAL MARKETING SERVICE (MARKETING AGREEMENTS AND ORDERS; MILK), DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE MILK IN THE UPPER MIDWEST...

7 CFR 1030.86 - Deduction for marketing services.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 9 2010-01-01 2009-01-01 true Deduction for marketing services. 1030.86 Section 1030.86 Agriculture Regulations of the Department of Agriculture (Continued) AGRICULTURAL MARKETING SERVICE (Marketing Agreements and Orders; Milk), DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE MILK IN THE UPPER MIDWEST...

7 CFR 1030.86 - Deduction for marketing services.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 9 2012-01-01 2012-01-01 false Deduction for marketing services. 1030.86 Section 1030.86 Agriculture Regulations of the Department of Agriculture (Continued) AGRICULTURAL MARKETING SERVICE (Marketing Agreements and Orders; Milk), DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE MILK IN THE UPPER MIDWEST...

U.S. Department of Energy Zero Energy Ready Home Implementation

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

VonThoma, E.; Mosiman, G.

This report documents the process and outcomes involved in achieving the U.S. Department of Energy Zero Energy Ready Home (ZERH) program certification standards while helping homebuilders in Climate Zones 5 and 6 in the Upper Midwest achieve ZERH certification.

Air quality in bedded mono-slope beef barns

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Bedded mono-slope barns are becoming more common in the upper Midwest. Because these are new facilities, little research has been published regarding environmental quality, building management and animal performance in these facilities. A team of researchers from South Dakota State University, USDA ...

Climatology of winter transition days for the contiguous USA, 1951-2007

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hondula, David M.; Davis, Robert E.

2011-01-01

In middle and high latitudes, climate change could impact the frequency and characteristics of frontal passages. Although transitions between air masses are significant features of the general circulation that influence human activities and other surface processes, they are much more difficult to objectively identify than single variables like temperature or even extreme events like fires, droughts, and floods. The recently developed Spatial Synoptic Classification (SSC) provides a fairly objective means of identifying frontal passages. In this research, we determine the specific meteorological patterns represented by the SSC's Transition category, a "catch-all" group that attempts to identify those days that cannot be characterized as a single, homogeneous air mass type. The result is a detailed transition climatology for the continental USA. We identify four subtypes of the Transition category based on intra-day sea level pressure change and dew point temperature change. Across the contiguous USA, most transition days are identified as cold fronts and warm fronts during the winter season. Among the two less common subtypes, transition days in which the dew point temperature and pressure both rise are more frequently observed across the western states, and days in which both variables fall are more frequently observed in coastal regions. The relative frequencies of wintertime warm and cold fronts have changed over the period 1951-2007. Relative cold front frequency has significantly increased in the Northeast and Midwest regions, and warm front frequencies have declined in the Midwest, Rocky Mountain, and Pacific Northwest regions. The overall shift toward cold fronts and away from warm fronts across the northern USA arises from a combination of an enhanced ridge over western North America and a northward shift of storm tracks throughout the mid-latitudes. These results are consistent with projections of climate change associated with elevated greenhouse gas concentrations.

Upper midwest climate variations: farmer responses to excess water risks.

PubMed

Morton, Lois Wright; Hobbs, Jonathan; Arbuckle, J Gordon; Loy, Adam

2015-05-01

Persistent above average precipitation and runoff and associated increased sediment transfers from cultivated ecosystems to rivers and oceans are due to changes in climate and human action. The US Upper Midwest has experienced a 37% increase in precipitation (1958-2012), leading to increased crop damage from excess water and off-farm loss of soil and nutrients. Farmer adaptive management responses to changing weather patterns have potential to reduce crop losses and address degrading soil and water resources. This research used farmer survey ( = 4778) and climate data (1971-2011) to model influences of geophysical context, past weather, on-farm flood and saturated soils experiences, and risk and vulnerability perceptions on management practices. Seasonal precipitation varied across six Upper Midwest subregions and was significantly associated with variations in management. Increased warm-season precipitation (2007-2011) relative to the past 40 yr was positively associated with no-till, drainage, and increased planting on highly erodible land (HEL). Experience with saturated soils was significantly associated with increased use of drainage and less use of no-till, cover crops, and planting on HEL. Farmers in counties with a higher percentage of soils considered marginal for row crops were more likely to use no-till, cover crops, and plant on HEL. Respondents who sell corn through multiple markets were more likely to have planted cover crops and planted on HEL in 2011.This suggests that regional climate conditions may not well represent individual farmers' actual and perceived experiences with changing climate conditions. Accurate climate information downscaled to localized conditions has potential to influence specific adaptation strategies. Copyright © by the American Society of Agronomy, Crop Science Society of America, and Soil Science Society of America, Inc.

Evaluation of non-stationarity of floods in the Northeastern and Upper Midwest United States

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dhakal, N.; Palmer, R. N.

2017-12-01

Climate change is likely to impact precipitation as well as snow accumulation and melt in the Northeastern and Upper Midwest Unites States, ultimately affecting the quantity and seasonal distribution of streamflow. Such information is crucial for flood protection polices for example for regional flood frequency analysis. The objective of this study is to analyze seasonality and magnitude of long-term daily annual maximum streamflow (AMF) records and its changes for 158 sites in Northeastern and Upper Midwest Unites States. Temporal trends were analyzed based on two 30-year blocks (1951-1980 and 1981-2010) of AMF. Seasonality is assessed based on nonparametric directional/circular statistical method that allows for an adaptive estimation of seasonal density. The results for temporal change in seasonality showed mixed pattern/trend across the stations. While for majority of the stations, the distribution of AMF timing is strongly unimodal (concentrated around Spring season) for the earlier time period, the strength in the modes have gotten weaker during the recent time period for a number of stations along the coastal states indicating the emergence of multiple modes and change in seasonality therein. Assessment of the temporal change in magnitude of AMF based on the Mann-Kendall nonparametric test shows that majority of the stations do not show significant increasing or decreasing trend for either time period. It is also observed that comparatively more stations show increasing trends in magnitude based on AMF from earlier time period and most of these stations are coastal sites concentrated in the southeastern part of the region. Our study focused on both seasonality and magnitude of AMF has important implications for flood management and mitigation.

Sliding, Insulating Window Panel Reduces Heat Loss.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

School Business Affairs, 1984

1984-01-01

A new sliding insulated panel reduces window heat loss up to 86 percent, and infiltration 60-90 percent, paying for itself in 3-9 years. This article discusses the panel's use and testing in the upper Midwest, reporting both technical characteristics and users' reactions. (MCG)

DEVELOPMENT OF MACROINVERTEBRATE INDICATORS FOR NONWADEABLE TRIBUTARIES TO THE OHIO AND MISSISSIPPI RIVERS

EPA Science Inventory

In 2004-02005, macroinvertebrates were sampled from selected large rivers of the upper Midwest to develop appropriate assessment indicators. Macroinvertebrates, habitat and water chemistry data were collected from 132 randomly selected sites across 6 rivers with varying land cove...

7 CFR 1030.15 - Fluid milk product.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 9 2014-01-01 2013-01-01 true Fluid milk product. 1030.15 Section 1030.15 Agriculture... AND ORDERS; MILK), DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE MILK IN THE UPPER MIDWEST MARKETING AREA Order Regulating Handling Definitions § 1030.15 Fluid milk product. See § 1000.15. ...

7 CFR 1030.15 - Fluid milk product.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 9 2013-01-01 2013-01-01 false Fluid milk product. 1030.15 Section 1030.15... AGREEMENTS AND ORDERS; MILK), DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE MILK IN THE UPPER MIDWEST MARKETING AREA Order Regulating Handling Definitions § 1030.15 Fluid milk product. See § 1000.15. ...

7 CFR 1030.15 - Fluid milk product.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 9 2012-01-01 2012-01-01 false Fluid milk product. 1030.15 Section 1030.15... Agreements and Orders; Milk), DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE MILK IN THE UPPER MIDWEST MARKETING AREA Order Regulating Handling Definitions § 1030.15 Fluid milk product. See § 1000.15. ...

7 CFR 1030.14 - Other source milk.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 9 2013-01-01 2013-01-01 false Other source milk. 1030.14 Section 1030.14 Agriculture... AND ORDERS; MILK), DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE MILK IN THE UPPER MIDWEST MARKETING AREA Order Regulating Handling Definitions § 1030.14 Other source milk. See § 1000.14. ...

7 CFR 1030.14 - Other source milk.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 9 2012-01-01 2012-01-01 false Other source milk. 1030.14 Section 1030.14 Agriculture... and Orders; Milk), DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE MILK IN THE UPPER MIDWEST MARKETING AREA Order Regulating Handling Definitions § 1030.14 Other source milk. See § 1000.14. ...

7 CFR 1030.14 - Other source milk.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 9 2014-01-01 2013-01-01 true Other source milk. 1030.14 Section 1030.14 Agriculture... AND ORDERS; MILK), DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE MILK IN THE UPPER MIDWEST MARKETING AREA Order Regulating Handling Definitions § 1030.14 Other source milk. See § 1000.14. ...

Transportation impacts of the Chicago River closure to prevent an asian carp infestation.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2012-07-01

This project develops a simple linear programming model of the Upper Midwest regions rail transportation network to test : whether a closure of the Chicago River to freight traffic would impact the capacity constraint of the rail system. The result :...

Analyzing log and chip truck performance in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan with GPS tracking devices.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2011-07-31

"Minimizing transportation costs is essential in the forest products industry, as the : relatively low value : and high weight of the products causes transportation to account for exceptionally high : portion of the : overall cost. The Midwest forest...

Analyzing log and chip truck performance in the upper peninsula of Michigan with GPS tracking devices.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2011-07-01

Minimizing transportation costs is essential in the forest products industry, as the relatively low value and high weight of the products causes transportation to account for exceptionally high portion of the overall cost. The Midwest forest products...

FORETELL : providing integrated weather information services across the Upper-Midwest

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1998-08-19

Weather has an enormous effect on travel and road conditions. Drifting snow, ice, fog, and gusty winds are some of the weather events that contribute to the deaths of more than 1150 U.S. and Canadian highway users every winter. Adverse conditions cut...

Influence of fertilization on mycorrhizal dynamics in a perennial biomass production system

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Interest among landowners in diversified production systems is growing in the Upper Midwest. Diversification in the form of perennial biomass production systems from converted cropland is supported by developments in livestock integration as well as cellulosic and gasification energy platforms. Mana...

7 CFR 1030.14 - Other source milk.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 9 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Other source milk. 1030.14 Section 1030.14 Agriculture... and Orders; Milk), DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE MILK IN THE UPPER MIDWEST MARKETING AREA Order Regulating Handling Definitions § 1030.14 Other source milk. See § 1000.14. ...

7 CFR 1030.15 - Fluid milk product.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 9 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Fluid milk product. 1030.15 Section 1030.15... Agreements and Orders; Milk), DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE MILK IN THE UPPER MIDWEST MARKETING AREA Order Regulating Handling Definitions § 1030.15 Fluid milk product. See § 1000.15. ...

7 CFR 1030.15 - Fluid milk product.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 9 2010-01-01 2009-01-01 true Fluid milk product. 1030.15 Section 1030.15 Agriculture... and Orders; Milk), DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE MILK IN THE UPPER MIDWEST MARKETING AREA Order Regulating Handling Definitions § 1030.15 Fluid milk product. See § 1000.15. ...

7 CFR 1030.14 - Other source milk.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 9 2010-01-01 2009-01-01 true Other source milk. 1030.14 Section 1030.14 Agriculture... and Orders; Milk), DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE MILK IN THE UPPER MIDWEST MARKETING AREA Order Regulating Handling Definitions § 1030.14 Other source milk. See § 1000.14. ...

Soil nutrient dynamics in a perennial biomass production system

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

In the upper Midwest, economic and social interests in bioenergy and low-carbon fuels are stimulating the conversion of cropland into perennial biomass systems. Landowners are embracing the change by developing diverse whole-farm management systems that can balance economic and environmental risk of...

Performance of soil-aggregate-fabric systems in frost-susceptible roads, Linn County, Iowa.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1980-05-01

Thousands of miles of unimproved secondary roads in the upper midwest are annually plagued by frost action in their subgrades. Among the economic losses incurred are costs of repair and maintenance of the damaged roadway. Considerable loss of skid re...

An economic analysis comparison of stationary and dual-axis tracking grid-connected photovoltaic systems in the US Upper Midwest

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Choi, Wongyu; Pate, Michael B.; Warren, Ryan D.; Nelson, Ron M.

2018-05-01

This paper presents an economic analysis of stationary and dual-axis tracking photovoltaic (PV) systems installed in the US Upper Midwest in terms of life-cycle costs, payback period, internal rate of return, and the incremental cost of solar energy. The first-year performance and energy savings were experimentally found along with documented initial cost. Future PV performance, savings, and operating and maintenance costs were estimated over 25-year assumed life. Under the given assumptions and discount rates, the life-cycle savings were found to be negative. Neither system was found to have payback periods less than the assumed system life. The lifetime average incremental costs of energy generated by the stationary and dual-axis tracking systems were estimated to be 0.31 and 0.37 per kWh generated, respectively. Economic analyses of different scenarios, each having a unique set of assumptions for costs and metering, showed a potential for economic feasibility under certain conditions when compared to alternative investments with assumed yields.

A GIS-derived integrated moisture index to predict forest composition and productivity of Ohio forests (U.S.A.)

Treesearch

Louis R. Iverson; Martin E. Dale; Charles T. Scott; Anantha Prasad; Anantha Prasad

1997-01-01

A geographic information system (GIS) approach was used in conjunction with forest-plot data to develop an integrated moisture index (IMI), which was then used to predict forest productivity (site index) and species composition for forests in Ohio. In this region, typical of eastern hardwoods across the Midwest and southern Appalachians, topographic aspect and position...

The relationship between environmental amenities and changing human settlement patterns between 1980 and 2000 in the Midwestern USA

Treesearch

Eric J. Gustafson; Volker C. Radeloff; Robert Potts

2005-01-01

Natural resource amenities may be an attractor as people decide where they will live and invest in property. In the American Midwest these amenities range from lakes to forests to pastoral landscapes, depending on the ecological province. We used simple linear regression models to test the hypotheses that physiographic, land cover (composition and spatial pattern),...

Acculturation and Perceived Social Distance among Arabs and Saudi Arabians in an ESL Situation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Al-Qahtani, Abdulkhaleq A.

2016-01-01

The main purpose of this study was to explore the perceived social distance among a small Arab community residing in a college town in the Midwest of the USA. The study examines its possible impact on the process of learning/acquiring English as a second language (ESL). It draws on the findings and contentions of the acculturation model as…

Characterizing Chickpeas for End Use Characteristics

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

In the United States, cool-season grain legumes, including chickpeas, are integral components of cereal-based cropping systems in the Pacific Northwest and the Upper Midwest. The addition of a pulse crop helps break disease and weed cycles and adds nitrogen and organic matter to the soil. In this ...

Assessment of multimodal freight bottlenecks and alleviation strategies for upper Midwest region.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2010-05-01

The freight that passes through the Mississippi Valley Region is high volume and has a substantial impact on the economy of the : region. According to the BTS-sponsored Commodity Flow Survey, trucks carried almost 2.5 billion tons of freight across t...

Assessment of multiple management systems in the Upper Midwest

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Reduced tillage, multi-crop rotations and use of organic fertilizers are characteristically expected to improve soil quality. As measures of soil quality, microbial and soluble C and N were evaluated in an nine-year assessment of management practices alternative to a conventionally managed two-year ...

7 CFR 1030.44 - Classification of producer milk.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 9 2012-01-01 2012-01-01 false Classification of producer milk. 1030.44 Section 1030... SERVICE (Marketing Agreements and Orders; Milk), DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE MILK IN THE UPPER MIDWEST MARKETING AREA Order Regulating Handling Classification of Milk § 1030.44 Classification of producer milk...

7 CFR 1030.44 - Classification of producer milk.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 9 2013-01-01 2013-01-01 false Classification of producer milk. 1030.44 Section 1030... SERVICE (MARKETING AGREEMENTS AND ORDERS; MILK), DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE MILK IN THE UPPER MIDWEST MARKETING AREA Order Regulating Handling Classification of Milk § 1030.44 Classification of producer milk...

7 CFR 1030.44 - Classification of producer milk.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 9 2014-01-01 2013-01-01 true Classification of producer milk. 1030.44 Section 1030... SERVICE (MARKETING AGREEMENTS AND ORDERS; MILK), DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE MILK IN THE UPPER MIDWEST MARKETING AREA Order Regulating Handling Classification of Milk § 1030.44 Classification of producer milk...

7 CFR 1030.44 - Classification of producer milk.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 9 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Classification of producer milk. 1030.44 Section 1030... SERVICE (Marketing Agreements and Orders; Milk), DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE MILK IN THE UPPER MIDWEST MARKETING AREA Order Regulating Handling Classification of Milk § 1030.44 Classification of producer milk...

7 CFR 1030.44 - Classification of producer milk.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 9 2010-01-01 2009-01-01 true Classification of producer milk. 1030.44 Section 1030... SERVICE (Marketing Agreements and Orders; Milk), DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE MILK IN THE UPPER MIDWEST MARKETING AREA Order Regulating Handling Classification of Milk § 1030.44 Classification of producer milk...

Can reducing tillage and increasing crop diversity benefit grain and forage production?

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Benefits of reduced tillage and diverse rotation cropping systems include reversing soil C loss, mitigating greenhouse gas production, and improving soil health. However, adoption of these strategies is lagging, particularly in the upper Midwest, due to a perception that reduced tillage reduces cro...

Water Quality Monitoring by Satellite

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Journal of Chemical Education, 2004

2004-01-01

The availability of abundant water resources in the Upper Midwest of the United States is nullified by their contamination through heavy commercial and industrial activities. Scientists have taken the responsibility of detecting the water quality of these resources through remote-sensing satellites to develop a wide-ranging water purification plan…

The Upper Mississippi River System—Topobathy

USGS Publications Warehouse

Stone, Jayme M.; Hanson, Jenny L.; Sattler, Stephanie R.

2017-03-23

The Upper Mississippi River System (UMRS), the navigable part of the Upper Mississippi and Illinois Rivers, is a diverse ecosystem that contains river channels, tributaries, shallow-water wetlands, backwater lakes, and flood-plain forests. Approximately 10,000 years of geologic and hydrographic history exist within the UMRS. Because it maintains crucial wildlife and fish habitats, the dynamic ecosystems of the Upper Mississippi River Basin and its tributaries are contingent on the adjacent flood plains and water-level fluctuations of the Mississippi River. Separate data for flood-plain elevation (lidar) and riverbed elevation (bathymetry) were collected on the UMRS by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ (USACE) Upper Mississippi River Restoration (UMRR) Program. Using the two elevation datasets, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center (UMESC) developed a systemic topobathy dataset.

Impacts of Climate Change on Operation of the US Rail Network

EPA Science Inventory

The rail network in the US is the largest network within any single country at 140,000 miles of Class 1 tracks. The network is predominantly focused on freight traffic with the exception of key passenger corridors along the eastern seaboard and in the upper Midwest. This extens...

Corn response to nitrogen management under fully-irrigated vs. water-stressed conditions

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Characterizing corn grain yield response to nitrogen (N) fertilizer rate is critical for maximizing profits, optimizing N use efficiency and minimizing environmental impacts. Although a large data base of yield response to N has been compiled for highly productive soils in the upper Midwest U.S., f...

Cover crop options and mixes for the upper midwest

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The implementation of cover crops in Iowa has the potential to decrease soil erosion, weed populations, and the loss of nutrients. Currently, less than 1% of all Iowa farmland is planted to cover crops, most of which is winter rye. This research explores 16 different cover crop treatments planted a...

Establishment and function of cover crops interseeded into corn

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Cover crops can provide ecological services and improve the resiliency of annual cropping systems; however, cover crop use is low in corn (Zea mays L.)-soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] rotations in the upper Midwest due to challenges with establishment. Our objective was to compare three planting me...

Accounting for alfalfa N credits increases returns to corn production

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Guidelines are relatively consistent across the Upper Midwest regarding the N benefit of alfalfa to the following grain crops. With higher corn yields and prices, however, some growers have questioned these guidelines and whether more N fertilizer is needed for first-year corn following a good stand...

7 CFR 1030.52 - Adjusted Class I differentials.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 9 2014-01-01 2013-01-01 true Adjusted Class I differentials. 1030.52 Section 1030.52... AGREEMENTS AND ORDERS; MILK), DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE MILK IN THE UPPER MIDWEST MARKETING AREA Order Regulating Handling Class Prices § 1030.52 Adjusted Class I differentials. See § 1000.52. ...

7 CFR 1030.52 - Adjusted Class I differentials.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 9 2010-01-01 2009-01-01 true Adjusted Class I differentials. 1030.52 Section 1030.52... Agreements and Orders; Milk), DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE MILK IN THE UPPER MIDWEST MARKETING AREA Order Regulating Handling Class Prices § 1030.52 Adjusted Class I differentials. See § 1000.52. ...

REGIONALLY APPROPRIATE SUSTAINABLE DESIGN: URBAN GREEN ROOF APPLICATIONS FOR TEMPERATE CONTINENTAL CLIMATES

EPA Science Inventory

As a strategy for sustainable development, green roof technology is gaining acceptance in the U.S. However, widespread adoption in highly variable continental climates, such as the Upper Midwest (EPA Region 5), lags behind green roof use in cities with simi...

75 FR 39039 - Notice of Availability of the Final Environmental Assessment for the Upper Midwest Environmental...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-07-07

... DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR United States Geological Survey Notice of Availability of the Final... AGENCY: United States Geological Survey, Interior. ACTION: Notice of Availability (NOA). SUMMARY: In... systems consisting of internal sprinkler systems designed to fit each building's unique layout, function...

7 CFR 1030.13 - Producer milk.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 9 2013-01-01 2013-01-01 false Producer milk. 1030.13 Section 1030.13 Agriculture... AND ORDERS; MILK), DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE MILK IN THE UPPER MIDWEST MARKETING AREA Order Regulating Handling Definitions § 1030.13 Producer milk. Except as provided for in paragraph (e) of this section...

7 CFR 1030.13 - Producer milk.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 9 2014-01-01 2013-01-01 true Producer milk. 1030.13 Section 1030.13 Agriculture... AND ORDERS; MILK), DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE MILK IN THE UPPER MIDWEST MARKETING AREA Order Regulating Handling Definitions § 1030.13 Producer milk. Except as provided for in paragraph (e) of this section...

7 CFR 1030.13 - Producer milk.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 9 2012-01-01 2012-01-01 false Producer milk. 1030.13 Section 1030.13 Agriculture... and Orders; Milk), DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE MILK IN THE UPPER MIDWEST MARKETING AREA Order Regulating Handling Definitions § 1030.13 Producer milk. Except as provided for in paragraph (e) of this section...

7 CFR 1030.13 - Producer milk.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... and Orders; Milk), DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE MILK IN THE UPPER MIDWEST MARKETING AREA Order Regulating... month the dairy farmer is a producer. If a dairy farmer loses producer status under the order in this... dairy farmer's milk failing to pool the milk under any order), the dairy farmer's milk shall not be...

7 CFR 1030.13 - Producer milk.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... and Orders; Milk), DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE MILK IN THE UPPER MIDWEST MARKETING AREA Order Regulating... month the dairy farmer is a producer. If a dairy farmer loses producer status under the order in this... dairy farmer's milk failing to pool the milk under any order), the dairy farmer's milk shall not be...

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

Chaubey, Indrajeet; Cibin, Raj; Bowling, Laura

The overall goal of this project was to conduct a watershed-scale sustainability assessment of multiple species of energy crops and removal of crop residues within two watersheds (Wildcat Creek, and St. Joseph River) representative of conditions in the Upper Midwest. The sustainability assessment included bioenergy feedstock production impacts on environmental quality, economic costs of production, and ecosystem services.

A History of ESL Instruction in Madison, Wisconsin.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kuntz, Patricia S.

This paper investigates the emergence of English-as-a- Second-Language (ESL) instruction in Madison, Wisconsin. Like other medium-sized, upper-midwest communities, the demand for ESL instruction has exploded. Despite some visa limitations placed on international students who wish to study English in the United States since September 2001, ESL…

Blogging in the Communication Technology Course

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Platt, Carrie Anne

2011-01-01

This article describes an assignment that was developed for an undergraduate course on communication technologies taught at a public university in the Upper Midwest. The course focuses on the impact of new media technologies on traditional media industries and contemporary culture, and is taken by students majoring in journalism, public relations,…

Treatment of phosphorus transported from tile and ditch-drained agricultural fields using sorption materials

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Many flat, poorly drained soils, such as the Delmarva Peninsula, the upper Midwest, and certain areas of Europe such as Denmark and Netherlands, have been extensively drained through the construction of artificial drainage ditches and tiles to allow agriculture and other human activities. In additi...

Satellite View of the U.S. Wrapped in a Frozen Blanket

NASA Image and Video Library

2017-12-08

As icy cold Canadian air settled over the eastern two-thirds of the U.S. bringing snow and bitter cold, NOAA's GOES-East satellite captured this infrared view of what looks like a frozen blanket over the region. NOAA's GOES-East satellite provides visible and infrared images over the eastern U.S. and the Atlantic Ocean from its fixed orbit in space. In an infrared image taken on Nov. 18 at 12:30 UTC (7:30 a.m. EST), the cold air over the eastern and central U.S. appears to look like a blanket of white, but it's not all snow. Infrared data shows temperature, so although the eastern two-thirds of the U.S. appears to appear is if snow covers the ground, the blanket is in fact cold clouds. However, snow does lie under that blanket in the Upper Midwest, Ohio Valley, and Canada, where it will continue in those areas through Thursday, Nov. 20. "Dozens of lakes behind dams in the Southeast USA stand out as dark spots in a grey landscape," said Dennis Chesters of NASA/NOAA's GOES Project at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md. "That is because we invert the display of infrared emission to make cold cloud tops appear white, frozen land grey, and warm water dark." NOAA's National Weather Service Weather Prediction Center said that the deep low pressure system pushing that polar air over the Eastern U.S. is centered over southeastern Canada. On Tuesday, Nov. 18, freeze and frost warnings stretch from the upper Great Lakes to Florida. Some areas in the Upper Great Lakes are forecast to receive over two feet of snow. Well below average temperatures are forecast to reach the Gulf Coast, with most of the Mid-Atlantic States barely getting above freezing Tuesday and Wednesday. In the Midwest, periods of lake effect snow are forecast to continue south and east of the Great Lakes through Wednesday. Read more: www.nasa.gov/content/goddard/satellite-view-of-the-us-wra... Credit: NOAA/NASA GOES Project NASA image use policy. NASA Goddard Space Flight Center enables NASA’s mission through four scientific endeavors: Earth Science, Heliophysics, Solar System Exploration, and Astrophysics. Goddard plays a leading role in NASA’s accomplishments by contributing compelling scientific knowledge to advance the Agency’s mission. Follow us on Twitter Like us on Facebook Find us on Instagram

Environmental Impact Study of the Northern Section of the Upper Mississippi River, Upper and Lower St. Anthony Falls Pool.

DTIC Science & Technology

1973-11-01

willow, locust and staghorn sumac. Honeysuckle, wild grape and jewelweed are found as well as other shrubs , vines and herbs. For this environmental...Prosent Distribution Indiana Bat Midwest and eastern United States from the M~otis sodalis western edge of Ozark egion in Okiahoma Status endangcrcd with...wildlife habitat in the area as well ar plans ]or attractive spoil "recycl ilg’" areas, screened by an assortment of native trees, vines , hurbs and shrubs

A Cross-Cultural Change of Gender Roles: The Case of Pilipino Women Immigrants in Midwest City, U.S.A.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pido, Antonio J. A.

This paper examines the social status of women in Filipino culture and the way this is affected by exposure to American culture when they immigrate. First, the status of women in the Philippine social structure is discussed. Perceptions of the role of education are analyzed and statistics given for the enrollment of women in colleges. The results…

Positive and Negative Aspects of Relationship Quality and Unprotected Sex among Young Women

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brady, Sonya S.; Gruber, Sandra K.; Wolfson, Julian A.

2016-01-01

The aim of this study was to examine both positive and negative aspects of relationship quality in relation to condom use. Sexually active young women aged 14-18 years (n = 111; 34% non-white) were recruited from community clinics and schools in the Midwest USA and provided data via an online survey. The number of unprotected sex acts in the past…

Children's Conceptions of Sampling in Local Ecosystems Investigations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lehrer, Richard; Schauble, Leona

2017-01-01

This study describes how students' intuitions about sampling are informed by extended experiences in investigating local ecosystems. Elementary students in a rural/suburban district in the upper midwest spent a year conducting first-hand comparative field studies of nearby ponds, prairies, and forests. At the close of the term, we conducted…

Rye cover crop effects on soil quality in no-till corn silage-soybean cropping systems

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Corn and soybean farmers in the upper Midwest are showing increasing interest in winter cover crops. Known benefits of winter cover crops include reductions in nutrient leaching, erosion prevention, and weed suppression; however, the effects of winter cover crops on soil quality in this region have ...

Effect of date of termination of a winter cereal rye cover crop (Secale cereale) on corn seedling disease

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Cover cropping is an expanding conservation practice that offers substantial benefits to soil protection, soil health, water quality, and potentially crop yields. Presently, winter cereals are the most widely used cover crops in the upper Midwest. However, winter cereal cover crops preceding corn, ...

Nitrous oxide emissions from fertilized soil: Can we manage it?

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Cropped fields in the upper Midwest have the potential to emit nitrous oxide (N2O) and nitric oxide (NO) gases resulting from soil transformation of nitrogen (N) fertilizers applied to crops such as corn and potatoes. Nitrous oxide is a potent greenhouse and also an important in ozone depleting che...

Prevalence and Correlates of Physical Dating Violence among North American Indigenous Adolescents

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hautala, Dane S.; Sittner Hartshorn, Kelley J.; Armenta, Brian; Whitbeck, Les

2017-01-01

This study examined the lifetime prevalence of physical dating violence, including victimization, perpetration, and the overlap between the two (mutual violence), among a population sample of 551 reservation/reserve residing Indigenous (i.e., American Indian and Canadian First Nations) adolescents in the upper-Midwest of the United States and…

Conceptualizing Native Identity with a Multidimensional Model

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gonzalez, John; Bennett, Russell

2011-01-01

This study reports on a Native Identity Scale (NIS) adapted from an African American identity scale (Sellers et al., 1997). American Indian (AIs) and First Nations Canadian participants (N = 199) completed the NIS at powwows in the Upper Midwest. The majority of respondents were Ojibwe, but other tribal groups were represented. A principal…

The Role of Teachers in a Cross-cultural Drama.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wenzlaff, Terri L.; Throd, Mary A.

1995-01-01

Examines why there are so few Native American teachers in this country, specifically in the upper Midwest. Describes how one institution has increased the number of native teachers and notes student reactions to assimilation at a traditional, largely white university. Proposes an eight-hour workshop on diversity training for faculty. (SM)

7 CFR 1030.76 - Payments by a handler operating a partially regulated distributing plant.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... distributing plant. 1030.76 Section 1030.76 Agriculture Regulations of the Department of Agriculture (Continued) AGRICULTURAL MARKETING SERVICE (Marketing Agreements and Orders; Milk), DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE MILK IN THE UPPER MIDWEST MARKETING AREA Order Regulating Handling Payments for Milk § 1030.76 Payments by a handler...

7 CFR 1030.76 - Payments by a handler operating a partially regulated distributing plant.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... distributing plant. 1030.76 Section 1030.76 Agriculture Regulations of the Department of Agriculture (Continued) AGRICULTURAL MARKETING SERVICE (Marketing Agreements and Orders; Milk), DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE MILK IN THE UPPER MIDWEST MARKETING AREA Order Regulating Handling Payments for Milk § 1030.76 Payments by a handler...

7 CFR 1030.51 - Class I differential and price.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 9 2014-01-01 2013-01-01 true Class I differential and price. 1030.51 Section 1030.51... AGREEMENTS AND ORDERS; MILK), DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE MILK IN THE UPPER MIDWEST MARKETING AREA Order Regulating Handling Class Prices § 1030.51 Class I differential and price. The Class I differential shall be...

7 CFR 1030.51 - Class I differential and price.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 9 2010-01-01 2009-01-01 true Class I differential and price. 1030.51 Section 1030.51... Agreements and Orders; Milk), DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE MILK IN THE UPPER MIDWEST MARKETING AREA Order Regulating Handling Class Prices § 1030.51 Class I differential and price. The Class I differential shall be...

Terrorism and Resilience: Adolescents' and Teachers' Responses to September 11, 2001

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Noppe, Illene C.; Noppe, Lloyd D.; Bartell, Denise

2006-01-01

This study examined the impact of terrorism on adolescents, who may be resolving developmental issues regarding their vulnerability to death. Approximately 4 months after the September 11th attacks, a survey was given to 973 Upper Midwest adolescents and teachers. Quantitative analyses indicated that adolescents (especially girls) were frightened…

Yield tradeoffs and nitrogen between pennycress, camelina, and soybean in relay- and double-crop systems

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

To gain additional value from land during winter fallow periods, growers in the Upper Midwest are considering winter annual oilseed crops such as field pennycress (Thlaspi arvense L.) and winter camelina (Camelina sativa L.) as value-added additions to the corn-soybean rotation. The objective of thi...

Assessment of black ash (Fraxinus nigra) decline in Minnesota

Treesearch

Kathleen Ward; Michael Ostry; Robert Venette; Brian Palik; Mark Hansen; Mark Hatfield

2009-01-01

Black ash (Fraxinus nigra) is an important component of wetland forests throughout the Upper Midwest and northeastern United States and is highly valued for paneling, furniture, and basketry. Decline of black ash has been noted with increasing frequency, although no detailed studies of the pattern of decline across the region have been done. From...

Virtual Rural Community Development: Human Links That Sustain Web Links.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bright, Larry K.; Evans, Wayne H.; Marmet, Kathy

Outmigration in the rural Upper Midwest prompted a group of citizens and University of South Dakota faculty to form the Center for the Advancement of Rural Communities (ARC). ARC considers how to stimulate traditionally competitive and isolated South Dakota peoples to collaborate for economic, social, educational, political, and cultural gains. As…

Drivers of change for lakewater clarity

Treesearch

Lawrence A. Baker; Johanna E. Schussler; Stephanie A. Snyder

2008-01-01

Lakes in the Upper Midwest have undergone extensive lakeshore development over the past 30 years, raising concerns about eutrophication. We examined 11 case study lakes in Minnesota that had undergone substantial shoreline development over the past 30 years to evaluate drivers of change in clarity. Relationships between current Secchi disk transparency (SDT) and the...

Leading through a Fiscal Nightmare: The Impact on Principals and Superintendents

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ginsberg, Rick; Multon, Karen D.

2011-01-01

Given the centrality of leadership for school success, leader morale and effectiveness in tough times can't be overemphasized. The authors' work examined how principals and superintendents deal with and are affected by a significant economic downturn. They surveyed 93 principals from one large upper-Midwest metropolitan area and 100…

Use of Switchgrass as the Primary Potting Component in Nursery Containers

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Pine bark is the primary potting component for nursery containers in Ohio and other Upper Midwest states. Most pine bark comes from lumber or paper mills in southern states. Due to the recent energy crisis, availability of pine bark has declined while the cost to import pine bark from southern sta...

It's Not about Me: College Women and Unplanned Pregnancy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hardy, Jayne W.

2011-01-01

The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the experiences of single college women who had an unplanned pregnancy while attending a small private four-year university in the upper midwest. The conceptual framework used to provide direction for this study was social constructivism. A phenomenological approach was used to seek the reality…

Cultivar and planting date selection for relay-cropping soybean with winter oilseeds

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Double- and relay-cropping soybean with winter camelina (Camelina sativa L. Crantz) and pennycress (Thlaspi arvense L.) have been shown to be viable cropping systems for the Upper Midwest. Relaying soybean with these winter oilseeds can result in greater total seed yield (i.e., both combined) and ec...

Glacial sediment causing regional-scale elevated arsenic in drinking water.

PubMed

Erickson, Melinda L; Barnes, Randal J

2005-01-01

In the upper Midwest, USA, elevated arsenic concentrations in public drinking water systems are associated with the lateral extent of northwest provenance late Wisconsin-aged drift. Twelve percent of public water systems located within the footprint of this drift (212 of 1764) exceed 10 microg/L arsenic, which is the U.S. EPA's drinking water standard. Outside of the footprint, only 2.4% of public water systems (52 of 2182) exceed 10 microg/L arsenic. Both glacial drift aquifers and shallow bedrock aquifers overlain by northwest provenance late Wisconsin-aged sediment are affected by arsenic contamination. Evidence suggests that the distinct physical characteristics of northwest provenance late Wisconsin-aged drift--its fine-grained matrix and entrained organic carbon that fosters biological activity--cause the geochemical conditions necessary to mobilize arsenic via reductive mechanisms such as reductive desorption and reductive dissolution of metal oxides. This study highlights an important and often unrecognized phenomenon: high-arsenic sediment is not necessary to cause arsenic-impacted ground water--when "impacted" is now defined as >10 microg/L. This analysis also demonstrates the scientific and economic value of using existing large but imperfect statewide data sets to observe and characterize regional-scale environmental problems.

Comparison of the USGS 2001 NLCD to the 2002 USDA Census of Agriculture for the Upper Midwest United States

USGS Publications Warehouse

Maxwell, S.K.; Wood, E.C.; Janus, A.

2008-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) 2001 National Land Cover Database (NLCD) was compared to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) 2002 Census of Agriculture. We compared areal estimates for cropland at the state and county level for 14 States in the Upper Midwest region of the United States. Absolute differences between the NLCD and Census cropland areal estimates at the state level ranged from 1.3% (Minnesota) to 37.0% (Wisconsin). The majority of counties (74.5%) had differences of less than 100 km2. 7.2% of the counties had differences of more than 200 km2. Regions where the largest areal differences occurred were in southern Illinois, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wisconsin, and generally occurred in areas with the lowest proportions of cropland (i.e., dominated by forest or grassland). Before using the 2001 NLCD for agricultural applications, such as mapping of specific crop types, users should be aware of the potential for misclassification errors, especially where the proportion of cropland to other land cover types is fairly low.

New Radiocarbon Dates on Upper Mid-West Proboscideans: Determining Date Robustness

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hodgins, G.; Widga, C.; Lengyel, S. N.; Saunders, J.; Walker, J. D.

2013-12-01

With the objective of refining the picture of Megafaunal extinction patterns in the upper Midwest in the terminal Pleistocene, we have assembled for radiocarbon dating specimens from more than 80 distinct Mammut and Mammuthus remains from potentially late sites. So far, we have measurements for 65 bones, tusks and teeth, nearly double the extant number of published dates . These new specimens were all from museums rather than excavation sites, and 60% were known to be coated with a consolidant. The predominant consolidant was Butvar B-76, however shellac, Elmer's Glue, Glyptol were also noted in the conservation records, or deduced from knowledge of a particular museum's practices. Given the objective of the project is to identify extinction patterns, coupled with the wide prevalence of consolidants amongst the specimen set, it was imperative that testing be carried out to confirm that radiocarbon laboratory protocols removed the consolidants, so that ultimately the dates can be considered robust. To this end, key specimens were dated three times using different sample preparation protocols. These were 1) a solvent extraction followed by a modified Longin-plus -Base continuous flow collagen extraction method used in the NSF-Arizona AMS facility, 2) the solvent/modified Longin method plus ultrafiltration, and 3) solvent/modified Longin method plus hydroxyproline single amino acid dating. Among the specimens subjected to triplicate testing were some of the youngest late Wisconsin proboscidean specimens from the Upper Midwest Region. The data reveal general agreement between the different protocols, and suggested either limited penetration of consolidants into the specimens, or that the standard laboratory cleaning protocols were sufficient to remove traces from deep within bone, tooth or tusk tissue. The preservation of each specimen, recorded in terms of collagen content, C/N ratio and stable isotope values, indicated that most were actually well preserved, implying the application of consolidant in the first place might have been unnecessary. The implications of these measurements, in terms of elucidating megafaunal extinction patterns, will be presented in future publications.

Quantifying the relative contribution of an ecological reserve to conservation objectives

USGS Publications Warehouse

Aagaard, Kevin; Lyons, James E.; Thogmartin, Wayne E.

2017-01-01

Evaluating the role public lands play in meeting conservation goals is an essential step in good governance. We present a tool for comparing the regional contribution of each of a suite of wildlife management units to conservation goals. We use weighted summation (simple additive weighting) to compute a Unit Contribution Index (UCI) based on species richness, population abundance, and a conservation score based on IUCN Red List classified threat levels. We evaluate UCI for a subset of the 729 participating wetlands of the Integrated Waterbird Management and Monitoring (IWMM) Program across U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Regions 3 (Midwest USA), 4 (Southeast USA), and 5 (Northeast USA). We found that the median across-Region UCI for Region 5 was greater than Regions 3 and 4, while Region 4 had the greatest within-Region UCI median. This index is a powerful tool for wildlife managers to evaluate the performance of units within the conservation estate.

Great River Environmental Action Team (GREAT II) Upper Mississippi River (Guttenberg, Iowa to Saverton, Missouri). Appendix. Fish and Wildlife Management Work Group.

DTIC Science & Technology

1980-12-01

evaluate silt tolerance and growing success of tree, shrub , vine , grass, and shrub species that are beneficial to wildlife. Additional information will...including plowed fields 4. Levee - levees and areas adjacent to levees usually consisting of grasses, forbs, vines , shrubs , and a few trees 5. Old field...of the river- can b~e measured by the many uses man dcniiads of its waters, its hoeins and its rloxlplain. Population ex- pansion in the Upper Midwest

Operation and Maintenance. 9-Foot Navigation Channel, Upper Mississippi River, Head of Navigation to Guttenberg, Iowa. Volume 1. Narrative.

DTIC Science & Technology

1974-08-01

forest, along with wood nettle, which is by far the most common shrub layer vegetation, although neither is abundant in the forest proper. Vine form...poison ivy, Virginia creeper, wild grape, p" are common woody vines . The high unshaded edges of running sloughs in the forest areas often have thick...Mississippi River floodplain. 36 7.....a................ S -"’ 2.10 Beginning about 1 million years ago, the Upper Midwest entered what is commonly referred to

Examining the Intersections between Undergraduates' Engagement in Community Service and Development of Socially Responsible Leadership

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Soria, Krista; Nobbe, June; Fink, Alex

2013-01-01

This paper examined relationships between students' engagement in community service in different contexts through classes, student organizations, work study, and on their own as well as their development of socially responsible leadership at a large, public, research university in the Upper Midwest. Results from the Multi-Institutional Study of…

Rye cover crop increases earthworm populations and reduces losses of broadcast, fall-applied, fertilizers in surface runoff

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Corn (Zea mays L.) silage and soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] rotations in the US Upper Midwest leave minimal amounts of surface residues, which can contribute to soil degradation and a reduction in water quality. Planting cover crops after harvest can reduce these concerns, but their effectiveness...

Forest Tent Caterpillar in the Upper Midwest

Treesearch

Steven Katovich; Jim Hanson

2001-01-01

The forest tent caterpillar (FTC), Malacosoma disstria, is a native species found throughout hardwood forests of North America. It feeds on the leaves of many trees, but in Michigan, Minnesota and Wisconsin, outbreaks occur in aspen, birch, basswood and oak stands. Sugar maple is a favorite host in Michigan's Lower Peninsula, but is not highly preferred in other...

Fungi associated with stem cankers and coincidental scolytid beetles on declining hickory in the upper midwest

Treesearch

Jennifer Juzwik; Linda Haugen; Ji-Hyun Park; Melanie Moore

2008-01-01

Higher than expected levels of hickory decline and mortality have recently been reported by Forest Health Monitoring, USDA Forest Service, on Carya spp. in Iowa, Maryland, Missouri, New York, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia. Widespread mortality of hickory has historically been attributed to outbreaks of the hickory bark beetle (Scolytus...

Cross-Cultural Competency Adaptability of Dental Hygiene Educators in Entry Level Dental Hygiene Programs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Engeswick, Lynnette Marie

2011-01-01

This study was conducted to discover the extent dental hygiene educators in 25 entry-level dental hygiene programs from the Upper Midwest demonstrate Emotional Resilience, Flexibility and Openness, Perceptual Acuity, and Personal Autonomy as they relate to their level of education and multicultural experiences. An additional purpose was to examine…

Least-cost control of agricultural nutrient contributions to the Gulf of Mexico hypoxic zone

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

In 2007, the hypoxic zone in the Gulf of Mexico, measuring 20,720 km**2, was one of the two largest reported since measurement of the zone began in 1985. The extent of the hypoxic zone is related to nitrogen and phosphorous loadings originating on agricultural fields in the upper Midwest. This stud...

Vocational-Technical Microcomputer Applications in Michigan and Bordering States (Upper Midwest Region). A Status Report: Summer 1984.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Harris, Richard; Obert, Deborah

In summer 1984, a study was conducted to assess the status of microcomputer applications in the public vocational-technical facilities of Michigan, Indiana, Minnesota, Illinois, Ohio, and Wisconsin. Mailing lists provided by the vocational education divisions of each state department of education were used to survey 705 individuals regarding…

An assessment of the relationship between emerald ash borer presence and landscape pattern

Treesearch

Susan J. Crocker; Dacia M. Meneguzzo

2009-01-01

Six years after its 2002 detection near Detroit, MI, the emerald ash borer (EAB) (Agrilus planipennis Fairmaire) has spread hundreds of miles across the Upper Midwest and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. Human-assisted transportation of infested ash materials is the primary mechanism of EAB dispersal over long distances. Natural spread...

Influence of C4 Vegetation on 13CO2 Descrimination and Isoforcing in the Upper Midwest, United States

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Agricultural crops with a C4 photosynthetic 3 pathway rapidly expanded across North America as early as 800 A.D. Their distribution continues to expand globally as demands for food and biofuel production increase. These systems are highly productive, having a significant impact on carbon and water e...

The record-breaking 2012 spring: Why degree-days were critical in assessing insect and plant development

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

In the spring of 2012, extremely high temperatures were recorded in the upper Midwest during the month of March. This sustained heat wave not only made March the warmest on record, but also induced remarkably fast development of arthropods and plants. In terms of degree-days, however, the arthropod ...

The warm winter and spring of 2012: Why degree-days were critical in measuring insect and plant development

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

In the spring of 2012, extremely high temperatures were recorded in the upper Midwest during the month of March. This sustained heat wave not only made March the warmest on record, but also induced remarkably fast development of arthropods and plants. In terms of degree-days, however, the arthropod ...

Influence of C4 vegetation on 13CO2 discrimination and isoforcing in the upper Midwest, United States

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Agricultural crops with a C4 photosynthetic pathway rapidly expanded across North America as early as 800 A.D. Their distribution continues to expand globally as demands for food and biofuel production increase. These systems are highly productive, having a significant impact on carbon and water exc...

Impacts of Mobile Computing on Student Learning in the University: A Comparison of Course Assessment Data

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hawkes, Mark; Hategekimana, Claver

2010-01-01

This study focuses on the impact of wireless, mobile computing tools on student assessment outcomes. In a campus-wide wireless, mobile computing environment at an upper Midwest university, an empirical analysis is applied to understand the relationship between student performance and Tablet PC use. An experimental/control group comparison of…

Transforming Identities: The Transition From Teacher to Leader During Teacher Leader Preparation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carver, Cynthia L.

2016-01-01

Since 1997, the Great Lakes Academy has provided leadership development for more than 800 teachers in a large metropolitan region of the Upper Midwest. Graduates of the 2-year program often describe their experience as transformative, life changing, and profound. To understand the meaning and impact of this transformation, the author used…

Estimating tree cavity distributions from historical FIA data

Treesearch

Mark D. Nelson; Charlotte Roy

2012-01-01

Tree cavities provide important habitat features for a variety of wildlife species. We describe an approach for using historical FIA data to estimate the number of trees containing cavities during the 1990s in seven states of the Upper Midwest. We estimated a total of 280 million cavity-containing trees. Iowa and Missouri had the highest percentages of cavity-...

“Lichens Lite?” chemical analysis of lichens for tracking 26 pollutants

Treesearch

Sarah Jovan; Susan Will-Wolf; Michael Amacher

2015-01-01

Lichen chemistry can be used to estimate concentrations of environmental contaminants, ranging from heavy metals and fertilizers to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, dioxins, pesticides, herbicides, and flame retardants. We conducted a pilot looking at 26 metals and nutrient anions in 5 widespread lichen species across the upper Midwest, including: As, Al, Ba, Ca, Cd,...

Neato Mosquito: An Elementary Curriculum Guide. 2nd Edition.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nasci, Roger S.; Herrington, James E.

This curriculum guide was designed with the purpose of developing public awareness of LaCrosse (LAC) encephalitis, which is a mosquito transmitted disease. LAC cases have been increasing in large numbers in the Upper Midwest and Great Lakes regions during recent years. This disease primarily affects children under the age of 15, and this guide…

Impact of tile drainage on evapotranspiration in South Dakota, USA, based on high spatiotemporal resolution evapotranspiration time series from a multi-satellite data fusion system

USGS Publications Warehouse

Yang, Yun; Anderson, Martha C.; Gao, Feng; Hain, Christopher; Kustas, William P.; Meyers, Tilden P.; Crow, Wade; Finocchiaro, Raymond G.; Otkin, Jason; Sun, Liang; Yang, Yang

2017-01-01

Soil drainage is a widely used agricultural practice in the midwest USA to remove excess soil water to potentially improve the crop yield. Research shows an increasing trend in baseflow and streamflow in the midwest over the last 60 years, which may be related to artificial drainage. Subsurface drainage (i.e., tile) in particular may have strongly contributed to the increase in these flows, because of its extensive use and recent gain in the popularity as a yield-enhancement practice. However, how evapotranspiration (ET) is impacted by tile drainage on a regional level is not well-documented. To explore spatial and temporal ET patterns and their relationship to tile drainage, we applied an energy balance-based multisensor data fusion method to estimate daily 30-m ET over an intensively tile-drained area in South Dakota, USA, from 2005 to 2013. Results suggest that tile drainage slightly decreases the annual cumulative ET, particularly during the early growing season. However, higher mid-season crop water use suppresses the extent of the decrease of the annual cumulative ET that might be anticipated from widespread drainage. The regional water balance analysis during the growing season demonstrates good closure, with the average residual from 2005 to 2012 as low as -3 mm. As an independent check of the simulated ET at the regional scale, the water balance analysis lends additional confidence to the study. The results of this study improve our understanding of the influence of agricultural drainage practices on regional ET, and can affect future decision making regarding tile drainage systems.

Cover crops in the upper midwestern United States: Potential adoption and reduction of nitrate leaching in the Mississippi River Basin

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Nitrate losses from agricultural lands in the Midwest flow into the Mississippi River Basin (MRB) and contribute significantly to hypoxia in the Gulf of Mexico. Previous work has shown that cover crops can reduce loadings, but adoption rates are low, and the potential impact is currently unknown. Th...

Assessment of Black Ash (Fraxinus nigra) Decline in Minnesota. Chapter 12

Treesearch

Brian J. Palik; Michael E. Ostry; Robert C. Venette; Kathleen T. Ward

2012-01-01

Black ash (Fraxinus nigra) is present throughout the upper Midwest and Northeastern United States and is often found in lowland hardwood forests. Black ash seed is an important food for birds and small mammals, and its twigs and foliage are used by ungulates. Black ash wood is valued for paneling and furniture as well as for Native American basketry...

Impact of Nursing Students' Free-Clinic Experiences on Subsequent Professional Nursing Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bell, Christina Lynn

2017-01-01

Bachelors of Science Nursing students at a small liberal arts college in the upper Midwest volunteer with an instructor at a free clinic as part of their curriculum. This study's purpose was to identify the impact of nursing students' free-clinic experiences on their subsequent professional nursing practice and their ability to attend to: (a)…

Use of USDA forest inventory and analysis data to assess oak tree health in Minnesota

Treesearch

Kathryn W. Kromroy; Jennifer Juzwik; Paul D. Castillo

2003-01-01

As a precursor to a regional assessment for the Upper Midwest, three variables were examined as measures of oak health in Minnesota between 1974 and 1990 using USDA Forest Service Inventory and Analysis data. Mortality was 6 percent in the 1986-1990 inventory based on numbers of dead oaks per total oaks on plots with...

Employment Skills for 21st Century Workplace: The Gap between Faculty and Student Perceptions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hodge, Kay A.; Lear, Janet L.

2011-01-01

This study compared the perceptions of college business faculty and students regarding the business competencies needed to get a job after graduation. The population for this research consisted upper-level students (n = 254), who were enrolled in business classes at a Midwest university and faculty members (n = 37) teaching in the business area at…

Effects of tillage and poultry manure application rates on Salmonella and fecal indicator bacteria concentrations in tiles draining Des Moines Lobe soils

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Application of poultry manure (PM) to cropland as fertilizer is a common practice in artificially drained regions of the Upper Midwest. To assess the potential for PM to contribute pathogenic bacteria to downstream waters, information is needed on the impacts of manure management and tillage practi...

Slow the Spread: a national program to manage the gypsy moth

Treesearch

Patrick C. Tobin; Laura M. Blackburn

2007-01-01

The gypsy moth is a destructive, nonindigenous pest of forest, shade, and fruit trees that was introduced into the United States in 1869, and is currently established throughout the Northeast and upper Midwest. The Slow the Spread Program is a regional integrated pest management strategy that aims to minimize the rate of gypsy moth spread into uninfested areas. The...

Elements of a Successful Professional Learning Community for Music Teachers Using Comprehensive Musicianship through Performance

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sindberg, Laura K.

2016-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine the ways in which a professional learning community (PLC) of music teachers sustained growth as they sought to incorporate Comprehensive Musicianship Through Performance (CMP) in their teaching practices. Seven music teachers from a suburban school district in the upper Midwest participated in a PLC as they…

Application of high-performance anion-exchange chromatography-pulsed amperometric detection for measuring carbohydrates in routine daily filter samples collected by a national network: 2. Examination of sugar alcohols/polyols, sugars, and anhydrosugars in the upper Midwest

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sullivan, A. P.; Frank, N.; Kenski, D. M.; Collett, J. L., Jr.

2011-04-01

Carbohydrate measurements of ambient samples can provide insights into the biogenic fraction of the organic carbon (OC) aerosol. However, lack of measurement on a routine basis limits data analysis. In a companion paper, 1 year of archived 1-in-6 day FRM (Federal Reference Monitor) filter samples from the PM2.5 NAAQS compliance monitoring network collected at 10 sites in the upper Midwest were analyzed using high-performance anion-exchange chromatography with pulsed amperometric detection to determine the regional impact of biomass burning. Along with levoglucosan, 13 other carbohydrates were simultaneously measured, including two more anhydrosugars (mannosan and galactosan), five sugars (arabinose, galactose, glucose, mannose, xylose), and six sugar alcohols/polyols (glycerol, methyltetrols, threitol/erythritol, xylitol, sorbitol, mannitol). This paper focuses on the results from these carbohydrates in order to investigate their sources and trends both spatially and temporally. Mannosan, galactosan, arabinose, xylose, and threitol/erythritol all correlated with levoglucosan (R2 from 0.43 to 0.97), suggesting biomass burning as their main source. Glucose and mannitol exhibited higher concentrations in summer and at more southern sites, likely due to vegetation differences at the sites. Using mannitol, the contribution of spores to OC was found to be <1%. Methyltetrols were highly correlated with water-soluble OC (R2 from 0.63 to 0.95) and in higher concentrations at more eastern sites. This spatial pattern is possibly due to these sites being downwind of the high isoprene emission zones that occur in the western part of the Midwest from oak forests in the Ozarks and spruce forests in the northern lake states.

Forest Carbon Storage in the Northern Midwest, USA: A Bottom-Up Scaling Approach Combining Local Meteorological and Biometric Data With Regional Forest Inventories

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Curtis, P. S.; Gough, C. M.; Vogel, C. S.

2005-12-01

Carbon (C) storage increasingly is considered an important part of the economic return of forestlands, making easily parameterized models for assessing current and future C storage important for both ecosystem and money managers. For the deciduous forests of the northern midwest, USA, detailed information relating annual C storage to local site characteristics can be combined with spatially extensive forest inventories to produce simple, robust models of C storage useful at a variety of scales. At the University of Michigan Biological Station (45o35`' N, 84o42`' W) we measured C storage, or net ecosystem production (NEP), in 65 forest stands varying in age, disturbance history, and productivity (site index) using biometric methods, and independently measured net C exchange at the landscape level using meteorological methods. Our biometric and meteorological estimates of NEP converged to within 1% of each other over five years, providing important confirmation of the robustness of these two approaches applied within northern deciduous forests (Gough et al. 2005). We found a significant relationship between NEP, stand age ( A, yrs), and site index ( Is, m), where NEP = 0.134 + 0.022 * (LN[ A* Is]) (r2 = 0.50, P < 0.02). Site index is an integrated measure of site quality, expressed as 50 yr canopy height. We then used stand age and site index data from forests of similar species composition reported in the USDA Forest Inventory and Analysis database (ncrs2.fs.fed.us/4801/fiadb/) to estimate forest C storage at different scales across the upper midwest, Great Lakes region. Model estimates were validated against independent estimates of C storage for other forests in the region. At the local ecosystem-level (~1 km2) C storage averaged 1.52 Mg ha-1 yr-1. Scaling to the two-county area surrounding our meteorological and biometric study sites, average stand age decreased and site index increased, resulting in estimated storage of 1.62 Mg C ha-1 yr-1, or 0.22 Tg C yr-1 in the 1350 km2 of deciduous forest in this area. For the state of Michigan (31,537 km2 of deciduous forest), average uptake was estimated at 1.55 Mg C ha-1 yr-1, or 4.9 Tg C yr-1 total storage. For the three state region encompassing Minnesota, Michigan, and Wisconsin (97,769 km2 of deciduous forest), we estimated average storage in these forests of 1.51 Mg C ha-1 yr-1, or 14.1 Tg C yr-1 total storage. This storage represents ~ 13 % of regional anthropogenic C emissions (US Department of Energy, 2003). This modest rate of C storage by forests in the region may decrease due to changes in forest succession and land-use, and also in response to climate-driven shifts in the balance between photosynthesis and respiration. Gough C.M., Vogel C.S., Schmid H.P., Su H.-B., and Curtis P.S. 2005. Multi-year convergence of biometric and meteorological estimates of forest carbon storage. Agricultural and Forest Meteorology, In Press.

Regional variation in immature Ixodes scapularis parasitism on North American songbirds: implications for transmission of the Lyme pathogen, Borrelia burgdorferi.

PubMed

Brinkerhoff, R Jory; Folsom-O'Keefe, Corrine M; Streby, Henry M; Bent, Stephen J; Tsao, Kimberly; Diuk-Wasser, Maria A

2011-03-01

Borrelia burgdorferi, the etiological agent of Lyme disease, is transmitted among hosts by the black-legged tick, Ixodes scapularis, a species that regularly parasitizes various vertebrate hosts, including birds, in its immature stages. Lyme disease risk in the United States is highest in the Northeast and in the upper Midwest where I. scapularis ticks are most abundant. Because birds might be important to the range expansion of I. scapularis and B. burgdorferi, we explored spatial variation in patterns of I. scapularis parasitism on songbirds, as well as B. burgdorferi infection in bird-derived I. scapularis larvae. We sampled birds at 23 sites in the eastern United States to describe seasonal patterns of I. scapularis occurrence on birds, and we screened a subset of I. scapularis larvae for presence of B. burgdorferi. Timing of immature I. scapularis occurrence on birds is consistent with regional variation in host-seeking activity with a generally earlier peak in larval parasitism on birds in the Midwest. Significantly more I. scapularis larvae occurred on birds that were contemporaneously parasitized by nymphs in the Midwest than the Northeast, and the proportion of birds that yielded B. burgdorferi-infected larvae was also higher in the Midwest. We conclude that regional variation in immature I. scapularis phenology results in different temporal patterns of parasitism on birds, potentially resulting in differential importance of birds to B. burgdorferi transmission dynamics among regions.

Development of a Multimetric Indicator of Pelagic Zooplankton ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

We used zooplankton data collected for the 2012 National Lakes Assessment (NLA) to develop multimetric indices (MMIs) for five aggregated ecoregions of the conterminous USA (Coastal Plains, Eastern Highlands, Plains, Upper Midwest, and Western Mountains and Xeric [“West’]). We classified candidate metrics into six categories: We evaluated the performance of candidate metrics, and used metrics that had passed these screens to calculate all possible candidate MMIs that included at least one metric from each category. We selected the candidate MMI that had high responsiveness, a reasonable value for repeatability, low mean pairwise correlation among component metrics, and, when possible, a maximum pairwise correlation among component metrics that was <0.7. We were able to develop MMIs that were sufficiently responsive and repeatable to assess ecological condition for the NLA without the need to reduce the effects of natural variation using models. We did not observe effects of either lake size, lake origin, or site depth on the MMIs. The MMIs appear to respond more strongly to increased nutrient concentrations than to shoreline habitat conditions. Improving our understanding of how zooplankton assemblages respond to increased human disturbance, and obtaining more complete autecological information for zooplankton taxa would likely improve MMIs developed for future assessments. Using zooplankton assemblage data from the 2012 National Lakes Assessment (NLA),

Space use and resource selection by foraging Indiana bats at the northern edge of their distribution

USGS Publications Warehouse

Jachowski, David S.; Johnson, Joshua B.; Dobony, Christopher A.; Edwards, John W.; Ford, W. Mark

2014-01-01

Despite 4 decades of conservation concern, managing endangered Indiana bat (Myotis sodalis) populations remains a difficult wildlife resource issue facing natural resource managers in the eastern United States. After small signs of population recovery, the recent emergence of white-nose syndrome has led to concerns of local and/or regional extirpation of the species. Where Indiana bats persist, retaining high-quality foraging areas will be critical to meet physiological needs and ensure successful recruitment and overwinter survival. However, insight into foraging behavior has been lacking in the Northeast of the USA. We radio-tracked 12 Indiana bats over 2 summers at Fort Drum, New York, to evaluate factors influencing Indiana bat resource selection during night-time foraging. We found that foraging space use decreased 2% for every 100 m increase in distance to water and 6% for every 100 m away from the forest edge. This suggests high use of riparian areas in close proximity to forest and is somewhat consistent with the species’ foraging ecology in the Midwest and upper South. Given the importance of providing access to high-quality foraging areas during the summer maternity season, Indiana bat conservation at the northern extent of the species’ range will be linked to retention of forested habitat in close proximity to riparian zones. 

Controls on methane concentrations and fluxes in streams draining human-dominated landscapes

USGS Publications Warehouse

Crawford, John T.; Stanley, Emily H.

2016-01-01

Streams and rivers are active processors of carbon, leading to significant emissions of CO2 and possibly CH4 to the atmosphere. Patterns and controls of CH4 in fluvial ecosystems remain relatively poorly understood. Furthermore, little is known regarding how major human impacts to fluvial ecosystems may be transforming their role as CH4 producers and emitters. Here, we examine the consequences of two distinct ecosystem changes as a result of human land use: increased nutrient loading (primarily as nitrate), and increased sediment loading and deposition of fine particles in the benthic zone. We did not find support for the hypothesis that enhanced nitrate loading down-regulates methane production via thermodynamic or toxic effects. We did find strong evidence that increased sedimentation and enhanced organic matter content of the benthos lead to greater methane production (diffusive + ebullitive flux) relative to pristine fluvial systems in northern Wisconsin (upper Midwest, USA). Overall, streams in a human-dominated landscape of southern Wisconsin were major regional sources of CH4 to the atmosphere, equivalent to ~20% of dairy cattle emissions, or ~50% of a landfill’s annual emissions. We suggest that restoration of the benthic environment (reduced fine deposits) could lead to reduced CH4 emissions, while decreasing nutrient loading is likely to have limited impacts to this ecosystem process.

Relationship of invasive groundcover plant presence to evidence of disturbance in the forests of the upper midwest of the United States. Chapter 3.

Treesearch

W. Keith Moser; Mark H. Hansen; Mark D. Nelson; William H. McWilliams

2009-01-01

Nonnative invasive plants (NNIPs) have been introduced to North America by humans since European settlement. Much like other exotic-invasive organisms, NNIPs typically have some advantage over native plants, such as prolific seed production and dispersal. Native forest ecosystems that developed over centuries are limited in their ability to compete against these...

Using Calamity to Drive College Policy: President William Beardshear, Iowa State College, and the Challenge of Enrollment Growth, 1891-1902

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Biggs, Douglas

2016-01-01

The six Land Grant colleges and universities across the upper Midwest (Wisconsin, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota State, South Dakota State, and Iowa State) all faced unprecedented challenges in the 1890s. The economic depression brought on by the Panic of 1893 saw budget cutbacks and lean times, but the "McKinley Prosperity," combined…

Flood Control Root River Basin, Minnesota.

DTIC Science & Technology

1977-03-01

occurs in drier sites principally due to the dense canopy of mature trees. Woody shrubs and some degree of tree reproduction occur more commonly among...plant species tolerant to alternate inundation and flood- water recession thrive while less tolerant species are absent. Woody species of vines ...animals of the Upper Mississippi River basin i) Comnon nwne Scientific name Status Present distribution Indiana bat Endangered, estimated Midwest and

GREAT I Study of the Upper Mississippi River. Technical Appendixes. Volume 5. Fish and Wildlife.

DTIC Science & Technology

1980-09-01

Midwest , put into and State agencies have heritage. motion an object lesson in joined in partnership to government cooperation. take action toward...Slippery Elm Shrubs Cornus stolonifera Michx. Red Osier Dogwood Sambucus canadensis L. Elderberry Xanthoxylum americanum Mill. Prickly Ash...Toxicodendron radicans (L.) Kuntze. Poison Ivy Vines Menispermum canadense L. Moonseed Parthenocissus guincquifolia (L.) Planch. Virginia Creeper Parthenocissus

Guidelines for Installation Natural Resource Protection during Training.

DTIC Science & Technology

1981-10-01

continental United States. Educational material was then developed which adapted the basic concept to differing installation terrain, vegetation , and climates...but absolutely forbidden for most of the year in others. The terrain and vegetation shown in the artwork accompanying each section may also have to...regions reflecting variations in vegetation , climate, and ecology in the continental United States: (1) Northeast, (2) Southeast, (3) Upper Midwest, (4

An Investigation Into the Feasibility of Merging Three Technical Processing Operations Into One Central Unit.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Burns, Robert W., Jr.

Three contiguous schools in the upper midwest--a teacher's training college and a private four-year college in one state, and a land-grant university in another--were studied to see if their libraries could merge one of their major divisions--technical services--into a single administrative unit. Potential benefits from such a merger were felt to…

"No One Really Knows What It Is That I Need": Learning a New Job at a Small Private College

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Olson, Joann S.

2015-01-01

Colleges and universities are sites of learning, not only for tuition-paying students, but also for those employed by the institution. This qualitative study explored the workplace learning experiences of non-faculty staff at a small, faith-based private college in the upper Midwest who had recently changed jobs within the institution. Learning to…

 Invasibility of three major non-native invasive shrubs and associated factors in Upper Midwest U.S. forest lands

Treesearch

W. Keith Moser; Zhaofei Fan; Mark H. Hansen; Michael K. Crosby; Shirley X. Fan

2016-01-01

We used non-native invasive plant data from the US Forest Service’s Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) program, spatial statistical methods, and the space (cover class)-for-time approach to quantify the invasion potential and success ("invasibility") of three major invasive shrubs (multiflora rose, non-native bush honeysuckles, and common buckthorn...

Chemical and biological status of lakes and streams in the upper midwest: assessment of acidic deposition effects

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wiener, J.G.; Eilers, J.M.

1987-01-01

Many lakes in three areas in the Upper Midwest - northeastern Minnesota, northern Wisconsin, and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan - have low acid neutralizing capacity (ANC) and may be susceptible to change by acidic deposition. Northcentral Wisconsin and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan together contain about 150-300 acidic lakes (ANC ≤ 0), whereas none have been found in Minnesota. These acidic lakes are precipitation-dominated, Clearwater seepage lakes having small surface area, shallow depth, and low concentrations of dissolved organic carbon. The spatial distribution of these acidic lakes parallels a west to east gradient of increasing sulfate and hydrogen ion deposition. Several of these acidic lakes exhibit chemical characteristics and biological changes consistent with those observed elsewhere in waters reported to be acidified by acidic deposition. However, an hypothesis of recent lake acidification is not supported by analyses of either historical chemical data or diatom remains in lake sediments, and natural sources of acidity and alternative ecological processes have not been conclusively eliminated as causative factors. Streams in this three-state region have high ANC and appear to be insensitive to acidic deposition. The species richness and composition of lacustrine fish communities in the region are partly related to pH and associated chemical factors. Sport fishes considered acid-sensitive and of primary concern with regard to acidification include walleye, smallmouth bass, and black crappie. The fishery in at least one lake, Morgan Lake in Wisconsin (pH 4.6), may have declined because of acidification. Given the general lack of quantitative fishery data for acidic Wisconsin and Michigan lakes, however, more general conclusions concerning impacts or the absence of impacts of acidification on the region's fishery resources are not possible.

Inferring cultural regions from correlation networks of given baby names

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pomorski, Mateusz; Krawczyk, Małgorzata J.; Kułakowski, Krzysztof; Kwapień, Jarosław; Ausloos, Marcel

2016-03-01

We report investigations on the statistical characteristics of the baby names given between 1910 and 2010 in the United States of America. For each year, the 100 most frequent names in the USA are sorted out. For these names, the correlations between the names profiles are calculated for all pairs of states (minus Hawaii and Alaska). The correlations are used to form a weighted network which is found to vary mildly in time. In fact, the structure of communities in the network remains quite stable till about 1980. The goal is that the calculated structure approximately reproduces the usually accepted geopolitical regions: the Northeast, the South, and the "Midwest + West" as the third one. Furthermore, the dataset reveals that the name distribution satisfies the Zipf law, separately for each state and each year, i.e. the name frequency f ∝r-α, where r is the name rank. Between 1920 and 1980, the exponent α is the largest one for the set of states classified as 'the South', but the smallest one for the set of states classified as "Midwest + West". Our interpretation is that the pool of selected names was quite narrow in the Southern states. The data is compared with some related statistics of names in Belgium, a country also with different regions, but having quite a different scale than the USA. There, the Zipf exponent is low for young people and for the Brussels citizens.

Tracing suspended sediment sources in the Upper Sangamon River Basin using conservative and non-conservative tracers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yu, M.; Rhoads, B. L.; Stumpf, A.

2015-12-01

As the awareness of water pollution, eutrophication and other water related environmental concerns grows, the significance of sediment in the transport of nutrients and contaminants from agricultural areas to streams has received increasing attention. Both the physical and geochemical properties of suspended sediment are strongly controlled by sediment sources. Thus, tracing sources of suspended sediment in watersheds is important for the design of management practices to reduce sediment loads and contributions of sediment-adsorbed nutrients from agricultural areas to streams. However, the contributions of different sediment sources to suspended sediment loads within intensively managed watersheds in the Midwest still remain insufficiently explored. This study aims to assess the provenance of suspended sediment and the relation between channel morphology and production of suspended sediment in the Upper Sangamon River Basin, Illinois, USA. The 3,690-km2 Upper Sangamon River Basin is characterized by low-relief, agricultural lands dominated by row-crop agriculture. Sediment source samples were collected in the Saybrook from five potential sources: farmland, forests, floodplains, river banks, and grasslands. Event-based and accumulated suspended sediment samples were collected by ISCO automatic pump samplers and in situ suspended sediment samplers and from the stream at watershed outlet. A quantitative geochemical fingerprinting technique, combining statistically verified multicomponent signatures and an un-mixing model, was employed to estimate the relative contributions of sediment from five potential sources to the suspended sediment loads. Organic matter content, trace elements, and radionuclides from soil samples were used as potential tracers. Our preliminary results indicate that the majority of suspended sediment is derived from floodplains in the downstream portions of the watersheds, while only minor amounts of suspended sediment are derived from upland areas and banks. These results suggest that floodplain erosion during high flow events contributes to the suspended sediment.

Using high-resolution digital aerial imagery to map land cover

USGS Publications Warehouse

Dieck, J.J.; Robinson, Larry

2014-01-01

The Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center (UMESC) has used aerial photography to map land cover/land use on federally owned and managed lands for over 20 years. Until recently, that process used 23- by 23-centimeter (9- by 9-inch) analog aerial photos to classify vegetation along the Upper Mississippi River System, on National Wildlife Refuges, and in National Parks. With digital aerial cameras becoming more common and offering distinct advantages over analog film, UMESC transitioned to an entirely digital mapping process in 2009. Though not without challenges, this method has proven to be much more accurate and efficient when compared to the analog process.

Historical Geography of the Upper Tombigbee Valley.

DTIC Science & Technology

1982-05-01

of the trees, shrubs and vines of Alabama with their economic properties and local distribution. University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa. *1943 Forests of...elements in common with the prairies of the Midwest (Clark, 1972). In areas in which the soil is relatively deep a rich forest develops similar to that...common in the forest include swamp privet, red bay, water elm, American elm, cabbage palm, sugarberry, and rattan vine . The combination of dense

Reduced Snow Cover Increases Wintertime Nitrous Oxide (N 2O) Emissions from an Agricultural Soil in the Upper U.S. Midwest

DOE PAGES

Ruan, Leilei; Robertson, G. Philip

2016-11-21

Throughout most of the northern hemisphere, snow cover decreased in almost every winter month from 1967 to 2012. Because snow is an effective insulator, snow cover loss has likely enhanced soil freezing and the frequency of soil freeze–thaw cycles, which can disrupt soil nitrogen dynamics including the production of nitrous oxide (N 2O). Here, we used replicated automated gas flux chambers deployed in an annual cropping system in the upper Midwest US for three winters (December–March, 2011–2013) to examine the effects of snow removal and additions on N 2O fluxes. Diminished snow cover resulted in increased N2O emissions each year;more » over the entire experiment, cumulative emissions in plots with snow removed were 69% higher than in ambient snow control plots and 95% higher than in plots that received additional snow (P < 0.001). Higher emissions coincided with a greater number of freeze–thaw cycles that broke up soil macroaggregates (250–8000 µm) and significantly increased soil inorganic nitrogen pools. We conclude that winters with less snow cover can be expected to accelerate N 2O fluxes from agricultural soils subject to wintertime freezing.« less

Understanding Climate Adaptation on Public Lands in the Upper Midwest: Implications for Monitoring and Tracking Progress

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Anhalt-Depies, Christine M.; Knoot, Tricia Gorby; Rissman, Adena R.; Sharp, Anthony K.; Martin, Karl J.

2016-05-01

There are limited examples of efforts to systematically monitor and track climate change adaptation progress in the context of natural resource management, despite substantial investments in adaptation initiatives. To better understand the status of adaptation within state natural resource agencies, we utilized and problematized a rational decision-making framework to characterize adaptation at the level of public land managers in the Upper Midwest. We conducted in-depth interviews with 29 biologists and foresters to provide an understanding of managers' experiences with, and perceptions of, climate change impacts, efforts towards planning for climate change, and a full range of actions implemented to address climate change. While the majority of managers identified climate change impacts affecting their region, they expressed significant uncertainty in interpreting those signals. Just under half of managers indicated planning efforts are underway, although most planning is remote from local management. Actions already implemented include both forward-looking measures and those aimed at coping with current impacts. In addition, cross-scale dynamics emerged as an important theme related to the overall adaptation process. The results hold implications for tracking future progress on climate change adaptation. Common definitions or measures of adaptation (e.g., presence of planning documents) may need to be reassessed for applicability at the level of public land managers.

Practices and Processes of Leading High Performance Home Builders in the Upper Midwest

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

Von Thoma, E.; Ojczyk, C.

2012-12-01

The NorthernSTAR Building America Partnership team proposed this study to gain insight into the business, sales, and construction processes of successful high performance builders. The knowledge gained by understanding the high performance strategies used by individual builders, as well as the process each followed to move from traditional builder to high performance builder, will be beneficial in proposing more in-depth research to yield specific action items to assist the industry at large transform to high performance new home construction. This investigation identified the best practices of three successful high performance builders in the upper Midwest. In-depth field analysis of themore » performance levels of their homes, their business models, and their strategies for market acceptance were explored. All three builders commonly seek ENERGY STAR certification on their homes and implement strategies that would allow them to meet the requirements for the Building America Builders Challenge program. Their desire for continuous improvement, willingness to seek outside assistance, and ambition to be leaders in their field are common themes. Problem solving to overcome challenges was accepted as part of doing business. It was concluded that crossing the gap from code-based building to high performance based building was a natural evolution for these leading builders.« less

Decision support system development at the Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center

USGS Publications Warehouse

Fox, Timothy J.; Nelson, J. C.; Rohweder, Jason J.

2014-01-01

A Decision Support System (DSS) can be defined in many ways. The working definition used by the U.S. Geological Survey Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center (UMESC) is, “A spatially based computer application or data that assists a researcher or manager in making decisions.” This is quite a broad definition—and it needs to be, because the possibilities for types of DSSs are limited only by the user group and the developer’s imagination. There is no one DSS; the types of DSSs are as diverse as the problems they help solve. This diversity requires that DSSs be built in a variety of ways, using the most appropriate methods and tools for the individual application. The skills of potential DSS users vary widely as well, further necessitating multiple approaches to DSS development. Some small, highly trained user groups may want a powerful modeling tool with extensive functionality at the expense of ease of use. Other user groups less familiar with geographic information system (GIS) and spatial data may want an easy-to-use application for a nontechnical audience. UMESC has been developing DSSs for almost 20 years. Our DSS developers offer our partners a wide variety of technical skills and development options, ranging from the most simple Web page or small application to complex modeling application development.

Understanding Climate Adaptation on Public Lands in the Upper Midwest: Implications for Monitoring and Tracking Progress.

PubMed

Anhalt-Depies, Christine M; Knoot, Tricia Gorby; Rissman, Adena R; Sharp, Anthony K; Martin, Karl J

2016-05-01

There are limited examples of efforts to systematically monitor and track climate change adaptation progress in the context of natural resource management, despite substantial investments in adaptation initiatives. To better understand the status of adaptation within state natural resource agencies, we utilized and problematized a rational decision-making framework to characterize adaptation at the level of public land managers in the Upper Midwest. We conducted in-depth interviews with 29 biologists and foresters to provide an understanding of managers' experiences with, and perceptions of, climate change impacts, efforts towards planning for climate change, and a full range of actions implemented to address climate change. While the majority of managers identified climate change impacts affecting their region, they expressed significant uncertainty in interpreting those signals. Just under half of managers indicated planning efforts are underway, although most planning is remote from local management. Actions already implemented include both forward-looking measures and those aimed at coping with current impacts. In addition, cross-scale dynamics emerged as an important theme related to the overall adaptation process. The results hold implications for tracking future progress on climate change adaptation. Common definitions or measures of adaptation (e.g., presence of planning documents) may need to be reassessed for applicability at the level of public land managers.

Age-related reproduction in striped skunks (Mephitis mephitis) in the upper Midwest

USGS Publications Warehouse

Greenwood, Raymond J.; Sargeant, Alan B.

1994-01-01

Reproductive data from the upper Midwest are meager for the striped skunk (Mephitis mephitis), a common North American carnivore. We provide data on some age-related reproductive attributes of 178 female striped skunks collected at 19 sites in eastcentral North Dakota and westcentral Minnesota in 1979–1981 and 1987–1991. Seventy-four percent of the females were 1 year old; 95% were pregnant or parous when collected. Thirteen of 873 (1.5%) embryos in 123 pregnant females were being resorbed. The overall mean (±1 SE) litter size estimated from live embryos was 7.2 ± 0.4. Means of litter-size estimates were similar for females ≥1 year old, but annual estimates of litter size differed among years for all females combined. For females from the interval 1979–1981 and 1990, the mean implantation date based on embryo size was 4 March (±1.6 days). Potential litters were composed of a mean of 55 ± 3% females. Estimates of litter size based on counts of corpora lutea averaged 0.9 young per female less than estimates for the same females based on counts of live embryos, indicating that some skunks may have produced polyovular follicles or identical twins.

Airborne urban/suburban noise measurements at 121.5/243 MHz

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Taylor, R. E.; Hill, J. S.

1977-01-01

An airborne measurement of the terrestrial, radio-frequency (RF) noise environment over U.S. metropolitan urban/suburban areas has been made at the 121.5/243 MHz emergency-distress search and rescue (S&R) communications frequencies. Profile contour plots of antenna-noise temperature for U.S.A. East Coast and mid-west urban/suburban areas is presented for daytime/nighttime observations at 121.5/243 MHz. These plots are helpful for compiling radio-noise environment maps; in turn useful for designing satellite-aided, emergency-distress search and rescue communication systems.

Adolescent Females and Their Mothers

PubMed Central

Volkman, Julie E.; Silk, Kami J.

2010-01-01

Recent research indicates environmental factors and personal behaviors are related to breast cancer risk, but adopting a healthy lifestyle as early as adolescence can serve a protective function. To investigate perceptions of breast cancer risk and the environment, 10 focus groups (N = 91) were conducted with adolescent females (n = 55) and mothers (n = 36) across four counties in the Midwest, USA. The Uncertainty Management Theory provides a framework for discussing statements, and results suggest that uncertainty is maintained through ambiguity about environmental risk factors and breast cancer. Recommendations for prevention messages are presented. PMID:18987091

Molecular impacts of perfluorinated chemicals (PFASs) in the liver and testis of male largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) in Minnesota Lakes.

PubMed

Collí-Dulá, Reyna Cristina; Martyniuk, Christopher J; Streets, Summer; Denslow, Nancy D; Lehr, Randy

2016-09-01

Perfluorinated chemicals (PFASs) stem from a wide range of sources and have been detected in aquatic ecosystems worldwide, including the upper Midwest and the state of Minnesota in the USA. This study investigated whether fish with high body burden levels of PFASs in the Twin Cities Metro Areas showed any evidence of adverse effects at the level of the transcriptome. We hypothesized that fish with higher body burden levels of PFASs would exhibit molecular responses in the liver and testis that were suggestive of oxidative and general stress, as well as impaired reproduction. Concentrations of PFASs in largemouth bass varied significantly across the sampled lakes, with the lowest concentrations of PFASs found in fish from Steiger and Upper Prior Lakes and the highest concentrations found in fish from Calhoun and Twin Lakes. Largemouth bass with high PFAS concentrations exhibited changes in the expression of genes related to lipid metabolism, energy production, RNA processing, protein production/degradation and contaminant detoxification, all of which are consistent with biomarker responses observed in other studies with PFASs. However, given the wide range of genes that were differentially expressed across the lakes and the variability observed in the mechanisms through which biological processes were affected, it is unlikely that PFASs are the only stressors affecting largemouth bass in the Twin Cities Metro Areas lakes. Indeed, Twin Lake is affected by the Joslyn superfund site which contains polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, pentachlorophenol, polychlorinated biphenyls, and dioxins. These compounds are also expected to drive the transcriptomics responses observed, but to what degree is difficult to ascertain at this time. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Comparison of upper arm and forearm blood pressure.

PubMed

Domiano, Kathy L; Hinck, Susan M; Savinske, Debra L; Hope, Kathryn L

2008-11-01

The upper arm is the primary site used to obtain a blood pressure measurement (BPM); however, when it is not possible to use the upper arm, the forearm is a commonly used alternate site. This study determines if there is a significant difference between upper arm and forearm BPMs among adults and examines the relationship of participant characteristics to the BPM difference. A convenience sample was recruited from a low-income, independent-living, 104-apartment complex in the Midwest. Of the 106 participants, 64% were female and 89% were White. Ages ranged from 20 to 85 years (M = 50.7). The investigators calculated the BMIs (range = 18 to 42, M = 29.3, SD = 5.4) for the 89% (n = 94) of participants who reported their weight. The forearm tended to have higher BPMs than the upper arm (M difference = 4.0 mm Hg systolic, 2.3 mm Hg diastolic). However, site differences were greatest for men, obese adults, and middle aged (36 to 65) adults.

Timing and origin for sand dunes in the Green River Lowland of Illinois, upper Mississippi River Valley, USA

USGS Publications Warehouse

Miao, X.; Hanson, P.R.; Wang, Hongfang; Young, A.R.

2010-01-01

The recent increase in dune studies in North America has been heavily focused in the Great Plains, while less attention has historically been given to the dune fields east of the Mississippi River. Here we report ages and suggest a potential sediment source for sand dunes in the Green River Lowland, Illinois, which may provide a better understanding of the dynamic interactions between eolian, glacial, lacustrine and fluvial processes that shaped the landscapes of the upper Midwest. Seven coherent optically stimulated luminescence ages (OSL, or optical ages) obtained from four sites suggest that major dune construction in the Green River Lowland occurred within a narrow time window around 17,500 ago. This implies either an enhanced aridity or an episodic increase of sediment supply at 17,500 years ago, or combination of the both. Contrary to previous assertions that dune sand was sourced from the deflation of the underlying outwash sand deposited when the Lake Michigan Lobe retreated from the area, we propose that Green River Lowland dunes sand originated from the Green Bay Lobe through the Rock River. Specifically, sediment supply increased in the Rock River valley during drainage of Glacial Lake Scuppernong, which formed between ???18,000 and 17,000 years ago, when the Green Bay Lobe retreated from its terminal moraine. The lake drained catastrophically through the Rock River valley, providing glacial sediment and water to erode the preexisting sandy sediments. Throughout the remainder of the late Pleistocene, the Laurentide Ice Sheet drained into larger more northerly glacial lakes that in turn drained through other river valleys. Therefore, the dunes in the Green River Lowland formed only during the catastrophic drainage of Glacial Lake Scuppernong, but were stabilized through the remainder of the Pleistocene. This scenario explains the abrupt dune construction around 17,500 years ago, and explains the lack of later dune activity up to the Pleistocene-Holocene transition. OSL and radiocarbon ages also indicate that dunes were reactivated during the early, middle and late Holocene. Some eolian activation occurred within well-defined dry intervals in the upper Midwest, suggesting that increased aridity may have been the primary driver in mobilizing sand. However, many ages do not correspond to drier periods. In contrast to the relative coherency of the Pleistocene OSL ages from multiple study sites, the Holocene OSL ages do not overlap from one site to another, suggesting that increased aridity alone cannot explain the multiple phases of dune reactivation in the Holocene. Therefore, we conclude that the combined effect of localized disturbances and greater aridity acted in concert to increase eolian sand activity in the Holocene. The multiple periods of eolian activity during the Holocene suggest a high potential for future sand activation in the region, and these results are informative for environmental prediction and potential future mitigation.

Eastern Iowa, Northwestern Illinois

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1973-01-01

This view of the Mississippi and Iowa River Valleys (41.5N, 90.5W) shows the rich agricultural region of the upper midwest. Most of the farms occupy one statute mile squares bounded by roads that coincide with the section lines used in the township and range system of surveying practiced in the U.S. central plains, the heart of the great corn belt. Other crops grown in the region include oats, soybeans, hay and alfalfa.

Characterization of Pollution Transport into Texas Using OMI and TES Satellite and In Situ data, and HYSPLIT Back Trajectory Analyses: implications for TCEQ State Implementation Plans and High School/Undergraduate STEM Education

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Boxe, C.; Bella, D.; Khaimova, J.; Culpepper, J.; Ahmed, N.; Belkalai, A.; Ealy, J.; Arroyo, I.; Lahoumh, M.; Jenkins, O.; Emmanuel, S.; Andrews, J.; Fu, D.; Wu, L.; Choi, Y.; Morris, G.; Osterman, G. B.; Johnson, L. P.; Austin, S. A.

2014-12-01

Using an online trajectory analysis tool NASA, ArcGIS, Satellite and EPA in situ data, we assess whether high pollution events in Texas are primarily sourced locally or remotely. We focus satellite data that exemplify high O3 and NO2 over Texas's lower troposphere. Four day back trajectory analyses of all dates show that upper-, mid-, and lower-tropospheric air over Texas, containing high O3, is transported from the Gulf of Mexico, Southeast USA, Midwest USA, Northeast USA, the Atlantic Ocean, Pacific Ocean, Mexico, etc. Only day showed air at 1 km is sourced within Texas. Satellite data show O3 enhancements in the boundary layer and O3 and NO2 enhancements via tropospheric column profiles. These enhancements complement four-day trajectory analysis. This study provides a viable basis for more quantifiable and accurate information for developing effective air quality State Implementation Plans. STEM Impact: (i) D. Bella was an NSF-LSAMP undergraduate research mentee with me at Medgar Evers College-CUNY; she received a B.S. in Environmental Science (and a Chemistry Minor) and is now a Ph.D. graduate student at University at Albany's School of Public Health. (ii) J. Khaimova is an undergraduate Geology and Planetary Science B.S. major at Brooklyn College-CUNY. I have supported Jessica's summer internship in summer 2013 as a CUNY Summer Research Fellow, where she is currently an NSF-REU research mentee at Pennsylvania State University's Meteorology Department. (iii) J. Culpepper received his B.S. in Environmental Science from MEC-CUNY and will be a Ph.D. student, Fall 2014 at University of Iowa's Civil and Environmental Engineering Department. (iv) S. Gentle was a high school researcher with me within ACS's Project SEED Program for high school students. S. Gentle will start her undergraduate career Fall 2014 at Pennsylvania State University and seeks to attain a B.S. in Chemistry. (v). All parties, including high school and undergraduate researchers seek to attend medical/graduate school to pursue an M.D/Ph.D. in a STEM-discipline.

Identities, Intentionality and Institutional Fit: Perceptions of Senior Women Administrators at Liberal Arts Colleges in the Upper Midwestern Usa

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Enke, Kathryn A. E.

2014-01-01

This qualitative study engaged women senior administrators at liberal arts colleges in the Upper Midwestern USA to better understand how their intersecting identities mediate their enacted leadership. Data were collected from eight participants via a questionnaire, document review, one-on-one interviews and observations. Positionality theory…

Anthropic signatures in alluvium of the Upper Little Tennessee River valley, Southern Blue Ridge Mountains, USA

Treesearch

Lixin Wang; David S. Leigh

2015-01-01

Human activities have become important influences on the fluvial systems of eastern North America since post-colonial settlement. This research identifies post-settlement anthropic signatures in alluvial sediments in the Upper Little Tennessee River, USA. Agricultural and mining activities were scattered and discontinuous in this relatively remote region of...

Pacific/North American teleconnection controls on precipitation isotope ratios across the contiguous United States

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Zhongfang; Kennedy, Casey D.; Bowen, Gabriel J.

2011-10-01

Large-scale climate teleconnections such as the Pacific/North American (PNA) pattern strongly influence atmospheric processes and continental climate. Here we show that precipitation δ 18O values in the contiguous United States are correlated with an index of the PNA pattern. The δ 18O/PNA relationship varies across the study region and exhibits two prominent modes, with positive correlation in the western USA and negative correlation in the east. This spatial pattern appears not to reflect variation in local climate variables, but rather primarily reflects differences in atmospheric circulation and moisture sources associated with PNA. Our results suggest that strong antiphase variation in paired paleo-water δ 18O proxy records from regions characterized by the two modes of δ 18O/PNA correlation, especially in the Midwest and southwestern USA, may provide a robust basis for reconstruction of past variation in the PNA pattern.

Usefulness of natural regions for lake management: Analysis of variation among lakes in northwestern Wisconsin, USA

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Omernik, James M.; Rohm, Christina M.; Lillie, Richard A.; Mesner, Nancy

1991-03-01

A map of summer total phosphorus in lakes was compiled recently for a three-state area of the upper Midwest for purposes of identifying regional patterns of total phosphorus in lakes and attainable lake trophic state. Spatial patterns in total phosphorus from approximately 3000 lakes were studied in conjunction with maps of geographic characteristics that tend to affect phosphorus balance in lakes to identify regions of similarity in phosphorus concentrations in lakes or similarity in the mosaic of values as compared to adjacent areas. While degrees of relative homogeneity are apparent at many scales, the map was designed at a scale that would yield regions with sufficient homogeneity to be useful for lake management throughout the area. In this study, data from 210 lakes in a 1560-mi2 area in northwestern Wisconsin, sampled by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources in the spring of 1988 (subsequent to the compilation of the phosphorus map), were examined to: (1) substantiate the existence of the regions depicted on the map in northwest Wisconsin, (2) determine the nature and relative precision of the regional boundaries, (3) determine the relative importance of natural and anthropogenic watershed characteristics, lake types, lake area, and lake depth in explaining within-region differences in lake phosphorus, and (4) demonstrate how the regions might be used by local lake managers.

Relationships among rotational and conventional grazing systems, stream channels, and macroinvertebrates

USGS Publications Warehouse

Raymond, K.L.; Vondracek, B.

2011-01-01

Cattle grazing in riparian areas can reduce water quality, alter stream channel characteristics, and alter fish and macroinvertebrate assemblage structure. The U.S. Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Services has recommended Rotational Grazing (RG) as an alternative management method on livestock and dairy operations to protect riparian areas and water quality. We evaluated 13 stream channel characteristics, benthic macroinvertebrate larvae (BML), and chironomid pupal exuviae (CPE) from 18 sites in the Upper Midwest of the United States in relation to RG and conventional grazing (CG). A Biotic Composite Score comprised of several macroinvertebrate metrics was developed for both the BML assemblage and the CPE assemblage. Multi-Response Permutation Procedures (MRPP) indicated a significant difference in stream channel characteristics between RG and CG. Nonmetric Multidimensional Scaling indicated that RG sites were associated with more stable stream banks, higher quality aquatic habitat, lower soil compaction, and larger particles in the streambed. However, neither MRPP nor Mann-Whitney U tests demonstrated a difference in Biotic Composite Scores for BML or CPE along RG and CG sites. The BML and CPE metrics were significantly correlated, indicating that they were likely responding to similar variables among the study sites. Although stream channel characteristics appeared to respond to grazing management, BML and CPE may have responded to land use throughout the watershed, as well as local land use. ?? 2011 Springer Science+Business Media B.V. (outside the USA).

Comparison of phenology and pathogen prevalence, including infection with the Ehrlichia muris-like (EML) agent, of Ixodes scapularis removed from soldiers in the midwestern and the northeastern United States over a 15 year period (1997-2012).

PubMed

Stromdahl, Ellen; Hamer, Sarah; Jenkins, Sarah; Sloan, Lynne; Williamson, Phillip; Foster, Erik; Nadolny, Robyn; Elkins, Chad; Vince, Mary; Pritt, Bobbi

2014-12-04

Since 1997, human-biting ticks submitted to the Department of Defense Human Tick Test Kit Program (HTTKP) of the US Army Public Health Command have been tested for pathogens by PCR. We noted differences in the phenology and infection prevalence among Ixodes scapularis ticks submitted from military installations in different geographic regions. The aim of this study was to characterize these observed differences, comparing the phenology and pathogen infection rates of I. scapularis submitted from soldiers at two sites in the upper Midwest (Camp Ripley, MN, and Ft. McCoy, WI) and one site in the northeastern US (Ft. Indiantown Gap, PA). From 1997 through 2012, the HTTKP received 1,981 I. scapularis from the three installations and tested them for Anaplasma phagocytophilum, Babesia microti, Borrelia burgdorferi and the Ehrlichia muris-like (EML) agent using PCR; pathogen presence was confirmed via sequencing or amplification of a second gene target. Pathogen and co-infection prevalence, tick engorgement status, and phenology were compared among installations. Greater rates of A. phagocytophilum and Ba. microti infections were detected in ticks submitted from installations in Minnesota than in Wisconsin or Pennsylvania, and the EML agent was only detected in ticks from Minnesota and Wisconsin. Midwestern ticks were also more likely to be co-infected than those from Pennsylvania. Both adult and nymphal ticks showed evidence of feeding on people, although nymphs were more often submitted engorged. Adult I. scapularis were received more frequently in June from Minnesota than from either of the other sites. Minnesota adult and nymphal peaks overlapped in June, and submissions of adults exceeded nymphs in that month. There were clear differences in I. scapularis phenology, pathogen prevalence and rates of co-infection among the three military installations. Seasonal and temperature differences between the three sites and length of time a population had been established in each region may contribute to the observed differences. The synchrony of adults and nymphs observed in the upper Midwest has implications for pathogen infection prevalence. The EML agent was only detected in Minnesota and Wisconsin, supporting the previous assertion that this pathogen is currently limited to the upper Midwest.

The legacy of forest harvest and burning on ecosystem carbon storage in the northern midwest, USA

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gough, C. M.; Vogel, C. S.; Harrold, K. H.; George, K. D.; Curtis, P. S.

2005-12-01

Over 90 % of the forested area in the upper Great Lakes region was harvested by the early 20th century. In many cases, harvests were followed by uncontrolled burns, similar to current patterns of disturbance in many developing countries. While afforestation in the northern midwest has resulted in increased regional carbon (C) storage, the rate of C storage by forests will depend on the severity of prior disturbance and consequent changes in site quality. We were interested in how long the legacy of poor management practices from the early 20th century would be reflected in forest C storage rates. We investigated C cycling and storage following disturbance in mixed deciduous forests of northern lower Michigan, USA. Study plots ranged in age from 6 to 68 yrs and were created following experimental clear-cut harvesting and fire disturbance. Annual C storage was estimated biometrically from measurements of wood, leaf, fine root, and woody debris mass, mass losses to herbivory, soil carbon content, and soil respiration. Maximum annual carbon storage, or net ecosystem production (NEP), in the disturbed stands was 50 % lower than that of adjacent, undisturbed forest. This decrease was caused by a reduction in site quality following disturbance. However, during regrowth the cut and burned forest rapidly became a net C sink, storing 0.86 Mg C ha-1 yr-1 after six yrs. Carbon storage reached a peak of 1.00 Mg C ha-1 yr-1 after 50 yrs and declined to 0.57 Mg C ha-1 yr-1 after 68 yrs. Above- and below-ground net primary production (NPP) averaged 42 and 59 % of total NPP, respectively, with fine root litter production accounting for 57 % of total NPP. Soil heterotrophic respiration was high, ranging from 4.55 Mg C ha-1 yr-1 in the 6-yr-old stand to 5.74 Mg C ha-1 yr-1 in the 50-yr-old stand. Soil C and coarse woody debris pools exhibited a U-shaped trend over time following disturbance. Mineral soil and coarse woody debris pools lost C at a combined annual rate of 1.10 Mg C ha-1 yr-1 in the 6-yr-old stand, but these pools accrued C at a rate of 0.30 Mg C ha--1 yr-1 in the 68-yr-old stand. Detritus inputs augmented soil C six years after harvest and this legacy C persisted in the oldest, 68-yr-old stand. This resulted in higher soil C than in an adjacent undisturbed mature forest. These results demonstrate that lasting decreases in site quality following disturbance result in long-term reductions in forest C storage.

Constraining Centennial-Scale Ecosystem-Climate Interactions with a Pre-colonial Forest Reconstruction across the Upper Midwest and Northeastern United States

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Matthes, J. H.; Dietze, M.; Fox, A. M.; Goring, S. J.; McLachlan, J. S.; Moore, D. J.; Poulter, B.; Quaife, T. L.; Schaefer, K. M.; Steinkamp, J.; Williams, J. W.

2014-12-01

Interactions between ecological systems and the atmosphere are the result of dynamic processes with system memories that persist from seconds to centuries. Adequately capturing long-term biosphere-atmosphere exchange within earth system models (ESMs) requires an accurate representation of changes in plant functional types (PFTs) through time and space, particularly at timescales associated with ecological succession. However, most model parameterization and development has occurred using datasets than span less than a decade. We tested the ability of ESMs to capture the ecological dynamics observed in paleoecological and historical data spanning the last millennium. Focusing on an area from the Upper Midwest to New England, we examined differences in the magnitude and spatial pattern of PFT distributions and ecotones between historic datasets and the CMIP5 inter-comparison project's large-scale ESMs. We then conducted a 1000-year model inter-comparison using six state-of-the-art biosphere models at sites that bridged regional temperature and precipitation gradients. The distribution of ecosystem characteristics in modeled climate space reveals widely disparate relationships between modeled climate and vegetation that led to large differences in long-term biosphere-atmosphere fluxes for this region. Model simulations revealed that both the interaction between climate and vegetation and the representation of ecosystem dynamics within models were important controls on biosphere-atmosphere exchange.

Maintaining Vitality: Pharmacists’ Continuing Professional Education Decision-Making in the Upper Midwest

PubMed Central

Henkel, Paul Jacob

2018-01-01

Continuing professional education (CPE) plays an important role in continuing professional development of pharmacists for providing quality pharmaceutical care but also to maintain professional and organizational vitality and meet changing community/population needs. The study objective was to describe and understand factors of importance in selection of CPE credit hours among Upper Midwest pharmacists. A cross-sectional study of licensed pharmacists (n = 1239) in Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota, and South Dakota included completion of a questionnaire on demographics and CPE decision-making. Factor analysis, t-test, and multivariate analyses were performed using Stata 10.1. Pharmacists placed greatest importance on maintaining licensure (mean = 2.72/3.00), personal interest (mean = 2.57), and self-improvement (mean = 2.42). Community/population need (mean = 1.83) was rated as slightly more important (p < 0.01) by retail/community pharmacists, females, and those with a Doctor of Pharmacy degree or pharmacy residency while business growth/development (mean = 1.33) was rated slightly more important (p < 0.01) by retail/community pharmacists. Despite findings that neither community/population need nor business development were among the most important factors in pharmacists’ CPE selection, there exists significant potential for pharmacists to utilize CPE to maintain professional and organizational vitality in the labor market, but more importantly to ensure continued provision of quality pharmaceutical care and patient education. PMID:29389850

Maintaining Vitality: Pharmacists' Continuing Professional Education Decision-Making in the Upper Midwest.

PubMed

Henkel, Paul Jacob; Marvanova, Marketa

2018-02-01

Continuing professional education (CPE) plays an important role in continuing professional development of pharmacists for providing quality pharmaceutical care but also to maintain professional and organizational vitality and meet changing community/population needs. The study objective was to describe and understand factors of importance in selection of CPE credit hours among Upper Midwest pharmacists. A cross-sectional study of licensed pharmacists ( n = 1239) in Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota, and South Dakota included completion of a questionnaire on demographics and CPE decision-making. Factor analysis, t -test, and multivariate analyses were performed using Stata 10.1. Pharmacists placed greatest importance on maintaining licensure (mean = 2.72/3.00), personal interest (mean = 2.57), and self-improvement (mean = 2.42). Community/population need (mean = 1.83) was rated as slightly more important ( p < 0.01) by retail/community pharmacists, females, and those with a Doctor of Pharmacy degree or pharmacy residency while business growth/development (mean = 1.33) was rated slightly more important ( p < 0.01) by retail/community pharmacists. Despite findings that neither community/population need nor business development were among the most important factors in pharmacists' CPE selection, there exists significant potential for pharmacists to utilize CPE to maintain professional and organizational vitality in the labor market, but more importantly to ensure continued provision of quality pharmaceutical care and patient education.

Sexual health and life experiences: Voices from behaviourally bisexual Latino men in the Midwestern USA

PubMed Central

Martinez, Omar; Reece, Michael; Schnarrs, Philip; Rhodes, Scott; Goncalves, Gabriel; Muñoz-Laboy, Miguel; Malebranche, David; Van Der Pol, Barbara; Nix, Ryan; Kelle, Guadalupe; Fortenberry, J. Dennis

2011-01-01

Research on behaviourally bisexual Latino men in the USA has not yet examined sexual health issues among men living in diverse areas of the nation, including the Midwest. A community-based participatory research (CBPR) approach was used to engage a diverse sample of 75 behaviourally bisexual men (25 White, 25 Black, and 25 Latino). Semi-structured interviews were conducted and, in this paper, standard qualitative analysis procedures were used to explore data from the 25 Latino participants. Men described their unique migration experiences as behaviourally bisexual men in this area of the USA, as well as related sexual risk behaviours and health concerns. Lack of culturally congruent public health and community resources for behaviourally bisexual men in the Midwestern USA were identified as significant barriers. As in other studies, familial and community relationships were significant for the participants, especially in terms of the decision to disclose or not disclose their bisexuality. Additionally, alcohol and other drugs were often used while engaging in sexual behaviours particularly with male and transgender, as well as female, partners. Behaviourally bisexual Latino men may benefit from receiving positive and affirmative individual- and structural-level support in regards to their unique experiences in this and other settings. PMID:21815839

Listening to rural Hispanic immigrants in the Midwest: a community-based participatory assessment of major barriers to health care access and use.

PubMed

Cristancho, Sergio; Garces, D Marcela; Peters, Karen E; Mueller, Benjamin C

2008-05-01

Hispanic immigrants are increasingly residing in rural communities, including in the midwestern United States. Limitations in the ability of rural Hispanics to access and utilize health care contribute to patterns of poor health and health disparity. A conceptual model of "vulnerability" guides this community-based participatory assessment project designed to explore rural Hispanics' perceived barriers to accessing and utilizing health care. Findings from a series of 19 focus groups with 181 participants from three communities in the upper Midwest identified perceived barriers at the individual and health care system levels. The most commonly perceived barriers were the lack of and limitations in health insurance coverage, high costs of health care services, communication issues involving patients and providers, legal status/discrimination, and transportation concerns. Findings imply that these barriers could be addressed using multiple educational and health service delivery policy-related strategies that consider the vulnerable nature of this growing population.

Midwestern Holocene paleoenvironments revealed by floodplain deposits in northeastern Iowa

USGS Publications Warehouse

Chumbley, C.A.; Baker, R.G.; Bettis, E. Arthur

1990-01-01

Pollen analysis of pond deposits in the upper reaches of a stream from northeastern Iowa, an area beyond the last glacial margin, provides a nearly complete record of vegetational changes during the last 12.5 thousand years. Sixty-one radiocarbon dates provide good chronological control. Spruce forest was replaced by deciduous forest before 9 1 thousand years ago, followed by prairie from 5.4 to 3.5 thousand years ago, and oak savanna from 3.5 thousand years ago until presettlement times. The prairie invasion was nearly 3 thousand years later here than at other sites in Iowa and Minnesota, documenting a late Holocene, rather than an early-middle Holocene, period of maximum warmth and dryness for the southern part of the upper Midwest.

Powassan/Deer Tick Virus and Borrelia Burgdorferi Infection in Wisconsin Tick Populations

PubMed Central

Thomm, Angela M.; Harrington, Yvette A.; Ketter, Ellen; Patitucci, Jacob M.; Carrigan, Donald R.

2017-01-01

Abstract Powassan/Deer Tick Virus (POWV/DTV) is an emerging cause of arboviral neuroinvasive disease in the upper Midwest. These studies describe the prevalence and geographic distribution of Wisconsin ticks carrying POWV/DTV as well as the high frequency of Ixodes scapularis ticks coinfected with both POWV/DTV and Borrelia burgdorferi, the causative agent of Lyme disease. These findings suggest that concurrent transmission of POWV/DTV and B. Burgdorferi from coinfected ticks is likely to occur in humans. PMID:28488932

Environmental Impact Study of the Northern Section of the Upper Mississippi River. Pool 7.

DTIC Science & Technology

1973-11-01

7945 Salix interior Rowlee 7911 Salix rig a luhi. 7913 Ulm-us americana L. 7922,7955 SHRUBS Cephalanthus occidentalis L. 7924,7952 VINES Cuscuta p. 7916...still, I believe, a very useful indicator. Tables A16, Al7 andAl8 give frequency values for alluvial forest shrubs , vines , and herbs respectively...intcnsively utilized to meet the trans- protation needs of the Midwest . 33 Long before the coming of the first white settlers, the Mississippi River

Powassan/Deer Tick Virus and Borrelia Burgdorferi Infection in Wisconsin Tick Populations.

PubMed

Knox, Konstance K; Thomm, Angela M; Harrington, Yvette A; Ketter, Ellen; Patitucci, Jacob M; Carrigan, Donald R

2017-07-01

Powassan/Deer Tick Virus (POWV/DTV) is an emerging cause of arboviral neuroinvasive disease in the upper Midwest. These studies describe the prevalence and geographic distribution of Wisconsin ticks carrying POWV/DTV as well as the high frequency of Ixodes scapularis ticks coinfected with both POWV/DTV and Borrelia burgdorferi, the causative agent of Lyme disease. These findings suggest that concurrent transmission of POWV/DTV and B. Burgdorferi from coinfected ticks is likely to occur in humans.

Autogenic incision and terrace formation resulting from abrupt late-glacial base-level fall, lower Chippewa River, Wisconsin, USA

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Faulkner, Douglas J.; Larson, Phillip H.; Jol, Harry M.; Running, Garry L.; Loope, Henry M.; Goble, Ronald J.

2016-08-01

A paucity of research exists regarding the millennial-scale response of inland alluvial streams to abrupt base-level fall. Studies of modern systems indicate that, over short time scales, the response is a diffusion-like process of upstream-propagating incision. In contrast, evidence from the lower Chippewa River (LCR), located in the upper Midwest of the USA, suggests that autogenic controls operating over time scales of several millennia can overwhelm diffusion, resulting in incision that is prolonged and episodic. During the Last Glacial Maximum, the LCR drained the Chippewa Lobe of the Laurentide Ice Sheet to the glacial upper Mississippi River (UMR). As a meltwater stream, it aggraded and filled its valley with glacial outwash, as did its largest tributaries, which were also meltwater streams. Its nonglacial tributaries aggraded, too, filling their valleys with locally derived sediment. During deglaciation, the UMR incised at least twice, abruptly lowering the LCR's base level - 15 m at 16 ka or earlier and an additional 40 m at ca. 13.4 ka. Each of these base-level falls initiated incision of the LCR, led by upstream migrating knickpoints. The propagation of incision has, however, been a lengthy process. The optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) ages of terrace alluvium indicate that, by 13.5 ka, incision had advanced up the LCR only 15 km, and by 9 ka, only 55 km. The process has also been episodic, resulting in the formation of fill-cut terraces (inferred from GPR surveys and exposures of terrace alluvium) that are younger and more numerous in the upstream direction. Autogenic increases in sediment load and autogenic bed armoring, the result of periodic tributary-stream rejuvenation and preferential winnowing of fines by the incising river, may have periodically caused knickpoint migration and incision to slow and possibly stop, allowing lateral erosion and floodplain formation to dominate. A decline in sediment flux from stabilizing incised tributary stream systems would have led to renewed knickpoint migration and incision when floods of sufficient magnitude to breach the channel armor occurred. Minimal floodplain development along the upper section of the present-day LCR, along with the channel morphology of an unstable wandering gravel-bed river immediately downstream from it, suggest that the river is still responding to the base-level falls that happened many millennia ago. The autogenic controls on the LCR's response to UMR incision are a direct consequence of the thick fills of noncohesive sediment that accumulated in its valley and the valleys of its tributary streams during the Late Wisconsinan, making the LCR a prime example of a former proglacial river that remains a paraglacial fluvial system.

Regional distribution of Paenibacillus larvae subspecies larvae, the causative organism of American foulbrood, in honey bee colonies of the Western United States.

PubMed

Eischen, Frank A; Graham, R Henry; Cox, Robert

2005-08-01

We examined honey bee, Apis mellifera L., colonies pollinating almonds in California during February 2003 for Paenibacillus larvae subsp. Larvae, the causative organism of the virulent brood disease American foulbrood. Colonies originating from the Rocky Mountain area and California had significantly higher numbers (P < 0.05) of bacterial colony-forming units (CFUs) (408 and 324 per 30 adult bees, respectively) than colonies from the upper Midwest (1.28). Colonies from the northwestern, central, and southwestern United States had intermediate CFU or bacterial colony levels. Operations positive for P. larvae larvae were relatively uniform at approximately 70-80%, and no regional significant differences were found. Percentages of colonies with high CFUs (> or = 400 per 30 bees) differed significantly, with those from the Rocky Mountain region having 8.73% compared with those of the upper Midwest with 0%. The significance of CFU levels was evaluated by inoculating healthy colonies with diseased immatures and sampling adult bees. The number of CFUs detected per diseased immature was conservatively estimated to be approximately 399 CFUs per 30 adult bees. We defined this spore level as 1 disease equivalent. Based on this, 3.86% colonies in our survey had 1 or more disease equivalent number of P. larvae larvae CFUs. Operations with high P. larvae larvae spore levels in their colonies will likely observe American foulbrood if prophylaxis is not practiced diligently.

Seroprevalence and risk factors for infection with equine coronavirus in healthy horses in the USA.

PubMed

Kooijman, L J; James, K; Mapes, S M; Theelen, M J P; Pusterla, N

2017-02-01

Equine coronavirus (ECoV) is considered an enteric pathogen of foals and has only recently been associated with infections in adult horses. Seroprevalence data is needed to better understand the epidemiology of ECoV in adult horses, evaluate diagnostic modalities and develop preventive measures. The objective of this study was to investigate the seroprevalence and selective risk factors for ECoV in 5247 healthy adult horses in the USA, using a recently established and validated IgG enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Prevalence factors analysed in this study included geographic region, age, breed, sex and use. A total of 504/5247 horses (9.6%) horses tested seropositive. Geographic region (Mid-West; P = 0.008), breed (Draft horses; P = 0.003) and specific uses of horses (ranch/farm, P = 0.034; breeding use, P = 0.016) were all statistically significant risk factors for seropositivity. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Geohydrologic systems in Kansas with emphasis on systems in Upper Cambrian through Lower Cretaceous rocks

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wolf, R.J.; Hansen, C.V.; McGovern, H.E.; Spinazola, J.M.

1990-01-01

This Hydrologic Investigations Atlas, which consists of a series of chapters, presents a description of (1) the physical frameworks and (2) the geohydrology of the principal aquifers and confining systems in Kansas. The report is the result of an investigation that has been made as part of the Central Midwest Regional Aquifer System Analysis (CMRASA), one of several major investigations by the U.S. Geological Survey to define regional aquifer systems. These regional analyses are designed to increase knowledge of major flow regimes and provide data for assessing, developing, and managing water supplies. The CMRASA is an investigation of water in Upper Cambrian through Lower Cretaceous rocks in parts of 10 Central Midwestern States, as shown by the map on the envelope cover.

Drivers of Change in Managed Water Resources: Modeling the Impacts of Climate and Socioeconomic Changes Using the US Midwest as a Case Study

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

Voisin, Nathalie; Leung, Lai-Yung R.; Hejazi, Mohamad I.

A global integrated assessment model including a water-demand model driven by socio-economics, is coupled in a one-way fashion with a land surface hydrology – routing – water resources management model. The integrated modeling framework is applied to the U.S. Upper Midwest (Missouri, Upper Mississippi, and Ohio) to advance understanding of the regional impacts of climate and socio-economic changes on integrated water resources. Implications for future flow regulation, water supply, and supply deficit are investigated using climate change projections with the B1 and A2 emission scenarios, which affect both natural flow and water demand. Changes in water demand are driven bymore » socio-economic factors, energy and food demands, global markets and prices. The framework identifies the multiple spatial scales of interactions between the drivers of changes (natural flow and water demand) and the managed water resources (regulated flow, supply and supply deficit). The contribution of the different drivers of change are quantified regionally, and also evaluated locally, using covariances. The integrated framework shows that water supply deficit is more predictable over the Missouri than the other regions in the Midwest. The predictability of the supply deficit mostly comes from long term changes in water demand although changes in runoff has a greater contribution, comparable to the contribution of changes in demand, over shorter time periods. The integrated framework also shows that spatially, water demand drives local supply deficit. Using elasticity, the sensitivity of supply deficit to drivers of change is established. The supply deficit is found to be more sensitive to changes in runoff than to changes in demand regionally. It contrasts with the covariance analysis that shows that water demand is the dominant driver of supply deficit over the analysed periods. The elasticity indicates the level of mitigation needed to control the demand in order to reduce the vulnerability of the integrated system in future periods. The elasticity analyses also emphasize the need to address uncertainty with respect to changes in natural flow in integrated assessment.« less

Climatic and hydrologic aspects of the 2008 Midwest floods

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Budikova, D.; Coleman, J.; Strope, S. A.

2010-12-01

Between May and June 2008 the Midwest region of the United States (U.S.) experienced record flooding. The event was produced by distinct hydroclimatic conditions that included saturated antecedent soil moisture conditions and atmospheric circulation that guided moist air from the Gulf of Mexico into the area between late May and mid-June. The latter included a well-developed trough over the central/west U.S., a strong Great Plains Low Level Jet (GPLLJ), and unseasonably strong westerlies that promoted upper level divergence in regions of positive vorticity advection. The flooding coincided with a strongly negative phase of the North Atlantic Oscillation linked to the strength of the GPLLJ. The atmospheric flow contributed to flooding within three river basins across nine states. Iowa, southern Wisconsin, and central Indiana located within the Upper Mississippi River Basin (UMRB) and the Wabash River Basin were most impacted and also recorded the greatest anomalies in rainfall. Record rainfall, persistent multi-day precipitation events, high frequency of localized high-intensity rainfall events all contributed to the severity of the flooding. Conditions peaked between May 21 and June 13 when rain fell somewhere within the region each day. River discharge rates reached record levels in June at many locations; return periods throughout Iowa, southern Wisconsin and in central Indiana were estimated to exceed 100 years, and often times 200 years. Record river stage levels were observed during this time in similar areas. Conditions began to recover into July and August. The timing of occurrence of the precipitation and hydrological anomalies towards late spring and into early summer in the Midwest was rather unusual. The 2008 flood event occurred 15 years after the infamous 1993 event. The importance of its occurrence is underscored by the observed increasing trends in extreme and flood-related precipitation characteristics during the 20th century and the anticipated changes under future anthropogenic warming scenarios. If changes in such extremes can be understood or even anticipated, society can begin to take measures towards proactive adaptation and risk management to limit future impacts.

Molecular epidemiology of Powassan virus in North America.

PubMed

Pesko, Kendra N; Torres-Perez, Fernando; Hjelle, Brian L; Ebel, Gregory D

2010-11-01

Powassan virus (POW) is a tick-borne flavivirus distributed in Canada, the northern USA and the Primorsky region of Russia. POW is the only tick-borne flavivirus endemic to the western hemisphere, where it is transmitted mainly between Ixodes cookei and groundhogs (Marmota monax). Deer tick virus (DTV), a genotype of POW that has been frequently isolated from deer ticks (Ixodes scapularis), appears to be maintained in an enzootic cycle between these ticks and white-footed mice (Peromyscus leucopus). DTV has been isolated from ticks in several regions of North America, including the upper Midwest and the eastern seaboard. The incidence of human disease due to POW is apparently increasing. Previous analysis of tick-borne flaviviruses endemic to North America have been limited to relatively short genome fragments. We therefore assessed the evolutionary dynamics of POW using newly generated complete and partial genome sequences. Maximum-likelihood and Bayesian phylogenetic inferences showed two well-supported, reciprocally monophyletic lineages corresponding to POW and DTV. Bayesian skyline plots based on year-of-sampling data indicated no significant population size change for either virus lineage. Statistical model-based selection analyses showed evidence of purifying selection in both lineages. Positive selection was detected in NS-5 sequences for both lineages and envelope sequences for POW. Our findings confirm that POW and DTV sequences are relatively stable over time, which suggests strong evolutionary constraint, and support field observations that suggest that tick-borne flavivirus populations are extremely stable in enzootic foci.

Temporal variation (seasonal and interannual) of vegetation indices of maize and soybeans across multiple years in central Iowa

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Prueger, J. H.; Hatfield, J. L.

2015-09-01

Remotely sensed reflectance parameters from corn and soybean surfaces can be correlated to crop production. Surface reflectance of a typical Upper Midwest corn /soybean region in central Iowa across multiple years reveal subtle dynamics in vegetative surface response to a continually varying climate. From 2006 through 2014 remotely sensed data have been acquired over production fields of corn and soybeans in central IA, U.S.A. with the fields alternating between corn and soybeans. The data have been acquired using ground-based radiometers with 16 wavebands covering the visible, near infrared, shortwave infrared wavebands and combined into a series of vegetative indices. These data were collected on clear days with the goal of collecting data at a minimum of once per week from prior to planting until after fall tillage operations. Within each field, five sites were established and sampled during the year to reduce spatial variation and allow for an assessment of changes in the vegetative indices throughout the growing season. Ancillary data collected for each crop included the phenological stage at each sampling date along with biomass sampled at the onset of the reproductive stage and at physiological maturity. Evaluation of the vegetative indices for the different years revealed that patterns were related to weather effects on corn and soybean growth. Remote sensing provides a method to evaluate changes within and among growing seasons to assess crop growth and development as affected by differences in weather variability.

Effects of landscape composition and wetland fragmentation on frog and toad abundance and species richness in Iowa and Wisconsin, USA [abstract

USGS Publications Warehouse

Knutson, M.G.; Sauer, J.R.; Olsen, D.A.; Mossman, M.J.; Hemesath, L.M.; Lannoo, M.J.

1998-01-01

We examined the relationships between anuran diversity and landscape features in the Upper Midwestern United States. Anuran relative abundance and species richness were measured using data collected by Wisconsin and Iowa state calling surveys conducted from 1990-1995. Landscape features surrounding survey points were determined using National Wetland Inventory and Wisconsin Wetland Inventory maps. We tested several hypotheses suggested by the literature. We hypothesized that the relative abundance and species richness of anurans that breed in ephemeral wetlands is positively correlated with the surrounding area of temporary wetlands and emergent wetlands. We hypothesized that the relative abundance and species richness of anurans is positively correlated with patch diversity and wetland edges, in the absence of local fragmentation effects. We hypothesized that the relative abundance and species richness of anurans is positively associated with forests but negatively associated with agriculture and urban areas. Our results show that the interspersion of different wetland types and the concomitant increase in wetland edge habitats were generally positive for frogs and toads and anuran abundance and diversity were generally higher in association with forests, especially forested wetlands. The presence of agriculture did not always depress frog and toad populations or diversity; some species were associated with agricultural landscapes. The two states differed in how anurans were associated with landscape features like lakes and permanent wetlands. We found that frog and toad relative abundance and diversity were lower when urban areas were present. Managers can use models like ours, generated from landscape analyses, along with range maps and population trend analyses to get a comprehensive picture of the health of individual species and groups of species. Our models could be applied to the landscape as a whole, and used to predict species relative abundance and richness at new locations. Our work provides a framework for future experimental and intensive research on specific factors affecting the health of amphibians in the Upper Midwest.

76 FR 34691 - Edison Mission Energy v. Midwest Independent Transmission System Operator, Inc.; Notice of Complaint

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-06-14

... Transmission System Operator, Inc. (Midwest ISO or Respondent), alleging that Midwest ISO is requiring the Edison Wind Projects to satisfy the M3 milestone in contravention of the Midwest ISO's Tariff and the... served on the contacts for the Midwest ISO as listed on the Commission's list of Corporate Officials. Any...

76 FR 4104 - Notice of Commission Staff Attendance at Midwest ISO Meetings

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-01-24

... Transmission System Operator, Inc., et al. Docket No. ER05-1085, et al., Midwest Independent Transmission..., Midwest Independent Transmission System Operator, Inc. Docket No. ER10-1085, Midwest Independent...

75 FR 51996 - Notice of Commission Staff Attendance at Midwest ISO Meetings

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-08-24

... Transmission System Operator, Inc., et al. Docket No. ER05-1085, et al., Midwest Independent Transmission..., Midwest Independent Transmission System Operator, Inc. Docket No. ER10-1085, Midwest Independent...

Collaboration: integrating practice and research in public health nursing.

PubMed

Henry, V; Schmitz, K; Reif, L; Rudie, P

1992-12-01

The need to integrate clinical practice and research has been stressed for many years in both public health and nursing. This article describes such a collaborative project between two rural upper Midwest public health nursing agencies and public health nursing faculty from a small, liberal arts, baccalaureate nursing program. The high-risk prenatal research project provided an opportunity for nursing staff and faculty research consultants to work together on a clinical study. A model for collaborative research is illustrated, and advantages and disadvantages for practice, administration, and research are discussed.

Detroit, MI, Toledo, OH and Lake Erie

NASA Image and Video Library

1973-06-22

SL2-05-390 (22 June 1973) --- Greater Detroit (42.0N, 82.5W) is located at the southeastern border of Michigan on the Detroit River across from Windsor, Ontario, Canada and Lake Huron to the north. The river connecting Lake Erie is a channel left over from the Ice Age Glaciers. The land use pattern in this scene is typical of this part of the upper Midwest. The once extensive forests have been cleared for farmland and pasture, but narrow rows of trees still line farm boundaries. Photo credit: NASA

Validation of eDNA markers for New Zealand mudsnail surveillance and initial eDNA monitoring at Mississippi River Basin sites

USGS Publications Warehouse

Merkes, Christopher; Turnquist, Keith N.; Rees, Christopher B.; Amberg, Jon J.

2015-01-01

The duplex assay was chosen as the most efficient assay and was used at the Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center to analyze triplicate samples from 29 streams in Wisconsin, 8 streams in Illinois, and 8 streams in Iowa. In order to verify results, additional triplicate samples were collected from two of the streams in Iowa and two of the streams in Wisconsin for analysis at the Molecular Conservation Genetics Laboratory. All samples at all sites were negative for NZMS DNA.

Formation and dissociation of dust molecules in dusty plasma

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yan, Jia; Feng, Fan; Liu, Fucheng; Dong, Lifang; He, Yafeng

2016-09-01

Dust molecules are observed in a dusty plasma experiment. By using measurements with high spatial resolution, the formation and dissociation of the dust molecules are studied. The ion cloud in the wake of an upper dust grain attracts the lower dust grain nearby. When the interparticle distance between the upper dust grain and the lower one is less than a critical value, the two dust grains would form a dust molecule. The upper dust grain always leads the lower one as they travel. When the interparticle distance between them is larger than the critical value, the dust molecule would dissociate. Project supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 11205044 and 11405042), the Natural Science Foundation of Hebei Province, China (Grant Nos. A2011201006 and A2012201015), the Research Foundation of Education Bureau of Hebei Province, China (Grant No. Y2012009), the Program for Young Principal Investigators of Hebei Province, China, and the Midwest Universities Comprehensive Strength Promotion Project, China.

Student performance on levels 1 and 2-CE of COMLEX-USA: do elective upper-level undergraduate science courses matter?

PubMed

Wong, Stanley K; Ramirez, Juan R; Helf, Scott C

2009-11-01

The effect of a variety of preadmission variables, including the number of elective preadmission upper-level science courses, on academic achievement is not well established. To investigate the relationship between number of preadmission variables and overall student academic achievement in osteopathic medical school. Academic records of osteopathic medical students in the 2008 and 2009 graduating classes of Western University of Health Sciences College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific in Pomona, California, were analyzed. Multivariate linear regression analyses were performed to identify predictors of academic achievement based on Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) subscores, undergraduate grade point average (GPA), GPA in medical school basic science (preclinical GPA) and clinical clerkship (clinical GPA), and scores on the Comprehensive Osteopathic Medical Licensing Examination-USA (COMLEX-USA) Level 1 and Level 2-Cognitive Evaluation (CE). Records of 358 osteopathic medical students were evaluated. Analysis of beta coefficients suggested that undergraduate science GPA was the most important predictor of overall student academic achievement (P<.01). Biological sciences MCAT subscore was a more modest but still statistically significant predictor of preclinical GPA and COMLEX-USA Level 1 score (P<.01). Physical sciences MCAT subscore was also a statistically significant predictor of preclinical GPA, and verbal reasoning MCAT subscore was a statistically significant predictor of COMLEX-USA Level 2-CE score (both P<.01). Women had statistically significantly higher preclinical GPA and COMLEX-USA Level 2-CE scores than men (P<.05). Differences in some outcome variables were also associated with racial-ethnic background and age. Number of preadmission elective upper-level science courses taken by students before matriculation was not significantly correlated with any academic achievement variable. Although undergraduate science GPA and MCAT biological sciences subscore were significant predictors of overall academic achievement for osteopathic medical students, the number of elective upper-level science courses taken preadmission had no predictive value.

75 FR 20590 - PJM Interconnection, L.L.C., Complainant, v. Midwest Independent Transmission, System Operator...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-04-20

... System Operator, Inc. (Midwest ISO or Respondent) alleging that the Midwest ISO violated their, Midwest ISO and PJM, Joint Operating Agreement (JOA), through its practice of initiating the JOA market-to...

Fields of dreams: negotiating an ethanol agenda in the Midwest United States.

PubMed

Gillon, Sean

2010-01-01

Corn ethanol production is central in the United States' agrofuels initiatives. In this paper I discuss corn ethanol production in Iowa, USA and examine several dynamics: farmers' positions in agrofuel supply chains; struggles around the construction and operation of agrofuel refineries; the politics of ethanol production and regulation; and the ecological consequences of increased corn production. I argue that current US agrofuels production and politics reinforce longstanding and unequal political economic relationships in industrial agriculture. I also argue that the politics of US agrofuels, focused on carbon accounting for greenhouse gas reduction and energy security, privilege urban and other actors' social and ecological interests over those of rural places of production.

Raising children in America: Korean parents' experiences.

PubMed

Choi, H; Dancy, B L; Lee, J

2013-08-01

This qualitative description study was designed to describe Korean American parents' perceptions of challenges and difficulties they encounter while raising their children in the USA. A convenience sampling of 21 parents of adolescents aged 11-14 years recruited from the Midwest Korean American community participated in the study. Data were collected using in-depth, face-to-face interviews, which took place in agreed-upon, convenient locations. All interviews were audiotaped and transcribed in Korean and the transcripts were translated into English. Qualitative content analysis revealed that the main stresses that parents encountered while raising their children in the USA were inability to advocate for children, feeling uneasy and insecure about incompatible American culture, ambivalence towards children's ethnic identities, and feeling alienated. In relation to these stresses, parents often felt inadequate, ashamed, guilty, regretful and powerless. The findings demonstrated the importance of understanding parents' feelings that are deeply embedded in the conflicted parent-child relationships and their perceptions of being parents in the USA. The present study highlights the need for and importance of providing intervention programmes for parents, particularly programmes that would empower parents, strengthen parent-child relationships and address ways to integrate two very different cultures while upholding ethnic identity and pride. © 2012 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Midwest regional rail system : a transportation network for the 21 century : executive report

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2000-02-01

The Midwest Regional Rail Initiative is an ongoing effort to develop an improved and expanded passenger rail system in the Midwest. Since 1996, the Midwest Regional Rail Initiative (MWRRI) advanced from a series of service concepts, including increas...

77 FR 3966 - Approval and Promulgation of Air Quality Implementation Plans; Illinois; Regional Haze

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-01-26

... Midwest Generating--Baldwin Boilers 1, 2, and 3. Dominion Kincaid Generation--Boilers 1 and 2. Ameren.... Ameren Energy Generating--Duck Creek Boiler 1. Midwest Generation--Powerton Boilers 51, 52, 61, and 62. Midwest Generation--Joliet Boilers 71, 72, 81, and 82. Midwest Generation--Will County Boiler 4. City...

AmeriFlux US-Br1 Brooks Field Site 10- Ames

DOE Data Explorer

Parkin, Tim [USDA; Prueger, John [National Laboratory for Agriculture and the Environment

2016-01-01

This is the AmeriFlux version of the carbon flux data for the site US-Br1 Brooks Field Site 10- Ames. Site Description - The Brooks Field Site 10 - Ames Site is one of three sites (Brooks Field Site 11 and Brooks Field Site 1011) located in a corn/soybean agricultural landscape of central Iowa. The farming systems, associated tillage, and nutrient management practices for soybean/corn production are typical of those throughout Upper Midwest Corn Belt. All three sites are members of the AmeriFlux network. Information for all three can be found in synchronous pages of this website.

AmeriFlux US-Br3 Brooks Field Site 11- Ames

DOE Data Explorer

Parkin, Tim [USDA; Prueger, John [National Laboratory for Agriculture and the Environment

2016-01-01

This is the AmeriFlux version of the carbon flux data for the site US-Br3 Brooks Field Site 11- Ames. Site Description - The Brooks Field Site 11 - Ames Site is one of three sites (Brooks Field Site 10 and Brooks Field Site 1011) located in a corn/soybean agricultural landscape of central Iowa. The farming systems, associated tillage, and nutrient management practices for soybean/corn production are typical of those throughout Upper Midwest Corn Belt. All three sites are members of the AmeriFlux network. Information for all three can be found in synchronous pages of this website.

Change in Reported Lyme Disease Incidence in the Northeast and Upper Midwest, 1991-2014

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

This indicator shows how reported Lyme disease incidence has changed by state since 1991, based on the number of new cases per 100,000 people. The total change has been estimated from the average annual rate of change in each state. This map is limited to the 14 states where Lyme disease is most common, where annual rates are consistently above 10 cases per 100,000. Connecticut, New York, and Rhode Island had too much year-to-year variation in reporting practices to allow trend calculation. For more information: www.epa.gov/climatechange/science/indicators

Management, operational, animal health, and economic characteristics of large dairy herds in 4 states in the Upper Midwest of the United States.

PubMed

Evink, T L; Endres, M I

2017-11-01

Recent trends in dairy farm structure in the United States have included a decreasing number of farms, although farm size has increased, especially the share of milk production from very large herds (>2,500 cows). The objectives of this observational study were to describe common management practices; to characterize labor and operational structure; to measure some aspects of animal health, including lameness, hock lesions, mortality, and mastitis incidence; and to summarize cost of production on farms with more than 2,500 cows in 4 states in the Upper Midwest of the United States. The study included 15 dairy farms in Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, and South Dakota. Farms were visited twice, once each year, and on-farm herd records were collected for those 2 yr. On-farm herd records were used to investigate mortality, culling, pregnancy rate, and clinical mastitis incidence. At least 1 high-producing pen of mature cows and 1 pen of fresh cows were scored for locomotion. Likewise, at least 1 pen of high-producing mature cows was scored for cleanliness and hock lesions. Median herd size was 3,975 cows (range = 2,606-13,266). Milk sold per employee was 1,120,745 kg and the number of cows per employee was 105. Eighty percent of the farms had Holstein cows, 13% had Jersey, and 7% had Jersey-Holstein crosses. All farms used artificial insemination as the sole form of breeding and 100% of the farms used hormonal synchronization or timed artificial insemination programs in their reproductive protocols; 21-d pregnancy rate was 21.7%. Median lameness prevalence was 18.3% and median severe lameness prevalence was 5.1%. Median hock lesion prevalence was 17.4% and median severe hock lesion prevalence was 1.9%; mortality rate was 7.4%. Clinical mastitis incidence was 62.5 cases per 100 cow-years. Feed costs accounted for approximately 53% of the total cost of producing milk, followed by labor at 11%, interest and depreciation expenses at 10%, and replacement costs at 9.5%. Herds in the top 50th percentile for profitability had a net income of $2.40 per hundredweight of milk sold compared with $0.95 per hundredweight for herds in the bottom 50th percentile. Although results of this study were helpful in understanding how large dairy systems operate in the Upper Midwest, more research is yet needed with a larger number of farms and wider variety of management practices to identify factors within these large farms that promote optimal animal health and profitability. Copyright © 2017 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Using occupancy models to accommodate uncertainty in the interpretation of aerial photograph data: status of beaver in Central Oregon, USA

USGS Publications Warehouse

Pearl, Christopher A.; Adams, Michael J.; Haggerty, Patricia K.; Urban, Leslie

2015-01-01

Beavers (Castor canadensis) influence habitat for many species and pose challenges in developed landscapes. They are increasingly viewed as a cost-efficient means of riparian habitat restoration and water storage. Still, information on their status is rare, particularly in western North America. We used aerial photography to evaluate changes in beaver occupancy between 1942–1968 and 2009 in upper portions of 2 large watersheds in Oregon, USA. We used multiple observers and occupancy modeling to account for bias related to photo quality, observers, and imperfect detection of beaver impoundments. Our analysis suggested a slightly higher rate of beaver occupancy in the upper Deschutes than the upper Klamath basin. We found weak evidence for beaver increases in the west and declines in eastern parts of the study area. Our study presents a method for dealing with observer variation in photo interpretation and provides the first assessment of the extent of beaver influence in 2 basins with major water-use challenges. Published 2015. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.

A comparative climate analysis of heat-related emergency 911 dispatches: Chicago, Illinois and Phoenix, Arizona USA 2003 to 2006.

PubMed

Hartz, Donna A; Brazel, Anthony J; Golden, Jay S

2013-09-01

Research into the health impacts of heat has proliferated since 2000. Temperature increases could exacerbate the increased heat already experienced by urban populations due to urbanization. Heat-related mortality studies have found that hot southern cities in North America have not experienced the summer increases in mortality found in their more northern counterparts. Heat-related morbidity studies have not assessed this possible regional difference. This comparison study uses data from emergency 911 dispatches [referred to as heat-related dispatches (HRD)] identified by responders as heat-related for two United States cities located in different regions with very different climates: Chicago, Illinois in the upper midwest and Phoenix, Arizona in the southwest. Phoenix's climate is hot and arid. Chicago's climate is more temperate, but can also experience days with unusually high temperatures combined with high humidity. This study examines the relationships between rising HRD and daily temperatures: maximum (Tmax); apparent (ATmax): minimum (Tmin) and two energy balance indices (PET and UTCI). Phoenix had more HRD cumulatively, over a longer warm weather season, but did not experience the large spikes in HRD that occurred in Chicago, even though it was routinely subjected to much hotter weather conditions. Statistical analyses showed the strongest relationships to daily ATmax for both cities. Phoenix's lack of HRD spikes, similar to the summer mortality patterns for southern cities, suggests an avenue for future research to better understand the dynamics of possible physiological or behavioral adaption that seems to reduce residents' vulnerability to heat.

A comparative climate analysis of heat-related emergency 911 dispatches: Chicago, Illinois and Phoenix, Arizona USA 2003 to 2006

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hartz, Donna A.; Brazel, Anthony J.; Golden, Jay S.

2013-09-01

Research into the health impacts of heat has proliferated since 2000. Temperature increases could exacerbate the increased heat already experienced by urban populations due to urbanization. Heat-related mortality studies have found that hot southern cities in North America have not experienced the summer increases in mortality found in their more northern counterparts. Heat-related morbidity studies have not assessed this possible regional difference. This comparison study uses data from emergency 911 dispatches [referred to as heat-related dispatches (HRD)] identified by responders as heat-related for two United States cities located in different regions with very different climates: Chicago, Illinois in the upper midwest and Phoenix, Arizona in the southwest. Phoenix's climate is hot and arid. Chicago's climate is more temperate, but can also experience days with unusually high temperatures combined with high humidity. This study examines the relationships between rising HRD and daily temperatures: maximum (Tmax); apparent (ATmax): minimum (Tmin) and two energy balance indices (PET and UTCI). Phoenix had more HRD cumulatively, over a longer warm weather season, but did not experience the large spikes in HRD that occurred in Chicago, even though it was routinely subjected to much hotter weather conditions. Statistical analyses showed the strongest relationships to daily ATmax for both cities. Phoenix's lack of HRD spikes, similar to the summer mortality patterns for southern cities, suggests an avenue for future research to better understand the dynamics of possible physiological or behavioral adaption that seems to reduce residents' vulnerability to heat.

Chicano Literature of the Midwest: The Production of "Los Desarraigados."

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McAlpine, Dave

Following a brief discussion of the origins of the Chicanos in the Midwest, this paper surveys and quotes at length from several Spanish language periodicals produced in the Midwest between 1925 and the early 1980s. Discussion of the Chicano origins in the Midwest touches on emigration resulting from the Mexican Revolution of 1910-1917, the…

Cross-Country Adventures. Teaching with Technology.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Allen, Denise

1995-01-01

Features reviews of four computer games for use with intermediate and upper grade students, three on geography (Travelrama USA, Crosscountry USA, My America) and one on history (Vital Links). Comments include strengths of each activity, related multimedia activities and resources, and links to literature. Also reviews "Educator's Internet…

Partitioning of total mercury and methylmercury to the colloidal phase in freshwaters.

PubMed

Babiarz, C L; Hurley, J P; Hoffmann, S R; Andren, A W; Shafer, M M; Armstrong, D E

2001-12-15

Using tangential flow ultrafiltration, total mercury (HgT) and methylmercury (MeHg) concentrations in the colloidal phase (0.4 microm-10 kDa) were determined for 15 freshwaters located in the upper Midwest (Minnesota, Michigan, and Wisconsin) and the Southern United States (Georgia and Florida). Unfiltered concentrations were typical of those reported for freshwater and ranged from 0.9 to 27.1 ng L(-1) HgT and from 0.08 to 0.86 ng L(-1) MeHg. For some rivers, HgT and MeHg in the colloidal phase comprised up to 72% of the respective unfiltered concentration. On average, however, HgT and MeHg concentrations were evenly distributed between the particulate (>0.4 microm), colloidal, and dissolved (<10 kDa) phases. The pool of Hg in the colloidal phase decreased with increasing specific conductance. Results from experiments on freshwaters with artificially elevated specific conductance suggest that HgT and MeHg may partition to different subfractions of colloidal material. The colloidal-phase HgT correlation with filtered organic carbon (OC(F)) was generally poor (r2 < 0.14; p > 0.07), but the regression of MeHg with OC(F) was strong, especially in the upper Midwest (r2 = 0.78; p < 0.01). On a mass basis, colloidal-phase Hg concentrations were similar to those of unimpacted sediments in the Midwest. Mercury to carbon ratios averaged 352 pg of HgT/mg of C and 25 pg of MeHg/mg of C and were not correlated to ionic strength. The log of the partition coefficient (log K(D)) for HgT and MeHg ranged from 3.7 to 6.4 and was typical of freshwater values determined using a 0.4 microm cutoff between the particulate phase and the dissolved phase. Log K(D) calculated using the <10 kDa fraction as "dissolved" ranged from 4.3 to 6.6 and had a smaller standard deviation about the mean. In addition, our data support the "particle concentration effect" (PCE) hypothesis that the association of Hg with colloids in the filter-passing fraction can lower the observed log K(D). The similarity between colloidal and particulate-phase partition coefficients suggests that colloidal mass and not preferential colloidal partitioning drives the PCE.

An Investigation of Widespread Ozone Damage to the Soybean Crop in the Upper Midwest Determined From Ground-Based and Satellite Measurements

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fishman, Jack; Creilson, John K.; Parker, Peter A.; Ainsworth, Elizabeth A.; Vining, G. Geoffrey; Szarka, John; Booker, Fitzgerald L.; Xu, Xiaojing

2010-01-01

Elevated concentrations of ground-level ozone (O3) are frequently measured over farmland regions in many parts of the world. While numerous experimental studies show that O3 can significantly decrease crop productivity, independent verifications of yield losses at current ambient O3 concentrations in rural locations are sparse. In this study, soybean crop yield data during a 5-year period over the Midwest of the United States were combined with ground and satellite O3 measurements to provide evidence that yield losses on the order of 10% could be estimated through the use of a multiple linear regression model. Yield loss trends based on both conventional ground-based instrumentation and satellite-derived tropospheric O3 measurements were statistically significant and were consistent with results obtained from open-top chamber experiments and an open-air experimental facility (SoyFACE, Soybean Free Air Concentration Enrichment) in central Illinois. Our analysis suggests that such losses are a relatively new phenomenon due to the increase in background tropospheric O3 levels over recent decades. Extrapolation of these findings supports previous studies that estimate the global economic loss to the farming community of more than $10 billion annually.

Biostratigraphical dating of the Thornton Fossil Konservat-Lagerstätte, Silurian, Illinois, USA

USGS Publications Warehouse

Loydell, David K.; Mullins, Gary L.; Mannik, Peep; Mikulic, Donald G.; Kluessendorf, Joanne

2002-01-01

Graptoloid graptolites, conodonts and chitinozoans from the lower part of the Racine Dolomite Formation at the Material Services Corporation quarry at Thornton indicate that the Fossil Konservat-Lagerstätte here is of late Sheinwoodian (early Wenlock) age. It is thus of an age approximately midway between those of the other Midwest Lagerstätten: within the Brandon Bridge Formation at Waukesha (Telychian), and the Mississinewa Shale (Gorstian) and Lecthaylus Shale (Gorstian). Conodonts indicate that the Fossil Konservat-Lagerstätte at Thornton corresponds to the ‘post Kockelella walliseri interregnum’ sensu Jeppsson (1997, Transactions of the Royal Society of Edinburgh: Earth Sciences88: 91–114)

The stratigraphic utility of the trace fossil Pteridichnites biseriatus in the Upper Devonian of eastern West Virginia and western Virginia, USA

USGS Publications Warehouse

McDowell, R.R.; Avary, K.L.; Matchen, D.L.; Britton, J.Q.

2007-01-01

Similar lithologies and lithofacies are present in two Upper Devonian siliciclastic units, the Brallier and Foreknobs formations, in eastern West Virginia and western Virginia, USA. Specimens of an unusual trace fossil, Pteridichnites biseriatus, occur in variable numbers throughout both stratigraphic units. P. biseriatus is present in abundance in the lowermost Brallier and this abundance-zone serves as a local stratigraphic marker for the Brallier. The trace fossil, originally suggested as an indication of polychaete or arthropod locomotion, is herein proposed as the locomotion trace of an unidentified ophiuroid.

Long-term nitrous oxide fluxes in annual and perennial agricultural and unmanaged ecosystems in the upper Midwest USA

DOE PAGES

Gelfand, Ilya; Shcherbak, Iurii; Millar, Neville; ...

2016-08-11

Differences in soil nitrous oxide (N 2O) fluxes among ecosystems are often difficult to evaluate and predict due to high spatial and temporal variabilities and few direct experimental comparisons. For 20 years, we measured N 2O fluxes in 11 ecosystems in southwest Michigan USA: four annual grain crops (corn–soybean–wheat rotations) managed with conventional, no-till, reduced input, or biologically based/organic inputs; three perennial crops (alfalfa, poplar, and conifers); and four unmanaged ecosystems of different successional age including mature forest. Average N 2O emissions were higher from annual grain and N-fixing cropping systems than from nonleguminous perennial cropping systems and were low across unmanaged ecosystems. Among annual cropping systems full-rotation fluxes were indistinguishable from one another but rotation phase mattered. For example, those systems with cover crops and reduced fertilizer N emitted more N 2O during the corn and soybean phases, but during the wheat phase fluxes were ~40% lower. Likewise, no-till did not differ from conventional tillage over the entire rotation but reduced emissions ~20% in the wheat phase and increased emissions 30–80% in the corn and soybean phases. Greenhouse gas intensity for the annual crops (flux per unit yield) was lowest for soybeans produced under conventional management, while for the 11 other crop 9 management combinations intensities were similar to one another. Among the fertilized systems, emissions ranged from 0.30 to 1.33 kg N 2O-N ha -1 yr -1 and were best predicted by IPCC Tier 1 and DEF emission factor approaches. Annual cumulative fluxes from perennial systems were best explained by soil NOmore » $$-\\atop{3}$$ pools (r 2 = 0.72) but not so for annual crops, where management differences overrode simple correlations. Daily soil N 2O emissions were poorly predicted by any measured variables. Overall, long-term measurements reveal lower fluxes in nonlegume perennial vegetation and, for conservatively fertilized annual crops, the overriding influence of rotation phase on annual fluxes.« less

Long-term nitrous oxide fluxes in annual and perennial agricultural and unmanaged ecosystems in the upper Midwest USA.

PubMed

Gelfand, Ilya; Shcherbak, Iurii; Millar, Neville; Kravchenko, Alexandra N; Robertson, G Philip

2016-11-01

Differences in soil nitrous oxide (N 2 O) fluxes among ecosystems are often difficult to evaluate and predict due to high spatial and temporal variabilities and few direct experimental comparisons. For 20 years, we measured N 2 O fluxes in 11 ecosystems in southwest Michigan USA: four annual grain crops (corn-soybean-wheat rotations) managed with conventional, no-till, reduced input, or biologically based/organic inputs; three perennial crops (alfalfa, poplar, and conifers); and four unmanaged ecosystems of different successional age including mature forest. Average N 2 O emissions were higher from annual grain and N-fixing cropping systems than from nonleguminous perennial cropping systems and were low across unmanaged ecosystems. Among annual cropping systems full-rotation fluxes were indistinguishable from one another but rotation phase mattered. For example, those systems with cover crops and reduced fertilizer N emitted more N 2 O during the corn and soybean phases, but during the wheat phase fluxes were ~40% lower. Likewise, no-till did not differ from conventional tillage over the entire rotation but reduced emissions ~20% in the wheat phase and increased emissions 30-80% in the corn and soybean phases. Greenhouse gas intensity for the annual crops (flux per unit yield) was lowest for soybeans produced under conventional management, while for the 11 other crop × management combinations intensities were similar to one another. Among the fertilized systems, emissions ranged from 0.30 to 1.33 kg N 2 O-N ha -1  yr -1 and were best predicted by IPCC Tier 1 and ΔEF emission factor approaches. Annual cumulative fluxes from perennial systems were best explained by soil NO3- pools (r 2  = 0.72) but not so for annual crops, where management differences overrode simple correlations. Daily soil N 2 O emissions were poorly predicted by any measured variables. Overall, long-term measurements reveal lower fluxes in nonlegume perennial vegetation and, for conservatively fertilized annual crops, the overriding influence of rotation phase on annual fluxes. © 2016 The Authors. Global Change Biology Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Automated lidar-derived canopy height estimates for the Upper Mississippi River System

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hlavacek, Enrika

2015-01-01

Land cover/land use (LCU) classifications serve as important decision support products for researchers and land managers. The LCU classifications produced by the U.S. Geological Survey’s Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center (UMESC) include canopy height estimates that are assigned through manual aerial photography interpretation techniques. In an effort to improve upon these techniques, this project investigated the use of high-density lidar data for the Upper Mississippi River System to determine canopy height. An ArcGIS tool was developed to automatically derive height modifier information based on the extent of land cover features for forest classes. The measurement of canopy height included a calculation of the average height from lidar point cloud data as well as the inclusion of a local maximum filter to identify individual tree canopies. Results were compared to original manually interpreted height modifiers and to field survey data from U.S. Forest Service Forest Inventory and Analysis plots. This project demonstrated the effectiveness of utilizing lidar data to more efficiently assign height modifier attributes to LCU classifications produced by the UMESC.

DISTRIBUTION OF AQUATIC OFF-CHANNEL HABITATS AND ASSOCIATED RIPARIAN VEGETATION, WILLAMETTE RIVER, OREGON, USA

EPA Science Inventory

The extent of aquatic off-channel habitats such as secondary and side channels, sloughs, and alcoves, have been reduced more than 50% since the 1850s along the upper main stem of the Willamette River, Oregon, USA. Concurrently, the hydrogeomorphic potential, and associated flood...

Modeled summer background concentration nutrients and suspended sediment in the mid-continent (USA) great rivers

EPA Science Inventory

We used regression models to predict background concentration of four water quality indictors: total nitrogen (N), total phosphorus (P), chloride, and total suspended solids (TSS), in the mid-continent (USA) great rivers, the Upper Mississippi, the Lower Missouri, and the Ohio. F...

Special Section: Soil Ecology and Restoration Ecology

Treesearch

M.A. Callaham

2008-01-01

Sediments left behind in this dewatered reservoir in Wisconsin, USA, have different physical, chemical, and spatial characteristics than the soils they buried, a potential challenge for restoration (upper left, photo: Nick Balster). The soil profile shows effects of land-use history at the Calhoun Experimental Forest in South Carolina, USA.

EFFECTS OF EROSION AND MACROALGAE ON INTERTIDAL EELGRASS (ZOSTERA MARINA) IN A NORTHEASTERN PACIFIC ESTUARY (USA)

EPA Science Inventory

Eelgrass (Zostera marina) in open-coast northeastern Pacific estuaries is primarily intertidal, yet little research has been done on the natural factors controlling its upper intertidal growth limits. This two-year study in the Yaquina Estuary (Newport, Oregon, USA) evaluated the...

DETECTING FOREST STRESS AND DECLINE IN RESPONSE TO INCREASING RIVER FLOW IN SOUTHWEST FLORIDA, USA

EPA Science Inventory

Forest stress and decline resulting from increased river flows were investigated in Myakka River State Park (MRSP), Florida, USA. Since 1977, land-use changes around the upper Myakka River watershed have resulted in significant increases in water entering the river, which have...

National Coal Utilization Assessment. a preliminary assessment of the health and environmental effects of coal utilization in the Midwest. Volume I. Energy scenarios, technology characterizations, air and water resource impacts, and health effects

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

Not Available

1977-01-01

This report presents an initial evaluation of the major health and environmental issues associated with increased coal use in the six midwestern states of Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, and Wisconsin. Using an integrated assessment approach, the evaluation proceeds from a base-line scenario of energy demand and facility siting for 1975-2020. Emphasis is placed on impacts from coal extraction, land reclamation, coal combustion for electrical generation, and coal gasification. The range of potential impacts and constraints is illustrated by a second scenario that represents an expected upper limit for coal utilization in Illinois. The following are among the more significantmore » issues identified and evaluated in this study: If environmental and related issues can be resolved, coal will continue to be a major source of energy for the Midwest; existing sulfur emission constraints will increase use of western coal; the resource requirements and environmental impacts of coal utilization will require major significant environmental and economic tradeoffs in site selection; short-term (24-hr) ambient standards for sulfur dioxide will limit the sizes of coal facilities or require advanced control technologies; an impact on public health may result from long-range transport of airborne sulfur emissions from coal facilities in the Midwest; inadequately controlled effluents from coal gasification may cause violations of water-quality standards; the major ecological effects of coal extraction are from pre-mining and post-reclamation land use; and sulfur dioxide is the major potential contributor to effects on vegetation of atmospheric emissions from coal facilities.« less

Human amplified changes in precipitation-runoff patterns in large river basins of the Midwestern United States

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kelly, Sara A.; Takbiri, Zeinab; Belmont, Patrick; Foufoula-Georgiou, Efi

2017-10-01

Complete transformations of land cover from prairie, wetlands, and hardwood forests to row crop agriculture and urban centers are thought to have caused profound changes in hydrology in the Upper Midwestern US since the 1800s. In this study, we investigate four large (23 000-69 000 km2) Midwest river basins that span climate and land use gradients to understand how climate and agricultural drainage have influenced basin hydrology over the last 79 years. We use daily, monthly, and annual flow metrics to document streamflow changes and discuss those changes in the context of precipitation and land use changes. Since 1935, flow, precipitation, artificial drainage extent, and corn and soybean acreage have increased across the region. In extensively drained basins, we observe 2 to 4 fold increases in low flows and 1.5 to 3 fold increases in high and extreme flows. Using a water budget, we determined that the storage term has decreased in intensively drained and cultivated basins by 30-200 % since 1975, but increased by roughly 30 % in the less agricultural basin. Storage has generally decreased during spring and summer months and increased during fall and winter months in all watersheds. Thus, the loss of storage and enhanced hydrologic connectivity and efficiency imparted by artificial agricultural drainage appear to have amplified the streamflow response to precipitation increases in the Midwest. Future increases in precipitation are likely to further intensify drainage practices and increase streamflows. Increased streamflow has implications for flood risk, channel adjustment, and sediment and nutrient transport and presents unique challenges for agriculture and water resource management in the Midwest. Better documentation of existing and future drain tile and ditch installation is needed to further understand the role of climate versus drainage across multiple spatial and temporal scales.

A Century of Shope Papillomavirus in Museum Rabbit Specimens

PubMed Central

Escudero Duch, Clara; Williams, Richard A. J.; Timm, Robert M.; Perez-Tris, Javier; Benitez, Laura

2015-01-01

Sylvilagus floridanus Papillomavirus (SfPV) causes growth of large horn-like tumors on rabbits. SfPV was described in cottontail rabbits (probably Sylvilagus floridanus) from Kansas and Iowa by Richard Shope in 1933, and detected in S. audubonii in 2011. It is known almost exclusively from the US Midwest. We explored the University of Kansas Natural History Museum for historical museum specimens infected with SfPV, using molecular techniques, to assess if additional wild species host SfPV, and whether SfPV occurs throughout the host range, or just in the Midwest. Secondary aims were to detect distinct strains, and evidence for strain spatio-temporal specificity. We found 20 of 1395 rabbits in the KU collection SfPV symptomatic. Three of 17 lagomorph species (S. nuttallii, and the two known hosts) were symptomatic, while Brachylagus, Lepus and eight additional Sylvilagus species were not. 13 symptomatic individuals were positive by molecular testing, including the first S. nuttallii detection. Prevalence of symptomatic individuals was significantly higher in Sylvilagus (1.8%) than Lepus. Half of these specimens came from Kansas, though new molecular detections were obtained from Jalisco—Mexico’s first—and Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, and Texas, USA. We document the oldest lab-confirmed case (Kansas, 1915), pre-dating Shope’s first case. SfPV amplification was possible from 63.2% of symptomatic museum specimens. Using multiple methodologies, rolling circle amplification and, multiple isothermal displacement amplification in addition to PCR, greatly improved detection rates. Short sequences were obtained from six individuals for two genes. L1 gene sequences were identical to all previously detected sequences; E7 gene sequences, were more variable, yielding five distinct SfPV1 strains that differing by less than 2% from strains circulating in the Midwest and Mexico, between 1915 and 2005. Our results do not clarify whether strains are host species specific, though they are consistent with SfPV specificity to genus Sylvilagus. PMID:26147570

Tobacco Direct Mail Marketing and Smoking Behaviors in a Cohort of Adolescents and Young Adults From the U.S. Upper Midwest: A Prospective Analysis

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Introduction: We assessed the characteristics of adolescents and young adults who received tobacco direct mail materials and the association of receiving these materials with subsequent smoking behaviors. Methods: Adolescents from the upper Midwest region of the United States were sampled through clustered random sampling in 2000 and surveyed every 6 months. Participants (n = 3546) were asked at baseline (October 2006–March 2007) whether they had received direct mail materials from tobacco companies during the previous 6 months. Smoking behaviors were assessed 6 months later (April–September 2007). We assessed associations between demographics and receiving tobacco direct mail materials at baseline and the association of receiving these materials with smoking behaviors at follow-up, stratified by baseline smoking status. Results: Overall, 5.2% of nonsmokers and 23.9% of current smokers in our sample received tobacco direct mail materials during the past 6 months (2.6% and 17.1% among nonsmokers and smokers <18 years old, respectively; p < .05). Participants who were older and living with smokers were more likely to receive these materials (p < .05). Baseline nonsmokers who received these materials smoked more cigarettes during the previous 30 days at follow-up (p < .05); baseline current smokers who received these materials were less likely than those who did not to reduce the number of cigarettes smoked during the past 30 days at follow up (p < .05). Conclusions: Those younger than 18 years old (particularly smokers) in addition to older individuals in our regional sample were exposed to tobacco direct mail marketing. Exposure to this market strategy is associated with faster escalation of cigarette consumption among nonsmokers and lower likelihood of smoking reduction among smokers in this adolescent and young adult sample. PMID:24532353

Tobacco direct mail marketing and smoking behaviors in a cohort of adolescents and young adults from the U.S. upper Midwest: a prospective analysis.

PubMed

Choi, Kelvin; Forster, Jean

2014-06-01

We assessed the characteristics of adolescents and young adults who received tobacco direct mail materials and the association of receiving these materials with subsequent smoking behaviors. Adolescents from the upper Midwest region of the United States were sampled through clustered random sampling in 2000 and surveyed every 6 months. Participants (n = 3546) were asked at baseline (October 2006-March 2007) whether they had received direct mail materials from tobacco companies during the previous 6 months. Smoking behaviors were assessed 6 months later (April-September 2007). We assessed associations between demographics and receiving tobacco direct mail materials at baseline and the association of receiving these materials with smoking behaviors at follow-up, stratified by baseline smoking status. Overall, 5.2% of nonsmokers and 23.9% of current smokers in our sample received tobacco direct mail materials during the past 6 months (2.6% and 17.1% among nonsmokers and smokers <18 years old, respectively; p < .05). Participants who were older and living with smokers were more likely to receive these materials (p < .05). Baseline nonsmokers who received these materials smoked more cigarettes during the previous 30 days at follow-up (p < .05); baseline current smokers who received these materials were less likely than those who did not to reduce the number of cigarettes smoked during the past 30 days at follow up (p < .05). Those younger than 18 years old (particularly smokers) in addition to older individuals in our regional sample were exposed to tobacco direct mail marketing. Exposure to this market strategy is associated with faster escalation of cigarette consumption among nonsmokers and lower likelihood of smoking reduction among smokers in this adolescent and young adult sample.

The Upper Midwest Health Study: industry and occupation of glioma cases and controls.

PubMed

Ruder, Avima M; Waters, Martha A; Carreón, Tania; Butler, Mary A; Calvert, Geoffrey M; Davis-King, Karen E; Waters, Kathleen M; Schulte, Paul A; Mandel, Jack S; Morton, Roscoe F; Reding, Douglas J; Rosenman, Kenneth D

2012-09-01

Understanding glioma etiology requires determining which environmental factors are associated with glioma. Upper Midwest Health Study case-control participant work histories collected 1995-1998 were evaluated for occupational associations with glioma. "Exposures of interest" from our study protocol comprise our a priori hypotheses. Year-long or longer jobs for 1,973 participants were assigned Standard Occupational Classifications (SOC) and Standard Industrial Classifications (SIC). The analysis file includes 8,078 SIC- and SOC-coded jobs. For each individual, SAS 9.2 programs collated employment with identical SIC-SOC coding. Distributions of longest "total employment duration" (total years worked in jobs with identical industry and occupation codes, including multiple jobs, and non-consecutive jobs) were compared between cases and controls, using an industrial hygiene algorithm to group occupations. Longest employment duration was calculated for 780 cases and 1,156 controls. More case than control longest total employment duration was in the "engineer, architect" occupational group [16 cases, 10 controls, odds ratio (OR) 2.50, adjusted for age group, sex, age and education, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.12-5.60]. Employment as a food processing worker [mostly butchers and meat cutters] was of borderline significance (27 cases, 21 controls, adjusted OR: 1.78, CI: 0.99-3.18). Among our exposures of interest work as engineers or as butchers and meat cutters was associated with increased glioma risk. Significant associations could be due to chance, because of multiple comparisons, but similar findings have been reported for other glioma studies. Our results suggest some possible associations but by themselves could not provide conclusive evidence. Copyright © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

The Upper Midwest Health Study: Industry and Occupation of Glioma Cases and Controls

PubMed Central

Ruder, Avima M.; Waters, Martha A.; Carreón, Tania; Butler, Mary A.; Calvert, Geoffrey M.; Davis-King, Karen E.; Waters, Kathleen M.; Schulte, Paul A.; Mandel, Jack S.; Morton, Roscoe F.; Reding, Douglas J.; Rosenman, Kenneth D.

2015-01-01

Background Understanding glioma etiology requires determining which environmental factors are associated with glioma. Upper Midwest Health Study case–control participant work histories collected 1995–1998 were evaluated for occupational associations with glioma. “Exposures of interest” from our study protocol comprise our a priori hypotheses. Materials and Methods Year-long or longer jobs for 1,973 participants were assigned Standard Occupational Classifications (SOC) and Standard Industrial Classifications (SIC). The analysis file includes 8,078 SIC- and SOC-coded jobs. For each individual, SAS 9.2 programs collated employment with identical SIC-SOC coding. Distributions of longest “total employment duration” (total years worked in jobs with identical industry and occupation codes, including multiple jobs, and non-consecutive jobs) were compared between cases and controls, using an industrial hygiene algorithm to group occupations. Results Longest employment duration was calculated for 780 cases and 1,156 controls. More case than control longest total employment duration was in the “engineer, architect” occupational group [16 cases, 10 controls, odds ratio (OR) 2.50, adjusted for age group, sex, age and education, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.12–5.60]. Employment as a food processing worker [mostly butchers and meat cutters] was of borderline significance (27 cases, 21 controls, adjusted OR: 1.78, CI: 0.99–3.18). Conclusions Among our exposures of interest work as engineers or as butchers and meat cutters was associated with increased glioma risk. Significant associations could be due to chance, because of multiple comparisons, but similar findings have been reported for other glioma studies. Our results suggest some possible associations but by themselves could not provide conclusive evidence. PMID:22715102

Soil Emissions of N2O and NO in Agricultural Production Systems in the Upper Midwest U.S.: Management Controls and Measurement Issues (Invited)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Venterea, R. T.; Baker, J. M.

2009-12-01

Cropped fields in the upper Midwest have the potential to emit relatively large quantities of N2O and NO resulting from soil transformation of N fertilizers applied to crops such as corn and potatoes. The mitigation of N2O emissions may be an effective strategy for offsetting greenhouse gas emissions. While the rate of N fertilizer application exerts some control over N trace gas emission rates, a variety of other management practices and environmental factors interact to regulate these emissions. Observation-based studies are essential for improving models, developing accurate inventories, and documenting offsets. Since 2003, we have been examining the effects of management factors including: tillage, crop rotation, irrigation, and fertilizer chemical form and application method on N2O and NO emissions from corn and potato production systems using chamber-based measurement techniques. A summary of our findings will be presented, including: Application of anhydrous ammonia resulted in twice the N2O emissions compared to urea fertilizer, and twice the NO emissions compared to liquid urea ammonium nitrate (UAN) fertilizer. Growing corn continuously compared to in rotation with soybeans did not alter the amount of N2O emitted during the corn growing season. Reduced tillage (RT), often promoted as a means of reducing carbon losses to the atmosphere, also altered soil N2O emissions. However, the impact of RT on N2O emissions was found to vary, in both magnitude and direction, as a function of N fertilizer management. In addition to these studies, our efforts to overcome some of the inherent limitations of chamber-based flux measurement techniques will be discussed.

Occurrence of Coliform and Escherichia coli Contamination and Absence of Escherichia coli O157:H7 on Romaine Lettuce from Retail Stores in the Upper Midwest.

PubMed

Greve, Josephine D; Zietlow, Mark S; Miller, Kevin M; Ellingson, Jay L E

2015-09-01

A total of 720 whole, romaine lettuce heads were purchased from retail locations in the Upper Midwest and assessed for coliform and Escherichia coli contamination and for the presence of E. coli O157:H7. During a 16-month period (August 2010 through December 2011), coliform and E. coli counts were enumerated on Petrifilm, and the presence of E. coli O157:H7 and the virulence gene eae was evaluated by real-time PCR (qPCR). Over half (400 of 720) of the lettuce samples were processed with an immunomagnetic separation step before the qPCR assay. All retail lettuce samples were negative for E. coli O157:H7 when tested with the R.A.P.I.D. LT qPCR targeting a region of the O-antigen, and only two (0.28%) were positive for the eae gene when tested with LightCycler qPCR. On Petrifilm, coliform counts of most lettuce samples (96.4%) were between <10(1) and 10(3) CFU/g, and E. coli counts for nearly all lettuce samples (98.2%) were <10(1) CFU/g. No seasonal trend in coliform and E. coli counts was observed throughout the examination period nor was a difference in coliform counts observed between packaged and nonpackaged lettuce heads. These results contribute to the limited recorded data and understanding of microbial contamination of whole romaine lettuce heads purchased from retail locations, specifically revealing the absence of E. coli O157:H7 and low levels of contamination with coliforms and other E. coli strains.

Assess and Adapt: Coordinated Ecoregional Forest Vulnerability Assessments Covering the Upper Midwest and Northeast in Support of Climate-informed Decision-making

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Swanston, C.; Janowiak, M.; Handler, S.; Butler, P.; Brandt, L.; Iverson, L.; Thompson, F.; Ontl, T.; Shannon, D.

2016-12-01

Forest ecosystem vulnerability assessments are rapidly becoming an integral component of forest management planning, in which there is increasing public expectation that even near-term activities explicitly incorporate information about anticipated climate impacts and risks. There is a clear desire among forest managers for targeted assessments that address critical questions about species and ecosystem vulnerabilities while delivering this information in an accessible format. We developed the Ecosystem Vulnerability Assessment Approach (EVAA), which combines multiple quantitative models, expert elicitation from scientists and land managers, and a templated report structure oriented to natural resource managers. The report structure includes relevant information on the contemporary landscape, past climate, future climate projections, impact model results, and a transparent vulnerability assessment of species and ecosystems. We have used EVAA in seven ecoregional assessments covering 246 million acres of forestland across the upper Midwest and Northeast (www.forestadaptation.org; five published, two in review). We convened a panel of local forest ecology and management experts in each assessment area to examine projected climate effects on system drivers, stressors, and dominant species, as well as the current adaptive capacity of the major ecoregional forest ecosystems. The panels provided a qualitative assessment of the vulnerability of forest ecosystems to climate change over the next century. Over 130 authors from dozens of organizations collaborated on these peer-reviewed assessment publications, which are delivered to thousands of stakeholders through live and recorded webinars, online briefs, and in-person trainings and seminars. The assessments are designed to be used with the Adaptation Workbook (www.adaptationworkbook.org), a planning tool that works at multiple scales and has generated more than 200 real-world forest adaptation demonstration projects.

A nonlinear dynamics approach for incorporating wind-speed patterns into wind-power project evaluation.

PubMed

Huffaker, Ray; Bittelli, Marco

2015-01-01

Wind-energy production may be expanded beyond regions with high-average wind speeds (such as the Midwest U.S.A.) to sites with lower-average speeds (such as the Southeast U.S.A.) by locating favorable regional matches between natural wind-speed and energy-demand patterns. A critical component of wind-power evaluation is to incorporate wind-speed dynamics reflecting documented diurnal and seasonal behavioral patterns. Conventional probabilistic approaches remove patterns from wind-speed data. These patterns must be restored synthetically before they can be matched with energy-demand patterns. How to accurately restore wind-speed patterns is a vexing problem spurring an expanding line of papers. We propose a paradigm shift in wind power evaluation that employs signal-detection and nonlinear-dynamics techniques to empirically diagnose whether synthetic pattern restoration can be avoided altogether. If the complex behavior of observed wind-speed records is due to nonlinear, low-dimensional, and deterministic system dynamics, then nonlinear dynamics techniques can reconstruct wind-speed dynamics from observed wind-speed data without recourse to conventional probabilistic approaches. In the first study of its kind, we test a nonlinear dynamics approach in an application to Sugarland Wind-the first utility-scale wind project proposed in Florida, USA. We find empirical evidence of a low-dimensional and nonlinear wind-speed attractor characterized by strong temporal patterns that match up well with regular daily and seasonal electricity demand patterns.

Inter- and independent effects of region and race/ethnicity on variety of fruit and vegetable consumption in the USA: 2011 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS).

PubMed

Tichenor, Nicole; Conrad, Zach

2016-01-01

(i) To estimate the independent and combined effects of race/ethnicity and region on the variety of fruits and vegetables consumed in the USA in 2011; and (ii) to assess whether and to what extent race/ethnicity and region may synergistically influence variety of fruit and vegetable consumption. Cross-sectional analysis. Multivariate logistic regression predicted the likelihood of meeting fruit and vegetable variety indicators independently and in combination for each race/ethnicity and region. Interaction effects models were used to test for interaction effects between race/ethnicity and region on fruit and vegetable variety. The 2011 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS). The sample consisted of 275 864 adult respondents. Fewer than half of respondents consumed fruit and all vegetable subcategories at least once weekly. The adjusted likelihood of meeting fruit and vegetable variety indicators varied significantly by race/ethnicity and region (P<0·05). Significant interactions between race/ethnicity and region were found for at least once weekly consumption of beans, orange vegetables, all vegetables, and fruit and all vegetables (P<0·05). Our results reinforce previous findings that the variety of vegetable consumption is lacking and is particularly evident among some population subgroups, such as non-Hispanic blacks in the Midwest USA, who may benefit from targeted dietary interventions.

Index to Journal of the Midwest History of Education Society, Volume 25, No. 2, 1998 (for Volumes 1-25, 1972-1998)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hanna, Robert C.

1998-01-01

This issue of the Journal of the Midwest History of Education Society provides a cumulative index from Volume 1, No. 1 (1972) through Volume 25, No. 1 (1998). Also included are the history of the Midwest History of Education Society, starting with its founding in 1966 (in Editor's Foreword); Officers of the Midwest History of Education Society…

75 FR 3228 - Notice of Commission Staff Attendance at Midwest ISO Meetings

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-01-20

.... Docket No. ER08-1043, Midwest Independent Transmission System Operator, Inc. Docket No. ER08-1074... Transmission System Operator, Inc. Docket No. ER09-1074, Midwest Independent Transmission System Operator, Inc...

Recognition of Macluritella ( Gastropoda) from the Upper Cambrian of Missouri and Nevada ( USA).

USGS Publications Warehouse

Yochelson, E.L.; Stinchcomb, B.L.

1987-01-01

Open-coiled euomphalacean gastropods have been identified for the first time in the Upper Cambrian Eminence Dolomite of Missouri. These gastropods have a triangular whorl profile and are conspecific with Hyolithes walcotti described from the Upper Cambrian of Nevada. That species is questionably reassigned to the gastropod genus Macluritella, hitherto known only from the Lower Ordovician of Colorado. -Authors Ordovician Colorado

Regional effects of agricultural conservation practices on nutrient transport in the Upper Mississippi River Basin

USGS Publications Warehouse

Garcia, Ana Maria.; Alexander, Richard B.; Arnold, Jeffrey G.; Norfleet, Lee; White, Michael J.; Robertson, Dale M.; Schwarz, Gregory E.

2016-01-01

Despite progress in the implementation of conservation practices, related improvements in water quality have been challenging to measure in larger river systems. In this paper we quantify these downstream effects by applying the empirical U.S. Geological Survey water-quality model SPARROW to investigate whether spatial differences in conservation intensity were statistically correlated with variations in nutrient loads. In contrast to other forms of water quality data analysis, the application of SPARROW controls for confounding factors such as hydrologic variability, multiple sources and environmental processes. A measure of conservation intensity was derived from the USDA-CEAP regional assessment of the Upper Mississippi River and used as an explanatory variable in a model of the Upper Midwest. The spatial pattern of conservation intensity was negatively correlated (p = 0.003) with the total nitrogen loads in streams in the basin. Total phosphorus loads were weakly negatively correlated with conservation (p = 0.25). Regional nitrogen reductions were estimated to range from 5 to 34% and phosphorus reductions from 1 to 10% in major river basins of the Upper Mississippi region. The statistical associations between conservation and nutrient loads are consistent with hydrological and biogeochemical processes such as denitrification. The results provide empirical evidence at the regional scale that conservation practices have had a larger statistically detectable effect on nitrogen than on phosphorus loadings in streams and rivers of the Upper Mississippi Basin.

Regional Effects of Agricultural Conservation Practices on Nutrient Transport in the Upper Mississippi River Basin.

PubMed

García, Ana María; Alexander, Richard B; Arnold, Jeffrey G; Norfleet, Lee; White, Michael J; Robertson, Dale M; Schwarz, Gregory

2016-07-05

Despite progress in the implementation of conservation practices, related improvements in water quality have been challenging to measure in larger river systems. In this paper we quantify these downstream effects by applying the empirical U.S. Geological Survey water-quality model SPARROW to investigate whether spatial differences in conservation intensity were statistically correlated with variations in nutrient loads. In contrast to other forms of water quality data analysis, the application of SPARROW controls for confounding factors such as hydrologic variability, multiple sources and environmental processes. A measure of conservation intensity was derived from the USDA-CEAP regional assessment of the Upper Mississippi River and used as an explanatory variable in a model of the Upper Midwest. The spatial pattern of conservation intensity was negatively correlated (p = 0.003) with the total nitrogen loads in streams in the basin. Total phosphorus loads were weakly negatively correlated with conservation (p = 0.25). Regional nitrogen reductions were estimated to range from 5 to 34% and phosphorus reductions from 1 to 10% in major river basins of the Upper Mississippi region. The statistical associations between conservation and nutrient loads are consistent with hydrological and biogeochemical processes such as denitrification. The results provide empirical evidence at the regional scale that conservation practices have had a larger statistically detectable effect on nitrogen than on phosphorus loadings in streams and rivers of the Upper Mississippi Basin.

A USA Commercial Flight Track Database for Upper Tropospheric Aircraft Emission Studies

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Garber, Donald P.; Minnis, Patrick; Costulis, Kay P.

2003-01-01

A new air traffic database over the contiguous United States of America (USA) has been developed from a commercially available real-time product for 2001-2003 for all non-military flights above 25,000 ft. Both individual flight tracks and gridded spatially integrated flight legs are available. On average, approximately 24,000 high-altitude flights were recorded each day. The diurnal cycle of air traffic over the USA is characterized by a broad daytime maximum with a 0130-LT minimum and a mean day-night air traffic ratio of 2.4. Each week, the air traffic typically peaks on Thursday and drops to a low Saturday with a range of 18%. Flight density is greatest during late summer and least during winter. The database records the disruption of air traffic after the air traffic shutdown during September 2001. The dataset should be valuable for realistically simulating the atmospheric effects of aircraft in the upper troposphere.

Influence of natural factors on the quality of midwestern streams and rivers

USGS Publications Warehouse

Porter, Stephen D.; Harris, Mitchell A.; Kalkhoff, Stephen J.

2001-01-01

Streams flowing through cropland in the Midwestern Corn Belt differ considerably in their chemical and ecological characteristics, even though agricultural land use is highly intensive throughout the entire region. These differences likely are attributable to differences in riparian vegetation, soil properties, and hydrology. This conclusion is based on results from a study of the upper Midwest region conducted during seasonally low-flow conditions in August 1997 by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) National Water Quality Assessment (NAWQA) Program. This report summarizes significant results from the study and presents some implications for the design and interpretation of water-quality monitoring and assessment studies based on these results.

The Changing Midwest Assessment: land cover, natural resources, and people

Treesearch

Robert Potts; Eric Gustafson; Susan I. Stewart; Frank R. Thompson; Kathleen Bergen; Daniel G. Brown; Roger Hammer; Volker Radeloff; David Bengston; John Sauer; Brian Sturtevant

2004-01-01

Documents changes in land cover, forests, selected natural resources, and human demographics and attitudes across the Midwest from roughly 1980 to 2000. The changing Midwest assessment: data and shapefiles are available from the Forest Service Research Data Archive....

Evaluating uncertainties in nitrous oxide emission inventories with multi-scale observations for an agriculture-dominated region

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, X.; Lee, X.; Griffis, T. J.; Baker, J. M.

2014-12-01

Although agriculture accounts for about 80% of the global anthropogenic nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions, large uncertainties exist in regional inventories of N2O emissions from agriculture. The uncertainties mainly include poorly quantified plant flux, large heterogeneity of direct N2O emissions from cropland, and underestimated N2O lost through leaching and run off. To evaluate these uncertainties we conducted observations on three contrasting scales in the Midwest U.S., an agriculture dominated region (Zhang et al., 2014a). Observations at the plant, ecosystem, and regional scales include: 1) N2O flux measurements from the aboveground section of corn and soybean plants using newly designed plant chamber; 2) N2O flux-gradient measurements in a soybean-corn rotation field; and 3) N2O concentration measurements at 3 m and 200 m level on a communication tower (KCMP tower, 44°41'19''N, 93°4'22''W) that were used to estimate regional N2O fluxes with boundary layer methods (Zhang et al., 2014b). With these observations we evaluated the uncertainties in two frequently-used N2O inventories: EDGAR42 (Emission Database for Global Atmospheric Research, release version 4.2); and a national GHG inventory (U.S. EPA, 2014). The results indicate that EDGAR42 and EPA inventory underestimated N2O emissions for the region around the KCMP tower at least by a factor of three and two respectively. The underestimation is not likely caused by neglecting N2O flux from crops since N2O fluxes from unfertilized soybean and fertilized corn plants were about one magnitude lower than N2O emissions from the soil-plant ecosystem. The direct N2O emissions from cropland accounted for less than 20% of the regional flux, suggesting a significant influence by other sources and indirect emissions in the regional N2O budget. ReferencesU.S. EPA (2014) Inventory of U.S. Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Sinks: 1990-2012, 529 pp., Washington, D.C.. X Zhang, X Lee, TJ Griffis, AE Andrews, JM Baker, MD Erickson, W Xiao, N Hu (2014 a) Quantifying nitrous oxide fluxes on multiple spatial scales in the Upper Midwest, USA, Int J Biometeorol. X Zhang, X Lee, TJ Griffis, JM Baker, W Xiao (2014 b) Estimating greenhouse gas fluxes from an agriculture-dominated landscape using multiple planetary boundary layer methods, Atmos Chem Phys Discuss.

Identifying Decision Support Tools to Bridge Climate and Agricultural Needs in the Midwest

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hall, B. L.; Kluck, D. R.; Hatfield, J.; Black, C.; Kellner, O.; Woloszyn, M.; Timlin, M. S.

2015-12-01

Climate monitoring tools designed to help stakeholders reduce climate impacts have been developed for the primary Midwest field crops of corn and soybean. However, the region also produces vital livestock and specialty crops that currently lack similar climate monitoring and projection tools. In autumn 2015, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA's) National Integrated Drought Information System (NIDIS) and Midwestern Regional Climate Center (MRCC) partnered with the US Department of Agriculture's Midwest Climate Hub to convene agriculture stakeholders, climate scientists, and climate service specialists to discuss climate impacts and needs for these two, often under-represented, sectors. The goals of this workshop were to (1) identify climate impacts that specialty crops and livestock producers face within the Midwest, (2) develop an understanding of the types of climate and weather information and tools currently available in the Midwest that could be applied to decision making, and (3) discover the types of climate and weather information and tools needed to address concerns of specialty crop and livestock commodities across the Midwest. This presentation will discuss the workshop and provide highlights of the outcomes that developed into strategic plans for the future to better serve these sectors of agriculture in the Midwest.

Notes on a Mesodinium rubrum red tide in San Francisco Bay (California, USA)

USGS Publications Warehouse

Cloern, James E.; Cole, Brian E.; Hager, Stephen W.

1994-01-01

Discrete red patches of water were observed in South San Francisco Bay (USA) on 30 April 1993, and examination of live samples showed that this red tide was caused by surface accumulations of the pigmented ciliate Mesodinium rubrum . Vertical profiles showed strong salinity and temperature stratification in the upper 5 m, peak chlorophyll fluorescence in the upper meter, and differences in the small-scale density structure and fluorescence distribution among red patches. Events preceding this Mesodinium red tide included: (i) heavy precipitation and run-off, allowing for strong salinity stratification; (ii) a spring diatom bloom where the chlorophyll a concentration reached 50 mg m −3 ; (ii) depletions of dissolved inorganic N and Si in the photic zone; and (iv) several days of rapid warming and stabilization of the upper surface layer. These conditions may be general prerequisites for M.rubrum blooms in temperate estuaries.

75 FR 3225 - Notice of Commission Staff Attendance at Organization of MISO States and Midwest ISO Meetings

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-01-20

.... Docket No. ER08-1043, Midwest Independent Transmission System Operator, Inc. Docket No. ER08-1074... Operator, Inc. Docket No. ER09-1074, Midwest Independent Transmission System Operator, Inc. Docket No. ER09...

76 FR 18213 - Ameren Services Company, Northern Indiana Public Service Company v. Midwest Independent...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-04-01

.... Midwest Independent Transmission System Operator, Inc.; Great Lakes Utilities, Indiana Municipal Power Agency, Missouri Joint Municipal Electric Utility Commission, Missouri River Energy Services, Prairie... Independent Transmission System Operator, Operator, Inc.; Wabash Valley Power Association, Inc. v. Midwest...

78 FR 13334 - Combined Notice of Filings #1

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-02-27

.... Docket Numbers: ER13-940-000. Applicants: Midwest Independent Transmission System Operator, Inc. Description: Midwest Independent Transmission System Operator, Inc. submits Notice of Termination of Generator....m. ET 3/8/13. Docket Numbers: ER13-945-000. Applicants: Midwest Independent Transmission System...

Population increase in Kirtland's warbler and summer range expansion to Wisconsin and Michigan's Upper Peninsula, USA

Treesearch

John R. Probst; Deahn Donner; Carol I. Bocetti; Steve Sjogren

2003-01-01

The threatened Kirtland`s warbler Dendroica kirtlandii breeds in stands of young jack pine Pinus banksiana growing on well-drained soils in Michigan, USA. We summarize information documenting the range expansion of Kirtland`s warbler due to increased habitat management in the core breeding range in the Lower Peninsula of Michigan...

Population increase in Kirtland's warbler and summer range expansion to Wisconsin and Michigan's Upper Peninsula, USA

Treesearch

John R. Probst; Deahn M. Donner; Carol I. Bocetti; Steve Sjogren

2003-01-01

The threatened Kirtland's warbler Dendroica kirtlandii breeds in stands of young jack pine Pinus banksiana growing on well-drained soils in Michigan, USA. We summarize information documenting the range expansion of Kirtland's warbler due to increased habitat management in the core breeding range in the Lower Peninsula of...

Scab severity in relation to hedge pruning pecan trees in the Southeastern USA

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Scab is the most damaging disease of pecan in the Southeastern USA. Pecan trees are tall (up to 30+ m), and managing disease in the upper canopy is problematic. Hedge pruning trees to ~12 m is being explored to facilitate efficacy of ground-based fungicide sprays, but resulting vigorous shoot growth...

Relationships among benthic green macroalgae, infaunal invertebrates, and dissolved sulfides in sediment pore waters, Yaquina Estuary, Oregon, USA

EPA Science Inventory

Relatively high abundances of benthic green macroalgae (Ulva spp.) have been measured in Yaquina Estuary on the central coast of the State of Oregon, USA. Band transects (30 meters in width) from the lower to the upper intertidal zone were established at two sites (Idaho Point a...

A global map of genetic diversity in Babesia microti reveals strong population structure and identifies variants associated with clinical relapse.

PubMed

Lemieux, Jacob E; Tran, Alice D; Freimark, Lisa; Schaffner, Stephen F; Goethert, Heidi; Andersen, Kristian G; Bazner, Suzane; Li, Amy; McGrath, Graham; Sloan, Lynne; Vannier, Edouard; Milner, Dan; Pritt, Bobbi; Rosenberg, Eric; Telford, Sam; Bailey, Jeffrey A; Sabeti, Pardis C

2016-06-13

Human babesiosis caused by Babesia microti is an emerging tick-borne zoonosis of increasing importance due to its rising incidence and expanding geographic range(1). Infection with this organism, an intraerythrocytic parasite of the phylum Apicomplexa, causes a febrile syndrome similar to malaria(2). Relapsing disease is common among immunocompromised and asplenic individuals(3,4) and drug resistance has recently been reported(5). To investigate the origin and genetic diversity of this parasite, we sequenced the complete genomes of 42 B. microti samples from around the world, including deep coverage of clinical infections at endemic sites in the continental USA. Samples from the continental USA segregate into a Northeast lineage and a Midwest lineage, with subsequent divergence of subpopulations along geographic lines. We identify parasite variants that associate with relapsing disease, including amino acid substitutions in the atovaquone-binding regions of cytochrome b (cytb) and the azithromycin-binding region of ribosomal protein subunit L4 (rpl4). Our results shed light on the origin, diversity and evolution of B. microti, suggest possible mechanisms for clinical relapse, and create the foundation for further research on this emerging pathogen.

Improving health status of homeless patients at a nurse-managed clinic in the Midwest USA.

PubMed

Savage, Christine L; Lindsell, Christopher J; Gillespie, Gordon L; Lee, Roberta J; Corbin, Adele

2008-09-01

Homeless adults have a higher rate of morbidity and mortality than their housed counterparts. Improving the health of homeless adults is a complex problem because of the overlay of individual risk factors, social issues and lack of economic resources. Due to the increased morbidity and mortality rate in homeless adults, it is imperative to develop interventions with demonstrated efficacy that result in improved health outcomes. The purpose of this pre-post pilot study was to compare pre- and post-test scores on specific health outcomes in a group of homeless adults receiving a nurse intervention when utilising a nurse-managed clinic located in the urban core of a Midwestern city in the USA. Between September of 2004 and January 2006, 43 homeless adults completed a health survey at baseline and 2 months later that included measures of health-related quality of life (HRQOL), substance use and health resource use. There was a significant improvement on the post-test scores including substance use, perceived quality and availability of health care, and on two domains of HRQOL: mental health and vitality. This study provides evidence that a nursing intervention can result in improved health outcomes for adult homeless persons.

Exploring Agricultural Drainage's Influence on Wetland and ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Artificial agricultural drainage (i.e. surface ditches or subsurface tile) is an important agricultural management tool. Artificial drainage allows for timely fieldwork and adequate root aeration, resulting in greater crop yields for farmers. This practice is widespread throughout many regions of the United States and the network of artificial drainage is especially extensive in flat, poorly-drained regions like the glaciated Midwest. While beneficial for crop yields, agricultural drains often empty into streams within the natural drainage system. The increased network connectivity may lead to greater contributing area for watersheds, altered hydrology and increased conveyance of pollutants into natural water bodies. While studies and models at broader scales have implicated artificial drainage as an important driver of hydrological shifts and eutrophication, the actual spatial extent of artificial drainage is poorly known. Consequently, metrics of wetland and watershed connectivity within agricultural regions often fail to explicitly include artificial drainage. We use recent agricultural census data, soil drainage data, and land cover data to create estimates of potential agricultural drainage across the United States. We estimate that agricultural drainage in the US is greater than 31 million hectares and is concentrated in the upper Midwest Corn Belt, covering greater than 50% of available land for 114 counties. Estimated drainage values for numerous countie

Awareness, perceptions and use of snus among young adults from the upper Midwest region of the USA.

PubMed

Choi, Kelvin; Forster, Jean

2013-11-01

Since its introduction in 2006, snus has been aggressively marketed by tobacco companies. However, little is known about the awareness, perceptions and use of snus among young adults after Camel and Marlboro snus were sold nationwide in 2010. Data were collected from 2607 young adults (ages 20-28) who participated in the Minnesota Adolescent Community Cohort Study in 2010-2011. Data include awareness of snus, ever and past 30-day use, perceived potential of snus as a quit aid, and perceived harmfulness and addictiveness of snus relative to cigarettes. The authors assessed the associations between these outcome variables and socio-demographic characteristics. Overall, 64.8% of participants were aware of snus, 14.5% ever used snus and 3.2% used snus in the past 30 days. Men and participants who smoked >100 cigarettes in their lifetime were associated with these three outcomes (p<0.05). Among those who were aware of snus, 16.3% agreed snus can help people quit smoking, 17.3% agreed snus is less harmful than cigarettes and 11.3% agreed snus is less addictive than cigarettes. These perceptions were associated with ever use and the past 30-day use of snus (p<0.05). In this regional sample of US young adults, the majority of young adults were aware of snus, and over one in 10 had used snus. More young adults in the sample than the overall US adult population believed that snus is less harmful than cigarettes. Perceptions of snus are associated with snus use. Strategic health communication interventions targeting young adults to confront the positive perceptions associated with snus may be needed to curb the interest in snus.

Influence of sediment chemistry and sediment toxicity on macroinvertebrate communities across 99 wadable streams of the Midwestern USA

USGS Publications Warehouse

Moran, Patrick W.; Nowell, Lisa H.; Kemble, Nile E.; Mahler, Barbara J.; Waite, Ian R.; Van Metre, Peter C.

2017-01-01

Simultaneous assessment of sediment chemistry, sediment toxicity, and macroinvertebrate communities can provide multiple lines of evidence when investigating relations between sediment contaminants and ecological degradation. These three measures were evaluated at 99 wadable stream sites across 11 states in the Midwestern United States during the summer of 2013 to assess sediment pollution across a large agricultural landscape. This evaluation considers an extensive suite of sediment chemistry totaling 274 analytes (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, organochlorine compounds, polychlorinated biphenyls, polybrominated diphenyl ethers, trace elements, and current-use pesticides) and a mixture assessment based on the ratios of detected compounds to available effects-based benchmarks. The sediments were tested for toxicity with the amphipod Hyalella azteca (28-d exposure), the midge Chironomus dilutus (10-d), and, at a few sites, with the freshwater mussel Lampsilis siliquoidea (28-d). Sediment concentrations, normalized to organic carbon content, infrequently exceeded benchmarks for aquatic health, which was generally consistent with low rates of observed toxicity. However, the benchmark-based mixture score and the pyrethroid insecticide bifenthrin were significantly related to observed sediment toxicity. The sediment mixture score and bifenthrin were also significant predictors of the upper limits of several univariate measures of the macroinvertebrate community (EPT percent, MMI (Macroinvertebrate Multimetric Index) Score, Ephemeroptera and Trichoptera richness) using quantile regression. Multivariate pattern matching (Mantel-like tests) of macroinvertebrate species per site to identified contaminant metrics and sediment toxicity also indicate that the sediment mixture score and bifenthrin have weak, albeit significant, influence on the observed invertebrate community composition. Together, these three lines of evidence (toxicity tests, univariate metrics, and multivariate community analysis) suggest that elevated contaminant concentrations in sediments, in particular bifenthrin, is limiting macroinvertebrate communities in several of these Midwest streams.

Secretive marsh aird species co-eccurrences and habitat associations across the midwest, USA

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bolenbaugh, Jason R.; Krementz, David G.; Lehnen, Sarah E.

2011-01-01

Because secretive marsh birds are difficult to detect, population status and habitat use for these birds are not well known. We conducted repeated surveys for secretive marsh birds across 264 sites in the Upper Mississippi River and Great Lakes Joint Venture region to estimate abundance, occupancy, and detection probabilities during the 2008 and 2009 breeding seasons. We identified species groups based on observed species co-occurrences. Two species, least bittern Ixobrychus exilis and American bittern Botaurus lentiginosus, co-occurred with other species less often than expected by chance, and two species groups, rails (Virginia rail Rallus limicola and sora Porzana carolina) and open-water birds (pied-billed grebe Podilymbus podiceps, common moorhen Gallinula chloropus, and American coot Fulica americana; coots were only surveyed in 2009), co-occurred more often than expected by chance. These groupings were consistent between years. We then estimated the relation of these species and groups to landscape and local site characteristics by using zero-inflated abundance models that accounted for incomplete detection. At the landscape level (5-km radius), the amount of emergent herbaceous wetland was positively associated with least bittern occupancy, whereas the amount of woody wetland was negatively associated with least bittern, rail, and open-water bird occupancy. At the local level, habitat variables that were associated with abundance were not consistent among groups or between years, with the exception that both least bitterns and open-water birds had a strong positive association between abundance and water-vegetation interspersion. Land managers interested in marsh bird management or conservation may want to consider focusing efforts on landscapes with high amounts of emergent herbaceous wetland and low amounts of woody wetland, and managing for high amounts of water-vegetation interspersion within the wetland.

Freshwater bacteria are stoichiometrically flexible with a nutrient composition similar to seston

USGS Publications Warehouse

Cotner, James B.; Hall, Edward K.; Scott, J. Thad; Heldal, Mikal

2010-01-01

Although aquatic bacteria are assumed to be nutrient-rich, they out-compete other foodweb osmotrophs for nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) an apparent contradiction to resource ratio theory. This paradox could be resolved if aquatic bacteria were demonstrated to be nutrient-poor relative other portions of the planktonic food web. In a survey of >120 lakes in the upper Midwest of the USA, the nutrient content of bacteria was lower than previously reported and very similar to the Redfield ratio, with a mean biomass composition of 102:12:1 (C:N:P). Individual freshwater bacterial isolates grown under P-limiting and P-replete conditions had even higher C:P and N:P ratios with a mean community biomass composition ratio of 875C:179N:1P suggesting that individual strains can be extremely nutrient-poor, especially with respect to P. Cell-specific measurements of individual cells from one lake confirmed that low P content could be observed at the community level in natural systems with a mean biomass composition of 259C:69N:1P. Variability in bacterial stoichiometry is typically not recognized in the literature as most studies assume constant and nutrient-rich bacterial biomass composition. We present evidence that bacteria can be extremely P-poor in individual systems and in culture, suggesting that bacteria in freshwater ecosystems can either play a role as regenerators or consumers of inorganic nutrients and that this role could switch depending on the relationship between bacterial biomass stoichiometry and resource stoichiometry. This ability to switch roles between nutrient retention and regeneration likely facilitates processing of terrestrial organic matter in lakes and rivers and has important implications for a wide range of bacterially mediated biogeochemical processes.

Environmental DNA (eDNA) detects the invasive rusty crayfish Orconectes rusticus at low abundances.

PubMed

Dougherty, Matthew M; Larson, Eric R; Renshaw, Mark A; Gantz, Crysta A; Egan, Scott P; Erickson, Daniel M; Lodge, David M

2016-06-01

Early detection is invaluable for the cost-effective control and eradication of invasive species, yet many traditional sampling techniques are ineffective at the low population abundances found at the onset of the invasion process. Environmental DNA (eDNA) is a promising and sensitive tool for early detection of some invasive species, but its efficacy has not yet been evaluated for many taxonomic groups and habitat types.We evaluated the ability of eDNA to detect the invasive rusty crayfish Orconectes rusticus and to reflect patterns of its relative abundance, in upper Midwest, USA, inland lakes. We paired conventional baited trapping as a measure of crayfish relative abundance with water samples for eDNA, which were analysed in the laboratory with a qPCR assay. We modelled detection probability for O. rusticus eDNA using relative abundance and site characteristics as covariates and also tested the relationship between eDNA copy number and O. rusticus relative abundance.We detected O. rusticus eDNA in all lakes where this species was collected by trapping, down to low relative abundances, as well as in two lakes where trap catch was zero. Detection probability of O. rusticus eDNA was well predicted by relative abundance of this species and lake water clarity. However, there was poor correspondence between eDNA copy number and O. rusticus relative abundance estimated by trap catches. Synthesis and applications . Our study demonstrates a field and laboratory protocol for eDNA monitoring of crayfish invasions, with results of statistical models that provide guidance of sampling effort and detection probabilities for researchers in other regions and systems. We propose eDNA be included as a tool in surveillance for invasive or imperilled crayfishes and other benthic arthropods.

Water and Nutrient Balances in a Large Tile-Drained Agricultural Catchment: A Distributed Modeling Study

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

Li, Hongyi; Sivapalan, Murugesu; Tian, Fuqiang

This paper presents the development and implementation of a distributed model of coupled water nutrient processes, based on the representative elementary watershed (REW) approach, to the Upper Sangamon River Basin, a large, tile-drained agricultural basin located in central Illinois, mid-west of USA. Comparison of model predictions with the observed hydrological and biogeochemical data, as well as regional estimates from literature studies, shows that the model is capable of capturing the dynamics of water, sediment and nutrient cycles reasonably well. The model is then used as a tool to gain insights into the physical and chemical processes underlying the inter- andmore » intra-annual variability of water and nutrient balances. Model predictions show that about 80% of annual runoff is contributed by tile drainage, while the remainder comes from surface runoff (mainly saturation excess flow) and subsurface runoff. It is also found that, at the annual scale nitrogen storage in the soil is depleted during wet years, and is supplemented during dry years. This carryover of nitrogen storage from dry year to wet year is mainly caused by the lateral loading of nitrate. Phosphorus storage, on the other hand, is not affected much by wet/dry conditions simply because the leaching of it is very minor compared to the other mechanisms taking phosphorous out of the basin, such as crop harvest. The analysis then turned to the movement of nitrate with runoff. Model results suggested that nitrate loading from hillslope into the channel is preferentially carried by tile drainage. Once in the stream it is then subject to in-stream denitrification, the significant spatio-temporal variability of which can be related to the variation of the hydrologic and hydraulic conditions across the river network.« less

Regional Differences in Stratospheric Intrusions over the USA Investigated using the NASA MERRA-2 Reanalysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Knowland, K. E.; Ott, L.; Hodges, K.; Wargan, K.; Duncan, B. N.

2016-12-01

Stratospheric intrusions (SI) - the introduction of ozone-rich stratospheric air into the troposphere - have been linked with surface ozone air quality exceedences, especially at the high elevations in the western USA in springtime. However, the impact of SIs in the remaining seasons and over the rest of the USA is less clear. This study investigates the atmospheric dynamics that generate SIs over the western USA and the different mechanisms through which SIs may influence atmospheric chemistry and surface air quality over the eastern USA. An analysis of the spatiotemporal variability of SIs over the continental US is performed using NASA's Modern-Era Retrospective Analysis for Research and Applications Version-2 (MERRA-2) reanalysis dataset and other Goddard Earth Observing System Model, Version 5 (GEOS-5) model products. Both upper-level and lower-level dynamical features are examined on seasonal timescales using the tracking algorithm of Hodges (1995, 1999). We show how upper-level relative vorticity maxima - representing troughs and cut-off lows - can be tracked and related to the lower-level storm tracks. The influence of both sets of tracks on the assimilated MERRA-2 ozone and meteorological parameters throughout the troposphere and lower stratosphere is quantified. By focusing on the major modes of variability that influence the weather patterns in the USA, namely the Pacific North American (PNA) pattern, Arctic Oscillation (AO) and the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO), predicative patterns in the meteorological fields that are associated with SIs are identified for their regional effects.

76 FR 5799 - Prairie Power, Inc.; Notice of Filing

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-02-02

.... (Midwest ISO) Schedule 2, for reactive supply and voltage control service from certain of its owned... and Midwest ISO requirements for the provision of reactive supply and voltage control under Schedule 2 of the Midwest ISO Open Access Transmission, Energy, and Operating Reserve Markets Tariff, including...

Well characteristics influencing arsenic concentrations in ground water.

PubMed

Erickson, Melinda L; Barnes, Randal J

2005-10-01

Naturally occurring arsenic contamination is common in ground water in the upper Midwest. Arsenic is most likely to be present in glacial drift and shallow bedrock wells that lie within the footprint of northwest provenance Late Wisconsinan glacial drift. Elevated arsenic is more common in domestic wells and in monitoring wells than it is in public water system wells. Arsenic contamination is also more prevalent in domestic wells with short screens set in proximity to an upper confining unit, such as glacial till. Public water system wells have distinctly different well-construction practices and well characteristics when compared to domestic and monitoring wells. Construction practices such as exploiting a thick, coarse aquifer and installing a long well screen yield good water quantity for public water system wells. Coincidentally, these construction practices also often yield low arsenic water. Coarse aquifer materials have less surface area for adsorbing arsenic, and thus less arsenic available for potential mobilization. Wells with long screens set at a distance from an upper confining unit are at lower risk of exposure to geochemical conditions conducive to arsenic mobilization via reductive mechanisms such as reductive dissolution of metal hydroxides and reductive desorption of arsenic.

MIDWEST PROGRAM ON AIRBORNE TELEVISION INSTRUCTION -- A REGIONAL EXPLORATION IN EDUCATION.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

IVEY, JOHN E.; AND OTHERS

STARTING IN FEBRUARY 1961, THE MIDWEST PROGRAM ON AIRBORNE TELEVISION INSTRUCTION (MPATI) TRANSMITTED COURSES IN FOREIGN LANGUAGES, SCIENCE, ARITHMETIC, ART, THE HUMANITIES, MUSIC, SOCIAL STUDIES, AND INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS TO 18 SCHOOLS IN THE MIDWEST. THE AIRBORNE TELECAST OPERATED OVER NORTH CENTRAL INDIANA AND TRANSMITTED COURSES OVER AN AREA…

77 FR 62535 - Hydro Aluminum North America, Inc., Midwest Region, Including On-Site Leased Workers From...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-10-15

... Aluminum North America, Inc., Midwest Region, Including On- Site Leased Workers From Employment Group, Aerotek, and Manpower, Kalamazoo, Michigan; Hydro Aluminum North America, Inc., Midwest Region, Including... Aluminum North America, Inc., Kalamazoo, Michigan. The subject worker group includes on-site leased workers...

Population Redistribution in the Midwest.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Roseman, Curtis C., Ed.; And Others

The nine chapters in the book focus on the 1970s' metropolitan to nonmetropolitan migration stream and address both population patterns and processes and the impacts and policy issues associated with the resulting population redistribution in the Midwest. Peter A. Morrison places the Midwest in the national context of changing population structure…

Synthetic organic agrochemicals in the lower Mississippi River and its major tributaries: Distribution, transport and fate

USGS Publications Warehouse

Pereira, W.E.; Rostad, C.E.; Leiker, T.J.; ,

1992-01-01

The Mississippi River and its major tributaries transport herbicides and their degradation products from agricultural areas in the mid-western U.S.A. These compounds include atrazine and its degradation products (desethyl- and desisopropylatrazine), simazine, cyanazine, metolachlor, and alachlor and its degradation products (2-chloro-2',6'-diethylacetanilide, 2-hydroxy-2',6'-diethylacetanilide and 2,6-diethylaniline). These compounds were identified and confirmed by gas chromatography-ion trap mass spectrometry. Loads of these compounds were determined during five sampling trips in 1987-1989. Stream loads of these compounds indicated that atrazine and metolachlor were relatively conservative in downstream transport. Alachlor and its degradation products were generated from point and non-point sources. Seasonal variations and hydrologic conditions controlled the loads of these compounds in the Mississippi River. Cross-channel mixing was slow downstream from major river confluences, possibly requiring several hundred kilometers of downriver transit for completion. The annual transport of these compounds into the Gulf of Mexico was estimated to be < 2% of the annual application of each herbicide in the Midwest.The Mississippi River and its major tributaries transport herbicides and their degradation products from agricultural areas in the mid-western U.S.A. These compounds include atrazine and its degradation products (desethyl- and desisopropylatrazine), simazine, cyanazine, metolachlor, and alachlor and its degradation products (2-chloro-2???,6???-diethylacetanilide, 2-hydroxy-2???,6???-diethylacetanilide and 2,6-diethylaniline). These compounds were identified and confirmed by gas chromatography-ion trap mass spectrometry. Loads of these compounds were determined during five sampling trips in 1987-1989. Stream loads of these compounds indicated that atrazine and metolachlor were relatively conservative in downstream transport. Alachlor and its degradation products were generated from point and non-point sources. Seasonal variations and hydrologic conditions controlled the loads of these compounds in the Mississippi River. Cross-channel mixing was slow downstream from major river confluences, possibly requiring several hundred kilometers of downriver transit for completion. The annual transport of these compounds into the Gulf of Mexico was estimated to be <2% of the annual application of each herbicide in the Midwest.

Energy aspects of solid waste management: Proceedings

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

Not Available

1990-12-31

The Eighteenth Annual Illinois Energy Conference entitled ``Energy Aspects of Solid Waste Management`` was held in Chicago, Illinois on October 29--30, 1990. The conference program was developed by a planning committee that drew upon Illinois energy and environmental specialists from the major sectors including energy industries, environmental organizations, research universities, utility companies, federal, state and local government agencies, and public interest groups. Within this framework, the committee identified a number of key topic areas surrounding solid waste management in Illinois which were the focus of the conference. These issues included: review of the main components of the solid waste cyclemore » in the Midwest and what the relative impact of waste reduction, recycling, incineration and land disposal might be on Illinois` and the Midwest`s solid waste management program. Investigation of special programs in the Midwest dealing with sewage sludge, combustion residuals and medical/infectious wastes. Review of the status of existing landfills in Illinois and the Midwest and an examination of the current plans for siting of new land disposal systems. Review of the status of incinerators and waste-to-energy systems in Illinois and the Midwest, as well as an update on activities to maximize methane production from landfills in the Midwest.« less

Least-cost control of agricultural nutrient contributions to the Gulf of Mexico hypoxic zone.

PubMed

Rabotyagov, Sergey; Campbell, Todd; Jha, Manoj; Gassman, Philip W; Arnold, Jeffrey; Kurkalova, Lyubov; Secchi, Silvia; Feng, Hongli; Kling, Catherine L

2010-09-01

In 2008, the hypoxic zone in the Gulf of Mexico, measuring 20 720 km2, was one of the two largest reported since measurement of the zone began in 1985. The extent of the hypoxic zone is related to nitrogen and phosphorous loadings originating on agricultural fields in the upper Midwest. This study combines the tools of evolutionary computation with a water quality model and cost data to develop a trade-off frontier for the Upper Mississippi River Basin specifying the least cost of achieving nutrient reductions and the location of the agricultural conservation practices needed. The frontier allows policymakers and stakeholders to explicitly see the trade-offs between cost and nutrient reductions. For example, the cost of reducing annual nitrate-N loadings by 30% is estimated to be US$1.4 billion/year, with a concomitant 36% reduction in P and the cost of reducing annual P loadings by 30% is estimated to be US$370 million/year, with a concomitant 9% reduction in nitrate-N.

A Nonlinear Dynamics Approach for Incorporating Wind-Speed Patterns into Wind-Power Project Evaluation

PubMed Central

Huffaker, Ray; Bittelli, Marco

2015-01-01

Wind-energy production may be expanded beyond regions with high-average wind speeds (such as the Midwest U.S.A.) to sites with lower-average speeds (such as the Southeast U.S.A.) by locating favorable regional matches between natural wind-speed and energy-demand patterns. A critical component of wind-power evaluation is to incorporate wind-speed dynamics reflecting documented diurnal and seasonal behavioral patterns. Conventional probabilistic approaches remove patterns from wind-speed data. These patterns must be restored synthetically before they can be matched with energy-demand patterns. How to accurately restore wind-speed patterns is a vexing problem spurring an expanding line of papers. We propose a paradigm shift in wind power evaluation that employs signal-detection and nonlinear-dynamics techniques to empirically diagnose whether synthetic pattern restoration can be avoided altogether. If the complex behavior of observed wind-speed records is due to nonlinear, low-dimensional, and deterministic system dynamics, then nonlinear dynamics techniques can reconstruct wind-speed dynamics from observed wind-speed data without recourse to conventional probabilistic approaches. In the first study of its kind, we test a nonlinear dynamics approach in an application to Sugarland Wind—the first utility-scale wind project proposed in Florida, USA. We find empirical evidence of a low-dimensional and nonlinear wind-speed attractor characterized by strong temporal patterns that match up well with regular daily and seasonal electricity demand patterns. PMID:25617767

Increased tree-ring network density reveals more precise estimations of sub-regional hydroclimate variability and climate dynamics in the Midwest, USA

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maxwell, Justin T.; Harley, Grant L.

2017-08-01

Understanding the historic variability in the hydroclimate provides important information on possible extreme dry or wet periods that in turn inform water management plans. Tree rings have long provided historical context of hydroclimate variability of the U.S. However, the tree-ring network used to create these countrywide gridded reconstructions is sparse in certain locations, such as the Midwest. Here, we increase ( n = 20) the spatial resolution of the tree-ring network in southern Indiana and compare a summer (June-August) Palmer Drought Severity Index (PDSI) reconstruction to existing gridded reconstructions of PDSI for this region. We find both droughts and pluvials that were previously unknown that rival the most intense PDSI values during the instrumental period. Additionally, historical drought occurred in Indiana that eclipsed instrumental conditions with regard to severity and duration. During the period 1962-2004 CE, we find that teleconnections of drought conditions through the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation have a strong influence ( r = -0.60, p < 0.01) on secondary tree growth in this region for the late spring-early summer season. These findings highlight the importance of continuing to increase the spatial resolution of the tree-ring network used to infer past climate dynamics to capture the sub-regional spatial variability. Increasing the spatial resolution of the tree-ring network for a given region can better identify sub-regional variability, improve the accuracy of regional tree-ring PDSI reconstructions, and provide better information for climatic teleconnections.

77 FR 58823 - Interstate Power and Light Company v. ITC Midwest, LLC, Notice of Complaint

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-09-24

... DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Federal Energy Regulatory Commission [Docket No. EL12-104-000] Interstate Power and Light Company v. ITC Midwest, LLC, Notice of Complaint Take notice that on September 14, 2012... Light Company (Complainant) filed a formal complaint against ITC Midwest, LLC (Respondent) alleging that...

Alternative Fuels Data Center: Smith Dairy Deploys Natural Gas Vehicles and

Science.gov Websites

Fueling Infrastructure in the Midwest Smith Dairy Deploys Natural Gas Vehicles and Fueling Infrastructure in the Midwest to someone by E-mail Share Alternative Fuels Data Center: Smith Dairy Deploys Data Center: Smith Dairy Deploys Natural Gas Vehicles and Fueling Infrastructure in the Midwest on

Terrorism and resilience: adolescents' and teachers' responses to September 11, 2001.

PubMed

Noppe, Illene C; Noppe, Lloyd D; Bartell, Denise

2006-01-01

This study examined the impact of terrorism on adolescents, who may be resolving developmental issues regarding their vulnerability to death. Approximately 4 months after the September 11th attacks, a survey was given to 973 Upper Midwest adolescents and teachers. Quantitative analyses indicated that adolescents (especially girls) were frightened and upset but also used many coping strategies. Qualitative analyses suggested that adolescents were angry as well as tired of hearing about the events. Teachers discussed the attack's historical significance, student safety, and a desire to resume "normalcy." Adolescence resilience was seen by the making of a coherent narrative of September 11th and by focusing on their daily living.

A feasibility study of stationary and dual-axis tracking grid-connected photovoltaic systems in the Upper Midwest

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Warren, Ryan Duwain

Three primary objectives were defined for this work. The first objective was to determine, assess, and compare the performance, heat transfer characteristics, economics, and feasibility of real-world stationary and dual-axis tracking grid-connected photovoltaic (PV) systems in the Upper Midwest. This objective was achieved by installing two grid-connected PV systems with different mounting schemes in central Iowa, implementing extensive data acquisition systems, monitoring operation of the PV systems for one full year, and performing detailed experimental performance and economic studies. The two PV systems that were installed, monitored, and analyzed included a 4.59 kWp roof-mounted stationary system oriented for maximum annual energy production, and a 1.02 kWp pole-mounted actively controlled dual-axis tracking system. The second objective was to demonstrate the actual use and performance of real-world stationary and dual-axis tracking grid-connected PV systems used for building energy generation applications. This objective was achieved by offering the installed PV systems to the public for demonstration purposes and through the development of three computer-based tools: a software interface that has the ability to display real-time and historical performance and meteorological data of both systems side-by-side, a software interface that shows real-time and historical video and photographs of each system, and a calculator that can predict performance and economics of stationary and dual-axis tracking grid-connected PV systems at various locations in the United States. The final objective was to disseminate this work to social, professional, scientific, and academic communities in a way that is applicable, objective, accurate, accessible, and comprehensible. This final objective will be addressed by publishing the results of this work and making the computer-based tools available on a public website (www.energy.iastate.edu/Renewable/solar). Detailed experimental performance analyses were performed for both systems; results were quantified and compared between systems, focusing on measures of solar resource, energy generation, power production, and efficiency. This work also presents heat transfer characteristics of both arrays and quantifies the affects of operating temperature on PV system performance in terms of overall heat transfer coefficients and temperature coefficients for power. To assess potential performance of PV in the Upper Midwest, models were built to predict performance of the PV systems operating at lower temperatures. Economic analyses were performed for both systems focusing on measures of life-cycle cost, payback period, internal rate of return, and average incremental cost of solar energy. The potential economic feasibility of grid-connected stationary PV systems used for building energy generation in the Upper Midwest was assessed under assumptions of higher utility energy costs, lower initial installed costs, and different metering agreements. The annual average daily solar insolation seen by the stationary and dual-axis tracking systems was found to be 4.37 and 5.95 kWh/m2, respectively. In terms of energy generation, the tracking system outperformed the stationary system on annual, monthly, and often daily bases; normalized annual energy generation for the tracking and stationary systems were found to be 1,779 and 1,264 kWh/kWp, respectively. The annual average conversion efficiencies of the tracking and stationary systems were found to be approximately 11 and 10.7 percent, respectively. Annual performance ratio values of the tracking and stationary system were found to be 0.819 and 0.792, respectively. The net present values of both systems under all assumed discount rates were determined to be negative. Further, neither system was found to have a payback period less than the assumed system life of 25 years. The rate-of-return of the stationary and tracking systems were found to be -3.3 and -4.9 percent, respectively. Furthermore, the average incremental cost of energy provided by the stationary and dual-axis tracking systems over their assumed useful life is projected to be 0.31 and 0.37 dollars per kWh, respectively. Results of this study suggest that grid-connected PV systems used for building energy generation in the Upper Midwest are not yet economically feasible when compared to a range of alternative investments; however, PV systems could show feasibility under more favorable economic scenarios. Throughout the year of monitoring, array operating temperatures ranged from -24.7°C (-12.4°F) to 61.7°C (143.1°F) for the stationary system and -23.9 °C (-11°F) to 52.7°C (126.9°F) for the dual-axis tracking system during periods of system operation. The hourly average overall heat transfer coefficients for solar irradiance levels greater than 200 W/m 2 for the stationary and dual-axis tracking systems were found to be 20.8 and 29.4 W/m2°C, respectively. The experimental temperature coefficients for power for the stationary and dual-axis tracking systems at a solar irradiance level of 1,000 W/m2 were -0.30 and -0.38 %/°C, respectively. Simulations of the stationary and dual-axis tracking systems operating at lower temperatures suggest that annual conversion efficiencies could potentially be increased by to up 4.3 and 4.6 percent, respectively.

Modeling water-quality loads to the reservoirs of the Upper Trinity River Basin, Texas, USA

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Water quality modeling efforts have been conducted for 12 reservoirs in ten watersheds in Upper Trinity River Basin located in north Texas. The reservoirs are being used for water supply to the populated area around the Dallas-Fort Worth Metro and the water quality of some of these reservoirs has b...

Assessing climate change impacts on water availability of snowmelt-dominated basins of the Upper Rio Grande Basin

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Study Region- Upper Rio Grande, Colorado and New Mexico, USA: Climate change is predicted to further limit the water availability of the arid southwestern U.S. In this study, the Snowmelt Runoff Model is used to evaluate impacts of increased temperature and altered precipitation on snow covered are...

Analysis of the spatial and temporal variability of mountain snowpack and terrestrial water storage in the Upper Snake River, USA

EPA Science Inventory

The spatial and temporal relationships of winter snowpack and terrestrial water storage (TWS) in the Upper Snake River were analyzed for water years 2001–2010 at a monthly time step. We coupled a regionally validated snow model with gravimetric measurements of the Earth’s water...

Microclimatic variation between managed and unmanaged northern hardwood forests in Upper Michigan, USA.

Treesearch

Elizabeth A Nauertz; Thomas R. Crow; John Zasada; Ronald M. Teclaw

2004-01-01

Temperature, light, wind, and precipitation were measured in the understory of managed and unmanaged northern hardwood forests in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan from 1995 through 2001. These measurements provide a baseline of information to compare the microclimate under managed and unmanaged conditions. Extreme climatic events may influence growth and development...

Microscale patterns of tree establishment near upper treeline, Snowy Range, Wyoming, USA

Treesearch

W. H. Moir; Shannon G. Rochelle; A. W. Schoettle

1999-01-01

We report tree seedling (mostly Picea engelmannii, some Abies lasiocarpa, very infrequent Pinus contorta) invasion into meadows at upper timberline in the Snowy Range, Wyoming, from 1994 to 1996. We used gradient analysis to relate this to environmental patterns, particularly plant community structure (as aggregates of plant life-forms) and persistence of snowpack in...

Response of Subalpine Conifers in the Sierra Nevada, California, U.S.A., to 20th-Century Warming and Decadal Climate Variability

Treesearch

Constance I. Millar; Robert D. Westfall; Diane L. Delany; John C. King; Lisa J. Graumlich

2004-01-01

Four independent studies of conifer growth between 1880 and 2002 in upper elevation forests of the central Sierra Nevada, California, U.S.A., showed correlated multidecadal and century-long responses associated with climate. Using tree-ring and ecological plot analysis, we studied annual branch growth of krummholz Pinus albicaulis; invasion by P....

Analysis of the Midwest Medical Union Catalog. Final Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Olson, Paul E.; Pletzke, Chester J.

A cost-benefit analysis of the 43-library, 260,000-title Midwest Medical Union Catalog (MMUC) of books, conducted from June, 1973, through May, 1975, under a grant from the National Library of Medicine, studied the 49-year-old catalog in the context of the interlibrary loan activity of the Midwest Health Science Library Network. The study tested…

Sequence stratigraphy, geodynamics, and detrital geothermochronology of Cretaceous foreland basin deposits, western interior U.S.A

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Painter, Clayton S.

Three studies on Cordilleran foreland basin deposits in the western U.S.A. constitute this dissertation. These studies differ in scale, time and discipline. The first two studies include basin analysis, flexural modeling and detailed stratigraphic analysis of Upper Cretaceous depocenters and strata in the western U.S.A. The third study consists of detrital zircon U-Pb analysis (DZ U-Pb) and thermochronology, both zircon (U-Th)/He and apatite fission track (AFT), of Upper Jurassic to Upper Cretaceous foreland-basin conglomerates and sandstones. Five electronic supplementary files are a part of this dissertation and are available online; these include 3 raw data files (Appendix_A_raw_isopach_data.txt, Appendix_C_DZ_Data.xls, Appendix_C_U-Pb_apatite.xls), 1 oversized stratigraphic cross section (Appendix_B_figure_5.pdf), and 1 figure containing apatite U-Pb concordia plots (Appendix_C_Concordia.pdf). Appendix A is a combination of detailed isopach maps of the Upper Cretaceous Western Interior, flexural modeling and a comparison to dynamic subsidence models as applied to the region. Using these new isopach maps and modeling, I place the previously recognized but poorly constrained shift from flexural to non-flexural subsidence at 81 Ma. Appendix B is a detailed stratigraphic study of the Upper Cretaceous, (Campanian, ~76 Ma) Sego Sandstone Member of the Mesaverde Group in northwestern Colorado, an area where little research has been done on this formation. Appendix C is a geo-thermochronologic study to measure the lag time of Upper Jurassic to Upper Cretaceous conglomerates and sandstones in the Cordilleran foreland basin. The maximum depositional ages using DZ U-Pb match existing biostratigraphic age controls. AFT is an effective thermochronometer for Lower to Upper Cretaceous foreland stratigraphy and indicates that source material was exhumed from >4--5 km depth in the Cordilleran orogenic belt between 118 and 66 Ma, and zircon (U-Th)/He suggests that it was exhumed from <8--9 km depth. Apatite U-Pb analyses indicate that volcanic contamination is a significant issue, without which, one cannot exclude the possibility that the youngest detrital AFT population is contaminated with significant amounts of volcanogenic apatite and does not represent source exhumation. AFT lag times are <5 Myr with relatively steady-state to slightly increasing exhumation rates. Lag time measurements indicate exhumation rates of ~0.9->>1 km/Myr.

76 FR 64425 - Union Pacific Railroad Company-Abandonment Exemption-in Pottawattamie County, IA; Iowa Interstate...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-10-18

... trackage rights and UP's overhead trackage rights, UP will sell the UP lines to a shipper, Red Giant Oil Company (Red Giant), subject to a permanent access easement over the UP lines for another shipper, Midwest Walnut Company of Iowa (Midwest Walnut). Red Giant and Midwest Walnut are the only shippers on the UP...

Feuerstein Instrumental Enrichment: From Theory to Practice in the Early Grades: The Effects of Feuerstein Instrumental Enrichment on Mathematics Achievement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schmidt, Elise A.

2014-01-01

Following identification as the school district with the highest special education population in Midwest County, the Midwest School District took bold measures to address the issue. In partnership with the Midwest Intermediate School District, educators trained all kindergarten and first grade teachers in Feuerstein Instrumental Enrichment (FIE)…

Methodologies Used by Midwest Region States for Studying Teacher Supply and Demand. Issues & Answers. REL 2009-080

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lindsay, James J.; Wan, Yinmei; Gossin-Wilson, Will

2009-01-01

This report describes how state education agencies in the Midwest Region monitor teacher supply, demand, and shortage; details why they monitor these data; and offers estimates of the monetary costs incurred in performing such studies. This study responds to a request from state education agencies in the Midwest Region (Illinois, Indiana, Iowa,…

Energy aspects of solid waste management: Proceedings

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

Not Available

1990-01-01

The Eighteenth Annual Illinois Energy Conference entitled Energy Aspects of Solid Waste Management'' was held in Chicago, Illinois on October 29--30, 1990. The conference program was developed by a planning committee that drew upon Illinois energy and environmental specialists from the major sectors including energy industries, environmental organizations, research universities, utility companies, federal, state and local government agencies, and public interest groups. Within this framework, the committee identified a number of key topic areas surrounding solid waste management in Illinois which were the focus of the conference. These issues included: review of the main components of the solid waste cyclemore » in the Midwest and what the relative impact of waste reduction, recycling, incineration and land disposal might be on Illinois' and the Midwest's solid waste management program. Investigation of special programs in the Midwest dealing with sewage sludge, combustion residuals and medical/infectious wastes. Review of the status of existing landfills in Illinois and the Midwest and an examination of the current plans for siting of new land disposal systems. Review of the status of incinerators and waste-to-energy systems in Illinois and the Midwest, as well as an update on activities to maximize methane production from landfills in the Midwest.« less

Professional values and career choice of nursing students.

PubMed

Alkaya, Sultan Ayaz; Yaman, Şengül; Simones, Joyce

2018-03-01

Professional values are abstract and general behavioral principles that provide basic standards to judge aims and actions, and these principles are formed by strong emotional loyalty of members of the profession. Research was conducted to compare the career choice and professional values of nursing students at two universities in the upper Midwest of the United States and in the middle of Turkey. A descriptive and comparative design was used. The participants of the study were comprised nursing students from a university in the upper Midwest of United States and a university in the middle of Turkey. The sample consisted of 728 students in all grades. Data were collected by a questionnaire, The Nurses Professional Values Scale-Revised and Vocational Choices in Entering Nursing Scale. Number, percentage distribution, mean, standard deviation, t test, and one-way variance analysis were used in the analysis of data. Ethical considerations: Ethical approval was obtained from the Ethics Commission. Informed consent was received from the students. The students' mean age for American students was 24.3 ± 5.6 years, while the mean age for Turkish students was 19.8 ± 1.7 years. Mean score of American students on The Vocational Congruency (a subgroup of the Vocational Choices in Entering Nursing Scale) was 38.5 ± 5.9 and Turkish students was 29.6 ± 8.9 (p < 0.05). Mean score of American students on The Nurses Professional Values Scale-Revised was 109.2 ± 12.3 and that of Turkish students was 101.6 ± 17.0. This study concluded that the majority of nursing students had high professional values, and when students' scores were compared, American students had higher professional values, and in career choice, they considered primarily fitness of the profession to themselves and their goals, while Turkish students primarily thought of their living conditions.

Understanding the land-atmospheric interaction in drought forecast from CFSv2 for the 2011 Texas and 2012 Upper Midwest US droughts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Y.; Roundy, J. K.; Ek, M. B.; Wood, E. F.

2015-12-01

Prediction and thus preparedness in advance of hydrological extremes, such as drought and flood events, is crucial for proactively reducing their social and economic impacts. In the summers of 2011 Texas, and 2012 the Upper Midwest, experienced intense droughts that affected crops and the food market in the US. It is expected that seasonal forecasts with sufficient skill would reduce the negative impacts through planning and preparation. However, the forecast skill from models such as Climate Forecast System Version 2 (CFSv2) from National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP) is low over the US, especially during the warm season (Jun - Sep), which restricts their practical use for drought prediction. This study analyzes the processes that lead to premature termination of 2011 and 2012 US summer droughts in CFSv2 forecast resulting in its low forecast skill. Using the North American Land Data Assimilation System version 2 (NLDAS2) and Climate Forecast System Reanalysis (CFSR) as references, this study investigates the forecast skills of CFSv2 initialized at 00, 06, 12, 18z from May 15 - 31 (leads out to September) for each event in terms of land-atmosphere interaction, through a recently developed Coupling Drought Index (CDI), which is based on the Convective Triggering Potential-Humidity Index-soil moisture (CTP-HI-SM) classification of four climate regimes: wet coupling, dry coupling, transitional and atmospherically controlled. A recycling model is used to trace the moisture sources in the CFSv2 forecasts of anomalous precipitation, which lead to the breakdown of drought conditions and a lack of drought forecasting skills. This is then compared with tracing the moisture source in CFSR with the same recycling model, which is used as the verification for the same periods. This helps to identify the parameterization that triggered precipitation in CFSv2 during 2011 and 2012 summer in the US thus has the potential to improve the forecast skill of CSFv2.

North American Vegetation Dynamics Observed with Multi-Resolution Satellite Data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Neigh, Christopher S. R.; Tucker, Compton J.; Townshend, John R. G.

2007-01-01

North American vegetation has been discovered to be a net carbon sink, with atypical behavior of drawing down more carbon from the atmosphere during the past century. It has been suggested that the Northern Hemisphere will respond favorably to climate warming by enhancing productivity and reducing the impact of fossil fuel emissions into the atmosphere. Many investigations are currently underway to understand and identify mechanisms of storage so they might be actively managed to offset carbon emissions which have detrimental consequences to the functioning of ecosystems and human well being. This paper used a time series of satellite data from multiple sensors at multiple resolutions over the past thlrty years to identify and understand mechanisms of change to vegetation productivity throughout North America. We found that humans had a marked impact to vegetation growth in half of the six selected study regions which cover greater than two million km2. We found climatic influences of increasing temperatures, and longer growing seasons with reduced snow cover in the northern regions of North America with forest fire recovery in the Northern coniferous forests of Canada. The Mid-latitudes had more direct land cover changes induced by humans coupled with climatic influences such as severe drought and altered production strategies of rain-fed agriculture in the upper Midwest, expansion of irrigated agriculture in the lower Midwest, and insect outbreaks followed by subsequent logging in the upper Northeast. Vegetation growth over long time periods (20+ years) in North America appears to be associated with long term climate change but most of the marked changes appear to be associated with climate variability on decadal and shorter time scales along with direct human land cover conversions. Our results document regional land cover land use change and climatic influences that have altered continental scale vegetation dynamics in North America.

Health of white sucker within the St. Louis River area of concern associated with habitat usage as assessed using stable isotopes

EPA Science Inventory

In Spring 2011, 200 adult white sucker were collected in four areas of the St. Louis River Area of Concern (AOC), located in Minnesota and Wisconsin, USA. The areas included the upper AOC as a reference area, the upper estuary, St. Louis Bay and Superior Bay. Grossly visible abno...

Estimating seasonal evapotranspiration from temporal satellite images

USGS Publications Warehouse

Singh, Ramesh K.; Liu, Shu-Guang; Tieszen, Larry L.; Suyker, Andrew E.; Verma, Shashi B.

2012-01-01

Estimating seasonal evapotranspiration (ET) has many applications in water resources planning and management, including hydrological and ecological modeling. Availability of satellite remote sensing images is limited due to repeat cycle of satellite or cloud cover. This study was conducted to determine the suitability of different methods namely cubic spline, fixed, and linear for estimating seasonal ET from temporal remotely sensed images. Mapping Evapotranspiration at high Resolution with Internalized Calibration (METRIC) model in conjunction with the wet METRIC (wMETRIC), a modified version of the METRIC model, was used to estimate ET on the days of satellite overpass using eight Landsat images during the 2001 crop growing season in Midwest USA. The model-estimated daily ET was in good agreement (R2 = 0.91) with the eddy covariance tower-measured daily ET. The standard error of daily ET was 0.6 mm (20%) at three validation sites in Nebraska, USA. There was no statistically significant difference (P > 0.05) among the cubic spline, fixed, and linear methods for computing seasonal (July–December) ET from temporal ET estimates. Overall, the cubic spline resulted in the lowest standard error of 6 mm (1.67%) for seasonal ET. However, further testing of this method for multiple years is necessary to determine its suitability.

Texas Occurrence of Lyme Disease and Its Neurological Manifestations.

PubMed

Dandashi, Jad A; Nizamutdinov, Damir; Dayawansa, Samantha; Fonkem, Ekokobe; Huang, Jason H

2016-06-01

Today, Lyme disease is the most commonly reported tick-borne disease in the United States and Europe. The culprits behind Lyme disease are the Borrelia species of bacteria. In the USA, Borrelia burgdorferi causes the majority of cases, while in Europe and Asia Borrelia afzelii and Borrelia garinii carry the greatest burden of disease. The clinical manifestations of Lyme disease have been identified as early localized, early disseminated, and late chronic. The neurological effects of Lyme disease include both peripheral and central nervous systems involvement, including focal nerve abnormalities, cranial neuropathies, painful radiculoneuritis, meningitis, and/or toxic metabolic encephalopathy, known as Lyme encephalopathy. Given the geographic predominance of Lyme disease in the Northeast and Midwest of the USA, no major studies have been conducted regarding Southern states. Between 2005 and 2014, the Center for Disease Control has reported 582 confirmed cases of Lyme disease in Texas. Because of the potential for increased incidence and prevalence in Texas, it has become essential for research and clinical efforts to be diverted to the region. The Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences Lyme Lab has been investigating the ecology of Lyme disease in Texas and developing a pan-specific serological test for Lyme diagnosis. This report aimed to exposure materials and raise awareness of Lyme disease to healthcare providers.

Documenting the use of the Long Term Resource Monitoring element’s fish monitoring methodologies throughout the Midwest

USGS Publications Warehouse

Solomon, Levi E.; Casper, Andrew F.

2016-08-16

The Upper Mississippi River Restoration (UMRR) Program’s Long Term Resource Monitoring (LTRM) element is designed to monitor and assess long term trends in the Upper Mississippi River System (UMRS). To accomplish this, standardized methods are used that allow for comparisons across pools and rivers. In recent years, other projects and other agencies have adopted the LTRM fish methodologies for use outside the UMRR. To determine how widespread the use of the Fish Component’s methods are, a twelve question survey was delivered via SurveyMonkey.com through the states comprising the American Fisheries Society (AFS) North Central Division and the Upper Mississippi River Conservation Committee. Approximately 2,000 professionals were reached with ≈11 percent participating. Results indicate that nearly all (95 percent) respondents use standardized methods in their sampling and 48 percent are familiar with the LTRM fish methodologies. Roughly one-third (35 percent) of all respondents have used the methods in the past and most (78 percent) of those have modified the methods to suit the information needs specific to their fishery. Results indicate that the LTRM methods have indeed spread outside the UMRR and are now a well-known and potentially widely used technique to sample fish communities.

Relationships between physician advice and tobacco and alcohol use during pregnancy.

PubMed

Jones-Webb, R; McKiver, M; Pirie, P; Miner, K

1999-04-01

We sought to examine relationships between physician advice and use of tobacco and alcohol during pregnancy among 683 women in the upper Midwest. Data on risk of substance use during pregnancy were analyzed using logistic regression analysis. A higher proportion of women used tobacco (34%) than alcohol (25%) during their most recent pregnancy. Women who received advice from a physician to abstain from alcohol reported a lower risk of smoking and drinking during pregnancy than women who did not receive such advice. Risk of smoking and drinking during pregnancy was also common among women who reported early onset of alcohol use. Results suggest that physician advice regarding alcohol use during pregnancy is protective against maternal smoking and drinking during pregnancy.

Suomi NPP View of a Strong Midwest Cyclone

NASA Image and Video Library

2014-02-25

A strong late-winter cyclone brought significant snows and blizzard conditions to the upper Great Lakes/northern Plains on 21 February 2014. In the warm sector of the storm, there were numerous reports of tornadoes, large hail, and damaging winds in the eastern US. Suomi NPP viewed the storm multiple times, including just before 1800 UTC on 21 February. Credit: NASA/Goddard/UWM/SSEC/CIMSS/Suomi NPP NASA image use policy. NASA Goddard Space Flight Center enables NASA’s mission through four scientific endeavors: Earth Science, Heliophysics, Solar System Exploration, and Astrophysics. Goddard plays a leading role in NASA’s accomplishments by contributing compelling scientific knowledge to advance the Agency’s mission. Follow us on Twitter Like us on Facebook Find us on Instagram

Geohydrologic systems in Kansas; physical framework of the confining unit in the Western Interior Plains aquifer system

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hansen, C.V.; Wolf, R.J.; Spinazola, J.M.

1992-01-01

The purpose of this Hydrologic Investigations Atlas is to provide a description of the geohydrologic systems in Upper Cambrian through Lower Cretaceous rocks in Kansas. This investigation was made as part of the Central Midwest Regional Aquifer-System Analysis (CMRASA). The CMRASA is one of several major investigations by the U.S. Geological Survey of regional aquifer systems in the United States. These regional investigations are designed to increase knowledge of the flow regime and hydrologic properties of major aquifer systems and to provide quantitative information for the assessment, development, and management of water supplies. The CMRASA study area includes all or parts of 10 Central Midwestern States (Jorgensen and Signor, 1981), as shown on the envelope cover.

Geohydrologic systems in Kansas physical framework of the western interior plains confining system

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wolf, R.J.; McGovern, Harold E.; Spinazola, Joseph M.

1992-01-01

The purpose of this Hydrologic Investigations Atlas is to provide a description of the principal geohydrologic systems in the Upper Cambrian through Lower Cretaceous rocks in Kansas.  This investigation was made as part of the Central Midwest Regional Aquifer-System Analysis (CMRASA). The CMRASA is one of several major investigations by the U.S. Geological Survey of regional aquifer systems in the United States. These regional investigations are designed to increase knowledge of the flow regime and hydrologic properties of major aquifer systems and to provide quantitative information for assessing, developing, and managing water supplies.  The CMRASA study area includes all or parts of 10 Central Midwestern States (Jorgensen and Signor, 1981) as shown on the envelope cover.

Mapping freeze/thaw boundaries with SMMR data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zuerndorfer, B. W.; England, A. W.; Dobson, M. C.; Ulaby, F. T.

1989-01-01

Nimbus 7 Scanning Multichannel Microwave Radiometer (SMMR) data are used to map daily freeze/thaw patterns in the upper Midwest for the Fall of 1984. The combination of a low 37 GHz radiobrightness and a negative 10.7, 18, and 37 GHz spectral gradient, Partial Derivative of Tb with Respect to f, appears to be an effective discriminant for classifying soil as frozen or thawed. The 37 GHz emissivity is less sensitive to soil moisture than are the lower frequency emissivities so that the 37 GHz radiobrightness appears to track soil surface temperature relatively well. The negative gradient for frozen ground is a consequence of volume scatter darkening at shorter microwave wavelengths. This shorter wavelength darkening is not seen in thawed moist soils.

Examining the Practice of Information Literacy Teaching and Learning in Vietnamese Upper Secondary Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ngo, Huyen; Walton, Geoff

2016-01-01

Information literacy (IL) research has been hitherto dominated by the USA, Australia and the UK [22]. Vietnam, however, remains under-represented and there is no IL work in upper secondary schools in the country to date. This paper, which is part of an ongoing PhD research, presents preliminary findings of the study to understand IL level of…

Potential economic losses to the USA corn industry from aflatoxin contamination

PubMed Central

Mitchell, N.J.; Bowers, E.; Hurburgh, C.; Wu, F.

2016-01-01

Mycotoxins, toxins produced by fungi that colonize food crops, can pose a heavy economic burden to the United States corn industry. In terms of economic burden, aflatoxins are the most problematic mycotoxins in US agriculture. Estimates of their market impacts are important in determining the benefits of implementing mitigation strategies within the US corn industry, and the value of strategies to mitigate mycotoxin problems. Additionally, climate change may cause increases in aflatoxin contamination in corn, greatly affecting the economy of the US Midwest and all sectors in the US and worldwide that rely upon its corn production. We propose two separate models for estimating the potential market loss to the corn industry from aflatoxin contamination, in the case of potential near-future climate scenarios (based on aflatoxin levels in Midwest corn in warm summers in the last decade). One model uses probability of acceptance based on operating characteristic (OC) curves for aflatoxin sampling and testing, while the other employs partial equilibrium economic analysis, assuming no Type 1 or Type 2 errors, to estimate losses due to proportions of lots above the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) aflatoxin action levels. We estimate that aflatoxin contamination could cause losses to the corn industry ranging from $52.1 million to $1.68 billion annually in the United States, if climate change causes more regular aflatoxin contamination in the Corn Belt as was experienced in years such as 2012. The wide range represents the natural variability in aflatoxin contamination from year to year in US corn, with higher losses representative of warmer years. PMID:26807606

Assessing the effects of transboundary ozone pollution between Ontario, Canada and New York, USA.

PubMed

Brankov, Elvira; Henry, Robert F; Civerolo, Kevin L; Hao, Winston; Rao, S T; Misra, P K; Bloxam, Robert; Reid, Neville

2003-01-01

We investigated the effects of transboundary pollution between Ontario and New York using both observations and modeling results. Analysis of the spatial scales associated with ozone pollution revealed the regional and international character of this pollutant. A back-trajectory-clustering methodology was used to evaluate the potential for transboundary pollution trading and to identify potential pollution source regions for two sites: CN tower in Toronto and the World Trade Center in New York City. Transboundary pollution transport was evident at both locations. The major pollution source areas for the period examined were the Ohio River Valley and Midwest. Finally, we examined the transboundary impact of emission reductions through photochemical models. We found that emissions from both New York and Ontario were transported across the border and that reductions in predicted O3 levels can be substantial when emissions on both sides of the border are reduced.

Autumn snow across the Midwest

NASA Image and Video Library

2013-11-15

An autumn storm brought the first snow of the season to the Upper Mississippi River Valley and the Midwestern United States in early November, 2013. The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) aboard NASA’s Terra satellite captured this true color image on November 6 just as the storm was clearing. A long band of snow stretching from Colorado in the southwest to Wisconsin in the northeast marked the path of the blowing storm. According to WeatherBug, up to 10 inches blanketed Gordon, Nebraska and Pipestone, Minnesota. Most snow totals in the Central and Northern Plains and Upper Mississippi Valley ranged from 2-5 inches, while Minneapolis-St. Paul metro area picked up 1-2 inches of new snow from the event. Credit: NASA/GSFC/Jeff Schmaltz/MODIS Land Rapid Response Team NASA image use policy. NASA Goddard Space Flight Center enables NASA’s mission through four scientific endeavors: Earth Science, Heliophysics, Solar System Exploration, and Astrophysics. Goddard plays a leading role in NASA’s accomplishments by contributing compelling scientific knowledge to advance the Agency’s mission. Follow us on Twitter Like us on Facebook Find us on Instagram

A qualitative inquiry of Latino immigrants' work experiences in the Midwest.

PubMed

Flores, Lisa Y; Mendoza, Monique M; Ojeda, Lizette; He, Yuhong; Meza, Rocio Rosales; Medina, Veronica; Ladehoff, Julie Wagner; Jordan, Shiloh

2011-10-01

Latino immigrants are the largest source of immigrant workers in the United States. In this study, 11 first-generation Latino immigrants (8 men, 3 women) living in the Midwest were interviewed about their work experiences. Interview data were analyzed using consensual qualitative research methods (Hill, Thompson, & Williams, 1997). Five domains associated with the data included work for survival and power, work for social connections, work as self-determination, work barriers in the Midwest, and access to work in the Midwest. We identify ways in which vocational psychologists can intervene to work effectively with Latino newcomers seeking employment in the United States and to support their transition into new settlement communities. Suggestions for future research with immigrant workers are discussed.

U-Pb Dating of Calcite to Constrain Basinal Brine Flux Events: An Example from the Upper Midwest USA

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rasbury, T.; Luczaj, J.

2017-12-01

Calcite forms in a variety of settings and can be the product of surface to deep basinal fluids. As such, this mineral can uniquely record details of the fluids responsible for its formation. The forms of calcium carbonates and their stratigraphic relationships from the thin section to the regional scale give important insights on pulses of fluids. A fundamental question is the age of such fluid pulses. While calcite excludes uranium (U) from its crystal structure, some is incorporated and depending on the U/Pb ratio, this provides an opportunity for radiometric dating. Calcite crystals of various sizes and crystal habits are found in Paleozoic carbonate rocks throughout the region from the western Michigan basin to the upper Mississippi valley. These are typically associated with Mississippi Valley-type (MVT) mineralization, including galena, sphalerite, and iron sulfides, but typically post-date the main MVT event. We have analyzed a variety of these calcites and find multiple generations of calcite, separated by tens of millions of years. The initial Pb isotope ratios are similar to the isotope ratios of nearby galena, strongly suggesting a genetic relationship. Our oldest ages are 200 Ma, and we find ages ranging into the Cenozoic. Based on the Paleozoic-hosted galena Pb-isotope isoscapes from the region, the fluids may have been sourced from both the Michigan and Illinois basins. An important and unanswered question is what would cause significant fluid movement out of the basins substantially after Appalachian orogenesis. Noble gas data from brines in the Michigan Basin have a mantle component and have been suggested to be responsible for recognized elevated temperatures across the basin (Ma et al., 2009). Multiple thermal events during the Paleozoic and Mesozoic eras may have an internal heat source related to reactivation of faults of the Keweenawan Rift system below the Michigan Basin. Perhaps a mantle heat source from below episodically fluxes into the basins and displaces brines with important ore metals out of the basin. More work on the calcites will help to establish the geographic extent of the various fluid pulses in the region, which will lead to an improved understanding of the sources and paths of these fluids.

Integrated analysis of landscape management scenarios using state and transition models in the upper Grande Ronde River subbasin, Oregon, USA.

Treesearch

Miles A. Hemstrom; James Merzenich; Allison Reger; Barbara. Wales

2007-01-01

We modeled the integrated effects of natural disturbances and management activities for three disturbance scenarios on a 178 000-ha landscape in the upper Grande Ronde subbasin of northeast Oregon. The landscape included three forest environments (warm-dry, cool-moist, and cold) as well as a mixture of publicly and privately owned lands. Our models were state and...

Fish assemblages of the upper Little Sioux River basin, Iowa, USA: Relationships with stream size and comparison with historical assemblages

USGS Publications Warehouse

Palic, D.; Helland, L.; Pedersen, B.R.; Pribil, J.R.; Grajeda, R.M.; Loan-Wilsey, Anna; Pierce, C.L.

2007-01-01

We characterized the fish assemblages in second to fifth order streams of the upper Little Sioux River basin in northwest Iowa, USA and compared our results with historical surveys. The fish assemblage consisted of over twenty species, was dominated numerically by creek chub, sand shiner, central stoneroller and other cyprinids, and was dominated in biomass by common carp. Most of the species and the great majority of all individuals present were at least moderately tolerant to environmental degradation, and biotic integrity at most sites was characterized as fair. Biotic integrity declined with increasing stream size, and degraded habitat in larger streams is a possible cause. No significant changes in species richness or the relative distribution of species' tolerance appear to have occurred since the 1930s.

Interim Regional Supplement to the Corps of Engineers Wetland Delineation Manual: Midwest Region

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-09-01

supplement is applicable to the Midwest Region, which consists of all or portions of 14 states: Illinois, Indiana , Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan...southern ends of present-day Lakes Michigan ERDC/EL TR-08-27 13 and Erie along the northern fringe of the Midwest Region in Illinois, Indiana , and...season. Multi-year droughts can also change the composition of plant communities over longer periods (Barkley 1986). Woody shrubs and trees in

The hydrometeorological sustainability of Miscanthus x giganteus as a biofuel crop in the US Midwest

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Roy, Gavin R.

Miscanthus x giganteus (M. x giganteus ) is a dense, 3-5 m tall, productive perennial grass that has been suggested to replace corn as the principal source of biofuel for the US transportation industry. However, cultivating a regime of this water-intensive rhizomatous crop across the US Midwest may not be agronomically realistic if it is unable to survive years of low precipitation or extreme cold wintertime soil temperatures, both of which have previously killed experimental crops. The goal of this research was to use a third-generation land surface model (LSM) to provide a new assessment of the hypothetical biogeophysical sustainability of a regime of M. x giganteus across the US Midwest given that, for the first time, a robust and near-complete dataset over a large area of mature M. x giganteus was available for model validation. Modifications to the local hydrology and microclimate would necessarily occur in areas where M. x giganteus is adapted, but a switch to this biofuel crop can only occur where its intense growing season water usage (up to 600 mm) and wintertime soil temperature requirements (no less than -6° C) are feasibly sustainable without irrigation. The first step was to interpret the observed turbulent and ecosystem flux behavior over an extant area of mature M. x giganteus and replicate this behavior within the SiB3 third-generation LSM (Simple Biosphere Model, version 3). A new vegetation parameterization was developed in SiB3 using several previous empirical studies of M. x giganteus as a foundation. The simulation results were validated against a new, robust series of turbulent and ecosystem flux data taken over a four-hectare experimental crop of M. x giganteus in Champaign, IL, USA from 2011-2013. Wintertime mortality of M. x giganteus was subsequently assessed. It was proposed that areas with higher seasonal snowfall in the US Midwest may be favorable for M. x giganteus sustainability and expansion due to the significant insulating effect of snow cover. Observations of snow cover and air and soil temperatures from small experimental plots of M. x giganteus in Illinois, Wisconsin, and the lake effect snowbelt of southern Michigan were analyzed during several anomalously cold winters. While a large insulating effect was observed, shallow soil temperatures were still observed to drop below laboratory mortality temperature thresholds of M. x giganteus during periods of snow cover. Despite this, M. x giganteus often survived these low temperatures, and it is hypothesized that the rate of soil temperature decrease might play a role in wintertime rhizome survival. The domain was expanded in SiB3 to cover the US Midwest, and areas defined as cropland were replaced with the developed M. x giganteus surface parameterization. A 14-year uncoupled simulation was carried out and compared to an unmodified simulation in order to gauge the first-order hydrometeorological sustainability of a large-scale M. x giganteus regime in this area in terms of simulated productivity, evapotranspiration, soil water content, and wintertime cold soil temperature. It was found that M. x giganteus was biogeophysically sustainable and productive in a relatively small portion of the domain in southern Indiana and Ohio, consistent with a small set of previous studies and ultimately in disagreement with the theory that M. x giganteus could reliably replace corn in areas such as Illinois and Iowa as a profitable and sustainable biofuel crop.

Regional Supplement to the Corps of Engineers Wetland Delineation Manual: Midwest Region (Version 2.0)

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-08-01

2. Saplings and shrubs – 15-ft (4.6-m) radius 3. Herbaceous plants – 5-ft (1.5-m) radius or 3.28- by 3.28-ft square (1-m2) quadrat 4. Woody vines ...This supplement is applicable to the Midwest Region, which consists of all or portions of 14 states: Illinois, Indiana , Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky...This supplement is applicable to the Midwest Region, which consists of all or portions of 14 states: Illinois, Indiana , Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky

Midwest Clean Diesel Initiative

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

The Midwest Clean Diesel Initiative (MCDI) is a collaboration of federal, state and local agencies, along with communities, non-profit organizations and private companies working together by reducing exposure to emissions from diesel engines

Epidemiology of Congenital Upper Limb Anomalies in a Midwest United States Population: An Assessment Using the OMT Classification

PubMed Central

Goldfarb, Charles A.; Wall, Lindley B.; Bohn, Deborah C.; Moen, Patrick; Van Heest, Ann E.

2014-01-01

Purpose To examine the relative presentation frequency of children with upper limb congenital anomalies at 3 Midwestern referral centers using the Oberg, Manske, and Tonkin (OMT) classification and to assess the utility of this new classification system. Methods 641 individuals with 653 congenital upper extremity anomalies were identified at 3 hospitals in 2 large metropolitan areas during a 1-year interval. Patients were identified prospectively and the specific upper extremity anomaly and any associated syndromes were confirmed using medical records and radiographs. We applied the OMT classification that categorizes anomalies using a dysmorphology outline as malformations, dysplasias, deformations, and syndromes, and assessed its utility and ease of use. Results There were 480 extremities (74%) with a limb malformation including 184 involving the entire limb. Arthrogryposis was the most common of these (53 extremities). Anomalies affecting only the hand plate accounted for 62% (296) of the malformations. Of these, radial polydactyly (15%) was the most common specific anomaly, followed by symbrachydactyly (13%) and cleft hand (11%). Dysplasias were noted in 86 extremities; 55 of these were multiple hereditary exostoses. There were 87 extremities with deformations and 58 of these were trigger digits. A total of 98 children had a syndrome or association. Constriction ring sequence was most common. The OMT was straightforward to use and most anomalies could be easily assigned. There were a few conditions, such as Madelung deformity and symbrachydactyly, that would benefit from clarification on how to best classify them. Conclusions Malformations were the most common congenital anomalies in the 653 upper extremities evaluated over a 1-year period at 3 institutions. We were able to classify all individuals using the OMT classification system. PMID:25534840

Epidemiology of congenital upper limb anomalies in a midwest United States population: an assessment using the Oberg, Manske, and Tonkin classification.

PubMed

Goldfarb, Charles A; Wall, Lindley B; Bohn, Deborah C; Moen, Patrick; Van Heest, Ann E

2015-01-01

To examine the relative presentation frequency of children with upper limb congenital anomalies at 3 Midwestern referral centers using the Oberg, Manske, and Tonkin (OMT) classification and to assess the utility of this new classification system. 641 individuals with 653 congenital upper extremity anomalies were identified at 3 hospitals in 2 large metropolitan areas during a 1-year interval. Patients were identified prospectively and the specific upper extremity anomaly and any associated syndromes were confirmed using medical records and radiographs. We applied the OMT classification that categorizes anomalies using a dysmorphology outline as malformations, dysplasias, deformations, and syndromes, and assessed its utility and ease of use. There were 480 extremities (74%) with a limb malformation including 184 involving the entire limb. Arthrogryposis was the most common of these (53 extremities). Anomalies affecting only the hand plate accounted for 62% (296) of the malformations. Of these, radial polydactyly (15%) was the most common specific anomaly, followed by symbrachydactyly (13%) and cleft hand (11%). Dysplasias were noted in 86 extremities; 55 of these were multiple hereditary exostoses. There were 87 extremities with deformations and 58 of these were trigger digits. A total of 109 children had a syndrome or association. Constriction ring sequence was most common. The OMT was straightforward to use and most anomalies could be easily assigned. There were a few conditions, such as Madelung deformity and symbrachydactyly, that would benefit from clarification on how to best classify them. Malformations were the most common congenital anomalies in the 653 upper extremities evaluated over a 1-year period at 3 institutions. We were able to classify all individuals using the OMT classification system. Copyright © 2015 American Society for Surgery of the Hand. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Midwest Transportation Consortium : 2009 annual report.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2009-12-02

In October 2008 the Midwest Transportation Consortium (MTC) began its : second of three years as a Tier I University Transportation Center (UTC). : Its theme, Transportation Safety through Improvements in Management : Information Systems, refle...

Metropolitan-area estimates of binge drinking in the United States.

PubMed

Nelson, David E; Naimi, Timothy S; Brewer, Robert D; Bolen, Julie; Wells, Henry E

2004-04-01

We estimated adult binge drinking prevalence in US metropolitan areas. We analyzed 1997 and 1999 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System data for 120 metropolitan areas in 48 states and the District of Columbia. The prevalence of binge drinking varied substantially across metropolitan areas, from 4.1% in Chattanooga, Tenn, to 23.9% in San Antonio, Tex, (median = 14.5%). Seventeen of the 20 metropolitan areas with the highest estimates were located in the upper Midwest, Texas, and Nevada. In 13 of these areas, at least one third of persons aged 18 to 34 years were binge drinkers. There were significant intrastate differences for binge drinking among metropolitan areas in New York, Tennessee, and Utah. Metropolitan-area estimates can be used to guide local efforts to reduce binge drinking.

The importance of floodplain forests in the conservation and management of neotropical migratory birds in the Midwest

USGS Publications Warehouse

Knutson, M.G.; Hoover, J.P.; Klaas, E.E.; Thompson, Frank R.

1996-01-01

Bottomland forests of the Central Forest Region of the Upper Midwest are found primarily on the floodplains of large rivers and include at least six types of forest communities. Birds breeding in bottomland forests are affected by extensive variation in latitude, climate, hydrology, forest succession, and change caused by anthropogenic disturbances. The floodplain forest bird community differs in species composition and in relative abundance from adjacent upland habitats. High abundances of some species are found in the floodplain and some species, such as the prothonotary warbler, brown creeper, yellow-billed cuckoo, yellow-bellied sapsucker, and great crested flycatcher, show a clear preference for floodplain forests. Studies of nesting success indicate that, for some species, nest success may be higher in the floodplain than in the uplands. Floodplain birds face threats due to large-scale loss of floodplain forest habitat. Conservation efforts should focus on restoring degraded floodplains by maintaining high tree species diversity and wide corridors. To accomplish this, the underlying hydrodynamics which support a diverse floodplain forest habitat may need to be restored. Large, contiguous tracts of floodplain and upland forests should be maintained where they exist and restored in other locations. This will provide some high quality habitat for area-sensitive neotropical migratory birds (NTMBs) in agricultural landscapes where small, scattered forest fragments are the rule. Future research efforts should examine the importance of floodplain forests in maintaining populations of neotropical migrants, especially birds experiencing population declines in adjacent uplands.

Bridging the conservation design and delivery gap for wetland bird habitat maintenance and restoration in the Midwestern United States

USGS Publications Warehouse

Thogmartin, W.E.; Potter, B.; Soulliere, G.

2011-01-01

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's adoption of Strategic Habitat Conservation is intended to increase the effectiveness and efficiency of conservation delivery by targeting effort in areas where biological benefits are greatest. Conservation funding has not often been allocated in accordance with explicit biological endpoints, and the gap between conservation design (the identification of conservation priority areas) and delivery needs to be bridged to better meet conservation goals for multiple species and landscapes. We introduce a regional prioritization scheme for North American Wetlands Conservation Act funding which explicitly addresses Midwest regional goals for wetland-dependent birds. We developed decision-support maps to guide conservation of breeding and non-breeding wetland bird habitat. This exercise suggested ~55% of the Midwest consists of potential wetland bird habitat, and areas suited for maintenance (protection) were distinguished from those most suited to restoration. Areas with greater maintenance focus were identified for central Minnesota, southeastern Wisconsin, the Upper Mississippi and Illinois rivers, and the shore of western Lake Erie and Saginaw Bay. The shores of Lakes Michigan and Superior accommodated fewer waterbird species overall, but were also important for wetland bird habitat maintenance. Abundant areas suited for wetland restoration occurred in agricultural regions of central Illinois, western Iowa, and northern Indiana and Ohio. Use of this prioritization scheme can increase effectiveness, efficiency, transparency, and credibility to land and water conservation efforts for wetland birds in the Midwestern United States.

Herbicides and herbicide degradation products in upper midwest agricultural streams during august base-flow conditions

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kalkhoff, S.J.; Lee, K.E.; Porter, S.D.; Terrio, P.J.; Thurman, E.M.

2003-01-01

Herbicide concentrations in streams of the U.S. Midwest have been shown to decrease through the growing season due to a variety of chemical and physical factors. The occurrence of herbicide degradation products at the end of the growing season is not well known. This study was conducted to document the occurrence of commonly used herbicides and their degradation products in Illinois, Iowa, and Minnesota streams during base-flow conditions in August 1997. Atrazine, the most frequently detected herbicide (94%), was present at relatively low concentrations (median 0.17 μg L−1). Metolachlor was detected in 59% and cyanazine in 37% of the samples. Seven of nine compounds detected in more than 50% of the samples were degradation products. The total concentration of the degradation products (median of 4.4 μg L−1) was significantly greater than the total concentration of parent compounds (median of 0.26 μg L−1). Atrazine compounds were present less frequently and in significantly smaller concentrations in streams draining watersheds with soils developed on less permeable tills than in watersheds with soils developed on more permeable loess. The detection and concentration of triazine compounds was negatively correlated with antecedent rainfall (April–July). In contrast, acetanalide compounds were positively correlated with antecedant rainfall in late spring and early summer that may transport the acetanalide degradates into ground water and subsequently into nearby streams. The distribution of atrazine degradation products suggests regional differences in atrazine degradation processes.

Midwest Transportation Consortium : 2010-2011 annual report.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2011-01-01

In October 2010, the Midwest Transportation Consortium (MTC) began its fourth : year as a Tier I University Transportation Center (UTC). Our theme, Transportation : Safety through Improvements in Management Information Systems, continues to : r...

Midwest Transportation Consortium : 2009-2010 annual report.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2010-01-01

In October 2009, the Midwest Transportation Consortium (MTC) began its third year : as a Tier I University Transportation Center (UTC). Its theme, Transportation Safety : through Improvements in Management Information Systems, reflects our stro...

Midwest Transportation Consortium : 2007-2008 annual report.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2008-01-01

In October 2007, Iowa State Universitys Midwest Transportation Consortium (MTC) entered its : first year as a Tier I University Transportation Center (UTC) under the theme Transportation : Safety through Improvements in Management Information S...

Midwest Transportation Consortium : 2003-2004 annual report.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2004-01-01

Introduction: The Midwest Transportation Consortium (MTC) recently completed its fifth year : of operation. In doing so, the consortium has established itself as an effective : network that promotes the education of future transportation professional...

Genotypic and Phenotypic Properties of Cattle-Associated Campylobacter and Their Implications to Public Health in the USA

PubMed Central

Sanad, Yasser M.; Kassem, Issmat I.; Abley, Melanie; Gebreyes, Wondwossen; LeJeune, Jeffrey T.; Rajashekara, Gireesh

2011-01-01

Since cattle are a major source of food and the cattle industry engages people from farms to processing plants and meat markets, it is conceivable that beef-products contaminated with Campylobacter spp. would pose a significant public health concern. To better understand the epidemiology of cattle-associated Campylobacter spp. in the USA, we characterized the prevalence, genotypic and phenotypic properties of these pathogens. Campylobacter were detected in 181 (19.2%) out of 944 fecal samples. Specifically, 71 C. jejuni, 132 C. coli, and 10 other Campylobacter spp. were identified. The prevalence of Campylobacter varied regionally and was significantly (P<0.05) higher in fecal samples collected from the South (32.8%) as compared to those from the North (14.8%), Midwest (15.83%), and East (12%). Pulsed Field Gel Electrophoresis (PFGE) analysis showed that C. jejuni and C. coli isolates were genotypically diverse and certain genotypes were shared across two or more of the geographic locations. In addition, 13 new C. jejuni and two C. coli sequence types (STs) were detected by Multi Locus Sequence Typing (MLST). C. jejuni associated with clinically human health important sequence type, ST-61 which was not previously reported in the USA, was identified in the present study. Most frequently observed clonal complexes (CC) were CC ST-21, CC ST-42, and CC ST-61, which are also common in humans. Further, the cattle associated C. jejuni strains showed varying invasion and intracellular survival capacity; however, C. coli strains showed a lower invasion and intracellular survival potential compared to C. jejuni strains. Furthermore, many cattle associated Campylobacter isolates showed resistance to several antimicrobials including ciprofloxacin, erythromycin, and gentamicin. Taken together, our results highlight the importance of cattle as a potential reservoir for clinically important Campylobacter. PMID:22046247

Seismic structure and lithospheric rheology from deep crustal xenoliths, central Montana, USA

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mahan, K. H.; Schulte-Pelkum, V.; Blackburn, T. J.; Bowring, S. A.; Dudas, F. O.

2012-10-01

Improved resolution of lower crustal structure, composition, and physical properties enhances our understanding and ability to model tectonic processes. The cratonic core of Montana and Wyoming, USA, contains some of the most enigmatic lower crust known in North America, with a high seismic velocity layer contributing to as much as half of the crustal column. Petrological and physical property data for xenoliths in Eocene volcanic rocks from central Montana provide new insight into the nature of the lower crust in this region. Inherent heterogeneity in xenoliths derived from depths below ˜30 km support a composite origin for the deep layer. Possible intralayer velocity steps may complicate the seismic definition of the crust/mantle boundary and interpretations of crustal thickness, particularly when metasomatized upper mantle is considered. Mafic mineral-dominant crustal xenoliths and published descriptions of mica-bearing peridotite and pyroxenite xenoliths suggest a strong lower crust overlying a potentially weaker upper mantle.

Agro-hydrologic landscapes in the Upper Mississippi and Ohio River basins.

PubMed

Schilling, Keith E; Wolter, Calvin F; McLellan, Eileen

2015-03-01

A critical part of increasing conservation effectiveness is targeting the "right practice" to the "right place" where it can intercept pollutant flowpaths. Conceptually, these flowpaths can be inferred from soil and slope characteristics, and in this study, we developed an agro-hydrologic classification to identify N and P loss pathways and priority conservation practices in small watersheds in the U.S. Midwest. We developed a GIS framework to classify 11,010 small watersheds in the Upper Mississippi and Ohio River basins based on soil permeability and slope characteristics of agricultural cropland areas in each watershed. The amount of cropland in any given watershed varied from <10 to >60 %. Cropland areas were classified into five main categories, with slope classes of <2, 2-5, and >5 %, and soil drainage classes of poorly and well drained. Watersheds in the Upper Mississippi River basin (UMRB) were dominated by cropland areas in low slopes and poorly drained soils, whereas less-intensively cropped watersheds in Wisconsin and Minnesota (in the UMRB) and throughout the Ohio River basin were overwhelmingly well drained. Hydrologic differences in cropped systems indicate that a one-size-fits-all approach to conservation selection will not work. Consulting the classification scheme proposed herein may be an appropriate first-step in identifying those conservation practices that might be most appropriate for small watersheds in the basin.

Acoustic comparison of Er,Cr:YSGG laser and dental high speed handpiece for primary anterior tooth preparation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jorden, Monserrat; Chen, Jung-Wei; Easley, Elisabeth; Li, Yiming; Kurti, R. Steven

The acoustics of a dental hard tissue laser (Er,Cr:YSGG laser, Waterlase MD, Biolase, USA) and a traditional dental high speed hand piece (Midwest®, Dentsply International, USA) were compared in vitro using a simple approach that can be easily adapted for in vivo studies. Thirty one extracted caries and restoration free primary anterior teeth were selected. These teeth were sectioned along a symmetry axis to give two identical halves for use in a split study. These halves were randomly assigned to either the laser (experimental) or the high speed (control) group. A miniature electret microphone was coupled to the sample using a polymer and used to collect the acoustic signal at the interface of the pulp chamber. This signal was captured periodically by a digitizing oscilloscope and multiple traces were stored for subsequent analysis. 2x1x1mm3 preparations were made according to manufacturers recommendations for the given method. Each cavity was prepared by the same clinician and calibration tests were performed to ensure consistency. The measurements indicated that the peak acoustic pressures as well as cumulative acoustic effects (due to duty cycle) were significantly higher (P<0.001, T-test) with the dental hand piece than with the dental laser. Our study suggests the need for further investigations into the neurological implications of acoustic effects in dental patient care such as pain studies.

Decisions at the water's edge: sustaining riparian landscapes in the midwest

Treesearch

Lynne M. Westphal; Michael E. Ostry

2006-01-01

This report highlights some of the results of a research program that examined several aspects of the riparian resources in the Midwest including the extent, use, and rehabilitation of riparian areas.

Midwest Transportation Consortium : 2004-2005 annual report.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2005-01-01

Introduction: The Midwest Transportation Consortium (MTC) recently completed its sixth year of : operation. The MTC has become an established portion of the research and educational : programs at ISU and its partner universities. The MTC continues to...

Long-term citizen-collected data reveal geographical patterns and temporal trends in lake water clarity

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lottig, Noah R.; Wagner, Tyler; Henry, Emily N.; Cheruvelil, Kendra Spence; Webster, Katherine E.; Downing, John A.; Stow, Craig A.

2014-01-01

We compiled a lake-water clarity database using publically available, citizen volunteer observations made between 1938 and 2012 across eight states in the Upper Midwest, USA. Our objectives were to determine (1) whether temporal trends in lake-water clarity existed across this large geographic area and (2) whether trends were related to the lake-specific characteristics of latitude, lake size, or time period the lake was monitored. Our database consisted of >140,000 individual Secchi observations from 3,251 lakes that we summarized per lake-year, resulting in 21,020 summer averages. Using Bayesian hierarchical modeling, we found approximately a 1% per year increase in water clarity (quantified as Secchi depth) for the entire population of lakes. On an individual lake basis, 7% of lakes showed increased water clarity and 4% showed decreased clarity. Trend direction and strength were related to latitude and median sample date. Lakes in the southern part of our study-region had lower average annual summer water clarity, more negative long-term trends, and greater inter-annual variability in water clarity compared to northern lakes. Increasing trends were strongest for lakes with median sample dates earlier in the period of record (1938–2012). Our ability to identify specific mechanisms for these trends is currently hampered by the lack of a large, multi-thematic database of variables that drive water clarity (e.g., climate, land use/cover). Our results demonstrate, however, that citizen science can provide the critical monitoring data needed to address environmental questions at large spatial and long temporal scales. Collaborations among citizens, research scientists, and government agencies may be important for developing the data sources and analytical tools necessary to move toward an understanding of the factors influencing macro-scale patterns such as those shown here for lake water clarity.

Disturbance, complexity, and succession of net ecosystem production in North America’s temperate deciduous forests

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

Gough, Christopher; Curtis, Peter; Hardiman, Brady

Century-old forests in the U.S. upper Midwest and Northeast power much of North Amer- ica’s terrestrial carbon (C) sink, but these forests’ production and C sequestration capacity are expected to soon decline as fast-growing early successional species die and are replaced by slower growing late successional species. But will this really happen? Here we marshal empirical data and ecological theory to argue that substantial declines in net ecosystem production (NEP) owing to reduced forest growth, or net primary production (NPP), are not imminent in regrown temperate deciduous forests over the next several decades. Forest age and production data for temperatemore » deciduous forests, synthesized from published literature, suggest slight declines in NEP and increasing or stable NPP during middle successional stages. We revisit long-held hypotheses by EP Odum and others that suggest low-severity, high-frequency disturbances occurring in the region’s aging forests will, against intuition, maintain NEP at higher-than- expected rates by increasing ecosystem complexity, sustaining or enhancing NPP to a level that largely o sets rising C losses as heterotrophic respiration increases. This theoretical model is also supported by biological evidence and observations from the Forest Accelerated Succession Experiment in Michigan, USA. Ecosystems that experience high-severity disturbances that simplify ecosystem complexity can exhibit substantial declines in production during middle stages of succession. However, observations from these ecosystems have exerted a disproportionate in uence on assumptions regarding the trajectory and magnitude of age-related declines in forest production. We conclude that there is a wide ecological space for forests to maintain NPP and, in doing so, lessens the declines in NEP, with signi cant implications for the future of the North American carbon sink. Our intellectual frameworks for understanding forest C cycle dynamics and resilience need to catch up to our more complex and nuanced understanding of ecological succession.« less

Long-Term Citizen-Collected Data Reveal Geographical Patterns and Temporal Trends in Lake Water Clarity

PubMed Central

Lottig, Noah R.; Wagner, Tyler; Norton Henry, Emily; Spence Cheruvelil, Kendra; Webster, Katherine E.; Downing, John A.; Stow, Craig A.

2014-01-01

We compiled a lake-water clarity database using publically available, citizen volunteer observations made between 1938 and 2012 across eight states in the Upper Midwest, USA. Our objectives were to determine (1) whether temporal trends in lake-water clarity existed across this large geographic area and (2) whether trends were related to the lake-specific characteristics of latitude, lake size, or time period the lake was monitored. Our database consisted of >140,000 individual Secchi observations from 3,251 lakes that we summarized per lake-year, resulting in 21,020 summer averages. Using Bayesian hierarchical modeling, we found approximately a 1% per year increase in water clarity (quantified as Secchi depth) for the entire population of lakes. On an individual lake basis, 7% of lakes showed increased water clarity and 4% showed decreased clarity. Trend direction and strength were related to latitude and median sample date. Lakes in the southern part of our study-region had lower average annual summer water clarity, more negative long-term trends, and greater inter-annual variability in water clarity compared to northern lakes. Increasing trends were strongest for lakes with median sample dates earlier in the period of record (1938–2012). Our ability to identify specific mechanisms for these trends is currently hampered by the lack of a large, multi-thematic database of variables that drive water clarity (e.g., climate, land use/cover). Our results demonstrate, however, that citizen science can provide the critical monitoring data needed to address environmental questions at large spatial and long temporal scales. Collaborations among citizens, research scientists, and government agencies may be important for developing the data sources and analytical tools necessary to move toward an understanding of the factors influencing macro-scale patterns such as those shown here for lake water clarity. PMID:24788722

Climate risks for the Midwestern USA

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barthelmie, R. J.; Pryor, S. C.; Scavia, D.; Downer, C. W.; Gaden, M.; Iverson, L.; Nordstrom, R.; Patz, J.; Robertson, G. P.

2012-12-01

The Midwest comprises about 20% of the US population, contributes 20% of the national gross domestic product, plays a key role in the nation's food production and is home to a number of major urban centers and critical infrastructure. In 2011, eleven of the record fourteen weather-related disasters with damages of over $1 billion in the United States affected the Midwest, and 2012 has seen widespread drought that have devastated yields of essential agricultural crops. In this presentation, we briefly summarize key vulnerabilities within the region and document adaptation steps that have been and are being taken to enhance resilience. Based on the current literature and robust projections for key climate-relevant metrics defined using historical data and computed primarily from output of the NARCCAP simulations, our major findings are as follows: 1) In the short term, longer growing seasons and rising carbon dioxide levels will tend to increase certain crop yields. However, in some cases, those benefits will be offset by increased occurrence of extreme events such as heat-waves, droughts and floods. 2) The species composition of natural ecosystems is expected to change as habitats for many tree species shift northward. The role of the regions forests as a net sink of carbon is at risk from the combined effect of multiple stressors. 3) Increased heat wave intensity and frequency, degraded air quality, and reduced water quality will increase public health risks. For example, there is evidence that in the absence of major mitigation efforts, the frequency of days in Chicago with temperatures in excess of 90 deg F will double by the middle part of this century. 4) The Midwest has a highly energy-intensive economy and emits a disproportionately large amount of heat-trapping gases. It also has a large, and increasingly realized, potential to reduce emissions that cause climate change. Energy infrastructure in the region is vulnerable to increased demand (e.g., the Midwest Independent System Operator of the electricity distribution network experienced record peak demand during summer 2012), especially if coupled with reduced cooling water availability or increased water temperatures. Such events led to partial curtailment of facilities during summer 2012. 5) Extreme rainfall events and flooding have increased and these trends are expected to continue. The wettest pentad and total accumulation on the top-10 wettest days of the year are projected to increase by approximately 10% by the middle of this century. While flooding is a complex function of climate, meteorology, soils, water management and land-use, these tendencies are likely to amplify risks associated with erosion, declining water quality and loss of agricultural productivity. 6) The Great Lakes are the world's largest freshwater resource. Climate change will exacerbate a range of risks to the Great Lakes including changes in fish species, increased invasive species, declining beach health, and harmful blooms of algae. Declines in ice cover will continue to lengthen the commercial navigation season, but may be associated with enhancement of shoreline erosion.

Midwest Transportation Consortium annual progress report : October 2000.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2000-10-01

From the Director: The Midwest Transportation Consortium (MTC), the University Transportation Center serving the states : of Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, and Nebraska, had a very successful first year of operation. The MTC is a : complex partnership invol...

Preparing tomorrow's transportation workforce : a Midwest summit.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2010-08-01

Preparing Tomorrows Transportation Workforce: A Midwest Summit, held April 2728, 2010, in Ames, Iowa, was one of several : regional transportation workforce development summits held across the United States in 2009 and 2010 as part of a coordin...

Midwest Transportation Consortium : 2006-2007 annual report.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2007-01-01

Introduction: The Midwest Transportation Consortium (MTC) began year 8 by having the funding it receives from the Research and Innovative Technology Administration doubled, and by losing its regional grant to a consortium led by the University of Neb...

Midwest Transportation Consortium : 2005-2006 annual report.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2006-01-01

Introduction: The Midwest Transportation Consortium (MTC) recently completed its seventh year of : operation. At this point, the MTC has become an established portion of the research and : educational programs at Iowa State University (ISU) and the M...

Celebrating 40 Years of the Midwest Nursing Research Society.

PubMed

Hershberger, Patricia E; Wynd, Christine A; Glass, Laurie K; O'Connell, Karen M; Fitzpatrick, Joyce J; Bergstrom, Nancy; Lusk, Sally Lechlitner

2017-05-01

The Midwest Nursing Research Society (MNRS) recently held its 40th annual conference and celebrated four decades of nursing research in the Midwest. MNRS continues to be one of the largest nursing research societies in the United States. Over the years, a vast majority of programmatic initiatives included education and tangible support for novice and experienced nurse researchers. In this article, the background for development of MNRS is reviewed with examination of driving forces that led to its creation. Three past presidents, Dr. Joyce Fitzpatrick, the first President of MNRS (1980-1981); Dr. Nancy Bergstrom, the eighth President (1993-1995); and Dr. Sally Lusk, the 14th President (2005-2007), discuss challenges, opportunities, and the exceptional progress made toward fostering excellence in nursing research for the Midwest and contributing to nursing science on a national and global scale. Lessons from the past as well as opportunities for the future are addressed.

Predictive Skill of Meteorological Drought Based on Multi-Model Ensemble Forecasts: A Real-Time Assessment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, L. C.; Mo, K. C.; Zhang, Q.; Huang, J.

2014-12-01

Drought prediction from monthly to seasonal time scales is of critical importance to disaster mitigation, agricultural planning, and multi-purpose reservoir management. Starting in December 2012, NOAA Climate Prediction Center (CPC) has been providing operational Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI) Outlooks using the North American Multi-Model Ensemble (NMME) forecasts, to support CPC's monthly drought outlooks and briefing activities. The current NMME system consists of six model forecasts from U.S. and Canada modeling centers, including the CFSv2, CM2.1, GEOS-5, CCSM3.0, CanCM3, and CanCM4 models. In this study, we conduct an assessment of the predictive skill of meteorological drought using real-time NMME forecasts for the period from May 2012 to May 2014. The ensemble SPI forecasts are the equally weighted mean of the six model forecasts. Two performance measures, the anomaly correlation coefficient and root-mean-square errors against the observations, are used to evaluate forecast skill.Similar to the assessment based on NMME retrospective forecasts, predictive skill of monthly-mean precipitation (P) forecasts is generally low after the second month and errors vary among models. Although P forecast skill is not large, SPI predictive skill is high and the differences among models are small. The skill mainly comes from the P observations appended to the model forecasts. This factor also contributes to the similarity of SPI prediction among the six models. Still, NMME SPI ensemble forecasts have higher skill than those based on individual models or persistence, and the 6-month SPI forecasts are skillful out to four months. The three major drought events occurred during the 2012-2014 period, the 2012 Central Great Plains drought, the 2013 Upper Midwest flash drought, and 2013-2014 California drought, are used as examples to illustrate the system's strength and limitations. For precipitation-driven drought events, such as the 2012 Central Great Plains drought, NMME SPI forecasts perform well in predicting drought severity and spatial patterns. For fast-developing drought events, such as the 2013 Upper Midwest flash drought, the system failed to capture the onset of the drought.

Adaptive scenarios: a training model for today's public health workforce.

PubMed

Uden-Holman, Tanya; Bedet, Jennifer; Walkner, Laurie; Abd-Hamid, Nor Hashidah

2014-01-01

With the current economic climate, money for training is scarce. In addition, time is a major barrier to participation in trainings. To meet the public health workforce's rising demand for training, while struggling with less time and fewer resources, the Upper Midwest Preparedness and Emergency Response Learning Center has developed a model of online training that provides the public health workforce with individually customized, needs-based training experiences. Adaptive scenarios are rooted in case-based reasoning, a learning approach that focuses on the specific knowledge needed to solve a problem. Proponents of case-based reasoning argue that learners benefit from being able to remember previous similar situations and reusing information and knowledge from that situation. Adaptive scenarios based on true-to-life job performance provide an opportunity to assess skills by presenting the user with choices to make in a problem-solving context. A team approach was used to develop the adaptive scenarios. Storylines were developed that incorporated situations aligning with the knowledge, skills, and attitudes outlined in the Public Health Preparedness and Response Core Competency Model. This article examines 2 adaptive scenarios: "Ready or Not? A Family Preparedness Scenario" and "Responding to a Crisis: Managing Emotions and Stress Scenario." The scenarios are available on Upper Midwest Preparedness and Emergency Response Learning Center's Learning Management System, the Training Source (http://training-source.org). Evaluation data indicate that users' experiences have been positive. Integrating the assessment and training elements of the scenarios so that the training experience is uniquely adaptive to each user is one of the most efficient ways to provide training. The opportunity to provide individualized, needs-based training without having to administer separate assessments has the potential to save time and resources. These adaptive scenarios continue to be marketed to target audiences through partner organizations, various Web sites, electronic newsletters, and social media. Next steps include the implementation of a 6-month follow-up evaluation, using Kirkpatrick level III. Kirkpatrick level III evaluation measures whether there was actual transfer of learning to the work setting.

Midwest Transportation Consortium annual progress report : October 2002.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2002-10-01

From the Director: For the past three years, the Midwest Transportation Consortium (MTC) has focused its efforts in : supporting the development and use of asset management systems in transportation. The MTCs main : focus is on human capital devel...

Organizational Contexts and Texts: The Redesign of the Midwest Bell Telephone Bill.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Keller-Cohen, Deborah

1987-01-01

Offers a retrospective view of organizational factors affecting the redesign of the Midwest Bell Telephone Bill. Shows how financial considerations, organizational time frame, and employee training and experience influenced the bill's development process. (MM)

77 FR 56829 - Combined Notice of Filings #2

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-09-14

... DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Combined Notice of Filings 2 Take notice that the Commission received the following electric rate filings: Docket Numbers: ER12-1942-000. Applicants: Midwest Independent Transmission System Operator, Inc. Description: Midwest Independent...

Study of the regulatory issues affecting truck freight movement in the Midwest.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2014-12-01

This project investigated regulatory issues that may affect or limit freight movement in Iowa and other Midwest states: Illinois, Kansas, : Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, South Dakota, and Wisconsin. Current state regulations for the following are re...

Water Quality Monitoring

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2002-01-01

With the backing of NASA, researchers at Michigan State University, the University of Minnesota, and the University of Wisconsin have begun using satellite data to measure lake water quality and clarity of the lakes in the Upper Midwest. This false color IKONOS image displays the water clarity of the lakes in Eagan, Minnesota. Scientists measure the lake quality in satellite data by observing the ratio of blue to red light in the satellite data. When the amount of blue light reflecting off of the lake is high and the red light is low, a lake generally had high water quality. Lakes loaded with algae and sediments, on the other hand, reflect less blue light and more red light. In this image, scientists used false coloring to depict the level of clarity of the water. Clear lakes are blue, moderately clear lakes are green and yellow, and murky lakes are orange and red. Using images such as these along with data from the Landsat satellites and NASA's Terra satellite, the scientists plan to create a comprehensive water quality map for the entire Great Lakes region in the next few years. For more information, read: Testing the Waters (Image courtesy Upper Great Lakes Regional Earth Science Applications Center, based on data copyright Space Imaging)

Multimetric Fish Indices for Midcontinent (USA) Great Rivers

EPA Science Inventory

As part of the Environmental Monitoring and Assessment Program for Great River Ecosystems we developed a fish-assemblage based multimetric index (Great River Fish Index,GRFIn) as an indicator of ecological conditions in the Lower Missouri, impounded Upper Mississippi, unimpounded...

Development of a socketed foundation for the Midwest Weak Post (MWP) v1.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2014-07-01

A socketed foundation was designed and evaluated for use with the Midwest Weak Post (MWP), Version 1. : Dynamic component testing was conducted on five different design configurations with varying embedment : depths, steel reinforcement, and soil con...

77 FR 53882 - Combined Notice of Filings #2

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-09-04

... DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Combined Notice of Filings 2 Take notice that the Commission received the following electric rate filings: Docket Numbers: ER12-1928-000. Applicants: Midwest Independent Transmission System Operator, Inc. Description: Response of Midwest...

CITGO Petroleum Corporation and PDV Midwest Refining, LLC Settlement

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

CITGO Petroleum Corporation and PDV Midwest Refining, LLC (collectively, CITGO) have agreed to pay a $1,955,000 civil penalty, perform environmental projects totaling more than $2 million, and spend an estimated $42 million in injunctive relief to resolve.

Midwest Guardrail System (MGS) with southern yellow pine posts.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2013-09-01

The Midwest Guardrail System (MGS) has previously been approved for use with various alternative species of wood posts. However, Southern Yellow Pine (SYP) is the most common wood guardrail post material in the United States. The goal of this researc...

78 FR 14783 - Citizens Energy Task Force, Save Our Unique Lands (Complainants) v. Midwest Reliability...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-03-07

...) that the Midwest Reliability Organization has neglected its duty to preserve the reliability of the... [email protected] , or call (866) 208-3676 (toll free). For TTY, call (202) 502-8659. Comment Date...

Engaging Chinese International Undergraduate Students in the American University

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ross, Heidi; Chen, Yajing

2015-01-01

Vincent Tinto's theory of academic and social integration provides a framework for investigating perceived problems associated with Chinese international students' engagement at a public research-intensive university in the U.S. Midwest ("Midwest" University). These "problems"--classroom silence, segregation and…

Midwest Regional Rail System : a transportation network for the 21st century

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2000-02-01

This report includes an assessment of and refinements to the Midwest Regional Rail System Plan published in August 1998. The report addresses an extensive range of issues, including infrastructure and operational requirements, level of travel market ...

Comparison of direct outflow calculated by modified SCS-CN methods for mountainous and highland catchments in upper Vistula Basin, Poland and lowland catchment in South Carolina, U.S.A

Treesearch

A. Walega; A. Cupak; D.M. Amatya; E. Drozdzal

2017-01-01

The aim of the study is to compare direct outflow from storm events estimated using modifications of original SCS-CN procedure. The study was conducted in a mountainous catchment of Kamienica River and a highland catchment draining Stobnica River located in Upper Vistula water region, both in Poland, and a headwater lowland watershed WS80 located at the Santee...

Elementary education preservice teachers' understanding of biotechnology and its related processes.

PubMed

Chabalengula, Vivien Mweene; Mumba, Frackson; Chitiyo, Jonathan

2011-07-01

This study examined preservice teachers' understanding of biotechnology and its related processes. A sample comprised 88 elementary education preservice teachers at a large university in the Midwest of the USA. A total of 60 and 28 of the participants were enrolled in introductory and advanced science methods courses, respectively. Most participants had taken two integrated science courses at the college level. Data were collected using a questionnaire, which had open-ended items and which required participants to write the definitions and examples of the following terms: biotechnology, genetic engineering, cloning and genetically modified foods. The results indicate that preservice teachers had limited understanding of biotechnology and its related processes. The majority of the preservice teachers provided poor definitions, explanations, and examples of biotechnology, genetic engineering and genetically modified foods. Surprisingly, however, a moderate number of preservice teachers correctly defined cloning and provided correct examples of cloning. Implications for science teacher education, science curriculum, as well as recommendations for further research are discussed. Copyright © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Evaluation and analysis of Texas biofuel supply chains originating in the United States Midwest and Brazil.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2009-05-01

This 2009 study, funded by the Southwest Region University Transportation Center, investigates : competing ethanol supply chains terminating in the State of Texas. Midwest corn ethanol and : Brazilian sugarcane ethanol constitute two sources of the b...

A data library management system for midwest FreightView and its data repository.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2011-03-01

Midwest FreightView (MWFV) and its associated data repository is part of a large multifaceted : effort to promote regional economic development throughout the Great Lakes : system. The main objective for the system is to promote sustainable maritime ...

78 FR 20907 - Combined Notice of Filings #2

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-04-08

... of Integrated Marketplace Readiness Metrics and Reversion Plan in compliance with the October 18.... Docket Numbers: ER13-1169-000. Applicants: Midwest Independent Transmission System Operator, Inc. Description: Midwest Independent Transmission System Operator, Inc. submits 2013-03-27 Attachment MM Clean Up...

77 FR 74840 - Combined Notice of Filings #1

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-12-18

.... Applicants: Midwest Independent Transmission System Operator, Inc., Northern Indiana Public Service Company. Description: Midwest Independent Transmission System Operator, Inc. submits tariff filing per 35.17(b): 12-10... status of Wasatch Integrated Waste Management District. Filed Date: 12/10/12. Accession Number: 20121210...

77 FR 51988 - Combined Notice of Filings #1

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-08-28

...: Midwest Independent Transmission System Operator, Inc. Description: SA 2294 Heritage Garden-ATC GIA J060... Revenues, True-Up Period Adjustment, Retail Rate Design, & CAISO Wholesale High Voltage Transmission Access.... Docket Numbers: ER12-2455-000. Applicants: Midwest Independent Transmission System Operator, Inc., Mid...

The Boquillas Formation of the Big Bend National Park, Texas, USA, a reference Cenomanian through Santonian (Upper Cretaceous) carbonate succession at the southern end of the Western Interior Seaway

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cooper, Dee Ann; Cooper, Roger W.; Stevens, James B.; Stevens, M. S.; Cobban, William A.; Walaszczyk, Ireneusz

2017-12-01

The upper lower Cenomanian through middle Santonian (Upper Cretaceous) of the Boquillas Formation in the Big Bend Region of Trans-Pecos Texas consists of a marine carbonate succession deposited at the southern end of the Western Interior Seaway. The Boquillas Formation, subdivided into the lower, c. 78 m thick limestone-shale Ernst Member, and the upper, c. 132 m thick limestone/chalk/marl San Vicente Member, was deposited in a shallow shelf open marine environment at the junction between the Western Interior Seaway and the western margins of the Tethys Basin. Biogeographically, the area was closely tied with the southern Western Interior Seaway. The richly fossiliferous upper Turonian, Coniacian and lower Santonian parts of the Boquillas Formation are particularly promising for multistratigraphic studies.

Water quality in organic systems

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Non-point source contamination is a major water quality concern in the upper Midwestern USA, where plant nutrients, especially NO3-N, are susceptible to leaching due to extensive subsurface draining of the highly productive, but poorly drained, soils found in this region. Environmental impacts assoc...

AnnAGNPS Model Application for the Future Midwest Landscape Study

EPA Science Inventory

The Future Midwest Landscape (FML) project is part of the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)’s new Ecosystem Services Research Program, undertaken to examine the variety of ways in which landscapes that include crop lands, conservation areas, wetlands, lakes, and streams af...

Transportation Fuels Markets, Midwest and Rocky Mountain

EIA Publications

2017-01-01

A new study commissioned by the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), finds that changes in North American energy markets over the past decade have strengthened the supply of transportation fuels including motor gasoline, distillates, and jet fuel in the Midwest and Rocky Mountain regions.

Teacher Leadership: Teacher Self-Assessment Tool

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

American Institutes for Research, 2017

2017-01-01

As interest in teacher leadership has grown, many leading organizations have developed tools and guidance to support schools, districts, and teacher leaders themselves. In collaboration and consultation with the Regional Educational Laboratory (REL) Midwest Educator Effectiveness Research Alliance, REL Midwest and the Center on Great Teachers and…

Utilization of western coal fly ash in construction of highways in the Midwest

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2000-03-01

Coal burning utilities in the Midwest are increasingly using sub-bituminous coal from Wyoming. These utilities typically produce fly ash, which, because of its high calcium oxide content, may be classified as Class C fly ash. These ashes are characte...

Biophysical impacts of climate-smart agriculture in the Midwest United States

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The potential impacts of climate change in the Midwest United States present unprecedented challenges to regional agriculture. In response to these challenges, a variety of climate-smart agricultural methodologies have been proposed to retain or improve crop yields, reduce agricultural greenhouse ga...

The Talent Search Model: Implications for Secondary School Reform.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

VanTassel-Baska, Joyce

1985-01-01

The Midwest Talent Search Project is an effort to identify and provide an appropriate accelerated curriculum for gifted secondary school students in the midwest. Many aspects of the project are discussed here, including testing, programming, benefits, and implications for curriculum reform. (Author/MCG)

77 FR 2972 - Thunder Bay Power Company, Thunder Bay Power, LLC, et al.

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-01-20

... Hydro, LLC. Dayton Fox River, LaSalle County, IL. P-2347-049 Midwest Hydro, Inc. Midwest Hydro, LLC... FR, Neenah Paper FR, Middle Appleton Dam Lower Fox River, LLC and N.E.W. LLC and N.E.W. Outagamie...

78 FR 9683 - Combined Notice of Filings #2

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-02-11

.... Applicants: Midwest Independent Transmission System Operator, Inc. Description: 02-01-13 Errata filing Att O... p.m. ET 2/25/13. Docket Numbers: ER13-692-001. Applicants: Midwest Independent Transmission System... Mohawk Power Corporation, New York Independent System Operator, Inc. Description: Correction to...

Polychlorinated biphenyls and 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin equivalents in tree swallows from the upper Hudson River, New York State, USA

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

Secord, A.L.; McCarty, J.P.; Echols, K.R.

1999-11-01

The upper Hudson River of New York State, USA, is contaminated with polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) as a result of industrial discharges throughout the latter half of this century. In 1994 and 1995, the authors monitored the transfer of PCBs from aquatic sediments to a terrestrial wildlife community using the tree swallow (Tachycineta bicolor) as a model organism. Tree swallow eggs and nestlings were collected at four colonies established along a 40-km stretch of the upper Hudson River watershed. Samples were analyzed for total PCBs and PCB congeners, including non-ortho- and mono-ortho-substituted PCBs. Mean concentrations of PCBs in tree swallow eggsmore » and nestlings ranged from 721 to 62,200 ng/g and were as much as 15 times greater than PCB concentrations in tree swallow eggs and nestlings collected from PCB-contaminated areas within the Great Lakes ecosystem. The corresponding 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin equivalents (TEQs) calculated using avian toxic equivalency factors ranged from 410 to 25,400 pg/g. Concentrations of PCB congener 77 (3.3{prime}, 4,4{prime}-tetrachlorobiphenyl) were extremely elevated and were major contributors to the calculated TEQs. Homologue pattern comparisons between Hudson River and Saginaw River (Michigan, USA) ecosystems supported the hypothesis that a consistent Hudson River PCB source was the major contributor to PCBs in Hudson River tree swallows. The high concentrations of PCBs in Hudson River sediments and resultant concentrations observed in tree swallows were indicative of a potential elevated risk to these and other wildlife linked to the aquatic food web of the Hudson River ecosystem.« less

Precipitation and lake-level changes in the West and Midwest over the past 10,000 to 24,000 years. Final report

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

Webb, T. III; Street, F.A.; Howe, S.

The goal of the research described in this report is to document the climatic variability over the past 10,000 to 20,000 years in areas in which sites may be designated for the burial of nuclear wastes. Three separate data sets were studied, and the results are presented in three chapters. The first data set consisted of radiocarbon dates documenting past changes in lake levels in lakes and playas in the western United States. The sites were mapped where water levels were higher than the levels today and were presented in a table telling what evidence is available at each site.more » The lake-level fluctuations for the past 24,000 years at sites in the West were also mapped and time series for these fluctuations at four sites were presented. The second data set was a selection of the published radiocarbon-dated pollen diagrams from the western United States. These data are a valuable source of climatic information and complement the geological evidence of lake-level fluctuations in the West. A table is presented that gives the location, elevation, and number of radiocarbon dates for each site. The third data set was a set of fossil pollen data from 20 sites in the upper Midwest. These data were calibrated in terms of precipitation changes over the past 10,000 years, and maps are presented of the estimated precipitation changes between 10,000 and 7000 years ago and between 7000 years ago and today.« less

Old groundwater in parts of the upper Patapsco aquifer, Atlantic Coastal Plain, Maryland, USA: Evidence from radiocarbon, chlorine-36 and helium-4

USGS Publications Warehouse

Plummer, Niel; Eggleston, John R.; Raffensperger, Jeff P.; Hunt, Andrew G.; Casile, Gerolamo C.; Andreasen, D.C.

2012-01-01

Apparent groundwater ages along two flow paths in the upper Patapsco aquifer of the Maryland Atlantic Coastal Plain, USA, were estimated using 14C, 36Cl and 4He data. Most of the ages range from modern to about 500 ka, with one sample at 117 km downgradient from the recharge area dated by radiogenic 4He accumulation at more than one Ma. Last glacial maximum (LGM) water was located about 20 km downgradient on the northern flow path, where the radiocarbon age was 21.5 ka, paleorecharge temperatures were 0.5–1.5  °C (a maximum cooling of about 12 °C relative to the modern mean annual temperature of 13 °C), and Cl–, Cl/Br, and stable isotopes of water were minimum. Low recharge temperatures (typically 5–7 °C) indicate that recharge occurred predominantly during glacial periods when coastal heads were lowest due to low sea-level stand. Flow velocities averaged about 1.0 m a–1 in upgradient parts of the upper Patapsco aquifer and decreased from 0.13 to 0.04 m a–1 at 40 and 80 km further downgradient, respectively. This study demonstrates that most water in the upper Patapsco aquifer is non-renewable on human timescales under natural gradients, thus highlighting the importance of effective water-supply management to prolong the resource.

78 FR 17391 - Combined Notice of Filings #1

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-03-21

... DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Combined Notice of Filings 1 Take notice that the Commission received the following electric rate filings: Docket Numbers: ER109-1997-000; ER10-1997-001. Applicants: Midwest Independent Transmission System Operator, Inc. Description: Informational Response of The Midwest Independent...

Midwest U.S. Landscape Change to 2020 Driven by Biofuel Mandates

EPA Science Inventory

Meeting future biofuel targets set by the 2007 Energy Independence and Security Act (EISA), without a loss of animal feedstock or grain for human consumption, will require a substantial increase in production of corn. The Midwest, which has the highest overall crop production ap...

Midwest FreightView and the Great Lakes Maritime Information Delivery System : a resource for the regional analysis of intermodal freight flows.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2011-03-01

Midwest FreightView and the Great Lakes Maritime Information Delivery System is a comprehensive data repository and information : clearinghouse in support of Great Lakes maritime commerce. This multifunctional resource integrated in a geographic info...

The Ideological Foundations of Midwest Rural Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Theobald, Paul

A relationship exists between agrarian thought and the practice of formal schooling in the rural Midwest. Three traditions have shaped agrarian thinking about democracy and its application to social institutions, especially education. Fundamentalism, localism, and pastoralism have combined to form the ideological base for rural resistance to…

Teacher Contract Non-Renewal: Midwest, Rocky Mountains, and Southeast

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nixon, Andy; Dam, Margaret; Packard, Abbot L.

2012-01-01

This quantitative study investigated reasons that school principals recommend non-renewal of probationary teachers' contracts. Principal survey results from three regions of the US (Midwest, Rocky Mountains, & Southeast) were analyzed using the Kruskal-Wallis and Mann-Whitney U statistical procedures, while significance was tested applying a…

76 FR 5574 - Combined Notice of Filings #1

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-02-01

... Numbers: ER11-22-002. Applicants: Midwest Independent Transmission System Operator, Inc. Description: Midwest Independent Transmission System Operator, Inc. submits tariff filing per 35: H075 Compliance to be... per 35.17(b): Amendment to Revisions to Transmission Capacity Exchange Agreement to be effective 12/1...

METHODOLOGY FOR EVALUATING THE EFFECTIVENESS OF NONPOINT SOURCE POLLUTION ABATEMENT PROGRAMS

EPA Science Inventory

The Upper Big Walnut Creek watershed encompasses 190 square miles of predominantly agricultural cropland (65%) in Central Ohio (USA) where agronomic fertilizers and herbicides are used in row crop production. Runoff from the watershed drain to Hoover Reservoir which is Central Oh...

Sediment toxicity in mid-continent great rivers (USA)

EPA Science Inventory

In this study, 530 sediment samples were collected from 447 sites between 2004 and 2006 at randomly selected shoreline sites along the main channel of the Ohio, Missouri and Upper Mississippi Rivers as part of the Environmental Monitoring and Assessment Program for Great Rivers E...

FLUVIAL DISTURBANCE AND WETLAND VEGETATION DEVELOPMENT, UPPER MAIN STEM, WILLAMETTE RIVER, OREGON, USA

EPA Science Inventory

Hydrogeomorphic processes drive vegetation establishment, and promote development of diverse wetland and riparian types associated with lotic ecosystems. The main objective of this study was to estimate the rate and pattern of vegetation development on bars tracked since 1936, a...

Red shiner invasion and hybridization with blacktail shiner in the upper Coosa River, USA

EPA Science Inventory

Human disturbance increases the invasibility of lotic ecosystems and the likelihood of hybridization between invasive and native species. We investigated whether disturbance has contributed to the invasion of red shiner (Cyprinella lutrensis) and their hybridization with native b...

Long-term hydrometeorological trends in the Midwest region based on a century long gridded hydrometeorological dataset and simulations from a macro-scale hydrology model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chiu, C. M.; Hamlet, A. F.

2014-12-01

Climate change is likely to impact the Great Lakes region and Midwest region via changes in Great Lakes water levels, agricultural impacts, river flooding, urban stormwater impacts, drought, water temperature, and impacts to terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. Self-consistent and temporally homogeneous long-term data sets of precipitation and temperature over the entire Great Lakes region and Midwest regions are needed to provide inputs to hydrologic models, assess historical trends in hydroclimatic variables, and downscale global and regional-scale climate models. To support these needs a new hybrid gridded meteorological forcing dataset at 1/16 degree resolution based on data from co-op station records, the U. S Historical Climatology Network (HCN) , the Historical Canadian Climate Database (HCCD), and Precipitation Regression on Independent Slopes Method (PRISM) has been assembled over the Great Lakes and Midwest region from 1915-2012 at daily time step. These data were then used as inputs to the macro-scale Variable Infiltration Capacity (VIC) hydrology model, implemented over the Midwest and Great Lakes region at 1/16 degree resolution, to produce simulated hydrologic variables that are amenable to long-term trend analysis. Trends in precipitation and temperature from the new meteorological driving data sets, as well as simulated hydrometeorological variables such as snowpack, soil moisture, runoff, and evaporation over the 20th century are presented and discussed.

Bacterial colonization on coated and uncoated orthodontic wires: A prospective clinical trial.

PubMed

Raji, Seyed Hamid; Shojaei, Hasan; Ghorani, Parinaz Saeidi; Rafiei, Elahe

2014-11-01

The advantages of coated orthodontic wires such as esthetic and their effects on reduced friction, corrosion and allergic reaction and the significant consequences of plaque accumulation on oral health encouraged us to assess bacterial colonization on these wires. A total of 18 (9 upper and 9 lower) epoxy resin coated 16 × 22 nickel-titanium wires (Spectra, GAC, USA) and 18 (9 upper and 9 lower) non-coated 16 × 22 nickel-titanium wires (Sentalloy, GAC, USA) with isolated packages were selected and sterilized before application. The samples were divided randomly between upper and lower arches in 18 patients and hence that every patient received one coated and one uncoated wire at the same time. Samples were removed and cut in equal lengths after 3 weeks and placed in phosphate buffered saline buffer. After separation of bacteria in trypsin and ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid solution, the diluted solution was cultured in blood agar and bacterial colony forming units were counted. Finally, the data was analyzed using the paired t-test and the significance was set at 0.05. Mean of bacterial colonization on uncoated wires was more than that of coated wires (P < 0.001). Bacterial plaque accumulation on epoxy resin coated nickel-titanium orthodontic wires is significantly lower than uncoated nickel-titanium wires.

Design of cable-to-post attachments for use in a non-proprietary, high-tension, cable median barrier.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2013-08-01

Cable median barriers are widely used across the country to prevent cross-median crashes. Several years ago, the Midwest States Pooled Fund Program contracted with the Midwest Roadside Safety Facility (MwRSF) to develop a new, non-proprietary, high-t...

76 FR 43682 - Shetek Wind Inc. Jeffers South, LLC Allco Renewable Energy Limited v. Midwest Independent...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-07-21

... DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Federal Energy Regulatory Commission [Docket No. EL11-53-000] Shetek Wind Inc. Jeffers South, LLC Allco Renewable Energy Limited v. Midwest Independent Transmission System Operator, Inc...), Shetek Wind Inc., Jeffers South, LLC, and Allco Renewable Energy Limited (collectively Complainants...

AnnAGNPS Model Application for Nitrogen Loading Assessment for the Future Midwest Landscape Study

EPA Science Inventory

The Future Midwest Landscape (FML) project is part of the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)’s new Ecosystem Services Research Program, undertaken to examine the variety of ways in which landscapes that include crop lands, conservation areas, wetlands, lakes, and streams af...

Proceedings of the Midwest Philosophy of Education Society, 1999-2000.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Oliker, Michael A., Ed.

This proceedings of the Midwest Philosophy of Education Society contain two presidential addresses: "Separating School and State: An Analytical Polemic" (D. G. Smith); and "'Whither Now, Alfonse?': Beyond the Polemic (A Response to Smith)" (J. M. Fennell). The Proceedings contains the following papers from the 1999 meeting:…