77 FR 65545 - Western Area Power Administration; Notice of Filing

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-10-29

... DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Federal Energy Regulatory Commission [Docket No. EF11-7-001] Western Area Power Administration; Notice of Filing Take notice that on August 13, 2012, Western Area Power Administration submitted its revised version of its Western Rate Schedules, to be effective October 1, 2012. Any...

Integrating borehole logs and aquifer tests in aquifer characterization

USGS Publications Warehouse

Paillet, Frederick L.; Reese, R.S.

2000-01-01

Integration of lithologic logs, geophysical logs, and hydraulic tests is critical in characterizing heterogeneous aquifers. Typically only a limited number of aquifer tests can be performed, and these need to be designed to provide hydraulic properties for the principle aquifers in the system. This study describes the integration of logs and aquifer tests in the development of a hydrostratigraphic model for the surficial aquifer system in and around Big Cypress National Preserve in eastern Collier County, Florida. Borehole flowmeter tests provide qualitative permeability profiles in most of 26 boreholes drilled in the Study area. Flow logs indicate the depth of transmissive units, which are correlated across the study area. Comparison to published studies in adjacent areas indicates that the main limestone aquifer of the 000000Tamiami Formation in the study area corresponds with the gray limestone aquifer in western Dade County and the water table and lower Tamiami Aquifer in western Collier County. Four strategically located, multiwell aquifer tests are used to quantify the qualitative permeability profiles provided by the flowmeter log analysis. The hydrostratigraphic model based on these results defines the main aquifer in the central part of the study area as unconfined to semiconfined with a transmissivity as high as 30,000 m2/day. The aquifer decreases in transmissivity to less than 10,000 m2/day in some parts of western Collier County, and becomes confined to the east and northeast of the study area, where transmissivity decreases to below 5000 m2/day.Integration of lithologic logs, geophysical logs, and hydraulic tests is critical in characterizing heterogeneous aquifers. Typically only a limited number of aquifer tests can be performed, and these need to be designed to provide hydraulic properties for the principle aquifers in the system. This study describes the integration of logs and aquifer tests in the development of a hydrostratigraphic model for the surficial aquifer system in and around Big Cypress National Preserve in eastern Collier County, Florida. Borehole flowmeter tests provide qualitative permeability profiles in most of 26 boreholes drilled in the study area. Flow logs indicate the depth of transmissive units, which are correlated across the study area. Comparison to published studies in adjacent areas indicates that the main limestone aquifer of the Tamiami Formation in the study area corresponds with the gray limestone aquifer in western Dade County and the water table and lower Tamiami Aquifer in western Collier County. Four strategically located, multiwell aquifer tests are used to quantify the qualitative permeability profiles provided by the flowmeter log analysis. The hydrostratigraphic model based on these results defines the main aquifer in the central part of the study area as unconfined to semiconfined with a transmissivity as high as 30,000 m2/day. The aquifer decreases in transmissivity to less than 10,000 m2/day in some parts of western Collier County, and becomes confined to the east and northeast of the study area, where transmissivity decreases to below 5000 m2/day.

14 CFR 95.15 - Western United States Mountainous Area.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... 14 Aeronautics and Space 2 2013-01-01 2013-01-01 false Western United States Mountainous Area. 95... Western United States Mountainous Area. All of the following area excluding that portion specified in the exceptions: (a) Area. From the Pacific coastline of the United States, eastward along the Canadian and...

14 CFR 95.15 - Western United States Mountainous Area.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... 14 Aeronautics and Space 2 2012-01-01 2012-01-01 false Western United States Mountainous Area. 95... Western United States Mountainous Area. All of the following area excluding that portion specified in the exceptions: (a) Area. From the Pacific coastline of the United States, eastward along the Canadian and...

Hydraulic architecture and photosynthetic capacity as constraints on release from suppression in Douglas-fir and western hemlock.

PubMed

Renninger, Heidi J; Meinzer, Frederick C; Gartner, Barbara L

2007-01-01

We compared hydraulic architecture, photosynthesis and growth in Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii (Mirb.) Franco), a shade-intolerant species, and western hemlock (Tsuga heterophylla (Raf.) Sarg.), a shade-tolerant species, to study the temporal pattern of release from suppressive shade. In particular, we sought to determine whether hydraulic architecture or photosynthetic capacity is most important in constraining release. The study was conducted at two sites with mixed stands of 10- to 20-year-old Douglas-fir and western hemlock. At one site, the stand had been thinned allowing release of the understory trees, whereas at the other site, the stand remained unthinned. Douglas-fir had lower height growth (from 1998-2003) and lower relative height growth (height growth from 1998 to 2003/height in 1998) than western hemlock. However, relative height growth of released versus suppressed trees was higher in Douglas-fir (130%) than in western hemlock (65%), indicating that, although absolute height growth was less, Douglas-fir did release from suppression. Release seemed to be constrained initially by a limited photosynthetic capacity in both species. Five years after release, Douglas-fir trees had 14 times the leaf area and 1.5 times the leaf nitrogen concentration (N (area)) of suppressed trees. Needles of released western hemlock trees had about twice the maximum assimilation rate (A (max)) at ambient [CO(2)] as needles of suppressed trees and exhibited no photoinhibition at the highest irradiances. After release, trees increased in leaf area, leaf N concentration and overall photosynthetic capacity. Subsequently, hydraulic architecture appeared to constrain release in Douglas-fir and, to a lesser extent, in western hemlock. Released trees had significantly less negative foliar delta(13)C values than suppressed trees and showed a positive relationship between leaf area:sapwood area ratio (A (L)/A (S)) and delta(13)C, suggesting that trees with more leaf area for a given sapwood area experienced a stomatal limitation on carbon gain. Nonetheless, these changes had no significant effects on leaf specific conductivities of suppressed versus released trees of either species, but leaf specific root conductance was significantly lower in released Douglas-fir.

EMAP WESTERN UNITED STATES LANDSCAPE CHARACTERIZATION SOUTHERN ROCKIES PILOT STUDY AREA DATA AND PRODUCT BROWSER

EPA Science Inventory

The United States Environmental Protection Agency's Environmental Monitoring and Assessment Program (EMAP) is conducting a pilot study in the western United States. This study will advance the science of ecological monitoring and demonstrate techniques for regional-scale assessme...

EMAP WESTERN UNITED STATES LANDSCAPE CHARACTERIZATION NORTHWEST OREGON PILOT STUDY AREA DATA AND PRODUCT BROWSER

EPA Science Inventory

The United States Environmental Protection Agency's Environmental Monitoring and Assessment Program (EMAP) is conducting a pilot study in the western United States. This study will advance the science of ecological monitoring and demonstrate techniques for regional-scale assessme...

76 FR 1429 - Loveland Area Projects/Western Area Colorado Missouri Balancing Authority-Rate Order No. WAPA-154

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-01-10

... requirements, thus ensuring repayment of the project costs within the cost recovery criteria set forth in DOE... interest) and capital requirements, thus ensuring repayment of the project costs within the cost recovery... DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Western Area Power Administration Loveland Area Projects/Western Area...

Western Fisheries Research Center--Forage fish studies in Puget Sound

USGS Publications Warehouse

Liedtke, Theresa L.

2012-01-01

Researchers at the Western Fisheries Research Center are working with other U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Centers to better understand the interconnected roles of forage fishes throughout the ecosystem of Puget Sound, Washington. Support for these studies primarily is from the USGS Coastal Habitats in Puget Sound (CHIPS) program, which supports studies of the nearshore areas of Puget Sound. Human perturbations in the nearshore area such as shoreline armoring or urban development can affect the nearshore habitats critical to forage fish.

Duration and Frequency Analysis of Lowland Flooding in Western Murfreesboro, Rutherford County, Tennessee, 1998-2000

USGS Publications Warehouse

Law, George S.

2002-01-01

Periodic flooding occurs at lowlands and sinkholes in and adjacent to the flood plain of the West Fork Stones River in the western part of Murfreesboro, Tennessee. Flooding in this area commonly occurs during the winter months from December through March. The maximum water level that flood waters will reach in a lowland or sinkhole is controlled by the elevation of the land surrounding the site or the overflow outlet. Maximum water levels, independent of overflow from the river, were estimated to be reached in lowlands and sinkholes in the study area every 1 to 4 years. Minor overflow from the West Fork Stones River (less than 1 foot in depth) into the study area has been estimated to occur every 10 to 20 years. Moderate overflow from the river (1 to 2 feet in depth) occurs on average every 20 to 50 years, while major river overflow (in excess of 2 feet in depth) can be expected every 50 years. Rainfall information for the area, and streamflow and water-level measurements from the West Fork Stones River, lowlands, sinkholes, caves, and wells in the study area were used to develop a flood-prone area map, independent of overflow from the river, for the study area. Water-level duration and frequency relations, independent of overflow from the river, were estimated for several lowlands, sinkholes, and wells in the study area. These relations are used to characterize flooding in lowland areas of western Murfreesboro, Rutherford County, Tennessee.

Epidemiologic features of ınflammatory bowel disease in Western Blacksea region of Turkey for the last 10 years: retrospective cohort study.

PubMed

Can, Güray; Poşul, Emrah; Yılmaz, Bülent; Can, Hatice; Korkmaz, Uğur; Ermiş, Fatih; Kurt, Mevlüt; Dağlı, Ülkü

2018-04-27

There are only a few epidemiological study about inflammatory bowel disease in the last 10 years in Turkey, especially in Western Blacksea region. In our study, we aimed to identify the changes in the incidence and the prevalence of inflammatory bowel disease in Western Blacksea region at the last 10 years. Totally 223 patients with inf lammatory bowel disease (160 ulcerative colitis, 63 Crohn's disease) were enrolled in the study followed up between 2004 to 2013 years. The epidemiological characteristics of patients were recorded. The prevalences were 12.53/105 and 31.83/105 for Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis respectively. Mean annual incidences increased from 0.99/105 and 0.45/105 for ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease (2004 to 2005 years) to 4.87/105 and 2.09/105 for ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease respectively (2011 to 2013 years). While the prevalence was higher in urban areas in Crohn's disease (12.60/105 ), it was higher in rural areas in ulcerative colitis (36.17/105 ). In ulcerative colitis, mean annual incidences were 2.91/105 and 2.86/105 for urban and rural areas respectively. In Crohn's disease, they were 1.37/105 and 1.08/105 for urban and rural areas respectively. The incidence of inflammatory bowel disease seems to increase in Western Blacksea region at the last 10 years. This increment is more prevalent in rural areas.

TRADITIONAL USES OF PLANTS OF COMMONLAND HABITATS IN WESTERN CHITWAN, NEPAL

PubMed Central

Dangol, D.R.

2012-01-01

This paper is based on the flora data gathered from 138 common land plots as part of a multi-method longitudinal study of the reciprocal relations between population and environment in western Chitwan, Nepal. The paper also describes the uses and availability of different species drawing upon both field data and knowledge of indigenous and local residents in the study area. Land use in western Chitwan is changing rapidly and common land areas have been under much stress due to population increase, whereas the common land areas are valuable to local residents. Both indigenous and new migrant residents in this area use the available plant resources for different purposes which bring economic benefit to the households. Plant species provide valuable food, vegetable and medicinal products that maintain human health and general wellbeing of the household. These plants are also economically valuable to farmers with high quality forage value as well as useful for crop management (e.g., pesticide, compost, green manure). Moreover, some plant species are used as fish poison to harvest fish from rivers and streams. Likewise, the common land areas provide materials for use in house construction (e.g., thatch) and making tools with the potential and viable sites as communal grazing land. It is evident that access and utilization of common land resources are important for many households, especially those in remote and poor agricultural areas such as western Chitwan. PMID:22945971

Moderate-scale mapping methods of aspen stand types: a case study for Cedar Mountain in southern Utah

Treesearch

Chad M. Oukrop; David M. Evans; Dale L. Bartos; R. Douglas Ramsey; Ronald J. Ryel

2011-01-01

Quaking aspen (Populus tremuloides Michx.) are the most widely distributed tree species across North America, but its dominance is declining in many areas of the western United States, with certain areas experiencing rapid mortality events over the past decade. The loss of aspen from western landscapes will continue to profoundly impact biological, commercial, and...

Areas Susceptible to Irrigation-Induced Selenium Contamination of Water and Biota in the Western United States

USGS Publications Warehouse

Seiler, Ralph L.; Skorupa, Joseph P.; Peltz, Lorri A.

1999-01-01

The U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) studied contamination induced by irrigation drainage in 26 areas of the Western United States during 1986-95. Comprehensive compilation, synthesis, and evaluation of the data resulting from these studies were initiated by DOI in 1992. Soils and ground water in irrigated areas of the West can contain high concentrations of selenium because of (1) residual selenium from the soil's parent rock beneath irrigated land; (2) selenium derived from rocks in mountains upland from irrigated land by erosion and transport along local drainages, and (3) selenium brought into the area in surface water imported for irrigation. Application of irrigation water to seleniferous soils can dissolve and mobilize selenium and create hydraulic gradients that cause the discharge of seleniferous ground water into irrigation drains. Given a source of selenium, the magnitude of selenium contamination in drainage-affected aquatic ecosystems is strongly related to the aridity of the area and the presence of terminal lakes and ponds. Marine sedimentary rocks and deposits of Late Cretaceous or Tertiary age are generally seleniferous in the Western United States. Depending on their origin and history, some Tertiary continental sedimentary deposits also are seleniferous. Irrigation of areas associated with these rocks and deposits can result in concentrations of selenium in water that exceed criteria for the protection of freshwater aquatic life. Geologic and climatic data for the Western United States were evaluated and incorporated into a geographic information system (GIS) to produce a map identifying areas susceptible to irrigation-induced selenium contamination. Land is considered susceptible where a geologic source of selenium is in or near the area and where the evaporation rate is more than 2.5 times the precipitation rate. In the Western United States, about 160,000 square miles of land, which includes about 4,100 square miles (2.6 million acres) of land irrigated for agriculture, has been identified as being susceptible. Biological data were used to evaluate the reliability of the map. In 12 of DOl's 26 study areas, concentrations of selenium measured in bird eggs were elevated sufficiently to significantly reduce hatchability of the eggs. The GIS map identifies 9 of those 12 areas. Deformed bird embryos having classic symptoms of selenium toxicosis were found in four of the study areas, and the map identifies all four as susceptible to irrigation-induced selenium contamination.

Post-early cretaceous landform evolution along the western margin of the banca~nnia trough, western nsw

USGS Publications Warehouse

Gibson, D.L.

2000-01-01

Previously undated post-Devonian sediments outcropping north of Fowlers Gap station near the western margin of the Bancannia Trough are shown by plant macro- and microfossil determinations to be of Early Cretaceous (most likely Neocomian and/or Aptian) age, and thus part of the Eromanga Basin. They are assigned to the previously defined Telephone Creek Formation. Study of the structural configuration of this unit and the unconformably underlying Devonian rocks suggests that the gross landscape architecture of the area results from post-Early Cretaceous monoclinal folding along blind faults at the western margin of the trough, combined with the effects of differential erosion. This study shows that, while landscape evolution in the area has been dynamic, the major changes that have occurred are on a geological rather than human timescale.

Western Area Power Administration combined power system financial statements, 30 September 1995 and 1994

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

NONE

1995-12-31

The attached report presents the results of the independent certified public accountant`s audit of the Department of Energy`s Western Area Power Administration`s (Western) combined financial statements as of September 30, 1995. The auditors have expressed an unqualified opinion on Western`s 1995 statements. Their reports on Western`s internal control structure and on compliance with laws and regulations are also provided.

An evaluation of the bedrock aquifer system in northeastern Wisconsin

USGS Publications Warehouse

Emmons, P.J.

1987-01-01

Model simulations indicate that, by 1914, ground-water withdrawals from the aquifer system had already impacted the study area. Pumping in the Green Bay metropolitan area had lowered the potentiometric heads in aquifer 1 by 69 feet and in aquifer 2 by 55 feet. Model simulations indicate that, by 1981, ground-water withdrawals have caused a cone of depression centered in the city of De Pere area. The influence of the cone affects almost the entire study area and has significantly altered the horizontal and vertical flow regimes in the aquifer system. In 1981, computed drawdowns below the prepumping potentiometric surface of aquifer 1 range from 0 feet on the western side of the study area to 330 feet in the center of the cone of depression. In aquifer 2, the computed drawdown ranges from 0 feet on the western side of the study area to 253 feet in the center of the cone.

Assessment of groundwater potential based on aquifer properties of hard rock terrain in the Chittar-Uppodai watershed, Tamil Nadu, India

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kumar, T. Jeyavel Raja; Balasubramanian, A.; Kumar, R. S.; Dushiyanthan, C.; Thiruneelakandan, B.; Suresh, R.; Karthikeyan, K.; Davidraju, D.

2016-06-01

Aquifer performance was tested in 24 locations to assess the groundwater potential of the hard rock terrain in the Chittar-Uppodai watershed of the Tambaraparani River basin. Geologically, the area consists of biotite gneiss, charnockite, and quartzite. The aquifer characteristics, such as transmissivity ( T), the storage coefficient, specific capacity, optimum yield, and the recovery rate were calculated. The drawdown transmissivity was determined using Jacob's straight-line method, while the recovery transmissivity was determined by the Theis method. The drawdown transmissivity was low in the western areas, particularly at Kadayanallur, and was higher in the other areas. The recovery transmissivity was high in the western area, and, with the exception of Gangaikondan, was low at other locations. The assessment indicates that there is groundwater potential in the western part of the study area because of favorable results for recovery drawdown, aquifer thickness, and specific capacity.

76 FR 45551 - Post-2014 Resource Pool; Loveland Area Projects, Proposed Power Allocation

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-07-29

... Proposed Power Allocation. SUMMARY: Western Area Power Administration (Western), a Federal power marketing... Pool Proposed Power Allocation developed under the requirements of the Power Marketing Initiative of Western's Energy Planning and Management Program (Program). Western notified the public of allocation...

76 FR 58805 - Western Area Power Administration; Notice of Filing

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-09-22

... DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Federal Energy Regulatory Commission [Docket No. EF11-9-000] Western Area Power Administration; Notice of Filing Take notice that on September 7, 2011, the Western Area Power Administration submitted its Rate Order No. WAPA-156, concerning power, transmission, and ancillary service...

77 FR 65188 - Western Area Power Administration; Notice of Filing

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-10-25

... DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Federal Energy Regulatory Commission [Docket No. EF11-4-002] Western Area Power Administration; Notice of Filing Take notice that on September 12, 2012, Western Area Power Administration submitted revisions to its Open Access Transmission Tariff to correct formatting and technical...

Human Health Exposure Assessment for Rocky Mountain Arsenal. Volume 8. Response to Comments on the Draft Exposure Assessment Version 4.1

DTIC Science & Technology

1990-09-01

ASSESSMENT (INCLUDES ARMY AND SHELL TOXICITY PROFILES). VOL. 41V - PPLV METHODOLOGY. VOL. V - PPLV CALCULATIONS. VOL. VI - STUDY AREA EXPOSURE ANALYSIS (A...INTRODUCTION, B WESTERN STUDY AREA, C SOUTHERN STUDY AREA, D NORTHERN CENTRAL STUDY AREA, E CENTRAL STUDY AREA, F EASTERN STUDY AREA, G SOUTH PLANTS... STUDY AREA, AND H NORTH PLANTS STUDY AREA. VOL. VII - SUMMARY EXPOSURE ASSESSMENT. VOL. VIII - 14. SUBJECT TERMS 15. NUMBER OF PAGES PPLV, LAND USE

78 FR 73454 - Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Reallocation of Pacific Cod in the Western...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-12-06

.... 120918468-3111-02] RIN 0648-XC975 Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Reallocation of Pacific Cod in the Western Regulatory Area of the Gulf of Alaska Management Area AGENCY: National Marine... the Western Regulatory Area of the Gulf of Alaska management area (GOA). This action is necessary to...

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

Treesearch

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

2010-01-01

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

76 FR 65718 - Western Area Power Administration; Notice of Filing

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-10-24

... DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Federal Energy Regulatory Commission [Docket No. EF11-14-000] Western Area Power Administration; Notice of Filing Take notice that on September 23, 2011, Western Area Power Administration submitted its Rate Order No. WAPA-151 concerning rate and repayment data for Network Integration...

76 FR 12957 - Western Area Power Administration; Notice of Filing

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-03-09

... DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Federal Energy Regulatory Commission [Docket No. EF11-4-001] Western Area Power Administration; Notice of Filing Take notice that on March 3, 2011, the Western Area Power Administration, submitted its Open Access Transmission Tariff Compliance Filing, to be effective March 2, 2011...

76 FR 8726 - Western Area Power Administration; Notice of Filing

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-02-15

... DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Federal Energy Regulatory Commission [Docket No. EF11-4-000] Western Area Power Administration; Notice of Filing Take notice that on February 3, 2011, the Western Area Power Administration, pursuant to Order No. 714,\\1\\ and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission's (Commission) Order...

76 FR 9771 - Western Area Power Administration; Notice of Filing

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-02-22

... DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Federal Energy Regulatory Commission [Docket No. EF11-5-000] Western Area Power Administration; Notice of Filing Take notice that on February 7, 2011, the Western Area Power Administration submitted a notice of complete cancellation of its baseline tariff filed on September 30, 2010, to...

78 FR 62014 - Western Area Power Administration; Notice of Filing

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-10-11

... DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Federal Energy Regulatory Commission [Docket No. EF11-11-001] Western Area Power Administration; Notice of Filing Take notice that on September 17, 2013, the Western Area Power Administration submitted its Rate Order No. WAPA-1626, concerning extension of the Parker-Davis Project firm...

76 FR 58805 - Western Area Power Administration; Notice of Filing

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-09-22

... DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Federal Energy Regulatory Commission [Docket No. EF11-10-000] Western Area Power Administration; Notice of Filing Take notice that on September 7, 2011, the Western Area Power Administration submitted its Rate Order No. WAPA-155 and certain Rate Schedules concerning formula rates...

75 FR 65624 - Western Area Power Administration; Notice of Filing

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-10-26

... DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Federal Energy Regulatory Commission [Docket No. EF10-10-000] Western Area Power Administration; Notice of Filing October 19, 2010. Take notice that on September 30, 2010, Western Area Power Administration submitted a tariff filing pursuant to its Open Access Transmission Tariff, to...

Response of planted ponderosa pine seedlings to weed control by herbicide in western Montana

Treesearch

Fabian C.C. Uzoh

1999-01-01

The effects of competing herbaceous vegetation on the growth of ponderosa pine seedlings with and without herbicide Pronone were characterized in this 1987-1990 study. Study areas were established in 36 plantations across western Montana on Champion International Corporation's timberland (currently owned by Plum Creek Timber Company). The study sites were divided...

Mas aya del ancho rio: Mexicanos in Western New York

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rivera, George, Jr.; Mejia, Juventino

1976-01-01

Examining Chicanos who live in western New York, the study distinguished between native types of Chicano residents and compared these along several areas of concern: demographic variables, intermarriage and the family, and self-identification and perceptions of discrimination. (NQ)

76 FR 59682 - Desert Southwest Customer Service Region-Western Area Lower Colorado Balancing Authority-Rate...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-09-27

... percentage of metered generation, since there is no load. 2. Intermittent resources are exempt from the outer...--Western Area Lower Colorado Balancing Authority--Rate Order No. WAPA-151 AGENCY: Western Area Power... Services Formula Rates. SUMMARY: The Deputy Secretary of Energy has confirmed and approved Rate Order No...

Modeled Oil and Gas Atmospheric Impacts in National Parks and Wilderness Areas in the Western US

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thompson, T. M.; Barna, M. G.; Schichtel, B. A.; Vimont, J.; Moore, C. T.

2014-12-01

Oil and gas production in the Western United States has increased considerably over the past 10 years. While many of the still limited oil and gas impact assessments have focused on potential human health impacts, the typically remote locations of production in the Intermountain West suggests that the impacts of oil and gas production on national parks and wilderness areas (class 1&2 areas) could also be important. To evaluate this, we utilize the Comprehensive Air quality Model with Extensions (CAMx) with two year-long modeling episodes representing 2008 and 2011, meteorology and emissions. The model inputs for the 2008 and 2011 episodes were generated as part of the West-wide Jump-start Air Quality Modeling Study (WestJumpAQMS) and Three State Air Quality Study (3SAQS) respectively. Both studies included a detailed assessment of oil and gas (O&G) emissions in Western States for the respective years. Each year-long modeling episode was run both with and without emissions from O&G production. The difference between these two runs provides an estimate of the contribution of the O&G production to air quality. These data were used to assess the contribution of O&G to the 8 hour average ozone concentrations, daily and annual fine particulate concentrations, annual nitrogen deposition totals and visibility in the modeling domain. We present the results for the class 1&2 areas in the Western US. We also present temporal trends of O&G impacts, differentiating between trends in urban and rural areas.

Neighborhood ethnic density and suicide risk among different migrant groups in the four big cities in the Netherlands.

PubMed

Termorshuizen, Fabian; Braam, Arjan W; van Ameijden, Erik J C

2015-06-01

Recent studies suggested a favorable association between the ethnic density of the neighborhood and the risk of psychotic disorders among ethnic minorities. In this study, it was investigated whether this so-called 'ethnic density hypothesis' is also relevant to suicide risk, which is not sensitive to bias associated with ethnic differences in access to health care and reflects a broad range of mental health problems. Suicides in the four big cities in the Netherlands during 2000-2011 were ascertained using the cause of death register of Statistics Netherlands and analyzed in a multilevel Poisson model in relation to individual- and neighborhood-level characteristics. With increasing non-Western minority density, the adjusted rate ratio (RR) of suicide in non-Western immigrants compared to native Dutch persons decreased from 0.69 to 0.39 (P < 0.001). This was explained by higher suicide rates among Dutch persons (RR = 1.28, P = 0.048) and lower rates among non-Western persons (RR = 0.72, P = 0.004) in neighborhoods with high (>55.9 %) compared to neighborhoods with low non-Western minority density (<36.5 %). Similar results were found for Turkish, Moroccan, Surinamese/Antillean and other non-Western subgroups separately. Compared to personally matched controls, non-Western cases (i.e., those who committed suicide) more often moved house to own-group high-dense areas and less often to own-group low-dense areas in the 5 years prior to suicide. Our findings support the beneficial influence of the presence of the own ethnic group in the neighborhood on suicide risk among non-Western minorities. As moving to minority more dense areas prior to suicide was observed, this influence of ethnic density as measured on population level may have been underestimated.

Causes and rates of mortality of swift foxes in western Kansas

USGS Publications Warehouse

Sovada, M.A.; Roy, C.C.; Bright, J.B.; Gillis, J.R.

1998-01-01

Knowledge of mortality factors is important for developing strategies to conserve the swift fox (Vulpes velox), a species being considered for listing under the Endangered Species Act, but available information about swift fox mortality is inadequate. We used radiotelemetry techniques to examine the magnitude and causes of mortality of swift fox populations in 2 study areas in western Kansas. One study area was predominantly cropland, the other rangeland. Mortality rates, calculated using Kaplan-Meier estimation techniques in a staggered entry design, were 0.55 ?? 0.08 (5 ?? SE) for adult and 0.67 ?? 0.08 for juvenile swift foxes. We did not detect differences between study areas in mortality rates for adults or juveniles. Predation by coyotes (Canis latrans) was the major cause of mortality for adult and juvenile swift foxes in both study areas, and vehicle collision was an important mortality factor for juveniles in the cropland study area. No mortality was attributed to starvation or disease.

Applying the Index of Watershed Integrity to the Western Balkan Region

EPA Science Inventory

In 2014, the western Balkans’ heaviest recorded rains triggered extensive flooding affecting approximately 29,600 km2, or the equivalent of 75% of the study area. Rapid urbanization and the increasing regularity of late-summer droughts in the region likely exacerbated these...

Publications of the Western Earth Surface Processes Team 2006

USGS Publications Warehouse

Powell, Charles L.; Stone, Paul

2007-01-01

The Western Earth Surface Processes Team (WESPT) of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) conducts geologic mapping, earth-surface process investigations, and related topical earth science studies in the western United States. This work is focused on areas where modern geologic maps and associated earth-science data are needed to address key societal and environmental issues such as ground-water quality, landslides and other potential geologic hazards, and land-use decisions. Areas of primary emphasis in 2006 included southern California, the San Francisco Bay region, the Mojave Desert, the Colorado Plateau region of northern Arizona, and the Pacific Northwest. The team has its headquarters in Menlo Park, California, and maintains smaller field offices at several other locations in the western United States. This compilation gives the bibliographical citations for 123 new publications, most of which are available online using the hyperlinks provided.

Home range and use of habitat of western yellow-billed cuckoos on the middle Rio Grande, New Mexico

USGS Publications Warehouse

Sechrist, Juddson; Ahlers, Darrell; Potak Zehfuss, Katherine; Doster, Robert; Paxton, Eben H.; Ryan, Vicky M.

2013-01-01

The western yellow-billed cuckoo (Coccyzus americanus occidentalis) is a Distinct Population Segment that has been proposed for listing under the Endangered Species Act, yet very little is known about its spatial use on the breeding grounds. We implemented a study, using radio telemetry, of home range and use of habitat for breeding cuckoos along the Middle Rio Grande in central New Mexico in 2007 and 2008. Nine of 13 cuckoos were tracked for sufficient time to generate estimates of home range. Overall size of home ranges for the 2 years was 91 ha for a minimum-convex-polygon estimate and 62 ha for a 95%-kernel-home-range estimate. Home ranges varied considerably among individuals, highlighting variability in spatial use by cuckoos. Additionally, use of habitat differed between core areas and overall home ranges, but the differences were nonsignificant. Home ranges calculated for western yellow-billed cuckoos on the Middle Rio Grande are larger than those in other southwestern riparian areas. Based on calculated home ranges and availability of riparian habitat in the study area, we estimate that the study area is capable of supporting 82-99 nonoverlapping home ranges of cuckoos. Spatial data from this study should contribute to the understanding of the requirements of area and habitat of this species for management of resources and help facilitate recovery if a listing occurs.

Literacy and Numeracy Needs and Priorities: A Case Study of Regional TAFE Courses in Western Australia.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chapman, Anne; Pyvis, David

Rural Technical and Further Education (TAFE) students making the transition from rural and remote areas of Australia to urban university environments are likely to face educational challenges. Different understandings of literacy and numeracy held by the TAFE and tertiary sectors intensify these challenges. Case studies of four Western Australia…

78 FR 11790 - Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Pacific Cod by Catcher Vessels Using Trawl...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-02-20

... Catcher Vessels Using Trawl Gear in the Western Regulatory Area of the Gulf of Alaska AGENCY: National... (CVs) using trawl gear in the Western Regulatory Area of the Gulf of Alaska (GOA). This action is... apportioned to CVs using trawl gear in the Western Regulatory Area of the GOA. DATES: Effective 1200 hours...

77 FR 11412 - Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Pacific Cod by Catcher Vessels Using Trawl...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-02-27

... Vessels Using Trawl Gear in the Western Regulatory Area of the Gulf of Alaska AGENCY: National Marine... (CVs) using trawl gear in the Western Regulatory Area of the Gulf of Alaska (GOA). This action is... apportioned to CVs using trawl gear in the Western Regulatory Area of the GOA. DATES: Effective 1200 hrs...

Alabama Army Ammunition Plant, Talladega County, Alabama

DTIC Science & Technology

1995-05-10

Facility 21 5.2 Study Area 3 - Sanitary Landfill and Lead Facility 21 5.3 Study Area 4 - Manhattan Project Area 22 5.4 Study Area 5 - Red-Water Storage...were also collected and analyzed. One sample contained a low level of extractable lead. 5.3 Study Area 4 - Manhattan Project Area: Located in the...western portion of the General Services Administration area, the Manhattan Project used a small part of the ALAAP from 1943 to 1945. According to a lefter

Life-table analysis of Anopheles arabiensis in western Kenya highlands: effects of land covers on larval and adult survivorship.

PubMed

Afrane, Yaw A; Zhou, Goufa; Lawson, Bernard W; Githeko, Andrew K; Yan, Guiyun

2007-10-01

In high-elevation areas in western Kenya, the abundance of Anopheles arabiensis is either very low or absent. The western Kenya highlands (an area with an elevation > 1,500m above sea level) have also been experiencing extensive deforestation, and deforestation has been suggested as one of the important factors that facilitate malaria transmission in the highlands. This study investigated whether climate conditions in the western Kenya highlands (Kakamega, elevation 1,500 m above sea level) were permissive to the development and survival of An. arabiensis and whether deforestation promoted An. arabiensis survivorship of immature and adult stages, using life-table analysis. We found that in larval habitats located in forested areas, only 4-9% of first-instar larvae developed into adults and the development length exceeded 20 days. Mean water temperature of aquatic habitats in the deforested area was 4.8-6.1 degrees C higher than that in the forested area, larval-to-adult survivorship was increased to 65-82%, and larval-to-adult development time was shortened by 8-9 days. The average indoor temperature in houses in the deforested area was 1.7-1.8 degrees C higher than in the forested area, and the relative humidity was 22-25% lower. The median survival time of adult mosquitoes in the deforested area was 49-55% higher than those in the forested area. The net reproductive rate of female mosquitoes in the deforested area was 1.7- to 2.6-fold higher than that in the forested area. Compared with previously published data on An. gambiae, the net reproductive rate of An. arabiensis was only 0.8-1.3% of Anopheles gambiae in the forested area and 2.3-2.6% in the deforested area. Therefore, the current ambient climate condition is less permissive to An. arabiensis than to An. gambiae in western Kenya highlands. However, environmental changes such as deforestation and global warming may facilitate the establishment of An. arabiensis populations in the highlands.

75 FR 17913 - Maintenance and Vegetation Management Along Existing Western Area Power Administration...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-04-08

... Maintenance and Vegetation Management Along Existing Western Area Power Administration Transmission Line... Corporation's mandatory vegetation management and maintenance standards (FAC-003-1) in accordance with section... Service) authorizations or issuing new authorizations to accommodate Western's vegetation management...

Area and shape metrics of rainfall fields associated with tropical cyclones landfalling over the western Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean Sea

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhou, Y.

2017-12-01

The rainfall associated with TCs making landfall over western Gulf Coast and Caribbean Sea Coast caused numerous fatalities and divesting damage, however, few studies have been done over these regions. This study examines spatial pattern of rain fields associated with TCs making landfall over western Gulf Coast and Caribbean Sea Coast during 1998-2015 through a Geographic Information System (GIS)-based analysis of satellite-estimated rain rates. Regions of light rainfall (rain rate > 2.5 mm/h) and moderate rainfall (rain rate > 5.0 mm/h) during entire life cycle of each TC are converted into polygons and measurements are made of their area, dispersion and displacement during entire life cycle. The metric of dispersion is calculated for the entire rain field as defined by outlining light and moderate rain rates. The displacement to east and north is calculated by area weighted methods. There are three main objectives of this study. The first goal is to measure the area and spatial distribution of rain fields of TCs making landfall over the western Gulf and Caribbean Sea coastlines. We examine in which regions, the light and moderate rainfall area, dispersion and displacement of rainfall have higher values, and how they change during the entire TC life cycle. The second goal is to determine to determine which environmental conditions are associated with the spatial configuration of light and moderate rain rates. The conditions include storm intensity, motion direction and speed, total precipitable water and wind shear. Last, we determine the time that rainfall reaches land relative to the time that the storm's center makes landfall and durations of rainfall from TCs over land.

78 FR 4346 - Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Pacific Cod by Catcher/Processors Using...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-01-22

.../Processors Using Trawl Gear in the Western Regulatory Area of the Gulf of Alaska AGENCY: National Marine... (C/Ps) using trawl gear in the Western Regulatory Area of the Gulf of Alaska (GOA). This action is... apportioned to C/Ps using trawl gear in the Western Regulatory Area of the GOA. DATES: Effective 1200 hours...

78 FR 7280 - Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Pacific Cod by Vessels Using Pot Gear in the...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-02-01

... Vessels Using Pot Gear in the Western Regulatory Area of the Gulf of Alaska AGENCY: National Marine... using pot gear in the Western Regulatory Area of the Gulf of Alaska (GOA). This action is necessary to... vessels using pot gear in the Western Regulatory Area of the GOA. DATES: Effective 1200 hrs, Alaska local...

78 FR 23864 - Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Pacific Cod by Catcher/Processors Using Hook...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-04-23

... Catcher/Processors Using Hook-and-line Gear in the Western Regulatory Area of the Gulf of Alaska AGENCY.../processors (C/Ps) using hook-and-line gear in the Western Regulatory Area of the Gulf of Alaska (GOA). This... catch apportioned to C/Ps using hook-and-line gear in the Western Regulatory Area of the GOA. DATES...

77 FR 9589 - Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Pacific Cod by Catcher/Processors Using...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-02-17

.../Processors Using Trawl Gear in the Western Regulatory Area of the Gulf of Alaska AGENCY: National Marine... (C/Ps) using trawl gear in the Western Regulatory Area of the Gulf of Alaska (GOA). This action is... apportioned to C/Ps using trawl gear in the Western Regulatory Area of the GOA. DATES: Effective 1200 hrs...

Radiometric Survey in Western Afghanistan: A Website for Distribution of Data

USGS Publications Warehouse

Sweeney, Ronald E.; Kucks, Robert P.; Hill, Patricia L.; Finn, Carol A.

2007-01-01

Radiometric (uranium content, thorium content, potassium content, and gamma-ray intensity) and related data were digitized from radiometric and survey route location maps of western Afghanistan published in 1976. The uranium content data were digitized along contour lines from 33 maps in a series entitled 'Map of Uranium (Radium) Contents of Afghanistan (Western Area),' compiled by V. N. Kirsanov and R. S. Dershimanov. The thorium content data were digitized along contour lines from 33 maps in a series entitled 'Map of Thorium Contents of Afghanistan (Western Area),' compiled by V. N. Kirsanov and R. S. Dershimanov. The potassium content data were digitized along contour lines from 33 maps in a series entitled 'Map of Potassium Contents of Afghanistan (Western Area),' compiled by V. N. Kirsanov and R. S. Dershimanov. The gamma-ray intensity data were digitized along contour lines from 33 maps in a series entitled 'Map of Gamma-Field of Afghanistan (Western Area),' compiled by V. N. Kirsanov and R. S. Dershimanov. The survey route location data were digitized along flight-lines located on 33 maps in a series entitled 'Survey Routes Location and Contours of Flight Equal Altitudes. Western Area of Afghanistan,' compiled by Z. A. Alpatova, V. G. Kurnosov, and F. A. Grebneva.

The Contribution of Marine Organics to the Air Quality of the Western United States

EPA Science Inventory

The contribution of marine organic emissions to the air quality in coastal areas of the western United States is studied using the latest version of the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regional-scale Community Multiscale Air Quality (CMAQv4.7) modeling system. Emissions ...

Western Area Power Administration combined power system financial statements September 30, 1994 and 1993 and management overview and performance measurements

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

Marwick, P.

1994-12-31

The attached report presents the results of the independent certified public accountant`s audit of the Department of Energy`s Western Area Power Administration`s (Western) combined financial statements as of September 30, 1994. The auditors have expressed an unqualified opinion on Western`s 1994 statements. Their reports on Western`s internal control structure and on compliance with laws and regulations are also provided. Western was established in December 1977, and has the responsibility for the Federal electric power marketing and transmission functions in 15 central and western states. Western markets power, as required by existing law, at the lowest possible rates consistent with soundmore » business principles to recover the costs of operation and capital invested in power facilities.« less

An Evaluation of the National Teachers' Institute's Manpower Training Program for Teaching Personnel in Mid-Western Nigeria

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Osunde, A. U.; Omoruyi, F. E. O.

2004-01-01

This study evaluated the manpower-training program for teaching personnel in mid-western Nigeria by the National Teachers' Institute. Overall, 240 participants involved in the training program who were randomly selected from the area constituted the sample for the study. A questionnaire designed by the authors was the major instrument used for…

A western larch-engelmann spruce spacing study in eastern Oregon: results after 10 years.

Treesearch

K.W. Seidel

1984-01-01

The 10-year growth response from a spacing study in an even-aged stand of western larch (Larix occidentalis Nutt.) and Engelmann spruce (Picea engelmannii Parry ex Engelm.), thinned at age 10 to 9- and 15-foot spacings, was measured in eastern Oregon. Both basal area and total cubic volume increment per acre increased at the...

Future climate change drives increases in forest fires and summertime OC concentrations in the Western U.S.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Spracklen, D. V.; Logan, J. A.; Mickley, L. J.; Park, R. J.; Flannigan, M. D.; Westerling, A. L.

2006-12-01

Increased forest fire activity in the Western United States appears to be driven by increasing spring and summer temperatures. Here we make a first estimate of how climate-driven changes in fire activity will influence summertime organic carbon (OC) concentrations in the Western US. We use output from a general circulation model (GCM) combined with area burned regressions to predict how area burned will change between present day and 2050. Calculated area burned is used to create future emission estimates for the Western U.S. and we use a global chemical transport model (CTM) to predict future changes in OC concentrations. Stepwise linear regression is used to determine the best relationships between observed area burned for 1980- 2004 and variables chosen from temperature, relative humidity, wind speed, rainfall and drought indices from the Candaian Fire Weather Index Model. Best predictors are ecosytem dependent but typically include mean summer temperature and mean drought code. In forest ecosystems of the Western U.S. our regressions explain 50-60% of the variance in annual area burned. Between 2000 and 2050 increases in temperature and reductions in precipitation, as predicted by the GISS GCM, cause mean area burned in the western U.S. to increase by 30-55%. We use the GEOS-Chem CTM to show that these increased emissions result in an increase in summertime western U.S. OC concentrations by 55% over current concentrations. Our results show that the predicted increase in future wild fires will have important consequences for western US air quality and visibility.

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in soils and lichen from the western Tibetan Plateau: Concentration profiles, distribution and its influencing factors.

PubMed

Zhou, Ruichen; Yang, Ruiqiang; Jing, Chuanyong

2018-05-15

The Tibetan Plateau (TP) is a huge area and rarely affected by human activity, and is regarded as one of the most remote regions on the earth. Many studies about the long-range atmospheric transport (LRAT) of semi-volatile organic compounds (SVOCs) were conducted in southern and central TP. However, there are very limited studies focused on PAHs in the western TP and the concentrations profiles, distribution and its controlling factors in this area remains unclear. Thus, to explore this knowledge gap, 37 surface soil samples and 23 lichen samples were collected and analyzed for PAHs. The total concentration of 16 US EPA's priority PAHs (∑ 16 PAHs) in western TP ranges 14.4-59.5ng/g and 38.0-133ng/g dry weight (dw) with a mean value of 30.8 and 84.6ng/g dw in soil and lichen, respectively, which is lower than the concentrations in most remote areas worldwide. In the western TP, low molecular weight PAHs (2-3 rings) are dominant (occupied 77.4% and 87.9% on average in soil and lichen, respectively), implying a significant contribution of LRAT in this area. The significant linear correlations (R 2 = 0.372-0.627, p < 0.05) between longitude and soil concentration suggest a strong impact of the westerly wind on the distribution of PAHs in soil. In addition, the concentration ratio of lichen/soil (L/S) was found to linearly increase with the increasing log K OA of individual PAH, suggesting lichen has a strong ability in filtering more lipophilic airborne pollutants in western TP. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

75 FR 34088 - Fisheries in the Western Pacific; Community Development Program Process

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-06-16

.... Consist of community residents descended from aboriginal people indigenous to the western Pacific area who... involvement by the indigenous community members including the name, address, telephone and other contact... descended from aboriginal people indigenous to the western Pacific area who conducted commercial or...

Magnetic susceptibility data for some exposed bedrock in the western conterminous United States

USGS Publications Warehouse

Gettings, Mark E.; Bultman, Mark W.

2014-01-01

In-place rock magnetic susceptibility measurements for 746 sites in the western conterminous United States are reported in a database. Of these 746 sites, 408 sites are in the Silverton Caldera area of the San Juan Mountains of southwestern Colorado. Of the 408 sites in the Silverton Caldera area, 106 sites are underground. The remaining 338 sites outside the Silverton Caldera area were on outcropping rock, are distributed from southern Arizona to northwestern Wyoming, and include data from California, Nevada, Utah, Colorado, and New Mexico. Rock-density measurements are included for some sites. These data have been collected by various U.S. Geological Survey studies from 1991 through 2012 and are intended to help improve geophysical modeling of the Earth’s crust in the Western United States. A map-based graphical user interface is included to facilitate use of the data.

Modeling to Evaluate Contribution of Oil and Gas Emissions to Air Pollution.

PubMed

Thompson, Tammy M; Shepherd, Donald; Stacy, Andrea; Barna, Michael G; Schichtel, Bret A

2017-04-01

Oil and gas production in the Western United States has increased considerably over the past 10 years. While many of the still limited oil and gas impact assessments have focused on potential human health impacts, the typically remote locations of production in the Intermountain West suggests that the impacts of oil and gas production on national parks and wilderness areas (Class I and II areas) could also be important. To evaluate this, we utilize the Comprehensive Air quality Model with Extensions (CAMx) with a year-long modeling episode representing the best available representation of 2011 meteorology and emissions for the Western United States. The model inputs for the 2011 episodes were generated as part of the Three State Air Quality Study (3SAQS). The study includes a detailed assessment of oil and gas (O&G) emissions in Western States. The year-long modeling episode was run both with and without emissions from O&G production. The difference between these two runs provides an estimate of the contribution of the O&G production to air quality. These data were used to assess the contribution of O&G to the 8 hour average ozone concentrations, daily and annual fine particulate concentrations, annual nitrogen deposition totals and visibility in the modeling domain. We present the results for the Class I and II areas in the Western United States. Modeling results suggest that emissions from O&G activity are having a negative impact on air quality and ecosystem health in our National Parks and Class I areas. In this research, we use a modeling framework developed for oil and gas evaluation in the western United States to determine the modeled impacts of emissions associated with oil and gas production on air pollution metrics. We show that oil and gas production may have a significant negative impact on air quality and ecosystem health in some national parks and other Class I areas in the western United States. Our findings are of particular interest to federal land managers as well as regulators in states heavy in oil and gas production as they consider control strategies to reduce the impact of development.

A summary of niobium and rare earth localities from Ha'il and other areas in western Saudi Arabia: a preliminary study

USGS Publications Warehouse

Matzko, John J.; Naqvi, Mohammed Ibne

1978-01-01

Investigations in 1965 located veins containing radioactive material in the Halaban Group on the east side of a granite pluton at Jabal Aja near Ha'il. Later study extended the known area of radioactivity to a total length of about 30 km. Mineralogic studies indicated that the samples were low in uranium and that the radioactivity was due principally to thorium in niobium-bearing minerals. Two samples were reexamined to identify the sources of radioactivity, but X-ray and alpha plate studies did not reveal the radioactive minerals, even though uranium mineralization was indicated by the alpha plates. Further sampling is suggested to isolate the sources of radioactivity. This study indicates that niobium occurrences are related to alkaline intrusives in many areas of western Saudi Arabia. These areas should be investigated for their possible niobium and rare earth contents; their uranium content is apparently too low to be of economic interest.

Hydrostratigraphy and hydrogeology of the western part of Maira area, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan: a case study by using electrical resistivity.

PubMed

Farid, Asam; Jadoon, Khanzaib; Akhter, Gulraiz; Iqbal, Muhammad Asim

2013-03-01

Hydrostratigraphy and hydrogeology of the Maira vicinity is important for the characterization of aquifer system and developing numerical groundwater flow models to predict the future availability of the water resource. Conventionally, the aquifer parameters are obtained by the analysis of pumping tests data which provide limited spatial information and turn out to be costly and time consuming. Vertical electrical soundings and pump testing of boreholes were conducted to delineate the aquifer system at the western part of the Maira area, Khyber Pakhtun Khwa, Pakistan. Aquifer lithology in the eastern part of the study area is dominated by coarse sand and gravel whereas the western part is characterized by fine sand. An attempt has been made to estimate the hydraulic conductivity of the aquifer system by establishing a relationship between the pumping test results and vertical electrical soundings by using regression technique. The relationship is applied to the area along the resistivity profiles where boreholes are not drilled. Our findings show a good match between pumped hydraulic conductivity and estimated hydraulic conductivity. In case of sparse borehole data, regression technique is useful in estimating hydraulic properties for aquifers with varying lithology.

Migration strategies and wintering areas of North American ospreys as revealed by satellite telemetry

USGS Publications Warehouse

Martell, Mark S.; Henny, Charles J.; Nye, P.; Solensky, Matthew J.

2000-01-01

Since 1995 we have trapped and tagged 110 Ospreys (Pandion haliaetus) from 12 study sites in 8 states (Fig. 1). This total includes 71 females, 32 males and 7 juveniles. Our study areas encompass the major Osprey population concentrations found in the United States including the Western States, the Great Lakes region and the Eastern Seaboard.Tagging of nesting pairs along with three complete family groups revealed that departure times from nesting areas varied by gender; with females leaving before the juveniles and themales departing last. Neither nesting pairs, nor families, migrated or wintered together (Fig. 2). Departure dates from the breeding areas ranged from 12 July to 1 October. Migration routes differed between populations but not gender (Fig. 3). Western Ospreys migrated through California and to a lesser degree other western states and then into Mexico. MinnesotaOspreys migrated along three routes; 1) through the central U.S. and then along the east coast of Mexico, 2) along the Mississippi River then across the Gulf of Mexico, or 3) through the Southeastern U.S., then across the Caribbean. East Coast birds migrated along the Eastern Seaboard of the U.S. through Florida and across the Caribbean.

Microzonation Mapping Of The Yanbu Industrial City, Western Saudi Arabia: A Multicriteria Decision Analysis Approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moustafa, Sayed, Sr.; Alarifi, Nassir S.; Lashin, Aref A.

2016-04-01

Urban areas along the western coast of Saudi Arabia are susceptible to natural disasters and environmental damages due to lack of planning. To produce a site-specific microzonation map of the rapidly growing Yanbu industrial city, spatial distribution of different hazard entities are assessed using the Analytical Hierarchal Process (AHP) together with Geographical Information System (GIS). For this purpose six hazard parameter layers are considered, namely; fundamental frequency, site amplification, soil strength in terms of effective shear-wave velocity, overburden sediment thickness, seismic vulnerability index and peak ground acceleration. The weight and rank values are determined during AHP and are assigned to each layer and its corresponding classes, respectively. An integrated seismic microzonation map was derived using GIS platform. Based on the derived map, the study area is classified into five hazard categories: very low, low, moderate high, and very high. The western and central parts of the study area, as indicated from the derived microzonation map, are categorized as a high hazard zone as compared to other surrounding places. The produced microzonation map of the current study is envisaged as a first-level assessment of the site specific hazards in the Yanbu city area, which can be used as a platform by different stakeholders in any future land-use planning and environmental hazard management.

77 FR 35671 - Conformed Power Marketing Criteria or Regulations for the Boulder Canyon Project

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-06-14

... DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Western Area Power Administration Conformed Power Marketing Criteria or... of power marketing criteria in accordance with the Hoover Power Allocation Act of 2011. SUMMARY: The Western Area Power Administration (Western), a Federal power marketing agency of the Department of Energy...

76 FR 13086 - Establishment of Area Navigation (RNAV) Routes; Western United States

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-03-10

...: This action establishes six High Altitude Area Navigation (RNAV) routes in the Western United States (U... from and through Salt Lake ARTCC to the San Francisco/Oakland, CA, Terminal area. High Altitude RNAV...

Influence of the Western Pacific teleconnection pattern on Western North Pacific tropical cyclone activity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Choi, Ki-Seon; Moon, Il-Ju

2012-09-01

This study analyzes the characteristics of Western North Pacific (WNP) tropical cyclone (TC) activity and large-scale environments according to the Western Pacific (WP) teleconnection pattern in summer. In the positive WP phase, an anomalous cyclone and an anomalous anticyclone develop in the low and middle latitudes of the East Asia area, respectively. As a result, southeasterlies are reinforced in the northeast area of East Asia (including Korea and Japan), which facilitates the movement of TC to this area, whereas northwesterlies are reinforced in the southwest area of East Asia (including southern China and the Indochina Peninsula) which blocks the movement of TC to that area. Due to the spatial distribution of this reinforced pressure system, TCs that develop during the positive WP phase move and turn more to the northeast of the WNP than TCs which develop during the negative WP phase. The characteristics of this TC activity during the positive WP phase are associated with the upper tropospheric jet being located farther to the northeast. TCs during the negative WP phase mainly move to the west from the Philippines toward southern China and the Indochina Peninsula. Due to the terrain effect caused by the passage of TCs in mainland China, the intensity of TCs during the negative WP phase is weaker than those during the positive WP phase.

Water-quality assessment of the western Lake Michigan drainages; analysis of available information on nutrients and suspended sediment, water years 1971-90

USGS Publications Warehouse

Robertson, Dale M.; Saad, D.A.

1996-01-01

To fulfill the goals of the NAWQA program, the USGS plans to examine 60 areas (study units) across the United States during full implementation of the program. In 1991, the NAWQA program went into full implementation with the intensive investigation of 20 of these study units; one of these study units is the Western Lake Michigan Drainages (WMIC) study unit.

Community Environmental Response Facilitation Act (CERFA) Report; Alabama Army Ammunition Plant, Talladega County, Alabama.

DTIC Science & Technology

1994-04-01

manufactured at the site. Of the five buildings that were associated with the Manhattan Project , only Building 2180 remains; it was empty during the...No Risk Assessment conducted Sanitary Landfill and Lead Facility (Study Area 3) (31,20) 2D / / / / / Yes Manhattan Project Area (Study Area...collected and analyzed. One sample contained a low level of extractable lead. Study Area 4 - Manhattan Project Area: Located in the western parcel of

Results after 20 years from a western larch levels-of-growing-stock study.

Treesearch

K.W. Seidel

1987-01-01

The 20-year growth response from a levels-of-growing-stock study in an even-aged western larch stand in eastern Oregon, first thinned at age 33, showed that trees growing at low stand densities grew more rapidly in diameter than trees in high-density plots. Height growth was relatively uniform among density levels. Both basal-area and total cubic-volume increment...

Seasonal variation of infiltration capacities of soils in western Oregon.

Treesearch

Michael G. Johnson; Robert L. Beschta

1981-01-01

Infiltration capacities were 50 percent greater during fall than during summer for forest soils of western Oregon. These results contrast with those measured in other studies. In forested areas, investigators should be aware of potentially large seasonal changes in infiltration capacities. Such seasonal changes may exceed effects due to applied treatments (logging,...

Characterizating western juniper expansion via a fusion of Landsat 5 thematic mapper and LiDAR data

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Juniper encroachment into shrub steppe and grassland systems is one of the most prominent changes occurring in rangelands of western North America. Most studies on juniper change are conducted over small areas, although encroachment is occurring across large regions. Development of image-based met...

Cherry Creek Research Natural Area: guidebook supplement 41

Treesearch

Reid Schuller; Jennie Sperling; Tim Rodenkirk

2011-01-01

This guidebook describes Cherry Creek Research Natural Area, a 239-ha (590-ac) area that supports old-growth Douglas-fir-western hemlock (Pseudotsuga menziesii- Tsuga heterophylla) forest occurring on sedimentary materials in the southern Oregon Coast Range. Major plant associations present within the area include the western hemlock/Oregon oxalis...

Genetic Evidence of Geographical Groups among Neanderthals

PubMed Central

Fabre, Virginie; Condemi, Silvana; Degioanni, Anna

2009-01-01

The Neanderthals are a well-distinguished Middle Pleistocene population which inhabited a vast geographical area extending from Europe to western Asia and the Middle East. Since the 1950s paleoanthropological studies have suggested variability in this group. Different sub-groups have been identified in western Europe, in southern Europe and in the Middle East. On the other hand, since 1997, research has been published in paleogenetics, carried out on 15 mtDNA sequences from 12 Neanderthals. In this paper we used a new methodology derived from different bioinformatic models based on data from genetics, demography and paleoanthropology. The adequacy of each model was measured by comparisons between simulated results (obtained by BayesianSSC software) and those estimated from nucleotide sequences (obtained by DNAsp4 software). The conclusions of this study are consistent with existing paleoanthropological research and show that Neanderthals can be divided into at least three groups: one in western Europe, a second in the Southern area and a third in western Asia. Moreover, it seems from our results that the size of the Neanderthal population was not constant and that some migration occurred among the demes. PMID:19367332

Correlation of Aerogravity and BHT Data to Develop a Geothermal Gradient Map of the Northern Western Desert of Egypt using an Artificial Neural Network

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mohamed, Haby S.; Abdel Zaher, Mohamed; Senosy, Mahmoud M.; Saibi, Hakim; El Nouby, Mohamed; Fairhead, J. Derek

2015-06-01

The northern part of the Western Desert of Egypt represents the second most promising area of hydrocarbon potential after the Gulf of Suez province. An artificial neural network (ANN) approach was used to develop a new predictive model for calculation of the geothermal gradients in this region based on gravity and corrected bottom-hole temperature (BHT) data. The best training data set was obtained with an ANN architecture composed of seven neurons in the hidden layer, which made it possible to predict the geothermal gradient with satisfactory efficiency. The BHT records of 116 deep oil wells (2,000-4,500 m) were used to evaluate the geothermal resources in the northern Western Desert. Corrections were applied to the BHT data to obtain the true formation equilibrium temperatures, which can provide useful constraints on the subsurface thermal regime. On the basis of these corrected data, the thermal gradient was computed for the linear sections of the temperature-versus-depth data at each well. The calculated geothermal gradient using temperature log data was generally 30 °C/km, with a few local high geothermal gradients in the northwestern parts of the study area explained by potential local geothermal fields. The Bouguer gravity values from the study area ranged from -60 mGal in the southern parts to 120 mGal in the northern areas, and exhibited NE-SW and E-W trends associated with geological structures. Although the northern Western Desert of Egypt has low regional temperature gradients (30 °C/km), several potential local geothermal fields were found (>40 °C/km). The heat flow at each well was also computed by combining sets of temperature gradients and thermal conductivity data. Aerogravity data were used to delineate the subsurface structures and tectonic framework of the region. The result of this study is a new geothermal gradient map of the northern Western Desert developed from gravity and BHT log data.

Developing an alcohol policy assessment toolkit: application in the western Pacific.

PubMed

Carragher, Natacha; Byrnes, Joshua; Doran, Christopher M; Shakeshaft, Anthony

2014-10-01

To demonstrate the development and feasibility of a tool to assess the adequacy of national policies aimed at reducing alcohol consumption and related problems. We developed a quantitative tool - the Toolkit for Evaluating Alcohol policy Stringency and Enforcement (TEASE-16) - to assess the level of stringency and enforcement of 16 alcohol control policies. TEASE-16 was applied to policy data from nine study areas in the western Pacific: Australia, China excluding Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR), Hong Kong SAR, Japan, Malaysia, New Zealand, the Philippines, Singapore and Viet Nam. Correlation and regression analyses were then used to examine the relationship between alcohol policy scores and income-adjusted levels of alcohol consumption per capita. Vast differences exist in how alcohol control policies are implemented in the western Pacific. Out of a possible 100 points, the nine study areas achieved TEASE-16 scores that ranged from 24.1 points for the Philippines to 67.5 points for Australia. Study areas with high policy scores - indicating relatively strong alcohol policy frameworks - had lower alcohol consumption per capita. Sensitivity analyses indicated scores and rankings for each study area remained relatively stable across different weighting schemes, indicating that TEASE-16 was robust. TEASE-16 could be used by international and national regulatory bodies and policy-makers to guide the design, implementation, evaluation and refinement of effective policies to reduce alcohol consumption and related problems.

[Study on the overall implementation status of the National Demonstration Areas for Comprehensive Prevention and Control of Non-communicable Diseases].

PubMed

Li, J J; Li, J L; Zhang, J; Jin, R R; Ma, S; Deng, G J; Su, X W; Bian, F; Qu, Y M; Hu, L L; Jiang, Y

2018-04-10

Objective: To understand the current overall status of implementation on the National Demonstration Areas of Comprehensive Prevention and Control of Non-communicable Diseases. Methods: According to the scheme design of the questionnaires, all the National Demonstration Areas were involved in this study. For each National Demonstration Areas, eight departments were selected to complete a total of 12 questionnaires. Results: Scores related to the implementation of the National Demonstration Areas accounted for 71.8% of the total 170 points. Based on the scores gathered from this study, the 23-items-index-system that represented the status of project implementation was classified into seven categories. Categories with higher percentile scores would include: monitoring (88.0%), safeguard measures (75.0%), health education and health promotion (75.0%). Categories with lower percentile scores would include: the national health lifestyle actions (67.7%), community diagnosis (66.7%), discovery and intervention of high-risk groups (64.7%), and patient management (60.9%). There were significant differences noticed among the eastern, central and western areas on items as safeguard measures, health education/promotion, discovery and intervention of high-risk groups. In all, the implementation programs in the eastern Demonstration Areas seemed better than in the central or western regions. As for the 23 items, five of the highest scores appeared on policy support, mortality surveillance, tumor registration, reporting system on cardiovascular/cerebrovascular events, and on tobacco control, respectively. However, the lowest five scores fell on healthy diet, patient self-management program, oral hygiene, setting up the demonstration units and promotion on basic public health services, respectively. The overall scores in the eastern region was higher than that in the central or the western regions. The scores in the central and western regions showed basically the same. Conclusions: The overall status of implementation on the National Demonstration Areas was satisfactory. Future attention should be focusing on patient management as well as discovery and intervention of high-risk groups, which also presented the lowest scores, in this survey.

Basal area growth impacts of dwarf misletoe on western hemlock in an old-growth forest

Treesearch

David C. Shaw; Huso Manuela; Howard Bruner

2008-01-01

We investigated the effect of western hemlock dwarf mistletoe (Arceuthobium tsugense (Rosend.) G.N. Jones ssp. tsugense) on the 13-year basal area growth of large (>45.7 cm diameter at breast height) western hemlock (Tsuga heterophylla (Raf.) Sarg.) trees in an old-growth forest in southwestern Washington...

75 FR 73982 - Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Longnose Skate in the Western Regulatory...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-11-30

...NMFS is prohibiting retention of longnose skate in the Western Regulatory Area of the Gulf of Alaska (GOA). This action is necessary because the 2010 total allowable catch (TAC) of longnose skate in the Western Regulatory Area of the GOA has been reached.

Heavy metal contamination in the Western Indian Ocean (a review)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mamboya, F. A.; Pratap, H. B.; Björk, M.

2003-05-01

Western Indian Ocean Coast has many potential marine ecosystems such as mangrove, seagrass meadows, macroalgae, and coral reefs. It is largely unspoiled environment however, tourism and population growth in coastal urban centres, industrialization, are presenting a risk of pollutants input to the marine environment of the Western Indian Ocean. Mining, shipping and agricultural activities also input contaminants into the marine environment via runoff, vessel operations and accidental spillage. Heavy metals are among the pollutants that are expected to increase in the marine environment of the Western Indian Ocean. The increase in heavy metal pollution can pose a serious health problem to marine organism and human through food chain. This paper reviews studies on heavy metal contamination in the Western Indian Ocean. It covers heavy metal studies in the sediments, biota, particulates and seawater collected in different sites. In comparison to other regions, only few studies have been conducted in the Western Indian Ocean and are localized in some certain areas. Most of these studies were conducted in Kenyan and Tanzanian coasts while few of them were conducted in Mauritius, Somalia and Reunion. No standard or common method has been reported for the analysis or monitoring of heavy metals in the Western Indian Ocean.

Simulated bat populations erode when exposed to climate change projections for western North America

PubMed Central

Adams, Rick A.

2017-01-01

Recent research has demonstrated that temperature and precipitation conditions correlate with successful reproduction in some insectivorous bat species that live in arid and semiarid regions, and that hot and dry conditions correlate with reduced lactation and reproductive output by females of some species. However, the potential long-term impacts of climate-induced reproductive declines on bat populations in western North America are not well understood. We combined results from long-term field monitoring and experiments in our study area with information on vital rates to develop stochastic age-structured population dynamics models and analyzed how simulated fringed myotis (Myotis thysanodes) populations changed under projected future climate conditions in our study area near Boulder, Colorado (Boulder Models) and throughout western North America (General Models). Each simulation consisted of an initial population of 2,000 females and an approximately stable age distribution at the beginning of the simulation. We allowed each population to be influenced by the mean annual temperature and annual precipitation for our study area and a generalized range-wide model projected through year 2086, for each of four carbon emission scenarios (representative concentration pathways RCP2.6, RCP4.5, RCP6.0, RCP8.5). Each population simulation was repeated 10,000 times. Of the 8 Boulder Model simulations, 1 increased (+29.10%), 3 stayed approximately stable (+2.45%, +0.05%, -0.03%), and 4 simulations decreased substantially (-44.10%, -44.70%, -44.95%, -78.85%). All General Model simulations for western North America decreased by >90% (-93.75%, -96.70%, -96.70%, -98.75%). These results suggest that a changing climate in western North America has the potential to quickly erode some forest bat populations including species of conservation concern, such as fringed myotis. PMID:28686737

Simulated bat populations erode when exposed to climate change projections for western North America.

PubMed

Hayes, Mark A; Adams, Rick A

2017-01-01

Recent research has demonstrated that temperature and precipitation conditions correlate with successful reproduction in some insectivorous bat species that live in arid and semiarid regions, and that hot and dry conditions correlate with reduced lactation and reproductive output by females of some species. However, the potential long-term impacts of climate-induced reproductive declines on bat populations in western North America are not well understood. We combined results from long-term field monitoring and experiments in our study area with information on vital rates to develop stochastic age-structured population dynamics models and analyzed how simulated fringed myotis (Myotis thysanodes) populations changed under projected future climate conditions in our study area near Boulder, Colorado (Boulder Models) and throughout western North America (General Models). Each simulation consisted of an initial population of 2,000 females and an approximately stable age distribution at the beginning of the simulation. We allowed each population to be influenced by the mean annual temperature and annual precipitation for our study area and a generalized range-wide model projected through year 2086, for each of four carbon emission scenarios (representative concentration pathways RCP2.6, RCP4.5, RCP6.0, RCP8.5). Each population simulation was repeated 10,000 times. Of the 8 Boulder Model simulations, 1 increased (+29.10%), 3 stayed approximately stable (+2.45%, +0.05%, -0.03%), and 4 simulations decreased substantially (-44.10%, -44.70%, -44.95%, -78.85%). All General Model simulations for western North America decreased by >90% (-93.75%, -96.70%, -96.70%, -98.75%). These results suggest that a changing climate in western North America has the potential to quickly erode some forest bat populations including species of conservation concern, such as fringed myotis.

Mineral resources of the Elkhorn Wilderness Study Area, Broadwater and Jefferson Counties, Montana

USGS Publications Warehouse

Greenwood, William R.; Ludington, Steve; Miller, William R.; Hanna, William F.; Wenrich, Karen J.; Suits, Vivian J.; McHugh, John B.

1990-01-01

The Elkhorn Wilderness Study Area in west-central Montana has a moderate to high potential for resources of porphyry-type copper and molybdenum in the western part of the area, and a moderate to high potential for resources of gold, silver, lead, and zinc in replacement and vein deposits in the eastern part of the area. No evidence of potential oil, gas, and geothermal resources was identified in this study.

Land Use Patterns and Fecal Contamination of Coastal Waters in Western Puerto Rico

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Norat, Jose

1994-01-01

The Department of Environmental Health of the Graduate School of Public Health of the Medical Sciences Campus, University of Puerto Rico (UPR-RCM) conducted this research project on how different patterns of land use affect the microbiological quality of rivers flowing into Mayaguez Bay in Western Puerto Rico. Coastal shellfish growing areas, stream and ocean bathing beaches, and pristine marine sites in the Bay are affected by the discharge of the three study rivers. Satellite imagery was used to study watershed land uses which serve as point and nonpoint sources of pathogens affecting stream and coastal water users. The study rivers drain watersheds of different size and type of human activity (including different human waste treatment and disposal facilities). Land use and land cover in the study watersheds were interpreted, classified and mapped using remotely sensed images from NASA's Landsat Thematic Mapper (TM). This study found there is a significant relationship between watershed land cover and microbiological water quality of rivers flowing into Mayaguez Bay in Western Puerto Rico. Land covers in the Guanajibo, Anasco, and Yaguez watersheds were classified into forested areas, pastures, agricultural zones and urban areas so as to determine relative contributions to fecal water contamination. The land cover classification was made processing TM images with IDRISI and ERDAS software.

ADA Compliance and Accessibility of Fitness Facilities in Western Wisconsin.

PubMed

Johnson, Marquell J; Stoelzle, Hannah Y; Finco, Kristi L; Foss, Sadie E; Carstens, Katie

2012-01-01

The study expands the research on fitness facility accessibility by determining how compliant fitness facilities in rural western Wisconsin were with Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Comparisons were made with 4 other studies that were conducted in different geographical regions. The study also examined fitness professionals' disability knowledge and awareness. An ADA fitness facility compliance instrument and a fitness professional disability awareness survey were used. Direct observation and physical measurements were taken during on-site visits to 16 of 36 eligible fitness facilities in rural western Wisconsin. Ten fitness professionals from participating facilities completed an online survey. Frequencies were used to analyze the results. None of the participating facilities were in 100% compliance with ADA. Customer service desk (84%) and path of travel throughout the facility (72%) were the highest compliance areas. Telephone (6%) and locker rooms (32%) were the lowest compliance areas. No fitness professional was trained in wheelchair transfers and very few had received training in providing services to individuals with disabilities. Fitness facility accessibility remains a concern nationally. Continued efforts need to be made to raise the awareness of ADA compliance among fitness professionals across the United States, especially in rural areas where fitness facility availability is limited.

Morphologic characteristics and migration rate assessment of barchan dunes in the Southeastern Western Desert of Egypt

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hamdan, M. A.; Refaat, A. A.; Abdel Wahed, M.

2016-03-01

This work explores the morphologic characteristics of aeolian dune sand in the southeastern part of Western Desert of Egypt. It aims to assess the movement of barchan dunes and evaluate their environmental influence on the Toshka Project. Morphometric investigation of barchan dunes in the Toshka area revealed that most barchans have high length/width (a/c) ratios (fat to pudgy), while one-fifth of the studied barchans have lower a/c ratios and so appear normal in their morphologic forms. Statistical analysis of the main parameters of barchan dunes in Toshka and other desert regions in the Kharga (Egypt), Kuwait, Southern Morocco, California and Southern Peru demonstrates that barchans of the Toshka area are distinctive in their appearance. They are characterized by distinct aspect with higher values of length and width and greater growth in height. The high-energy wind environment in addition to the large amount of drifting sand are principal factors responsible for the unique shape of Toshka barchans. The migration rate of barchan dunes in four chosen test locations, within the central and western Toshka area, ranges from about 3 to 10.82 m/year. The calculated average migration rate of these dunes is about 6 m/year in a SSW direction. Sand encroachment is more extensive in the central and western parts of the investigated Toshka area. Risk evaluation of sand dune movements in the southeastern part of the Western Desert points to medium to high sand encroachment risk values. These may represent serious hazards to the newly-established Toshka Project, threatening roads, as well as cultivated lands in the area.

West Flank Coso FORGE Magnetotelluric 3D Data

DOE Data Explorer

Doug Blankenship

2016-01-01

This is the 3D version of the MT data for the West Flank FORGE area.The Coso geothermal field has had three Magnetotelluric (MT) datasets collected including surveys in 2003, 2006, and 2011. The final collection, in 2011, expanded the survey to the west and covers the West Flank of FORGE area.This most recent data set was collected by Schlumberger/WesternGeco and inverted by the WesternGeco GeoSolutions Integrated EM Center of Excellence in Milan, Italy; the 2003 and 2006 data were integrated for these inversions in the present study.

The human footprint in the west: a large-scale analysis of anthropogenic impacts.

USGS Publications Warehouse

Leu, M.; Hanser, S.E.; Knick, S.T.

2008-01-01

Anthropogenic features such as urbanization, roads, and power lines, are increasing in western United States landscapes in response to rapidly growing human populations. However, their spatial effects have not been evaluated. Our goal was to model the human footprint across the western United States. We first delineated the actual area occupied by anthropogenic features, the physical effect area. Next, we developed the human footprint model based on the ecological effect area, the zone influenced by features beyond their physical presence, by combining seven input models: three models quantified top-down anthropogenic influences of synanthropic predators (avian predators, domestic dog and cat presence risk), and four models quantified bottom-up anthropogenic influences on habitat (invasion of exotic plants, human-caused fires, energy extraction, and anthropogenic wildland fragmentation). Using independent bird population data, we found bird abundance of four synanthropic species to correlate positively with human footprint intensity and negatively for three of the six species influenced by habitat fragmentation. We then evaluated the extent of the human footprint in relation to terrestrial (ecoregions) and aquatic systems (major rivers and lakes), regional management and conservation status, physical environment, and temporal changes in human actions. The physical effect area of anthropogenic features covered 13% of the western United States with agricultural land (9.8%) being most dominant. High-intensity human footprint areas (class 8–10) overlapped highly productive low-elevation private landholdings and covered 7% of the western United States compared to 48% for low-intensity areas (class 1–3), which were confined to low-productivity high-elevation federal landholdings. Areas within 1 km of rivers were more affected by the human footprint compared to lakes. Percentage human population growth was higher in low-intensity human footprint areas. The disproportional regional effects of the human footprint on landscapes in the western United States create a challenge to management of ecosystems and wildlife populations. Using footprint models, managers can plan land use actions, develop restoration scenarios, and identify areas of high conservation value at local landscapes within a regional context. Moreover, human footprint models serve as a tool to stratify landscapes for studies investigating floral and faunal response to human disturbance intensity gradients.

High resolution projections for the western Iberian coastal low level jet in a changing climate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Soares, Pedro M. M.; Lima, Daniela C. A.; Cardoso, Rita M.; Semedo, Alvaro

2017-09-01

The Iberian coastal low-level jet (CLLJ) is one of the less studied boundary layer wind jet features in the Eastern Boundary Currents Systems (EBCS). These regions are amongst the most productive ocean ecosystems, where the atmosphere-land-ocean feedbacks, which include marine boundary layer clouds, coastal jets, upwelling and inland soil temperature and moisture, play an important role in defining the regional climate along the sub-tropical mid-latitude western coastal areas. Recently, the present climate western Iberian CLLJ properties were extensively described using a high resolution regional climate hindcast simulation. A summer maximum frequency of occurrence above 30 % was found, with mean maximum wind speeds around 15 ms-1, between 300 and 400 m heights (at the jet core). Since the 1990s the climate change impact on the EBCS is being studied, nevertheless some lack of consensus still persists regarding the evolution of upwelling and other components of the climate system in these areas. However, recently some authors have shown that changes are to be expected concerning the timing, intensity and spatial homogeneity of coastal upwelling, in response to future warming, especially at higher latitudes, namely in Iberia and Canaries. In this study, the first climate change assessment study regarding the Western Iberian CLLJ, using a high resolution (9 km) regional climate simulation, is presented. The properties of this CLLJ are studied and compared using two 30 years simulations: one historical simulation for the 1971-2000 period, and another simulation for future climate, in agreement with the RCP8.5 scenario, for the 2071-2100 period. Robust and consistent changes are found: (1) the hourly frequency of occurrence of the CLLJ is expected to increase in summer along the western Iberian coast, from mean maximum values of around 35 % to approximately 50 %; (2) the relative increase of the CLLJ frequency of occurrence is higher in the north off western Iberia; (3) the occurrence of the CLLJ covers larger areas both latitudinal and longitudinal; (4) the CLLJ season is lengthened extending to May and September; and, (5) there are shifts for higher occurrences of higher wind speeds and for the jet core to occur at higher heights.

On Financial Support System for Compulsory Education in China's Western Minority Areas

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jinyu, Qi

2008-01-01

China's Western Development is a policy adopted to boost its less developed Western regions, that is, a systematic project and a longterm and arduous task. The development of compulsory education in China's minority areas is the key to it. This paper attempts to use the beneficial experience of developing compulsory education support system of…

Fuel reduction management practices in riparian areas of the western USA

Treesearch

Katharine R. Stone; David S. Pilliod; Kathleen A. Dwire; Charles C. Rhoades; Sherry P. Wollrab; Michael K. Young

2010-01-01

Two decades of uncharacteristically severe wildfires have caused government and private land managers to actively reduce hazardous fuels to lessen wildfire severity in western forests, including riparian areas. Because riparian fuel treatments are a fairly new management strategy, we set out to document their frequency and extent on federal lands in the western U.S....

Unraveling the stratigraphy of the Oriskany Sandstone: A necessity in assessing its site-specific carbon sequestration potential

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kostelnik, J.; Carter, K.M.

2009-01-01

The widespread distribution, favorable reservoir characteristics, and depth make the Lower Devonian Oriskany Sandstone a viable sequestration target in the Appalachian Basin. The Oriskany Sandstone is thickest in the structurally complex Ridge and Valley Province, thins toward the northern and western basin margins, and is even absent in other parts of the basin (i.e., the no-sand area of northwestern Pennsylvania). We evaluated four regions using petrographic data, core analyses, and geophysical log analyses. Throughout the entire study area, average porosities range from 1.35 to 14%. The most notable porosity types are primary intergranular, secondary dissolution, and fracture porosity. Intergranular primary porosity dominates at stratigraphic pinch-out zones near the Oriskany no-sand area and at the western limit of the Oriskany Sandstone. Secondary porosity occurs from dissolution of carbonate constituents primarily in the combination-traps natural gas play extending through western Pennsylvania, western West Virginia, and eastern Ohio. Fracture porosity dominates in the central Appalachian Plateau Province and Valley and Ridge Province. Based on average porosity, the most likely regions for successful sequestration in the Oriskany interval are (1) updip from Oriskany Sandstone pinch-outs in eastern Ohio, and (2) western Pennsylvania, western West Virginia, and eastern Ohio where production occurs from a combination of stratigraphic and structural traps. Permeability data, where available, were used to further evaluate the potential of these regions. Permeability ranges from 0.2 to 42.7 md. Stratigraphic pinch-outs at the northern and western limits of the basin have the highest permeabilities. We recommend detailed site assessments when evaluating the sequestration potential of a given injection site based on the variability observed in the Oriskany structure, lithology, and reservoir characteristics. ?? 2009. The American Association of Petroleum Geologists/Division of Environmental Ceosciences. All rights reserved.

Predicting the impacts of a high-voltage transmission line on big game hunting opportunities in Western Montana

Treesearch

Stewart Allen

1985-01-01

The State of Montana, in cooperation with the U.S. Forest Service and Bonneville Power Administration, is conducting a five-vear study on the impacts of a 500-kV transmission line on elk habitat and hunter opportunity. In fall 1983, baseline data on hunting patterns and quality were collected from over 600 hunters interviewed in three western Montana study areas. A...

Fluctuating populations of house wrens and Bewick's wrens in foothills of the western Sierra Nevada of California

Treesearch

Jared Verner; Kathryn L. Purcell

1999-01-01

In foothills of the western Sierra Nevada, 31 km east of Madera, California, we studied whether Bewick's Wrens (Thryomanes bewickii) tend to be excluded from an area occupied by House Wrens (Troglodytes aedon) as reported in several studies in the eastern United States. Neither point counts from 1985 to 1997 nor spot mapping from 1989 to 1993 suggests any...

Sampling large geographic areas for rare species using environmental DNA: A study of bull trout Salvelinus confluentus occupancy in western Montana

Treesearch

Kevin McKelvey; Michael Young; W. L. Knotek; K. J. Carim; T. M. Wilcox; T. M. Padgett-Stewart; Michael Schwartz

2016-01-01

This study tested the efficacy of environmental DNA (eDNA) sampling to delineate the distribution of bull trout Salvelinus confluentus in headwater streams in western Montana, U.S.A. Surveys proved fast, reliable and sensitive: 124 samples were collected across five basins by a single crew in c. 8days. Results were largely consistent with past electrofishing,...

Growth and yield of western larch: 15-year results of a levels-of-growing-stock study.

Treesearch

K.W. Seidel

1982-01-01

The 15-year growth response from a levels-of-growing-stock study in an even-aged western larch (Larix occidentalis Nutt.) stand in northeastern Oregon, first thinned at age 33, showed that trees growing at lower stand densities grew more rapidly in diameter but did not grow faster in height than trees in high density plots. Both basal area and...

Reconceptualising Child Care in Rural Areas.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Morda, Romana; Kapsalakis, Anthoula; Clyde, Margaret

A study examining child care services in rural and remote areas conducted focus group interviews and distributed questionnaires to parents living in 15 towns in the Mallee region of Western Victoria (Australia). Barriers to accessing child care in rural areas included limited availability of formal services, costs, stereotypes associated with life…

Study area description

Treesearch

Mary M. Rowland; Matthias Leu

2011-01-01

The boundary for the Wyoming Basins Ecoregional Assessment (WBEA) was largely determined by the co-occurrence of some of the largest tracts of intact sagebrush (Artemisia spp.) remaining in the western United States with areas of increasing resource extraction. The WBEA area includes two ecoregions in their entirety, Wyoming Basins and Utah-Wyoming...

Fluoride content and distribution pattern in groundwater of eastern Yunnan and western Guizhou, China.

PubMed

Luo, Kunli; Liu, Yonglin; Li, Huijie

2012-02-01

For study, the fluoride (F) content and distribution pattern in groundwater of eastern Yunnan and western Guizhou fluorosis area in southwestern China, the F content of 93 water samples [groundwater (fissure water, cool spring, and hot springs), rivers water] and 60 rock samples were measured. The result shows the F content of the fissure water and cold spring water is 0.027-0.47 mg/L, and river water is 0.048-0.224 mg/L. The F content of hot spring water is 1.02-6.907 mg/L. The drinking water supplied for local resident is mainly from fissure water, cool spring, and river water. And the F content in all of them is much lower than the Chinese National Standard (1.0 mg/L), which is the safe intake of F in drinking water. The infected people in eastern Yunnan and western Guizhou fluorosis area have very little F intake from the drinking water. The hot spring water in fluorosis area of eastern Yunnan and western Guizhou, southwest China has high F content, which is not suitable for drinking. © Springer Science+Business Media B.V. 2011

A geochemical study of the Rio Pantanos area, Department of Antioquia, Colombia preliminary report

USGS Publications Warehouse

Alminas, Henry V.; Mosier, Elwin L.

1972-01-01

Geochemical sampling in the Western Cordillera has delineated an 18 km 2 area anomalous in copper, molybdenum, and silver. Highly anomalous metal contents are found in stream sediment, soil, and outcrop samples collected within this area. The area is underlain by intrusive granodiorite to quartz diorite that has porphyritic and granitoid phases. Most of the outcrop samples contain disseminated pyrite, chalcopyrite, and bornite. A geochemical reconnaissance sampling program in the Western Cordillera, formulated by Andros Jimeno V., Director, Instituto National de Investigaciones Geologico-Mineras (INGEOMINAS), and Earl M. Irving, U. S. Geological Survey (USGS) Chief of Party in Colombia, was carried out from 1969 to 1971 by geologists of the INGEOMINAS office in Medellin. This work was part of a cooperative program of INGEOMINAS and the USGS sponsored by the Government of Colombia and the Agency for International Development, U. S. Department of State. Seventeen generally east-trending traverses were completed across the Western Cordillera. These traverses, generally paralleling major drainages, cross the range at intervals of 10 to 30 km.

Monitoring selective logging in western Amazonia with repeat lidar flights

Treesearch

H.E. Andersen; S.E. Reutebuch; R.J. McGaughey; M.V.N. d' Oliveira; M. Keller

2014-01-01

The objective of this study was to test the use of repeat flight, airborne laser scanning data (lidar) for estimating changes associated with low-impact selective logging (approx. 10-15 m3 ha−1 = 5-7% of total standing volume harvested) in natural tropical forests in the Western Brazilian Amazon. Specifically, we investigated change in area...

A Critical Analysis of Western Perspectives on Families of Arab Descent

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Beitin, Ben K.; Allen, Katherine R.; Bekheet, Maureen

2010-01-01

Western research on families of Arab descent has increased in the current decade, compared to the previous 30 years. In this review of 256 empirical articles, through a critical postcolonial lens, domestic violence and family planning were the two most established areas of study. Generally, samples have come from a small group of countries such as…

School-Related Factors Contributing to the Delivery Enhancement of the Special Science Program in Western Visayas, Philippines

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bangcaya, Porferio S.; Alejandro, Grecebio Jonathan D.

2015-01-01

In this mixed-method study, the secondary schools in Western Visayas, Philippines offering special science program (SSP) were assessed as basis for delivery enhancement. The SSP along student-related factors and the extent of implementation in the areas of curriculum and instruction, laboratory facilities, and administration in terms of the…

Serologic survey for viral and bacterial infections in western populations of Canada Lynx (Lynx canadensis)

Treesearch

Roman Biek; Randall L. Zarnke; Colin Gillin; Margaret Wild; John R. Squires; Mary Poss

2002-01-01

A serologic survey for exposure to pathogens in Canada lynx (Lynx canadensis) in western North America was conducted. Samples from 215 lynx from six study areas were tested for antibodies to feline parvovirus (FPV), feline coronavirus, canine distemper virus, feline calicivirus, feline herpesvirus, Yersinia pestis, and Francisella tularensis. A subset of...

Hierarchical den selection of Canada lynx in western Montana

Treesearch

John R. Squires; Nicholas J. Decesare; Jay A. Kolbe; Leonard F. Ruggiero

2008-01-01

We studied den selection of Canada lynx (Lynx canadensis; hereafter lynx) at multiple ecological scales based on 57 dens from 19 females located in western Montana, USA, between 1999 and 2006. We considered 3 spatial scales in this analysis, including den site (11-m-radius circle surrounding dens), den area (100-m-radius circle), and den environ (1-...

Student Performance and Family Socioeconomic Status: Results from a Survey of Compulsory Education in Western China

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Liu, Xiaofei; Lu, Ke

2008-01-01

This study used fifteen-year-old ninth-grade students from rural areas of five provinces in western China as samples to carry out research on the relationship between the socioeconomic status of Chinese families and student academic performance. Based on parents' educational background, occupation, family economic conditions, and other factors,…

Reconnaissance of the chemical quality of water in western Utah, Part I: Sink Valley area, drainage basins of Skull, Rush, and Government Creek Valleys, and the Dugway Valley-Old River Bed area

USGS Publications Warehouse

Waddell, K.M.

1967-01-01

This report presents data collected during the first part of an investigation that was started in 1963 by the U.S. Geological Survey in cooperation with the Utah Geological and Mineralogical Survey. The investigation has the purpose of providing information about the chemical quality of water in western Utah that will help interested parties to evaluate the suitability of the water for various uses in a broad area of Utah where little information of this type previously has been available. The area studied includes the Sink Valley area, the drainage basins of Skull, Rush, and Government Creek Valleys, and the Dugway Valley-Old River Bed area (fig. 1). Osamu Hattori and G. L. Hewitt started the investigation, and the author completed it and prepared the report.

Middle Eocene, older sequences in rifts key to potential in western Indonesia

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

Courteney, S.

1996-05-27

In Part 1 of this article three areas, the Tiga Puluh arch (Sumatra), the Tanjung Raya area (Kalimantan), and the East Java basin in western Indonesia were discussed in terms of sequence stratigraphy. Such data have been interpreted for each basin in western Indonesia and two example correlations are discussed. A correlation chart of the major basins of Western Indonesia is shown in this paper. This chart was prepared on the basis of the regional correlations using sequence stratigraphy discussed.

Distribution, abundance and behavior of endangered whales in the Alaskan Chukchi and Western Beaufort Seas, 1991: With a review 1982-91. Final report, September-November 1991

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

Moore, S.E.; Clarke, J.T.

1992-09-01

The report summarizes the 1991 investigations of the distribution, abundance, migration timing and route, behavior, and habitat relationships of endangered whales in the Alaskan Chukchi and western Beaufort seas (hereafter, study area); 1991 was the third year of a three year (1989-91) study. Data were collected during transect and search surveys flown in a specially modified Grumman Goose (model G21G) aircraft over the study area from 20 September through 7 November. The Bering Sea stock of bowhead whales (Balaena mysticetus) was the principal species studied. Gray whales (Eschrichtius robustus) were also studied, with incidental sightings of all other marine mammalsmore » routinely recorded. Data collected during the 1991 study were subsequently integrated with the results of surveys conducted from 1982-1990. In 1991, there were 27 sightings of 32 bowhead whales and 20 sightings of 26 gray whales in the study area from 20 September through October.« less

DISTRIBUTION AND FREQUENCY OF CORAL DISEASES IN THE FLORIDA KEYS AND THE DRY TORTUGAS

EPA Science Inventory

Reports of coral diseases affecting reefs in the Western Atlantic have been increasing. Few studies have attempted to document the incidences of different coral diseases in a single geographic area. Most studies have focused on a single disease within a small geographic area. Thi...

Difference in tree growth responses to climate at the upper treeline: Qilian Juniper in the Anyemaqen Mountains.

PubMed

Peng, Jianfeng; Gou, Xiaohua; Chen, Fahu; Li, Jinbao; Liu, Puxing; Zhang, Yong; Fang, Keyan

2008-08-01

Three ring-width chronologies were developed from Qilian Juniper (Sabina przewalskii Kom.) at the upper treeline along a west-east gradient in the Anyemaqen Mountains. Most chronological statistics, except for mean sensitivity (MS), decreased from west to east. The first principal component (PC1) loadings indicated that stands in a similar climate condition were most important to the variability of radial growth. PC2 loadings decreased from west to east, suggesting the difference of tree-growth between eastern and western Anyemaqen Mountains. Correlations between standard chronologies and climatic factors revealed different climatic influences on radial growth along a west-east gradient in the study area. Temperature of warm season (July-August) was important to the radial growth at the upper treeline in the whole study area. Precipitation of current May was an important limiting factor of tree growth only in the western (drier) upper treeline, whereas precipitation of current September limited tree growth in the eastern (wetter) upper treeline. Response function analysis results showed that there were regional differences between tree growth and climatic factors in various sampling sites of the whole study area. Temperature and precipitation were the important factors influencing tree growth in western (drier) upper treeline. However, tree growth was greatly limited by temperature at the upper treeline in the middle area, and was more limited by precipitation than temperature in the eastern (wetter) upper treeline.

78 FR 26518 - Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Northeast Multispecies Fishery; Exempted Fishery for...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-05-07

... that gillnet gear should not be included in the Western Exemption Area. The Eastern Cape Cod Spiny... dogfish permit to fish in an area east of Cape Cod, MA (Eastern Exemption Area) with gillnet and longline... Bay (Western Exemption Area) with longline gear and handgear from June through August. This action...

Viability of the ground of Shithatha, western Iraqi plateau, for industrial and commercial uses via hydrochemistry analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Al-Qaraghuli, S. A.

2017-08-01

Iraqi western plateau is considered as one of the most resourceful areas of the middle east, that is not yet well explored, due to the many political disturbances and security issues. The viability of underground water for the various industrial, municipal, commercial and agricultural uses is examined for Shithatha, Karbala governorates as a representative for the western plateau via chemical and physical analysis of water samples that are taken from 9 wells and 3 springs all-around the study area during the wet and dry periods. Hydro chemical and statistical analysis for the field samples have proved that groundwater of the studied area is classified as slightly-brackish water and water hardness is very high. Also, the results of the analyses of trace elements in the groundwater of the study area have confirmed the contamination of groundwater with some elements such as (Fe, Cd, Pb, Ni) in concentrations that have exceeded the WHO and Iraqi national standards IQS, permissible limits. The application of Hydro-chemical formulae of Kurlouv and Piper, Schoeller, Stiff classifications have demonstrated that most samples of the study area have water type of (Na2SO4) while other samples have ranged between (MgSO4), and (NaCl) water type. The quality of groundwater is unsuitable for drinking and industrial purposes and it is almost suitable for irrigation purposes, but it is suitable for livestock, building and agricultural purposes because the salinity of the water is within the permissible limits when considering the nature of the soil.

Class 1 overview of cultural resources for the Western Area Power Administration Salt Lake City Area Integrated Projects electric power marketing environmental impact statement

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

Moeller, K.L.; Malinowski, L.M.; Hoffecker, J.F.

1993-11-01

Argonne National Laboratory conducted an inventory of known archaeological and historic sites in areas that could be affected by the hydropower operation alternatives under analysis in the power marketing environmental impact statement for the Western Area Power Administration`s Salt Lake City Area Integrated Projects. The study areas included portions of the Green River (Flaming Gorge Dam to Cub Creek) in Utah and Colorado and the Gunnison River (Blue Mesa Reservoir to Crystal Dam) in Colorado. All previous archaeological surveys and previously recorded prehistoric and historic sites, structures, and features were inventoried and plotted on maps (only survey area maps aremore » included in this report). The surveys were classified by their level of intensity, and the sites were classified according to their age, type, and contents. These data (presented here in tabular form) permit a general assessment of the character and distribution of archaeological remains in the study areas, as well as an indication of the sampling basis for such an assessment. To provide an adequate context for the descriptions of the archaeological and historic sites, this report also presents overviews of the environmental setting and the regional prehistory, history, and ethnography for each study area.« less

Mohawk Research Natural Area: guidebook supplement 45

Treesearch

Reid Schuller; Cheshire Mayrsohn

2013-01-01

This guidebook describes major biological and physical attributes of the 119-ha (293-ac) Mohawk Research Natural Area. The area supports old-growth Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) forest characterized by plant associations representative of the western Cascade foothills. These include the western hemlock/Oregon grape-salal (Tsuga...

Changes in area and ownership of timberland in western Oregon: 1961-86.

Treesearch

Colin D. MacLean

1990-01-01

This report notes the changes in timberland area and in timberland ownership that took place in western Oregon between 1961 and 1986. The data for the report were based on observations and measurements taken during three successive forest inventories of non-Federal lands in western Oregon. Estimates of change were based on repeat measurements of 1,465 permanent plots...

75 FR 39183 - Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Pacific Ocean Perch in the Western...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-07-08

.... 0910131362-0087-02] RIN 0648-XX39 Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Pacific Ocean Perch in...: NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for Pacific ocean perch in the Western Regulatory Area of the Gulf...) of Pacific ocean perch in the Western Regulatory Area of the GOA. DATES: Effective 1200 hrs, Alaska...

77 FR 39649 - Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Pacific Ocean Perch in the Western...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-07-05

.... 111207737-2141-02] RIN 0648-XC086 Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Pacific Ocean Perch...: NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for Pacific ocean perch in the Western Regulatory Area of the Gulf...) of Pacific ocean perch in the Western Regulatory Area of the GOA. DATES: Effective 1200 hrs, Alaska...

78 FR 39631 - Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Pacific Ocean Perch in the Western...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-07-02

.... 120918468-3111-02] RIN 0648-XC739 Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Pacific Ocean Perch...: NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for Pacific ocean perch in the Western Regulatory Area of the Gulf... Pacific ocean perch in the Western Regulatory Area of the GOA. DATES: Effective 1200 hours, Alaska local...

76 FR 39791 - Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Pacific Ocean Perch in the Western...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-07-07

.... 101126522-0640-02] RIN 0648-XA542 Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Pacific Ocean Perch...: NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for Pacific ocean perch in the Western Regulatory Area of the Gulf...) of Pacific ocean perch in the Western Regulatory Area of the GOA. DATES: Effective 1200 hrs, Alaska...

Summary of biological investigations relating to water quality in the Western Lake Michigan Drainages, Wisconsin and Michigan

USGS Publications Warehouse

Scudder, B.C.; Rheaume, S.J.; Parsons, S.R.; Lenz, B.N.

1996-01-01

Most biological studies related to waterquality conditions in the Western Lake Michigan Drainages have focused on populations and community structure of aquatic biota. Chemical concentrations in tissues of aquatic biota have been the next most common area of research. Our review suggests a paucity of data related to the health of all types of aquatic biota, especially amphibians, invertebrates, and reptiles; toxicity studies also were relatively uncommon. Overall, organisms primarily studied have been fish and invertebrates, although birds are most frequently examined in studies of organism health. The Fox/ Wolf Subbasin has been the focus of many more studies than the other subbasins, most likely because of the greater extent and severity of known water-quality problems in the Lower Fox River/Green Bay area over the past several decades and because it is the largest subbasin. Studies in the other subbasins are needed to adequately assess the water quality of these areas.

Protein purification and analysis: next generation Western blotting techniques.

PubMed

Mishra, Manish; Tiwari, Shuchita; Gomes, Aldrin V

2017-11-01

Western blotting is one of the most commonly used techniques in molecular biology and proteomics. Since western blotting is a multistep protocol, variations and errors can occur at any step reducing the reliability and reproducibility of this technique. Recent reports suggest that a few key steps, such as the sample preparation method, the amount and source of primary antibody used, as well as the normalization method utilized, are critical for reproducible western blot results. Areas covered: In this review, improvements in different areas of western blotting, including protein transfer and antibody validation, are summarized. The review discusses the most advanced western blotting techniques available and highlights the relationship between next generation western blotting techniques and its clinical relevance. Expert commentary: Over the last decade significant improvements have been made in creating more sensitive, automated, and advanced techniques by optimizing various aspects of the western blot protocol. New methods such as single cell-resolution western blot, capillary electrophoresis, DigiWest, automated microfluid western blotting and microchip electrophoresis have all been developed to reduce potential problems associated with the western blotting technique. Innovative developments in instrumentation and increased sensitivity for western blots offer novel possibilities for increasing the clinical implications of western blot.

Stratigraphy and structural setting of Upper Cretaceous Frontier Formation, western Centennial Mountains, southwestern Montana and southeastern Idaho

USGS Publications Warehouse

Dyman, T.S.; Tysdal, R.G.; Perry, W.J.; Nichols, D.J.; Obradovich, J.D.

2008-01-01

Stratigraphic, sedimentologic, and palynologic data were used to correlate the Frontier Formation of the western Centennial Mountains with time-equivalent rocks in the Lima Peaks area and other nearby areas in southwestern Montana. The stratigraphic interval studied is in the middle and upper parts (but not uppermost) of the formation based on a comparison of sandstone petrography, palynologic age data, and our interpretation of the structure using a seismic line along the frontal zone of the Centennial Mountains and the adjacent Centennial Valley. The Frontier Formation is comprised of sandstone, siltstone, mudstone, limestone, and silty shale in fluvial and coastal depositional settings. A distinctive characteristic of these strata in the western Centennial Mountains is the absence of conglomerate and conglomeratic sandstone beds. Absence of conglomerate beds may be due to lateral facies changes associated with fluvial systems, a distal fining of grain size, and the absence of both uppermost and lower Frontier rocks in the study area. Palynostratigraphic data indicate a Coniacian age for the Frontier Formation in the western Centennial Mountains. These data are supported by a geochronologic age from the middle part of the Frontier at Lima Peaks indicating a possible late Coniacian-early Santonian age (86.25 ?? 0.38 Ma) for the middle Frontier there. The Frontier Formation in the western Centennial Mountains is comparable in age and thickness to part of the Frontier at Lima Peaks. These rocks represent one of the thickest known sequences of Frontier strata in the Rocky Mountain region. Deposition was from about 95 to 86 Ma (middle Cenomanian to at least early Santonian), during which time, shoreface sandstone of the Telegraph Creek Formation and marine shale of the Cody Shale were deposited to the east in the area now occupied by the Madison Range in southwestern Montana. Frontier strata in the western Centennial Mountains are structurally isolated from other Cretaceous rocks in the region and are part of the Lima thrust sheet that lies at the leading edge of the Sevier-style overthrusting in this part of southwestern Montana and adjacent southeastern Idaho.

Leaf area and tree increment dynamics of even-aged and multiaged lodgepole pine stands in Montana

Treesearch

Cassandra L. Kollenberg; Kevin L. O' Hara

1999-01-01

Age structure and distribution of leaf area index (LAI) of even and multiaged lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta var. latifolia Engelm.) stands were examined on three study areas in western and central Montana. Projected leaf area was determined based on a relationship with sapwood cross-sectional area at breast height. Stand structure and LAI varied considerably between...

Recreational kayak visitor use, distribution, and financial value of beaches in western Prince William Sound, Alaska, between 1987-1998

Treesearch

Paul Twardock; Christopher Monz

2000-01-01

Visitor use data was collected for the years 1987 to 1998 from sea kayak guide/outfitters, charter boats, lodges and rental businesses operating in western Prince William Sound, Alaska. The majority of the Sound is part of the Chugach National Forest and includes the 2.1 million-acre Nellie Juan Wilderness Study Area, where most recreational use examined in this study...

Clarifying the interplate main tectonic elements of Western Anatolia, Turkey by using GNSS velocities and Bouguer gravity anomalies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Çırmık, Ayça; Pamukçu, Oya

2017-10-01

In this study, the GNSS and gravity data were processed and compared together for examining the continental structures of the Western Anatolia region which has very complicated tectonism. The GNSS data of three national projects were processed and GNSS velocities were found as approximately 25 mm per year towards southwest with respect to the Eurasia fixed frame. In order to investigate the interplate motions of the region, the Anatolian and Aegean block solutions were calculated and the differences in directions and amplitudes of velocities were observed particularly in the Anatolian block solution. Due to the Anatolian block solutions, the study area was grouped into three regions and compared with the tectonic structures as the first time for Western Anatolia by this study. Additionally, W-E and N-S relative GNSS solutions were obtained for observing the possible tectonic borders of the study area. Besides, 2nd order horizontal derivative and low-pass filter methods were applied to Bouguer gravity anomalies and the results of the gravity applications and the changes on crustal-mantle interface were compared with the GNSS horizontal velocities.

Use of Landsat data to evaluate lesser prairie chicken habitats in western Oklahoma

USGS Publications Warehouse

Cannon, R. W.; Knopf, Fritz L.; Pettinger, Lawrence R.

1982-01-01

Landsat digital data were used to evaluate lesser prairie chicken (Tympanuchus pallidicinctus) habitats in western Oklahoma. Data for 7 (4,144 ha) study areas, 4 in shinnery oak (Quercus havardii), and 3 in sand sagebrush (Artemisia filifolia) rangeland, were analyzed using the Interactive Digital Image Manipulation System at the EROS Center. In shinnery oak rangeland, density of displaying males was correlated positively with percentage of area in grassland classes and negatively correlated with the percentage in brushland classes. In sand sagebrush rangeland, density of displaying males was negatively, but not significantly correlated with percentage of area in bare soil and grassland classes, and positively, but not significantly correlated with percentage of area in brushland classes. The trends found between density of displaying males and the Landsat-generated resource classes closely parallel similar relationships found with field sampling techniques. Analysis of the Landsat digital data for this study cost 13.8 cents/ha. Because larger areas could have been analyzed with the same digital data, the unit cost for analysis would decline with increasingly larger areas.

Initial thinning effects in 70- to 150-year-old Douglas-fir--western Oregon and Washington.

Treesearch

Richard L. Williamson; Frank E. Price

1971-01-01

Vigorous, mature (post-rotation age) Douglas-fir stands will probably exist for another 50 years or more on some properties in western Oregon and Washington. Intermediate harvests in the form of thinnings were analyzed on nine study areas ranging from 70 to 150 years old when thinned. Recoverable cubic-volume growth, averaging 81 percent of normal...

Use of rapid rural appraisal and cross-sectional studies in the assessment of constraints in smallholder cattle production systems in the western Kenya highlands.

PubMed

Okuthe, O S; McLeod, A; Otte, J M; Buyu, G E

2003-09-01

Assessment of livestock production constraints in the smallholder dairy systems in the western Kenya highlands was carried out using both qualitative and quantitative epidemiological methods. Rapid rural appraisals (qualitative) were conducted in rural and peri-urban areas. A cross-sectional survey (quantitative) was then conducted on a random sample of farms in the study area. Diseases, poor communication, lack of marketing of livestock produce, lack of artificial insemination services, and feed and water shortages during the dry season were identified as the major constraints to cattle production in both areas. Tick borne diseases (especially East Coast fever) were identified as the major constraint to cattle production. Qualitative methods were found to be more flexible and cheaper than the quantitative methods by a ratio of between 2.19-2.0. The two methods were found to complement each other. Qualitative studies could be applied in preliminary studies before initiating more specific follow up quantitative studies.

5. INTERIOR, STORAGE AREA AT WESTERN END, FROM SOUTH OF ...

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

5. INTERIOR, STORAGE AREA AT WESTERN END, FROM SOUTH OF LOADING DOCK WELL, LOOKING NORTH. - Oakland Naval Supply Center, Coffee Roasting Plant, East of Fourth Street, between J & K, Oakland, Alameda County, CA

Assessment and monitoring of desertification using satellite imagery of MODIS in East Asia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lin, Meng-Lung; Chu, Chieh-Ming; Shih, Jyh-Yi; Wang, Qiu-Bing; Chen, Cheng-Wu; Wang, Shin; Tao, Yi-Huang; Lee, Yung-Tan

2006-12-01

The desertification in Northwestern China and Mongolia shows the result of conflicts between economic development and natural conservation. Many researches have proven the desert areas are growing in these regions. The variations of bi-weekly NDVI satellite images are used as one of the parameters to evaluate the vegetation dynamics over large scale studies. In this study, remotely sensed satellite images are conducted to provide multi-temporal vegetated and non-vegetated areas in order to assess the status of desertification in East Asia. Spatial data derived from these satellite images are applied to evaluate vegetation dynamics at regional scale to find out the hot spot areas vulnerable to desertification. The results show that the desert areas are mainly distributed over southern Mongolia, central and western Inner-Mongolia, western China (the Taklimakan desert). The desert areas were expanded from 2000 to 2002, were shrunk in 2003, and were expanded from 2003 to 2005 again. The hot spot areas of desertification are mainly distributed over southeastern Mongolia and eastern Inner-Mongolia. The results will help administrators to refine the planning processes in defining the boundaries of protected areas and will facilitate to take decision of the priority areas for conservation of desertification.

A landscape-scale assessment of plant communities, hydrologic processes, and state-and-transition theory in a western juniper dominated ecosystem

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Petersen, Steven L.

Western juniper has rapidly expanded into sagebrush steppe communities in the Intermountain West during the past 120 years. This expansion has occurred across a wide range of soil types and topographic positions. These plant communities, however, are typically treated in current peer-reviewed literature generically. The focus of this research is to investigate watershed level response to Western juniper encroachment at multiple topographic positions. Data collected from plots used to measure vegetation, soil moisture, and infiltration rates show that intercanopy sites within encroached Western juniper communities generally exhibit a significant decrease in intercanopy plant density and cover, decreased infiltration rates, increased water sediment content, and lower soil moisture content. High-resolution remotely sensed imagery and Geographic Information Systems were used with these plot level measurements to characterize and model the landscape-scale response for both biotic and abiotic components of a Western juniper encroached ecosystem. These data and their analyses included an inventory of plant density, plant cover, bare ground, gap distance and cover, a plant community classification of intercanopy patches and juniper canopy cover, soil moisture estimation, solar insulation prediction, slope and aspect. From these data, models were built that accurately predicted shrub density and shrub cover throughout the watershed study area, differentiated by aspect. We propose a new model of process-based plant community dynamics associated with current state-and-transition theory. This model is developed from field measurements and spatially explicit information that characterize the relationship between the matrix mountain big sagebrush plant community and intercanopy plant community patterns occurring within a Western juniper dominated woodland at a landscape scale. Model parameters (states, transitions, and thresholds) are developed based on differences in shrub density and cover, steady-state infiltration rates, water sediment content, and percent bare ground in response to juniper competition and topographic position. Results from both analysis of variance and multivariate hierarchical cluster analysis indicate that states, transitions, and thresholds can be accurately predicted for intercanopy areas occurring within the study area. In theory, this model and the GIS-based layers produced from this research can be used together to predict states, transitions, and thresholds for any location within the extent of the study area. This is a valuable tool for assessing sites at risk and those that have exceeded the ability to self-repair.

Gravity anomalies and the structure of western Tibet and the southern Tarim Basin

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lyon-Caen, H.; Molnar, P.

1984-01-01

Gravity anomalies across the western part of the Tarim Basin and the Kunlun mountain belt show that this area is not in local isostatic equilibrium. These data can be explained if a strong plate underlying the Tarim Basin extends southwestward beneath the belt at least 80 km and supports part of the topography of northwest Tibet. This corroborates Norin's inference that late Tertiary crustal shortening has occurred in this area by southward underthrusting of the Tarim Basin beneath the Kunlun. This study places a lower bound on the amount of underthrusting.

Mineral resources of the Gila Lower Box Wilderness Study Area, Grant and Hilalgo counties, New Mexico

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

Richter, D.H.; Lawrence, V.A.; Barton, H.

1988-01-01

This report presents an investigation to appraise the identified resources and to assess the potential for undiscovered resources of the Gila Lower Box Wilderness Study Area, southwestern New Mexico. Identified resources of manganese occur within 0.25 mi of the study area boundary, but none are known within the study area. The eastern part of the study area has a high mineral resource potential for manganese, and the western part has a moderate mineral resource potential for manganese. The entire study area has a low mineral and energy resource potential for other metals, gemstone, geothermal energy, oil and gas.

Effects of agriculture and urbanization on quality of shallow ground water in the arid to semiarid western United States, 1993-2004

USGS Publications Warehouse

Paul, Angela P.; Seiler, Ralph L.; Rowe, Timothy G.; Rosen, Michael R.

2007-01-01

Within the Western United States, agricultural and rural lands are being developed into commercial and residential areas. With changes in land use and increasing population, greater demands are placed on water resources for agricultural, industrial, and domestic supplies. Many areas in the Western United States rely exclusively on ground water as their source of drinking water. Areas that use surface-water resources often need to supplement this supply with ground water.Generally, shallow ground water is susceptible to fluctuating water quality within relatively short time scales and therefore can be used as an indicator of land-use stresses that may, in time, affect deep aquifer systems. This regional study examines data on shallow ground-water quality collected from 1993 to 2004 from 273 agricultural and 181 urban wells from 7 U.S. Geological Survey National Water-Quality Assessment study units in Arizona, California, Nevada, New Mexico, south-central Colorado, and Utah. This report determines important influences that land-use practices may have on the quality of recently recharged ground water, which may ultimately affect deep water supplies within the region.

Assessment of the presence of Toxocara eggs in soils of an arid area in central-western Argentina.

PubMed

Bojanich, María Viviana; Alonso, José Mario; Caraballo, Nadina Ayelén; Itatí Schöller, Mercedes; López, María de los Ángeles; García, Leandro Martín; Basualdo, Juan Ángel

2015-01-01

With the aim of studying the contamination of soils with eggs of Toxocara spp. in an arid area in the central-western region of Argentina, 76 soil samples were collected from 18 towns belonging to six provinces of central-western Argentina. They were processed by the centrifugal flotation method. No eggs of Toxocara spp. were found. It can be concluded that the negative results are directly related to the characteristics of the environment and climate present in the studied area. The finding of eggs in soils depends on several factors: the presence of canine or feline feces, the hygienic behavior of pet owners, the presence of stray animals without veterinary supervision, the weather and environmental conditions, and laboratory techniques used; and all these circumstances must be considered when comparing the results found in different geographical regions. In order to accurately define the importance of public spaces in the transmission of infection to humans, it is important to consider the role of backyards or green spaces around housing in small towns, where the population is not used to walking pets in public spaces, and in such cases a significant fraction of the population may acquire the infection within households.

3. WESTERN STORAGE AREA, FROM EAST WALL APPROXIMATELY 50 FEET ...

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

3. WESTERN STORAGE AREA, FROM EAST WALL APPROXIMATELY 50 FEET NORTH OF SOUTH WALL, LOOKING WEST. - Oakland Naval Supply Center, Reserve Materials Storehouse, Between I & J Streets, between Fourth & Fifth Streets, Oakland, Alameda County, CA

Classification and evaluation for forest sites on the Western Highland Rim and Pennyroyal

Treesearch

Glendon W. Smalley

1980-01-01

Presents a comprehensive forest site classification system for the Western Highland Rim and Western Pennyroyal-Limestone area in northwest Alabama, west-central Tennessee, and western Kentucky. The system is based on physiography, geology, soils, topography, and vegetation.

USGS mineral-resource assessment of Sagebrush Focal Areas in the western United States

USGS Publications Warehouse

Frank, David G.; Frost, Thomas P.; Day, Warren C.; ,

2016-10-04

U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) scientists have completed an assessment of the mineral-resource potential of nearly 10 million acres of Federal and adjacent lands in Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, and Wyoming. The assessment of these lands, identified as Sagebrush Focal Areas, was done at the request of the Bureau of Land Management. The assessment results will be used in the decision-making process that the Department of the Interior is pursuing toward the protection of large areas of contiguous sagebrush habitat for the greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) in the Western United States. The detailed results of this ambitious study are published in the five volumes of USGS Scientific Investigations Report 2016–5089 and seven accompanying data releases.

Spatio-temporal Variations of Nitrogen Dioxide over Western China from Satellite Observations during 2005-2013

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cui, Y.; Lin, J.; Huang, B.; Song, C.

2015-12-01

Western China has experienced rapid urbanization and industrialization since the implementation of National Western Development Strategy by Chinese Government. Most resource-intensive industries and high-pollution factories had been moved from the east coast to Western China after 2000. In this research, the spatial and temporal variations of tropospheric NO2 concentration in 2005 - 2013 is analyzed based on the satellite observations by Ozone Measurement Instrument (OMI). The annual trends and seasonality of tropospheric NO2 over Western China are calculated. The results show that large increases are observed in urban areas and the polluted regions are expanding. Additionally, the seasonal patterns of some regions over Western China are changing significantly and more clean areas tend to changing from the characteristics of natural emissions to those of anthropogenic emissions. The spatial and temporal variations of NO2 concentrations are well responded to the rapid urbanization and industrialization over Western China.

Molecular assessment of artemisinin resistance markers, polymorphisms in the k13 propeller, and a multidrug-resistance gene in the eastern and western border areas of Myanmar.

PubMed

Nyunt, Myat Htut; Hlaing, Thaung; Oo, Htet Wai; Tin-Oo, Lu-Lu Kyaw; Phway, Hnin Phyu; Wang, Bo; Zaw, Ni Ni; Han, Soe Soe; Tun, Thurein; San, Kyaw Kyaw; Kyaw, Myat Phone; Han, Eun-Taek

2015-04-15

As K13 propeller mutations have been recently reported to serve as molecular markers, assessment of K13 propeller polymorphisms in multidrug-resistant gene in isolates from Myanmar, especially the eastern and western border areas, is crucial if we are to understand the spread of artemisinin resistance. A 3-day surveillance study was conducted in the eastern and western border areas in Myanmar, and K13 propeller and Plasmodium falciparum multidrug resistance-associated protein 1 (pfmrp1) mutations were analyzed. Among the 1761 suspected malaria cases screened, a total of 42 uncomplicated falciparum cases from the eastern border and 49 from the western border were subjected to 3 days of surveillance after artemether-lumefantrine treatment. No parasitemic case showing positivity on day 3 was noted from the western border, but 26.2% (11/42) of cases were positive in the eastern border. Although we found no marked difference in the prevalence of the pfmrp1 mutation in the eastern and western borders (36% vs 31%, respectively), K13 mutations were more frequent in the eastern border area (where the 3-day persistent cases were detected; 48% vs 14%). C580Y, M476I, A481V, N458Y, R539T, and R516Y accounted for 68.9% of all K13 mutations significantly associated with day 3 parasitaemia. The K13 mutations were significantly associated with day 3 parasitaemia, emphasizing the importance of K13 surveillance. The low prevalence of K13 mutations and the absence of day 3 parasitaemic cases indicate that artemisinin resistance may not have spread to the western Myanmar border region. Although analysis of multiple K13 mutations is challenging, it should be done at various sentinel sites in Myanmar. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Infectious Diseases Society of America. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Assessing the response of area burned to changing climate in western boreal North America using a Multivariate Adaptive Regression Splines (MARS) approach

USGS Publications Warehouse

Balshi, M. S.; McGuire, A.D.; Duffy, P.; Flannigan, M.; Walsh, J.; Melillo, J.

2009-01-01

Fire is a common disturbance in the North American boreal forest that influences ecosystem structure and function. The temporal and spatial dynamics of fire are likely to be altered as climate continues to change. In this study, we ask the question: how will area burned in boreal North America by wildfire respond to future changes in climate? To evaluate this question, we developed temporally and spatially explicit relationships between air temperature and fuel moisture codes derived from the Canadian Fire Weather Index System to estimate annual area burned at 2.5?? (latitude ?? longitude) resolution using a Multivariate Adaptive Regression Spline (MARS) approach across Alaska and Canada. Burned area was substantially more predictable in the western portion of boreal North America than in eastern Canada. Burned area was also not very predictable in areas of substantial topographic relief and in areas along the transition between boreal forest and tundra. At the scale of Alaska and western Canada, the empirical fire models explain on the order of 82% of the variation in annual area burned for the period 1960-2002. July temperature was the most frequently occurring predictor across all models, but the fuel moisture codes for the months June through August (as a group) entered the models as the most important predictors of annual area burned. To predict changes in the temporal and spatial dynamics of fire under future climate, the empirical fire models used output from the Canadian Climate Center CGCM2 global climate model to predict annual area burned through the year 2100 across Alaska and western Canada. Relative to 1991-2000, the results suggest that average area burned per decade will double by 2041-2050 and will increase on the order of 3.5-5.5 times by the last decade of the 21st century. To improve the ability to better predict wildfire across Alaska and Canada, future research should focus on incorporating additional effects of long-term and successional vegetation changes on area burned to account more fully for interactions among fire, climate, and vegetation dynamics. ?? 2009 The Authors Journal compilation ?? 2009 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

76 FR 13084 - Establishment of Area Navigation (RNAV) Routes; Western United States

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-03-10

... establishes seven High Altitude Area Navigation (RNAV) routes in the Western United States (U.S.). These new... flow from Salt Lake ARTCC to Reno, NV, and Sacramento, CA. The High Altitude RNAV Routes are published...

75 FR 1050 - Western Area Power Administration; Notice of Filing

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-01-08

... DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Federal Energy Regulatory Commission [Docket No. EF10-2-000] Western Area Power Administration; Notice of Filing December 30, 2009. Take notice that on December 16, 2009, the Deputy Secretary of the [[Page 1051

Atmospheric study of the impact of Borneo vortex and Madden-Julian oscillation over Western Indonesian maritime area

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saragih, R. M.; Fajarianti, R.; Winarso, P. A.

2018-03-01

During the Asian winter Monsoon (November-March), the Indonesia Maritime Continent is an area of deep convection. In that period, there is a synoptic scale disturbance over Northwest of Borneo Island called Borneo vortex. In addition to the impact of Asian Winter Monsoon, Madden-Julian Oscillation (MJO) also have an impact on deep convection during an active period. This study aims to study the impact of interaction Borneo vortex and MJO (during MJO active period in phase 3, 4 and 5) and rainfall condition over the western part of Indonesia Maritime Continent using compositing technique in the period of November-March 2015/2016. The parameters used to identify the incidence of Borneo vortex, MJO, and its interaction is vertical velocity. When MJO is active, Borneo vortex occurs most often in phase 5 and at least in phase 3. However, Borneo vortex occurs most often when the MJO is inactive. The interaction between Borneo vortex and MJO seems may affect not so much rainfall occurrence in the western part of IMC.

Paleolakes in the Gobi region of southern Mongolia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lehmkuhl, Frank; Grunert, Jörg; Hülle, Daniela; Batkhishig, Ochirbat; Stauch, Georg

2018-01-01

Numerous lakes and remnants of paleolakes exist in western and southern Mongolia. For six basins in the area, detailed geomorphological maps were compiled, based on extensive field studies and remote sensing datasets. Several phases of high and low lake levels were reconstructed and dated by radiocarbon and optically stimulated luminescence. During the marine isotope stage (MIS) 6 lakes in southern and western Mongolia mostly disappeared. In contrast, large paleolakes existed during the last interglacial (MIS 5e) and lasted probably until the beginning of the last glacial. These huge lakes were caused by a strong East Asian summer monsoon, which reached southern and even western Mongolia. During the MIS 3 the monsoon was considerably weaker and most of the lakes were relatively small or even disappeared. Higher lake levels of this period were only recorded at the Orog Nuur. However, at this time the lake was fed by glacial melt water from the Khangai Mountains. The MIS 2 was again a very dry period. The previously supposed phase of synchronous high lake levels and glaciations in southern and western Mongolia is not supported by the data presented here. During the Holocene, lakes in the western and southern part of the study area evolved differently. Early Holocene high lake levels were reconstructed for the western lakes, while most of the southern lakes had highest lake levels in the mid-Holocene. These differences can be attributed to different moisture bearing atmospheric systems. In the late Holocene lake levels were generally low and in the last 50 years most lakes completely disappeared due to a strong human usage of the water resources.

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

NONE

The Western Area Power Administration (Western) has established a formal environmental protection, auditing, monitoring, and planning program that has been in effect since 1978. The significant environmental projects and issues Western was involved with in 1995 are discussed in this annual site environmental report. It is written to show the nature and effectiveness of the environmental protection program. Western operates and maintains nearly 17,000 miles of transmission lines, 257 substations, and various appurtenant power facilities in fifteen central and western states. Western is also responsible for planning, construction, and operation and maintenance of additional federal transmission facilities that may bemore » authorized in the future. There is a combined total of 55 hydroelectric power generating plants in the service area. Additionally, Western markets the US entitlement from the Navajo coal-fired plant near Page, Arizona. The Department of Energy requires the preparation of an annual site environmental report. Because Western has over 400 facilities located in these states, this report addresses the environmental activities in all the facilities as one site.« less

A 13 km Long Paleoseismological Trench in Western Germany

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Grützner, C. H.; Reicherter, K.; Winandy, J.

2012-04-01

The expansion of an open pit lignite mine in this area makes it necessary to translocate one of Germany's most frequented, E-W trending highways for a length of 13 km during the next months and years. By this occasion, one of the largest faults of the Lower Rhine Embayment (LRE), the Rurrand Fault, was already cut in 2010. We applied geological mapping and surface-near geophysical techniques for investigating this possible candidate for the 1756 Düren earthquake (M>6; and considered as the strongest historical earthquake in Germany), and found clear hints for recent active faulting. The LRE in western Germany is one of the seismically most active areas in Central Europe. Earthquakes stronger than M6 have been documented by paleoseismological and archeoseismological investigations and written sources. Instrumental seismicity reached ML5.9 (Mw5.4; April 13th, 1992) in this densely populated area with alone nearby Cologne having more than one million inhabitants. Active faults trend NW-SE in a horst-graben system, parallel to the rivers Rhine and Rur. Recent studies reported that active faults in the study area are characterized by recurrence periods in the order of tens of ka. Those faults in western Germany are often not visible in the field due to relatively high erosion rates and therefore, the seismic hazard might be underestimated. The ongoing highway construction works will cut more (active) faults. We expect at least eight already mapped faults to be cut by the earth works, some of which capable of causing damaging earthquakes judging from their mere length. The construction work is a unique opportunity for paleoseismological investigations at already known, but yet unstudied faults. We hope to gather additional data for an improvement of seismic hazard estimations in Western Germany.

Preliminary soil-site studies in the western white pine type

Treesearch

Otis L. Copeland

1956-01-01

A guide for estimating site quality on bare, cut-over, or burned-over lands in the western white pine type is needed for planning the management of these lands. On many areas trees may be entirely lacking or an insufficient number in the proper crown classes remain on which reliable site index determinations can be based. Therefore, reliance must be placed on some...

Comparing resource values at risk from wildfires with Forest Service fire suppression expenditures: Examples from 2003 western Montana wildfire season

Treesearch

David Calkin; Kevin Hyde; Krista Gebert; Greg Jones

2005-01-01

Determining the economic effectiveness of wildfire suppression activities is complicated by difficulties in identifying the area that would have burned and the associated resource value changes had suppression resources not been employed. We developed a case study using break-even analysis for two large wildfires from the 2003 fire season in western Montana -- the...

Growth and yield of western larch in response to several density levels and two thinning methods: 15-year results.

Treesearch

K.W. Seidel

1986-01-01

The 15-year growth response from a levels-of-growing-stock study in an even-aged western larch (Larix occidentalis Nutt.) stand, first thinned from above and below at age 55, was measured in northeastern Oregon. Basal area and volume growth increased with stand density for both thinning methods, whereas diameter growth decreased. Attacks of the...

Movements of juvenile Gyrfalcons from western and interior Alaska following departure from their natal areas

USGS Publications Warehouse

McIntyre, Carol L.; Douglas, David C.; Adams, Layne G.

2009-01-01

Juvenile raptors often travel thousands of kilometers from the time they leave their natal areas to the time they enter a breeding population. Documenting movements and identifying areas used by raptors before they enter a breeding population is important for understanding the factors that influence their survival. In North America, juvenile Gyrfalcons (Falco rusticolus) are routinely observed outside the species' breeding range during the nonbreeding season, but the natal origins of these birds are rarely known. We used satellite telemetry to track the movements of juvenile Gyrfalcons during their first months of independence. We instrumented nestlings with lightweight satellite transmitters within 10 d of estimated fledging dates on the Seward Peninsula in western Alaska and in Denali National Park (Denali) in interior Alaska. Gyrfalcons spent an average of 41.4 ± 6.1 d (range  =  30–50 d) in their natal areas after fledging. The mean departure date from natal areas was 27 August ± 6.4 d. We tracked 15 individuals for an average of 70.5 ± 28.1 d post-departure; Gyrfalcons moved from 105 to 4299 km during this period and tended to move greater distances earlier in the tracking period than later in the tracking period. Gyrfalcons did not establish temporary winter ranges within the tracking period. We identified several movement patterns among Gyrfalcons, including unidirectional long-distance movements, multidirectional long- and short-distance movements, and shorter movements within a local region. Gyrfalcons from the Seward Peninsula remained in western Alaska or flew to eastern Russia with no movements into interior Alaska. In contrast, Gyrfalcons from Denali remained in interior Alaska, flew to northern and western Alaska, or flew to northern Alberta. Gyrfalcons from both study areas tended to move to coastal, riparian, and wetland areas during autumn and early winter. Because juvenile Gyrfalcons dispersed over a large geographic area and across three international boundaries, conservation efforts should focus on both regional and international scales.

Regional Climate Modelling of the Western Iberian Low-Level Wind Jet

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Soares, Pedro M. M.; Lima, Daniela C. A.; Cardoso, Rita M.; Semedo, Álvaro

2016-04-01

The Iberian coastal low-level jet (CLLJ) is one the less studied boundary layer wind jet features in the Eastern Boundary Currents Systems (EBCS). These regions are amongst the most productive ocean ecosystems, where the atmosphere-land-ocean feedbacks, which include marine boundary layer clouds, coastal jets, upwelling and inland soil temperature and moisture, play an important role in defining the regional climate along the sub-tropical mid-latitude western coastal areas. Recently, the present climate western Iberian CLLJ properties were extensively described using a high resolution regional climate hindcast simulation. A summer maximum frequency of occurrence above 30% was found, with mean maximum wind speeds around 15 ms-1, between 300 and 400m heights (at the jet core). Since the 1990s the climate change impact on the EBCS is being studied, nevertheless some lack of consensus still persists regarding the evolution of upwelling and other components of the climate system in these areas. However, recently some authors have shown that changes are to be expected concerning the timing, intensity and spatial homogeneity of coastal upwelling and of CLLJs, in response to future warming, especially at higher latitudes, namely in Iberia and Canaries. In this study, the first climate change assessment study regarding the Western Iberian CLLJ, using a high resolution (9km) regional climate simulation, is presented. The properties of this CLLJ are studied and compared using two 30 years simulations: one historical simulation for the 1971-2000 period, and another simulation for future climate, in agreement with the RCP8.5 scenario, for the 2071-2100 period. Robust and consistent changes are found: 1) the hourly frequency of occurrence of the CLLJ is expected to increase in summer along the western Iberian coast, from mean maximum values of around 35% to approximately 50%; 2) the relative increase of the CLLJ frequency of occurrence is higher in the north off western Iberia; 3) the occurrence of the CLLJ covers larger areas both latitudinal and longitudinal; 4) the CLLJ season is enlarged extending to May and September; and, 5) there are shifts for higher occurrences of higher wind speeds and for the jet core to occur at higher heights. Publication supported by project FCT UID/GEO/50019/2013 - Instituto Dom Luiz - University of Lisbon

Culture-related differences in default network activity during visuo-spatial judgments.

PubMed

Goh, Joshua O S; Hebrank, Andrew C; Sutton, Bradley P; Chee, Michael W L; Sim, Sam K Y; Park, Denise C

2013-02-01

Studies on culture-related differences in cognition have shown that Westerners attend more to object-related information, whereas East Asians attend more to contextual information. Neural correlates of these different culture-related visual processing styles have been reported in the ventral-visual and fronto-parietal regions. We conducted an fMRI study of East Asians and Westerners on a visuospatial judgment task that involved relative, contextual judgments, which are typically more challenging for Westerners. Participants judged the relative distances between a dot and a line in visual stimuli during task blocks and alternated finger presses during control blocks. Behaviorally, East Asians responded faster than Westerners, reflecting greater ease of the task for East Asians. In response to the greater task difficulty, Westerners showed greater neural engagement compared to East Asians in frontal, parietal, and occipital areas. Moreover, Westerners also showed greater suppression of the default network-a brain network that is suppressed under condition of high cognitive challenge. This study demonstrates for the first time that cultural differences in visual attention during a cognitive task are manifested both by differences in activation in fronto-parietal regions as well as suppression in default regions.

77 FR 51568 - Outer Continental Shelf, Gulf of Mexico, Oil and Gas Lease Sales, Western Planning Area Lease...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-08-24

... Western Planning Area (WPA) Lease Sale 233 and Central Planning Area (CPA) Lease Sale 231 (WPA/CPA... is reopening the scoping comment period. DATES: Scoping comments for this Draft WPA/CPA Supplemental...-opening of the scoping process for the WPA/CPA Supplemental EIS. Throughout the scoping process, Federal...

Irrigation drainage studies of the Angostura Reclamation Unit and the Belle Fourche Reclamation Project, western South Dakota : results of 1994 sampling and comparisons with 1988 data

USGS Publications Warehouse

Sando, Steven K.; Williamson, Joyce E.; Dickerson, Kimberly K.; Wesolowski, Edwin A.

2001-01-01

The U.S. Department of the Interior started the National Irrigation Water Quality Program in 1985 to identify the nature and extent of irrigation-induced water-quality problems that might exist in the western U.S. The Angostura Reclamation Unit (ARU) and Belle Fourche Reclamation Project (BFRP) in western South Dakota were included as part of this program. The ARU and BFRP reconnaissance studies were initiated in 1988, during below-normal streamflow conditions in both study areas. Surface water, bottom sediment, and fish were resampled in 1994 at selected sites in both study areas during generally near-normal streamflow conditions to compare with 1988 study results. Concentrations of major ions in water for both the ARU and BFRP study areas are high relative to national baseline levels. Major-ion concentrations for both areas generally are lower for 1994 than for 1988, when low-flow conditions prevailed, but ionic proportions are similar between years. For ARU, dissolved-solids concentrations probably increase slightly downstream from Angostura Reservoir; however, the available data sets are insufficient to confidently discern effects of ARU operations on dissolved-solids loading. For BFRP, dissolved-solids concentrations are slightly higher at sites that are affected by irrigation drainage; again, however, the data are inconclusive to determine whether BFRP operations increase dissolved-solids loading. Most trace-element concentrations in water samples for both study areas are similar between 1988 and 1994, and do not show strong relations with discharge. ARU operations probably are not contributing discernible additional loads of trace elements to the Cheyenne River. For BFRP, concentrations of some trace elements are slightly higher at sites downstream from irrigation operations than at a site upstream from irrigation operations. BFRP operations might contribute to trace-element concentrations in the Belle Fourche River, but available data are insufficient to quantify increases. For both study areas, concentrations of several trace elements occasionally exceed National Irrigation Water Quality Program guidelines. Selenium routinely occurs in concentrations that could be problematic at sites upstream and downstream from both study areas. Elevated selenium concentrations at sites upstream from irrigation operations indicate that naturally occurring selenium concentrations are relatively high in and near the study areas. While ARU operations probably do not contribute discernible additional loads of selenium to the Cheyenne River, BFRP operations might contribute additional selenium loads to the Belle Fourche River. Concentrations of most trace elements in bottom sediment, except arsenic and selenium, are similar to typical concentrations for western U.S. soils for both study areas. Bottom-sediment arsenic and selenium (1988) concentrations in both study areas can reach levels that might be of concern; however, there is insufficient information to determine whether irrigation operations contribute to these elevated concentrations. Concentrations of most trace elements in fish in both study areas are less than values known to adversely affect fish or birds, although there are occasional exceedances of established criteria. However, selenium concentrations in fish samples routinely are within the National Irrigation Water Quality Program level of concern, and also commonly exceed the dietary guideline for avian consumers for both study areas. Selenium concentrations in fish samples generally are higher at sites downstream from irrigation operations. For BFRP, arsenic and mercury concentrations are elevated in fish samples from site B-18, which is influenced by mine tailings.

Intercontinental migratory connectivity and population structuring of Dunlins from western Alaska

USGS Publications Warehouse

Gill, Robert E.; Handel, Colleen M.; Ruthrauff, Daniel R.

2013-01-01

The Dunlin (Calidris alpina) is a polytypic shorebird with complex patterns of distribution and migration throughout its holarctic range. We analyzed mark-re sighting data obtained between 1977 and 2010 from birds captured at two major staging areas in western Alaska to test the hypothesis that the migration patterns of Alaskan populations are a mixture of parallel and chain, similar to those of Dunlin populations in the western Palearctic. Birds marked on the Yukon—Kuskokwim Delta were found wintering in both Asia and North America, which documented the unexpected mixing of C. a. arcticola from northern Alaska and C. a. pacifica from western Alaska and contradicted our initial prediction of parallel migration pathways for these two subspecies. In its North American winter range C. a. pacifica segregated according to location of marking, confirming our prediction of a chain migration pattern within this population. Individuals of C. a. pacifica marked on the delta were resighted significantly farther north, mostly in southern British Columbia and Washington, than birds marked on the second, more southerly staging area on the Alaska Peninsula, which were resighted primarily in the San Francisco Bay area of northern California. We recommend additional studies use a combination of intrinsic and extrinsic markers to quantify the strength of migratory connectivity between breeding, staging, and wintering areas. Such information is needed to guide conservation efforts because the Dunlin and other waterbirds are losing intertidal habitats at an unprecedented rate and scale, particularly in the Yellow Sea and other parts of Asia.

Comparative biology and population mixing among local, coastal and offshore Atlantic herring (Clupea harengus) in the North Sea, Skagerrak, Kattegat and western Baltic

PubMed Central

Slotte, Aril; Johannessen, Arne; Kvamme, Cecilie; Clausen, Lotte Worsøe; Nash, Richard D. M.

2017-01-01

The population structure of Atlantic herring (Clupea harengus) from 13 local, coastal and offshore areas of the North Sea, Skagerrak, Kattegat and western Baltic (northeast Atlantic) was studied using biological and environmental data from 1970–2015. The objective was to identify distinct populations by comparing variability in the temporal and spatial phenotypic characteristics and evaluate the potential for mixing of populations in time and space. The populations varied in biological characteristics such as mean vertebral counts (VS), growth and maturity ogives. Generalized additive models indicated temporally stable VS in the North Sea and western Baltic, whereas intra-annual temporal variation of VS occurred in other areas. High variability of VS within a population was not affected by environmental factors such as temperature and salinity. Consequently, seasonal VS variability can be explained by the presence or absence of herring populations as they migrate between areas. The three main populations identified in this paper correspond to the three managed stocks in this area: Norwegian spring spawners (NSS), western Baltic spring spawners (WBSS) and North Sea autumn spawners (NSAS). In addition, several local populations were identified in fjords or lakes along the coast, but our analyses could not detect direct mixing of local populations with the three main populations. Our results highlight the importance of recognizing herring dynamics and understanding the mixing of populations as a challenge for management of herring. PMID:29084258

Regional University Access: A Case Study from the South West.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Eversole, Robyn

A study examined university service delivery in an isolated, inland region of south Western Australia. Surveys, focus groups, and interviews with students and former students found that many pre-university youths leave the area because education is only offered through year 10. Therefore, college students in the area tend to be mature-aged. Key…

Eastern wilderness users: perceptions from two small wilderness areas

Treesearch

Nicholas Palso; Alan Graefe

2007-01-01

This study explores perceptions of wilderness recreationists in the eastern United States, with a focus on definitions of wilderness areas and factors that may decrease enjoyment of the wilderness experience. The eventual aim is to compare these data with information collected from wilderness users in the western United States. The few studies performed on this...

Ethnic Inequalities in Overweight and Obesity Prevalence among Copenhagen Schoolchildren from 2002 to 2007.

PubMed

Pedersen, Dorthe Corfitzen; Aarestrup, Julie; Pearson, Seija; Baker, Jennifer Lyn

2016-01-01

The stabilization in levels of childhood overweight has masked increasing gaps among different ethnic and socioeconomic groups in several countries. To examine if levels and trends in childhood overweight and obesity differed by ethnicity and socioeconomic areas in Copenhagen schoolchildren. From measured heights and weights of 32,951 children 5-8 and 14-16 years of age, the prevalence of overweight (including obesity) and obesity were estimated using International Obesity Task Force criteria. Differences in prevalence levels and trends across six school years by ethnicity and socioeconomic areas were examined using logistic regression. The prevalence of overweight significantly decreased from 2002 to 2007 among the youngest Western girls and boys, showed no significant changes among the oldest non-Western girls and increased among the oldest non-Western boys. In all years, the youngest non-Western children had significantly higher levels of overweight than Western children. Although the prevalence of overweight tended to be higher in low socioeconomic areas as compared with high socioeconomic areas, few differences were statistically significant. Consistent trends in overweight across the years by socioeconomic area were not observed. Ethnic and social inequalities exist in childhood overweight among Copenhagen schoolchildren; thus appropriate interventions targeting high-risk groups are needed. © 2016 The Author(s) Published by S. Karger GmbH, Freiburg.

Ethnic Inequalities in Overweight and Obesity Prevalence among Copenhagen Schoolchildren from 2002 to 2007

PubMed Central

Pedersen, Dorthe Corfitzen; Aarestrup, Julie; Pearson, Seija; Baker, Jennifer Lyn

2016-01-01

Background The stabilization in levels of childhood overweight has masked increasing gaps among different ethnic and socioeconomic groups in several countries. Objective To examine if levels and trends in childhood overweight and obesity differed by ethnicity and socioeconomic areas in Copenhagen schoolchildren. Methods From measured heights and weights of 32,951 children 5-8 and 14-16 years of age, the prevalence of overweight (including obesity) and obesity were estimated using International Obesity Task Force criteria. Differences in prevalence levels and trends across six school years by ethnicity and socioeconomic areas were examined using logistic regression. Results The prevalence of overweight significantly decreased from 2002 to 2007 among the youngest Western girls and boys, showed no significant changes among the oldest non-Western girls and increased among the oldest non-Western boys. In all years, the youngest non-Western children had significantly higher levels of overweight than Western children. Although the prevalence of overweight tended to be higher in low socioeconomic areas as compared with high socioeconomic areas, few differences were statistically significant. Consistent trends in overweight across the years by socioeconomic area were not observed. Conclusion Ethnic and social inequalities exist in childhood overweight among Copenhagen schoolchildren; thus appropriate interventions targeting high-risk groups are needed PMID:27577690

Seismic imaging of extended crust with emphasis on the western United States

USGS Publications Warehouse

McCarthy, J.; Thompson, G.A.

1988-01-01

Understanding of the crust has improved dramatically following the application of seismic reflection and refraction techniques to studies of the deep crust. This is particularly true in areas where the last tectonic event was extensional, such as the Basin and Range province of the western United States and much of western Europe. In these regions, a characteristic reflective pattern has emerged, whereby the lower crust is highly reflective and the upper crust and upper mantle are either poorly reflective or strikingly nonreflective. In the metamorphic-core-complex belt in the western United States, where extension can be as much as an order of magnitude greater than in the more classic continental rift zones, the lower crustal reflectivity thickens and rises, yielding a picture of a crust that is reflective throughout. If metamorphic core complexes are representative of extended continental crust world-wide, then these results suggest that magmatism and ductile flow have also contributed to the evolution of the middle and lower crust in many other areas around the world. -from Authors

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

Hower, J.C.; Ferm, J.C.; Cobb, J.C.

This project consists of three specific areas of coal petrology: spectral fluorescence of liptinite macerals; properties of semi-inert macerals; and size/form/microlithotype association of pyrite/marcasite. Techniques developed in the first three areas were used in additional research on Mannington and Dunbar coals in western Kentucky and the Alma coal zone in eastern Kentucky. Some of the findings are: percent variations (pseudovitrinite-vitrinite/vitrinite X100) indicate greater dispersions in Vicker's microhardness values, MH(v), of vitrinite and pseudovitrinite from eastern Kentucky coals than those of western Kentucky coals; reflectance data confirm a previously suspected rank increase from eastern Knott and Magoffin Counties to eastern Pikemore » County; microhardness investigation of Upper Elkhorn 2 coal in eastern Kentucky indicates that pseudovitrinite is consistently harder than vitrinite; and of the western coals studied, Dunbar and Lead Creek, there appears to be some correlations between vitrinite, ash, sulfur, and thickness. 6 tables.« less

DINKEY LAKES ROADLESS AREA, CALIFORNIA.

USGS Publications Warehouse

Dodge, F.C.W.; Federspiel, F.E.

1984-01-01

The Dinkey Lakes Roadless Area occupies an area of about 184 sq mi on the western slope of the Sierra Nevada, California. The results of a mineral survey show that parts of the area have substantiated resource potential for tungsten and marble and probable resource potential for quartz crystal gemstones. A probable resource potential for geothermal energy exists in one small area. No potential for other metallic mineral or energy resources was identified in this study.

Fluoride concentration in drinking water samples in Fiji.

PubMed

Prasad, Neha; Pushpaangaeli, Bernadette; Ram, Anumala; Maimanuku, Leenu

2018-04-26

The main aim of this study was to determine the content of fluoride in drinking water from sources within the sampling areas for the National Oral Health Survey (NOHS) 2011 from the Central, Northern, Western and Eastern Divisions in the Fiji Islands. Drinking water samples were collected from taps, a waterfall, wells, creeks, streams, springs, rivers, boreholes and rain water tanks in a diverse range of rural and urban areas across the Fiji Islands. A total of 223 areas were sampled between December 2014 and June 2015. Samples were analysed for fluoride using a colorimetric assay with the Zirconyl-SPADNS Reagent. The samples were pre-treated with sodium arsenite solution prior to analysis to eliminate interference from chlorine. Measured fluoride concentrations ranged from 0.01 to 0.35 ppm, with a mean concentration across all samples of 0.03 + 0.04 ppm. No samples achieved the optimal level for caries prevention (0.7 ppm). The Western Division had the highest fluoride levels compared to the other Divisions. The highest single fluoride concentration was found in Valase. The drinking water for this rural area located in the Western Division is from a borehole. The lowest concentrations of fluoride were in reticulated water samples from rural areas in the Central Division, which were consistently less than those recorded in the Northern, Eastern and Western Divisions. All samples had fluoride concentrations below the optimum level required to prevent dental caries. Implications for public health: This research forms part of the objectives of the 2011 National Oral Health Survey in Fiji. At present, Fiji lacks water fluoridation and therefore a baseline of the fluoride content in drinking water supplies is essential before water fluoridation is implemented. The results from this study would be beneficial in designing caries-preventive strategies through water fluoridation and for comparing those strategies with caries prevalence overtime. © 2018 The Authors.

Postseason hunting to reduce deer damage to Douglas-fir in western Oregon.

Treesearch

Glenn L. Crouch

1980-01-01

Effects of two successive postseason deer hunts on deer browsing of Douglas-fir seedlings in the Coast Range in western Oregon were evaluated. Terminal browsing was significantly lower on the area subjected to more hunting compared with other areas.

The Island Research Natural Area: guidebook supplement 35.

Treesearch

Reid Schuller; Ron. Halvorson

2008-01-01

This guidebook describes The Island Research Natural Area, an 84-ha (208-ac) tract established to represent examples of the western juniper/big sagebrush/bluebunch wheatgrass (Juniperus occidentalis/Artemisia tridentata/Pseudoroegneria spicata), and the western juniper/big sagebrush-antelope bitterbrush/bluebunch wheatgrass (Juniperus...

Modelling larval dispersal dynamics of common sole (Solea solea) along the western Iberian coast

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tanner, Susanne E.; Teles-Machado, Ana; Martinho, Filipe; Peliz, Álvaro; Cabral, Henrique N.

2017-08-01

Individual-based coupled physical-biological models have become the standard tool for studying ichthyoplankton dynamics and assessing fish recruitment. Here, common sole (Solea solea L.), a flatfish of high commercial importance in Europe was used to evaluate transport of eggs and larvae and investigate the connectivity between spawning and nursery areas along the western Iberian coast as spatio-temporal variability in dispersal and recruitment patterns can result in very strong or weak year-classes causing large fluctuations in stock size. A three-dimensional particle tracking model coupled to Regional Ocean Modelling System model was used to investigate variability of sole larvae dispersal along the western Iberian coast over a five-year period (2004-2009). A sensitivity analysis evaluating: (1) the importance of diel vertical migrations of larvae and (2) the size of designated recruitment areas was performed. Results suggested that connectivity patterns of sole larvae dispersal and their spatio-temporal variability are influenced by the configuration of the coast with its topographical structures and thus the suitable recruitment area available as well as the wind-driven mesoscale circulation along the Iberian coast.

New evidence of the nonglaciated development of the northern part of the Western Siberian lowland in the Quaternary period

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sheinkman, V. S.; Melnikov, V. P.; Sedov, S. N.; Parnachev, V. P.

2017-12-01

To solve the controversially debated problem related to the areal extent of the ice sheet in Western Siberia in the Quaternary period, we have studied the development of cold born objects of this area estimating the relationships between them in terms of cryogenic diversity. We have obtained a field of new cross data related to the development of cryogenic and glacial phenomena, their relationship, and traces they left. The research showed that, in this area, the trend of rock freezing is clearly reflected in the Quaternary formations, but there were no conditions for ice sheet development even during the cryochrons.

Application of high resolution aeromagnetic data for basement topography mapping of Siluko and environs, southwestern Nigeria

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Osinowo, Olawale O.; Akanji, Adesoji O.; Olayinka, Abel I.

2014-11-01

The discovery of hydrocarbon in commercial quantity in the Niger Delta, southern Nigeria, has since the early fifties shifted the attention of exploration/active geological studies from the Dahomey basin and the adjacent basement terrain in south-western Nigeria towards the south and this has left some gaps in information required for the discovery and exploitation of the economic potential of the region. This study mapped the Siluko transition zone in south-western Nigeria in terms of structures, geometry and basement topography with the object of providing requisite geological information that will engender interest in the exploration and exploitation of the numerous economic potentials of south-western part of Nigeria. Acquired high resolution aeromagnetic data were filtered, processed and enhanced, the resultant data were subjected to qualitative and quantitative magnetic interpretation, depth weighting analyses and modelling to generate the subsurface basement topography across the study area. The obtained results indicate regions of high and low magnetic anomalies with residual magnetic intensity values ranging from -100.8 nT to 100.9 nT. Euler Deconvolution indicates generally undulating basement topography with depth range of 125-1812 m. The basement relief is generally gentle and flat lying within the basement terrain with depth ranging from 125 to 500 m. However the sedimentary terrain is undulating and generally steeps south, down the basin with depth range of 300-1812 m. A basement topography model of the magnetic data constrained by Euler solutions correlate positively with the geology of the study area and indicates a generally increasing sedimentary deposits' thickness southward toward the western part of Dahomey basin. The revealed basement topography and structures as well as the delineated direction of continuous increase in thickness of sedimentary deposit provide insight to the controlling factor responsible for tar sand deposit and bitumen/oil shows associated with the study area. The results also point to the southern and south-western part of the basin as the appropriate direction to focus at for meaningful hydrocarbon potential development.

Estimating forest biomass and identifying low-intensity logging areas using airborne scanning lidar in Antimary State Forest, Acre State, Western Brazilian Amazon

Treesearch

Marcus V.N. d' Oliveira; Stephen E. Reutebuch; Robert J. McGaughey; Hans-Erik. Andersen

2012-01-01

The objectives of this study were to estimate above ground forest biomass and identify areas disturbed by selective logging in a 1000 ha Brazilian tropical forest in the Antimary State Forest using airborne lidar data. The study area consisted of three management units, two of which were unlogged, while the third unit was selectively logged at a low intensity. A...

Geochemical sampling in arid environments by the U.S. Geological Survey

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hinkle, Margaret E.

1988-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) is responsible for the geochemical evaluations used for mineral resource assessments of large tracts of public lands in the Western United States. Many of these lands are administered by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and are studied to determine their suitability or nonsuitability for wilderness designation. Much of the Western United States is arid or semiarid. This report discusses various geochemical sample media that have been used for evaluating areas in arid environments and describes case histories in BLM wilderness study areas in which stream-sediment and heavy-mineral-concentrate sample media were compared. As a result of these case history studies, the nonmagnetic fraction of panned heavy-mineral concentrates was selected as the most effective medium for reconnaissance geochemical sampling for resources other than gold, in arid areas. Nonmagnetic heavy-mineral-concentrate samples provide the primary analytical information currently used in geochemical interpretations of mineral resource potential assessment of BLM lands.

Projections of forestland and developed land areas in western Washington.

Treesearch

R. Alig; E. White

2007-01-01

Between 1990 and 2000, nonfederal timberland areas in western Washington declined by 5 percent, in contrast to a 3-percent reduction for the 1980-90 period. Most of this reduction is attributed to the conversion of timberland to other land uses, especially urban and other developed uses. In areas such as the Puget Sound region, population densities have more than...

77 FR 54838 - Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Reallocation of Pacific Cod in the Western...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-09-06

.... 111207737-2141-02] RIN 0648-XC205 Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Reallocation of Pacific Cod in the Western Regulatory Area of the Gulf of Alaska Management Area AGENCY: National Marine... Alaska management area. This action is necessary to allow the 2012 total allowable catch of Pacific cod...

The Effects of Nitrogen Deposition, Ambient Ozone, and Climate Change on Forests in the Western U.S.

Treesearch

M. E. Fenn

2006-01-01

Nitrogen (N) deposition in the western United States is most severe near major urban areas or downwind of agricultural regions, particularly in areas where confined animal feeding operations such as dairies or feedlots are located. Nitrogen saturated ecosystems are predominantly found in hotspots located within 60 km of urban or agricultural emissions source areas,...

California's western juniper and pinyon-juniper woodlands: area, stand characteristics, wood volume, and fenceposts.

Treesearch

Charles L. Bolsinger

1989-01-01

The results of a statewide inventory of western juniper and pinyon-juniper woodlands are presented. Included are statistics on area of woodland by type and ownership; area of rangeland with scattered juniper and pinyon trees; wood volume by ownership, species, and tree size; juniper fenceposts; tree and stand age distribution; stand characteristics, including overstory...

Evaluation of Rural Primary Health Care in Western China: A Cross-Sectional Study

PubMed Central

Wang, Manli; Fang, Haiqing; Bishwajit, Ghose; Xiang, Yuanxi; Fu, Hang; Feng, Zhanchun

2015-01-01

Purpose: China’s Ministry of Health has enacted Rural Primary Health Care Program (2001–2010) (HCP) guidelines to improve the quality of people’s health. However, the program’s success in Western China remains unevaluated. Thus, this study aims to begin to fill that gap by analyzing the provision and utilization of Rural Primary Health Care (RPHC) in Western China. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted to collect secondary data on the socio-economic characteristics, system construction, services use and implementation of RPHC, and the residents’ health status of the sampled areas. Four hundred counties from 31 provinces in China were selected via stratified random sampling, including 171 counties from 12 Western provinces. Twenty-seven analysis indicators, covering system construction, services use and implementation of RPHC were chosen to assess Western China’s primary health quality. Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) and Least Significant Difference (LSD) methods were used to measure the RPHC disparities between Western and Eastern and Central China. Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS) was used to rank Western, Eastern and Central internal provinces regarding quality of their RPHC. Results: Of the 27 indicators, 13 (48.15%) were below the standard in Western China. These focused on rural health service system construction, Chinese medicine services, and public health. In the comparison between Western, Central and Eastern China, 12 indicators had statistical significance (p < 0.05), and using LSD to compare between Western and Eastern China, all indicators were statistically significant (p < 0.05), demonstrating regional disparities. Xinjiang Province’s RPHC ranked highest overall, and Yunnan Province ranked the lowest, indicating the internal differences within the 12 Western provinces; and Western provinces’ Ci value was lower than that of Eastern and Central China overall. Conclusion: Western China’s RPHC has proceeded well, but remains weaker than that of Eastern and Central China. Differences within Western internal provinces threaten the successful implementation of RPHC.  PMID:26528993

Evaluation of Rural Primary Health Care in Western China: A Cross-Sectional Study.

PubMed

Wang, Manli; Fang, Haiqing; Bishwajit, Ghose; Xiang, Yuanxi; Fu, Hang; Feng, Zhanchun

2015-10-29

China's Ministry of Health has enacted Rural Primary Health Care Program (2001-2010) (HCP) guidelines to improve the quality of people's health. However, the program's success in Western China remains unevaluated. Thus, this study aims to begin to fill that gap by analyzing the provision and utilization of Rural Primary Health Care (RPHC) in Western China. A cross-sectional study was conducted to collect secondary data on the socio-economic characteristics, system construction, services use and implementation of RPHC, and the residents' health status of the sampled areas. Four hundred counties from 31 provinces in China were selected via stratified random sampling, including 171 counties from 12 Western provinces. Twenty-seven analysis indicators, covering system construction, services use and implementation of RPHC were chosen to assess Western China's primary health quality. Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) and Least Significant Difference (LSD) methods were used to measure the RPHC disparities between Western and Eastern and Central China. Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS) was used to rank Western, Eastern and Central internal provinces regarding quality of their RPHC. Of the 27 indicators, 13 (48.15%) were below the standard in Western China. These focused on rural health service system construction, Chinese medicine services, and public health. In the comparison between Western, Central and Eastern China, 12 indicators had statistical significance (p < 0.05), and using LSD to compare between Western and Eastern China, all indicators were statistically significant (p < 0.05), demonstrating regional disparities. Xinjiang Province's RPHC ranked highest overall, and Yunnan Province ranked the lowest, indicating the internal differences within the 12 Western provinces; and Western provinces' Ci value was lower than that of Eastern and Central China overall. Western China's RPHC has proceeded well, but remains weaker than that of Eastern and Central China. Differences within Western internal provinces threaten the successful implementation of RPHC.

Distribution of birds and plants at the western and southern edges of the Madrean Sky Islands in Sonora, Mexico

Treesearch

Aaron D. Flesch; Lisa A. Hahn

2005-01-01

The western and southern edges of the Madrean Sky Island region are poorly defined and have received little study. After exploring mountains in these areas, we documented range extensions and additional records for several species of interest. Although many of these disjunct mountains have not been considered Sky Islands, their flora and fauna are similar to other...

Stretching factors in Cenozoic multi-rift basins, western Gulf of Thailand

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kaewkor, Chanida; Watkinson, Ian

2017-04-01

The Gulf of Thailand (GoT) is the biggest petroleum producing province in Thailand. It is separated by the north-south trending Ko Kra Ridge into two main parts: the Western Area and Basinal Area. A series of horsts and grabens formed by north-south oriented extensional faults subdivides the GoT into a number of basins. The two major basins, Pattani and North Malay, are located in the Basinal Area that contains the main oil and gas fields. The Western Area comprises several smaller and shallower basins but has nonetheless resulted in commercial successes, including oil fields such as Nang Nuan (Chumphon Basin), Bualuang (Western Basin) and Songkhla (Songkhla Basin). The GoT is one of several unusual Cenozoic basins within Sundaland, the continental core of SE Asia. These basins have previously been characterized by multiple distinct phases of extension and inversion, rapid post-rift subsidence, association with low-angle normal faults; and are set within hot, thin crust similar to the Basin and Range province, but surrounded by active plate boundaries. The extensional faults systems play a major role in petroleum accumulation during syn-rift and post-rift phases in this area. This paper utilises well data and 3D seismic data from the Songkhla and Western basins of the western GoT. Structural balancing and restoration techniques are used to investigate the rate of extension and the effect on tectonostratigraphy. The basins are younger to the north, the Western basin was opened in Upper Oligocene to Lower Miocene. Stretching factors of the Western basin is approximately 1.1-1.2. Songkhla basin is the oldest basin that initial rift started in Eocene. The basin is dominated by major structures; western border fault, compressional structures related reactivated inversion fault, and inter-basinal faults. There are two main phases of tectonic activity; 1) Rifting phase which can be divided into three sub-extensional phase; Eocene, Oligocene, Lower Miocene. 2) Post-rift and subsidence from Middle Miocene to Recent. Stretching factors of Songkhla basin is approximately 1.2-1.4.

NDEA Language and Area Centers: A Report on the First Five Years.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bigelow, Donald N.; Legters, Lyman H.

This report documents a broad category of information concerning the first five years of the National Defense Education Act of 1958. Included in the report are the following chapters: (1) concept and practice in non-western area studies, (2) the language and area centers program, (3) impact of the centers program, (4) outlook for the program, and…

Plant diversity at Box-Death Hollow Wilderness Area, Garfield County, Utah

Treesearch

Wendy Rosler; Janet G. Cooper; Renee Van Buren; Kimball T. Harper

2001-01-01

"The Box" is a canyon located in the western portion of Box-Death Hollow Wilderness Area, Garfield County, southern Utah. The objectives of this study included: (1) collect, identify and make a checklist of the species of vascular plants found in "The Box," (2) search for threatened and endangered species within the area, (3) provide an opportunity...

Recent faulting in western Nevada revealed by multi-scale seismic reflection

USGS Publications Warehouse

Frary, Roxanna N.; Louie, John N.; Stephenson, William J.; Odum, Jackson K.; Kell, Annie; Eisses, Amy; Kent, Graham M.; Driscoll, Neal W.; Karlin, Robert; Baskin, Robert L.; Pullammanappallil, Satish; Liberty, Lee M.

2011-01-01

The main goal of this study is to compare different reflection methods used to image subsurface structure within different physical environments in western Nevada. With all the methods employed, the primary goal is fault imaging for structural information toward geothermal exploration and seismic hazard estimation. We use seismic CHIRP (a swept-frequency marine acquisition system), weight drop (an accelerated hammer source), and two different vibroseis systems to characterize fault structure. We focused our efforts in the Reno metropolitan area and the area within and surrounding Pyramid Lake in northern Nevada. These different methods have provided valuable constraints on the fault geometry and activity, as well as associated fluid movement. These are critical in evaluating the potential for large earthquakes in these areas, and geothermal exploration possibilities near these structures.

Different key roles of mesoscale oceanographic structures and ocean bathymetry in shaping larval fish distribution pattern: A case study in Sicilian waters in summer 2009

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cuttitta, Angela; Quinci, Enza Maria; Patti, Bernardo; Bonomo, Sergio; Bonanno, Angelo; Musco, Marianna; Torri, Marco; Placenti, Francesco; Basilone, Gualtiero; Genovese, Simona; Armeri, Grazia Maria; Spanò, Antonina; Arculeo, Marco; Mazzola, Antonio; Mazzola, Salvatore

2016-09-01

Fish larvae data collected in year 2009 were used to examine the effects of particular environmental conditions on the structure of larval assemblages in two oligotrophic Mediterranean areas (the Southern Tyrrhenian Sea and the Strait of Sicily). For this purpose, relationships with environmental variables (temperature, salinity and fluorescence), zooplankton biomass, water circulation and bathymetry are discussed. Hydrodynamic conditions resulted very differently between two study areas. The Southern Tyrrhenian Sea was characterized by moderate shallow circulation compared to the Strait of Sicily. In this framework, distribution pattern of larval density in the Tyrrhenian Sea was mainly driven by bathymetry, due to spawning behavior of adult fish. There, results defined four assemblages: two coastal assemblages dominated by pelagic and demersal families and two oceanic assemblages dominated by mesopelagic species more abundant in western offshore and less abundant in eastern offshore. The assemblage variations in the western side was related to the presence of an anti-cyclonic gyre in the northern side of the Gulf of Palermo, while in the eastern side the effect of circulation was not very strong and the environmental conditions rather than the dispersal of species determined the larval fish communities structure. Otherwise in the Strait of Sicily the currents were the main factor governing the concentration and the assemblage structure. In fact, the distribution of larvae was largely consistent with the branch of the Atlantic Ionian Stream (AIS). Moreover, very complex oceanographic structures (two cyclonic circulations in the western part of the study area and one anti-cyclonic circulation in the eastern part) caused the formation of uncommon spatial distribution of larval fish assemblages, only partially linked to bathymetry of the study area. Typically coastal larvae (pelagic families: Engraulidae and Clupeidae) were mostly concentrated in the offshore areas and off Capo Passero, where the presence of a thermo-haline front maintained their position in an area with favourable conditions for larval fish feeding and growth.

ASSESSMENT OF THE PRESENCE OF Toxocara EGGS IN SOILS OF AN ARID AREA IN CENTRAL-WESTERN ARGENTINA

PubMed Central

Bojanich, María Viviana; Alonso, José Mario; Caraballo, Nadina Ayelén; Schöller, Mercedes Itatí; López, María de los Ángeles; García, Leandro Martín; Basualdo, Juan Ángel

2015-01-01

With the aim of studying the contamination of soils with eggs of Toxocara spp. in an arid area in the central-western region of Argentina, 76 soil samples were collected from 18 towns belonging to six provinces of central-western Argentina. They were processed by the centrifugal flotation method. No eggs of Toxocara spp. were found. It can be concluded that the negative results are directly related to the characteristics of the environment and climate present in the studied area. The finding of eggs in soils depends on several factors: the presence of canine or feline feces, the hygienic behavior of pet owners, the presence of stray animals without veterinary supervision, the weather and environmental conditions, and laboratory techniques used; and all these circumstances must be considered when comparing the results found in different geographical regions. In order to accurately define the importance of public spaces in the transmission of infection to humans, it is important to consider the role of backyards or green spaces around housing in small towns, where the population is not used to walking pets in public spaces, and in such cases a significant fraction of the population may acquire the infection within households. PMID:25651329

NDEA Language and Area Centers: A Report on the First 5 Years. Bulletin, 1964, No. 41. OE-56016

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bigelow, Donald N.; Legters, Lyman H.

1964-01-01

This bulletin reports on the contributions of the Federal Government to the improvement of language and area studies. This report indicates that two fundamental conclusions have become readily apparent: (1) non-Western studies have received material assistance under the National Defense Education Act of 1958 (NDEA) without which the present high…

Climate, lightning ignitions, and fire severity in Yosemite National Park, California, USA

Treesearch

James A. Lutz; Jan W. van Wagtendonk; Andrea E. Thode; Jay D. Miller; Jerry F. Franklin

2009-01-01

Continental-scale studies of western North America have attributed recent increases in annual area burned and fire size to a warming climate, but these studies have focused on large fires and have left the issues of fire severity and ignition frequency unaddressed. Lightning ignitions, any of which could burn a large area given appropriate conditions for fire spread,...

Distribution of benthic macrofaunal communities in the western Baltic Sea with regard to near-bottom environmental parameters. 1. Causal analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gogina, Mayya; Glockzin, Michael; Zettler, Michael L.

2010-01-01

In this study we relate patterns in the spatial distribution of macrofaunal communities to patterns in near-bottom environmental parameters, analysing the data observed in a limited area in the western Baltic Sea. The data used represents 208 stations, sampled during the years 2000 to 2007 simultaneously for benthic macrofauna, associated sediment and near-bottom environmental characteristics, in a depth range from 7.5 to 30 m. Only one degree of longitude wide, the study area is geographically bounded by the eastern part of the Mecklenburg Bight and the southwestern Darss Sill Area. Spatial distribution of benthic macrofauna is related to near-bottom environmental patterns by means of various statistical methods (e.g. rank correlation, hierarchical clustering, nMDS, BIO-ENV, CCA). Thus, key environmental descriptors were disclosed. Within the area of investigation, these were: water depth, regarded as a proxy for other environmental factors, and total organic content. Distinct benthic assemblages are defined and discriminated by particular species ( Hydrobia ulvae-Scoloplos armiger, Lagis koreni-Mysella bidentata and Capitella capitata-Halicryptus spinulosus). Each assemblage is related to different spatial subarea and characterised by a certain variability of environmental factors. This study represents a basis for the predictive modeling of species distribution in the selected study area.

Inventory of the carabid beetle fauna of the Gaoligong Mountains, western Yunnan Province, China: species of the tribe Zabrini (Coleoptera, Carabidae)

PubMed Central

Kavanaugh, David H.; Hieke, Fritz; Liang, Hongbin; Dong, Dazhi

2014-01-01

Abstract A ten-year multidisciplinary, multi-national and multi-institutional biodiversity inventory project in the Gaoligong Shan region of western Yunnan Province, China generated more than 35,000 specimens of the beetle (Coleoptera) family Carabidae. In this report, first of a planned series, we focus on diversity in tribe Zabrini. Our study of just over 1300 specimens of zabrine carabids from the project, all in genus Amara Bonelli, found a total of 13 species, all previously described, to occur in the study area, with none of them strictly endemic. We present a key for identification of adults of these species, as well as nomenclatural data, diagnoses, illustrations of dorsal habitus and male genitalia, and information about geographical, altitudinal and habitat distributions within the study area and overall geographical distribution for each species. Distributions of the species within the study area are compared, and broader geographical range patterns are characterized. We also discuss a possible role of the Gaoligong Shan region as one source area for the present-day fauna of the Himalaya and southern edge of the Qinghai-Xizang (Tibetan) Plateau. PMID:24899831

Measurement of irrigated acreage in Western Kansas from LANDSAT images

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Keene, K. M.; Conley, C. D.

1980-03-01

In the past four decades, irrigated acreage in western Kansas has increased rapidly. Optimum utilization of vital groundwater supplies requires implementation of long-term water-management programs. One important variable in such programs is up-to-date information on acreage under irrigation. Conventional ground survey methods of estimating irrigated acreage are too slow to be of maximum use in water-management programs. Visual interpretation of LANDSAT images permits more rapid measurement of irrigated acreage, but procedures are tedious and still relatively slow. For example, using a LANDSAT false-color composite image in areas of western Kansas with few landmarks, it is impossible to keep track of fields by examination under low-power microscope. Irrigated fields are more easily delineated on a photographically enlarged false-color composite and are traced on an overlay for measurement. Interpretation and measurement required 6 weeks for a four-county (3140 mi2, 8133 km2) test area. Video image-analysis equipment permits rapid measurement of irrigated acreage. Spectral response of irrigated summer crops in western Kansas on MSS band 5 (visible red, 0.6-0.7 μm) images is low in contrast to high response from harvested and fallow fields and from common soil types. Therefore, irrigated acreage in western Kansas can be uniquely discriminated by video image analysis. The area of irrigated crops in a given area of view is measured directly. Sources of error are small in western Kansas. After preliminary preparation of the images, the time required to measure irrigated acreage was 1 h per county (average area, 876 ml2 or 2269 km2).

Radiocesium in the western subarctic area of the North Pacific Ocean, Bering Sea, and Arctic Ocean in 2013 and 2014.

PubMed

Kumamoto, Yuichiro; Aoyama, Michio; Hamajima, Yasunori; Nishino, Shigeto; Murata, Akihiko; Kikuchi, Takashi

2017-08-01

We measured radiocesium ( 134 Cs and 137 Cs) in seawater from the western subarctic area of the North Pacific Ocean, Bering Sea, and Arctic Ocean in 2013 and 2014. Fukushima-derived 134 Cs in surface seawater was observed in the western subarctic area and Bering Sea but not in the Arctic Ocean. Vertical profile of 134 Cs in the Canada Basin of the Arctic Ocean implies that Fukushima-derived 134 Cs intruded into the basin from the Bering Sea through subsurface (150m depth) in 2014. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Geothermal resources of the western arm of the Black Rock Desert, northwestern Nevada; Part I, geology and geophysics

USGS Publications Warehouse

Schaefer, Donald H.; Welch, Alan H.; Mauzer, Douglas K.

1983-01-01

Studies of the geothermal potential of the western arm of the Black Rock Desert in northwestern Nevada included a compilation of existing geologic data on a detailed map, a temperature survey at 1-meter depth, a thermal-scanner survey, and gravity and seismic surveys to determine basin geometry. The temperature survey showed the effects of heating at shallow depths due to rising geothermal fluids near the known hot spring areas. Lower temperatures were noted in areas of probable near-surface ground-water movement. The thermal-scanner survey verified the known geothermal areas and showed relatively high-temperature areas of standing water and ground-water discharge. The upland areas of the desert were found to be distinctly warmer than the playa area, probably due to low thermal diffusivity resulting from low moisture content. The surface geophysical surveys indicated that the maximum thickness of valley-fill deposits in the desert is about 3,200 meters. Gravity data further showed that changes in the trend of the desert axis occurred near thermal areas. (USGS)

Benjamin Research Natural Area: guidebook supplement 36

Treesearch

Reid Schuller; Ron Halvorson

2009-01-01

This guidebook describes Benjamin Research Natural Area, a 258-ha (637-ac) tract originally established to represent an example of the western juniper/Idaho fescue (Juniperus occidentalis/Festuca idahoensis) plant association. Subsequent field surveys indicate the predominant vegetation is best characterized as the western juniper/low sagebrush/...

75 FR 32940 - Request for Proposals for New or Upgraded Transmission Line Projects Under Section 1222 of the...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-06-10

... high-voltage transmission system carries electricity from 57 power plants encompassing 14 multi-purpose... DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Southwestern Power Administration Western Area Power Administration Request... Act of 2005 AGENCY: Southwestern Power Administration and Western Area Power Administration...

76 FR 82319 - Gulf of Mexico (GOM), Outer Continental Shelf (OCS), Western Planning Area (WPA) and Central...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-12-30

... Continental Shelf (OCS), Western Planning Area (WPA) and Central Planning Area (CPA), Oil and Gas Lease Sales... prepared a Draft EIS on oil and gas lease sales tentatively scheduled in 2012-2017 in the WPA and CPA... scheduled for the WPA and five annual areawide lease sales are scheduled for the CPA. The proposed WPA lease...

Research, assessment and management on the Mascarene Plateau: a large marine ecosystem perspective.

PubMed

Payet, Rolph

2005-01-15

Management of marine resources over the large ocean areas provides a great challenge, albeit one with hope for sustainable governance. Despite extensive studies in many of these large ocean areas, the interaction of physical and biological processes in large shallow mid-oceanic areas, such as the Mascarene Plateau in the Western Indian Ocean, is not yet well enough understood to influence management practices. The Mascarene Plateau arches across the Western Indian Ocean from the Seychelles down to Mauritius, with water depths up to 100 m. Such a large shallow mid-oceanic area supports a wide diversity of ecosystems with potential for exploitable resources. A recent marine research programme by the Royal Geographical Society of London led to the establishment of a research framework for long-term research and assessment of the Mascarene Plateau. This paper presents an extension to this approach, with a particular focus on the management, governance and socio-economics of this area.

Geology of the Southern Guadalupe Mountains, Texas

USGS Publications Warehouse

King, Philip B.

1948-01-01

This report deals with an area of 425 square miles in the western part of Texas, immediately south of the New Mexico line. The area comprises the south end of the Guadalupe Mountains and the adjacent part of the Delaware Mountains; it includes the highest peaks in the State of Texas. The area is a segment of a large mountain mass that extends 50 miles or more northward and southward. The report describes the geology of the area, that is, the nature of its rocks, tectonics, and surface features, and the evidence that they give as to the evolution of the area through geologic time. Incidental reference is made to the geology of surrounding regions in order to place the area in its environment. The Permian system of the southwestern United States has been until recently one of the intriguing but little known subjects of American stratigraphy. In the latter half of the nineteenth century after the western. United States was settled, the "red bed" sections of the Permian were studied and reported on by many geologists, but up to 1920 the existence of a contemporaneous marine sequence in western Texas and southeastern New Mexico was little appreciated. Since that year the discovery of extensive oil fields and potash beds in this region gave an impetus to the study of the Permian rocks, and furnished the geologist with records of hundreds of drill holes from which to deduce the nature of the strata not exposed at the surface. At the same time geologists have studied the rocks in the outcropping areas, and have compared them with the strata encountered by drilling.Much remains to be done in order to understand the history of Permian time in the region. The physical and chemical conditions that caused. the deposition of .the various and often complexly related deposits need to be better understood. More of the fossils of the rich and interesting marine faunas should be described, and the relations of the fossils to their environments should be determined. Further, a satisfactory scheme of correlation is needed, and also a subdivision into series that will express the contemporaneity of strata in different areas. One useful contribution to the solution of these problems is the detailed study of sequences of rocks exposed at the surface in the different mountain ranges of Texas and New Mexico.This report deals with one such sequence of rocks in western Texas, the one exposed in the southern Guadalupe Mountains (fig. 1). Here, the Permian rocks are magnificently exposed, to a thickness of about 4,000 feet (pl. 1). They are all of marine origin, and belong to the middle part of the system, with the base concealed and the top absent. Overlying and underlying beds, however, are found in nearby areas.

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.

Bedrock and structural geologic maps of eastern Candor Sulci, western Ceti Mensa, and southeastern Ceti Mensa, Candor Chasma, Valles Marineris region of Mars

USGS Publications Warehouse

Okubo, Chris H.; Gaither, Tenielle A.

2017-05-12

This map product contains a set of three 1:18,000-scale maps showing the geology and structure of study areas in the western Candor Chasma region of Valles Marineris, Mars. These maps are part of an informal series of large-scale maps and map-based topical studies aimed at refining current understanding of the geologic history of western Candor Chasma. The map bases consist of digital elevation models and orthorectified images derived from High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) data. These maps are accompanied by geologic cross sections, colorized elevation maps, and cutouts of HiRISE images showing key superposition relations. Also included in this product is a Correlation of Map Units that integrates units across all three map areas, as well as an integrated Description of Map Units and an integrated Explanation of Map Symbols. The maps were assembled using ArcGIS software produced by Environmental Systems Research Institute (http://www.esri.com). The ArcGIS projects and databases associated with each map are included online as supplemental data.

Mineral resources of the Gila Lower Box Wilderness Study Area, Grant and Hidalgo counties, New Mexico

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

Richter, D.H.; Lawrence, V.A.; Barton, H.

1988-01-01

The US Bureau of Mines and the US Geological Survey conducted a joint investigate to appraise the identified resources and to assess the potential for undiscovered resources of the Gila Lower Box Wilderness Study Area, southwestern New Mexico. Identified resources of manganese occur within 0.25 mi of the study area boundary, but none are known within the study area. The eastern part of the study area has a high mineral resource potential for manganese, and the western part has a moderate mineral resource potential for manganese. The entire study area has a low mineral and energy resource potential for othermore » metals, gemstone, geothermal energy, oil and gas.« less

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

Gottlieb, P.; Robinson, J.H.; Smith, D.R.

The Nuclear Energy Center siting opportunities in the eleven western states have been systematically examined. The study area has been divided into 10-mile by 10-mile grid cells, and each cell has been evaluated in terms of overall suitability and site-related costs. Composite suitability consists of a weighted sum of ten important nuclear power plant siting issues; the particular weights used for this study were decided by a Delphi session of twenty individuals with energy facility siting expertise, with at least one representative from each of the eleven western states. Site-related costs consist of the additional expenditures required for seismic hardeningmore » (in seismically active areas), electric power transmission lines (for sites significantly far from load centers), and wet/dry cooling system costs (limited water availability and/or high summer temperatures).« less

76 FR 57733 - Notice of Cancellation of Environmental Impact Statement for the Interconnection of the Hualapai...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-09-16

... DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Western Area Power Administration Notice of Cancellation of Environmental Impact Statement for the Interconnection of the Hualapai Valley Solar Project, Mohave County, AZ (DOE/EIS... Impact Statement. SUMMARY: The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), Western Area Power Administration...

75 FR 19966 - Boulder Canyon Project-Post-2017 Application of the Energy Planning and Management Program Power...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-04-16

... DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Western Area Power Administration Boulder Canyon Project--Post-2017 Application of the Energy Planning and Management Program Power Marketing Initiative AGENCY: Western Area... and Management Program (Program) Power Marketing Initiative (PMI) (10 CFR part 905) to the Boulder...

Timber resource of Michigan's Western Upper Peninsula Unit, 1980.

Treesearch

John S. Jr. Spencer

1982-01-01

The fourth inventory of the timber resource of Michigan's Western Upper Peninsula Survey Unit shows an 8% decline in commercial forest area and a 22% gain in growing-stock volume between 1966 and 1980. Presented are highlights and statistics on area, volume, growth, motility, removals, utilization, and biomass.

77 FR 52320 - Notice of Cancellation of Environmental Impact Statement for the Proposed Interconnection of the...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-08-29

... DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Western Area Power Administration Notice of Cancellation of Environmental Impact Statement for the Proposed Interconnection of the Buffalo Ridge III Wind Project, Brookings and Deuel Counties, SD (DOE/EIS-0437) AGENCY: Western Area Power Administration, DOE. ACTION: Notice of...

78 FR 25433 - Western Area Power Administration; Notice of Filing

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-05-01

... DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Federal Energy Regulatory Commission [Docket No. EF13-5-000] Western Area Power Administration; Notice of Filing Take notice that on April 24, 2013, the Secretary of the Department of Energy submitted its Rate Order No. WAPA-160 concerning extension of Washoe Project, Stampede...

75 FR 1052 - Western Area Power Administration; Notice of Filing

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-01-08

... DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Federal Energy Regulatory Commission [Docket No. EF10-3-000] Western Area Power Administration; Notice of Filing December 30, 2009. Take notice that on December 23, 2009, the Deputy Secretary of the Department of Energy submitted Rate Order Nos. WAPA-144 and WAPA-148, confirmed...

75 FR 62531 - Western Area Power Administration; Notice of Filing

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-10-12

... DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Federal Energy Regulatory Commission [Docket No. EF10-7-000] Western Area Power Administration; Notice of Filing October 1, 2010. Take notice that on September 16, 2010, the Deputy Secretary of the Department of Energy, under the authority vested in the Federal Energy Regulatory...

75 FR 1050 - Western Area Power Administration; Notice of Filing

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-01-08

... DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Federal Energy Regulatory Commission [Docket No. EF10-1-000] Western Area Power Administration; Notice of Filing December 30, 2009. Take notice that on December 16, 2009, the Deputy Secretary of the Department of Energy submitted Rate Order No. WAPA-146, confirmed and approved on...

78 FR 25434 - Western Area Power Administration; Notice of Filing

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-05-01

... DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Federal Energy Regulatory Commission [Docket No. EF13-4-000] Western Area Power Administration; Notice of Filing Take notice that on April 4, 2013, the Deputy Secretary of the Department of Energy submitted its Rate Order No. WAPA-157 concerning rate adjustment for the Pacific...

77 FR 55829 - Western Area Power Administration; Grapevine Canyon Wind Project Record of Decision (DOE/EIS-0427)

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-09-11

... megawatts of electricity from wind turbine generators (WTGs). The proposed project includes a wind energy... about the installation of red flashing lights on wind turbine generators per Federal Aviation... DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Western Area Power Administration; Grapevine Canyon Wind Project Record of...

76 FR 64085 - Post-2014 Resource Pool-Loveland Area Projects, Final Power Allocation

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-10-17

... power allocation. SUMMARY: The Western Area Power Administration (Western), a Federal power marketing..., Final Power Allocation developed under the requirements of subpart C-Power Marketing Initiative of the Energy Planning and Management Program (Program) Final Rule, 10 CFR part 905. These final power...

50 CFR 665.806 - Longline fishing prohibited area management.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 50 Wildlife and Fisheries 9 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Longline fishing prohibited area management. 665.806 Section 665.806 Wildlife and Fisheries FISHERY CONSERVATION AND MANAGEMENT, NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE (CONTINUED) FISHERIES IN THE WESTERN PACIFIC Western Pacific Pelagic Fisheries § 665.806...

75 FR 80488 - Notice of Cancellation of Environmental Impact Statement for the Proposed NextGen Project Near...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-12-22

... DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Western Area Power Administration Notice of Cancellation of Environmental...: Western Area Power Administration, DOE. ACTION: Cancellation of Environmental Impact Statement. SUMMARY... notice to advise the public that it is cancelling the preparation of an environmental impact statement...

Human health exposure assessment for Rocky Mountain Arsenal study area evaluations. Volume 6-E. Central study area exposure assessment. Version 4. 1(volume 6-E). Final report

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

Not Available

The objectives of the Human Health Exposure Assessment include: (1) estimate the type and magnitude of exposures to contaminants; (2) Identify contaminants of concern; (3) Identify sites for remedial action; (4) Recommend sites for the no action remedial alternative; and (5) Provide a basis for detailed characterization of the risk associated with all sites. This document consists of the following: An executive summary. Vol I - Land use and exposed population evaluations. Vol. II III - Toxicity assessment (includes army and shell toxicity profiles). Vol. IV - PPLV Methodology. Vol. V - PPLV Calculations. Vol. VI - Study area exposuremore » analysis A introduction, B Western study ares, C Southern study area, D northern Central study area, E Central study area, F Eastern study area, G South plants study area, and H North plants study area. Vol. VII - Summary exposure assessment.« less

Study area evaluations. Volume 6-H. North plants study area exposure assessment version 4. 1. Final report

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

Not Available

The objectives of the Human Health Exposure Assessment include: (1) estimate the type and magnitude of exposures to contaminants; (2) Identify contaminants of concern; (3) Identify sites for remedial action; (4) Recommend sites for the no action remedial alternative; and (5) Provide a basis for detailed characterization of the risk associated with all sites. This document consists of the following: An executive summary. Vol I - Land use and exposed population evaluations. Vol. II III - Toxicity assessment (includes army and shell toxicity profiles). Vol. IV - PPLV Methodology. Vol. V - PPLV Calculations. Vol. VI - Study area exposuremore » analysis A introduction, B Western study ares, C Southern study area, D northern Central study area, E Central study area, F Eastern study area, G South plants study area, and H North plants study area. Vol. VII - Summary exposure assessment.« less

Human health exposure assessment for Rocky Mountain Arsenal study area evaluations. Volume 6-F. Eastern study area exposure assessment. Version 4. 1(volume 6-F). Final report

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

Not Available

The objectives of the Human Health Exposure Assessment include: (1) estimate the type and magnitude of exposures to contaminants; (2) Identify contaminants of concern; (3) Identify sites for remedial action; (4) Recommend sites for the no action remedial alternative; and (5) Provide a basis for detailed characterization of the risk associated with all sites. This document consists of the following: An executive summary. Vol I - Land use and exposed population evaluations. Vol. II III - Toxicity assessment (includes army and shell toxicity profiles). Vol. IV - PPLV Methodology. Vol. V - PPLV Calculations. Vol. VI - Study area exposuremore » analysis A introduction, B Western study ares, C Southern study area, D northern Central study area, E Central study area, F Eastern study area, G South plants study area, and H North plants study area. Vol. VII - Summary exposure assessment.« less

Human health exposure assessment for Rocky Mountain Arsenal study area evaluations. Volume 6-C. Southern study area exposure assessment version 4. 1. Final report

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

Not Available

The objectives of the Human Health Exposure Assessment include: (1) estimate the type and magnitude of exposures to contaminants; (2) Identify contaminants of concern; (3) Identify sites for remedial action; (4) Recommend sites for the no action remedial alternative; and (5) Provide a basis for detailed characterization of the risk associated with all sites. This document consists of the following: An executive summary. Vol I - Land use and exposed population evaluations. Vol. II III - Toxicity assessment (includes army and shell toxicity profiles). Vol. IV - PPLV Methodology. Vol. V - PPLV Calculations. Vol. VI - Study area exposuremore » analysis A introduction, B Western study ares, C Southern study area, D northern Central study area, E Central study area, F Eastern study area, G South plants study area, and H North plants study area. Vol. VII - Summary exposure assessment.« less

75 FR 76975 - 2015 Resource Pool-Sierra Nevada Region

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-12-10

...The Western Area Power Administration (Western), a Federal power marketing administration of DOE, announces the Final 2015 Resource Pool allocations pursuant to its 2004 Power Marketing Plan (Marketing Plan) for the Sierra Nevada Customer Service Region (SNR). This notice includes a summary of the comments received on Western's proposed 2015 Resource Pool allocations and Western's responses.

Remotely Sensed Environmental Conditions and Malaria Mortality in Three Malaria Endemic Regions in Western Kenya.

PubMed

Sewe, Maquins Odhiambo; Ahlm, Clas; Rocklöv, Joacim

2016-01-01

Malaria is an important cause of morbidity and mortality in malaria endemic countries. The malaria mosquito vectors depend on environmental conditions, such as temperature and rainfall, for reproduction and survival. To investigate the potential for weather driven early warning systems to prevent disease occurrence, the disease relationship to weather conditions need to be carefully investigated. Where meteorological observations are scarce, satellite derived products provide new opportunities to study the disease patterns depending on remotely sensed variables. In this study, we explored the lagged association of Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NVDI), day Land Surface Temperature (LST) and precipitation on malaria mortality in three areas in Western Kenya. The lagged effect of each environmental variable on weekly malaria mortality was modeled using a Distributed Lag Non Linear Modeling approach. For each variable we constructed a natural spline basis with 3 degrees of freedom for both the lag dimension and the variable. Lag periods up to 12 weeks were considered. The effect of day LST varied between the areas with longer lags. In all the three areas, malaria mortality was associated with precipitation. The risk increased with increasing weekly total precipitation above 20 mm and peaking at 80 mm. The NDVI threshold for increased mortality risk was between 0.3 and 0.4 at shorter lags. This study identified lag patterns and association of remote- sensing environmental factors and malaria mortality in three malaria endemic regions in Western Kenya. Our results show that rainfall has the most consistent predictive pattern to malaria transmission in the endemic study area. Results highlight a potential for development of locally based early warning forecasts that could potentially reduce the disease burden by enabling timely control actions.

Patterns of Oral Choice and Evaluation across Secondary Content Areas

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gleason, Jesse; Berg, Margaret; Huang, Jingzi

2018-01-01

Our study focuses on Choice and Evaluation, two of Mohan's knowledge structures to uncover how teachers and students across content areas developed disciplinary knowledge through classroom talk. Participants included in-service teachers and their students in rural and urban secondary schools in the Eastern and Western US. Through Choice and…

Teaching Pediatric Nursing Concepts to Non-Pediatric Nurses Using an Advance Organizer

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bell, Julie Ann

2013-01-01

Non-pediatric nurses in rural areas often care for children in adult units, emergency departments, and procedural areas. A half-day program about pediatric nursing using constructivist teaching strategies including an advance organizer, case studies, and simulation was offered at a community hospital in Western North Carolina. Nurses reported a…

Antibody detection against Borrelia burgdorferi in horses located in the suburban areas of Monterrey, Nuevo León.

PubMed

Salinas-Mélendez, J A; Galván de la Garza, S; Riojas-Valdés, V M; Wong González, A; Avalos-Ramírez, R

2001-01-01

The aim of the present study was to determine the presence of Borrelia burgdorferi antibodies in horses from the metropolitan area of Monterrey, Nuevo León, México. Blood serum was obtained from a total of 100 horses residing at different counties in the area. From each animal data was obtained on age, sex, county of residence, presence of ectoparasites and clinical signs. All sera samples were analyzed by indirect immunofluoresence and the sera that resulted positive to this test was analyzed by Western blot. The serological test yielded 34 positive sera at 1:64 dilution, and from them 6 were positive at 1:128 dilution, 3 at 1:256, and only one at 1:512. Confirmation of the infection by Western blot was obtained only in the sample positive at the 1:512 dilution. These results shown a low frequency of seropositivity to B. burgdorferi of the horses in the area, confirming previous studies indicating that in northeast Mexico Lyme disease is present in different animal species.

SMAP Global Map of Surface Soil Moisture Aug. 25-27, 2015

NASA Image and Video Library

2015-09-02

A three-day composite global map of surface soil moisture as retrieved from NASA SMAP radiometer instrument between Aug. 25-27, 2015. Dry areas appear yellow/orange, such as the Sahara Desert, western Australia and the western U.S. Wet areas appear blue, representing the impacts of localized storms. White areas indicate snow, ice or frozen ground. http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA19877

The English Education in Primary Schools in Minor Ethnic Areas in Western China--Taking Leshan City as an Example

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bing, Wang

2016-01-01

As we all know, China is a country with many ethnic minorities mainly living in the northeastern and southwestern China. The English education in the primary schools in these areas is an important issue. The article analyzes the status quo of English education in primary schools in minor ethnic areas, taking the Leshan city, a western one as an…

Learning and Capacity Building for Irrigators in Western Australia's East Wanneroo Area: A Theoretical Framework for Educational Provision and a Sketch of the Socioecological Context

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hewitt, Nan; Horwitz, Pierre

2006-01-01

In Western Australia the East Wanneroo horticultural area is reliant on a superficial aquifer, the Gnangara Groundwater Mound, for irrigation. The area is affected by social and political change as the sprawling city of Perth expands, as well as by ecological changes resulting from a decline in groundwater levels. Horticulturalists face increasing…

Incidence of oral cancer in Western Australia (1982-2009): Trends and regional variations.

PubMed

Derbi, Hajer Abdelhafied; Kruger, Estie; Tennant, Marc

2016-06-01

Oral cancer remains a significant issue for many communities of the world. In Australia, there are approximately 2000 new diagnoses each year, and the rates are growing. The divide between city and rural, rich and poor, is, in many countries, found to be linked to the incidence of oral cancer. The aim of this study was to determine the trends in the incidence of oropharyngeal cancer (specifically cancer of the parotid and major salivary glands, pharynx, and tongue) in Western Australia over a 27-year period, from 1982 to 2009, and determine the geographic distribution of incidence within the state. The de-identified data were provided by the Western Australian Cancer Registry, as oral cancer is a notifiable condition in Australia. There were a total of 2801 cases reported with pharynx, tongue, major salivary glands and parotid cancers over a 27-year period: 73.2 percent were male and 26.8 percent were female. The age-standardized incidence rate was 67.4 per 100 000 persons per annum for pharyngeal cancer, 54.1 for tongue cancer, 22.2 for parotid gland cancer and 5.5 for major salivary gland cancer. The age-standardized rates for pharyngeal and tongue cancer (but not parotid) were higher in country areas of Western Australia than in the metropolitan areas. The burden of some site-specific oral cancers is continuing to rise. An increasing trend with older age is also consistent throughout the study period. This study finds that the incidence of oral cancers in Western Australia is not inconsistent with other parts of Australia and fundamentally shows there is a rural-urban difference for oral cancer. © 2014 Wiley Publishing Asia Pty Ltd.

Recent faulting in western Nevada revealed by multi-scale seismic reflection

USGS Publications Warehouse

Frary, R.N.; Louie, J.N.; Stephenson, W.J.; Odum, J.K.; Kell, A.; Eisses, A.; Kent, G.M.; Driscoll, N.W.; Karlin, R.; Baskin, R.L.; Pullammanappallil, S.; Liberty, L.M.

2011-01-01

The main goal of this study is to compare different reflection methods used to image subsurface structure within different physical environments in western Nevada. With all the methods employed, the primary goal is fault imaging for structural information toward geothermal exploration and seismic hazard estimation. We use seismic CHIRP a swept-frequency marine acquisition system, weight drop an accelerated hammer source, and two different vibroseis systems to characterize fault structure. We focused our efforts in the Reno metropolitan area and the area within and surrounding Pyramid Lake in northern Nevada. These different methods have provided valuable constraints on the fault geometry and activity, as well as associated fluid movement. These are critical in evaluating the potential for large earthquakes in these areas, and geothermal exploration possibilities near these structures. ?? 2011 Society of Exploration Geophysicists.

Human Health Exposure Assessment for Rocky Mountain Arsenal Study Area Evaluations. Volume 6-B. Western Study Area Exposure Assessment Version 4.1

DTIC Science & Technology

1990-09-01

Prpae f9 r FIUR ?--81L C)ora 2Aagv 61iefrPoe n hs lAnl sDtceRocky~ ~ ~ ~~~~~~~~91 O~~iiAsea lau IthnoLbv ndctrLvl Abar~~~ ge14 15~ rigE 0.4n, ar

Phlebotominae sand flies (Diptera: Psychodidae): potential vectors of American cutaneous leishmaniasis agents in the area associated with the Santo Antônio Hydroelectric System in Western Amazonian Brazil.

PubMed

Galardo, Allan Kardec Ribeiro; Galardo, Clícia Denis; Silveira, Guilherme Abbad; Ribeiro, Kaio Augusto Nabas; Hijjar, Andréa Valadão; Oliveira, Liliane Leite; Dos Santos, Thiago Vasconcelos

2015-01-01

An entomological study was conducted as part of a vector-monitoring program in the area associated with the Santo Antônio hydroelectric system in State of Rondônia, Western Amazonian Brazil. Fourteen sampling sites were surveyed to obtain data on the potential vectors of Leishmania spp. in the area. Sand flies were collected from 2011 to 2014 during the months of January/February (rainy season), May/June (dry season), and September/October (intermediary season) using light traps arranged in three vertical strata (0.5, 1, and 20m). A total of 7,575 individuals belonging to 62 species/subspecies were collected. The five most frequently collected sand flies were Psychodopygus davisi (Root) (36.67%), Trichophoromyia ubiquitalis (Mangabeira) (8.51%), Nyssomyia umbratilis (Ward & Fraiha) (6.14%), Bichromomyia flaviscutellata (Mangabeira) (5.74%), and Psychodopygus complexus (Mangabeira) (5.25%). These species have been implicated in the transmission of American cutaneous leishmaniasis agents in the Brazilian Amazon region and described as potential vectors of this disease in the study area. Additional surveillance is needed, especially in areas where these five species of sand fly are found.

Characteristics of Aedes aegypti adult mosquitoes in rural and urban areas of western and coastal Kenya

PubMed Central

Ndenga, Bryson Alberto; Mutuku, Francis Maluki; Ngugi, Harun Njenga; Mbakaya, Joel Omari; Aswani, Peter; Musunzaji, Peter Siema; Vulule, John; Mukoko, Dunstan; Kitron, Uriel; LaBeaud, Angelle Desiree

2017-01-01

Aedes aegypti is the main vector for yellow fever, dengue, chikungunya and Zika viruses. Recent outbreaks of dengue and chikungunya have been reported in Kenya. Presence and abundance of this vector is associated with the risk for the occurrence and transmission of these diseases. This study aimed to characterize the presence and abundance of Ae. aegypti adult mosquitoes from rural and urban sites in western and coastal regions of Kenya. Presence and abundance of Ae. aegypti adult mosquitoes were determined indoors and outdoors in two western (urban Kisumu and rural Chulaimbo) and two coastal (urban Ukunda and rural Msambweni) sites in Kenya. Sampling was performed using quarterly human landing catches, monthly Prokopack automated aspirators and monthly Biogents-sentinel traps. A total of 2,229 adult Ae. aegypti mosquitoes were collected: 785 (35.2%) by human landing catches, 459 (20.6%) by Prokopack aspiration and 985 (44.2%) by Biogents-sentinel traps. About three times as many Ae. aegypti mosquitoes were collected in urban than rural sites (1,650 versus 579). Comparable numbers were collected in western (1,196) and coastal (1,033) sites. Over 80% were collected outdoors through human landing catches and Prokopack aspiration. The probability of collecting Ae. aegypti mosquitoes by human landing catches was significantly higher in the afternoon than morning hours (P<0.001), outdoors than indoors (P<0.001) and in urban than rural sites (P = 0.008). Significantly more Ae. aegypti mosquitoes were collected using Prokopack aspiration outdoors than indoors (P<0.001) and in urban than rural areas (P<0.001). Significantly more mosquitoes were collected using Biogents-sentinel traps in urban than rural areas (P = 0.008) and in western than coastal sites (P = 0.006). The probability of exposure to Ae. aegypti bites was highest in urban areas, outdoors and in the afternoon hours. These characteristics have major implications for the possible transmission of arboviral diseases and for the planning of surveillance and control programs. PMID:29261766

Characteristics of Aedes aegypti adult mosquitoes in rural and urban areas of western and coastal Kenya.

PubMed

Ndenga, Bryson Alberto; Mutuku, Francis Maluki; Ngugi, Harun Njenga; Mbakaya, Joel Omari; Aswani, Peter; Musunzaji, Peter Siema; Vulule, John; Mukoko, Dunstan; Kitron, Uriel; LaBeaud, Angelle Desiree

2017-01-01

Aedes aegypti is the main vector for yellow fever, dengue, chikungunya and Zika viruses. Recent outbreaks of dengue and chikungunya have been reported in Kenya. Presence and abundance of this vector is associated with the risk for the occurrence and transmission of these diseases. This study aimed to characterize the presence and abundance of Ae. aegypti adult mosquitoes from rural and urban sites in western and coastal regions of Kenya. Presence and abundance of Ae. aegypti adult mosquitoes were determined indoors and outdoors in two western (urban Kisumu and rural Chulaimbo) and two coastal (urban Ukunda and rural Msambweni) sites in Kenya. Sampling was performed using quarterly human landing catches, monthly Prokopack automated aspirators and monthly Biogents-sentinel traps. A total of 2,229 adult Ae. aegypti mosquitoes were collected: 785 (35.2%) by human landing catches, 459 (20.6%) by Prokopack aspiration and 985 (44.2%) by Biogents-sentinel traps. About three times as many Ae. aegypti mosquitoes were collected in urban than rural sites (1,650 versus 579). Comparable numbers were collected in western (1,196) and coastal (1,033) sites. Over 80% were collected outdoors through human landing catches and Prokopack aspiration. The probability of collecting Ae. aegypti mosquitoes by human landing catches was significantly higher in the afternoon than morning hours (P<0.001), outdoors than indoors (P<0.001) and in urban than rural sites (P = 0.008). Significantly more Ae. aegypti mosquitoes were collected using Prokopack aspiration outdoors than indoors (P<0.001) and in urban than rural areas (P<0.001). Significantly more mosquitoes were collected using Biogents-sentinel traps in urban than rural areas (P = 0.008) and in western than coastal sites (P = 0.006). The probability of exposure to Ae. aegypti bites was highest in urban areas, outdoors and in the afternoon hours. These characteristics have major implications for the possible transmission of arboviral diseases and for the planning of surveillance and control programs.

Review of lignite resources of western Tennessee and the Jackson Purchase area, western Kentucky

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hackley, Paul C.; Warwick, Peter D.; Thomas, Roger E.; Nichols, Douglas J.

2006-01-01

Introduction: This review of the lignite deposits of western Tennessee and the Jackson Purchase area in western Kentucky (Fig. 1) is a preliminary report on part of the U.S. Geological Survey's National Coal Resource Assessment of the Gulf Coastal Plain Coal Province. Lignite deposits of western Kentucky and Tennessee are an extension of the Gulf Coastal Plain Coal Province (Cushing and others, 1964), and currently are not economic to mine. These deposits have not been extensively investigated or developed as an energy resource. This review includes a description of the geology of the lignite-bearing units, a discussion of the available coal quality data, and information on organic petrology. Palynological data for lignite samples collected in Kentucky and Tennessee as part of this work are presented in an Appendix.

Hydrologic reconnaissance of western Arctic Alaska, 1976 and 1977

USGS Publications Warehouse

Childers, Joseph M.; Kernodle, Donald R.; Loeffler, Robert M.

1979-01-01

Reconnaissance water-resource investigations were conducted on the western Alaskan Arctic Slope during April 1976 and August 1977; these months are times of winter and summer low flow. The information gathered is important for coordinated development in the area. Such development has been spurred by oil and gas discoveries on the North Slope, most notably at Prudhoe Bay. Little water resources information is currently available. The study area extended from the Colville River to the vicinity of Kotzebue. It included the western Arctic Slope and the western foothills of the Brooks Range. Nine springs, nine lakes and eleven rivers were sampled during the April 1976 reconnaissance trip. Its purpose was to locate winter flow and describe its quantity and quality. Field water-quality measurements made at these sites were: ice thickness, water depth, discharge (spring and streams), specific conductance, water temperature, dissolved oxygen, alkalinity (bicarbonate, HOC3), and pH. A followup summer trip was made in August 1977 to determine flood characteristics of twenty selected streams. Bankfull and maximum evident flood-peak discharges were determined by measuring channel geometry and estimating channel roughness. Aquatic invertebrate samples were collected at springs and flood survey sites visited during both reconnaissance trips. (Woodard-USGS)

Preliminary hydrogeologic evaluation of the Cincinnati Arch region for underground high-level radioactive waste disposal, Indiana, Kentucky , and Ohio

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lloyd, O.B.; Davis, R.W.

1989-01-01

Preliminary interpretation of available hydrogeologic data suggests that some areas underlying eastern Indiana, north-central Kentucky, and western Ohio might be worthy of further study regarding the disposal of high-level radioactive waste in Precambrian crystalline rocks buried beneath Paleozoic sedimentary rocks in the area. The data indicate that (1) largest areas of deepest potential burial and thickest sedimentary rock cover occur in eastern Indiana; (2) highest concentrations of dissolved solids in the basal sandstone aquifer, suggesting the most restricted circulation, are found in the southern part of the area near the Kentucky-Ohio State line and in southeastern Indiana; (3) largest areas of lowest porosity in the basal sandstone aquifer, low porosity taken as an indicator of the lowest groundwater flow velocity and contaminant migration, are found in northeastern Indiana and northwestern Ohio, central and southeastern Indiana, and central Kentucky; (4) the thickest confining units that directly overlie the basal sandstone aquifer are found in central Kentucky and eastern Indiana where their thickness exceeds 500 ft; (5) steeply dipping faults that form potential hydraulic connections between crystalline rock, the basal sandstone aquifer, and the freshwater circulation system occur on the boundaries of the study area mainly in central Kentucky and central Indiana. Collectively, these data indicate that the hydrogeology of the sedimentary rocks in the western part of the study area is more favorably suited than that in the remainder of the area for the application of the buried crystalline-rock concept. (USGS)

Hydrothermal fluids circulation and travertine deposition in an active tectonic setting: Insights from the Kamara geothermal area (western Anatolia, Turkey)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brogi, Andrea; Alçiçek, M. Cihat; Yalçıner, Cahit Çağlar; Capezzuoli, Enrico; Liotta, Domenico; Meccheri, Marco; Rimondi, Valentina; Ruggieri, Giovanni; Gandin, Anna; Boschi, Chiara; Büyüksaraç, Aydin; Alçiçek, Hülya; Bülbül, Ali; Baykara, Mehmet Oruç; Shen, Chuan-Chou

2016-06-01

Coexistence of thermal springs, travertine deposits and tectonic activity is a recurring feature for most geothermal areas. Although such a certainty, their relationships are debated mainly addressing on the role of the tectonic activity in triggering and controlling fluids flow and travertine deposition. In this paper, we present the results of an integrated study carried out in a geothermal area located in western Anatolia (Turkey), nearby the well-known Pamukkale area (Denizli Basin). Our study focused on the relationships among hydrothermal fluids circulation, travertine deposition and tectonic activity, with particular emphasis on the role of faults in controlling fluids upwelling, thermal springs location and deposition of travertine masses. New field mapping and structural/kinematics analyses allowed us to recognize two main faults systems (NW- and NE-trending), framed in the Neogene-Quaternary extensional tectonic evolution of western Anatolia. A geo-radar (GPR) prospection was also provided in a key-area, permitting us to reconstruct a buried fault zone and its relationships with the development of a fissure-ridge travertine deposit (Kamara fissure-ridge). The integration among structural and geophysical studies, fluids inclusion, geochemical, isotopic data and 230 Th/238 U radiometric age determination on travertine deposits, depict the characteristics of the geothermal fluids and their pathway, up to the surface. Hydrological and seismological data have been also taken in account to investigate the relation between local seismicity and fluid upwelling. As a main conclusion we found strict relationships among tectonic activity, earthquakes occurrence, and variation of the physical/chemical features of the hydrothermal fluids, presently exploited at depth, or flowing out in thermal springs. In the same way, we underline the tectonic role in controlling the travertine deposition, making travertine (mainly banded travertine) a useful proxy to reconstruct the seismological history of an area, as well as the characteristics of the parent geothermal fluids, adding an effective tool for geothermal exploration tasks.

76 FR 50245 - Gulf of Mexico (GOM), Outer Continental Shelf (OCS), Western Planning Area (WPA), Oil and Gas...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-08-12

... (BOEMRE), Interior. ACTION: Notice of Availability (NOA) of a Final Supplemental Environmental Impact... sale's incremental contribution to the cumulative impacts on environmental and socioeconomic resources... Mexico (GOM), Outer Continental Shelf (OCS), Western Planning Area (WPA), Oil and Gas Lease Sale for the...

75 FR 9202 - Western Area Power Administration; Notice of Filing

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-03-01

... DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Federal Energy Regulatory Commission [Docket No. EF10-5-000] Western Area Power Administration; Notice of Filing February 19, 2010. Take notice that on February 2, 2010, the... Commission by Delegation Order No. 00-037.00, submitted Rate Order No. WAPA-149, the power rate formula for...

Reflections on the Difficulties of Educational Development in Minority Areas of Western China

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jian, Wang

2017-01-01

At present, the development of education in western China's rural and ethnic minority areas faces problems including the management of boarding schools, the education of left-behind children, and changing the functions of schools. Resolving these problems requires not only changing traditional ways of thinking, but also placing minority education…

Forest statistics of western Kentucky

Treesearch

The Forest Survey Organization Central States Forest Experiment Station

1950-01-01

This Survey Release presents the more significant preliminary statistics on the forest area and timber volume for the western region of Kentucky. Similar reports for the remainder of the state will be published as soon as statistical tabulations are completed. Later, an analytical report for the state will be published which will interpret forest area, timber volume,...

RELATIVE ABUNDANCE AND SPECIES COMPOSITION OF MOSQUITO POPULATIONS (DIPTERA:CULICIDAE) IN A LA CROSSE VIRUS- ENDEMIC AREA IN WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA

EPA Science Inventory

Container surveys were conducted in 5 communities on the Cherokee Indian Reservation, an area of western North Carolina endemic for transmission of La Crosse (LAC) virus, to determine the potential for peridomestic mosquito breeding, the relative abundance of mosquito species, an...

Carolyn’s Crown/Shafer Creek Research Natural Area: guidebook supplement 28.

Treesearch

Reid. Schuller

2003-01-01

This guidebook describes the Carolyn's Crown/Shafer Creek Research Natural Area, a 323-ha (798-ac) tract of coniferous forest containing stands of 600- to 900-year-old old-growth Douglas-fir along the transition between the western hemlock zone and the silver fir zone in the Cascade Range in western Oregon.

50 CFR 665.807 - Exemptions for Hawaii longline fishing prohibited areas; procedures.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... 50 Wildlife and Fisheries 11 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Exemptions for Hawaii longline fishing... THE WESTERN PACIFIC Western Pacific Pelagic Fisheries § 665.807 Exemptions for Hawaii longline fishing...(s) of the Hawaii longline fishing prohibited area will be issued to a person who can document that...

50 CFR 665.807 - Exemptions for Hawaii longline fishing prohibited areas; procedures.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... 50 Wildlife and Fisheries 13 2012-10-01 2012-10-01 false Exemptions for Hawaii longline fishing... THE WESTERN PACIFIC Western Pacific Pelagic Fisheries § 665.807 Exemptions for Hawaii longline fishing...(s) of the Hawaii longline fishing prohibited area will be issued to a person who can document that...

50 CFR 665.807 - Exemptions for Hawaii longline fishing prohibited areas; procedures.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... 50 Wildlife and Fisheries 13 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false Exemptions for Hawaii longline fishing... THE WESTERN PACIFIC Western Pacific Pelagic Fisheries § 665.807 Exemptions for Hawaii longline fishing...(s) of the Hawaii longline fishing prohibited area will be issued to a person who can document that...

50 CFR 665.807 - Exemptions for Hawaii longline fishing prohibited areas; procedures.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... 50 Wildlife and Fisheries 13 2013-10-01 2013-10-01 false Exemptions for Hawaii longline fishing... THE WESTERN PACIFIC Western Pacific Pelagic Fisheries § 665.807 Exemptions for Hawaii longline fishing...(s) of the Hawaii longline fishing prohibited area will be issued to a person who can document that...

50 CFR 665.807 - Exemptions for longline fishing prohibited areas; procedures.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 50 Wildlife and Fisheries 9 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Exemptions for longline fishing prohibited... WESTERN PACIFIC Western Pacific Pelagic Fisheries § 665.807 Exemptions for longline fishing prohibited... the Hawaii longline fishing prohibited area will be issued to a person who can document that he or she...

50 CFR 665.817 - American Samoa pelagic fishery area management.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 50 Wildlife and Fisheries 9 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false American Samoa pelagic fishery area management. 665.817 Section 665.817 Wildlife and Fisheries FISHERY CONSERVATION AND MANAGEMENT, NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE (CONTINUED) FISHERIES IN THE WESTERN PACIFIC Western Pacific Pelagic Fisheries § 665.81...

Energy Engineering Analysis Program, energy survey of Army Industrial Facilities, Western Area Demilitarization Facility, Hawthorne Army Ammunition Plant, Hawthorne, Nevada; Volume 1 - energy report. Final report

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

NONE

1995-03-17

This report summarizes all work for the Energy Survey of Army Industrial Facilities, Energy Engineering Analysis Program (EEAP) at the Western Area Demilitarization Facility (WADF) of the Hawthorne Army Ammunition Plant (HWAAP), Hawthorne, Nevada, authorized under Contract No. DACA05-92-C-0155 with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Sacramento District, California. The purpose of this energy survey is to develop a set of projects and actions that will reduce energy consumption and operating costs of selected facilities at the WADF. A preliminary inspection of facilities at WADF by Keller Gannon that identified potential retrofit opportunities was submitted as the EEAP Study andmore » Criteria Review in December 1993. This document formed the basis of the Detailed Scope of Work for this study. Facilities included in the survey and study, together with operational status.« less

Recovery of burrowing mayflies (Ephemeroptera: Ephemeridae: Hexagenia) in western Lake Erie

USGS Publications Warehouse

Krieger, Kenneth A.; Schloesser, Don W.; Manny, Bruce A.; Trisler, Carmen E.; Heady, Susan E.; Ciborowski, Jan J.H.; Muth, Kenneth M.

1996-01-01

Burrowing mayflies (Hexagenia spp.) are native to western Lake Erie and were abundant until the 1950s, when they disappeared due to degraded water and sediment quality. Nymphs were absent from the sediments of most of western Lake Erie after the 1950s, although small, widely disjunct populations apparently persisted near shore. Sediment samples collected in 1993 revealed several small populations near the western and southern shores and beyond the mouths of the Detroit and Maumee rivers. A larger population was found in the southern island area, but nymphs were absent in the middle of the basin. By 1995, nymphs had spread throughout the western half and eastern end of the basin but remained absent from the middle of the basin. These data indicate thatHexagenia began recolonizing nearshore areas before offshore areas. Increasingly large swarms of winged Hexagenia on shore and over the lake between 1992 and 1994 further indicate that mayflies are recolonizing the basin. Factors that have permitted Hexageniarecovery in western Lake Erie probably include improved sediment and water quality attributed to pollution abatement programs implemented after the early 1970s, and perhaps environmental changes in the early 1990s attributed to effects of the exotic zebra mussel (Dreissena polymorpha).

Mapping of Dermacentor reticulatus expansion in Poland in 2012-2014.

PubMed

Mierzejewska, Ewa J; Estrada-Peña, Agustin; Alsarraf, Mohammed; Kowalec, Maciej; Bajer, Anna

2016-02-01

Rapid expansion of the tick Dermacentor reticulatus (Fabricius) has been reported in many European countries. In Poland its range was limited to the area on the eastern side of the Vistula River up until the 1990s. However, new foci were recently discovered, while the centre of the country and mountain regions are believed to be free of this tick and are known as "the gap". A few unconfirmed factors, like unfavourable weather conditions, changes in land cover and absence of competent hosts have previously been reported as possible reasons for the absence of D. reticulatus in this area. Since D. reticulatus plays an important role for the maintenance and the circulation of tick-borne pathogens, we (1) determined its actual range in Poland, (2) monitored its expansion in 2012-2014 and (3) correlated abiotic conditions on its known range. Dragging was conducted in the area between the Vistula River and the western border of Poland in 2012-2014, along the three major Polish rivers and their tributaries. Temperature and humidity on the ground were recorded 4 times a day at a total of 32 sites. D. reticulatus was found in 21 new locations on the western side of the Vistula River and in 22 locations in western Poland. The presence of this tick species was confirmed for the first time in Wielkopolskie, Kujawsko-Pomorskie and Łódzkie voivodeships. Existence of 'the gap' was confirmed on a strip of land along the northwest-southeast axis (an area of approximately 151000km(2)), that extends between Zachodniopomorskie and Pomorskie in the North, and the mountain areas with foothills in the South, in Opolskie, Śląskie, Małopolskie and Podkarpackie voivodeships. This gap divides the tick population in Poland into two separated populations - Western and Eastern. The lowest abundance of ticks was found in the newly established foci in central and western Poland. Our study showed the need for the monitoring of the D. reticulatus expansion. Early detection of new foci is crucial for taking proper prevention measures. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

Tracking populations of Phytophthora ramorum within trees and across the South-western Oregon tanoak (Notholithocarpus densiflorus) forest with DNA fingerprinting and the relative fitness of dominant and rare individuals

Treesearch

Jennifer Britt; Everett Hansen

2011-01-01

Since the discovery of Phytophthora ramorum Werres, De Cock & Man In't Veld in south-western Oregon forests in 2001, newly infected areas are detected each year. Yet, there are still gaps in our knowledge about how the pathogen spreads or where new infections come from. Our study aims to track the spread of P. ramorum...

Thematic mapper-derived mineral distribution maps of Idaho, Nevada, and western Montana

USGS Publications Warehouse

Raines, Gary L.

2006-01-01

This report provides mineral distribution maps based on TM spectral information of minerals commonly associated with hydrothermal alteration in Nevada, Idaho, and western Montana. The product of the processing is provided as four ESRI GRID files with 30 m resolution by state. UTM Zone 11 projection is used for Nevada (grid clsnv) and western Idaho (grid clsid), UTM Zone 12 is used for eastern Idaho and western Montana (grid clsid_mt). A fourth grid with a special Albers projection is used for the Headwaters project covering Idaho and western Montana (grid crccls_hs). Symbolization for all four grids is stored in the ESRI layer or LYR files and color or CLR files. Objectives of the analyses were to cover a large area very quickly and to provide data that could be used at a scale of 1:100,000 or smaller. Thus, the image processing was standardized for speed while still achieving the desired 1:100,000-scale level of detail. Consequently, some subtle features of mineralogy may be missed. The hydrothermal alteration data were not field checked to separate mineral occurrences due to hydrothermal alteration from those due to other natural occurrences. The data were evaluated by overlaying the results with 1:100,000 scale topographic maps to confirm correlation with known mineralized areas. The data were also tested in the Battle Mountain area of north-central Nevada by a weights-of-evidence correlation analysis with metallic mineral sites from the USGS Mineral Resources Data System and were found to have significant spatial correlation. On the basis of on these analyses, the data are considered useful for regional studies at scales of 1:100,000.

Study of the Western Black Sea Storms with a Focus on the Storms Caused by Cyclones of North African Origin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Galabov, Vasko; Chervenkov, Hristo

2018-04-01

We present a study of the Black Sea storms, using a long hindcast of the western Black Sea wind waves. The goal of the work is to study the trends in the storminess indicators. We identify 238 storms with significant wave height above 4 m for the period 1900-2015. We study the cyclogenetic regions of the cyclones causing these storms and focus specifically on the Black Sea storms associated with cyclones originating over the Gulf of Sidra and the adjacent areas. We also identify which of these storms are associated with the so-called explosive cyclogenesis (with deepening rate above 1 Bergeron) and find that 3 out of 5 cases of severe Black Sea storms associated with explosive cyclones are caused by cyclones originating in the Gulf of Sidra. We find no evidence of steady trends in the western Black Sea storminess.

Timber resources of western Oregon—highlights and statistics.

Treesearch

Donald R. Gedney

1982-01-01

This report summarizes and interprets the results of a timber resource inventory of western Oregon made between 1973 and 1976. Detailed tables give land and forest area, timber volume, growth, and mortality for western Oregon and for southwest Oregon, west-central Oregon, and northwest Oregon.

Inventory of anthropogenic surface deformation measured by InSAR in the western U.S./Mexico and possible impacts on GPS measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Semple, A.; Pritchard, M. E.; Taylor, H.

2014-12-01

The western US and Mexico are deforming at several spatial scales that can be measured by ground and satellite observations like GPS and Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (InSAR). Many GPS stations have been installed throughout this area to monitor ground deformation caused by large scale tectonic processes; however, several studies have noted that the data recorded at a GPS station can be contaminated by local, non-tectonic ground deformation. In this study, we use InSAR to examine deformation from various sources in the western US and Mexico. We chose this method due to the spatially large study area and the availability and temporal coverage of SAR imagery. We use SAR images acquired by the satellites Envisat, ERS-1 and ERS-2 over a time period from 1992-2010 to create several time series. Data from the ALOS satellite between 2006-2011 are also used in some areas. We use these time series analysis along with previously published results to observe and catalogue various sources of surface deformation in the western US and Mexico - from groundwater pumping, geothermal activity, mining, hydrocarbon production, and other sources. We then use these results to identify GPS stations that have potentially been contaminated by non-tectonic deformation signals. We document more than 150 distinct regions of non-tectonic and likely anthropogenic deformation. We have located 82 GPS stations within 20km of the center of at least one of the non-tectonic deformation signals we have identified. It is likely that the data from these 82 GPS stations have been contaminated by local anthropogenic deformation. Some examples of previously unpublished non-tectonic deformation we have seen in this study include but are not limited to, subsidence due to groundwater extraction in Jesus Garcia, Mexico, both uplift and subsidence due to natural gas extraction at Jonah Field in Sublette County, WY, and uplift due to a water recharge project in Tonopah, AZ.

Tri-level accident research study

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1975-03-01

The Tri-Level Accident Study for the period January 1, 1974 to December 31, 1974 was conducted in the eight-county Western New York area known as the Niagara Frontier. The program was conducted by the Accident Research Branch of the Transportation Sa...

Mineral resources of the Raymond Mountain Wilderness Study Area, Lincoln county, Wyoming

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

Lund, K.; Evans, J.P.; Hill, R.H.

1990-01-01

The paper reports on the Raymond Mountain Wilderness Study Area which encompasses most of the Sublette Range of western Lincoln County, Wyo. The study area consists of upper Paleozoic and Mesozoic sedimentary rocks that form part of the Idaho-Wyoming-Utah overthrust belt. There are no identified mineral or energy resources in the wilderness study area. The study area has moderate energy resource potential for oil and gas. Mineral resource potential for vanadium and phosphate is low because the Phosphoria Formation is deeply buried beneath the wilderness study area and contains unweathered units having low P{sub 2}O{sub 5} values. The mineral resourcemore » potential for coal, other metals, including uranium, high-purity limestone or dolostone, and geothermal energy is low.« less

Integrated Analysis of Environment, Cattle and Human Serological Data: Risks and Mechanisms of Transmission of Rift Valley Fever in Madagascar

PubMed Central

Olive, Marie-Marie; Chevalier, Véronique; Grosbois, Vladimir; Tran, Annelise; Andriamandimby, Soa-Fy; Durand, Benoit; Ravalohery, Jean-Pierre; Andriamamonjy, Seta; Rakotomanana, Fanjasoa; Rogier, Christophe; Heraud, Jean-Michel

2016-01-01

Background Rift Valley fever (RVF) is a vector-borne disease affecting ruminants and humans. Madagascar was heavily affected by RVF in 2008–2009, with evidence of a large and heterogeneous spread of the disease. The identification of at-risk environments is essential to optimize the available resources by targeting RVF surveillance in Madagascar. Herein, the objectives of our study were: (i) to identify the environmental factors and areas favorable to RVF transmission to both cattle and human and (ii) to identify human behaviors favoring human infections in Malagasy contexts. Methodology/Principal Findings First, we characterized the environments of Malagasy communes using a Multiple Factor Analysis (MFA). Then, we analyzed cattle and human serological data collected at national level using Generalized Linear Mixed Models, with the individual serological status (cattle or human) as the response, and MFA factors, as well as other potential risk factors (cattle density, human behavior) as explanatory variables. Cattle and human seroprevalence rates were positively associated to humid environments (p<0.001). Areas with high cattle density were at risk (p<0.01; OR = 2.6). Furthermore, our analysis showed that frequent contact with raw milk contributed to explain human infection (OR = 1.6). Finally, our study highlighted the eastern-coast, western and north-western parts as high-risk areas for RVF transmission in cattle. Conclusions/Significance Our integrated approach analyzing environmental, cattle and human datasets allow us to bring new insight on RVF transmission patterns in Madagascar. The association between cattle seroprevalence, humid environments and high cattle density suggests that concomitant vectorial and direct transmissions are critical to maintain RVF enzootic transmission. Additionally, in the at-risk humid environment of the western, north-western and the eastern-coast areas, suitable to Culex and Anopheles mosquitoes, vectorial transmission probably occurs in both cattle and human. The relative contribution of vectorial or direct transmissions could be further assessed by mathematic modelling. PMID:27415438

Integrated Analysis of Environment, Cattle and Human Serological Data: Risks and Mechanisms of Transmission of Rift Valley Fever in Madagascar.

PubMed

Olive, Marie-Marie; Chevalier, Véronique; Grosbois, Vladimir; Tran, Annelise; Andriamandimby, Soa-Fy; Durand, Benoit; Ravalohery, Jean-Pierre; Andriamamonjy, Seta; Rakotomanana, Fanjasoa; Rogier, Christophe; Heraud, Jean-Michel

2016-07-01

Rift Valley fever (RVF) is a vector-borne disease affecting ruminants and humans. Madagascar was heavily affected by RVF in 2008-2009, with evidence of a large and heterogeneous spread of the disease. The identification of at-risk environments is essential to optimize the available resources by targeting RVF surveillance in Madagascar. Herein, the objectives of our study were: (i) to identify the environmental factors and areas favorable to RVF transmission to both cattle and human and (ii) to identify human behaviors favoring human infections in Malagasy contexts. First, we characterized the environments of Malagasy communes using a Multiple Factor Analysis (MFA). Then, we analyzed cattle and human serological data collected at national level using Generalized Linear Mixed Models, with the individual serological status (cattle or human) as the response, and MFA factors, as well as other potential risk factors (cattle density, human behavior) as explanatory variables. Cattle and human seroprevalence rates were positively associated to humid environments (p<0.001). Areas with high cattle density were at risk (p<0.01; OR = 2.6). Furthermore, our analysis showed that frequent contact with raw milk contributed to explain human infection (OR = 1.6). Finally, our study highlighted the eastern-coast, western and north-western parts as high-risk areas for RVF transmission in cattle. Our integrated approach analyzing environmental, cattle and human datasets allow us to bring new insight on RVF transmission patterns in Madagascar. The association between cattle seroprevalence, humid environments and high cattle density suggests that concomitant vectorial and direct transmissions are critical to maintain RVF enzootic transmission. Additionally, in the at-risk humid environment of the western, north-western and the eastern-coast areas, suitable to Culex and Anopheles mosquitoes, vectorial transmission probably occurs in both cattle and human. The relative contribution of vectorial or direct transmissions could be further assessed by mathematic modelling.

Geologic and physiographic controls on bed-material yield, transport, and channel morphology for alluvial and bedrock rivers, western Oregon

USGS Publications Warehouse

O'Connor, James E.; Mangano, Joseph F.; Anderson, Scott A.; Wallick, J. Rose; Jones, Krista L.; Keith, Mackenzie K.

2014-01-01

The rivers of western Oregon have diverse forms and characteristics, with channel substrates ranging from continuous alluvial gravel to bare bedrock. Analysis of several measurable morphologic attributes of 24 valley reaches on 17 rivers provides a basis for comparing nonalluvial and alluvial channels. Key differences are that alluvial reaches have greater bar area, greater migration rates, and show systematic correlation among variables relating grain size to bed-material transport capacity. We relate these differences between channel types to bed-material transport rates as derived from a coupled regional analysis of empirical sediment yield measurements and physical experiments of clast attrition during transport. This sediment supply analysis shows that overall bed-material transport rates for western Oregon are chiefly controlled by (1) lithology and basin slope, which are the key factors for bed-material supply into the stream network, and (2) lithologic control of bed-material attrition from in-transport abrasion and disintegration. This bed-material comminution strongly affects bed-material transport in the study area, reducing transport rates by 50%–90% along the length of the larger rivers in the study area. A comparison of the bed-material transport estimates with the morphologic analyses shows that alluvial gravel-bed channels have systematic and bounding relations between bed-material transport rate and attributes such as bar area and local transport capacity. By contrast, few such relations are evident for nonalluvial rivers with bedrock or mixed-bed substrates, which are apparently more influenced by local controls on channel geometry and sediment supply. At the scale of western Oregon, the physiographic and lithologic controls on the balance between bed-material supply and transport capacity exert far-reaching influence on the distribution of alluvial and nonalluvial channels and their consequently distinctive morphologies and behaviors—differences germane for understanding river response to tectonics and environmental perturbations, as well as for implementing effective restoration and monitoring strategies.

Assessing accuracy of a probabilistic model for very large fire in the Rocky Mountains: A High Park Fire case study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stavros, E.; Abatzoglou, J. T.; Larkin, N.; McKenzie, D.; Steel, A.

2012-12-01

Across the western United States, the largest wildfires account for a major proportion of the area burned and substantially affect mountain forests and their associated ecosystem services, among which is pristine air quality. These fires commandeer national attention and significant fire suppression resources. Despite efforts to understand the influence of fuel loading, climate, and weather on annual area burned, few studies have focused on understanding what abiotic factors enable and drive the very largest wildfires. We investigated the correlation between both antecedent climate and in-situ biophysical variables and very large (>20,000 ha) fires in the western United States from 1984 to 2009. We built logistic regression models, at the spatial scale of the national Geographic Area Coordination Centers (GACCs), to estimate the probability that a given day is conducive to a very large wildfire. Models vary in accuracy and in which variables are the best predictors. In a case study of the conditions of the High Park Fire, neighboring Fort Collins, Colorado, occurring in early summer 2012, we evaluate the predictive accuracy of the Rocky Mountain model.

The Cenozoic western Svalbard margin: sediment geometry and sedimentary processes in an area of ultraslow oceanic spreading

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Amundsen, Ingrid Marie Hasle; Blinova, Maria; Hjelstuen, Berit Oline; Mjelde, Rolf; Haflidason, Haflidi

2011-12-01

The northeastern high-latitude North Atlantic is characterised by the Bellsund and Isfjorden fans on the continental slope off west Svalbard, the asymmetrical ultraslow Knipovich spreading ridge and a 1,000 m deep rift valley. Recently collected multichannel seismic profiles and bathymetric records now provide a more complete picture of sedimentary processes and depositional environments within this region. Both downslope and alongslope sedimentary processes are identified in the study area. Turbidity currents and deposition of glacigenic debris flows are the dominating downslope processes, whereas mass failures, which are a common process on glaciated margins, appear to have been less significant. The slide debrite observed on the Bellsund Fan is most likely related to a 2.5-1.7 Ma old failure on the northwestern Barents Sea margin. The seismic records further reveal that alongslope current processes played a major role in shaping the sediment packages in the study area. Within the Knipovich rift valley and at the western rift flank accumulations as thick as 950-1,000 m are deposited. We note that oceanic basement is locally exposed within the rift valley, and that seismostratigraphic relationships indicate that fault activity along the eastern rift flank lasted until at least as recently as 1.5 Ma. A purely hemipelagic origin of the sediments in the rift valley and on the western rift flank is unlikely. We suggest that these sediments, partly, have been sourced from the western Svalbard—northwestern Barents Sea margin and into the Knipovich Ridge rift valley before continuous spreading and tectonic activity caused the sediments to be transported out of the valley and westward.

Fire-induced Carbon Emissions and Regrowth Uptake in Western U.S. Forests: Documenting Variation Across Forest Types, Fire Severity, and Climate Regions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ghimire, Bardan; Williams, Christopher A.; Collatz, George James; Vanderhoof, Melanie

2012-01-01

The forest area in the western United States that burns annually is increasing with warmer temperatures, more frequent droughts, and higher fuel densities. Studies that examine fire effects for regional carbon balances have tended to either focus on individual fires as examples or adopt generalizations without considering how forest type, fire severity, and regional climate influence carbon legacies. This study provides a more detailed characterization of fire effects and quantifies the full carbon impacts in relation to direct emissions, slow release of fire-killed biomass, and net carbon uptake from forest regrowth. We find important variations in fire-induced mortality and combustion across carbon pools (leaf, live wood, dead wood, litter, and duff) and across low- to high-severity classes. This corresponds to fire-induced direct emissions from 1984 to 2008 averaging 4 TgC/yr and biomass killed averaging 10.5 TgC/yr, with average burn area of 2723 sq km/yr across the western United States. These direct emission and biomass killed rates were 1.4 and 3.7 times higher, respectively, for high-severity fires than those for low-severity fires. The results show that forest regrowth varies greatly by forest type and with severity and that these factors impose a sustained carbon uptake legacy. The western U.S. fires between 1984 and 2008 imposed a net source of 12.3 TgC/yr in 2008, accounting for both direct fire emissions (9.5 TgC/yr) and heterotrophic decomposition of fire-killed biomass (6.1 TgC yr1) as well as contemporary regrowth sinks (3.3 TgC/yr). A sizeable trend exists toward increasing emissions as a larger area burns annually.

The pre-Cainozoic basement delineation by magnetotelluric methods in the western part of the Liptovská kotlina Depression (Western Carpathians, Slovakia)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fendek, Marián; Grand, Tomáš; Daniel, Slavomír; Blanárová, Veronika; Kultan, Vincent; Bielik, Miroslav

2017-08-01

The geology and hydrogeology of the Liptovská Kotlina Depression were studied by means of new geophysical methods. Controlled source audio-frequency magnetotellurics enabled us to delineate the relief of the pre-Cainozoic basement in the western part of the Liptovská Kotlina Depression into two segments with different lithostratigraphic units. Our complex findings disprove the interconnection between the Bešeňová and Lúčky water bearing structures located in the study area. The results were interpreted in the form of a resistivity cross section and resistivity model. The geological interpretation of the obtained results, taking into account the other geophysical and geological constrains showed that the pre-Cainozoic basement has a tectonically disrupted, broken relief. The Bešeňová and Lúčky structures appear to be isolated by the Palaeogene sediments (sandstone, claystone) and in the deeper part also by marly carbonates and marlstones of the Jurassic age belonging to the Fatricum. It was confirmed that the structural connectivity of geothermal aquifers in the area between the Bešeňová and Lúčky-Kaľameny should not exist. The assumption of different circulation depth was also confirmed by geothermometry and existing radiocarbon analyses applied on groundwater in both areas.

Fire history and pattern in a Cascade Range landscape.

Treesearch

Peter H. Morrison; Frederick J. Swanson

1990-01-01

Fire history from years 1150 to 1985 was reconstructed by analyzing forest stands in two 1940-hectare areas in the central-western Cascade Range of Oregon. Serving as records for major fire episodes, these stands revealed a highly variable fire regime. The steeper, more dissected, lower elevation Cook-Quentin study area experienced more frequent fires (natural fire...

Species-specific partitioning of soil water resources in an old-growth Douglas-fir/western hemlock forest.

Treesearch

F.C. Meinzer; J.M. Warren; J.R. Brooks

2007-01-01

We studied seasonal courses of soil water utilization in a 450-year-old Pseudotsuga menziesii/Tsuga heterophylla forest. Mean root area in the upper 60 cm of soil was significantly greater in the vicinity of T. heterophylla trees. However, seasonal water extraction on a root area basis was significantly...

40 CFR 81.119 - Western Tennessee Intrastate Air Quality Control Region.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... Quality Control Region. 81.119 Section 81.119 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY... Air Quality Control Regions § 81.119 Western Tennessee Intrastate Air Quality Control Region. The Western Tennessee Intrastate Air Quality Control Region consists of the territorial area encompassed by...

77 FR 47065 - Central Arizona Project-Rate Order No. WAPA-158

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-08-07

... to (602) 605-2490, attention: Jack Murray. Western will post official comments received via letter... period to ensure they are considered in Western's decision process. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Jack Murray, Rates Manager, Desert Southwest Customer Service Regional Office, Western Area Power...

Epidemiology of obesity in the Western Hemisphere.

PubMed

Ford, Earl S; Mokdad, Ali H

2008-11-01

Obesity has emerged as a global public health challenge. The objective of this review was to examine epidemiological aspects of obesity in the Western Hemisphere. Using PubMed, we searched for publications about obesity (prevalence, trends, correlates, economic costs) in countries in North America, Central America, South America, and the Caribbean. To the extent possible, we focused on studies that were primarily population based in design and on four countries in the Western Hemisphere: Brazil, Canada, Mexico, and the United States. Data compiled by the International Obesity Task Force show a substantial level of obesity in all of or selected areas of the Bahamas, Barbados, Canada, Chile, Guyana, Mexico, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, St. Lucia, Trinidad and Tobago, the United States, and Venezuela. Furthermore, countries such as Brazil, Canada, Mexico, and the United States have experienced increases in the prevalence of obesity. In many countries, the prevalence of obesity is higher among women than men and in urban areas than in rural areas. The relationship between socioeconomic status and obesity depends on the stage of economic transition. Early in the transition, the prevalence of obesity is positively related to income whereas at some point during the transition the prevalence becomes inversely related to income. Like other countries in the Western Hemisphere, the four countries that we focused on have experienced a rising tide of obesity. The high and increasing prevalence of obesity and its attendant comorbidities are likely to pose a serious challenge to the public health and medical care systems in these countries.

Forest fire weather in western Oregon and western Washington in 1956.

Treesearch

Owen P. Cramer

1956-01-01

The 1956 fire season will be remembered for the record number of lightning storms in nearly all parts of the area. In other respects, fire-weather severity was slightly below the average of the previous ten years. In western Oregon, fire weather over the entire season (April through October) was slightly less severe than in 1955, while in western Washington it was...

Drought-triggered western spruce budworm outbreaks in the Interior Pacific Northwest: A multi-century dendrochronological record

Treesearch

A. Flower; D. G. Gavin; E. K. Heyerdahl; R. A. Parsons; G. M. Cohn

2014-01-01

Douglas-fir forests in the interior Pacific Northwest are subject to sporadic outbreaks of the western spruce budworm, a species widely recognized as the most destructive defoliator in western North America. Outbreaks of the western spruce budworm often occur synchronously over broad regions and lead to widespread loss of leaf area and decrease in growth rates in...

National Irrigation Water Quality Program data-synthesis data base

USGS Publications Warehouse

Seiler, Ralph L.; Skorupa, Joseph P.

2001-01-01

Under the National Irrigation Water Quality Program (NIWQP) of the U.S. Department of the Interior, researchers investigated contamination caused by irrigation drainage in 26 areas in the Western United States from 1986 to 1993. From 1992 to 1995, a comprehensive relational data base was built to organize data collected during the 26-area investigations. The data base provided the basis for analysis and synthesis of these data to identify common features of contaminated areas and hence dominant biologic, geologic, climatic, chemical, and physiographic factors that have resulted in contamination of water and biota in irrigated areas in the Western United States. Included in the data base are geologic, hydrologic, climatological, chemical, and cultural data that describe the 26 study areas in 14 Western States. The data base contains information on 1,264 sites from which water and bottom sediment were collected. It also contains chemical data from 6,903 analyses of surface water, 914 analyses of ground water, 707 analyses of inorganic constituents in bottom sediments, 223 analyses of organochlorine pesticides in bottom sediments, 8,217 analyses of inorganic constituents in biota, and 1,088 analyses for organic constituents in biota. The data base is available to the public and can be obtained at the NIWQP homepage http://www.usbr.gov/niwqp as dBase III tables for personal-computer systems or as American Standard Code for Information Exchange structured query language (SQL) command and data files for SQL data bases.

Maritime Spatial Planning supported by systematic site selection: Applying Marxan for offshore wind power in the western Baltic Sea

PubMed Central

Dahl, Karsten; Mohn, Christian

2018-01-01

The development of offshore wind energy and other competing interests in sea space are a major incentive for designating marine and coastal areas for specific human activities. Maritime Spatial Planning (MSP) considers human activities at sea in a more integrated way by analysing and designating spatial and temporal distributions of human activities based on ecological, economic and social targets. However, specific tools supporting spatial decisions at sea incorporating all relevant sectors are rarely adopted. The decision support tool Marxan is traditionally used for systematic selection and designation of nature protection and conservation areas. In this study, Marxan was applied as a support tool to identify suitable sites for offshore wind power in the pilot area Pomeranian Bight / Arkona Basin in the western Baltic Sea. The software was successfully tested and scenarios were developed that support the sites indicated in existing national plans, but also show options for alternative developments of offshore wind power in the Pomeranian Bight / Arkona Basin area. PMID:29543878

A search for stratiform massive-sulfide exploration targets in Appalachian Devonian rocks; a case study using computer-assisted attribute-coincidence mapping

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wedow, Helmuth

1983-01-01

The empirical model for sediment-associated, stratiform, exhalative, massive-sulfide deposits presented by D. Large in 1979 and 1980 has been redesigned to permit its use in a computer-assisted search for exploration-target areas in Devonian rocks of the Appalachian region using attribute-coincidence mapping (ACM). Some 36 gridded-data maps and selected maps derived therefrom were developed to show the orthogonal patterns, using the 7-1/2 minute quadrangle as an information cell, of geologic data patterns relevant to the empirical model. From these map and data files, six attribute-coincidence maps were prepared to illustrate both variation in the application of ACM techniques and the extent of possible significant exploration-target areas. As a result of this preliminary work in ACM, four major (and some lesser) exploration-target areas needing further study and analysis have been defined as follows: 1) in western and central New York in the outcrop area of lowermost Upper Devonian rocks straddling the Clarendon-Linden fault; 2) in western Virginia and eastern West Virginia in an area largely coincident with the well-known 'Oriskany' Mn-Fe ores; 3) an area in West Virginia, Maryland, and Virginia along and nearby the trend of the Alabama-New York lineament of King and Zietz approximately between 38- and 40-degrees N. latitude; and 4) an area in northeastern Ohio overlying an area coincident with a significant thickness of Silurian salt and high modern seismic activity. Some lesser, smaller areas suggested by relatively high coincidence may also be worthy of further study.

Spatially Explicit Modeling Reveals Cephalopod Distributions Match Contrasting Trophic Pathways in the Western Mediterranean Sea

PubMed Central

Puerta, Patricia; Hunsicker, Mary E.; Quetglas, Antoni; Álvarez-Berastegui, Diego; Esteban, Antonio; González, María; Hidalgo, Manuel

2015-01-01

Populations of the same species can experience different responses to the environment throughout their distributional range as a result of spatial and temporal heterogeneity in habitat conditions. This highlights the importance of understanding the processes governing species distribution at local scales. However, research on species distribution often averages environmental covariates across large geographic areas, missing variability in population-environment interactions within geographically distinct regions. We used spatially explicit models to identify interactions between species and environmental, including chlorophyll a (Chla) and sea surface temperature (SST), and trophic (prey density) conditions, along with processes governing the distribution of two cephalopods with contrasting life-histories (octopus and squid) across the western Mediterranean Sea. This approach is relevant for cephalopods, since their population dynamics are especially sensitive to variations in habitat conditions and rarely stable in abundance and location. The regional distributions of the two cephalopod species matched two different trophic pathways present in the western Mediterranean Sea, associated with the Gulf of Lion upwelling and the Ebro river discharges respectively. The effects of the studied environmental and trophic conditions were spatially variant in both species, with usually stronger effects along their distributional boundaries. We identify areas where prey availability limited the abundance of cephalopod populations as well as contrasting effects of temperature in the warmest regions. Despite distributional patterns matching productive areas, a general negative effect of Chla on cephalopod densities suggests that competition pressure is common in the study area. Additionally, results highlight the importance of trophic interactions, beyond other common environmental factors, in shaping the distribution of cephalopod populations. Our study presents a valuable approach for understanding the spatially variant ecology of cephalopod populations, which is important for fisheries and ecosystem management. PMID:26201075

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

USGS Publications Warehouse

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

2010-01-01

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

Distribution of pole blight of western white pine

Treesearch

Donald P. Graham

1955-01-01

Disease surveys conducted in 1953 and 1954 to determine the distribution of pole blight of western white pine (Pinus monticola, Dougl.) reveal that most areas of damage have now been found. During 1953 extensive surveys of pole blight distribution disclosed 20 new diseased areas and a number of affected stands adjacent to or near old disease centers. The 1954...

High Peak/Moon Creek Research Natural Area: guidebook supplement 30.

Treesearch

Reid. Schuller

2006-01-01

This guidebook describes the High Peak/Moon Creek Research Natural Area, a 617.5-ha (1,526-ac) tract of coniferous forest containing stands dominated by 100-to 150-year-old Douglas-fir, a small old-growth (500+ years) Douglas-fir stand, and riparian vegetation within the western hemlock zone of the Coast Range in western Oregon.

Pathogens vectored by the tick, Dermacentor reticulatus, in endemic regions and zones of expansion in Poland.

PubMed

Mierzejewska, Ewa J; Pawełczyk, Agnieszka; Radkowski, Marek; Welc-Falęciak, Renata; Bajer, Anna

2015-09-24

Dermacentor reticulatus plays an important role in the maintenance of pathogens of medical and veterinary importance in the environment. Currently two isolated populations of D. reticulatus are present in Poland--Western and Eastern. The range of the Eastern population covers endemic areas in eastern Poland but this population is expanding westwards creating an expansion zone in the centre of the country. The expansion zone in western Poland is occupied by the recently discovered Western population, spreading eastwards. Questing adult ticks (n = 2585) were collected in 2012-2014 in endemic regions of north-eastern (Warmińsko-Mazurskie Voivodeship) and central Poland (Masovian Voivodeship) and in the expansion zones in central and western Poland, in the region between the Vistula River and the western border of the country. Amplification of Babesia, Rickettsia spp. and Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato DNAs was performed using specific starters. RNA of the TBE virus was detected using RT-PCR and representative PCR products were sequenced and compared with sequences deposited in GenBank. Of the total 2585 examined ticks, 1197 (46.3 %) were infected with at least one pathogen. Overall prevalence of pathogens was 4.18 % (108/2585) for Babesia spp., 44.10 % (1140/2585) for Rickettsia spp., 0.09 % (1/1107) for Borrelia afzelii and 7.6 % (7/92) for TBEV. Sequence analysis of DNA showed 99.86 % similarity to R. raoulti and 99.81 % to B. canis. One male from north-eastern Poland was infected with B. microti. Prevalence of R. raoulti was highest in the Western population (52.03 %) and lowest in the Eastern population in north-eastern Poland (34.18 %). Babesia canis was not detected in 592 ticks collected in the Western population, while in the Eastern population overall prevalence was 5.42 %. There were significant differences in the prevalence of B. canis between tick samples from northern (0.68 %), central (1.18 %) and southern (14.8 %) areas of the expansion zone in central Poland. Our study found significant differences between the range and prevalence of vectored pathogens in D. reticulatus from the endemic areas and newly inhabited expansion zones. The differences were likely associated with the different time of settlement or 'source' of ticks populations, the Eastern and the Western one.

Geology and land use in the western part of the Gulf Coast coal-bearing region

USGS Publications Warehouse

Warwick, Peter D.; Aubourg, C.E.; Hook, R.W.; SanFilipo, John R.

2002-01-01

This map series is a compilation of the outcrop geology in the U.S. Gulf Coast coal region. The maps show the regional geologic setting for primary coal occurrences and detailed geology and historic mining areas.The CD contains ESRI ArcView SHP files of cities, urban areas, historical mines (points and polygons), counties, current mines, 1:100,000 quadrangle outlines of the study area, fossil fuel powerplants, nuclear powerplants, political boundaries, federally managed lands, roads and railroads in the study area, hydrology in the study area (polygons and arcs), geology nomenclature breaks, geological features (faults), and geology. ArcExplorer is included on the CD.

Remote sensing of ephemeral water bodies in western Niger

USGS Publications Warehouse

Verdin, J.P.

1996-01-01

Research was undertaken to evaluate the feasibility of monitoring the small ephemeral water bodies of the Sahel with the 1.1 km resolution data of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR). Twenty-one lakes of western Niger with good ground observation records were selected for examination. Thematic Mapper images from 1988 were first analysed to determine surface areas and temperature differences between water and adjacent land. Six AVHRR scenes from the 1988-89 dry season were then studied. It was found that a lake can be monitored until its surface area drops below 10 ha, in most cases. Furthermore, with prior knowledge of the location and shape of a water body, its surface area can be estimated from AVHRR band 5 data to within about 10 ha. These results are explained by the sharp temperature contrast between water and land, on the order of 13?? C.

Impact of anthropogenic climate change on wildfire across western US forests.

PubMed

Abatzoglou, John T; Williams, A Park

2016-10-18

Increased forest fire activity across the western continental United States (US) in recent decades has likely been enabled by a number of factors, including the legacy of fire suppression and human settlement, natural climate variability, and human-caused climate change. We use modeled climate projections to estimate the contribution of anthropogenic climate change to observed increases in eight fuel aridity metrics and forest fire area across the western United States. Anthropogenic increases in temperature and vapor pressure deficit significantly enhanced fuel aridity across western US forests over the past several decades and, during 2000-2015, contributed to 75% more forested area experiencing high (>1 σ) fire-season fuel aridity and an average of nine additional days per year of high fire potential. Anthropogenic climate change accounted for ∼55% of observed increases in fuel aridity from 1979 to 2015 across western US forests, highlighting both anthropogenic climate change and natural climate variability as important contributors to increased wildfire potential in recent decades. We estimate that human-caused climate change contributed to an additional 4.2 million ha of forest fire area during 1984-2015, nearly doubling the forest fire area expected in its absence. Natural climate variability will continue to alternate between modulating and compounding anthropogenic increases in fuel aridity, but anthropogenic climate change has emerged as a driver of increased forest fire activity and should continue to do so while fuels are not limiting.

Impact of anthropogenic climate change on wildfire across western US forests

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abatzoglou, John T.; Park Williams, A.

2016-10-01

Increased forest fire activity across the western continental United States (US) in recent decades has likely been enabled by a number of factors, including the legacy of fire suppression and human settlement, natural climate variability, and human-caused climate change. We use modeled climate projections to estimate the contribution of anthropogenic climate change to observed increases in eight fuel aridity metrics and forest fire area across the western United States. Anthropogenic increases in temperature and vapor pressure deficit significantly enhanced fuel aridity across western US forests over the past several decades and, during 2000-2015, contributed to 75% more forested area experiencing high (>1 σ) fire-season fuel aridity and an average of nine additional days per year of high fire potential. Anthropogenic climate change accounted for ˜55% of observed increases in fuel aridity from 1979 to 2015 across western US forests, highlighting both anthropogenic climate change and natural climate variability as important contributors to increased wildfire potential in recent decades. We estimate that human-caused climate change contributed to an additional 4.2 million ha of forest fire area during 1984-2015, nearly doubling the forest fire area expected in its absence. Natural climate variability will continue to alternate between modulating and compounding anthropogenic increases in fuel aridity, but anthropogenic climate change has emerged as a driver of increased forest fire activity and should continue to do so while fuels are not limiting.

75 FR 5760 - Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; Western Alaska Community Development Quota Program

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-02-04

... Development Quota (CDQ) Program is an economic development program implemented under the Magnuson Stevens... Islands Management Area fisheries, to support economic development in western Alaska, to alleviate poverty and provide economic and social benefits for residents of western Alaska, and to achieve sustainable...

76 FR 38146 - Revision to the Final Principles of Integrated Resource Planning for Use in Resource Acquisition...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-06-29

... DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Western Area Power Administration Revision to the Final Principles of... Administration (Western) published proposed Principles for Integrated Resource planning (IRP) for use in its... December 6, 1994. After considering public comments on the proposed principles, Western adopted the Final...

Principal facts for gravity stations in the Elko, Steptoe Valley, Coyote Spring Valley, and Sheep Range areas, eastern and southern Nevada

USGS Publications Warehouse

Berger, D.L.; Schaefer, D.H.; Frick, E.A.

1990-01-01

Principal facts for 537 gravity stations in the carbonate-rock province of eastern and southern Nevada are tabulated and presented. The gravity data were collected in support of groundwater studies in several valleys. The study areas include the Elko area, northern Steptoe Valley, Coyote Spring Valley, and the western Sheep Range area. The data for each site include values for latitude, longitude, altitude, observed gravity, free- air anomaly, terrain correction, and Bouguer anomaly (calculated at a bedrock density of 2.67 g/cu cm. (USGS)

Faunistic Composition, Ecological Properties, and Zoogeographical Composition of the Elateridae (Coleoptera) Family in the Western Black Sea Region of Turkey

PubMed Central

Kabalak, Mahmut; Sert, Osman

2013-01-01

The main aim of this study was to understand the faunistic composition, ecological properties, and zoogeographical composition of the family Elateridae (Coleoptera) of the Western Black Sea region of Turkey. As a result, 44 species belonging to 5 subfamilies and 19 genera were identified. After adding species reported in the literature to the analysis, the fauna in the research area consists of 6 subfamilies, 23 genera and 72 species. Most of the Elateridae fauna of the Western Black Sea region were classified in the subfamilies Elaterinae and Dendrometrinae. The genus Athous was the most species-rich genus. The species composition of the Elateridae fauna of the Western Black Sea region partially overlaps with the known Elateridae fauna of Turkey. The Western Black Sea region shares the most species with the European part of the Western Palaearctic region, including many of those in the Elateridae family, compared to other regions. Comparisons of the three geographical regions of Turkey show that fauna composition, ecological properties, and zoogeographical compositions of the Middle and Western Black Sea regions are more similar to each other than to those of the Central Anatolian region. PMID:24787627

Surprisingly robust projections of soil temperature and moisture for North American drylands in the 21st century

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bradford, J. B.; Schlaepfer, D.; Palmquist, K. A.; Lauenroth, W.

2017-12-01

Climate projections for western North America suggest temperature increases that are relatively consistent across climate models. However, precipitation projections are less consistent, especially in the Southwest, promoting uncertainty about the future of soil moisture and drought. We utilized a daily time-step ecosystem water balance model to characterize soil temperature and moisture patterns at a 10-km resolution across western North America for historical (1980-2010), mid-century (2020-2050), and late century (2070-2100). We simulated soil moisture and temperature under two representative concentration pathways and eleven climate models (selected strategically to represent the range of variability in projections among the full set of models in the CMIP5 database and perform well in hind-cast comparisons for the region), and we use the results to identify areas with robust projections, e.g. areas where the large majority of models agree in the direction of change in long-term average soil moisture or temperature. Rising air temperatures will increase average soil temperatures across western North America and expand the area of mesic and thermic soil temperature regimes while decreasing the area of cryic and frigid regimes. Future soil moisture conditions are relatively consistent across climate models for much of the region, including many areas with variable precipitation trajectories. Consistent projections for drier soils are expected in most of Arizona and New Mexico, similar to previous studies. Other regions with projections for declining soil moisture include the central and southern U.S. Great Plains and large parts of southern British Columbia. By contrast, areas with robust projections for increasing soil moisture include northeastern Montana, southern Alberta and Saskatchewan, and many areas in the intermountain west dominated by big sagebrush. In addition, seasonal moisture patterns in much of the western US drylands are expected to shift toward cool-season water availability, with potentially important consequences for ecosystem structure and function. These results provide a framework for coping with variability in climate projections and assessing climate change impacts on dryland ecosystems.

Cetacean high-use habitats of the northeast United States continental shelf

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

Kenney, R.D.; Winn, H.E.

1986-04-01

Results of the Cetacean and Turtle Assessment Program previously demonstrated at a qualitative level that specific areas of the continental shelf waters off the northeastern US coast consistently showed high-density utilization by several cetacean species. They have quantified, on a multispecies basis and with adjustment for level of survey effort, the intensity of habitat use by whales and dolphins, and defined areas of especially high-intensity utilization. The results demonstrate that the area off the northeast US, which is used most intensively as cetacean habitat, is the western margin of the Gulf of Maine, from the Great South Channel to Stellwagenmore » Bank and Jeffreys Ledge. Secondary high-use areas include the continental shelf edge and the region around the eastern end of Georges Bank. High-use areas for piseivorous cetaceans are concentrated mainly in the western Gulf of Maine and secondarily at mid-shelf east of the Chesapeake region, for planktivores in the western Gulf of Maine and the southwestern and eastern portions of Georges Bank, and for teuthivores in the western Gulf of Maine and the southwestern and eastern portions of Georges Bank, and for teuthivores along the edge of the shelf. In general, habitat use by cetaceans is highest in spring and summer, and lowest in fall and winter.« less

Human health exposure assessment for Rocky Mountain Arsenal. Volume 7. Summary exposure assessment version 4. 1. Final report

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

Not Available

The objectives of the Human Health Exposure Assessment include: (1) estimate the type and magnitude of exposures to contaminants; (2) Identify contaminants of concern; (3) Identify sites for remedial action; (4) Recommend sites for the no action remedial alternative; and (5) Provide a basis for detailed characterization of the risk associated with all sites. This document consists of the following: An executive summary. Vol I - Land use and exposed population evaluations. Vol. II III - Toxicity assessment (includes army and shell toxicity profiles). Vol. IV - PPLV Methodology. Vol. V - PPLV Calculations. Vol. VI - Study area exposuremore » analysis A introduction, B Western study ares, C Southern study area, D northern Central study area, E Central study area, F Eastern study area, G South plants study area, and H North plants study area. Vol. VII - Summary exposure assessment.« less

Human health exposure assessment for Rocky Mountain Arsenal. Volume 8. Response to comments on the draft exposure assessment version 4. 1. Final report

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

Not Available

The objectives of the Human Health Exposure Assessment include: (1) estimate the type and magnitude of exposures to contaminants; (2) Identify contaminants of concern; (3) Identify sites for remedial action; (4) Recommend sites for the no action remedial alternative; and (5) Provide a basis for detailed characterization of the risk associated with all sites. This document consists of the following: An executive summary. Vol I - Land use and exposed population evaluations. Vol. II III - Toxicity assessment (includes army and shell toxicity profiles). Vol. IV - PPLV Methodology. Vol. V - PPLV Calculations. Vol. VI - Study area exposuremore » analysis A introduction, B Western study ares, C Southern study area, D northern Central study area, E Central study area, F Eastern study area, G South plants study area, and H North plants study area. Vol. VII - Summary exposure assessment.« less

Human health exposure assessment for Rocky Mountain Arsenal. Volume 2-A. Toxicity assessment. Version 4. 1. Final report

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

Not Available

The objectives of the Human Health Exposure Assessment include: (1) estimate the type and magnitude of exposures to contaminants; (2) Identify contaminants of concern; (3) Identify sites for remedial action; (4) Recommend sites for the no action remedial alternative; and (5) Provide a basis for detailed characterization of the risk associated with all sites. This document consists of the following: An executive summary. Vol I - Land use and exposed population evaluations. Vol. II III - Toxicity assessment (includes army and shell toxicity profiles). Vol. IV - PPLV Methodology. Vol. V - PPLV Calculations. Vol. VI - Study area exposuremore » analysis a introduction, B Western study ares, C Southern study area, D northern Central study area, E Central study area, F Eastern study area, G South plants study area, and H North plants study area. Vol. VII - Summary exposure assessment.« less

Human health exposure assessment for Rocky Mountain Arsenal. Volume 3. Toxicity assessment version 4. 1. Final report

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

Not Available

The objectives of the Human Health Exposure Assessment include: (1) estimate the type and magnitude of exposures to contaminants; (2) Identify contaminants of concern; (3) Identify sites for remedial action; (4) Recommend sites for the no action remedial alternative; and (5) Provide a basis for detailed characterization of the risk associated with all sites. This document consists of the following: An executive summary. Vol I - Land use and exposed population evaluations. Vol. II III - Toxicity assessment (includes army and shell toxicity profiles). Vol. IV - PPLV Methodology. Vol. V - PPLV Calculations. Vol. VI - Study area exposuremore » analysis A introduction, B Western study ares, C Southern study area, D northern Central study area, E Central study area, F Eastern study area, G South plants study area, and H North plants study area. Vol. VII - Summary exposure assessment.« less

Human health exposure assessment for Rocky Mountain Arsenal. Volume 1. Land use and exposed population evaluations version 4. 1. Final report

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

Not Available

The objectives of the Human Health Exposure Assessment include: (1) estimate the type and magnitude of exposures to contaminants; (2) Identify contaminants of concern; (3) Identify sites for remedial action; (4) Recommend sites for the no action remedial alternative; and (5) Provide a basis for detailed characterization of the risk associated with all sites. This document consists of the following: An executive summary. Vol I - Land use and exposed population evaluations. Vol. II III - Toxicity assessment (includes army and shell toxicity profiles). Vol. IV - PPLV Methodology. Vol. V - PPLV Calculations. Vol. VI - Study area exposuremore » analysis A introduction, B Western study ares, C Southern study area, D northern Central study area, E Central study area, F Eastern study area, G South plants study area, and H North plants study area. Vol. VII - Summary exposure assessment.« less

Ground-water quality in the western part of the Cambrian-Ordovician aquifer in the Western Lake Michigan Drainages, Wisconsin and Michigan

USGS Publications Warehouse

Saad, D.A.

1996-01-01

Seven pesticides or metabolites were detected in ground-water samples, and at least one pesticide was detected in samples from 24 percent (7 of 29) of wells. Most of the pesticides were detected at low concentrations and were from wells in the regionally unconfined, agricultural, southwest part of the study area. Atrazine was the most commonly detected pesticide and was typically detected in samples from wells that produced modern water.

National Hydroelectric Power Resources Study: Regional Assessment: Volume XXII: Western Systems Coordinating Council, (WSCC). Volume 22

DTIC Science & Technology

1981-09-01

respectively; the Klamath Mountains of Oregon and California; the Basin and Ranges of Nevada, the Teton Range of Wyoming; the Uinta Mountains of Utah...approximately 292,000 square miles, includes all of the Columbia River system in the United States and all other river basins in Idaho, Oregon, and...Central Valley and the Los Angeles Basin of California. The western valleys of the Pacific Northwest, the Denver-Cheyenne area along the Rockies’ eastern

Seroprevalence of tick-borne-encephalitis virus in wild game in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania (north-eastern Germany).

PubMed

Frimmel, Silvius; Leister, Matthias; Löbermann, Micha; Feldhusen, Frerk; Seelmann, Matthias; Süss, Jochen; Reisinger, Emil Christian

2016-10-01

Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, a federal state in the north east of Germany, has never been a risk area for TBEV infection, but a few autochthonous cases, along with TBEV-RNA detection in ticks, have shown a low level of activity in natural foci of the virus in the past. As wild game and domestic animals have been shown to be useful sentinels for TBEV we examined sera from wild game shot in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania for the prevalence of TBEV antibodies. A total of 359 sera from wild game were investigated. All animals were shot in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania in 2012. Thirteen of 359 sera tested positive or borderline for anti-TBEV-IgG with ELISA and four samples tested positive using NT. The four TBEV-positive sera confirmed by NT constitute the first detection of TBEV-antibodies in sera of wild game in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania since 1986-1989. This underlines that the serological examination of wild game can be a useful tool in defining areas of possible TBEV infection, especially in areas of low TBEV-endemicity. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

Oxygen isotope and deuterium composition of snow cover on the profile of Western Siberia from Tomsk to the Gulf of Ob

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vasil'chuk, Yu. K.; Shevchenko, V. P.; Lisitzin, A. P.; Budantseva, N. A.; Vorobiov, S. N.; Kirpotin, S. N.; Krizkov, I. V.; Manasypov, R. M.; Pokrovsky, O. S.; Chizhova, Ju. N.

2016-12-01

The purpose of this work is to study the variability of the isotope composition (δ18O, δD, d exc) of the snow cover on a long transect of Western Siberia from the southern taiga to the tundra. The study of the snow cover is of paleogeographic, paleogeocryological, and paleohydrological value. The snow cover of western Siberia was sampled on a broadly NS transzonal profile from the environs of Tomsk (southern taiga zone) to the eastern coast of the Gulf of Ob (tundra zone) from February 19 to March 4, 2014. Snow samples were collected at 31 sites. Most of the samples represented by fresh snow, i.e., snow that had fallen a day before the moment of sampling were collected in two areas. In the area of Yamburg, the snow specimens collected from the surface are most probably settled snow of different ages. The values of δ18O in the snow from Tomsk to Yamburg varied from-21.89 to-32.82‰, and the values of δD, from-163.3 to-261.2‰. The value of deuterium excess was in the range of 4.06-19.53‰.

Preliminary appraisal of gravity and magnetic data of Syncline Ridge, western Yucca Flat, Nevada Test Site, Nye County, Nevada

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ponce, David A.; Hanna, William F.

1982-01-01

A gravity and magnetic study of the Syncline Ridge area was conducted as part of an investigation of argillite rocks of the Eleana Formation under consideration as a medium for the possible storage of high-level radioactive waste. Bouguer gravity anomaly data, viewed in light of densities obtained by gamma-gamma logs and previous work of D. L. Healey (1968), delineate two regions of steep negative gradient where Cenozoic rocks and sediments are inferred to abruptly thicken: (1) the western third of the study area where Tertiary volcanic rocks are extensively exposed and (2) the northeast corner of the area where Quaternary alluvium is exposed and where volcanic rocks are inferred to occur at depth. In the remainder of the area, a region extending contiguously from Mine Mountain northwestward through Syncline Ridge to the Eleana Range, the gravity data indicate that the Eleana Formation, where not exposed, is buried at depths of less than about 200 m, except in a limited area of exposed older Paleozoic rocks on Mine Mountain. Quaternary alluvium and Tertiary volcanic rocks are inferred to occur in this region as veneers or shallow dishes of deposit on Tippipah Limestone or Eleana Formation. Low-level aeromagnetic anomaly data, covering the western two-thirds of the study area, delineate relatively magnetic tuff units within the Tertiary volcanic rocks and provide a very attractive means for distinguishing units of normal polarization from units of reversed polarization. If used in conjunction with results of previous magnetization studies of G. D. Bath (1968), the low-level survey may prove to be an effective tool for mapping specific tuff members in the volcanic terrane. The important question of the feasibility of discriminating high-quartz argillite from low-quartz argillite of the Eleana Formation using surface gravity data remains unresolved. If the more highly competent, denser, high-quartz phase should occur as stratigraphic units many tens of meters thick, closely spaced gravity data may reliably detect these units. If the high-quartz phase occurs only as relatively thin units, interbedded with low-quartz phase, borehole gravity surveying can be used much more effectively than equivalent surface gravity surveying.

Five-year growth responses of Douglas-fir, western hemlock, and western redcedar seedlings to manipulated levels of overstory and understory competition.

Treesearch

T.B. Harrington

2006-01-01

Douglas-fir, western hemlock, and western redcedar seedlings were planted in 2001 within clearcuts, shelterwoods, or thinned stands of second-growth Douglas-fir. Understory vegetation was left untreated or removed to provide areas of vegetation control (AVC) of 0, 50, or 100 percent of seedling growing space. Third-year stem volume of seedlings growing in clearcuts...

Trends in the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) associated with urban development in arctic and subarctic Western Siberia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Outten, S.; Miles, V.; Ezau, I.

2015-12-01

Changes in normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) in the high Arctic have been reliably documented, with widespread "greening" (increase in NDVI), specifically along the northern rim of Eurasia and Alaska. Whereas in West Siberia south of 65N, widespread "browning" (decrease in NDVI) has been noted, although the causes remain largely unclear. In this study we report results of statistical analysis of the spatial and temporal changes in NDVI around 28 major urban areas in the arctic and subarctic Western Siberia. Exploration and exploitation of oil and gas reserves has led to rapid industrialization and urban development in the region. This development has significant impact on the environment and particularly in the vegetation cover in and around the urbanized areas. The analysis is based on 15 years (2000-2014) of high-resolution (250 m) Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) data acquired for summer months (June through August) over the entire arctic and subarctic Western Siberian region. The analysis shows that the NDVI background trends are generally in agreement with the trends reported in previous coarse-resolution NDVI studies. Our study reveals greening over the arctic (tundra and tundra-forest) part of the region. Simultaneously, the southern (boreal taiga forest) part is browning, with the more densely vegetation areas or areas with highest NDVI, particularly along Ob River showing strong negative trend. The unexpected and interesting finding of the study is statistically robust indication of the accelerated increase of NDVI ("greening") in the older urban areas. Many Siberian cities become greener even against the decrease in the NDVI background. Moreover, interannual variations of urban NDVI are not coherent with the NDVI background variability. We also find that in tundra zones, NDVI values are higher in a 5-10 km buffer zone around the city edge than in rural areas (40 km distance from the city edge), and in taiga in a 5-10 km buffer zone NDVI value are lower compare with rural zone. We speculate that the observed "greening" or "browning" around urban areas could be caused by the vegetation cover response to the anthropogenic urban heat island (UHI) effect. The general regional trend is amplified in very close proximity to the urban areas, possibly due to UHI effect.

Genetic Structure, Diversity and Long Term Viability of a Medicinal Plant, Nothapodytes nimmoniana Graham. (Icacinaceae), in Protected and Non-Protected Areas in the Western Ghats Biodiversity Hotspot

PubMed Central

Shivaprakash, K. Nagaraju; Ramesha, B. Thimmappa; Uma Shaanker, Ramanan; Dayanandan, Selvadurai; Ravikanth, Gudasalamani

2014-01-01

Background and Question The harvesting of medicinal plants from wild sources is escalating in many parts of the world, compromising the long-term survival of natural populations of medicinally important plants and sustainability of sources of raw material to meet pharmaceutical industry needs. Although protected areas are considered to play a central role in conservation of plant genetic resources, the effectiveness of protected areas for maintaining medicinal plant populations subject to intense harvesting pressure remain largely unknown. We conducted genetic and demographic studies of Nothapodytes nimmoniana Graham, one of the extensively harvested medicinal plant species in the Western Ghats biodiversity hotspot, India to assess the effectiveness of protected areas in long-term maintenance of economically important plant species. Methodology/Principal Findings The analysis of adults and seedlings of N. nimmoniana in four protected and four non-protected areas using 7 nuclear microsatellite loci revealed that populations that are distributed within protected areas are subject to lower levels of harvesting and maintain higher genetic diversity (He = 0.816, Ho = 0.607, A = 18.857) than populations in adjoining non-protected areas (He = 0.781, Ho = 0.511, A = 15.571). Furthermore, seedlings in protected areas had significantly higher observed heterozygosity (Ho = 0.630) and private alleles as compared to seedlings in adjoining non-protected areas (Ho = 0.426). Most populations revealed signatures of recent genetic bottleneck. The prediction of long-term maintenance of genetic diversity using BOTTLESIM indicated that current population sizes of the species are not sufficient to maintain 90% of present genetic diversity for next 100 years. Conclusions/Significance Overall, these results highlight the need for establishing more protected areas encompassing a large number of adult plants in the Western Ghats to conserve genetic diversity of economically and medicinally important plant species. PMID:25493426

Mortality of Western Burrowing Owls ( Athene cunicularia hypugaea) Associated with Brodifacoum Exposure.

PubMed

Justice-Allen, Anne; Loyd, Kerrie Anne

2017-01-01

Western Burrowing Owls ( Athene cunicularia hypugaea) frequently occupy periurban areas, where they may be exposed to pest control agents. This short communication describes necropsy findings and detected brodifacoum rodenticide levels for four Western Burrowing Owls in Lake Havasu City, Arizona, US, 2013-15. Levels detected ranged from 0.077 mg/kg to 0.497 mg/kg. Brodifacoum, one of several second-generation anticoagulant rodenticides recently removed from the general consumer market, is still available for use by licensed pesticide applicators. Despite recent regulatory actions, second-generation anticoagulant pesticides continue to threaten predatory species in periurban areas.

Description and analysis of the geohydrologic system in western Pinal County, Arizona

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hardt, W.F.; Cattany, R.E.

1965-01-01

Western Pinal County is between Phoenix and Tucson in the Basin and Range physiographic province of southern Arizona and consists of about 2,000 square miles of valley floor with low relief surrounded by mountains. It is the second largest agricultural area in the State, and about 25 percent of the ground water pumped in the State is from this area. The study area has been divided into four parts. Three of these--the Casa Grande-Florence area, the Eloy area, and the Stanfield-Maricopa area--are in the lower Santa Cruz basin; the fourth--the Gila River area--is a long narrow strip along the Gila River from the Ashurst-Hayden Dam to the confluence of the Gila and Santa Cruz Rivers. The project was undertaken to provide a better understanding of the ground-water supply in relation to the present and potential water use in this area of extensive ground-water development. The arid climate of western Pinal County--combining high temperatures and low humidity--causes most of the precipitation to be returned to the atmosphere by evapotranspiration, which leaves only a very small part for recharge to the ground-water reservoir. The computed potential evapotranspiration--44. 97 inches--is five times greater than the average precipitation. In general, the subsurface materials in western Pinal County are unconsolidated alluvial deposits underlain by consolidated alluvium and crystalline rocks and bounded by mountains consisting of crystalline and minor sedimentary rocks. The crystalline and sedimentary rocks of the mountains are not known to be water bearing in western Pinal County. The impermeable rocks underlying the basin are called the hydrologic bedrock unit in this report. Although the unit may consist of several different rock types, the distinction between them is relatively unimportant in this study because none of them yield appreciable amounts of water. The lower Santa Cruz basin in western Pinal County is divided into two sections by a buried ridge of the hydrologic bedrock unit, referred to in this report as the Casa Grande ridge. The ridge trends in a north-south direction from the Sacaton to the Silver Reef Mountains. The unconsolidated deposits constitute the main storage reservoir for ground water in western Pins/ County. The deposits are divided into four units---the local gravel unit, the lower sand and gravel unit, the silt and clay unit, and the upper sand and gravel unit--all of which are major water-yielding units except the silt and clay unit. The local gravel unit, which is present only in the western section of the lower Santa Cruz basin, ranges in thickness from 0 to nearly 1,000 feet and is generally a productive aquifer. The lower sand and gravel unit, Which is a heterogeneous mixture of sand, gravel, and clay, ranges in thickness from 0 to about 500 feet. Where the lower sand and gravel unit is overlain by the silt and clay unit, it generally contains water under artesian conditions; where it is not overlain by the silt and clay unit, it is indistinguishable from the upper sand and gravel unit, and the water is under water-table conditions. The silt and clay unit is the least permeable deposit of the unconsolidated alluvium, and ranges in thickness from 0 to about 2, 000 feet. Generally it is less productive than the other units of the unconsolidated alluvium, although it yields moderate amounts of water from numerous thin stringers and lenses of highly permeable sand and gravel. The upper sand and gravel unit is at the land surface in most of the area; it ranges in thickness from less than 50 to about 600 feet. The unit has the highest average permeability of all the unconsolidated alluvial units; however, the permeability of the unit varies vertically and laterally, which results in a wide range of well yields. As of 1964, the static water levels in most wells in the basin were still in the upper sand and gravel unit. However, the unit is being dewatered in most of the basin, and water levels in

Preliminary Strategic Environmental Assessment of the Great Western Development Strategy: Safeguarding Ecological Security for a New Western China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Wei; Liu, Yan-Ju; Yang, Zhifeng

2012-02-01

The Great Western Development Strategy (GWDS) is a long term national campaign aimed at boosting development of the western area of China and narrowing the economic gap between the western and the eastern parts of China. The Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) procedure was employed to assess the environmental challenges brought about by the western development plans. These plans include five key developmental domains (KDDs): water resource exploitation and use, land utilization, energy generation, tourism development, and ecological restoration and conservation. A combination of methods involving matrix assessment, incorporation of expert judgment and trend analysis was employed to analyze and predict the environmental impacts upon eight selected environmental indicators: water resource availability, soil erosion, soil salinization, forest destruction, land desertification, biological diversity, water quality and air quality. Based on the overall results of the assessment, countermeasures for environmental challenges that emerged were raised as key recommendations to ensure ecological security during the implementation of the GWDS. This paper is intended to introduce a consensus-based process for evaluating the complex, long term pressures on the ecological security of large areas, such as western China, that focuses on the use of combined methods applied at the strategic level.

Preliminary strategic environmental assessment of the Great Western Development Strategy: safeguarding ecological security for a new western China.

PubMed

Li, Wei; Liu, Yan-ju; Yang, Zhifeng

2012-02-01

The Great Western Development Strategy (GWDS) is a long term national campaign aimed at boosting development of the western area of China and narrowing the economic gap between the western and the eastern parts of China. The Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) procedure was employed to assess the environmental challenges brought about by the western development plans. These plans include five key developmental domains (KDDs): water resource exploitation and use, land utilization, energy generation, tourism development, and ecological restoration and conservation. A combination of methods involving matrix assessment, incorporation of expert judgment and trend analysis was employed to analyze and predict the environmental impacts upon eight selected environmental indicators: water resource availability, soil erosion, soil salinization, forest destruction, land desertification, biological diversity, water quality and air quality. Based on the overall results of the assessment, countermeasures for environmental challenges that emerged were raised as key recommendations to ensure ecological security during the implementation of the GWDS. This paper is intended to introduce a consensus-based process for evaluating the complex, long term pressures on the ecological security of large areas, such as western China, that focuses on the use of combined methods applied at the strategic level.

RAMSEYS DRAFT WILDERNESS STUDY AREA AND ADDITION, VIRGINIA.

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lesure, Frank G.; Mory, Peter C.

1984-01-01

Mineral-resource surveys of the Ramseys Draft Wilderness Study Area and adjoining roadless area addition in George Washington National Forest in the western valley and ridge province, Augusta and Highland Counties, Virginia, were done. The surveys outlined three small areas containing anomalous amounts of copper, lead, and zinc related to stratabound red-bed copper mineralization, but these occurrences are not large and are not considered as having mineral-resource potential. The area contains abundant sandstone suitable for construction materials and shale suitable for making brick, tile, and other low-grade ceramic products, but these commodities occur in abundance outside the wilderness study area. Structural conditions are probably favorable for the accumulation of natural gas, but exploratory drilling has not been done sufficiently near the area to evaluate the gas potential.

75 FR 12462 - Fisheries of the Northeastern United States; Northeast Multispecies Fishery; Removal of Gear...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-03-16

... throughout the Western U.S./Canada Area. In addition, as of March 5, 2010, the catch of Eastern GB cod was 72...; removal of gear restrictions. SUMMARY: This action removes temporary gear restrictions in both the Eastern and Western U.S./Canada Areas for limited access Northeast (NE) multispecies vessels fishing on a NE...

75 FR 17156 - Gulf of Mexico, Outer Continental Shelf, Western Planning Area, Oil and Gas Lease Sale 215 (2010...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-04-05

... environmental assessment (EA) for proposed Gulf of Mexico Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) oil and gas Lease Sale... Environmental Impact Statement; Volumes I and II (Multisale EIS, OCS EIS/EA MMS 2007-018) and in the Gulf of...; Western Planning Area Sales 210, 215, and 218--Final Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement...

78 FR 55228 - Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Reallocation of Pacific Cod in the Western...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-09-10

... in the Gulf of Alaska exclusive economic zone according to the Fishery Management Plan for Groundfish.... 120918468-3111-02] RIN 0648-XC856 Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone Off Alaska; Reallocation of Pacific Cod in the Western Regulatory Area of the Gulf of Alaska Management Area AGENCY: National Marine...

A meteorological study of parks and timbered areas in the western yellow-pine forests of Arizona and New Mexico

Treesearch

G. A. Pearson

1913-01-01

The object of the study, the results of which are presented here, was to determine the influence of the forest cover upon climate locally in the Southwest, in so far as this influence might be of importance in the management of timberlands and the possible afforestation of parks and denuded areas. Since the bearing upon forestry rather than upon meteorology is the...

Habitat monitoring and conservation prioritisation of protected areas in Western Ghats, Kerala, India.

PubMed

Athira, K; Reddy, C Sudhakar; Saranya, K R L; Joseph, Shijo; Jaishanker, R

2017-06-01

Spatially explicit approach is essential to prioritise the ecosystems for biodiversity conservation. In the present study, the conservation status of 20 protected areas of the Western Ghats of Kerala, India, was analysed based on long-term changes in forests (1975-1985-1995-2005-2013), landscape level changes in fragmentation and forest fires (2005-2015). This study has shown that a significant forest loss occurred in protected areas before declaration. Idukki is one of the major protected areas which showed a drastic reduction (18.83%) in its forest cover. During 1985-1995, Periyar tiger reserve had lost 24.19 km 2 core 3 forest area followed by Peppara (18.54 km 2 ), Parambikulam (17.93 km 2 ), Chimmony (17.71 km 2 ), Peechi-Vazhani (12.31 km 2 ) and Neyyar (11.67 km 2 ). An area of 71.33 km 2 of the protected area was affected by fires in 2014. Overall protected area-wise decadal analysis indicates Periyar has the highest number of fire incidences followed by Wayanad, Kurinjimala, Silent Valley and Eravikulam. Disturbances in the form of fires and fragmentation still exist and may have significant conservation threat to flora and fauna. Among protected areas, many are having a probability to go under threat or dynamic stage. Chinnar, Thattekkad and Kurinjimala sanctuaries are representing high levels of vulnerability, or they are near to decline stage. Habitat level monitoring of the anthropogenic disturbances can be efficiently useful for the strategic conservation planning. The present study has provided geospatial database on spatial patterns of deforestation, fragmentation and forest fires in protected areas of Kerala. Conservation prioritization approach based on these parameters will be useful for the strategic planning in the state of Kerala.

Somatic and Functional Status of Boys from Various Social and Environmental Categories

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Domaradzki, Jaroslaw; Ignasiak, Zofia; Slawinska, Teresa

2009-01-01

Study aim: To assess the somatic and fitness status of adolescent boys from polluted industrial areas. Material and methods: A group of 313 boys aged 11-15 years from 5 villages located in the copper mine area in South-Western Poland were classified by the degree of lead and cadmium pollution (high--very high) and by parents' education…

Language Attitudes of Asturian Students in the Area of Navia-Eo (Spain)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

González-Riaño, Xosé; Hevia-Artime, Isabel; Fernández-Costales, Alberto

2013-01-01

This paper presents a synthesis of a pioneering study that approaches the sociolinguistic and educational reality of the area of Navia-Eo, a region in the western part of Asturias (Spain). This research aims to provide an insight into the language attitudes and the sociolinguistic awareness of students in the final year of primary education. Using…

Emperor Ashoka of India: What Makes a Ruler Legitimate? A Unit of Study for Grades 7-12.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Johnson, Jean Elliott; Johnson, Donald James

During the age of agriculturally based empires, various conquerors from the western Mediterranean to East Asia brought large population areas under their own centralized authority. Gradually many of these conquerors came to realize that, although military might was necessary to gain control over an area, sheer force of arms was not sufficient to…

Regional synchroneity in fire regimes of western Oregon and Washington, USA.

Treesearch

P.J. Weisberg; F.J. Swanson

2003-01-01

For much of the world's forested area, the history of fire has significant implications for understanding forest dynamics over stand to regional scales. We analyzed temporal patterns of area burned at 25-year intervals over a 600-year period, using 10 treering-based fire history studies located west of the crest of the Cascade Range in the Pacific Northwest (PNW...

Mitochondrial DNA Reveals Genetic Structuring of Pinna nobilis across the Mediterranean Sea

PubMed Central

Sanna, Daria; Cossu, Piero; Dedola, Gian Luca; Scarpa, Fabio; Maltagliati, Ferruccio; Castelli, Alberto; Franzoi, Piero; Lai, Tiziana; Cristo, Benedetto; Curini-Galletti, Marco; Francalacci, Paolo; Casu, Marco

2013-01-01

Pinna nobilis is the largest endemic Mediterranean marine bivalve. During past centuries, various human activities have promoted the regression of its populations. As a consequence of stringent standards of protection, demographic expansions are currently reported in many sites. The aim of this study was to provide the first large broad-scale insight into the genetic variability of P. nobilis in the area that encompasses the western Mediterranean, Ionian Sea, and Adriatic Sea marine ecoregions. To accomplish this objective twenty-five populations from this area were surveyed using two mitochondrial DNA markers (COI and 16S). Our dataset was then merged with those obtained in other studies for the Aegean and Tunisian populations (eastern Mediterranean), and statistical analyses (Bayesian model-based clustering, median-joining network, AMOVA, mismatch distribution, Tajima’s and Fu’s neutrality tests and Bayesian skyline plots) were performed. The results revealed genetic divergence among three distinguishable areas: (1) western Mediterranean and Ionian Sea; (2) Adriatic Sea; and (3) Aegean Sea and Tunisian coastal areas. From a conservational point of view, populations from the three genetically divergent groups found may be considered as different management units. PMID:23840684

Isotopic and chemical studies of early crustal metasedimentary rocks

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jacobsen, Stein B.

1988-01-01

The aim, within the bounds of the Early Crustal Genesis Project, was the isotopic and chemical study of selected early crustal meta-sedimentary rocks. Western Australia was chosen as the first field area to examine, as the Yilgarn and Pilbara Blocks comprise one of the largest and most varied Precambrian terranes. Furthermore, the Western Gneiss Terrane (on the western flank of the Yilgarn Block) and the Pilbara Block are both non-greenstone in character; these types of terrane were relatively neglected, but are of great significance in the understanding of early crustal meta-sediments. The meta-sediments of aluminous or peraluminous character, commonly also enriched in Mg and/or Fe relative to the more common pelitic meta-sediments, and at many locations, deficient in one or more of the elements Ca, N, and K, were initially chosen.

Sidescan-Sonar Imagery and Surficial Geologic Interpretations of the Sea Floor in Western Rhode Island Sound

USGS Publications Warehouse

McMullen, K.Y.; Poppe, L.J.; Haupt, T.A.; Crocker, J.M.

2009-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) have been working together to interpret sea-floor geology along the northeastern coast of the United States. In 2004, the NOAA Ship RUDE completed survey H11322, a sidescan-sonar and bathymetric survey that covers about 60 square kilometers of the sea floor in western Rhode Island Sound. This report interprets sidescan-sonar and bathymetric data from NOAA survey H11322 to delineate sea-floor features and sedimentary environments in the study area. Paleozoic bedrock and Cretaceous Coastal Plain sediments in Rhode Island Sound underlie Pleistocene glacial drift that affects the distribution of surficial Holocene marine and transgressional sediments. The study area has three bathymetric highs separated by a channel system. Features and patterns in the sidescan-sonar imagery include low, moderate, and high backscatter; sand waves; scarps; erosional outliers; boulders; trawl marks; and dredge spoils. Four sedimentary environments in the study area, based on backscatter and bathymetric features, include those characterized by erosion or nondeposition, coarse-grained bedload transport, sorting and reworking, and deposition. Environments characterized by erosion or nondeposition and coarse-grained bedload transport are located in shallower areas and environments characterized by deposition are located in deeper areas; environments characterized by sorting and reworking processes are generally located at moderate depths.

Climate oscillations, glacial refugia, and dispersal ability: factors influencing the genetic structure of the least salmonfly, Pteronarcella badia (Plecoptera), in Western North America.

PubMed

Sproul, John S; Houston, Derek D; Nelson, C Riley; Evans, R Paul; Crandall, Keith A; Shiozawa, Dennis K

2015-12-12

Phylogeographic studies of aquatic insects provide valuable insights into mechanisms that shape the genetic structure of communities, yet studies that include broad geographic areas are uncommon for this group. We conducted a broad scale phylogeographic analysis of the least salmonfly Pteronarcella badia (Plecoptera) across western North America. We tested hypotheses related to mode of dispersal and the influence of historic climate oscillations on population genetic structure. In order to generate a larger mitochondrial data set, we used 454 sequencing to reconstruct the complete mitochondrial genome in the early stages of the project. Our analysis revealed high levels of population structure with several deeply divergent clades present across the sample area. Evidence from five mitochondrial genes and one nuclear locus identified a potentially cryptic lineage in the Pacific Northwest. Gene flow estimates and geographic clade distributions suggest that overland flight during the winged adult stage is an important dispersal mechanism for this taxon. We found evidence of multiple glacial refugia across the species distribution and signs of secondary contact within and among major clades. This study provides a basis for future studies of aquatic insect phylogeography at the inter-basin scale in western North America. Our findings add to an understanding of the role of historical climate isolations in shaping assemblages of aquatic insects in this region. We identified several geographic areas that may have historical importance for other aquatic organisms with similar distributions and dispersal strategies as P. badia. This work adds to the ever-growing list of studies that highlight the potential of next-generation DNA sequencing in a phylogenetic context to improve molecular data sets from understudied groups.

Oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma - characteristics and survival in aboriginal and non-aboriginal Western australians.

PubMed

Frydrych, A M; Slack-Smith, L M; Parsons, R; Threlfall, T

2014-01-01

Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) is the most common type of malignancy affecting the oral cavity. While exposures to main risk factors for oral SCC such as smoking and alcohol use are higher amongst the Aboriginal people, little is known about oral cancer in this population. This study aimed to describe characteristics and survival of oral SCC in Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal Western Australians. All primary oral SCC cases reported to the Western Australian Cancer Registry (WACR) between 1990 and 1999 were analysed with respect to person characteristics including: date of birth, sex and indigenous status; and disease characteristics including: date of biopsy, disease stage and site as well as date of recurrence and date of death. Exclusion criteria included diagnosis not based on incisional or excisional biopsy, diagnosis other than oral SCC or a history of another malignant neoplasm. Aboriginal individuals were more likely to reside in rural areas. No statistically significant differences in oral SCC characteristics and survival were noted between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal Western Australians. This study provides new information on person and disease characteristics of Aboriginal Western Australians diagnosed with oral SCC.

Performance of some biotic indices in the real variable world: a case study at different spatial scales in North-Western Mediterranean Sea.

PubMed

Tataranni, Mariella; Lardicci, Claudio

2010-01-01

The aim of this study was to analyse the variability of four different benthic biotic indices (AMBI, BENTIX, H', M-AMBI) in two marine coastal areas of the North-Western Mediterranean Sea. In each coastal area, 36 replicates were randomly selected according to a hierarchical sampling design, which allowed estimating the variance components of the indices associated with four different spatial scales (ranging from metres to kilometres). All the analyses were performed at two different sampling periods in order to evaluate if the observed trends were consistent over the time. The variance components of the four indices revealed complex trends and different patterns in the two sampling periods. These results highlighted that independently from the employed index, a rigorous and appropriate sampling design taking into account different scales should always be used in order to avoid erroneous classifications and to develop effective monitoring programs.

A geographic information system applied to a malaria field study in western Kenya.

PubMed

Hightower, A W; Ombok, M; Otieno, R; Odhiambo, R; Oloo, A J; Lal, A A; Nahlen, B L; Hawley, W A

1998-03-01

This paper describes use of the global positioning system (GPS) in differential mode (DGPS) to obtain highly accurate longitudes, latitudes, and altitudes of 1,169 houses, 15 schools, 40 churches, four health care centers, 48 major mosquito breeding sites, 10 borehole wells, seven shopping areas, major roads, streams, the shore of Lake Victoria, and other geographic features of interest associated with a longitudinal study of malaria in 15 villages in western Kenya. The area mapped encompassed approximately 70 km2 and included 42.0 km of roads, 54.3 km of streams, and 15.0 km of lake shore. Location data were entered into a geographic information system for map production and linkage with various databases for spatial analyses. Spatial analyses using parasitologic and entomologic data are presented as examples. Background information on DGPS is presented along with estimates of effort and expense to produce the map information.

Hydrogeological framework and water balance studies in parts of Krishni Yamuna interstream area, Western Uttar Pradesh, India

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ahmed, Izrar; Umar, Rashid

2008-02-01

The Krishni Yamuna interstream area is a micro-watershed in the Central Ganga Plain and a highly fertile track of Western Uttar Pradesh. The Sugarcane and wheat are the major crops of the area. Aquifers of Quaternary age form the major source of Irrigation and municipal water supplies. A detailed hydrogeological investigation was carried out in the study area with an objective to assess aquifer framework, groundwater quality and its resource potential. The hydrogeological cross section reveals occurrence of alternate layers of clay and sand. Aquifer broadly behaves as a single bodied aquifer down to the depth of 100 m bgl (metre below ground level) as the clay layers laterally pinch out. The depth to water in the area varies between 5 and 16.5 m bgl. The general groundwater flow direction is from NE to SW with few local variations. An attempt has been made to evaluate groundwater resources of the area. The water budget method focuses on the various components contributing to groundwater flow and groundwater storage changes. Changes in ground water storage can be attributed to rainfall recharge, irrigation return flow and ground water inflow to the basin minus baseflow (ground water discharge to streams or springs), evapotranspiration from ground water, pumping and ground water outflow from the basin. The recharge is obtained in the study area using Water table fluctuation and Tritium methods. The results of water balance study show that the total recharge in to the interstream region is of the order of 185.25 million m3 and discharge from the study area is of the order of 203.24 million m3, leaving a deficit balance of -17.99 million m3. Therefore, the present status of groundwater development in the present study area has acquired the declining trend. Thus, the hydrogeological analysis and water balance studies shows that the groundwater development has attained a critical state in the region.

77 FR 8759 - International Fisheries; Western and Central Pacific Fisheries for Highly Migratory Species...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-02-15

... Convention on the Conservation and Management of Highly Migratory Fish Stocks in the Western and Central... Management Area'' (Eastern SMA) and requirements relating to discards from purse seine fishing vessels. This... and Management of Highly Migratory Fish Stocks in the Western and Central Pacific Ocean (Commission or...

33 CFR 334.1130 - Pacific Ocean, Western Space and Missile Center (WSMC), Vandenberg AFB, Calif.; danger zones.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... Missile Center (WSMC), Vandenberg AFB, Calif.; danger zones. 334.1130 Section 334.1130 Navigation and... RESTRICTED AREA REGULATIONS § 334.1130 Pacific Ocean, Western Space and Missile Center (WSMC), Vandenberg AFB... Point Arguello, unless prior permission is obtained from the Commander, Western Space and Missile Center...

33 CFR 334.1130 - Pacific Ocean, Western Space and Missile Center (WSMC), Vandenberg AFB, Calif.; danger zones.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... Missile Center (WSMC), Vandenberg AFB, Calif.; danger zones. 334.1130 Section 334.1130 Navigation and... RESTRICTED AREA REGULATIONS § 334.1130 Pacific Ocean, Western Space and Missile Center (WSMC), Vandenberg AFB... Point Arguello, unless prior permission is obtained from the Commander, Western Space and Missile Center...

33 CFR 334.1130 - Pacific Ocean, Western Space and Missile Center (WSMC), Vandenberg AFB, Calif.; danger zones.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... Missile Center (WSMC), Vandenberg AFB, Calif.; danger zones. 334.1130 Section 334.1130 Navigation and... RESTRICTED AREA REGULATIONS § 334.1130 Pacific Ocean, Western Space and Missile Center (WSMC), Vandenberg AFB... Point Arguello, unless prior permission is obtained from the Commander, Western Space and Missile Center...

33 CFR 334.1130 - Pacific Ocean, Western Space and Missile Center (WSMC), Vandenberg AFB, Calif.; danger zones.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... Missile Center (WSMC), Vandenberg AFB, Calif.; danger zones. 334.1130 Section 334.1130 Navigation and... RESTRICTED AREA REGULATIONS § 334.1130 Pacific Ocean, Western Space and Missile Center (WSMC), Vandenberg AFB... Point Arguello, unless prior permission is obtained from the Commander, Western Space and Missile Center...

33 CFR 334.1130 - Pacific Ocean, Western Space and Missile Center (WSMC), Vandenberg AFB, Calif.; danger zones.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... Missile Center (WSMC), Vandenberg AFB, Calif.; danger zones. 334.1130 Section 334.1130 Navigation and... RESTRICTED AREA REGULATIONS § 334.1130 Pacific Ocean, Western Space and Missile Center (WSMC), Vandenberg AFB... Point Arguello, unless prior permission is obtained from the Commander, Western Space and Missile Center...

Management of western dwarf mistletoe in ponderosa and Jeffrey pines in forest recreation areas

Treesearch

Robert F. Scharpf; Richard S. Smith; Detlev Vogler

1988-01-01

Pines on many high value recreational sites in the Western United States suffer damage and death from western dwarf mistletoe (Arceuthobium campylopodum Engelm.). Dwarf mistletoe alone, however, is not solely responsible. Other pests and environmental conditions interact with dwarf mistletoe to damage and kill trees. An integrated pest management...

76 FR 47180 - Pick-Sloan Missouri Basin Program-Eastern Division-2021 Power Marketing Initiative Proposal

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-08-04

... marketing plan principles. The comment period for the proposed 2021 PMI ended on May 4, 2011. Western... customers the opportunity to review current marketing plan principles and provide informal input to Western... Division--2021 Power Marketing Initiative Proposal AGENCY: Western Area Power Administration, DOE. ACTION...

Preliminary investigation of the hazard faced by Western Australia from tsunami generated along the Sunda Arc

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Burbidge, D.; Cummins, P. R.

2005-12-01

Since the Boxing Day tsunami various countries surrounding the Indian Ocean have been investigating the potential hazard from trans-Indian Ocean tsunami generated along the Sunda Arc, south of Indonesia. This study presents some preliminary estimates of the tsunami hazard faced by Western Australia from tsunami generated along the Arc. To estimate the hazard, a suite of tsunami spaced evenly along the subduction zone to the south of Indonesia were numerically modelled. Offshore wave heights from tsunami generated in this region are significantly higher along northwestern part of the Western Australian coast from Exmouth to the Kimberly than they are along the rest of the coast south of Exmouth. Due to the offshore bathymetry, the area around Onslow in particular may face a higher tsunami than other areas the West Australian coast. Earthquakes between Java and Timor are likely to produce the greatest hazard to northwest WA. Earthquakes off Sumatra are likely the main source of tsunami hazard to locations south of Exmouth, however the hazard here is likely to be lower than that along the north western part of the West Australian coast. Tsunami generated by other sources (eg large intra-plate events, volcanoes, landslides and asteroids) could threaten other parts of the coast.

Call types of Bigg's killer whales (Orcinus orca) in western Alaska: Using vocal dialects to assess population structure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sharpe, Deborah Lynn

Apex predators are important indicators of ecosystem health, but little is known about the population structure of Bigg's killer whales ( Orcinus orca; i.e. 'transient' ecotype) in western Alaska. Currently, all Bigg's killer whales in western Alaska are ascribed to a single broad stock for management under the US Marine Mammal Protection Act. However, recent nuclear microsatellite and mitochondrial DNA analyses indicate that this stock is likely comprised of genetically distinct sub-populations. In accordance with what is known about killer whale vocal dialects in other locations, I sought to evaluate Bigg's killer whale population structure by examining the spatial distribution of group-specific call types in western Alaska. Digital audio recordings were collected from 33 encounters with Bigg's killer whales throughout the Aleutian and Pribilof Islands in the summers of 2001-2007 and 2009-2010. Recorded calls were perceptually classified into discrete types and then quantitatively described using 12 structural and time-frequency measures. Resulting call categories were objectively validated using a random forest approach. A total of 36 call types and subtypes were identified across the entire study area, and regional patterns of call type usage revealed three distinct dialects, each of which corresponding to proposed genetic delineations. I suggest that at least three acoustically and genetically distinct subpopulations are present in western Alaska, and put forth an initial catalog for this area describing the regional vocal repertoires of Bigg's killer whale call types.

Dwarf mistletoe affects whole-tree water relations of Douglas fir and western larch primarily through changes in leaf to sapwood ratios.

PubMed

Sala, Anna; Carey, Eileen V; Callaway, Ragan M

2001-01-01

Dwarf mistletoes induce abnormal growth patterns and extreme changes in the biomass allocation of their hosts as well as directly parasitizing them for resources. Because biomass allocation can affect the resource use and efficiency of conifers, we studied the influences of dwarf mistletoe infection on above-ground biomass allocation of Douglas fir and western larch, and the consequences of such changes on whole-tree water use and water relations. Sap flow, tree water potentials, leaf:sapwood area ratios (A L :A S ), leaf carbon isotope ratios, and nitrogen content were measured on Douglas fir and western larch trees with various degrees of mistletoe infection during the summer of 1996 in western Montana. Heavy dwarf mistletoe infection on Douglas fir and western larch was related to significant increases in A L :A S . Correspondingly, water transport dynamics were altered in infected trees, but responses were different for the two species. Higher A L :A S ratios in heavily infected Douglas firs were offset by increases in sapwood area-based sap flux densities (Q SW ) such that leaf area-based sap flux densities (Q L ) and predawn leaf water potentials at the end of the summer did not change significantly with mistletoe infection. Small (but statistically insignificant) decreases of Q L for heavily infected Douglas firs were enough to offset increases in leaf area such that whole-tree water use was similar for uninfected and heavily infected trees. Increased A L :A S ratios of heavily infected western larch were not offset by increases of Q SW . Consequently, Q L was reduced, which corresponded with significant decreases of water potential at the end of the summer. Furthermore, mistletoe-infection-related changes in A L :A S as a function of tree size resulted in greater whole-tree water use for large infected larches than for large uninfected trees. Such changes may result in further depletion of limited soil water resources in mature infected stands late in the growing season. Foliage from infected trees of both species had lower water use efficiencies than non-infected trees. Our results demonstrate substantial changes of whole-tree processes related to mistletoe infection, and stress the importance of integrating whole-tree physiological and structural processes to fully understand the mechanisms by which pathogens suppress forest productivity.

Carbon Impacts of Fire- and Bark Beetle-Caused Tree Mortality across the Western US using the Community Land Model (Invited)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Meddens, A. J.; Hicke, J. A.; Edburg, S. L.; Lawrence, D. M.

2013-12-01

Wildfires and bark beetle outbreaks cause major forest disturbances in the western US, affecting ecosystem productivity and thereby impacting forest carbon cycling and future climate. Despite the large spatial extent of tree mortality, quantifying carbon flux dynamics following fires and bark beetles over larger areas is challenging because of forest heterogeneity, varying disturbance severities, and field observation limitations. The objective of our study is to estimate these dynamics across the western US using the Community Land Model (version CLM4.5-BGC). CLM4.5-BGC is a land ecosystem model that mechanistically represents the exchanges of energy, water, carbon, and nitrogen with the atmosphere. The most recent iteration of the model has been expanded to include vertically resolved soil biogeochemistry and includes improved nitrogen cycle representations including nitrification and denitrification and biological fixation as well as improved canopy processes including photosynthesis. Prior to conducting simulations, we modified CLM4.5-BGC to include the effects of bark beetle-caused tree mortality on carbon and nitrogen stocks and fluxes. Once modified, we conducted paired simulations (with and without) fire- and bark beetle-caused tree mortality by using regional data sets of observed mortality as inputs. Bark beetle-caused tree mortality was prescribed from a data set derived from US Forest Service aerial surveys from 1997 to 2010. Annual tree mortality area was produced from observed tree mortality caused by bark beetles and was adjusted for underestimation. Fires were prescribed using the Monitoring Trends in Burn Severity (MTBS) database from 1984 to 2010. Annual tree mortality area was produced from forest cover maps and inclusion of moderate- and high-severity burned areas. Simulations show that maximum yearly reduction of net ecosystem productivity (NEP) caused by bark beetles is approximately 20 Tg C for the western US. Fires cause similar reductions in NEP, although the temporal pattern is different. The reductions in NEP from these major disturbances are similar to the variation in NEP caused by climatic conditions. When less favorable climatic conditions and these disturbances are co-occurring, forests switch from a carbon sink to a carbon source across the western US. This work increases understanding of the role of natural disturbances in the forest carbon budget of the western US.

Effects of trans-Eurasian transport of air pollutants on surface ozone concentrations over Western China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Xiaoyuan; Liu, Junfeng; Mauzerall, Denise L.; Emmons, Louisa K.; Walters, Stacy; Horowitz, Larry W.; Tao, Shu

2014-11-01

Due to a lack of industrialization in Western China, surface air there was, until recently, believed to be relatively unpolluted. However, recent measurements and modeling studies have found high levels of ozone (O3) there. Based on the state-of-the-science global chemical transport model MOZART-4, we identify the origin, pathway, and mechanism of trans-Eurasian transport of air pollutants to Western China in 2000. MOZART-4 generally simulates well the observed surface O3 over inland areas of China. Simulations find surface ozone concentrations over Western China on average to be about 10 ppbv higher than Eastern China. Using sensitivity studies, we find that anthropogenic emissions from all Eurasian regions except China contribute 10-15 ppbv surface O3 over Western China, superimposed upon a 35-40 ppbv natural background. Transport from European anthropogenic sources to Northwestern China results in 2-6 ppbv O3 enhancements in spring and summer. Indian anthropogenic sources strongly influence O3 over the Tibetan Plateau during the summer monsoon. Transport of O3 originating from emissions in the Middle East occasionally reach Western China and increase surface ozone there by about 1-4 ppbv. These influences are of similar magnitude as trans-Pacific and transatlantic transport of O3 and its precursors, indicating the significance of trans-Eurasian ozone transport in hemispheric transport of air pollution. Our study further indicates that mitigation of anthropogenic emissions from Europe, the Indian subcontinent, and the Middle East could benefit public health and agricultural productivity in Western China.

Analysis of electrical accidents and the related causes involving citizens who are served by the Western of Tehran

PubMed Central

Kalte, Haji Omid; Hosseini, Alireza Haji; Arabzadeh, Sara; Najafi, Hossein; Dehghan, Naser; Akbarzadeh, Arash; Keshavarz, Safiyeh; Karchani, Mohsen

2014-01-01

Background: Electrical burns account for a significant percentage of fatal accidents. Each year, a number of consumers in Iran suffer from electrical injuries due to technical problems, equipment failures, and the unauthorized use of electricity. The aim of this study was to examine the root causes of accidents that involved electricity in the district served by the Western Tehran Province Electricity Distribution Company. Methods: This was a descriptive study in which incidents involving electricity-related injuries were investigated among customers served by the Western Tehran Province Electricity Distribution Company. Therefore, we collected and analyzed incident reports filed by citizens from 2005 through the first half of 2009 in the Distribution Company’s coverage area, including Savejbolagh, Shahriyar, eastern Karaj, Qods City, southern Karaj, western Karaj, Malard, and Mehrshahr. The reported events were analyzed using SPSS software. Results: Exposure of electricity lines and unauthorized construction of residential houses in areas where there were medium- and low-voltage lines were responsible for 37% of the injuries. The findings showed that the highest rate of accidents occurred in 2008 and the first half of 2009. The highest rate of accidents occurred among people with a mean age of 35. Conclusion: The results from investigating the causes of electrical accidents emphasized the necessity of developing a culture of safety in communities, especially among employees who are engaged in occupations related to electricity, construction workers, and school children to reduce the rate of such accidents. PMID:25763153

Federal Regulations and Higher Education Institutions: Comments from Western Colleges and Universities. A Report Prepared by the Staff of the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education for the U.S. Secretary of Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education, Boulder, CO.

The opinions of representatives of 108 western colleges and universities concerning federal regulations in general, and Department of Education regulations in particular, were surveyed. The following areas of federal regulation appear to be of greatest concern to the western colleges and universities: student assistance, especially Pell Grants and…

Water quality mapping of Laguna de Bay and its watershed, Philippines

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saito, S.; Nakano, T.; Shin, K.; Maruyama, S.; Miyakawa, C.; Yaota, K.; Kada, R.

2011-12-01

Laguna de Bay (or Laguna Lake) is the largest lake in the Philippines, with a surface area of 900 km2 and its watershed area of 2920 km2 (Santos-Borja, 2005). It is located on the southwest part of the Luzon Island and its watershed contains 5 provinces, 49 municipalities and 12 cities, including parts of Metropolitan Manila. The water quality in Laguna de Bay has significantly deteriorated due to pollution from soil erosion, effluents from chemical industries, and household discharges. In this study, we performed multiple element analysis of water samples in the lake and its watersheds for chemical mapping, which allows us to evaluate the regional distribution of elements including toxic heavy metals such as Cd, Pb and As. We collected water samples from 24 locations in Laguna de Bay and 160 locations from rivers in the watersheds. The sampling sites of river are mainly downstreams around the lake, which covers from urbanized areas to rural areas. We also collected well water samples from 17 locations, spring water samples from 10 locations, and tap water samples from 21 locations in order to compare their data with the river and lake samples and to assess the quality of household use waters. The samples were collected in dry season of the study area (March 13 - 17 and May 2 - 9, 2011). The analysis was performed at the Research Institute for Humanity and Nature (RIHN), Japan. The concentrations of the major components (Cl, NO3, SO4, Ca, Mg, Na, and K) dissolved in the samples were determined with ion chromatograph (Dionex Corporation ICS-3000). We also analyzed major and trace elements (Li, B, Na, Mg, Al, Si, P, K, Ca, Sc, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn Ga, Ge, As, Se, Rb, Sr, Y, Zr, Mo, Ag, Cd, Sn, Sb, Cs, Ba, La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb, Lu, W, Pb and U) with inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS, Agilent Technologies 7500cx). The element concentrations of rivers are characterized by remarkable regional variations. For example, heavy metals such as Ni, Cd and Pb are markedly high in the western region as compared to the eastern region implying that the chemical variation reflects the urbanization in the western region. On the other hand, As contents is relatively high in the south of the lake and some inflowing rivers in the area. The higher concentration of As is also observed in the spring water samples in the area. Therefore, the source of As in the area is probably natural origin rather than anthropogenic. Although river water samples in western watersheds have high concentrations of heavy metals, the lake water samples in western area of the lake are not remarkably high in heavy metals. This inconsistency implies that the heavy metals flowed into the western lake from heavy metal-enriched rives have precipitated on the bottom of the lake. The polluted sediments may induce the pollution of benthos resulting in increase of the risks of food pollution through the bioaccumulation in the ecosystem.

Pharmacokinetic Profiles of Ticagrelor Orodispersible Tablets in Healthy Western and Japanese Subjects.

PubMed

Teng, Renli; Hammarberg, Maria; Carlson, Glenn F; Bokelund-Singh, Sara; Ruderfelt, Terese; Blychert, Eva

2017-11-01

Ticagrelor is an antiplatelet agent for patients with acute coronary syndrome or a history of myocardial infarction. Two studies compared pharmacokinetic profiles of orodispersible (OD) ticagrelor tablets versus immediate-release (IR) tablets in Western and Japanese subjects. Both studies were open-label, randomized, crossover, single-center trials. Thirty-six healthy subjects (94% white, 6% other race; Western study NCT02400333) and 42 Japanese healthy subjects (Japanese study NCT02436577) received a single 90-mg ticagrelor dose as an OD tablet [with/without water, and via a nasogastric tube (Western study only)], and an IR tablet; washout between treatments was ≥7 days. Assessments included ticagrelor and AR-C124910XX (active metabolite) plasma concentrations for pharmacokinetic analyses, and safety evaluations. In the Western study, the 90% confidence intervals (CIs) of the geometric mean ratios (GMRs) for ticagrelor and AR-C124910XX maximum plasma concentration (C max ) and area under the plasma concentration-time curve (AUC) were within the acceptance interval (80%-125%) for OD tablets (with/without water, via a nasogastric tube) versus the IR tablet; except for an ~15% lowering of ticagrelor C max (90% CI: 76.77%-93.78%) for the OD tablet taken with water. In the Japanese study, 90% CIs of the GMRs for AUC and C max of both ticagrelor and AR-C124910XX were all within the acceptance intervals for the OD (with/without water) versus IR tablet. No new safety issues were identified. Ticagrelor administered as an OD tablet to Western (without water, and via a nasogastric tube) and Japanese (with/without water) subjects was bioequivalent to the IR tablet.

33 CFR 167.404 - Off San Francisco: Western approach.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... SECURITY (CONTINUED) PORTS AND WATERWAYS SAFETY OFFSHORE TRAFFIC SEPARATION SCHEMES Description of Traffic Separation Schemes and Precautionary Areas Pacific West Coast § 167.404 Off San Francisco: Western approach...

33 CFR 167.404 - Off San Francisco: Western approach.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... SECURITY (CONTINUED) PORTS AND WATERWAYS SAFETY OFFSHORE TRAFFIC SEPARATION SCHEMES Description of Traffic Separation Schemes and Precautionary Areas Pacific West Coast § 167.404 Off San Francisco: Western approach...

33 CFR 167.404 - Off San Francisco: Western approach.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... SECURITY (CONTINUED) PORTS AND WATERWAYS SAFETY OFFSHORE TRAFFIC SEPARATION SCHEMES Description of Traffic Separation Schemes and Precautionary Areas Pacific West Coast § 167.404 Off San Francisco: Western approach...

33 CFR 167.404 - Off San Francisco: Western approach.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... SECURITY (CONTINUED) PORTS AND WATERWAYS SAFETY OFFSHORE TRAFFIC SEPARATION SCHEMES Description of Traffic Separation Schemes and Precautionary Areas Pacific West Coast § 167.404 Off San Francisco: Western approach...

33 CFR 167.404 - Off San Francisco: Western approach.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... SECURITY (CONTINUED) PORTS AND WATERWAYS SAFETY OFFSHORE TRAFFIC SEPARATION SCHEMES Description of Traffic Separation Schemes and Precautionary Areas Pacific West Coast § 167.404 Off San Francisco: Western approach...

Deep-water lithofacies and conodont faunas of the Lisburne Group, western Brooks Range, Alaska: A section in Geologic studies in Alaska by the U.S. Geological Survey, 1992

USGS Publications Warehouse

Dumoulin, Julie A.; Harris, Anita G.; Schmidt, Jeanine M.

1993-01-01

Deep-water lithofacies of the Lisburne Group occur in thrust sheets in the western part of the foreland fold and thrust belt of the Brooks Range and represent at least three discrete units. The Kuna Formation (Brooks Range allochthon) consists mostly of spiculitic mudstone and lesser shale; subordinate carbonate layers are chiefly diagenetic dolomite. Predominantly shale sections of the Kuna that contain few sponge spicules occur in the western part of the study area. The Akmalik Chert (Picnic Creek allochthon) is mostly radiolarian-spiculitic chert; rare limy beds are calcitized radiolarite. The Rim Butte unit (Ipnavik River allochthon) consists chiefly of calcareous turbidites, derived from both shallow- and deep-water sources, interbedded with spiculitic mudstone. Much of the material in the turbidites came from a contemporaneous carbonate platform and margin, but some fossils and lithic clasts were eroded from older, already lithified carbonate-platform rocks. All three units appear to be roughly coeval and are chiefly Osagean (late Early Mississippian) in age in the study area.Shallow-water lithofacies of the Lisburne Group exposed in the Howard Pass area (Brooks Range allochthon) are mostly of Meramecian (early Late Mississippian) age. Thus, these carbonate-platform rocks were not the source of the calcareous turbidites in the Rim Butte unit. Rim Butte turbidites could have been derived from older platform carbonate rocks such as those of the Utukok Formation (Kelly River allochthon) exposed mainly to the west of the Howard Pass quadrangle.

Traditional use of medicinal plants among the tribal communities of Chhota Bhangal, Western Himalaya

PubMed Central

Uniyal, Sanjay Kr; Singh, KN; Jamwal, Pankaj; Lal, Brij

2006-01-01

The importance of medicinal plants in traditional healthcare practices, providing clues to new areas of research and in biodiversity conservation is now well recognized. However, information on the uses for plants for medicine is lacking from many interior areas of Himalaya. Keeping this in view the present study was initiated in a tribal dominated hinterland of western Himalaya. The study aimed to look into the diversity of plant resources that are used by local people for curing various ailments. Questionnaire surveys, participatory observations and field visits were planned to illicit information on the uses of various plants. It was found that 35 plant species are commonly used by local people for curing various diseases. In most of the cases (45%) under ground part of the plant was used. New medicinal uses of Ranunculus hirtellus and Anemone rupicola are reported from this area. Similarly, preparation of "sik" a traditional recipe served as a nutritious diet to pregnant women is also not documented elsewhere. Implication of developmental activities and changing socio-economic conditions on the traditional knowledge are also discussed. PMID:16545146

Tsunami Simulations in the Western Makran Using Hypothetical Heterogeneous Source Models from World's Great Earthquakes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rashidi, Amin; Shomali, Zaher Hossein; Keshavarz Farajkhah, Nasser

2018-03-01

The western segment of Makran subduction zone is characterized with almost no major seismicity and no large earthquake for several centuries. A possible episode for this behavior is that this segment is currently locked accumulating energy to generate possible great future earthquakes. Taking into account this assumption, a hypothetical rupture area is considered in the western Makran to set different tsunamigenic scenarios. Slip distribution models of four recent tsunamigenic earthquakes, i.e. 2015 Chile M w 8.3, 2011 Tohoku-Oki M w 9.0 (using two different scenarios) and 2006 Kuril Islands M w 8.3, are scaled into the rupture area in the western Makran zone. The numerical modeling is performed to evaluate near-field and far-field tsunami hazards. Heterogeneity in slip distribution results in higher tsunami amplitudes. However, its effect reduces from local tsunamis to regional and distant tsunamis. Among all considered scenarios for the western Makran, only a similar tsunamigenic earthquake to the 2011 Tohoku-Oki event can re-produce a significant far-field tsunami and is considered as the worst case scenario. The potential of a tsunamigenic source is dominated by the degree of slip heterogeneity and the location of greatest slip on the rupture area. For the scenarios with similar slip patterns, the mean slip controls their relative power. Our conclusions also indicate that along the entire Makran coasts, the southeastern coast of Iran is the most vulnerable area subjected to tsunami hazard.

Tsunami Simulations in the Western Makran Using Hypothetical Heterogeneous Source Models from World's Great Earthquakes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rashidi, Amin; Shomali, Zaher Hossein; Keshavarz Farajkhah, Nasser

2018-04-01

The western segment of Makran subduction zone is characterized with almost no major seismicity and no large earthquake for several centuries. A possible episode for this behavior is that this segment is currently locked accumulating energy to generate possible great future earthquakes. Taking into account this assumption, a hypothetical rupture area is considered in the western Makran to set different tsunamigenic scenarios. Slip distribution models of four recent tsunamigenic earthquakes, i.e. 2015 Chile M w 8.3, 2011 Tohoku-Oki M w 9.0 (using two different scenarios) and 2006 Kuril Islands M w 8.3, are scaled into the rupture area in the western Makran zone. The numerical modeling is performed to evaluate near-field and far-field tsunami hazards. Heterogeneity in slip distribution results in higher tsunami amplitudes. However, its effect reduces from local tsunamis to regional and distant tsunamis. Among all considered scenarios for the western Makran, only a similar tsunamigenic earthquake to the 2011 Tohoku-Oki event can re-produce a significant far-field tsunami and is considered as the worst case scenario. The potential of a tsunamigenic source is dominated by the degree of slip heterogeneity and the location of greatest slip on the rupture area. For the scenarios with similar slip patterns, the mean slip controls their relative power. Our conclusions also indicate that along the entire Makran coasts, the southeastern coast of Iran is the most vulnerable area subjected to tsunami hazard.

Impact of anthropogenic climate change on wildfire across western US forests

PubMed Central

Williams, A. Park

2016-01-01

Increased forest fire activity across the western continental United States (US) in recent decades has likely been enabled by a number of factors, including the legacy of fire suppression and human settlement, natural climate variability, and human-caused climate change. We use modeled climate projections to estimate the contribution of anthropogenic climate change to observed increases in eight fuel aridity metrics and forest fire area across the western United States. Anthropogenic increases in temperature and vapor pressure deficit significantly enhanced fuel aridity across western US forests over the past several decades and, during 2000–2015, contributed to 75% more forested area experiencing high (>1 σ) fire-season fuel aridity and an average of nine additional days per year of high fire potential. Anthropogenic climate change accounted for ∼55% of observed increases in fuel aridity from 1979 to 2015 across western US forests, highlighting both anthropogenic climate change and natural climate variability as important contributors to increased wildfire potential in recent decades. We estimate that human-caused climate change contributed to an additional 4.2 million ha of forest fire area during 1984–2015, nearly doubling the forest fire area expected in its absence. Natural climate variability will continue to alternate between modulating and compounding anthropogenic increases in fuel aridity, but anthropogenic climate change has emerged as a driver of increased forest fire activity and should continue to do so while fuels are not limiting. PMID:27791053

Long-term basal area and diameter growth responses of western hemlock-sitka spruce stands in southeast Alaska to a range of thinning intensities.

Treesearch

Nathan J. Poage

2008-01-01

To better understand the long-term basal area and diameter growth response of young, well-stocked, even-aged, mixed-species stands of western hemlock (Tsuga heterophylla (Raf.) Sarg.) and Sitka spruce (Picea sitchensis (Bong.) Carr.) to a range of thinning intensities (heavy, moderate, light, and unthinned), 20 years of...

77 FR 31037 - Outer Continental Shelf, Central and Western Gulf of Mexico Planning Areas, Oil and Gas Lease...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-05-24

... Western Gulf of Mexico Planning Areas, Oil and Gas Lease Sales for Years 2012-2017 (Sales 229, 227, 233... Register (76 FR 70748) correcting the sale numbers that were identified in the Call. This document... them with: 1. Whole blocks and portions of blocks deferred by the Gulf of Mexico Energy Security Act of...

Inoculation and successful colonization of whitebark pine seedlings with native mycorrhizal fungi under greenhouse conditions

Treesearch

C. L. Cripps; E. Grimme

2011-01-01

Efforts to maintain and restore whitebark pine (Pinus albicaulis) forests in western North America have increased dramatically over the last two decades and now include the planting of nursery-grown rust resistant seedlings in openings and burned areas. Over 200,000 nursery seedlings have been planted in the western U.S. but survival rates are low and in many areas...

Home range areas and activity patterns of red tree voles (Arborimus longicaudus) in western Oregon

Treesearch

James K. Swingle; Eric D. Forsman

2009-01-01

We radiocollared 45 red tree voles (Arborimus longicaudus) in western Oregon and monitored their movements during July 2002-September 2003. We predicted that home range areas would be larger in young forests than in old forests and that males would have larger home ranges and use more nests than females. We tracked individual voles for 82 ± 9 days...

Geology of the central and northern parts of the Western Cascade Range in Oregon

USGS Publications Warehouse

Peck, Dallas L.; Griggs, Allan B.; Schlicker, Herbert G.; Wells, Francis G.; Dole, Hollis M.

1964-01-01

This report pt·esents a description of the stratigraphy, structure, and petrology of the volcanic rocks of the central and northern parts of the Western Cascade Range of Oregon. The study is a part of a long-range cooperative program between the U.S. Geological Survey and the Oregon State Department of Geology and Mineral Industries to prepare a geologic map of Oregon. The map area, about 7,500 square miles, lies in the densely forested western slope of the Cascade Range. It is bounded approximately by lat 43° N. and lat 45°30' N. on the south and north, the crest of the range on the east, and long 123° W. and the edge of the Willamette Valley on the west. The geology, which was mapped by reconnaissance methods, is chiefly based on examination of rock exposures along roads. The Cascade Range in Oregon comprises two physiographic divisions: the Western Cascade Range, which includes a wide, deeply dissected belt of volcanic formations making up the western slope of the range, and the High Cascade Range, which includes chiefly younger cones and lava flows forming the nearly undissected crest of the range. The volcanic rocks of the Western Cascade Range are deformed and partially altered flows and pyroclastic rocks that range in age from late Eocene t·o lute Miocene, as determined chiefly from fossil plants from more than 50 localities. These volcanic rocks overlie or interfinger westward with marine sedimentary rocks, and in the southwestern part of the map area they overlie pre-Tertiary plutonic and metamorphic rocks of the Klamath Mountains.

Magnetotelluric and Audio-magnetotelluric measurements in Alasehir Graben for geothermal exploration purposes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tekesin-Cankurtaranlar, Ozge; Tuysuz, Okan; Riza Kilic, Ali

2017-04-01

In this study, we present the results of Magnetotelluric (MT) and Audio-magnetotelluric (AMT) soundings over a potential geothermal field. Study area is located in the northeasternmost part of the Alasehir (or Gediz) Graben, Western Anatolia, which is delimited by NW-SE trending fault systems and is filled by Miocene to Recent sediments. Study area is also very close to the Kula Quaternary volcanic region, a possible geothermal heat source for the region, last eruption of which was 12.000 years ago. Relatively thin crust, high heat flow values and intense tectonic activity of the Western Anatolia possibly refers to the high geothermal potential. In fact, along the southern and central part of the graben there are many productive areas reaching up to 300 degrees Celsius. By this motivation, to determine the geothermal potential of the study area MT and AMT measurements had been carried out on a total of 45 stations covering about 8 km2 area. All profiles shows higher resistivity values (>140 ohm.m) at greater depths, possibly indicating a metamorphic basement covered by Miocene to Recent sediments. This metamorphic basement gets shallower towards the North where the geothermally weathered schists and marbles crop out. Furthermore, a normal fault interface between metamorphic basement and Neogene sediments shows high resistivity contrast. Results indicate that the metamorphic basement is a less conductive block located at a depth of 1500 - 2000 m at the south and gets shallower towards the north as normal fault blocks.

Landscape structure and plague occurrence in black-tailed prairie dogs on grasslands of the western USA

USGS Publications Warehouse

Collinge, S.K.; Johnson, W.C.; Ray, C.; Matchett, R.; Grensten, J.; Cully, J.F.; Gage, K.L.; Kosoy, M.Y.; Loye, J.E.; Martin, A.P.

2005-01-01

Landscape structure influences the abundance and distribution of many species, including pathogens that cause infectious diseases. Black-tailed prairie dogs in the western USA have declined precipitously over the past 100 years, most recently due to grassland conversion and their susceptibility to sylvatic plague. We assembled and analyzed two long-term data sets on plague occurrence in black-tailed prairie dogs to explore the hypotheses that plague occurrence is associated with colony characteristics and landscape context. Our two study areas (Boulder County, Colorado, and Phillips County, Montana) differed markedly in degree of urbanization and other landscape characteristics. In both study areas, we found associations between plague occurrence and landscape and colony characteristics such as the amount of roads, streams and lakes surrounding a prairie dog colony, the area covered by the colony and its neighbors, and the distance to the nearest plague-positive colony. Logistic regression models were similar between the two study areas, with the best models predicting positive effects of proximity to plague-positive colonies and negative effects of road, stream and lake cover on plague occurrence. Taken together, these results suggest that roads, streams and lakes may serve as barriers to plague in black-tailed prairie dog colonies by affecting movement of or habitat quality for plague hosts or for fleas that serve as vectors for the pathogen. The similarity in plague correlates between urban and rural study areas suggests that the correlates of plague are not altered by uniquely urban stressors. ?? Springer 2005.

The impact of anthropogenic climate change on wildfire across western US forests

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Williams, P.; Abatzoglou, J. T.

2016-12-01

Increased forest fire activity across the western United States (US) in recent decades has contributed to widespread forest mortality, carbon emissions, periods of degraded air quality, and substantial fire suppression expenditures. The increase in forest fire activity has likely been enabled by a number of factors including the legacy of fire suppression and human settlement, changes in suppression policies, natural climate variability, and human-caused climate change. We use modeled climate projections to estimate the contribution of anthropogenic climate change to observed increases in eight fuel aridity metrics and forest fire area across the western US. Anthropogenic increases in temperature and vapor pressure deficit have significantly enhanced fuel aridity across western US forests over the past several decades. Comparing observational climate records to records recalculated after removal of modeled anthropogenic trends, we find that anthropogenic climate change accounted for approximately 55% of observed increases in the eight-metric mean fuel aridity during 1979-2015 across western US forests. This implicates anthropogenic climate change as an important driver of observed increases in fuel aridity, and also highlights the importance of natural multi-decadal climate variability in influencing trends in forest fire potential on the timescales of human lives. Based on a very strong (R2 = 0.76) and mechanistically reasonable relationship between interannual variability in the eight-metric mean fuel aridity and forest-fire area in the western US, we estimate that anthropogenic increases in fuel aridity contributed to an additional 4.2 million ha (95% confidence range: 2.7-6.5 million ha) of forest fire area during 1984-2015, nearly doubling the total forest fire area expected in the absence of anthropogenic climate change. The relationship between annual forest fire area and fuel aridity is exponential and the proportion of total forest area burned in a given year has grown rapidly over the past 32 years. Natural climate variability will continue to alternate between modulating and compounding anthropogenic increases in fuel aridity, but anthropogenic climate change has emerged as a chronic driver of increased forest fire activity and should continue to do so where fuels are not limiting.

A seasonal forecast scheme for the Inner Mongolia spring drought - Part-I: dynamic characteristics of the atmospheric circulation and forecast signals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gao, Tao; Si, Yaobing; Yu, Xiao; Wulan; Yang, Peng; Gao, Jing

2018-02-01

This study analyzed the atmospheric evolutionary characteristics of insufficient rainfall that leads to spring drought in Inner Mongolia, China. The results revealed that a weakened western Pacific subtropical high and an enlarged North Polar vortex with a western position of the East Asian trough generally result in unfavorable moisture transportation for spring precipitation in IM. It was found that an abnormal sea surface temperature in several crucial ocean areas triggers an irregular atmospheric circulation over the Eurasian continent and the Pacific region. Lower sea surface temperature (SST) during the previous autumn over tropical regions of the central-eastern Pacific and Indian oceans induce a strong Walker circulation, corresponding to a weak and southeastward-retreating subtropical high over the western Pacific during the following winter and spring. Another crucial area is the central region of the North Atlantic Ocean. Abnormally low SST of the ocean area during the preceding autumn causes the Scandinavian teleconnection pattern (the index of which is issued on the website of the Climate Prediction Center, USA) changes to a positive phase, which leads to a weak westerly over the Eurasian continent. In this case, the easterly over the North Pole becomes stronger than normal, resulting in an extended North Polar vortex during the following spring. In addition, SST differences during the previous December between the middle-eastern tropical and the northwestern regions of the Pacific Ocean reflect variations of the Pacific Decadal Oscillation, causing the East Asian trough to move to a western position during the following spring.

Organic Chemical Concentrations in Eggs and Nestlings of Cavity Nesting Birds at and around Los Alamos National Laboratory

DOE PAGES

Gaukler, Shannon M.; Hathcock, Charles D.; Fair, Jeanne M.

2018-02-13

In 1943, Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) was established as part of the Manhattan project to design atomic weapons. LANL now operates as a multidisciplinary research institution. As part of an ongoing assessment of siterelated ecological risk, organochlorine pesticides, their metabolites, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin toxic equivalents (TEQs) were evaluated in western bluebird (Sialia mexicana) and ash-throated flycatcher (Myiarchus cinerascens) eggs relative to a developed but non-industrial reference area; PCBs and TEQs were also evaluated in nestlings. Chemicals were below detection limits in the majority of samples. Western bluebird eggs collected from the study area hadmore » significantly lower concentrations of dieldrin, oxychlordane, and trans-nonachlor when compared with eggs from the reference area. No differences were observed in concentrations of dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene (DDE), dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT), and heptachlor epoxide. Ash-throated flycatcher eggs contained higher total TEQ concentrations when compared with western bluebird eggs; however, no differences in concentrations of DDE, DDT, dieldrin, or total PCBs were observed. No differences were observed in total PCBs or TEQs in nestlings between the two species. Western bluebird eggs contained higher levels of total PCBs and TEQs when compared with nestlings; no differences were observed in total PCBs or TEQs between ash-throated flycatcher eggs and nestlings. Chemical concentrations detected in eggs of both species were below levels that are associated with adverse effects reported in the scientific literature, suggesting that concentrations of organic chemicals observed here appear to be at levels causing negligible risks to local bird populations.« less

Organic Chemical Concentrations in Eggs and Nestlings of Cavity Nesting Birds at and around Los Alamos National Laboratory

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

Gaukler, Shannon M.; Hathcock, Charles D.; Fair, Jeanne M.

In 1943, Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) was established as part of the Manhattan project to design atomic weapons. LANL now operates as a multidisciplinary research institution. As part of an ongoing assessment of siterelated ecological risk, organochlorine pesticides, their metabolites, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin toxic equivalents (TEQs) were evaluated in western bluebird (Sialia mexicana) and ash-throated flycatcher (Myiarchus cinerascens) eggs relative to a developed but non-industrial reference area; PCBs and TEQs were also evaluated in nestlings. Chemicals were below detection limits in the majority of samples. Western bluebird eggs collected from the study area hadmore » significantly lower concentrations of dieldrin, oxychlordane, and trans-nonachlor when compared with eggs from the reference area. No differences were observed in concentrations of dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene (DDE), dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT), and heptachlor epoxide. Ash-throated flycatcher eggs contained higher total TEQ concentrations when compared with western bluebird eggs; however, no differences in concentrations of DDE, DDT, dieldrin, or total PCBs were observed. No differences were observed in total PCBs or TEQs in nestlings between the two species. Western bluebird eggs contained higher levels of total PCBs and TEQs when compared with nestlings; no differences were observed in total PCBs or TEQs between ash-throated flycatcher eggs and nestlings. Chemical concentrations detected in eggs of both species were below levels that are associated with adverse effects reported in the scientific literature, suggesting that concentrations of organic chemicals observed here appear to be at levels causing negligible risks to local bird populations.« less

Seismic anisotropy and mantle flow in the Hellenic subduction zone: The possible effects of trench retreat and slab tear at both ends.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Evangelidis, Christos

2017-04-01

The upper mantle anisotropy pattern in the entire area of the Hellenic subduction zone have been analyzed for fast polarization directions and delay times to investigate the complex 3D pattern of mantle flow around the subducting slab. All previous studies do incorporate a significant number of measurements in the backarc area of the Aegean and in two cross-sections along the Hellenic subduction system. However, the transitional area from oceanic to continental subduction in the Western Hellenic trench has not been adequately sampled so far. Moreover, the eastern termination of the Hellenic subduction and the possible origin of a trench parallel anisotropy remains unclear. Here, I focus on the two possible ends of the high curvature Hellenic arc. I have now measured SKS splitting parameters from all broadband stations of the Hellenic Unified Seismic Network (HUSN), that they have not been measured before, specially concentrated in the transitional area from oceanic to continental subduction system. Complementary, using the Source-Side splitting technique to teleseismic S-wave records from intermediate depth earthquake in the Hellenic trench, the anisotropy measurements are increased in regions where no stations are installed. In western Greece, the Hellenic subduction system is separated by the Cephalonia Transform Fault (CTF), a dextral offset of 100 km, into the northern and southern segments, which are characterized by different convergence rates and slab composition. Recent seismic data show that north of CTF there is a subducted continental lithosphere in contrast to the region south of CTF where the on-going subduction is oceanic. The new measurements, combined with previously published observations, provide the most complete up-to-date spatial coverage for the area. Generally, the pronounced zonation of seismic anisotropy across the subduction zone, as inferred from other studies, is also observed here. Fast SKS splitting directions are trench-normal in the region nearest to the trench. The fast splitting directions change abruptly to trench-parallel above the corner of the mantle wedge and rotate back to trench-normal over the back-arc. Additionally, beneath western Greece, between the western Gulf of Corinth in the south and the Epirus-Thessaly area in the north, a transitional anisotropy pattern emerges that possibly depicts the passage from the continental to the oceanic subducted slabs and the subslab mantle flow due to the trench retreat. At the eastern side of the Hellenic arc, from eastern Crete to the Dodecanese Islands, the inferred subslab measurements of anisotropy show a general trench perpendicular pattern. This area is characterized as a STEP fault region with multiple trench normal strike slip faults. The difference between the fast roll-back in the Aegean and the slow lithospheric processes in the western Anatolia is accommodated by a broad shear zone of lithospheric deformation and a possible slab tear inferred from seismic tomography and geophysical studies but with a relative unknown geometry. Thus, the observed anisotropy pattern possibly resembles the 3D return flow around the slab edge that is caused by the inferred slab break.

Nationwide Distribution of Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances in Outdoor Dust in Mainland China From Eastern to Western Areas.

PubMed

Yao, Yiming; Sun, Hongwen; Gan, Zhiwei; Hu, Hongwei; Zhao, Yangyang; Chang, Shuai; Zhou, Qixing

2016-04-05

From eastern to western areas, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) were detected at substantial levels in the outdoor dust across mainland China. Urban samples generally showed higher levels compared with those of rural samples. Compared with neutral PFASs, ionizable PFASs (C4-C12 perfluoroalkyl carboxylic acids and C4/C8 perfluoroalkyl sulfonic acids) were more abundant, with the highest total concentration up to 1.6 × 10(2) ng/g and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) being a predominant analogue. Fluorotelomer alcohols (FTOHs) and polyfluoroalkyl phosphoric acid diesters (DiPAPs) were both detected in most samples with total concentrations of 0.12-32 and 0.030-20 ng/g, respectively. Perfluorooctane sulfonamidoethanols/sulfonamides (FOSE/As) were detected at low frequencies (<30%). In addition to partitioning to organic moiety, specific adsorption onto mineral particles can be important for PFASs to bind onto outdoor dust, especially for short-chain ionizable PFASs. The eastern plain areas were characterized by a higher contribution of long-chain ionizable PFASs; whereas the western high plateau areas were characterized by the dominating contribution of short-chain analogues. The difference suggests that the long-range atmospheric transport potential of PFASs from source regions to the inland is probably limited by the increase in altitude, and different sources from adjacent regions may influence the western border area of China.

Aerial surveys of endangered whales in the Alaskan Chukchi and western Beaufort Seas, 1990. Final report, Oct-Nov 90

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

Moore, S.E.; Clarke, J.T.

1991-06-01

In keeping with the National Environmental Policy Act (1969), the Marine Mammal Protection Act (1972) and the Endangered Species Act (1973), the OCS Lands Act Amendments (1978) established a management policy that included studies in OCS lease sale areas to ascertain potential environmental impacts of oil and gas development on OCS marine coastal environments. The Minerals Management Service (MMS) is the agency responsible for these studies and for the leasing of submerged Federal lands. The report summarizes the 1990 investigations of the distribution, abundance, migration, behavior and habitat relationships of endangered whales in the Alaskan Chukchi and western Beaufort Seasmore » (hereafter, study area); 1990 was the second of a three year (1989-91) study. The Bering Sea stock of bowhead whales (Balaena mysticetus) was the principal species studied, with incidental sightings of all other marine mammals routinely recorded. The 1990 season was compromised by circumstances that restricted the availability of the survey aircraft (Grumman Goose, model G21G) to the period 26 October - 7 November; opportunistic surveys were flown in the study area from 3-25 October. In 1990, there were 14 sightings of 19 bowheads from 9-29 October; 5 whales, including 2 calves, were seen north of the study area. One gray whale, 110 belukhas and 53 polar bears were also seen. Over nine survey seasons (1982-90), there were 240 sightings of 520 bowhead whales and 148 sightings of 398 gray whales.« less

Socioeconomic area disparities in tobacco retail outlet density: a Western Australian analysis.

PubMed

Wood, Lisa J; Pereira, Gavin; Middleton, Nick; Foster, Sarah

2013-05-20

To examine the association between tobacco outlet density and area socioeconomic status (SES) in Western Australia. Ecological cross-sectional study investigating the relationship between the area SES of, and the density of tobacco retail outlets in, WA suburbs and towns for the Perth metropolitan area, and at the regional and state level. SES was determined using the 2006 Australian Bureau of Statistics Index of Relative Socioeconomic Advantage and Disadvantage (IRSAD) and classified into quartiles (very low, low, high and very high); tobacco outlet data were sourced from the WA Department of Health register of retailers licensed to sell tobacco at May 2011. Tobacco outlet density rate (per 10 000 residents). In WA overall, suburbs and towns with a very low IRSAD had more than four times the number of tobacco outlets compared with those with a very high IRSAD (P> < 0.001). This trend was similar when analyses were restricted to the Perth metropolitan area and to regional areas. Suburbs and towns in regional WA with a very low IRSAD had more than five times the number of tobacco outlets than those with a very high IRSAD (P> < 0.001). This study provides the first Australian evidence of a strong relationship between area SES and tobacco outlet density. Findings are consistent with a number of United States studies that report higher tobacco outlet densities in lower SES or minority neighbourhoods. The results underscore the importance of policy approaches to limit the number of tobacco retail licences granted, and to reduce the geographic density of outlets in more disadvantaged suburbs and towns.

Market entry mode and competency building of Western oil companies in the Russian up stream oil and gas industry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stephenson, Paul M.

This dissertation investigated the market entry and competency building strategies within the context of the Russian oil and gas industry. The study was designed to be of interest to business practitioners and academics given the growing importance of fossil fuel in the energy balance of the global economy and the importance of Russia as a supplier and purchaser in the international market. The study's mixed methodology provides an understanding on the environmental factors that are postulated to impact foreign direct investment flow into Russia and the oil and gas sector. A case study of a fictitiously named Western-Russo oil company was conducted to provide a deep understanding of how capability is viewed by Russian and Western employees and the factors that influences the implementation of a successful competency development program. The case was centered on the development of a Well-Site supervisor group within a Western-Russian oil company. Findings of the study showed that there was no correlation between corruption and foreign direct investment inflow into the Russian economy. The findings also showed that both Russian and Western employees in the oil and gas industry are less focused on nontechnical competency development issues, that Western employees are more orientated towards the bottom-line than Russian employees, and that both groups see operational management as a core competency. In the area of financial management and technology application, there were significant differences in the viewpoint of both groups. Western employees saw a stronger need for financial management and less need for technology application when compared to their Russian counterparts. The results have implications for Western business contemplating entering the Russian oil and gas industry. Western firms need to understand the key drivers that will help them overcome the social and cultural barriers between Western and Russian employees. The role of the company leader is very critical. The vision, passion, and a sense of realism of the person responsible for the market entry strategy will have a significant impact of the future success of the entry.

The 1984-1985 Antarctic Search for Meteorites (ANSMET) Field Program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sandford, Scott A.

1986-01-01

The purpose of the 1984-1985 ANSMET (Antarctic Search for Meteorites) expedition was to recover meteorites from the Main, Near Western, Middle Western, and Far Western icefields in the Allan Hills area and to carry out a reconnaissance of other nearby blue icefields. A brief summary of the locations and maps visited are provided.

76 FR 22143 - Notice of Intent To Accept Proposals, Select One Lessee, and Contract for Hydroelectric Power...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-04-20

... (Western) would have the first opportunity to purchase and/or market the power that would be generated by... purchasing and/or marketing considerations. Interested entities are invited to submit a proposal on this.... Information related to Western's purchasing and/or marketing the power may be obtained at Western Area Power...

Wildlife of westside and high montane forests.

Treesearch

D.H. Olson; J.C. Hagar; A.B. Carey; J.H. Cissel; F.J. Swanson

2001-01-01

More than 300 vertebrate species are associated with western forests of Oregon and Washington (Table 1). Western and montane conifer-hardwood forests and oak woodlands are some of the more species-rich areas within the two states. Both the productivity and the mosaic of conditions within western forests contribute to the higher vertebrate diversity. These forests are...

Western white pine growth relative to forest openings

Treesearch

Theresa B. Jain; Russell T. Graham; Penelope Morgan

2004-01-01

In northern Rocky Mountains moist forests, timber harvesting, fire exclusion, and an introduced stem disease have contributed to the decline in western white pine (Pinus monticola Dougl. ex D. Don) abundance (from 90% to 10% of the area). Relations between canopy openings (0.1-15 ha) and western white pine growth within different physical settings are identified....

Toxic heavy metals in sediments, seawater, and molluscs in the eastern and western coastal waters of Guangdong Province, South China.

PubMed

Zhang, Ling; Shi, Zhen; Zhang, Jingping; Jiang, Zhijian; Wang, Fei; Huang, Xiaoping

2016-05-01

Heavy metal concentrations and distribution were studied in sediments, seawater, and molluscs, and the possible heavy metal sources in the coastal waters of Guangdong Province, South China were discussed. The results showed that the concentrations of Cu, Pb, Zn, and Cr in sediments in eastern coastal waters were generally higher than those in the western coastal waters. However, concentrations of most metals in seawater and molluscs in western waters were higher than in the eastern waters, which was tightly related to the local economics and urbanization development, especially, the different industrial structure in two regions. The main heavy metal sources were attributed to the industrial and agricultural effluent, domestic sewage, and even waste gas. Furthermore, heavy metal contamination assessment indicated that high contamination levels of Cd, Zn, and Pb occurred in sediments in local areas, especially in the bays and harbors. The metal accumulation levels by molluscs ranked following the order of Cd > Cu > As > Zn > Pb > Cr, and the ecological risks introduced by heavy metals in different areas were in the order of Zhanjiang > Yangmao > Shantou > Shanhui.

GILA WILDERNESS, NEW MEXICO.

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ratte, James C.; Stotelmeyer, Ronald B.

1984-01-01

Geologic, geochemical and geophysical indicators delineated during a study of the Gila Wilderness, New Mexico indicate that there are areas of probable and substantiated mineral-resource potential for gold, silver, tellurium, molybdenum, copper, lead, zinc, and fluorite. The areas which have resource potential lie along both sides of the western and southwestern boundaries of the wilderness, and adjacent to the access corridor to the Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument in the eastern part of the wilderness. Areas marked by geothermal springs along Turkey Creek and Middle Fork of the Gila River have a probable potential for geothermal energy. No other energy-resource potential was identified within the study area.

Energy Engineering Analysis Program, energy survey of Army Industrial Facilities, Western Area Demilitarization Facility Hawthorne Ermy Ammunition Plant Hawthorne, Nevada. Volume 1. Final report

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

NONE

1995-03-17

This report summarizes all work for the Energy Survey of Army Industrial Facilities, Energy Engineering Analysis Program (EEAP) at the Western Area Demilitarization Facility (WADF) of the Hawthorne Army Ammunition Plant (HWAAP), Hawthorne, Nevada, authorized under Contract No. DACA03-92-C-0155 with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Sacramento District, California. The purpose of this energy survey is to develop a set of projects and actions that will reduce energy consumption and operating costs of selected facilities at the WADF. A preliminary inspection of facilities at WADF by Keller Gannon that identified potential retrofit opportunities was submitted as the EEAP Study andmore » Criteria Review in December 1993. This document formed the basis of the Detailed Scope of Work for this study. Facilities included in the survey and study, together with operational status, are listed in Table 1 - 1. The complete scope of work appears in Appendix.« less

Neotectonic control on drainage systems: GIS-based geomorphometric and morphotectonic assessment for Crete, Greece

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Argyriou, Athanasios V.; Teeuw, Richard M.; Soupios, Pantelis; Sarris, Apostolos

2017-11-01

Geomorphic indices can be used to examine the geomorphological and tectonic processes responsible for the development of the drainage basins. Such indices can be dependent on tectonics, erosional processes and other factors that control the morphology of the landforms. The inter-relationships between geomorphic indices can determine the influence of regional tectonic activity in the shape development of drainage basins. A Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis (MCDA) procedure has been used to perform an integrated cluster analysis that highlights information associated with the dominant regional tectonic activity. Factor Analysis (FA) and Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) were considered within that procedure, producing a representation of the distributed regional tectonic activity of the drainage basins studied. The study area is western Crete, located in the outer fore-arc of the Hellenic subduction zone, one of the world's most tectonically active regions. The results indicate that in the landscape evolution of the study area (especially the western basins) tectonic controls dominate over lithological controls.

The role of forcing agents on biogeochemical variability along the southwestern Adriatic coast: The Gulf of Manfredonia case study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Specchiulli, Antonietta; Bignami, Francesco; Marini, Mauro; Fabbrocini, Adele; Scirocco, Tommaso; Campanelli, Alessandra; Penna, Pierluigi; Santucci, Angela; D'Adamo, Raffaele

2016-12-01

This study investigates how multiple forcing factors such as rivers, surface marine circulation and winds affect hydrology and biogeochemical processes in the Gulf of Manfredonia and the seas around the Gargano peninsula, in the south-western Adriatic Sea. The study adopted an integrated approach, using in situ and remote sensing data, as well as the output of current models. The data reveal variability in the area's hydrography induced by local freshwater sources, the Western Adriatic Current (WAC) flowing from the north along the Italian coast, and the current patterns under different wind regimes. Specifically, exchange with offshore waters in the gulf induces variability in salinity and biogeochemical content, even within the same season, i.e. winter, in our case. This strong dependence on physical and biogeochemical factors makes the Manfredonia-Gargano ecosystem vulnerable to climate change, which could compromise its important role as a nursery area for the Adriatic Sea.

Study of the wide area of a lake with remote sensing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lazaridou, Maria A.; Karagianni, Aikaterini C.

2016-08-01

Water bodies are particularly important for environment and development issues. Their study requires multiple information. Remote sensing has been proven useful in the above study. This paper concerns the wide area of Lake Orestiada in the region of Western Macedonia in Greece. The area is of particular interest because Lake Orestiada is included in the Natura 2000 network and is surrounded by diverse landcovers as built up areas and agricultural land. Multispectral and thermal Landsat 5 satellite images of two time periods are being used. Their processing is being done by Erdas Imagine software. The general physiognomy of the area and the lake shore are examined after image enhancement techniques and image interpretation. Directions of the study concern geomorphological aspects, land covers, estimation of surface temperature as well as changes through time.

A habitat overlap analysis derived from maxent for tamarisk and the south-western willow flycatcher

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

York, Patricia; Evangelista, Paul; Kumar, Sunil; Graham, James; Flather, Curtis; Stohlgren, Thomas

2011-06-01

Biologic control of the introduced and invasive, woody plant tamarisk ( Tamarix spp, saltcedar) in south-western states is controversial because it affects habitat of the federally endangered South-western Willow Flycatcher ( Empidonax traillii extimus). These songbirds sometimes nest in tamarisk where floodplain-level invasion replaces native habitats. Biologic control, with the saltcedar leaf beetle ( Diorhabda elongate), began along the Virgin River, Utah, in 2006, enhancing the need for comprehensive understanding of the tamarisk-flycatcher relationship. We used maximum entropy (Maxent) modeling to separately quantify the current extent of dense tamarisk habitat (>50% cover) and the potential extent of habitat available for E. traillii extimus within the studied watersheds. We used transformations of 2008 Landsat Thematic Mapper images and a digital elevation model as environmental input variables. Maxent models performed well for the flycatcher and tamarisk with Area Under the ROC Curve (AUC) values of 0.960 and 0.982, respectively. Classification of thresholds and comparison of the two Maxent outputs indicated moderate spatial overlap between predicted suitable habitat for E. traillii extimus and predicted locations with dense tamarisk stands, where flycatcher habitat will potentially change flycatcher habitats. Dense tamarisk habitat comprised 500 km2 within the study area, of which 11.4% was also modeled as potential habitat for E. traillii extimus. Potential habitat modeled for the flycatcher constituted 190 km2, of which 30.7% also contained dense tamarisk habitat. Results showed that both native vegetation and dense tamarisk habitats exist in the study area and that most tamarisk infestations do not contain characteristics that satisfy the habitat requirements of E. traillii extimus. Based on this study, effective biologic control of Tamarix spp. may, in the short term, reduce suitable habitat available to E. traillii extimus, but also has the potential in the long term to increase suitable habitat if appropriate mixes of native woody vegetation replace tamarisk in biocontrol areas.

A community survey of the pattern and determinants of household sources of energy for cooking in rural and urban south western, Nigeria.

PubMed

Desalu, Olufemi Olumuyiwa; Ojo, Ololade Olusola; Ariyibi, Ebenezer Kayode; Kolawole, Tolutope Fasanmi; Ogunleye, Ayodele Idowu

2012-01-01

The use of solid fuels for cooking is associated with indoor pollution and lung diseases. The objective of the study was to determine the pattern and determinants of household sources of energy for cooking in rural and urban South Western, Nigeria. We conducted a cross sectional study of households in urban (Ado-Ekiti) and rural (Ido-Ekiti) local council areas from April to July 2010. Female respondents in the households were interviewed by trained interviewers using a semi-structured questionnaire. A total of 670 households participated in the study. Majority of rural dwellers used single source of energy for cooking (55.6%) and urban dwellers used multiple source of energy (57.8%). Solid fuel use (SFU) was higher in rural (29.6%) than in urban areas (21.7%). Kerosene was the most common primary source of energy for cooking in both urban and rural areas (59.0% vs.66.6%) followed by gas (17.8%) and charcoal (6.6%) in the urban areas, and firewood (21.6%) and charcoal (7.1%) in the rural areas. The use of solid fuel was strongly associated with lack of ownership of dwellings and larger household size in urban areas, and lower level of education and lower level of wealth in the rural areas. Kerosene was associated with higher level of husband education and modern housing in urban areas and younger age and indoor cooking in rural areas. Gas was associated with high income and modern housing in the urban areas and high level of wealth in rural areas. Electricity was associated with high level of education, availability of electricity and old age in urban and rural areas respectively. The use of solid fuel is high in rural areas, there is a need to reduce poverty and improve the use of cleaner source of cooking energy particularly in rural areas and improve lung health.

A community survey of the pattern and determinants of household sources of energy for cooking in rural and urban south western, Nigeria

PubMed Central

Desalu, Olufemi Olumuyiwa; Ojo, Ololade Olusola; Ariyibi, Ebenezer Kayode; Kolawole, Tolutope Fasanmi; Ogunleye, Ayodele Idowu

2012-01-01

Introduction The use of solid fuels for cooking is associated with indoor pollution and lung diseases. The objective of the study was to determine the pattern and determinants of household sources of energy for cooking in rural and urban South Western, Nigeria. Methods We conducted a cross sectional study of households in urban (Ado-Ekiti) and rural (Ido-Ekiti) local council areas from April to July 2010. Female respondents in the households were interviewed by trained interviewers using a semi-structured questionnaire. Results A total of 670 households participated in the study. Majority of rural dwellers used single source of energy for cooking (55.6%) and urban dwellers used multiple source of energy (57.8%). Solid fuel use (SFU) was higher in rural (29.6%) than in urban areas (21.7%). Kerosene was the most common primary source of energy for cooking in both urban and rural areas (59.0% vs.66.6%) followed by gas (17.8%) and charcoal (6.6%) in the urban areas, and firewood (21.6%) and charcoal (7.1%) in the rural areas. The use of solid fuel was strongly associated with lack of ownership of dwellings and larger household size in urban areas, and lower level of education and lower level of wealth in the rural areas. Kerosene was associated with higher level of husband education and modern housing in urban areas and younger age and indoor cooking in rural areas. Gas was associated with high income and modern housing in the urban areas and high level of wealth in rural areas. Electricity was associated with high level of education, availability of electricity and old age in urban and rural areas respectively. Conclusion The use of solid fuel is high in rural areas, there is a need to reduce poverty and improve the use of cleaner source of cooking energy particularly in rural areas and improve lung health. PMID:22826727

[Experience and present situation of Western China Gastric Cancer Collaboration].

PubMed

Hu, Jiankun; Zhang, Weihan; Western China Gastric Cancer Collaboration, China

2017-03-25

The Western China Gastric Cancer Collaboration (WCGCC) was founded in Chongqing, China in 2011. At the early stage of the collaboration, there were only about 20 centers. While now, there are 36 centers from western area of China, including Sichuan, Chongqing, Yunnan, Shanxi, Guizhou, Gansu, Qinghai, Xinjiang, Ningxia and Tibet. During the past few years, the WCGCC organized routinely gastric cancer standardized treatment tours, training courses of mini-invasive surgical treatment of gastric cancer and the clinical research methodology for members of the collaboration. Meanwhile, the WCGCC built a multicenter database of gastric cancer since 2011 and the entering and management refer to national gastric cancer registration entering system of Japan Gastric Cancer Association. During the entering and collection of data, 190 items of data have unified definition and entering standard from Japan Gastric Cancer Guidelines. Nowadays, this database included about 11 872 gastric cancer cases, and in this paper we will introduce the initial results of these cases. Next, the collaboration will conduct some retrospective studies based on this database to analyze the clinicopathological characteristics of patients in the western area of China. Besides, the WCGCC performed a prospective study, also. The first randomized clinical trial of the collaboration aims to compare the postoperative quality of life between different reconstruction methods for total gastrectomy(WCGCC-1202, ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02110628), which began in 2015, and now this study is in the recruitment period. In the next steps, we will improve the quality of the database, optimize the management processes. Meanwhile, we will engage in more exchanges and cooperation with the Chinese Cochrane Center, reinforce the foundation of the clinical trials research methodology. In aspect of standardized surgical treatment of gastric cancer, we will further strengthen communication with other international centers in order to improve both the treatment and research levels of gastric cancer in Western China.

Diagnostic potential of Western blot analysis of sera from dogs with leishmaniasis in endemic areas and significance of the pattern.

PubMed

Aisa, M J; Castillejo, S; Gallego, M; Fisa, R; Riera, M C; de Colmenares, M; Torras, S; Roura, X; Sentis, J; Portus, M

1998-02-01

Serum samples collected from 237 dogs in Catalonia (northeastern Spain) were screened by Western blot analysis to detect the presence of antibodies specific to different Leishmania infantum polypeptide fractions. Leishmaniasis was confirmed in 72 of these dogs by direct examination and/or culture. Another 165 animals from the Priorat region were studied periodically for 2-8 years between 1987 and 1995, giving a total of 565 determinations. A control group of 93 dogs from nonendemic areas was also studied. Sera from dogs with leishmaniasis recognized antigens with molecular weights ranging from 12 to 85 kD. The most sensitive antigens were those of 70, 65, 46, 30, 28, 14, and 12 kD, which were recognized by 75%, 75%, 78%, 75%, 81%, 79%, and 75%, respectively, of the sera from dogs with positive parasitologic examination results. Antigens of 70 and 65 kD were also recognized by two dogs from nonendemic areas. Antigens of 14 and 12 kD were the first to be recognized by sera of asymptomatic dogs with titers less than the cut-off value of the dot-ELISA that increased during the longitudinal study, and the presence of antibodies specific for these fractions was observed for up to six years before seroconversion observed by dot-ELISA. These antibodies were also the first to disappear in dogs in which the disease was self-limited. The study corroborates the high sensitivity and specificity of Western blots in the diagnosis of canine leishmaniasis when the bands of low molecular weight (less than 46 kD) are considered, and indicates that fractions of 14 and 12 kD are useful in detecting early forms of the disease.

Studies of pre-Selma Cretaceous core samples from the outcrop area in western Alabama

USGS Publications Warehouse

Monroe, Watson Hiner; Bergenback, Richard E.; Sohl, Norman F.; Applin, Esther R.; Leopold, Estella B.; Pakiser, Helen M.; Conant, Louis C.

1964-01-01

Quarter-cuts of the cores belonging to the U.S. National Museum have been deposited on indefinite loan with the Alabama Geological Survey at University, Ala., and with the Shell Oil Co. at Jackson, Miss. They are available there for inspection and study.

TEACHING STRATEGIES FOR MIDDLE EASTERN CULTURAL STUDIES IN THE SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

KELLY, JAMES

THE THIRD PART OF A PROJECT TO DEVELOP APPROACHES TO TEACHING HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS ABOUT CULTURE AREAS OF THE NON-WESTERN WORLD (SEE TE 499 984 AND TE 499 995), THIS TEACHERS' GUIDE FOR AN 8-WEEK COURSE ON THE MIDDLE EAST COVERS THE GOEGRAPHY, ECONOMY, POLITICS, AND CULTURE OF THE AREAS. IT ALSO DEALS WITH THE MAJOR HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENTS IN THE…

The western Mediterranean Sea: An area for a regional validation for TOPEX/Poseidon and a field for geophysical and oceanographic studies

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Barlier, Francois; Balmino, G.; Boucher, Claude; Willis, P.; Biancale, R.; Menard, Yves; Vincent, P.; Bethoux, J. P.; Exertier, P.; Pierron, F.

1991-01-01

The research project has two kinds of objectives. The first is focused on the regional validation of the altimeter, orbit, and mean sea surface; it will be performed in close cooperation with the local validation performed at Lampedusa/Lampione (Italy). The second deals with the geophysical and oceanographic research of interest in this area.

Reduced efficiency of biological pump in the western tropical Pacific

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, D.

2016-02-01

The western Pacific warm pool (WPWP) area has recently extended, which may influence considerably the marine ecosystems in the tropical Pacific. Here, we show the long-term trends in particle fluxes associated with the marine ecosystem changes in WPWP area. Total mass and biogenic fluxes have an annually decreasing trend from 2009 to 2014, which is mainly derived by the decrease in the biomass of N2 fixing cyanobacteria during summer. In the western tropical Pacific, the decrease in the biomass of N2 fixing cyanobacteria is attributed to the decrease of phosphate concentration associated with the shoaling of the winter mixed layer depth. The efficiency of biological pump has recently reduced in the western tropical Pacific, which might suppress the oceanic sequestration of atmospheric CO2 and thereby accelerate the global warming in the future.

Wildlife in some areas of New Mexico and Texas accumulate elevated DDE residues, 1983

USGS Publications Warehouse

White, D.H.; Krynitsky, A.J.

1986-01-01

Over the last decade, data gathered by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service's National Contaminant Biomonitoring Program have identified an area of elevated DDE contamination in portions of New Mexico and Texas. Extensive wildlife sampling in 1983 confirmed that DDE, the major metabolite of the insecticide DDT, was present at high concentrations in wildlife at selected sites in the Rio Grande and Pecos River drainages. DDE in carcasses ranged up to 47 ppm (wet weight) in western kingbirds (Tyrannus verticalis), 35 ppm in house sparrows (Passer domesticus), 46 ppm in Brazilian free-tailed bats (Tadarida brasiliensis), and 104 ppm in whiptail lizards (Cnemidophorus spp.) DDE was also detected in gut contents from western kingbirds at some of the highest concentrations ever reported, ranging up to 21 ppm in proventricular samples. An average of 40% of the eggs of black-crowned night-herons (Nycticorax nycticorax) from two sites along the Pecos River in New Mexico had DDE levels ( gtoreq 8 ppm) that have been associated in other studies with impaired reproduction. In contrast, wintering mallards (Anas platyrhynchos) and American coots (Fulica americana) from the study area did not accumulate elevated DDE levels. DDE in wildlife samples at control sites (non-agricultural areas) was either absent or averaged less than 0.35 ppm. Collectively, these data provide evidence that there is major DDE contamination of several vertebrate species in portions of the Rio Grande and Pecos River drainages, but whether the contamination is recent or residual was not determined. Apparently, the source was not DDE contamination present in dicofol (4-chloro-a-(4-chlorophenyl)-a- (trichloromethyl) benzenemethanol); neither dicofol nor its metabolite, p,p'-dichlorobenzophenone, were detected in wildlife carcasses (0.1 ppm detection limit) or proventricular contents (0.01 ppm detection limit) of western kingbirds.

Ground-water conditions in the Dutch Flats area, Scotts Bluff and Sioux Counties, Nebraska, with a section on chemical quality of the ground water

USGS Publications Warehouse

Babcock, H.M.; Visher, F.N.; Durum, W.H.

1951-01-01

The U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) studied contamination induced by irrigation drainage in 26 areas of the Western United States during 1986-95. Comprehensive compilation, synthesis, and evaluation of the data resulting from these studies were initiated by DOI in 1992. Soils and ground water in irrigated areas of the West can contain high concentrations of selenium because of (1) residual selenium from the soil's parent rock beneath irrigated land; (2) selenium derived from rocks in mountains upland from irrigated land by erosion and transport along local drainages, and (3) selenium brought into the area in surface water imported for irrigation. Application of irrigation water to seleniferous soils can dissolve and mobilize selenium and create hydraulic gradients that cause the discharge of seleniferous ground water into irrigation drains. Given a source of selenium, the magnitude of selenium contamination in drainage-affected aquatic ecosystems is strongly related to the aridity of the area and the presence of terminal lakes and ponds. Marine sedimentary rocks and deposits of Late Cretaceous or Tertiary age are generally seleniferous in the Western United States. Depending on their origin and history, some Tertiary continental sedimentary deposits also are seleniferous. Irrigation of areas associated with these rocks and deposits can result in concentrations of selenium in water that exceed criteria for the protection of freshwater aquatic life. Geologic and climatic data for the Western United States were evaluated and incorporated into a geographic information system (GIS) to produce a map identifying areas susceptible to irrigation-induced selenium contamination. Land is considered susceptible where a geologic source of selenium is in or near the area and where the evaporation rate is more than 2.5 times the precipitation rate. In the Western United States, about 160,000 square miles of land, which includes about 4,100 square miles (2.6 million acres) of land irrigated for agriculture, has been identified as being susceptible. Biological data were used to evaluate the reliability of the map. In 12 of DOI's 26 study areas, concentrations of selenium measured in bird eggs were elevated sufficiently to significantly reduce hatchability of the eggs. The GIS map identifies 9 of those 12 areas. Deformed bird embryos having classic symptoms of selenium toxicosis were found in four of the study areas, and the map identifies all four as susceptible to irrigation-induced selenium contamination. The report describes the geography, geology, and ground-water resources of the Dutch Flats area in Scotts Bluff and Sioux Counties, Nebr. The area comprises about 60 square miles and consists predominantly of relatively flat-lying terraces. Farming is the principal occupation in the area. The farm lands are irrigated largely from surface water; ground water is used only as a supplementary supply during drought periods. The climate in the area is semiarid, and the mean annual precipitation is about 16 inches. The rocks exposed in the Dutch Flats area are of Tertiary sad Quaternary age. A map showing the areas of outcrop of the rock formations is included in the report. Sufficient unconfined ground water for irrigation supplies is contained in the deposits of the .third terrace, and wells that yield 1,000 to 2,000 gallons a minute probably could be developed. The depth to water in the area ranges from a few feet to about 80 feet sad averages about 30 feet. The depth to water varies throughout the year; it is least in the late summer when the recharge from irrigation is greatest, sad it is greatest in the early spring before irrigation is begun. A map showing the depth to water in September 1949 is included in the report. The ground-water reservoir is recharged by seepage from irrigation canals and laterals, by seepage from irrigation water applied to the farms, and, to a much lesser extent, by precipitation. In the area b

National Water-Quality Assessment Program - Western Lake Michigan Drainage Basin

USGS Publications Warehouse

Setmire, J.O.

1991-01-01

A major component of the program is study-unit investigations, which comprise the princ ipal bui lding blocks of the program on which national-level asses ment activities a re based . The 60 study-unit in vestigations that make up the program are hydrologic systems that include parts of most major river bas ins and a qui fer systems. These study units cover areas of I ,200 to more than 65 ,000 square mi les and incorporate about 60 to 70 percent of the Nation's water use and popul ation e rved by public water supply. In 1991 , the Western Lake Michigan drainage basin was among the fir st 20 NA WQA study unit selected for study under the full -scale implementation plan.

Breeding ecology of Spectacled Eiders Somateria fischeri in Northern Alaska

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bart, J.; Earnst, S.L.

2005-01-01

Spectacled Eiders Somateria fischeri were studied on the Colville River delta during 1994-1999, prior to oil field development, to document aspects of breeding biology that are poorly known, especially for northern-nesting populations. Both sexes arrived June 6-12; many males remained for only about 10 days. Density on the 178-km2 study area was 0.48 birds/km 2, comparable to densities reported from extensive surveys in western Alaska and Russia. Wetlands with numerous islands and peninsulas were utilised prior to incubation, a little-studied period. Females spent considerably more time feeding than males (56% vs. 18%). Males travelled, rested and were alert more than females, and actively defended females from intruding males. Whole nest survival was 31% and varied substantially between years, as has been demonstrated in other studies. Brood size showed no detectable decline from hatch about July 10 to mid-August, suggesting low mortality during this period, a sharp contrast with results from a study in a lead-contaminated area of western Alaska in which duckling survival to 30 days post-hatch was 34%. The likelihood of adverse impacts on this threatened species, from oil-related or other activities, can be reduced by industry avoiding areas, throughout the summer, with numerous islands, peninsulas and deep water.

Hematology and clinical chemistry of sea otters vaptured in Prince William Sound, Alaska following the Exxon Valdez Oil Spill

USGS Publications Warehouse

Rebar, A.H.; Ballachey, Brenda E.; Bruden, D.L.; Kloecker, Kimberly A.

1996-01-01

Hematologic and serum chemical analyses were performed on sea otter blood samples collected from 31 adult males, 63 adult females, and 42 pups captured in western Prince William Sound (oiled area), and 12 adult males, 40 adult females, and 15 pups captured in eastern Prince William Sound (unoiled area) in 1989 and 1990. Hematologic differences between eastern and western adult males were minimal. Both hematocrits and hemoglobins were higher in western than eastern otters but the biological significance of this is equivocal. Western males had higher absolute eosinophil counts, suggesting possible systemic hypersensitivity reactions. Western males had higher serum protein and serum globulin levels than eastern males, suggesting greater antigenic stimulation (more inflammatory and/or infectious conditions). There were no differences in hematologic parameters between eastern and western female otters. Some chemistry changes were present, but the degree of difference was small. Total protein and serum globulin levels were slightly higher in western females, a finding also seen in adult males. Mean levels of liver enzymes for western females were somewhat higher than for the eastern otters, suggesting the possibility of subclinical liver disease. As a group, western pup hematocrits, hemoglobins, and red cell counts were significantly lower than those of eastern pups. From a biological perspective, these reductions were minimal but supported by individual animal data. The red cell data suggest a mild anemia in western pups; however, the degree of anemia was minimal, so that biological significance was equivocal. Other hematologic and clinical chemical differences between eastern and western pups were not striking and were also of equivocal biological significance.

Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact: Curecanti-Lost Canyon 230-kV Transmission Line Reroute Project, Montrose County, Colorado

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

N /A

2000-03-20

The Department of Energy (DOE), Western Area Power Administration (Western) is proposing to reroute a section of the Curecanti-Lost Canyon 230-kilovolt (kV) transmission line, in Montrose County, Colorado. A portion of the transmission line, situated 11 miles southeast of Montrose, Colorado, crosses Waterdog Peak, an area of significant geologic surface activity, which is causing the transmission line's lattice steel towers to shift. This increases stress to structure hardware and conductors, and poses a threat to the integrity of the transmission system. Western proposes to relocate the lattice steel towers and line to a more geologically stable area. The existing sectionmore » of transmission line and the proposed relocation route cross Bureau of Land Management and private land holdings.« less

Environmental and Groundwater Controls on Evaporation Rates of A Shallow Saline Lake in the Western Sandhills Nebraska, USA

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Peake, C.; Riveros-Iregui, D.; Lenters, J. D.; Zlotnik, V. A.; Ong, J.

2013-12-01

The western Sand Hills of Nebraska exhibit many shallow saline lakes that actively mediate groundwater-lake-atmospheric exchanges. The region is home to the largest stabilized dune field in the western hemisphere. Most of the lakes in the western Sand Hills region are saline and support a wide range of ecosystems. However, they are also highly sensitive to variability in evaporative and groundwater fluxes, which makes them a good laboratory to examine the effects of climate on the water balance of interdunal lakes. Despite being semiarid, little is known about the importance of groundwater-surface water interactions on evaporative rates, or the effects of changes in meteorological and energy forcings on the diel, and seasonal dynamics of evaporative fluxes. Our study is the first to estimate evaporation rates from one of the hundreds of shallow saline lakes that occur in the western Sand Hills region. We applied the energy balance Bowen ratio method at Alkali Lake, a typical saline western Sand Hills lake, over a three-year period (2007-2009) to quantify summer evaporation rates. Daily evaporation rates averaged 5.5 mm/day from July through September and were largely controlled by solar radiation on a seasonal and diel scales. Furthermore, the range of annual variability of evaporation rates was low. Although less pronounced, groundwater level effects on evaporation rates were also observed, especially from August through October when solar radiation was lower. The lake exhibits significant fluctuation in lake levels and combined with a shallow lake bed, large changes in lake surface area are observed. Our findings also show that with the onset of summer conditions, lake surface area can change very rapidly (e.g. 24% of its surface area or ~16.6 hectares were lost in less than ~2 months). In every year summer evaporation exceeded annual rainfall by an average of 28.2% suggesting that groundwater is a significant component of the lake water balance, it is important for sustaining life of surrounding ecosystems, and during the growing season it is transiently stored in the lake before it is rapidly lost to the atmosphere.

Water quality in the Western Lake Michigan Drainages, Wisconsin and Michigan, 1992-95

USGS Publications Warehouse

Peters, Charles A.; Robertson, Dale M.; Saad, David A.; Sullivan, Daniel J.; Scudder, Barbara C.; Fitzpatrick, Faith A.; Richards, Kevin D.; Stewart, Jana S.; Fitzgerald, Sharon A.; Lenz, Bernard N.

1998-01-01

This report is intended to summarize major findings that emerged between 1992 and 1995 from the water-quality assessment of the Western Lake Michigan Drainages Study Unit and torelate these findings to water-quality issues of regional and national concern. The information in primarily intended for those who are involved in water-resource management. Yet, the information contained here may also interest those who simply wish to know more about the quality of water in the rivers and aquifers in the area where they live.

Intermediate Cutting in Mixed Upland Oak Stands on the Western Highland Rim, Tennessee, After a Quarter of a Century

Treesearch

Adrienne N. Hall; John C. Rennie; Glendon W. Smalley

2004-01-01

In 1973 and 1974, a study was established at Stewart State Forest (SSF) and Lewis State Forest (LSF) to evaluate Roach and Gingrich’s “Even-Aged Silviculture for Upland Central Oaks” on the Western Highland Rim. Harvesting to the “B-level” of the stocking guide primarily removed cull and low-quality stems. Basal area was reduced from 110 to 80 square feet per acre at...

Interannual variability of a precipitation gradient along the semi-arid catchment areas for the metropolitan region of Lima- Peru in relation to atmospheric circulation at the mesoscale

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Otto, Marco; Seidel, Jochen; Trachte, Katja

2013-04-01

The main moisture source for precipitation on the western slopes of the Central Andes is located east of the mountain range known as the Amazon basin. However, the Andean mountains, which reach up to 6000 m a.s.l., strongly influence climatic conditions along the Pacific coastline of South America as a climatic barrier for the low-level tropospheric flow and associated moisture transport from the Amazon basin. Additional, large scale subsidence caused by the South Pacific High inhabits convective rainfall at the Pacific coast where large metropolitan areas such as the Peruvian capital Lima are located. Two contrasts in precipitation can be found while crossing the Andean mountains from West to East. On the Pacific coast, at the location of the metropolitan area of Lima, no more than 10 mm mean annual rainfall occurs. In contrast, up to 1000 mm mean annual rainfall occur only 100 km east of Lima within the upper region (4000 m .a.s.l.) of the Western Cordillera. The transition takes place along the western slopes of the Western Cordillera and is characterised by a strong precipitation gradient. Here, catchment areas are located that provide most of the water resources needed to sustain an urban area of approximately 10 million people. This study investigates the interannual variability of the precipitation gradient between 1998 and 2012. The analysis is based on daily precipitation data of 22 rain gauge station, daily rainfall data of the Tropical Rainfall Mission (TRMM 3B42) at 0.25 degrees and reanalysis data at 36 km spatial resolution at the mesoscale. The reanalysis data was produced using the Weather Research and Forecasting Model. Station data was provided by the Peruvian weather service during the project "Sustainable Water and Wastewater Management in Urban Growth Centres Coping with Climate Change - Concepts for Lima Metropolitana (Peru) (LiWa)", which is financed by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF). We are interested in the following questions. How is the interannual variability of the observed precipitation gradient related to atmospheric circulation east (Amazon basin) and west (south-east Pacific) of the study region? If those relations are quantifiable, are there any forecast potentials for the characteristics of the precipitation gradient during the raining season? The results of the study provide valuable information needed to understand the generation of rainfall in the frame of a case study for the largest metropolitan area that is located at the arid Pacific coast of Peru. This information may also be useful for local managers in order to optimise water resource management and land use strategies.

Using exhumation histories to constrain Main Himalayan Thrust geometry and seismic hazard in the western Nepal Himalaya

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Harvey, J. E.; Burbank, D.

2016-12-01

The Himalaya of western Nepal present a challenge to conventional understanding of the geometry and behavior of the Main Himalayan Thrust (MHT), a major seismogenic structure which accommodates 2 cm/yr of Indo-Asian convergence. Slip along a steeper ramp in the MHT drives long-term uplift of the Greater Himalaya along >1000 km of the central range front, resulting in a conspicuous physiographic transition known as PT2. This physiographic break is seemingly absent in western Nepal, which suggests a structural geometry and/or kinematic history distinct from areas along strike. This anomaly must be investigated to clarify how seismic hazard may differ from better-understood areas along strike. The importance of this work is heightened by the recent and catastrophic Gorkha earthquake in 2015. We present a suite of 7 relief transects comprising a mix of apatite and zircon U-Th/He and muscovite Ar-Ar cooling ages. These transects were collected across the more gradual mountain front in western Nepal in an effort to clarify where uplift and exhumation have been focused over the past 10 Ma. We invert these cooling ages using the thermo-kinematic model Pecube in order to constrain exhumation histories that best fit the measured cooling ages. Results confirm that MHT geometry and kinematic history in western Nepal are far more complex than in better-studied areas along strike. Exhumation rates in the along-strike projection of PT2 are slow ( 0.1-0.2 km/Myr) compared with rates 50 km toward the hinterland ( 1.0-1.5 km/Myr), suggesting that exhumation has been more rapid in this more northerly position for the past several Ma. Although a range of kinematic scenarios could explain the anomalous cooling histories, it is likely that a recently active midcrustal ramp in the MHT sits beneath this more northerly position. If the 2015 Gorkha earthquake initiated near the up-dip end of the MHT ramp in central Nepal, it is conceivable that similarly hazardous earthquakes could trigger from an analogous structural position in western Nepal, which puts seismic hazard well north of where one would expect by simply projecting PT2 across western Nepal. In addition to clarifying the seismic hazard posed by the MHT to populations in the region, these results are especially relevant to the proposed large hydroelectric dam projects in the region.

Protein analysis through Western blot of cells excised individually from human brain and muscle tissue

PubMed Central

Koob, A.O.; Bruns, L.; Prassler, C.; Masliah, E.; Klopstock, T.; Bender, A.

2016-01-01

Comparing protein levels from single cells in tissue has not been achieved through Western blot. Laser capture microdissection allows for the ability to excise single cells from sectioned tissue and compile an aggregate of cells in lysis buffer. In this study we analyzed proteins from cells excised individually from brain and muscle tissue through Western blot. After we excised individual neurons from the substantia nigra of the brain, the accumulated surface area of the individual cells was 120,000, 24,000, 360,000, 480,000, 600,000 μm2. We used an optimized Western blot protocol to probe for tyrosine hydroxylase in this cell pool. We also took 360,000 μm2 of astrocytes (1700 cells) and analyzed the specificity of the method. In muscle we were able to analyze the proteins of the five complexes of the electron transport chain through Western blot from 200 human cells. With this method, we demonstrate the ability to compare cell-specific protein levels in the brain and muscle and describe for the first time how to visualize proteins through Western blot from cells captured individually. PMID:22402104

Protein analysis through Western blot of cells excised individually from human brain and muscle tissue.

PubMed

Koob, A O; Bruns, L; Prassler, C; Masliah, E; Klopstock, T; Bender, A

2012-06-15

Comparing protein levels from single cells in tissue has not been achieved through Western blot. Laser capture microdissection allows for the ability to excise single cells from sectioned tissue and compile an aggregate of cells in lysis buffer. In this study we analyzed proteins from cells excised individually from brain and muscle tissue through Western blot. After we excised individual neurons from the substantia nigra of the brain, the accumulated surface area of the individual cells was 120,000, 24,000, 360,000, 480,000, 600,000 μm2. We used an optimized Western blot protocol to probe for tyrosine hydroxylase in this cell pool. We also took 360,000 μm2 of astrocytes (1700 cells) and analyzed the specificity of the method. In muscle we were able to analyze the proteins of the five complexes of the electron transport chain through Western blot from 200 human cells. With this method, we demonstrate the ability to compare cell-specific protein levels in the brain and muscle and describe for the first time how to visualize proteins through Western blot from cells captured individually. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Survey of Navajo Community Studies, 1936-1974. Lake Powell Research Project Bulletin Number 6, March 1975.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Henderson, Eric B.; Levy, Jerrold E.

Extant Navajo community studies conducted since the 1930's were surveyed. Data for selected social, economic, and demographic variables as reported in these studies were compared. Each community study was placed in one of three geographic classifications: western Navajo, eastern Navajo, and off-reservation. Each on-reservation area was subdivided…

Diagnostic accuracy of HbA1c in diabetes between Eastern and Western.

PubMed

Yan, Shuang; Liu, Siying; Zhao, Yashuang; Zhang, Wencui; Sun, Xiaohui; Li, Jianing; Jiang, Fuli; Ju, Jiaming; Lang, Ning; Zhang, Yingqi; Zhou, Weiyu; Li, Qiang

2013-07-01

In 2010, the American Diabetes Association recommended the use of HbA1c as a diagnostic criterion for diabetes. However, HbA1c is not an accepted diagnostic tool for diabetes in Eastern Asia, because genetic differences compromise the standardization of the diagnostic cut-off point. This study evaluated differences in the use of HbA1c for diagnosing diabetes in Eastern and Western populations and investigated whether HbA1c cut-off point of ≥ 6.5% is diagnostic of diabetes in patients from Eastern Asia. Literature was obtained from MEDLINE, EMBASE and Cochrane databases. The pooled sensitivity and specificity of each HbA1c cut-off point were extracted and compared between Western and Eastern populations. Differences in the cut-off point for diagnosing diabetes in each region were compared by examining differences in the area under summary receiver operating characteristic (SROC) curves. Twelve publications from Eastern countries (n = 59,735) and 13 from Western countries (n = 22,954) were included in the analysis. Areas under SROC curves in the Eastern and Western groups were 0.9331 and 0.9120, respectively (P = 0.98). The cut-off point of the highest Youden index was 6.0%. At the HbA1c cut-off point of 6.5%, the pooled sensitivity and specificity were 58.7% and 98.4% for Eastern countries and 65.5% and 98.1% for Western countries, respectively. HbA1c exhibits the same diagnostic value for diabetes in Eastern and Western populations. In both populations, HbA1c levels > 6.0% identify the population at high risk of diabetes, and HbA1c > 6.5% is diagnostic of clinically established diabetes. © 2013 Stichting European Society for Clinical Investigation Journal Foundation. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Selected ground-water data, Bonneville Salt Flats and Pilot Valley, western Utah

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lines, Gregory C.

1978-01-01

This report contains ground-water data collected at wells and springs on the Bonneville Salt Flats and in Pilot Valley, western Utah. Most of the data were collected during a study of the hydrology and surface morphology of these two salt-crust areas during the period July 1975 - June 1977. The study was carried out in cooperation with the U.S. Bureau of Land Management. This report is intended to make the basic data conveniently available and to supplement an interpretive report that will be published separately. Some earlier data that were collected by the Geological Survey and other organizations are also included.

Modelling for anchovy recruitment studies in the Gulf of Lions (Western Mediterranean Sea)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nicolle, Amandine; Garreau, Pierre; Liorzou, Bernard

2009-12-01

Anchovy ( Engraulis encrasicolus) is an important commercial species and one of the most abundant pelagic fish in the Gulf of Lions and the Catalan Sea. The factors influencing its recruitment are crucial to fisheries and ecological research. Among those factors transport of larvae by hydrodynamics (currents) is important because it determines whether the organisms can reach areas favourable to recruitment or are dispersed. Therefore, the first step in anchovy recruitment modelling is to simulate North-western Mediterranean Sea circulation. Several years (2001-2008) of hydrodynamics were simulated with the MARS-3D code. The resulting simulated currents and salinity are used by Lagrangian tool, Ichthyop, to transport anchovy eggs and larvae to the Western Mediterranean Sea. The aim of this study is to understand the main hydrodynamic processes that control anchovy transport and the effects of diel vertical migration on the transport and final distribution of anchovy.

Potential for cumulative effects of human stressors on fish, sea birds and marine mammals in Arctic waters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Andersen, Jesper H.; Berzaghi, Fabio; Christensen, Tom; Geertz-Hansen, Ole; Mosbech, Anders; Stock, Andy; Zinglersen, Karl B.; Wisz, Mary S.

2017-01-01

We estimate the potential for cumulative impacts from multiple anthropogenic stressors on fish, sea birds, and marine mammals in the western, southern and south-eastern parts of marine waters around Greenland. The analysis is based on a comprehensive data set representing five human activities including two proxies for climate change, as well as 25 key animal species including commercially important fish and top predators such as sea birds and marine mammals. Anthropogenic stressors are concentrated in two areas: the offshore waters south of Greenland, and especially the western coast from the Qeqertarsuaq (Disko Island) area to the southern tip of Greenland. The latter is also an area of high importance for many key species, thus the potential for cumulative impacts is high along Greenland's west coast. We conclude that this area should be under high scientific scrutiny and conservation attention. Our study is a first attempt and a stepping-stone towards more detailed and accurate estimates of the effects of multiple human stressors on Arctic marine ecosystems.

Copper and zinc levels in soil, water, wheat, and hair of inhabitants of three areas of the Orenburg region, Russia.

PubMed

Salnikova, Elena V; Burtseva, Tatiana I; Skalnaya, Margarita G; Skalny, Anatoly V; Tinkov, Alexey A

2018-06-07

The objective of the present study was to assess the level of zinc and copper in soil, water, wheat and hair of inhabitants of the western, central, and eastern areas of the Orenburg region. A total of 525 water, soil, and wheat samples, as well as 420 hair samples were assessed using atomic absorption spectrometry (water, soil, wheat) and inductively-coupled plasma mass spectrometry (hair). The highest levels of Zn and Cu in water (4.9(4.2-5.1) and 1.0(0.9-1.1) mg/l), soil (23.8(20.7-27.0) and 2.6(1.9-3.1) mg/kg), and wheat (24.7(20.5-31.0) and 4.8(4.2-5.5) mg/kg) were observed in the eastern area (p < 0.001). Hair zinc levels in inhabitants of the western (184(165-198) µg/g) and eastern (224(211-253) µg/g) areas of the region exceeded the respective values from the central area by 32% and 61% (p < 0.001). In turn, hair Cu levels in the central (16.4(14.3-17.8) µg/g) and eastern (17.9(16.4-19.0) µg/g) areas exceeded the values from the western area by 10% and 20%, respectively. Correlation analysis demonstrated that hair Zn levels were positively correlated with water and soil content, whereas wheat Zn levels were associated with soil and water content. For copper significant direct correlation was observed only between soil and water Cu content. In multiple regression models, only water zinc level was significantly associated with hair Zn content, although the general model accounted for 55% of variability of hair Zn content. Higher zinc and copper exposure in the eastern area is presumably associated with higher activity of metal-processing industry. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Novel Data on the Ecology of Cochranella mache (Anura: Centrolenidae) and the Importance of Protected Areas for This Critically Endangered Glassfrog in the Neotropics

PubMed Central

Ortega-Andrade, H. Mauricio; Rojas-Soto, Octavio; Paucar, Christian

2013-01-01

We studied a population of the endangered glassfrog, Cochranella mache, at Bilsa Biological Station, northwestern Ecuador, from 2008 and 2009. We present information on annual abundance patterns, behavioral ecology, habitat use and a species distribution model performed with MaxEnt. We evaluate the importance of the National System of Protected Areas (SNAP) in Colombia and Ecuador, under scenarios of climate change and habitat loss. We predicted a restricted environmental suitability area from 48,509 Km2 to 65,147 Km2 along western Ecuador and adjacent Colombia; ∼8% of the potential distribution occurs within SNAP. We examined four aspects of C. mache ecology: (1) ecological data suggests a strong correlation between relative abundance and rainfall, with a high probability to observe frogs through rainy months (February–May); (2) habitat use and the species distribution model suggest that this canopy dweller is restricted to small streams and rivulets in primary and old secondary forest in evergreen lowland and piedmont forest of western Ecuador, with predictions of suitability areas in adjacent southern Colombia; (3) the SNAP of Colombia and Ecuador harbor a minimum portion of the predicted model of distribution (<10%); and (4) synergetic effects of habitat loss and climate change reduces in about 95% the suitability areas for this endangered frog along its distributional range in Protected Areas. The resulting model allows the recognition of areas to undertake conservation efforts and plan future field surveys, as well as forecasting regions with high probability of C. mache occurrence in western Ecuador and southern Colombia. Further research is required to assess population tendencies, habitat fragmentation and target survey zones to accelerate the discovery of unknown populations in unexplored areas with high probability of suitability. We recommend that Cochranella mache must be re-categorized as “Critically Endangered” species in national and global status, according with criteria and sub-criteria A4, B1ab(i,ii,iii,iv),E. PMID:24339973

Compounding nonlinearities in the climate and wildfire system contribute to high uncertainty in estimates of future burned area in the western United State

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Williams, P.

2015-12-01

Ecological studies are increasingly recognizing the importance of atmospheric vapor-pressure deficit (VPD) as a driver of forest drought stress and disturbance processes such as wildfire. Because of the nonlinear Clausius-Clapeyron relationship between temperature and saturation vapor pressure, small variations in temperature can have large impacts on VPD, and therefore drought, particularly in warm, dry areas and particularly during the warm season. It is also clear that VPD and drought affect forest fire nonlinearly, as incremental drying leads to increasingly large burned areas. Forest fire is also affected by fuel amount and connectivity, which are promoted by vegetation growth in previous years, which is in turn promoted by lack of drought, highlighting the importance of nuances in the sequencing of natural interannual climate variations in modulating the impacts of drought on wildfire. The many factors affecting forest fire, and the nonlinearities embedded within the climate and wildfire systems, cause interannual variability in forest-fire area and frequency to be wildly variable and strongly affected by internal climate variability. In addition, warming over the past century has produced a background increase in forest fire frequency and area in many regions. In this talk I focus on the western United States and will explore whether the relationships between internal climate variability on forest fire area have been amplified by the effects of warming as a result of the compounding nonlinearities described above. I will then explore what this means for future burned area in the western United States and make the case that uncertainties in the future global greenhouse gas emissions trajectory, model projections of mean temperatures, model projections of precipitation, and model projections of natural climate variability translate to very large uncertainties in the effects of future climate variability on forest fire area in the United States and globally.

Hydrogeologic factors that affect the flowpath of water in selected zones of the Edwards Aquifer, San Antonio region, Texas

USGS Publications Warehouse

Groschen, G.E.

1996-01-01

The Edwards aquifer in the San Antonio region supplies drinking water for more than 1 million people. Proper development and protection of the aquifer is a high priority for local and State authorities. To better understand the flow of water in two major flowpaths in the Edwards aquifer, stratigraphic, structural, hydrologic, and geochemical data were analyzed. The western Medina flowpath is in parts of Uvalde, Medina, and Bexar Counties, and the eastern flowpath is in northern Bexar and central Comal Counties. A major hydrogeologic factor that affects the pattern of flow in the Edwards aquifer is the spatial and temporal distribution of recharge. Other hydrogeologic factors that affect flowpaths include internal boundaries and the location and rate of spring discharge. The relative displacement of faults and the high permeability layers have substantial control on the discharge at springs and on the flowpaths in the Edwards aquifer. Analysis of the estimated recharge to the Edwards aquifer during 1982 89 indicated that during years of substantial precipitation, a large part of the net recharge probably is diffuse infiltration of precipitation over large parts of the recharge area. During years with below-normal precipitation, most recharge is leakage from rivers and streams that drain the catchment subbasins. In the western Medina flowpath, concentrations of major ions indicate saturation of calcite and undersaturation of dolomite the two minerals that constitute most of the Edwards aquifer matrix. Concentrations of dissolved calcium, alkalinity, and dissolved chloride in the eastern flowpath are greater than those in the western Medina flowpath. These upward trends in concentrations might result in part from: (1) increased development in the recharge area, (2) mineralized effluent from developed areas, or (3) increased dissolution of aquifer material. Tritium data from wells sampled in and near the western Medina flowpath indicate no vertical stratification of flow. Tritium concentrations in the recharge area of the western Medina flowpath are smaller than would be expected from previous studies and for the amount of recharge the area presumably received since 1952. Stable-isotopic data indicate that the water in the Edwards aquifer is meteoric and, except in one known area, has not been subjected to substantial evaporation or other isotope-fractionating processes. Evaporation of water from Medina Lake results in a heavier stable-isotopic ratio in lake water, which subsequently recharges the Edwards aquifer. The stable-isotopic data indicate that lake water does not enter either of the two flowpaths.

A strategic assessment of forest biomass and fuel reduction treatments in western states

Treesearch

Bob Rummer; Jeff Prestemon; Dennis May; Pat Miles; John Vissage; Ron McRoberts; Greg Liknes; Wayne D. Shepperd; Dennis Ferguson; William Elliot; Sue Miller; Steve Reutebuch; Jamie Barbour; Jeremy Fried; Bryce Stokes; Edward Bilek; Ken Skog

2003-01-01

In the 15 western states there are at least 28 million acres of forest that could benefit from some type of mechanical treatment to reduce hazardous fuel loading. It is estimated that about 60 percent of this area could be operationally accessible for treatment with a total biomass treatment volume of 345 million bone dry tons (bdt). Two-thirds of this forest area is...

Previous fires moderate burn severity of subsequent wildland fires in two large western US wilderness areas

Treesearch

Sean A. Parks; Carol Miller; Cara R. Nelson; Zachary A. Holden

2014-01-01

Wildland fire is an important natural process in many ecosystems. However, fire exclusion has reduced frequency of fire and area burned in many dry forest types, which may affect vegetation structure and composition, and potential fire behavior. In forests of the western U.S., these effects pose a challenge for fire and land managers who seek to restore the ecological...

Genetic conservation planning for forest tree species in Western North America under future climate change: Employing a novel approach to identify conservation gaps

Treesearch

L.K. Gray; E.J. Russell; Q.E. Barber; A. Hamann

2017-01-01

Among the 17 provinces, territories, and states that comprise western North America, approximately 18 percent of the 8.4 million km2 of forested land base is designated as protected areas to ensure the in situ conservation of forest biodiversity. Jurisdictions vary substantially however, in their responsibilities, protected area coverage, and conservation policies....

77 FR 71501 - International Fisheries; Western and Central Pacific Fisheries for Highly Migratory Species...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-12-03

...NMFS issues regulations under the authority of the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Convention Implementation Act (WCPFC Implementation Act) to implement requirements for U.S. fishing vessels used for commercial fishing that offload or receive transshipments of highly migratory species (HMS), U.S. fishing vessels used for commercial fishing that provide bunkering or other support services to fishing vessels, and U.S. fishing vessels used for commercial fishing that receive bunkering or engage in other support services, in the area of application of the Convention on the Conservation and Management of Highly Migratory Fish Stocks in the Western and Central Pacific Ocean (Convention). Some of the requirements also apply to transshipments of fish caught in the area of application of the Convention (Convention Area) and transshipped elsewhere. NMFS also issues requirements regarding notification of entry into and exit from the ``Eastern High Seas Special Management Area'' (Eastern SMA) and requirements relating to discards from purse seine fishing vessels. This action is necessary for the United States to implement decisions of the Commission for the Conservation and Management of Highly Migratory Fish Stocks in the Western and Central Pacific Ocean (Commission or WCPFC) and to satisfy its obligations under the Convention, to which it is a Contracting Party.

40Ar/39Ar and K-Ar data bearing on the metamorphic and tectonic history of western New England.

USGS Publications Warehouse

Sutter, J.F.; Ratcliffe, N.M.; Mukasa, S.B.

1985-01-01

40Ar/39Ar ages of coexisting biotite and hornblende from Proterozoic Y gneisses of the Berkshire and Green Mt massifs, as well as 40Ar/39Ar and K/Ar mineral and whole-rock ages from Palaeozoic metamorphic rocks, suggest that the thermal peaks for the dominant metamorphic recrystallization in western New England occurred 465 + or - 5 m.y. (Taconian). 40Ar/39Ar age data from a poorly-defined terrain along the eastern strip of the area suggests that the area has been retrograded during a metamorphism that peaked at least 376 + or - 5 m.y. (Acadian). Available age and petrological data from western New England indicate the presence of at least three separate metamorphic-structure domains of Taconic age: 1) a small area of relict high-P and low-T metamorphism, 2) a broad area of normal Barrovian metamorphism from chlorite to garnet grade characterized by a gentle metamorphic gradient and, 3) a rather narrow belt of steep-gradient, Barrovian series metamorphic rocks. Areas of maximum metamorphic intensity within the last domain coincide with areas of maximum crustal thickening in the later stage of Taconic orogeny. -L.di H

Effect of socioeconomic disadvantage, remoteness and Indigenous status on hospital usage for Western Australian preterm infants under 12 months of age: a population-based data linkage study

PubMed Central

Strobel, Natalie A; Peter, Sue; McAuley, Kimberley E; McAullay, Daniel R; Marriott, Rhonda; Edmond, Karen M

2017-01-01

Objectives Our primary objective was to determine the incidence of hospital admission and emergency department presentation in Indigenous and non-Indigenous preterm infants aged postdischarge from birth admission to 11 months in Western Australia. Secondary objectives were to assess incidence in the poorest infants from remote areas and to determine the primary causes of hospital usage in preterm infants. Design Prospective population-based linked data set. Setting and participants All preterm babies born in Western Australia during 2010 and 2011. Main outcome measures All-cause hospitalisations and emergency department presentations. Results There were 6.9% (4211/61 254) preterm infants, 13.1% (433/3311) Indigenous preterm infants and 6.5% (3778/57 943) non-Indigenous preterm infants born in Western Australia. Indigenous preterm infants had a higher incidence of hospital admission (adjusted incident rate ratio (aIRR) 1.24, 95% CI 1.08 to 1.42) and emergency department presentation (aIRR 1.71, 95% CI 1.44 to 2.02) compared with non-Indigenous preterm infants. The most disadvantaged preterm infants (7.8/1000 person days) had a greater incidence of emergency presentation compared with the most advantaged infants (3.1/1000 person days) (aIRR 1.61, 95% CI 1.30 to 2.00). The most remote preterm infants (7.8/1000 person days) had a greater incidence of emergency presentation compared with the least remote preterm infants (3.0/1000 person days; aIRR 1.82, 95% CI 1.49 to 2.22). Conclusions In Western Australia, preterm infants have high hospital usage in their first year of life. Infants living in disadvantaged areas, remote area infants and Indigenous infants are at increased risk. Our data highlight the need for improved postdischarge care for preterm infants. PMID:28100563

Effect of socioeconomic disadvantage, remoteness and Indigenous status on hospital usage for Western Australian preterm infants under 12 months of age: a population-based data linkage study.

PubMed

Strobel, Natalie A; Peter, Sue; McAuley, Kimberley E; McAullay, Daniel R; Marriott, Rhonda; Edmond, Karen M

2017-01-18

Our primary objective was to determine the incidence of hospital admission and emergency department presentation in Indigenous and non-Indigenous preterm infants aged postdischarge from birth admission to 11 months in Western Australia. Secondary objectives were to assess incidence in the poorest infants from remote areas and to determine the primary causes of hospital usage in preterm infants. Prospective population-based linked data set. All preterm babies born in Western Australia during 2010 and 2011. All-cause hospitalisations and emergency department presentations. There were 6.9% (4211/61 254) preterm infants, 13.1% (433/3311) Indigenous preterm infants and 6.5% (3778/57 943) non-Indigenous preterm infants born in Western Australia. Indigenous preterm infants had a higher incidence of hospital admission (adjusted incident rate ratio (aIRR) 1.24, 95% CI 1.08 to 1.42) and emergency department presentation (aIRR 1.71, 95% CI 1.44 to 2.02) compared with non-Indigenous preterm infants. The most disadvantaged preterm infants (7.8/1000 person days) had a greater incidence of emergency presentation compared with the most advantaged infants (3.1/1000 person days) (aIRR 1.61, 95% CI 1.30 to 2.00). The most remote preterm infants (7.8/1000 person days) had a greater incidence of emergency presentation compared with the least remote preterm infants (3.0/1000 person days; aIRR 1.82, 95% CI 1.49 to 2.22). In Western Australia, preterm infants have high hospital usage in their first year of life. Infants living in disadvantaged areas, remote area infants and Indigenous infants are at increased risk. Our data highlight the need for improved postdischarge care for preterm infants. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/.

Genetic diversity of Plasmodium falciparum populations in southeast and western Myanmar.

PubMed

Soe, Than Naing; Wu, Yanrui; Tun, Myo Win; Xu, Xin; Hu, Yue; Ruan, Yonghua; Win, Aung Ye Naung; Nyunt, Myat Htut; Mon, Nan Cho Nwe; Han, Kay Thwe; Aye, Khin Myo; Morris, James; Su, Pincan; Yang, Zhaoqing; Kyaw, Myat Phone; Cui, Liwang

2017-07-04

The genetic diversity of malaria parasites reflects the complexity and size of the parasite populations. This study was designed to explore the genetic diversity of Plasmodium falciparum populations collected from two southeastern areas (Shwekyin and Myawaddy bordering Thailand) and one western area (Kyauktaw bordering Bangladesh) of Myanmar. A total of 267 blood samples collected from patients with acute P. falciparum infections during 2009 and 2010 were used for genotyping at the merozoite surface protein 1 (Msp1), Msp2 and glutamate-rich protein (Glurp) loci. One hundred and eighty four samples were successfully genotyped at three genes. The allelic distributions of the three genes were all significantly different among three areas. MAD20 and 3D7 were the most prevalent alleles in three areas for Msp1 and Msp2, respectively. The Glurp allele with a bin size of 700-750 bp was the most prevalent both in Shwekyin and Myawaddy, whereas two alleles with bin sizes of 800-850 bp and 900-1000 bp were the most prevalent in the western site Kyauktaw. Overall, 73.91% of samples contained multiclonal infections, resulting in a mean multiplicity of infection (MOI) of 1.94. Interestingly, the MOI level presented a rising trend with the order of Myawaddy, Kyauktaw and Shwekyin, which also paralleled with the increasing frequencies of Msp1 RO33 and Msp2 FC27 200-250 bp alleles. Msp1 and Msp2 genes displayed higher levels of diversity and higher MOI rates than Glurp. PCR revealed four samples (two from Shwekyin and two from Myawaddy) with mixed infections of P. falciparum and P. vivax. This study genotyped parasite clinical samples from two southeast regions and one western state of Myanmar at the Msp1, Msp2 and Glurp loci, which revealed high levels of genetic diversity and mixed-strain infections of P. falciparum populations at these sites. The results indicated that malaria transmission intensity in these regions remained high and more strengthened control efforts are needed. The genotypic data provided baseline information for monitoring the impacts of malaria elimination efforts in the region.

Glacier Elevation Change in Western Nyainqentanglha Range, Tibetan Plateau

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Q.; Kang, S.; Zhang, G.

2016-12-01

Glacier retreat is a focus in the world with the global warming, local water resources and sea level rise was influenced greatly. Glacier area in western Nyainqentanglha range have a change of -6.8 to -18.2 percent from 1970 to 2010, the area in the northern slope decreased by larger rate. Changes in glacier area can not be used to estimate glacier mass variation. In this study, we use Landsat OLI images to extract glacier outlines, then glacier elevation change was calculated by Differential interferometry of TerraSAR-X/TanDEM-X and SRTM-C DEM. The decreasing rate of glacier elevation in the western Nyainqentanglha range was -0.28 ±0.11 m yr-1 during 2000 to 2014, the northern slope of -0.44 ±0.11 m yr-1 show a faster annual thinning rate than the southern slope of -0.22 ±0.11 m yr-1, which is conform to the area change trend. Detailed study of the typical glaciers elevation change suggests that , zhadang glacier represent the annual thinning rate of -0.61±0.11 m yr-1, 41 points elevation was measured by RTK-GPS in the field expedition in 2013, this values was used to validate the DInSAR results. The correlation coefficient between them was 0.77. Gurenhekou glacier in the south slope shows glacier elevation change of -0.25 m w.e. yr-1, the value is similar to -0.31 m w.e. yr-1 investigated by stakes and snow pits. Glacier have an elevation change of -0.70 m yr-1 head-ward 500 m from the terminus position along centre line, it approximate to -0.85 m yr-1 measured by RTK-GPS. Otherwise the height difference of zero lies at 5764 m which is close to the average ELA of 5777 m measured by stakes and snow pits. Glacier and climate change interacted with each other. Temperature in western Nyainqentanglha range showed prominent increasing trend from 1964 to 2014, precipitation have increased slowly meanwhile and can not make up the mass loss affected by warming temperature, Glaciers elevation have lowered in recent decades.

Climate and Wildfire in Mountains of the Western United States

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alfaro, E.; Westerling, A. L.; Cayan, D. R.

2004-12-01

Since the mid-1980s, there has been a dramatic increase in the area burned in wildfires in mountain forests of the western United States, with mean annual area burned nearly three and a half times higher compared to the preceding one and a half decades.(1) Concomitant increases in variability in annual area burned and in fire suppression costs pose a serious challenge for land management in the mountainous West. The variance in annual area burned since 1987 is nineteen times its previous level. Since managers must be prepared for the worst possible scenarios in every fire season, increased uncertainty about the scale of the western fire season each year imposes high costs on public agencies. Annual real suppression costs in western forests have more than doubled for the Forest Service since 1987, while the variance in annual suppression costs is over four times higher. Although federal agencies' fire suppression budgets have increased recently, they are still close to what would be spent in an "average" year that seldom occurs, while costs tend to fluctuate between low and high extremes. Modeling area burned and suppression costs as a function of climate variability alone, Westerling (2004, unpublished work) found that the probability of the Forest Service's suppression expenses exceeding the current annual suppression budget has exceeded 50% since 1987, a substantial increase from the one-in-three chance over the preceding 40 years. Recent progress in our understanding of the links between climate and wildfire, and in our ability to forecast some aspects of both climate and wildfire season severity a season or more in advance, offers some hope that these costs might be ameliorated through the integration of climate information into fire and fuels management. In addition to the effects of climate variability on wildfire, long-term biomass accumulations in some western ecosystems have fueled an increasing incidence of large, stand-replacing wildfires where such fires were previously rare. These severe large fires can result in erosion and changes in vegetation type, with consequences for water quality, stream flow, future biological productivity of the affected areas, and habitat loss for endangered species. Apart from their deleterious ecological consequences, severe fires can also dramatically affect amenity values for public lands and for homeowners living in the wildland-urban interface. In the National Fire Plan, land management agencies have committed to reducing fuels on millions of hectares of public lands. The primary means are mechanical removal, prescribed fire and wildland fire use. The Forest Service estimates they will need to spend hundreds of millions of dollars per year to meet their fuel reduction targets, while efforts in recent years have not kept up with the current rate of biomass increase. Use of climate information for targeting resources and scheduling prescribed burns could increase the efficiency of these efforts. In this study we review the fire history since 1970 for western mountain forests, and demonstrate apparent links between regional climate variability and decadal-scale changes in annual area burned. This analysis explores how wildfire size and frequency have varied over the past thirty-five years by elevation and latitude, and how climate indices such as precipitation, temperature, drought indices and the timing of spring runoff vary in importance for fire season severity by elevation in forests around the western United States.

Migration and Western europe: the old world turning new.

PubMed

Therborn, G

1987-09-04

The 1960s meant a historical turn of Western Europe, becoming an immigration area. Net immigration has been concentrated to some of the prosperous Western European countries and has been mainly determined by the demand of their particular national labor regimes. The size of alien employment has been very differently affected by the 1973 crisis, but a multiethnical society will remain a novel feature of most Western European countries. Political abdication from full employment and technological change makes a ghetto of un(der)employment a likely prospect of a large part of the second generation of recent immigrants into Western Europe.

Analysis of surface-water data network in Kansas for effectiveness in providing regional streamflow information

USGS Publications Warehouse

Medina, K.D.; Tasker, Gary D.

1985-01-01

The surface water data network in Kansas was analyzed using generalized least squares regression for its effectiveness in providing regional streamflow information. The correlation and time-sampling error of the streamflow characteristic are considered in the generalized least squares method. Unregulated medium-flow, low-flow and high-flow characteristics were selected to be representative of the regional information that can be obtained from streamflow gaging station records for use in evaluating the effectiveness of continuing the present network stations, discontinuing some stations; and/or adding new stations. The analysis used streamflow records for all currently operated stations that were not affected by regulation and discontinued stations for which unregulated flow characteristics , as well as physical and climatic characteristics, were available. The state was divided into three network areas, western, northeastern, and southeastern Kansas, and analysis was made for three streamflow characteristics in each area, using three planning horizons. The analysis showed that the maximum reduction of sampling mean square error for each cost level could be obtained by adding new stations and discontinuing some of the present network stations. Large reductions in sampling mean square error for low-flow information could be accomplished in all three network areas, with western Kansas having the most dramatic reduction. The addition of new stations would be most beneficial for man- flow information in western Kansas, and to lesser degrees in the other two areas. The reduction of sampling mean square error for high-flow information would benefit most from the addition of new stations in western Kansas, and the effect diminishes to lesser degrees in the other two areas. Southeastern Kansas showed the smallest error reduction in high-flow information. A comparison among all three network areas indicated that funding resources could be most effectively used by discontinuing more stations in northeastern and southeastern Kansas and establishing more new stations in western Kansas. (Author 's abstract)

Spatial Planning on Riverfront Urban Area in Banjir Kanal Barat Semarang

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Darmawan, E.; Murtini, T. W.; Werdiningsih, H.; Enis, A. S.

2017-07-01

Riverfront in Banjir Kanal Barat (Western Flood Canal) develops rapidly since its western part of the east banks side is developed as a recreation area. Banjir Kanal Barat is also used for the venue for special occasions. Along the banks of rivers there are street vendors that sells second-hand goods and behind it there are densely populated residential. It is quite interesting, but it also takes high risk because the surroundings are prone to flood. The existing recreation area was built without considering flood-prone locations. Therefore, on this research, the researchers will design spatial planning in the area Banjir Kanal Barat river in order to make it more interesting for tourism. To achieve this goal, several aspects in Hamid Shirvani’s theory will be applied, so the important aspects able to attract people to visit Banjir Kanal Barat will be identified. Comparative qualitative research methods used with a direct view conditions on the field and study literature. From the analysis it can be known the lack of harmony between the use space in Banjir Kanal Barat with buildings in the surrounding areas so it needs the optimization the use of space to be around it with the function of Banjir Kanal Barat.

The socio-political conceptualization of Serengeti landscapes in Europe: The case of 'Western Iberia'

Treesearch

Arjaan Pellis; Martijn Felder; Rene van der Duim

2015-01-01

This paper reflects on the socio-political conceptualization of ‘Western Iberia', one of Rewilding Europe's first pilot areas. Drawing from Actor Network Theory and social theories discussing Politics of Scale, we illustrate how ‘Western Iberia' is continuously being negotiated through practices in different sites within / outside its geographical...

Evidence of field-evolved resistance to bifenthrin in western corn rootworm (Diabrotica virgifera virgifera LeConte) populations in western Nebraska and Kansas

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Pyrethroid insecticides are widely used to control larvae or adult western corn rootworm, a key pest of corn in the United States. In response to reports of reduced efficacy of pyrethroids in WCR management programs in southwestern areas of Nebraska and Kansas the present research was designed to es...

Chromosomal characterization of Arvicanthis species (Rodentia, Murinae) from western and central Africa: implications for taxonomy.

PubMed

Volobouev, V T; Ducroz, J F; Aniskin, V M; Britton-Davidian, J; Castiglia, R; Dobigny, G; Granjon, L; Lombard, M; Corti, M; Sicard, B; Capanna, E

2002-01-01

A chromosome study of unstriped grass rats of the genus Arvicanthis (Rodentia, Murinae) in western and central Africa is presented. The observations extend the data available to 242 specimens from 59 localities. All individuals karyotyped belong to four karyotypic forms, or cytotypes, earlier described as ANI-1, ANI-2, ANI-3, and ANI-4 and are presumed to correspond to four distinct species. In order to provide diagnostic characters for these western and one central African Arvicanthis species, we standardized the chromosomal data available and developed a G- and C-banded chromosome nomenclature that allows easy species identification. Each form is characterized by a distinct geographical distribution, roughly following the biogeographical domains of western Africa, although their precise limits remain to be assessed. The sole area of sympatry detected is the region of the inner delta of the Niger River, where both ANI-1 and ANI-3 can be found. It is proposed that the three western African species ANI-1, ANI-3, and ANI-4 be renamed as A. niloticus, A. ansorgei, and A. rufinus, respectively. Copyright 2002 S. Karger AG, Basel

Ethnobotanical study on traditional use of medicinal plants in South-Western Serbia, Zlatibor district.

PubMed

Savikin, Katarina; Zdunić, Gordana; Menković, Nebojša; Zivković, Jelena; Cujić, Nada; Tereščenko, Milena; Bigović, Dubravka

2013-04-19

This paper provides significant ethnobotanical information on medicinal plant uses in the Zlatibor district, South-Western Serbia. A survey was performed using questionnaires with 220 informants (mean age 47, 79% female, 21% male). In addition, the use value and the relative importance of species were determined and the informant consensus factor was calculated for the medicinal plants included in the study. Intended plants usage was compared with previous ethnobotanical literature, with reference to the neighboring areas of Zlatibor district. The informants provided data for 69 medicinal plants belonging to 36 families. Rosaceae, Lamiaceae and Asteraceae were the predominant locally used families. The species with the highest use value were Mentha piperita, Matricaria chamomilla, Hypericum perforatum and Achillea millefolium. The most frequently reported medicinal uses were ones for treating gastrointestinal ailments, respiratory problems and skin diseases. Usually, the administration was primarily oral followed by topical applications. All different plant parts were utilized, however leaves were the most exploited parts of the plants. Folk medicine in South-Western Serbia, Zlatibor district is intended mainly as a mode of primary health care in healing of minor illnesses. The results indicate a slight reduction in the ethnobotanical and medical knowledge in this area, when compared with neighboring regions. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Distribution of calcretes and gypcretes in southwestern United States and their uranium favorability, based on a study of deposits in Western Australia and South West Africa (Namibia)

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

Carlisle, D.; Merifield, P.M.; Orme, A.R.

Calcrete, dolocrete, and gypcrete carnotite are abundant in western Australia and Namib Desert, although only a few are of ore grade. The geology of these deposits are described. A genetic classification of calcretes emphasizing uranium favorability was developed, based on the distinction between pedogenic and nonpedogenic processes. Similarities between western Australia and South West Africa give support for the conclusions that lateral transport of U in groundwater is essential to ore deposition and that bedrock barriers or constrictions which narrow the channel of subsurface flow or force the water close to the land surface, greatly favor the formation of uraniferousmore » calcretes. Criteria for uranium favorability deduced from the Australian and South West African studies were applied in a preliminary way to the southern Basin and Range Province of U.S. The procedure is to search for areas in which nonpedogenic calcrete or gypcrete may have developed. A caliche distribution map was compiled from soil survey and field data. Many areas were visited and some of the more interesting are described briefly, including parts of Clark County, Nevada, with occurrences of carnotite in calcrete. (DLC)« less

Syphilis Trends among Men Who Have Sex with Men in the United States and Western Europe: A Systematic Review of Trend Studies Published between 2004 and 2015.

PubMed

Abara, Winston E; Hess, Kristen L; Neblett Fanfair, Robyn; Bernstein, Kyle T; Paz-Bailey, Gabriela

2016-01-01

Globally, men who have sex with men (MSM) are disproportionately burdened with syphilis. This review describes the published literature on trends in syphilis infections among MSM in the US and Western Europe from 1998, the period with the fewest syphilis infections in both geographical areas, onwards. We also describe disparities in syphilis trends among various sub-populations of MSM. We searched electronic databases (Medline, Embase, Global Health, PsychInfo, CAB Abstracts, CINAHL, Sociological Abstracts, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, and LILACS) for peer-reviewed journal articles that were published between January 2004 and June 2015 and reported on syphilis cases among MSM at multiple time points from 1998 onwards. Ten articles (12 syphilis trend studies/reports) from the US and eight articles (12 syphilis trend studies/reports) from Western Europe were identified and included in this review. Taken together, our findings indicate an increase in the numbers and rates (per 100,000) of syphilis infections among MSM in the US and Western Europe since 1998. Disparities in the syphilis trends among MSM were also noted, with greater increases observed among HIV-positive MSM than HIV-negative MSM in both the US and Western Europe. In the US, racial minority MSM and MSM between 20 and 29 years accounted for the greatest increases in syphilis infections over time whereas White MSM accounted for most syphilis infections over time in Western Europe. Multiple strategies, including strengthening and targeting current syphilis screening and testing programs, and the prompt treatment of syphilis cases are warranted to address the increase in syphilis infections among all MSM in the US and Western Europe, but particularly among HIV-infected MSM, racial minority MSM, and young MSM in the US.

Syphilis Trends among Men Who Have Sex with Men in the United States and Western Europe: A Systematic Review of Trend Studies Published between 2004 and 2015

PubMed Central

Abara, Winston E.; Hess, Kristen L.; Neblett Fanfair, Robyn; Bernstein, Kyle T.; Paz-Bailey, Gabriela

2016-01-01

Globally, men who have sex with men (MSM) are disproportionately burdened with syphilis. This review describes the published literature on trends in syphilis infections among MSM in the US and Western Europe from 1998, the period with the fewest syphilis infections in both geographical areas, onwards. We also describe disparities in syphilis trends among various sub-populations of MSM. We searched electronic databases (Medline, Embase, Global Health, PsychInfo, CAB Abstracts, CINAHL, Sociological Abstracts, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, and LILACS) for peer-reviewed journal articles that were published between January 2004 and June 2015 and reported on syphilis cases among MSM at multiple time points from 1998 onwards. Ten articles (12 syphilis trend studies/reports) from the US and eight articles (12 syphilis trend studies/reports) from Western Europe were identified and included in this review. Taken together, our findings indicate an increase in the numbers and rates (per 100,000) of syphilis infections among MSM in the US and Western Europe since 1998. Disparities in the syphilis trends among MSM were also noted, with greater increases observed among HIV-positive MSM than HIV-negative MSM in both the US and Western Europe. In the US, racial minority MSM and MSM between 20 and 29 years accounted for the greatest increases in syphilis infections over time whereas White MSM accounted for most syphilis infections over time in Western Europe. Multiple strategies, including strengthening and targeting current syphilis screening and testing programs, and the prompt treatment of syphilis cases are warranted to address the increase in syphilis infections among all MSM in the US and Western Europe, but particularly among HIV-infected MSM, racial minority MSM, and young MSM in the US. PMID:27447943

Internal Waves, Western Indian Ocean

NASA Image and Video Library

1991-12-01

STS044-79-077 (24 Nov.-1 Dec. 1991) --- This photograph, captured from the Earth-orbiting Space Shuttle Atlantis, shows sunglint pattern in the western tropical Indian Ocean. Several large internal waves reflect around a shallow area on the sea floor. NASA scientists studying the STS-44 photography believe the shallow area to be a sediment (a submerged mountain) on top of the Mascarene Plateau, located northeast of Madagascar at approximately 5.6 degrees south latitude and 55.7 degrees east longitude. Internal waves are similar to surface ocean waves, except that they travel inside the water column along the boundary between water layers of different density. At the surface, their passage is marked on the sea surface by bands of smooth and rough water. These bands appear in the sunglint pattern as areas of brighter or darker water. NASA scientists point out that, when the waves encounter an obstacle, such as a near-surface seamount, they bend or refract around the obstacle in the same manner as surface waves bend around an island or headland.

View of portion of Western United States as seen by Skylab

NASA Image and Video Library

1974-01-10

SL4-139-4040 (10 Jan. 1974) --- An oblique view of a portion of the Western United States, as photographed from the Skylab space station in Earth orbit by one of the Skylab 4 crewmen. The camera used was a hand-held 70mm Hasselblad, with SO-368 medium-speed Ektachrome film. This photograph is one of a stereo pair (the other being 4039) taken to support the hydrological studies of the changing snow patterns in several watersheds. Stereo analysis will enable snow to be distinguished from clouds quantitatively. In a qualitative sense, the clouds are the fuzzy white, whereas the snow is distinct white. The area covered is from the Colorado Springs, Colorado area at the south to (and beyond) the Black Hills, South Dakota area. The Black Forest between Colorado Springs and Denver is evident as are the mountains west of these cities. South Park, west of Colorado Springs, and the South Platte River running north and east from Denver are two other conspicuous features. Photo credit: NASA

[Limiting factors of waste land revegetation in indigenous zinc smelting areas of western Guizhou].

PubMed

Lin, Wen-Jie; Xiao, Tang-Fu; Ao, Zi-Qiang; Xing, Jun; Ma, Huan-Cheng; Hu, Ting-Xing

2007-03-01

With indigenous zinc smelting waste residue, contaminated soil and background soil as test substrates, a pot experiment was conducted to study the growth characteristics of Lolium perenne and Trifolium pretense on these substrates. The results showed that the major limiting factors of waste land revegetation in indigenous zinc smelting areas of western Guizhou were the salt-alkali stress and the lower contents of organic matter, total N, available N and total K. The heavy metals in waste residue had a high concentration, but their available forms only occupied a small proportion, with low toxicity to plant but having potential harmful risk. Contaminated soil had lower concentrations of heavy metals than waste residue, but its contained heavy metals were more in available form. The constraints of revegetation on contaminated soil were the toxicity of heavy metals and the low contents of available P and K. Mixing contaminated soil with zinc smelting waste residue could be one of the effective approaches for the substrate amendment in indigenous zinc smelting areas.

Environmental implications of coal development: an interdisciplinary research team approach

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

Barker, W.T.; Brun, L.; Enz, J.

In May, 1974 a team of researchers from North Dakota State University launched a project aimed at investigating The Implications of Coal Development on the Atmospheric Environment and Plant Ecosystems of Selected Sites in Western North Dakota. It was an interdisciplinary effort of four basic study areas, namely: Soils, Climatology, Engineering, and Botany. Support was provided by the US Forest Service, USDA, under a Surface Environment and Mining (SEAM) cooperative agreement with the North Dakota Agricultural Experiment Station. The investigations, which lasted 4-1/2 years, were designed to accomplish three primary objectives. First was to analyze the frequency, intensity, and durationmore » of low-level radiation inversions in western North Dakota. The second was to determine the probable dispersion of wastes to the atmosphere from various theoretical operational levels and types of coal development in the specified area. Lastly was evaluation of the effects of probable changes in air quality on the plant ecosystems in the area.« less

Habitat characterization of western hoolock gibbons Hoolock hoolock by examining home range microhabitat use.

PubMed

Akers, Alice A; Anwarul Islam, Md; Nijman, Vincent

2013-10-01

Conserving a species depends on an understanding of its habitat requirements. Primatologists often characterize the habitat requirements of primates using macroscale population-based approaches relying on correlations between habitat attributes and population abundances between sites with varying levels of disturbance. This approach only works for species spread between several populations. The populations of some primates do not fulfill these criteria, forcing researchers to rely on individual-based (microscale) rather than population-based approaches for habitat characterization. We examined the reliability of using micro-scale habitat characterizations by studying the microhabitat preferences of a group of wild western hoolock gibbons (Hoolock hoolock) in order to compare our results to the habitat preferences of western hoolock gibbons identified during a macroscale study of populations across Bangladesh. We used stepwise discriminant analysis to differentiate between the areas of low, medium, and high usage based on microhabitat characteristics (tree species availability, altitude, canopy connection, distance from forest edge, and levels of human disturbance). The gibbons used interior forest habitat with low food tree availability most frequently for sleeping and socializing, and used edge habitat containing high food tree availability for medium periods for feeding. These results indicate that the gibbons prefer interior forest but are frequently forced to visit the forest edge to feed. Therefore, the optimal habitat would be interior forest away from human disturbance with high sleeping-tree and feeding-tree availability. These habitat preferences are consistent with the habitat attributes of Bangladesh's largest remaining western hoolock gibbon populations, which live in areas containing low agricultural encroachment and high food-tree availability. Microhabitat use studies can be used to characterize the habitat requirements of a species, but should include multiple scales of analysis wherever possible.

Western Pacific Air-Sea Interaction Study (W-PASS), Introduction and Highlights (Invited)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tsuda, A.

2010-12-01

Western Pacific Air-Sea Interaction Study (W-PASS), Introduction and Highlights Atsushi Tsuda Atmosphere and Ocean Research Institute, The University of Tokyo In the western Pacific (WESTPAC) region, dust originating from Asian and Australian arid regions to the North and South Pacific, biomass burning emissions from the Southeast Asia to sub-tropical Pacific, and other anthropogenic substances are transported regionally and globally to affect cloud and rainfall patterns, air quality, and radiative budgets downwind. Deposition of these compounds into the Asian marginal seas and onto the Pacific Ocean influence surface primary productivity and species composition. In the WESTPAC region, subarctic, subtropical oceans and marginal seas are located relatively narrow latitudinal range and these areas are influenced by the dust and anthropogenic inputs. Moreover, anthropogenic emission areas are located between the arid region and the oceans. The W-PASS (Western Pacific Air-Sea interaction Study) project has been funded for 5 years as a part of SOLAS-Japan activity in the summer of 2006. We aim to resolve air-sea interaction through field observation studies mainly using research vessels and island observatories over the western Pacific. We have carried out 5 cruises to the western North Pacific focusing on air-sea interactions. Also, an intensive marine atmospheric observation including direct atmospheric deposition measurement was accomplished by a dozen W-PASS research groups at the NIES Atmospheric and Aerosol Monitoring Station of Cape Hedo in the northernmost tip of the Okinawa main Island facing the East China Sea in the spring 2008. A few weak Kosa (dust) events, anthropogenic air outflows, typical local air and occupation of marine background air were identified during the campaign period. The W-PASS has four research groups mainly focusing on VOC emissions, air-sea gas exchange processes, biogeochemical responses to dust depositions and its modeling. We also established interdisciplinary working groups on typhoon impact, long term trend of DMS emission, Cape Hedo Campaign, and eddy-covariance technique. I would like to introduce some of the highlights from the project. 1. Nano-mole level nutrients distribution in relation to dust input and nitrogen fixation. 2. High resolution measurement of VOCs with PTR-Mass spectrometry. 3. Chemical modification of iron by anthropogenic substances and it’s bioavailability, and relative importance of dust and regenerated iron in the western subarctic Pacific. 4. Typhoon disturbance as one of major processes of new production in the subtropical Pacific.

Groundwater Numerical Modeling, An Application of Remote Sensing, and GIS Techniquies in El Shab area, Western Desert, Egypt

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Faid, Abdalla; Ismail, Esam

2016-04-01

El Shab region is located in south Darb El Arbaieen, western desert of Egypt. It occupies the area between latitudes 22o 00/ and 22o 30/ North and Longitudes 29o 30/ and 30o 00/ East, from southern border of Egypt to the area north Bir Kuraiym and from the area east of east Owienat to the area west Tushka district, its area about 2750 Km2. The famous features; southern part of Darb El Arbaieen road, G Baraqat El Scab El Qarra, Bir Dibis, Bir El Shab and Bir Kuraiym, Interpretation of soil stratification shows layers that are related to Quaternary and Upper-Lower Cretaceous eras. It is dissected by a series of NE-SW striking faults. The regional groundwater flow direction is in SW-NE direction with a hydraulic gradient is 1m / 2km. Mathematical model program has been applied for evaluation of groundwater potentials in the main Aquifer -Nubian Sandstone- in the area of study. Total period of simulation is 100 years. After steady state calibration, two different scenarios are simulated for groundwater development. 21 production wells are installed at the study area and used in the model, with the total discharge for the two scenarios were 105000m3/d, 210000m3/d. The drawdown was 11.8 m and 23.7 m for the two scenarios in the end of 100 year. Contour maps for water heads and drawdown and hydrographs for piezometric head are represented. The drawdown was less than the half of the saturated thickness (the safe yield case).

Regional likelihood of very large wildfires over the 21st century across the western United States: Motivation to study individual events like the Rim Fire, a unique opportunity with unprecedented remote sensing data

Treesearch

E. Natasha Stavros; John Abatzoglou; Zachary Tane; Van Kane; Sander Veraverbeke; Bob McGaughey; James A. Lutz; Narasimhan K. Larkin; Donald McKenzie; E. Ashley Steel; Carlos Ramirez; Justin Boland; Dave Schimel

2015-01-01

Studies project that a warming climate will likely increase wildfire activity in many areas (Westerling and others 2002; Flannigan and others 2005, 2009; Littell and others 2009). These analyses are often of aggregate statistics like annual area burned, which are insufficient for analyzing changes in seasonality of fire events, the temporal resolution useful for fire...

Ground-water-quality assessment of shallow aquifers in the Front Range Urban Corridor, Colorado, 1954-98

USGS Publications Warehouse

Flynn, Jennifer L.

2003-01-01

Historical (1954-98) water-quality data for major ions, trace elements, major plant nutrients, and organic constituents collected in 3,870 sampling events at 2,138 shallow wells represent ground-water quality in shallow aquifers that underlie the Front Range Urban Corridor in Colorado. Nonparametric summary statistics and maps of concentrations across the study area indicate that ground water in the study area included fresh to saline water. Sulfate concentrations were elevated in the north and northeast parts of the study area, possibly due to Pierre Shale and Laramie Formation shale outcrops in those areas. Apart from isolated areas of known contamination, chloride concentrations were generally less than 100 milligrams per liter across the study area. Wells with elevated nitrate concentrations usually were located near rivers and streams downgradient from metropolitan areas. Elevated nitrate concentrations in wells that were not along the South Platte River were possibly from individual sewage disposal system usage or from fertilizer application to land. Spatial distribution for organic compounds for which more than 40 percent of the data were above the detection limit (atrazine, methyl-tert-butylether, and prometon) is not widespread across the study area, but this may reflect limitations of data availability. Summary statistics calculated or estimated by decade are influenced by the temporal variability of data across the study area. The median values of specific conductance, chloride, and nitrate from the 1970?s are less than values from the 1980?s and 1990?s, which, because most samples from the l970?s were collected in the western part of the study area, indicates that water quality in the western part of the study area is generally different than the rest of the study area. Chloride may be introduced to ground water from runoff of road deicers or chlorinated organics in transportation/transitional areas, where the median concentration is the greatest (85.0 milligrams per liter). Nitrate median concentrations are several times greater where the land is cultivated or used for agricultural business, which may reflect use of nitrogen fertilizers and the presence of animal feeding operations. Most inorganic and organic constituents exceeded drinking-water standards in only a small percentage of samples. Exceptions to this include sulfate; nitrate; trace elements aluminum, cadmium, iron, and manganese; and organic compounds 1,1-dichloroethylene, tetrachloroethylene, trichloroethylene, benzene, and dichloromethane.

Distribution and abundance of cetaceans in the north-central and western Gulf of Mexico. Final report. Volume 1. Executive summary

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

Davis, R.W.; Fargion, G.S.

1996-05-24

The purpose of the study was to determine the distribution and abundance of cetaceans in areas potentially affected by future oil and gas activities along the continental slope of the north-central and western Gulf of Mexico. This 3.75 year project commenced 1 October 1991 and finished 15 July 1995. The study area was bounded by the Florida-Alabama border, the Texas-Mexico border, and the 100 m and 2,000 m isobaths. Cetacean distribution and abundance were determined from seasonal aerial and shipboard visual surveys and shipboard acoustic surveys. In addition, hydrographic data were collected in situ and by satellite remote sensing tomore » characterize cetacean habitat. Finally, tagging and tracking of sperm whales using satellite telemetry was attempted. This volume summarizes the results of the study. Cetaceans were observed throughout the study area during all four seasons. Nineteen species were identified, including two species (melon-headed whales and Fraser`s dolphins) previously thought to be rare in the Gulf. Pantropical spotted dolphins, bottlenose dolphins, clymene dolphins, striped dolphins, Atlantic spotted dolphins, and melon-headed whales were the most common small cetaceans and the sperm whale was the most common large cetacean. The mean annual abundance for all cetaceans was estimated to be 19,198. Although the study area had complex and dynamic oceanography, bottom depth was the only environmental variable which correlated to cetacean distribution.« less

Distribution and abundance of cetaceans in the north-central and western Gulf of Mexico. Final report. Volume 2. Technical report

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

Davis, R.W.; Fargion, G.S.

1996-05-24

The purpose of the study was to determine the distribution and abundance of cetaceans in areas potentially affected by future oil and gas activities along the continental slope of the north-central and western Gulf of Mexico. This 3.75 year project commenced 1 October 1991 and finished 15 July 1995. The study area was bounded by the Florida-Alabama border, the Texas-Mexico border, and the 100 m and 2,000 m isobaths. Cetacean distribution and abundance were determined from seasonal aerial and shipboard visual surveys and shipboard acoustic surveys. In addition, hydrographic data were collected in situ and by satellite remote sensing tomore » characterize cetacean habitat. Finally, tagging and tracking of sperm whales using satellite telemetry was attempted. This volume summarizes the results of the study. Cetaceans were observed throughout the study area during all four seasons. Nineteen species were identified, including two species (melon-headed whales and Fraser`s dolphins) previously thought to be rare in the Gulf. Pantropical spotted dolphins, bottlenose dolphins, clymene dolphins, striped dolphins, Atlantic spotted dolphins, and melon-headed whales were the most common small cetaceans and the sperm whale was the most common large cetacean. The mean annual abundance for all cetaceans was estimated to be 19,198. Although the study area had complex and dynamic oceanography, bottom depth was the only environmental variable which correlated to cetacean distribution.« less

Analysis of neotectonic structures in the Eastern Precordillera of Argentina in relation to seismic hazard by the application of integrated geophysical methods

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Correa-Otto, Sebastián; Ariza, Juan; Lince Klinger, Federico; Giménez, Mario; López Hidalgo, Andrés

2018-03-01

The city of San Juan, in the Central-Western region of Argentina, has been the target of very destructive superficial earthquakes, some of which have not been associated to a clear structural source up to this date. The city is constantly growing outside the valley where it is located, towards the area of Eastern Precordillera which is currently having an increased socio-cultural activity. Thus, this study is focused on increasing the geological knowledge of the latter by studying the eastern flank of Sierra Chica de Zonda (Eastern Precordillera) whose proved neotectonic activity represents a geohazard. On the basis of the general geological setting the neotectonic structures in the study area are related to a major active synclinal folding located just under the western sector of the San Juan city. Geophysical potential methods (gravimetric and magnetometric surveys) were used to recognize contacts by contrast of density and magnetic susceptibility. In order to reduce the ambiguity of these methods the gravi-magnetometric results were constrained by using seismic and electrical tomographies. These contacts where geophysical properties abruptly change, were interpreted as faults despite many of them not having a superficial expression. The latter being of great importance to asses the seismic hazard of the study area.

Genetic Differentiation of the Western Capercaillie Highlights the Importance of South-Eastern Europe for Understanding the Species Phylogeography

PubMed Central

Ballian, Dalibor; Kunovac, Saša; Zubić, Goran; Grubešić, Marijan; Zhelev, Petar; Paule, Ladislav; Grebenc, Tine; Kraigher, Hojka

2011-01-01

The Western Capercaillie (Tetrao urogallus L.) is a grouse species of open boreal or high altitude forests of Eurasia. It is endangered throughout most mountain range habitat areas in Europe. Two major genetically identifiable lineages of Western Capercaillie have been described to date: the southern lineage at the species' southernmost range of distribution in Europe, and the boreal lineage. We address the question of genetic differentiation of capercaillie populations from the Rhodope and Rila Mountains in Bulgaria, across the Dinaric Mountains to the Slovenian Alps. The two lineages' contact zone and resulting conservation strategies in this so-far understudied area of distribution have not been previously determined. The results of analysis of mitochondrial DNA control region sequences of 319 samples from the studied populations show that Alpine populations were composed exclusively of boreal lineage; Dinaric populations of both, but predominantly (96%) of boreal lineage; and Rhodope-Rila populations predominantly (>90%) of southern lineage individuals. The Bulgarian mountains were identified as the core area of the southern lineage, and the Dinaric Mountains as the western contact zone between both lineages in the Balkans. Bulgarian populations appeared genetically distinct from Alpine and Dinaric populations and exhibited characteristics of a long-term stationary population, suggesting that they should be considered as a glacial relict and probably a distinct subspecies. Although all of the studied populations suffered a decline in the past, the significantly lower level of genetic diversity when compared with the neighbouring Alpine and Bulgarian populations suggests that the isolated Dinaric capercaillie is particularly vulnerable to continuing population decline. The results are discussed in the context of conservation of the species in the Balkans, its principal threats and legal protection status. Potential conservation strategies should consider the existence of the two lineages and their vulnerable Dinaric contact zone and support the specificities of the populations. PMID:21897847

Gene flow and genetic structure in the Galician population (NW Spain) according to Alu insertions

PubMed Central

Varela, Tito A; Fariña, José; Diéguez, Lois Pérez; Lodeiro, Rosa

2008-01-01

Background The most recent Alu insertions reveal different degrees of polymorphism in human populations, and a series of characteristics that make them particularly suitable genetic markers for Human Biology studies. This has led these polymorphisms to be used to analyse the origin and phylogenetic relationships between contemporary human groups. This study analyses twelve Alu sequences in a sample of 216 individuals from the autochthonous population of Galicia (NW Spain), with the aim of studying their genetic structure and phylogenetic position with respect to the populations of Western and Central Europe and North Africa, research that is of special interest in revealing European population dynamics, given the peculiarities of the Galician population due to its geographical situation in western Europe, and its historical vicissitudes. Results The insertion frequencies of eleven of the Alu elements analysed were within the variability range of European populations, while Yb8NBC125 proved to be the lowest so far recorded to date in Europe. Taking the twelve polymorphisms into account, the GD value for the Galician population was 0.268. The comparative analyses carried out using the MDS, NJ and AMOVA methods reveal the existence of spatial heterogeneity, and identify three population groups that correspond to the geographic areas of Western-Central Europe, Eastern Mediterranean Europe and North Africa. Galicia is shown to be included in the Western-Central European cluster, together with other Spanish populations. When only considering populations from Mediterranean Europe, the Galician population revealed a degree of genetic flow similar to that of the majority of the populations from this geographic area. Conclusion The results of this study reveal that the Galician population, despite its geographic situation in the western edge of the European continent, occupies an intermediate position in relation to other European populations in general, and Iberian populations in particular. This confirms the important role that migratory movements have had in the European gene pool, at least since Neolithic times. In turn, the MDS and NJ analyses place Galicia within the group comprised of Western-Central European populations, which is justified by the influence of Germanic peoples on the Galician population during the Middle Ages. However, it should also be noted that some of the markers analysed have a certain degree of differentiation, possibly due to the region's position as a 'cul-de-sac' in terms of Iberian population dynamics. PMID:19055739

Gene flow and genetic structure in the Galician population (NW Spain) according to Alu insertions.

PubMed

Varela, Tito A; Fariña, José; Diéguez, Lois Pérez; Lodeiro, Rosa

2008-12-02

The most recent Alu insertions reveal different degrees of polymorphism in human populations, and a series of characteristics that make them particularly suitable genetic markers for Human Biology studies. This has led these polymorphisms to be used to analyse the origin and phylogenetic relationships between contemporary human groups. This study analyses twelve Alu sequences in a sample of 216 individuals from the autochthonous population of Galicia (NW Spain), with the aim of studying their genetic structure and phylogenetic position with respect to the populations of Western and Central Europe and North Africa, research that is of special interest in revealing European population dynamics, given the peculiarities of the Galician population due to its geographical situation in western Europe, and its historical vicissitudes. The insertion frequencies of eleven of the Alu elements analysed were within the variability range of European populations, while Yb8NBC125 proved to be the lowest so far recorded to date in Europe. Taking the twelve polymorphisms into account, the GD value for the Galician population was 0.268. The comparative analyses carried out using the MDS, NJ and AMOVA methods reveal the existence of spatial heterogeneity, and identify three population groups that correspond to the geographic areas of Western-Central Europe, Eastern Mediterranean Europe and North Africa. Galicia is shown to be included in the Western-Central European cluster, together with other Spanish populations. When only considering populations from Mediterranean Europe, the Galician population revealed a degree of genetic flow similar to that of the majority of the populations from this geographic area. The results of this study reveal that the Galician population, despite its geographic situation in the western edge of the European continent, occupies an intermediate position in relation to other European populations in general, and Iberian populations in particular. This confirms the important role that migratory movements have had in the European gene pool, at least since Neolithic times. In turn, the MDS and NJ analyses place Galicia within the group comprised of Western-Central European populations, which is justified by the influence of Germanic peoples on the Galician population during the Middle Ages. However, it should also be noted that some of the markers analysed have a certain degree of differentiation, possibly due to the region's position as a 'cul-de-sac' in terms of Iberian population dynamics.

Seroprevalence of toxocariasis in hypereosinophilic individuals in Ahwaz, south-western Iran.

PubMed

Maraghi, S; Rafiei, A; Hajihossein, R; Sadjjadi, S M

2012-06-01

Eosinophilia in human peripheral blood is caused by different agents, including toxocariasis. The present study aimed to evaluate the prevalence of toxocariasis in hypereosinophilic individuals in the city of Ahwaz, located in south-western Iran, using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and Western blot techniques. Serum samples were examined from 100 individuals with peripheral blood eosinophilia and also from another 100 individuals without eosinophilia as the control group. In hypereosinophilic individuals seroprevalence antibodies against Toxocara were found in 19 (19%), of whom 12 (63.15%) were female and 7 (36.85%) were male. Positive sera were subsequently confirmed by Western blot. All of the observed bands ranged from 24 to 100 kDa. Antibodies against Toxocara were found in 1% of the control group, but were not confirmed by Western blot. The results showed significant differences between the frequency of infection within age and gender (P < 0.05); the highest prevalence of infection was observed in adults. Differences between the hypereosinophilic and healthy individuals, in terms of Toxocara infection frequency, also proved significant (P < 0.05).The present study thus confirmed the significant prevalence of toxocariasis as a hygienic problem among hypereosinophilic individuals in this area. It is, therefore, necessary to examine these individuals for toxocariasis.

76 FR 40674 - Fisheries in the Western Pacific; Pelagic Fisheries; Purse Seine Prohibited Areas Around American...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-07-11

... Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce. ACTION: Disapproval of fishery ecosystem plan amendment and... Fishery Ecosystem Plan for Pelagic Fisheries of the Western Pacific (FEP) that would have prohibited purse...

Impact of Illness and Medical Expenditure on Household Consumptions: A Survey in Western China

PubMed Central

Fang, Kuangnan; Jiang, Yefei; Shia, BenChang; Ma, Shuangge

2012-01-01

Background The main goal of this study is to examine the associations between illness conditions and out-of-pocket medical expenditure with other types of household consumptions. In November and December of 2011, a survey was conducted in three cities in western China, namely Lan Zhou, Gui Lin and Xi An, and their surrounding rural areas. Results Information on demographics, income and consumption was collected on 2,899 households. Data analysis suggested that the presence of household members with chronic diseases was not associated with characteristics of households or household heads. The presence of inpatient treatments was significantly associated with the age of household head (p-value 0.03). The level of per capita medical expense was significantly associated with household size, presence of members younger than 18, older than 65, basic health insurance coverage, per capita income, and household head occupation. Adjusting for confounding effects, the presence of chronic diseases was negatively associated with the amount of basic consumption (p-value 0.02) and the percentage of basic consumption (p-value 0.01), but positively associated with the percentage of insurance expense (p-value 0.02). Medical expenditure was positively associated with all other types of consumptions, including basic, education, saving and investment, entertainment, insurance, durable goods, and alcohol/tobacco. It was negatively associated with the percentage of basic consumption, saving and investment, and insurance. Conclusions Early studies conducted in other Asian countries and rural China found negative associations between illness conditions and medical expenditure with other types of consumptions. This study was conducted in three major cities and surrounding areas in western China, which had not been well investigated in published literature. The observed consumption patterns were different from those in early studies, and the negative associations were not observed. This study may complement the existing rural studies and provide useful information on western Chinese cities. PMID:23285229

GRANITE FIORDS WILDERNESS STUDY AREA, ALASKA.

USGS Publications Warehouse

Berg, Henry C.; Pittman, Tom L.

1984-01-01

Mineral surveys of the Granite Fiords Wilderness study area revealed areas with probable and substantiated mineral-resource potential. In the northeastern sector, areas of probable and substantiated resource potential for gold, sivler, and base metals in small, locally high grade vein and disseminated deposits occur in recrystallized Mesozoic volcanic, sedimentary, and intrusive rocks. In the central part, areas of probable resource potential for gold, silver, copper, and zinc in disseminated and locally massive sulfide deposits occur in undated pelitic paragneiss roof pendants. A molybdenite-bearing quartz vein has been prospected in western Granite Fiords, and molybdenum also occurs along with other metals in veins in the northeastern sector and in geochemical samples collected from areas where there is probable resource potential for low-grade porphyry molybdenum deposits in several Cenozoic plutons. No energy resource potential was identified in the course of this study.

Calibrating and monitoring the western gray whale mitigation zone and estimating acoustic transmission during a 3D seismic survey, Sakhalin Island, Russia.

PubMed

Rutenko, A N; Borisov, S V; Gritsenko, A V; Jenkerson, M R

2007-11-01

A 3D marine seismic survey of the Odoptu license area off northeastern Sakhalin Island, Russia, was conducted by DalMorNefteGeofizika (DMNG) on behalf of Exxon Neftegas Limited and the Sakhalin-1 consortium during mid-August through early September 2001. The key environmental issue identified in an environmental impact assessment was protection of the critically endangered western gray whale (Eschrichtius robustus), which spends the summer-fall open water period feeding off northeast Sakhalin Island in close proximity to the seismic survey area. Seismic mitigation and monitoring guidelines and recommendations were developed and implemented to reduce impacts on the feeding activity of western gray whales. Results of the acoustic monitoring program indicated that the noise monitoring and mitigation program was successful in reducing exposure of feeding western gray whales to seismic noise.

Expanding the Social Frame of Knowledge: Interdisciplinary, Degree-Granting Fields in American Colleges and Universities, 1975-2000

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brint, Steven G.; Turk-Bicakci, Lori; Proctor, Kristopher; Murphy, Scott Patrick

2009-01-01

The number of interdisciplinary, degree-granting fields in American colleges and universities has grown rapidly, with socially incorporative programs (women's studies, ethnic studies, and non-Western area studies) accounting for a large share. These fields have diffused widely over time, while other interdisciplinary fields have not. Variables…

A Reflection on the Methodology Used for a Qualitative Longitudinal Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Evangelinou-Yiannakis, Angela

2017-01-01

This paper presents a reflection on the methodology used for a qualitative longitudinal study of the teaching of Modern Greek (Greek) in Western Australia under the Seconded Teachers from Greece Scheme (STGS). The study, a first of its kind, addressed an area of need in the teaching of Greek, investigating the perspectives of the key stakeholders…

Publications of the Western Earth Surface Processes Team, 1999

USGS Publications Warehouse

Stone, Paul; Powell, Charles L.

2000-01-01

The Western Earth Surfaces Processes Team (WESPT) of the U.S. Geological Survey, Geologic Division (USGS, GD), conducts geologic mapping and related topical earth- science studies in the western United States. This work is focused on areas where modern geologic maps and associated earth-science data are needed to address key societal and environmental issues such as ground-water quality, potential geologic hazards, and land-use decisions. Areas of primary emphasis currently include southern California, the San Francisco Bay region, and the Pacific Northwest. The team has its headquarters in Menlo Park, California, and maintains field offices at several other locations in the western United States. The results of research conducted by the WESPT are released to the public as a variety of databases, maps, text reports, and abstracts, both through the internal publication system of the USGS and in diverse external publications such as scientific journals and books. This report lists publications of the WESPT released in 1999 as well as additional 1997 and 1998 publications that were not included in the previous list (USGS Open-file Report 99-302). Most of the publications listed were authored or coauthored by WESPT staff. The list also includes some publications authored by non-USGS cooperators with the WESPT, as well as some authored by USGS staff outside the WESPT in cooperation with WESPT projects.

Geology and sinkhole development of the Hagerstown Valley : phase II summary report.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2014-06-01

As a part of this study, karst areas of the Hagerstown, Mason Dixon, Williamsport, Clear Spring, and Hedgesville : quadrangles (western half of the Hagerstown Valley) were mapped in detail to determine the distribution of karst : features relative to...

SUSCEPTIBILITY TO ASTHMA CONTROLLED BY MODIFYING THE ENVIRONMENT

EPA Science Inventory

In a just completed five year study in Cleveland area water-damaged homes of asthmatics, EPA ORD researchers, in collaboration with Case Western Reserve University Medical School, established that specific molds were statistically more common in water-damaged homes. When the mol...

Mount Baker - Snoqualmie National Forest alternative transportation feasibility study : phase I final report

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2012-05-31

Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest (MBSNF) is located in close proximity to the Puget Sound metropolitan area in western Washington State. The Forest is facing a number of transportation issues, such as increasing congestion and decreasing availa...

Mid-21st- century climate changes increase predicted fire occurrence and fire season length, Northern Rocky Mountains, United States

Treesearch

Karin L. Riley; Rachel A. Loehman

2016-01-01

Climate changes are expected to increase fire frequency, fire season length, and cumulative area burned in the western United States. We focus on the potential impact of mid-21st- century climate changes on annual burn probability, fire season length, and large fire characteristics including number and size for a study area in the Northern Rocky Mountains....

Long-range dispersal moved Francisella tularensis into Western Europe from the East.

PubMed

Dwibedi, Chinmay; Birdsell, Dawn; Lärkeryd, Adrian; Myrtennäs, Kerstin; Öhrman, Caroline; Nilsson, Elin; Karlsson, Edvin; Hochhalter, Christian; Rivera, Andrew; Maltinsky, Sara; Bayer, Brittany; Keim, Paul; Scholz, Holger C; Tomaso, Herbert; Wittwer, Matthias; Beuret, Christian; Schuerch, Nadia; Pilo, Paola; Hernández Pérez, Marta; Rodriguez-Lazaro, David; Escudero, Raquel; Anda, Pedro; Forsman, Mats; Wagner, David M; Larsson, Pär; Johansson, Anders

2016-12-01

For many infections transmitting to humans from reservoirs in nature, disease dispersal patterns over space and time are largely unknown. Here, a reversed genomics approach helped us understand disease dispersal and yielded insight into evolution and biological properties of Francisella tularensis , the bacterium causing tularemia. We whole-genome sequenced 67 strains and characterized by single-nucleotide polymorphism assays 138 strains, collected from individuals infected 1947-2012 across Western Europe. We used the data for phylogenetic, population genetic and geographical network analyses. All strains ( n =205) belonged to a monophyletic population of recent ancestry not found outside Western Europe. Most strains ( n =195) throughout the study area were assigned to a star-like phylogenetic pattern indicating that colonization of Western Europe occurred via clonal expansion. In the East of the study area, strains were more diverse, consistent with a founder population spreading from east to west. The relationship of genetic and geographic distance within the F. tularensis population was complex and indicated multiple long-distance dispersal events. Mutation rate estimates based on year of isolation indicated null rates; in outbreak hotspots only, there was a rate of 0.4 mutations/genome/year. Patterns of nucleotide substitution showed marked AT mutational bias suggestive of genetic drift. These results demonstrate that tularemia has moved from east to west in Europe and that F. tularensis has a biology characterized by long-range geographical dispersal events and mostly slow, but variable, replication rates. The results indicate that mutation-driven evolution, a resting survival phase, genetic drift and long-distance geographical dispersal events have interacted to generate genetic diversity within this species.

Recovery of injured arcuate fasciculus in the dominant hemisphere in a patient with an intracerebral hemorrhage.

PubMed

Jang, Sung Ho; Lee, Han Do

2014-12-01

This study reports on a patient with an intracerebral hemorrhage who showed recovery of an injured arcuate fasciculus (AF) in the dominant hemisphere, using follow-up diffusion tensor tractography. A 43-year-old right-handed man presented with severe aphasia and hemiparesis resulting from a spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage in the left parietotemporal lobes. The patient showed severe aphasia at 1 month after onset, with an aphasia quotient of 5% on the Korean-Western Aphasia Battery. He underwent comprehensive rehabilitative therapy until 22 months after onset and his aphasia showed improvement, with an aphasia quotient of 58% on the Korean-Western Aphasia Battery. On 1-month diffusion tensor tractography, only the thin ascending part of the left AF from the Wernicke area remained. In contrast, on 16-month diffusion tensor tractography, the injured left AF was thickened and elongated to around the left Broca area; however, discontinuation of the left AF was observed around the left Broca area, and this continuation was elongated to the left Broca area on 22-month diffusion tensor tractography. This study reports on a patient who showed recovery from injury of the left AF along with improvement of aphasia. Recovery of the injured AF in the dominant hemisphere appears to be one of the mechanisms for recovery from aphasia.

Response of rocky reef top predators (Serranidae: Epinephelinae) in and around marine protected areas in the Western Mediterranean Sea.

PubMed

Hackradt, Carlos Werner; García-Charton, José Antonio; Harmelin-Vivien, Mireille; Pérez-Ruzafa, Ángel; Le Diréach, Laurence; Bayle-Sempere, Just; Charbonnel, Eric; Ody, Denis; Reñones, Olga; Sanchez-Jerez, Pablo; Valle, Carlos

2014-01-01

Groupers species are extremely vulnerable to overfishing and many species are threatened worldwide. In recent decades, Mediterranean groupers experienced dramatic population declines. Marine protected areas (MPAs) can protect populations inside their boundaries and provide individuals to adjacent fishing areas through the process of spillover and larval export. This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of six marine reserves in the Western Mediterranean Sea to protect the populations of three species of grouper, Epinephelus marginatus, Epinephelus costae and Mycteroperca rubra, and to understand in which circumstances MPAs are able to export biomass to neighbouring areas. All the studied MPAs, except one where no grouper was observed, were able to maintain high abundance, biomass and mean weight of groupers. Size classes were more evenly distributed inside than outside MPAs. In two reserves, biomass gradients could be detected through the boundaries of the reserve as an indication of spillover. In some cases, habitat structure appeared to exert a great influence on grouper abundance, biomass and mean individual weight, influencing the gradient shape. Because groupers are generally sedentary animals with a small home range, we suggest that biomass gradients could only occur where groupers attain sufficient abundance inside MPA limits, indicating a strongly density-dependent process.

Response of Rocky Reef Top Predators (Serranidae: Epinephelinae) in and Around Marine Protected Areas in the Western Mediterranean Sea

PubMed Central

Hackradt, Carlos Werner; García-Charton, José Antonio; Harmelin-Vivien, Mireille; Pérez-Ruzafa, Ángel; Le Diréach, Laurence; Bayle-Sempere, Just; Charbonnel, Eric; Ody, Denis; Reñones, Olga; Sanchez-Jerez, Pablo; Valle, Carlos

2014-01-01

Groupers species are extremely vulnerable to overfishing and many species are threatened worldwide. In recent decades, Mediterranean groupers experienced dramatic population declines. Marine protected areas (MPAs) can protect populations inside their boundaries and provide individuals to adjacent fishing areas through the process of spillover and larval export. This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of six marine reserves in the Western Mediterranean Sea to protect the populations of three species of grouper, Epinephelus marginatus, Epinephelus costae and Mycteroperca rubra, and to understand in which circumstances MPAs are able to export biomass to neighbouring areas. All the studied MPAs, except one where no grouper was observed, were able to maintain high abundance, biomass and mean weight of groupers. Size classes were more evenly distributed inside than outside MPAs. In two reserves, biomass gradients could be detected through the boundaries of the reserve as an indication of spillover. In some cases, habitat structure appeared to exert a great influence on grouper abundance, biomass and mean individual weight, influencing the gradient shape. Because groupers are generally sedentary animals with a small home range, we suggest that biomass gradients could only occur where groupers attain sufficient abundance inside MPA limits, indicating a strongly density-dependent process. PMID:24905331

Carbonic fluid inclusions in amphibolite-facies pelitic schists from Bodonch area, western Mongolian Altai

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zorigtkhuu, Oyun-Erdene; Tsunogae, Toshiaki; Dash, Batulzii

We report first fluid inclusion data on amphibolite-facies pelitic schists from Bodonch area of western Mongolian Altai in the Central Asian Orogenic Belt. Three categories of fluid inclusions have been observed in quartz: dominant primary and secondary inclusions, and least dominant pseudosecondary inclusions. The melting temperatures of all the categories of inclusions lie in the narrow range of -57.5 °C to -56.6 °C, close to the triple point of pure CO2. Homogenization of fluids occurs into liquid phase at temperature between -33.3 °C to +19.4 °C, which convert into densities in the range of 0.78 g/cm3 to 1.09 g/cm3. The estimated CO2 isochores for primary and pseudosecondary high-density inclusions is broadly consistent with the peak metamorphic condition of the studied area (6.3-7.3 kbar at 655 °C). The results of this study, together with the primary and pseudosecondary nature of the inclusions, indicate CO2 was the dominant fluid component during the peak amphibolite-facies metamorphism of the study area. The examined quartz grains are texturally associated with biotite, kyanite and staurolite, which are regarded as high-grade minerals formed during prograde to peak metamorphism. Therefore quartz probably formed by high-grade metamorphism and the primary fluid inclusions trapped in the minerals probably preserve fluids at around peak metamorphism.

Hydrogeochemical investigation to understand nitrate movement in groundwater of volcanic island, Korea

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kwon, E. H.; Park, J.; Chung, E.; Kang, B. R.; Park, W. B.; Woo, N. C.

2017-12-01

Groundwater is the sole-source of water supply in the volcanic island, Jeju-do, Korea. Since early 1990s, the nitrate contamination of groundwater has increased especially in the western part of the island. High level of nitrate in water can cause not only health risk to human body but also environmental side effect such as eutrophication and algal bloom in the coastal area. Several studies have done to estimate nitrate contamination in groundwater of local areas, but none of them dealt with nitrate movement with flow paths. So, this study aimed to determine the source and migration of nitrate in groundwater in the Gosan area, located in the western part of Jeju island through seasonal monitoring of hydrogeochemistry and stable isotope analyses from pumping and monitoring wells. Water samples including rainfall and groundwater are measured for major ions (Ca, Na, K, Mg, SO4, HCO3, NO3, Cl, etc.) and stable isotopes (i.e., δ2H, δ18O, δ18O-NO3, δ15N-NO3). From the monitoring data, we could evaluate hydrochemical change during nitrate contamination, and also could identify that groundwater in Gosan area is recharged mainly by regional flow from the high-altitude region. In future study, we will conduct additional seasonal monitoring from the multi-depth monitoring wells and will use statistical analysis to understand pollution sources and paths specifically.

Post-Wildfire Hydrologic Hazards in the Wildland Urban Interface of Colorado and the Western United States

USGS Publications Warehouse

Stevens, M.R.; Bossong, C.R.; Rupert, M.G.; Ranalli, A.J.; Cassidy, E.W.; Druliner, A.D.

2008-01-01

Following a wildfire, such as the 2002 Missionary Ridge fire, a number of hydrologic hazards may develop that can have an important impact on water resources, businesses, homes, reservoirs, roads, and utilities in the wildland urban interface (areas where homes and commercial developments are interspersed with wildlands) in mountainous areas of the Western United States. This fact sheet describes these hazards and identifies approaches to quantify them, thus enabling land and resource managers to plan for and mitigate the effects of these hazards. The fact sheet has been produced in association with the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Fire Science Thrust program and the Colorado Front Range Demonstration Project (CFRDP). The current (2007) focus of the CFRDP is on the Three Lakes watershed in Grand County, Colorado, which has applicability to many similar forested, mountain areas in the Western United States.

Tomographic Observation and Bedmapping of Glaciers in Western Greenland with IceBridge Sounding Radar

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wu, Xiaoqing; Paden, John; Jezek, Ken; Rignot, Eric; Gim, Young

2013-01-01

We produced the high resolution bedmaps of several glaciers in western Greenland from IceBridge Mission sounding radar data using tomographic sounding technique. The bedmaps cover 3 regions: Russell glaciers, Umanaq glaciers and Jakobshavn glaciers of western Greenland. The covered areas is about 20x40 km(sup 2) for Russell glaciers and 300x100 sq km, and 100x80 sq km for Jakobshavn glaciers. The ground resolution is 50 meters and the average ice thickness accuracy is 10 to 20 meters. There are some void areas within the swath of the tracks in the bedmaps where the ice thickness is not known. Tomographic observations of these void areas indicate that the surface and shallow sub-surface pockets, likely filled with water, are highly reflective and greatly weaken the radar signal and reduce the energy reaching and reflected from the ice sheet bottom.

Observations on the palynology, petrography and geochemistry of the Western Kentucky number 4 coal bed

USGS Publications Warehouse

Eble, C.F.; Greb, S.F.; Williams, D.A.; Hower, J.C.

1999-01-01

Eight bench-column samples of the Western Kentucky Number 4 coal bed, collected from an area along the southern margin of the Western Kentucky Coal Field, were analyzed palynologically, petrographically, and geochemically to document both temporal and spatial variability among these parameters. The Western Kentucky Number 4 coal occurs near the top of the Tradewater Formation, is of Early Desmoinesian age, and is correlative with the lower part of the Allegheny Formation of the Appalachian Basin, and Late Bolsovian strata of western Europe. Palynologically, the coal is co-dominated by spores that were produced by lycopod trees (Lycospora and Granasporites medius) and tree ferns. Thin-walled tree fern spores (Punctatisporites minutus, P. minutus, P. rotundus) are more abundant than thick-walled forms (Laevigatosporites globosus, P. granifer). Calamitean spores (Calamospora and Laevigatosporites spp.) are locally abundant as is cordaitean pollen (Florinites). Small fern (Granulatisporites) and small lycopod spores (Densosporites, Cirratriradites, Endosporites and Anacanthotriletes spinosus) are present, but occur in minor amounts. Temporal changes in palynomorph composition occur, but are not uniform between columns. Spatial variability among columns is also evident. Petrographically, the coal is dominated by vitrinite macerals, with telinite and telocollinite generally occurring more commonly than desmocollinite and gelocollinite. Basal benches typically contain high percentages of vitrinite; middle benches usually contain higher percentages of liptinite and inertinite. In about half the studied columns, the terminal coal benches show a slight increase in vitrinite. In the study area, the petrography of the Western Kentucky Number 4 coal is more uniform than the palynology. Ash yields and total sulfur contents are temporally uniform in some columns, but variable in others. In the latter case, higher percentages of ash and sulfur occur at the base of the bed and decrease up to the middle of the bed. The terminal benches of these columns often, but not always, show slight increases in ash or sulfur. Both syngenetic and epigenetic forms of sulfur are present in the Western Kentucky Number 4 coal. The high vitrinite contents and moderate to high sulfur contents suggest that the Western Kentucky Number 4 paleomire was mainly planar and rheotrophic throughout its developmental history. Groundwaters carrying dissolved solutes may have helped neutralize the normally acidic interstitial peat waters allowing for the production of sulfide minerals. Several of the columns with high sulfur contents at the base of the bed occur in faulted areas. The faults could have promoted the flow of groundwaters through the peat, providing an increased dissolved load for acid mitigation and sulfide formation. The concentration of sulfur at the base of the bed may be a function of the peat/underclay contact enhancing sulfide formation. The clay layer may also have acted as an impermeable boundary for downward moving groundwaters, causing mainly lateral, rather than vertical movement along the base of the coal bed.Eight bench-column samples of the Western Kentucky Number 4 coal bed were analyzed palynologically, petrographically, and geochemically to study both temporal and spatial variability among these parameters. Palynologically, the coal is co-dominated by spores that were produced by lycopod trees and tree ferns. Petrographically, the coal is dominated by vitrinite macerals, with telinite and telocollinite generally occurring more commonly than desmocollinite and gelocollinite. The petrography of the coal was found to be more uniform than the palynology.

Coping Strategies among Internal Migrant Students in Turkey

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Altinyelken, Hulya Kosar

2009-01-01

This article is based on a qualitative study that explored educational challenges and coping mechanisms of internal migrant girls whose families moved from the rural areas in the east to the western parts of Turkey. The study revealed that internal migrant girls have encountered a number of challenges that influence their educational achievement…

Linking watershed nitrogen sources with nitrogen dynamics in rivers of western Oregon, USA

EPA Science Inventory

We found a wide range of riverine N yields from the study basins, ranging from one to 70 kg N/ha/yr. Across the study basins, N export was more strongly correlated to fertilizer application rates than percent of agricultural area in the watershed. Low watershed N yields reflect...

Girls First! Promoting Early Education in Tibetan Areas of China, a Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Seeberg, Vilma

2008-01-01

This study explores conditions promoting girls' education in ethnic Tibetan pastoral highlands of the Qinghai-Tibet plateau of western China. Global discourse and cross national evidence on the transgenerational benefits of girls' education has shown prioritizing girls' education to be the most effective strategy of breaking the vicious cycle of…

Activities of American Missionaries in Kayseri

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Öztürk, Ayhan; Kamer, S. Tunay

2013-01-01

This study focuses on the activities of American missionaries in Kayseri, who found a large area of activity during the regression period of the Ottoman Empire. They mostly carried out educational and health activities in Kayseri Station, founded in 1854 as a part of the Western Anatolia Mission. In this study, the schools opened in Kayseri are…

Implementing the Study of Multicultural Aesthetics in Film and Video.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gutenko, Gregory

Film and television in the western world are highly stylized and culturally specific products. A course on multicultural aesthetics in film and video should introduce the student to perceptual alternatives in film and television use. Some of these alternatives can be derived from three well-established areas of film/television study: the…

Environmental Education and Field Studies Programs in Three Selected N. W. European Areas.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

VandenHazel, B. J.

Describing information gathered from a three-week (1976) tour of environmental education field studies programs in faculties of education and teachers' colleges located in the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, and Western Germany, this report presents comparative program and text summaries and recommends procedures for the Ontario Ministry of…

Thickness of unconsolidated deposits of the Puget Sound aquifer system, Washington and British Columbia

USGS Publications Warehouse

Jones, M.A.

1996-01-01

The Puget-Willamette Lowland is located in western Washington, western Oregon, and a small part of southwestern British Columbia, Canada. The Puget-Willamette Lowland study area is composed of two distinct subareas, the Puget Sound Lowland and the Willamette Lowland. This report presents the results of mapping the thickness of the unconsolidated deposits in the Puget Sound Lowland. The thickness of the unconsolidated deposits ranges from a discontinuous veneer in areas of bedrock outcrop to more than 3,600 feet. Available information shows that the unconsolidated deposits are thickest in the Fraser-Whatcom, Everett, Seattle, and Tacoma Basins. The mapped thickness of the unconsolidated deposits in the Tacoma Basin is probably underestimated because of the scarcity of wells penetrating the full thickness of the unconsolidated deposits and the lack of sufficient marine-seismic data.

Characterization of Solang valley watershed in western Himalaya for bio-resource conservation using remote sensing techniques.

PubMed

Kumar, Amit; Chawla, Amit; Rajkumar, S

2011-08-01

The development activities in mountainous region though provide comfort to the human being and enhance the socioeconomic status of the people but create pressure on the bio-resources. In this paper, the current status of land use/landcover and the vegetation communities of the Solang valley watershed in Himachal Pradesh of Indian western Himalaya has been mapped and presented using remote sensing. This watershed area was dominated by alpine and sub-alpine pastures (30.34%) followed by scree slopes (22.34%) and forests (21.06%). Many tree, shrub, and herb species identified in the study area are among the prioritized species for conservation in the Indian Himalayan Region. Thus, scientific interventions and preparation of action plans based on ecological survey are required for conservation of the Solang valley watershed.

Bentonite chemical features as proxy of late Cretaceous provenance changes: A case study from the Western Interior Basin of Canada

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fanti, Federico

2009-05-01

Bentonite beds are fairly common in both marine and terrestrial Upper Cretaceous (Campanian-Maastrichtian) deposits of the Western Interior Basin of western Canada and northwestern United States. A detailed stratigraphic, sedimentologic, geochemical (X-ray fluorescence), and mineralogical (X-ray diffraction) study of twenty-one bentonites from the Puskwaskau and Wapiti formations in the Grande Prairie area (west-central Alberta, Canada) is here presented. Major and trace-element concentrations from altered volcanic ashes document the presence in the study area of predominantly trachyandesitic and rhyolitic volcanogenic products, resulted from intense volcanic arc to within-plate pyroclastic activity. Concentration values of high field strength elements (HFSE) and selected large ion lithophile elements (LILE) (e.g. Nb, Zr, Th, and Y) obtained by X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy strongly support the presence of multiple volcanic sources. Integrated paleoenvironmental and geochemical criteria for provenance determination indicate a bimodal occurrence of basic and acid volcanic products interpreted as reflection of source areas characterized by different tectonic setting and magmatic composition. A comparative analysis of geochemical compositions between Grande Prairie bentonites and 30 known volcanic beds from central and southern Alberta, Manitoba and Montana 1. documents a trend toward more acidic and alkali-depleted volcanic products during the late Campanian-early Maastrichtian interval, and 2. suggests a well constrained stratigraphic and geographic subdivision of the non-marine successions of the foreland basin on the basis of geochemical characteristic of volcanic ash beds. Furthermore, geochemical "fingerprints" of several decimeter to meter thick bentonite beds have been coupled with volcanic ash subsurface signature in order to investigate their role as marker beds. This multiple-approach provides a reliable tool for basin-scale identification and correlation of non-marine sedimentary successions.

Modeling Late-Summer Distribution of Golden Eagles (Aquila chrysaetos) in the Western United States

PubMed Central

Gardner, Grant

2016-01-01

Increasing development across the western United States (USA) elevates concerns about effects on wildlife resources; the golden eagle (Aquila chrysaetos) is of special concern in this regard. Knowledge of golden eagle abundance and distribution across the western USA must be improved to help identify and conserve areas of major importance to the species. We used distance sampling and visual mark-recapture procedures to estimate golden eagle abundance from aerial line-transect surveys conducted across four Bird Conservation Regions in the western USA between 15 August and 15 September in 2006–2010, 2012, and 2013. To assess golden eagle-habitat relationships at this scale, we modeled counts of golden eagles seen during surveys in 2006–2010, adjusted for probability of detection, and used land cover and other environmental factors as predictor variables within 20-km2 sampling units randomly selected from survey transects. We found evidence of positive relationships between intensity of use by golden eagles and elevation, solar radiation, and mean wind speed, and of negative relationships with the proportion of landscape classified as forest or as developed. The model accurately predicted habitat use observed during surveys conducted in 2012 and 2013. We used the model to construct a map predicting intensity of use by golden eagles during late summer across our ~2 million-km2 study area. The map can be used to help prioritize landscapes for conservation efforts, identify areas where mitigation efforts may be most effective, and identify regions for additional research and monitoring. In addition, our map can be used to develop region-specific (e.g., state-level) density estimates based on the latest information on golden eagle abundance from a late-summer survey and aid designation of geographic management units for the species. PMID:27556735

Livestock grazing supports native plants and songbirds in a California annual grassland.

PubMed

Gennet, Sasha; Spotswood, Erica; Hammond, Michele; Bartolome, James W

2017-01-01

Over eight years we measured the effects of plant community composition, vegetation structure, and livestock grazing on occurrence of three grassland bird species-Western Meadowlark (Sturnella neglecta), Horned Lark (Eremophila alpestris), and Grasshopper Sparrow (Ammodramus savannarum)-at sites in central California during breeding season. In California's Mediterranean-type climatic region, coastal and inland grassland vegetation is dominated by exotic annual grasses with occasional patches of native bunchgrass and forbs. Livestock grazing, primarily with beef cattle, is the most widely used management tool. Compared with ungrazed plots, grazed plots had higher bare ground, native plant cover, and vertically heterogeneous vegetation. Grazed plots also had less plant litter and shorter vegetation. Higher native plant cover, which is predominantly composed of bunchgrasses in our study area, was associated with livestock grazing and north-facing aspects. Using an information theoretic approach, we found that all three bird species had positive associations with native plant abundance and neutral (Western Meadowlark, Grasshopper Sparrow) or positive (Horned Lark) association with livestock grazing. All species favored flatter areas. Horned Larks and Western Meadowlark occurred more often where there were patches of bare ground. Western Meadowlarks and Grasshopper Sparrows were most common on north-facing slopes, suggesting that these species may be at risk from projected climate change. These findings demonstrate that livestock grazing is compatible with or supports grassland bird conservation in Mediterranean-type grasslands, including areas with high levels of exotic annual grass invasion, in part because grazing supports the persistence of native plants and heterogeneity in vegetation structure. However, conservation of low-lying grasslands with high native species presence, and active management to increase the abundance of native plant species are also likely to be important for sustaining grassland birds long-term.

Modeling Late-Summer Distribution of Golden Eagles (Aquila chrysaetos) in the Western United States.

PubMed

Nielson, Ryan M; Murphy, Robert K; Millsap, Brian A; Howe, William H; Gardner, Grant

2016-01-01

Increasing development across the western United States (USA) elevates concerns about effects on wildlife resources; the golden eagle (Aquila chrysaetos) is of special concern in this regard. Knowledge of golden eagle abundance and distribution across the western USA must be improved to help identify and conserve areas of major importance to the species. We used distance sampling and visual mark-recapture procedures to estimate golden eagle abundance from aerial line-transect surveys conducted across four Bird Conservation Regions in the western USA between 15 August and 15 September in 2006-2010, 2012, and 2013. To assess golden eagle-habitat relationships at this scale, we modeled counts of golden eagles seen during surveys in 2006-2010, adjusted for probability of detection, and used land cover and other environmental factors as predictor variables within 20-km2 sampling units randomly selected from survey transects. We found evidence of positive relationships between intensity of use by golden eagles and elevation, solar radiation, and mean wind speed, and of negative relationships with the proportion of landscape classified as forest or as developed. The model accurately predicted habitat use observed during surveys conducted in 2012 and 2013. We used the model to construct a map predicting intensity of use by golden eagles during late summer across our ~2 million-km2 study area. The map can be used to help prioritize landscapes for conservation efforts, identify areas where mitigation efforts may be most effective, and identify regions for additional research and monitoring. In addition, our map can be used to develop region-specific (e.g., state-level) density estimates based on the latest information on golden eagle abundance from a late-summer survey and aid designation of geographic management units for the species.

Diversification patterns in cosmopolitan earthworms: similar mode but different tempo.

PubMed

Fernández, Rosa; Novo, Marta; Marchán, Daniel F; Díaz Cosín, Darío J

2016-01-01

Comparative phylogeography of widespread species that span the same geographic areas can elucidate the influence of historical events on current patterns of biodiversity, identify patterns of co-vicariance, and therefore aid the understanding of general evolutionary processes. Soil-dwelling animals present characteristics that make them suitable for testing the effect of the palaeogeographical events on their distribution and diversification, such as their low vagility and population structure. In this study, we shed light on the spatial lineage diversification and cladogenesis of two widely-distributed cosmopolitan and invasive earthworms (Aporrectodea rosea and A. trapezoides) in their putative ancestral area of origin, the Western Palearctic, and a few populations in North America. Molecular analyses were conducted on mitochondrial and nuclear markers from 220 (A. rosea) and 198 (A. trapezoides) individuals collected in 56 and 57 localities, respectively. We compared the lineage diversification pattern, genetic variability and cladogenesis in both species. Our findings showed that both species underwent a similar diversification from the Western Mediterranean plates to (i) Northern Europe and (ii) the Iberian Peninsula, establishing their two main lineages. Their diversification was in concordance with the main palaeogeographical events in the Iberian Peninsula and Western Mediterranean, followed by a later colonization of North America from individuals derived exclusively from the Eurosiberian lineage. Their diversification occurred at different times, with the diversification of A. rosea being potentially more ancient. Cladogenesis in both species seems to have been modelled only by the Mediterranean plate shifts, ignoring historical climatic oscillations such as the Messinian salinity crisis. Their high genetic variability, strong population structure, lack of gene flow and stepping-stone-like cladogenesis suggest the existence of different cryptic lineages. Our results may indicate a recurrent event in invasive earthworms within their ancestral distribution areas in the Western Palearctic. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.