bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Massachusetts: Managing a Watershed Protection Forest
Authors: Barten Paul K. , Kyker-Snowman Thom , Lyons Paul J. , Mahlstedt Thomas , O'Connor Robert , Spencer Bruce A.
Published: April 2024

The Quabbin forest of central Massachusetts is the first barrier to contamination at the source of Boston's water supply. An interdisciplinary team is implementing an uneven-aged management strategy to create a watershed protection forest that both ensures water quality and enhances site productivity, biological diversity, and cultural resources. Adapting to changing conditions and learning from experience define this approach to interdisciplinary forestry. Recent green certification by SmartWood provided external review of the public forest's sustainability. Quabbin managers hope to lead local private landowners by their example.
Blacks Mountain, California: Interdisciplinary Field Research in Ponderosa Pine
Authors: Oliver William W. , Powers Robert F.
Published: April 2024

At an experimental forest in northeastern California, a team of scientists is studying the effects of forest structure, prescribed fire, and cattle grazing on plant and animal communities. Although silviculturists, because of the integrative nature of their field, took the lead in organizing this project, specialists in nearly a dozen disciplines participated in its design. The treatments chosen will provide extreme contrast and thus clear indicators. Implementation is under way, but interim success is defined by the cross-disciplinary work of team members.
Using GIS to Integrate Information on Forest Recreation
Authors: Wing Michael , Shelby Bo
Published: April 2024

Managers of forested areas must contend with many issues. The integration and analysis of recreational use patterns through a geographic information system (GIS) may assist management efforts. With the spatial component provided by GIS, managers can identify heavily used areas, allocate resources where they are most needed, and take steps to minimize conflicts among users. Although the examples in this study were drawn from McDonald Forest in Oregon, managers of other forests could use similar methods to conduct GIS analyses in their own jurisdictions.
The Public Comment Process: What Do Citizens Contribute to National Forest Management?
Authors: Steelman Toddi A.
Published: April 2024

Public comment is one of the most commonly used methods for obtaining public input in national forest planning. This research explores a historically important planning exercise on the Monongahela National Forest to determine what the public actually contributed to the decisionmaking process. Although citizens generally do not offer useful technical information, the value-based information they provide helps planning staffs determine what the participating public wants. Such value-based information is more difficult to manage and respond to than technical information, however, and the Forest Service may need to adapt accordingly.
Forest Landscapes: Their Effect on the Interaction of the Southern Pine Beetle and Red-Cockaded Woodpecker
Authors: Coulson Robert N. , Guzman Maria D. , Skordinski Karen , Fitzgerald Jeffrey W. , Conner Richard N. , Rudolph D. Craig , Oliveria Forrest L. , Wunneburger Douglas F. , Pulley Paul E.
Published: April 2024

The nature of the interaction of the southern pine beetle and red-cockaded woodpecker was investigated using spatially explicit information on the structure of a forest landscape mosaic and knowledge of the behavior of the two organisms. This interaction is the basis for defining functional heterogeneity--how an organism perceives and responds to the elements forming the landscape. Implications for forest landscape management are discussed. The approach used illustrates how information on landscape configuration can be used with knowledge of animal behavior to investigate species interaction in forests.
Joint Annual Forest Inventory and Monitoring System: The North Central Perspective
Authors: McRoberts Ronald E.
Published: April 2024

The USDA Forest Service is developing Procedures for annual forest inventories to establish the capability of producing annual estimates of forested area, timber volume, related variables, and changes in these variables. The inventory system (JAFIMS) features an annual sample of measured field plots; remote sensing; a database of plot and tree information; logistical procedures for supporting field crews; and an optional function, mechanisms for updating the status of plots measured in previous years. The discussion focuses on system implementation in the North Central region.
NIPF Tax Incentives: Do They Make a Difference?
Authors: Brockett Charles D. , Gebhard Luke
Published: April 2024

Survey research is used to evaluate how property tax reductions affect the land-use practices and attitudes of nonindustrial private forest landowners in rural Tennessee. The comparison between participants and nonparticipants in the Tennessee Greenbelt program (rather than the determinants of participation itself) provides a basis for evaluating the effectiveness of such incentives. No meaningful differences in the reported behavior relevant to the objectives of the program were found between the two groups, even in the area facing the strongest development pressures.
Not Seeing the Forest for the Trees
Authors: Schlecht Eric V.
Published: April 2024

The National Taxpayers Union, a nonprofit, grassroots organization with more than 300,000 members who work for less wasteful spending and a more accountable government, believes the Committee of Scientists missed an opportunity to look at the big picture. The efficient and ecologically sound forest management achieved by some states and corporations argues for devolution of the national forests. But instead, the committee recommends giving more responsibility, and more federal dollars, to an agency that is inefficient, expensive, bureaucratic, and not sufficiently accountable.
A Decision Support System for Timber Harvest Scheduling
Authors: Carter Douglas R. , Arvanitis Loukas G. , Brackett Daniel , Boycheva Valentina , Sager Scott
Published: April 2024

A World Wide Web interface has been developed for an integrated geographic information system (GIS) and timber harvest scheduling model. The interface builds on the Austin Cary Memorial Forest GIS, which was developed to enhance teaching, research, and extension in GIS and related technologies for students, professors, and professional foresters. This Web-based decision support system includes applications for browsing data, displaying maps and images, and modeling timber harvests. The timber harvest scheduling model allows users to experiment with different scenarios by observing how economic and physical parameter changes affect forest timber outputs and structure.
Management Models: Defining Stand-Level Sustainability; Exploring Stand-Level Stewardship
Authors: Seely Brad , Kimmins J. P. (Hamish) , Welham Clive , Scoullar Kim
Published: April 2024

Today's forest manager must balance recreation and other nonconsumptive values with the increasing demand for both timber and nontimber forest products. How do we ensure that our actions represent an appropriate balance among competing demands? What is sustainable forest management, and how might we reconcile this concept with the developing standards of "green" certification? Decision support tolls can help make long-term projections of forest conditions and values that may result from alternative management strategies. Here we describe a decision support software package for forest ecosystem management, called FORECAST.
A Scentsible Approach to Controlling Southern Pine Beetles: Two New Tactics Using Verbenone
Authors: Clarke Stephen R. , Salom Scott M. , Billings Ronald F. , Berisford C. Wayne , Upton William W. , McClellan Quintin C. , Dalusky Mark J.
Published: April 2024

Two new tactics for controlling southern pine beetle infestations use a beetle-produced inhibitor: verbenone. The techniques, verbenone-only and verbenone-plus-felling, reduce tree loss by disrupting infestation growth. In three years of field tests, the verbenone-only tactic completely suppressed 69 percent of the treated infestations, and the verbenone-plus-felling tactic suppressed 86 percent. The tactics provide much-needed alternatives to current control techniques and will allow suppression of infestations where tree felling is restricted or prohibited. In anticipation of registration of the pheromone by the Environmental Protection Agency, a technology transfer program has been developed to provide the materials and training necessary for effective use of the treatments.
Estimating Stumpage Values from Transaction Evidence Using Multiple Regression
Authors: Bare B. Bruce , Smith Robert L.
Published: April 2024

To estimate the stumpage value of individual species and qualities of timber in lump-sum timber sales for excise tax purposes, an eight-step approach for constructing the relevant data set is suggested. An example uses western Washington sales date, but the basic procedure applies to any valuation of individual species in a set of lump-sum timber transactions. In addition to producing credible stumpage value estimates, the modeling process allows examination of selected sale characteristics that influence the values. The proposed approach should be considered by appraisers and forest economists who seek an accurate, simple valuation strategy.
What We Know -- and Don't Know -- about Water Quality at Stream Crossings
Authors: Taylor Steven E. , Rummer Robert B. , Yoo Kyung H. , Welch Richard A. , Thompson Jason D.
Published: April 2024

Forest road stream crossings, including fords, culverts, and bridges, are primary contributors of sediment to forest streams. Information on the water quality impacts from each type of crossing is limited, but the available literature indicates that significant amounts of sediment are produced during installation of fords and culverts; construction and use of temporary bridges have the least impact on water quality. This review of our current state of knowledge on the water quality impacts from crossings shows that we need date for a wide variety of steam sizes, soil types, terrain, and climatological conditions so that policymakers can develop scientifically sound best management practices.
Forest Roads: Where Soil and Water Don't Mix
Authors: Egan Andrew F.
Published: April 2024

One guiding principle that will help forester s minimize the impact of roads on water quality is a seemingly obvious statement: Roads are horizontal features in a landscape characterized by vertical processes. Erosion mitigation efforts require understanding surface water momentum, planning roads to avoid surface water as much as possible, and working with the elements of the universal soil loss equation--rainfall and runoff erosivity, soil erodibility, slope length and percent slope, vegetative cover, and soil conservation practices.
Understanding and Reducing Erosion from Insloping Roads
Authors: Elliot William J. , Tysdal Laurie M.
Published: April 2024

A computer program can help managers anticipate erosion and sediment delivery attributable to forest roads. The watershed version of the water erosion prediction project (WEPP) predicts road erosion rates within the observed range but overestimates sediment plume lengths. The predicted sources of sediment from an insloping road are mainly from the road ditch and the downslope channel; less sediment comes from the traveled way and the cutslope. Mitigation measures to minimize ditch erosion and channel flow rates will have the greatest effects on reducing sediment delivered from insloped forest roads.
The Employer's Perspective on New Hires
Authors: Block Nadine E.
Published: April 2024

Forestry leaders in federal and state government agencies, nongovernment organizations, forest certification, consulting, and industry report that they are seeking forestry graduates with technical depth plus the breadth of knowledge, inquiring minds, and integrative skills that will serve them throughout their careers in the profession. The precise mix of skills and expertise varies with the needs of the employer, but most respondents question the ability of four-year degree programs to prepare students adequately for the challenges that forestry faces.
Sustainable Forestry Oregon Style
Authors: Bordelon Michael A. , McAllister David C. , Holloway Ross
Published: April 2024

Over the past five years, the Oregon Department of Forestry has developed a new management plan for state forests in northwest Oregon. The approach results in health, productive, sustainable forest ecosystems and promotes the view that forest values such as timber and wildlife are compatible. Forest landscapes must be designed for wildlife habitat diversity, strategies must be operationally feasible, and the plan must be flexible enough to allow forest managers to address changes. Careful monitoring and an adaptive management approach are key to the plan's success over time.
The Old Orchard White Pine Plantation at Biltmore
Authors: McNab W.H. , Ritter B.A.
Published: April 2024

A pioneering case study in the Old Orchard Plantation on Biltmore Estate near Asheville, North Carolina, considered current yields and the effects of periodic thinning on height and basal area growth, as well as cubic volume and board-foot yields. Established in 1899, one of three plots of this eastern white pine stand was first thinned in 1916. Beyond providing growth-and-yield data, the Old Orchard Plantation demonstrates the value of maintaining permanent forest research plots for long-term ecological and silvicultural studies.
Outcomes-Based Forestry Education: An Application in New Brunswick
Authors: Zundel Pierre E. , Needham Ted D.
Published: April 2024

Outcomes-based education focuses on students' abilities to practice what they know rather than on teachers, teaching, and content. Such a method starts with explicitly and publicly identifying the abilities and qualities we want students to possess. Teaching and assessment should align with the resources and students we have and the outcomes we seek. Success can then be judged on how well students perform.
2050: A Scenario for People and Forests
Authors: Laarman Jan
Published: April 2024

In this trip into the future, a professor of history interviews two retired foresters in the year 2050. They tell how events and trends during the preceding 50 years have transformed forestry and the professionals who practice it.
Afforestation in Israel: A Source of Social Goods and Services
Authors: Ginsberg Paul
Published: April 2024

For more than 90 years, the Keren Kayemeth Leisrael (KKL) has undertaken afforestation activities in Israel. Tree planting has played a pivotal role in renewing Israel's battered Mediterranean landscape, enhancing not only the country's physical development but also its social development by providing employment, and recreational, educational, and commodity services. The future of Israel's forest resources is a subject of continuing debate in Israeli society, one mirroring a broader dialogue about the society's future and the land on which it lives.
Developing an Off-Campus Natural Resource Conservation Program
Authors: Linehan Peter E. , Miller Deborah L. , Jose Shibu
Published: April 2024

The University of Florida has created an off-campus natural resource conservation education program in the Florida Panhandle to meet the needs of place-bound students. By partnering with the nearby University of West Florida and Pensacola Junior College and strengthening an existing research center, the program leverages scarce educational resources. It offers a science-based curriculum that integrates forestry and wildlife education and also allows students to focus on their own particular interests in natural resources.
Digital Imaging Basics for Natural Resource Managers
Authors: Greenfield Paul H.
Published: April 2024

The increase in processing speed and the miniaturization of digital storage have made digital imaging available to anyone. One advantage of digital imagery for natural resource managers is that it can be enhanced on the computer to bring out details of interest--whether vegetative stress, species composition, or growth and volume. However, there are many considerations that need to be addressed when contracting for digital imaging services or purchasing your own equipment and performing the work in-house.
Videography for Foresters
Authors: Linden David S.
Published: April 2024

Many types of video cameras and video systems are used by remote sensing specialists. Cameras can be black-and-white, color, or even color-infrared. Although not a substitute for aerial photography or satellite images, videography is a fast and inexpensive way to obtain images from the air for certain applications. Combined with geographic positioning system data, video images can be quickly and easily integrated with GIS.
The Courage to Say "Not Yet" to the Proposed Code of Ethics
Authors: Cornett Zane J
Published: April 2024

The model of the "loving critic"--someone sufficiently serious to study his or her institution, and sufficiently dedicated to become expert in the art of modifying it--should inspire us as we consider the proposed Code of Ethics for the Society of American Foresters. Does the proposal go far enough? Have we tested the nuances of the language against our beliefs? Have we asked how nonmembers will interpret it? How far into the 21st century will this code be our guidepost? Lacking good answers to such questions, I fear we have not yet given due consideration to what is arguably SAF's most important document. Far too few of us have been involved in the revision process--certainly not enough to provide the serious introspection that loving critics must apply to their profession.
Thinning and Growth: A Full Turnaround
Authors: Zeide B.
Published: April 2024

Is it possible to increase natural growth of forest stands by judicious removal of some trees? This question inspired generations of foresters to design and test many methods of thinning, invent the ultimate arbiter of forest science–permanent plots–and develop much of this science to boot. From the initial feeling that our actions can only undermine the plentitude of undisturbed forests, we went through several more assertive stances only to return to the original belief. In the process, we have realized that we are interested mostly in the value of forest output rather than in its quantity, and that the method to maximize this value is yet to be discovered.
Enemies of the Trees? Subsistence Farmers and Perverse Protection of Tropical Dry Forest
Authors: Roth L.C.
Published: April 2024

As deforestation and habitat degradation proceed worldwide, the elaboration of realistic policies to protect and sustain forests assumes increasing urgency. Experience from one area of threatened tropical dry forest illustrates, however, that staunch environmental regulation based on partial understandings can have strikingly contradictory effects. In this study from the Dominican Republic, extensive dialogue and field observation with local residents offered a glimpse beyond the obvious proximal causes of forest loss–the subsistence farmers and charcoal makers regularly seen felling trees–to important influences of their socioeconomic and legal contexts.
Forest Sustainability Discussion Guide Response: Sustainability through Certification in Chile
Authors: de Bonafos H.
Published: April 2024

A low-cost certification system would allow small and medium-sized owners and businesses to more easily certify their products, allowing them to obtain better market opportunities and better access to international markets.…
Is This the Age of Intensive Management? A Study of Loblolly Pine on Georgia's Piedmont
Authors: Yin R. , Sedjo R.A.
Published: April 2024

Using data for loblolly pine from Georgia's Piedmont, we find that, although the transition from natural to artificial regeneration leads to increased and better distributed stems, the control of competing vegetation results in a dramatic boost to the growth rate from previous- to current-generation plantations. Our results indicate that the marginal returns of forest management are increasing rather than diminishing; the more intensive the management, the better its economic performance. These findings suggest that intensive management represents a major technical change and bodes well for the future of commercial forestry in the South.
Engineered Lumber Products: Taking Their Place in the Global Market
Authors: Schuler A. , Adair C. , Elias E.
Published: April 2024

World demand for engineered lumber products is driven by a shift to performance-based building codes; the changing nature of the softwood fiber supply; worldwide demand for affordable housing; and advances in resin technology and wood conversion systems. From structural composite lumber to prefabricated wood I-joists and glulam, these products extend the forest resource by allowing higher product recoveries and using conversion technology that facilitates broader use of underutilized species and sizes. They also enable higher stumpage prices as markets are created for a wider range of species, grades, and sizes of timber. And sustainable forestry objectives are enhanced as markets for small-diameter, low-grade fiber are developed throughout the world.
Evaluating Forestland Classification Schemes as Tools for Maintaining Biodiversity
Authors: Pregitzer K.S. , Goebel P.C. , Wigley T.B.
Published: April 2024

Monitoring and managing biodiversity requires information about habitat and, in most cases, specific information on the composition and structure of the current vegetation. Forestland classification schemes are a source of this information, but we conclude that no one classification scheme provides all the information managers need to maintain biodiversity. Rather, each provides some relevant information; in combination, they may help resource managers organize information at the appropriate spatial scales for monitoring and maintaining biodiversity.
Perspective: Scientists, Truth, and the Media: A Clearcut Issue
Authors: Egan A.F.
Published: April 2024

A few years ago I met a woman from Maine who held a clearly articulated position on the clearcutting referendum in her state. I liked her, although I dis-agreed with her position that the practice should be banned from Maine's woods. She obviously felt deeply about forests. I could appreciate this, because I share this connection, as I believe most foresters do.
Extension in Alabama: Landowner Education and Support
Authors: Glover G.R. , Jones S.B.
Published: April 2024

Private forest landowners own three-quarters of Alabama's 22 million commercial forested acres. Improving private forest management can make a significant impact on the multiple resources provided by these forests. The Alabama Cooperative Extension System, through the Private Forest Management Team, cooperates with industry, landowner organizations, state and federal agencies, and others in several innovative programs. With limited budgets and personnel, state extension programs must develop innovative working relationships to enhance forest landowner education and support informed forest resource management decisions.
Massachusetts Family Forests: Birth of a Landowner Cooperative
Authors: Barten P.K. , Damery D. , Catanzaro P. , Fish J. , Campbell S. , Fabos A. , Fish L.
Published: April 2024

The story is as old as our profession: private lands, low-value species, a stagnant rural economy, development pressure, and loss of forests. A group of foresters and landowners is trying to reverse this cycle by forming a cooperative enterprise. This article summarizes our approach and experiences during the start-up phase. The overarching objective of Massachusetts Family Forests is to sustain or enhance the forest resources, rural character, and economy of our region.
Commentary: SAF Membership Plus One
Authors: Heissenbuttel J.F.
Published: April 2024

Unfortunately, over the past several years the SAF membership trend has been in the wrong direction. We can and will do better with membership. The membership trend line will move to the positive in 2001.…
Restoring Native Monterey Pine Forests in the Presence of an Exotic Pathogen
Authors: Storer A.J. , Wood D.L. , Gordon T.R. , Libby W.J.
Published: April 2024

On the Monterey Peninsula, many native stands of Monterey pine are overmature, largely as a result of fire suppression. In addition, the pathogen that causes pitch canker has recently been introduced and is now well established. Management practices aimed at increasing natural regeneration will convert these forests to younger age classes in which ecological and evolutionary processes are optimized within the constraints imposed by fire suppression, pitch canker, and occupation of the forest by humans.
Property Tax Equivalency on Federal Resource Management Lands
Authors: Schuster E.G. , Gebert K.M.
Published: April 2024

As revenue-sharing payments from federal lands decline, government officials and resource professionals are increasingly concerned about the equivalency between federal payments on resource management lands and likely property taxes those lands could generate. We developed tax equivalency information through a nationwide random sample of 105 counties, where we simulated agency property taxes after working with county assessors and agency land personnel. We found that although tax-equivalent counties receive somewhat larger federal payments, the big difference is in tax bills: Tax-equivalent counties have substantially lower tax bills than nonequivalent counties.
SAF Accredited and Recognized Curricula and Committee Actions
Authors:   none
Published: April 2024

Summary of criteria and lists of institutions in the following four categories: 2001 SAF-accredited professional forestry degree programs; 2001 SAF-recognized technical forestry education programs; 2000 SAF Committee on Accreditation actions; and 2000 SAF Committee on Forest Technology School Recognition actions.
Commentary: We're Here to Help: Science and Technology in SAF
Authors: Friedman S.T.
Published: April 2024

How can the science and technology community within SAF improve its contribution to SAF as a whole? This is the question the Forest Science and Technology Board and the Working Groups will be addressing in the months and years to come. I would like to use this space to invite members' perspectives on how to improve the science and technology contribution.…
Developing a GIS Program in Rural Mexico: Community Participation Equals Success
Authors: Bocco G. , Rosete F. , Bettinger P. , Velázquez A.
Published: April 2024

We discuss results of a participatory project in an indigenous community in central Mexico, where a GIS program was implemented. The implementation is described in three ways: by system design, by training of community members, and by development of spatial databases. A variety of factors contributed to the success of the program development, including hands-on training sessions focused on GIS techniques that would support the development and automation of the community's forest management plan. As a result, the forest plan was fully automated by trainees, and the community subsequently obtained green certification for sustainable forest management.
ARC Partnerships: Industry and Academia Explore Remote Sensing Applications
Authors: Means J.E. , Hopkins P.F. , Jensen J.R. , Schill S.R. , Chipman J.W. , Ramsey R.D. , Stow D.A.
Published: April 2024

Incorporating remote sensing and GIS technology into forestland management requires significant investment in tools and expertise, for uncertain benefits. The NASA-sponsored Affiliated Research Center (ARC) program seeks to reduce the risk through industry-university partnerships. These partnerships help define feasibility, benefits, and costs for new or improved information, methods, and products. The projects described include inventory, stand height and volume classification, and species type mapping and incorporate the use of digital airborne and satellite imagery, radar, and lidar data. Partners may include forest companies, consultants, technology developers, public agencies, and nonprofit organizations. Case studies describe partnership projects of University of South Carolina and Westvaco; SUNY-ESF and Emerge; SUNY-ESF and Highland Geographic, Inc.; University of Wisconsin–Madison and George Banzhaf & Company; and Oregon State University, Pacific Meridian Resources, and Spencer B. Gross, Inc.
Professional Resource Guide
Authors:   none
Published: April 2024

This annual guide lets you locate and learn about various products and services in the forestry and natural resources fields. The guide is organized alphabetically within categories. You may find the same vendor listed under different categories, as many companies provide products and services that serve a variety of forestry and natural resources needs. A constantly updated version in accessible online at www.safnet.org/buyersguide/buyersguide.htm.
Book Review: George Perkins Marsh: Prophet of Conservation
Authors: Miller C.
Published: April 2024

George Perkins Marsh: Prophet of Conservation, by David Lowenthal, tells the story of the author of Man and Nature (1864), the most important 19th century analysis of the human impact on the environment and a prescient call for global conservation.…
Sustainable Forests Education Cooperative: An Experiment in Collaborative Continuing Education
Authors: Coffin B.A. , Yount L. , Laursen S.D.
Published: April 2024

The Minnesota Sustainable Forests Education Cooperative was formed to provide a forum for technology transfer between scientists and practitioners and to enhance interdisciplinary interaction. This cooperative model is an ongoing experiment that recognizes the importance of continuing education that brings resource professionals together from a variety of resource disciplines and employer groups. The inherent strengths and efficiencies of the cooperative structure must be supported by careful attention to ongoing challenges, including funding.
Mechanism of plant–soil feedback in a degraded alpine grassland on the Tibetan Plateau
Authors: Zhou Tiancai , Sun Jian , Shi Peili
Published: April 2024

Although biotic and abiotic factors have been confirmed to be critical factors that affect community dynamics, their interactive effects have yet to be fully considered in grassland degradation. Herein, we tested how soil nutrients and microbes regulated plant–soil feedback (PSF) in a degraded alpine grassland. Our results indicated that soil total carbon (STC; from 17.66 to 12.55 g/kg) and total nitrogen (STN; from 3.16 to 2.74 g/kg) exhibited significant (P < 0.05) decrease from non-degraded (ND) to severely degraded (SD). Despite higher nutrients in ND soil generating significantly (P < 0.05) positive PSF (0.52) on monocots growth when the soil was sterilized, a high proportion of pathogens (36%) in ND non-sterilized soil resulted in a strong negative PSF on monocots. In contrast, the higher phenotypic plasticity of dicots coupled with a higher abundance of mutualists and saprophytes (70%) strongly promoted their survival and growth in SD with infertile soil. Our findings identified a novel mechanism that there was a functional group shift from monocots with higher vulnerability to soil pathogens in the ND fertile soil to dicots with higher dependence on nutritional mutualists in the degraded infertile soil. The emerging irreversible eco-evolutionary in PSF after degradation might cause a predicament for the restoration of degraded grassland.
Not idle: The gymnastics of refugee activism in—and out of—the aid apparatus
Authors: Thomson Marnie Jane
Published: April 2024

‘Are refugees idle?’ This was a common question I received from UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) representatives when I was conducting research at their global headquarters in Geneva. Refugees are not idle, even in camps with a heavy aid presence like Nyarugusu camp in Tanzania. Refugees engage in various kinds of labour, including activism. Based on more than two years of ethnographic research in Nyarugusu camp, in aid and government offices across Tanzania, and at regional and global hubs of the UNHCR in Kenya and Switzerland, this article outlines three forms of activism refugees engage in despite the many obstacles the aid apparatus presents for such activism. I argue that refugees must perform metaphorical gymnastics in order to advocate for themselves, for their communities, and for their country of origin. The refugee view of the aid apparatus provides valuable critiques for changes that could be made to improve humanitarian services.
The DESI one-per cent survey: exploring the halo occupation distribution of luminous red galaxies and quasi-stellar objects with AbacusSummit
Authors: Yuan Sihan , Zhang Hanyu , Ross Ashley J , Donald-McCann Jamie , Hadzhiyska Boryana , Wechsler Risa H , Zheng Zheng , Alam Shadab , Gonzalez-Perez Violeta , Aguilar Jessica Nicole , Ahlen Steven , Bianchi Davide , Brooks David , de la Macorra Axel , Fanning Kevin , Forero-Romero Jaime E , Honscheid Klaus , Ishak Mustapha , Kehoe Robert , Lasker James , Landriau Martin , Manera Marc , Martini Paul , Meisner Aaron , Miquel Ramon , Moustakas John , Nadathur Seshadri , Newman Jeffrey A , Nie Jundan , Percival Will , Poppett Claire , Rocher Antoine , Rossi Graziano , Sanchez Eusebio , Samushia Lado , Schubnell Michael , Seo Hee-Jong , Tarlé Gregory , Weaver Benjamin Alan , Yu Jiaxi , Zhou Zhimin , Zou Hu
Published: April 2024

We present the first comprehensive halo occupation distribution (HOD) analysis of the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument (DESI) One-Percent Survey luminous red galaxy (LRG) and Quasi Stellar Object (QSO) samples. We constrain the HOD of each sample and test possible HOD extensions by fitting the redshift-space galaxy 2-point correlation functions in 0.15 < r < 32 h−1 Mpc in a set of fiducial redshift bins. We use AbacusSummit cubic boxes at Planck 2018 cosmology as model templates and forward model galaxy clustering with the AbacusHOD package. We achieve good fits with a standard HOD model with velocity bias, and we find no evidence for galaxy assembly bias or satellite profile modulation at the current level of statistical uncertainty. For LRGs in 0.4 < z < 0.6, we infer a satellite fraction of $f_\mathrm{sat} = 11\pm 1~{y{\ \mathrm{per\,cent}}}$, a mean halo mass of $\log _{10}\overline{M}_h/M_\odot =13.40^{+0.02}_{-0.02}$, and a linear bias of $b_\mathrm{lin} = 1.93_{-0.04}^{+0.06}$. For LRGs in 0.6 < z < 0.8, we find $f_\mathrm{sat}=14\pm 1~{{\ \mathrm{per\,cent}}}$, $\log _{10}\overline{M}_h/M_\odot =13.24^{+0.02}_{-0.02}$, and $b_\mathrm{lin}=2.08_{-0.03}^{+0.03}$. For QSOs, we infer $f_\mathrm{sat}=3^{+8}_{-2}\mathrm{per\,cent}$, $\log _{10}\overline{M}_h/M_\odot = 12.65^{+0.09}_{-0.04}$, and $b_\mathrm{lin} = 2.63_{-0.26}^{+0.37}$ in redshift range 0.8 < z < 2.1. Using these fits, we generate a large suite of high fidelity galaxy mocks, forming the basis of systematic tests for DESI Y1 cosmological analyses. We also study the redshift-evolution of the DESI LRG sample from z = 0.4 up to z = 1.1, revealling significant and interesting trends in mean halo mass, linear bias, and satellite fraction.
Hot Jupiter diversity and the onset of TiO/VO revealed by a large grid of non-grey global circulation models
Authors: Roth Alexander , Parmentier Vivien , Hammond Mark
Published: April 2024

The population of hot Jupiters is extremely diverse, with large variations in their irradiation, period, gravity, and chemical composition. To understand the intrinsic planet diversity through the observed population level trends, we explore the a priori scatter in the population created by the different responses of atmospheric circulation to planetary parameters. We use the SPARC/MITgcm three-dimensional global circulation model to simulate 345 planets spanning a wide range of instellation, metallicity, gravity, and rotation periods typical for hot Jupiters, while differentiating between models with and without titanium oxide (TiO)/vanadium oxide (VO) in their atmosphere. We show that the combined effect of the planetary parameters leads to a large diversity in the ability of atmospheres to transport heat from day-side to night-side at a given equilibrium temperature. We further show that the hotspot offset is a non-monotonic function of planetary rotation period and explain our findings by a competition between the rotational and divergent parts of the circulation. As a consequence, hotspot offset and phase curve amplitude are not necessarily correlated. Finally, we compare the observables from our grid to the population of Spitzer and Hubble observations of hot Jupiters. We find that the sudden jump in brightness temperature observed in the Spitzer secondary eclipse measurements can be naturally explained by the cold-trapping of TiO/VO at approximately 1800 K. Spectra, phase curves and thermal structures from the model grid used in this study are available to the community, for more details see the data availability section.
The Impact of Non-Lyrical Elements on Undergraduate Students’ Lyric Interpretation
Authors: Markulin Grace
Published: April 2024

Much of the extant research regarding lyric analysis centers on lyrics as the primary therapeutic musical element, to the detriment of all other non-lyrical elements. Non-lyrical musical elements, such as musical style, may drastically affect how listeners interpret lyric text within lyric analysis tasks. The purpose of this qualitative heuristic inquiry was to investigate the effects of musical style (instrumentation, vocal timbre, and texture) on lyric interpretation among undergraduate students aged 18–36 via focus groups and individual interviews. Participants listened to and discussed the lyrics and non-lyrical elements of 3 stylistically distinct recordings of one song (“Everybody Hurts”). Focus groups and interviews were transcribed, then coded and analyzed via initial coding and focused coding protocols (Saldaña, 2021). One primary theme emerged from the data: lyric text carried the basic message of the song, though non-lyrical elements influenced the perceived intention and connotation of that message. Three code categories emerged under the primary theme: (1) musical elements around the text gave context and nuance; (2) cohesion of musical elements determined the emotional impact of a given recording; (3) descriptions of musical style occurred in conjunction with multisensory comparisons. These findings provide evidence of a symbiotic relationship between lyrics and non-lyrical musical elements within song recordings, which both support clinical decision-making when choosing repertoire for lyric analysis and provide a foundation for further research into the role of non-lyrical musical elements in lyric analysis.
Emergent Spinor Fields from Exotic Spin Structures
Authors: Hoff da Silva J M , da Rocha R
Published: April 2024

The classification of emergent spinor fields according to modified bilinear covariants is scrutinized in space-times with nontrivial topology, which induce inequivalent spin structures. Extended Clifford algebras, constructed by equipping the underlying space-time with an extended bilinear form with additional terms coming from the nontrivial topology, naturally yield emergent extended algebraic spinor fields and their subsequent extended bilinear covariants, which are contrasted to the classical spinor classification. An unexpected duality between the standard and the exotic spinor field classes is therefore established, showing that a complementary fusion process among the spinor field classes sets in, when extended Clifford bundles are addressed in multiply connected space-times.
The SocialVidStim: a video database of positive and negative social evaluation stimuli for use in social cognitive neuroscience paradigms
Authors: Tully Laura M , Blendermann Mary , Fine Jeffrey R , Zakskorn Lauren N , Fritz Matilda , Hamlett Gabriella E , Lamb Shannon T , Moody Anna K , Ng Julenne , Parakul Narimes , Ritter Bryn M , Rahim Raisa , Yu Grace , Taylor Sandra L
Published: April 2024

This paper describes the SocialVidStim—a database of video stimuli available to the scientific community depicting positive and negative social evaluative and neutral statements. The SocialVidStim comprises 53 diverse individuals reflecting the demographic makeup of the USA, ranging from 9 to 41 years old, saying 20–60 positive and 20–60 negative social evaluative statements (e.g. ‘You are a very trustworthy/annoying person’), and 20–60 neutral statements (e.g. ‘The sky is blue’), totaling 5793 videos post-production. The SocialVidStim are designed for use in behavioral and functional magetic resonance imaging paradigms, across developmental stages, in diverse populations. This study describes stimuli development and reports initial validity and reliability data on a subset videos (N = 1890) depicting individuals aged 18–41 years. Raters perceive videos as expected: positive videos elicit positively valenced ratings, negative videos elicit negatively valenced ratings and neutral videos are rated as neutral. Test–retest reliability data demonstrate intraclass correlations in the good-to-excellent range for negative and positive videos and the moderate range for neutral videos. We also report small effects on valence and arousal that should be considered during stimuli selection, including match between rater and actor sex and actor believability. The SocialVidStim is a resource for researchers and we offer suggestions for using the SocialVidStim in future research.
Returns to work following retirement in Germany, Russia, and the United Kingdom
Authors: Platts Loretta G , Glaser Karen
Published: April 2024

Most unretirement research has focused on single countries, indicating that socio-economic advantage and financial need predict unretirement in particular settings. Remarkably, little is known about whether the frequency and predictors of unretirement—returning to paid work after ceasing work at retirement—vary in relation to the country setting. We followed recent retirees over time in Germany, Russia, and the United Kingdom to compare unretirement rates and predictors, and whether financial need predicted unretirement in a middle-income setting rather than in a high-income setting. We harmonized data ex post from four prospective surveys: German Socio-Economic Panel Study (1991–2016), Russian Longitudinal Monitoring Survey (1994–2016), and for the United Kingdom, British Household Panel Survey (1991–2008), and Understanding Society (2010–2015). Unretirement was examined using Cox regression in relation to gender, age, education, health, household income, and financial difficulties. After 20 years of follow-up, the cumulative hazard of unretirement attained 0.20 in German, 0.24 in British, and 0.40 in Russian participants. Unretirement rates were generally higher for retirees who were younger, in better health and had higher household income. Worries about finances did not predict unretirement in Russia; such concerns predicted higher unretirement rates only in fully adjusted models in Germany and the United Kingdom. Since retirees in financial need may have difficulties finding suitable jobs, unretirement is a process with the potential to deepen financial inequality in later life. Variations in unretirement rates and predictors across countries demonstrate the importance of extending unretirement research to incorporate a cross-national comparative perspective.
The Mountain Model for Evidence-Based Practice Quality Improvement Initiatives
Authors: Waldrop Julee , Dunlap Jayne Jennings
Published: April 2024

This article introduces the Mountain Model, the first conceptual model for evidence-based practice quality improvement (EBPQI) initiatives. The Mountain Model merges modern evidence-based practice (EBP) and quality improvement (QI) paradigm principles into a unified conceptual framework with the goal of disseminating and sustaining EBPQI projects across health care and related settings. The model was developed within the nursing discipline, but is designed for transdisciplinary implementation through interprofessional teams.
Sex, Adverse Childhood Experiences, and Substance Use Disorders in US Military Veterans: Results From the National Health and Resilience in Veterans Study
Authors: Moore Avalon S. , Stefanovics Elina A. , Jankovsky Anastasia , Potenza Marc N. , Pietrzak Robert H.
Published: April 2024

Objectives

US veterans report more adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) than nonveterans, and a greater number of ACEs has been linked to substance use disorders (SUDs). To date, however, no study has examined whether specific ACEs may be linked to SUDs in this population in a sex-related fashion.

Methods

We analyzed data from the National Health and Resilience in Veterans Study, a nationally representative survey of 4069 US veterans. ACEs, current alcohol use disorder (AUD), and current drug use disorder (DUD) were assessed using validated self-report measures.

Results

Being raised in a household with people with SUDs was independently associated with current AUD. Childhood sexual abuse and having an incarcerated family member were independently associated with current DUD. Sex moderated associations with specific ACEs. Specifically, female veterans who had experienced physical neglect in childhood or were raised with a mentally ill family member in the home were more likely to endorse current AUD and DUD, whereas male veterans who experienced sexual abuse in childhood or who were raised in a home with someone who used substances were more likely to endorse current AUD and DUD.

Conclusions

Results underscore the importance of targeted and sex-sensitive interventions in addressing potentially unresolved childhood traumas as part of treatment efforts for SUDs in veterans.