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Plant Community Recovery One Year Post Fire in Interior Douglas Fir Forests in Areas of Different Burn Severity
No full textThe province of British Columbia, Canada, had an unprecedented fire season in 2017 with over 1.2 million hectares burned. Crown land comprises 94% of the provincial land base and numerous licensees such as forestry companies and ranchers rely on the use of crown land. Post-wildfire recovery is extremely important economically, socially and ecologically to the province. Due to the reduction in forage, ranchers are not able to utilize their grazing tenures allocated by the provincial government in burned areas for an undetermined amount of time. This comes at a high cost to ranchers as they rely on the relatively inexpensive forage supplied by crown land during the growing season. It is important to understand the recovery of the plant communities’ post-wildfire so that there is enough time for the plant community to recover, but also so that cattle can return to the range as soon as possible to minimize the economic impact on the ranching industry. Plant communities present one-year post-wildfire in the IDFxh2 biogeoclimatic ecosystem classification zone were examined at three different locations in the Southern Interior of British Columbia. Two locations were within the Elephant Hill Fire and one was located within the Martin Mountain Fire. At each location six randomly selected sites were sampled, two in each burn severity rating of low, moderate and high respectively. Data collection included modified Daubenmire transects and bio-mass clippings. Data analysis was conducted using SPSS software. It was determined that the plant communities one-year post-wildfire did differ in areas of different burn severity. This information will help support resource managers\u27 decisions on post-wildfire recovery strategies in the future and influence when cattle are able to return to graze on crown lands impacted by fire
The Impacts of Urban Environments on Bacterial Diseases of Mountain Chickadees (\u3ci\u3ePoecile gambeli\u3c/i\u3e)
No full textTo meet the demands of increasing human populations, cities expand through infrastructural and housing developments. This process, known as urbanization or urban expansion, presents new environmental challenges to wildlife. Of its many negative effects, urbanization tends to decrease the immune defense of wild birds while increasing the abundance of some disease-causing pathogens, like Salmonella bacteria and West-Nile Virus. Although previous research has shown an amplification of disease for wild birds in urban areas, none have documented this effect across broad scales with all bacteria present and other factors considered. Disease in birds not only can devastate their populations, but it also can cross over to humans with the same consequences. The aim of this research is to investigate the relationship between urbanization and disease-causing bacteria found on the feathers of wild Mountain Chickadees and their nests. Factors involved in avian health and environmental variables will also be related to disease prevalence. Using DNA sequencing of bird feather bacteria, nesting materials, and bird feeders, followed by statistical modeling, we will reveal patterns and relationships to provide insights on managing urban development for healthier avian and human populations
Structural Analysis of Two Monooxygenases Involved in the Sulfur Metabolism Pathway of \u3ci\u3eGordonia sp\u3c/i\u3e. NB4-1Y
No full text6:2 fluorotelomer sulfonate (6:2 FTS) is a surfactant commonly used in fire fighting foams, although the compound poses a toxic threat in environmental conditions at higher concentrations. Many polyfluorinated alkyl (PFA) substances, such as 6:2 FTS, do not undergo spontaneous degradation under environmental conditions and therefore bio-accumulate in terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. However, bacteria such as Gordonia sp. NB41Y have displayed bio-remediation potential for these contaminants, utilizing a sulfur metabolism pathway which is demonstrated to break down 6:2 FTS. Our research takes an X-ray crystallography approach to structurally characterize two key monooxygenase enzymes (ISGA1218 and ISGA1222) in this metabolic pathway. So far, the predicted structures of the enzymes has been generated and computational comparisons have been carried out with the closest structure and sequence homologs, while various screens are being tested to generate crystals for X-ray analysis. There are no known X-ray structures present for either of the enzymes and probing the molecular interactions between these enzymes and 6:2 FTS is an excellent start to elucidating this novel process. This research will not only aid our understanding of the structural basis of substrate recognition and the structure-function relationships for the enzymes, but also provide foundational understanding of enzymatic interactions with polyfluorinated alkyl substances for future industrial bio-remediation initiatives
The Role of Environmental Affordances, Motives, and Appraisals in Emotion Regulation Choice
No full textVarious factors influence emotion regulation strategy choice, including event intensity and environmental affordances (i.e., characteristics of the situation that may help or hinder the generation of a regulatory strategy). Suri et al. (2017) showed that intensity and affordances are often confounded, and that affordances better predict emotion regulation choice than intensity. However, the scenarios used by Suri et al. may have varied also in terms of the appraisals and emotion regulation motives that they elicit. Therefore, we tested alternative explanations for Suri et al.’s finding that reappraisal affordances predict emotion regulation choice.
In part one of the study, participants read scenarios varying in affordance and intensity, and then rated the intensity, appraisals, motives, and affordance of the event. In part two, participants received training in reappraisal and distraction, then read the same scenarios from part one, and rated their preferences for reappraisal and distraction.
High affordance scenarios elicited higher appraisals of importance and long-term implications, as well as higher hedonic, social, epistemic, and eudaimonic motives than low affordance scenarios, all p’s \u3c .001. We also expect to find that appraisals and motives will predict emotion regulation preferences, over and above reappraisal affordances.
The findings demonstrate that the high and low affordance scenarios employed by Suri et al. (2017) also differ along dimensions of appraisals and motives, which may constitute an alternative explanation for their findings regarding the effect of reappraisal affordances on emotion regulation choice. The research highlights the need to consider multiple variables as predictors of emotion regulation choice
Delay of Recall and Age Exacerbates Children’s Difficulty Estimating Temporal Features of Past Events
No full textIn a forensic and legal setting temporal information, such as when an event occurred and the duration of an event, can be critical evidence needed to lay charges in a criminal case. Yet, little is understood about how children are able to estimate the time of a past event under these circumstances. Past research on children’s temporal estimation abilities has been limited and is outdated.
We recruited 186 4- to 8-year-old children from local daycares and summer camps. Children participated in four games (45 minutes in total), all related to learning about magnets. Children were then either interviewed shortly after the games (same day) or one day later, with seven questions related to the dependent variables of interest: day of the week, duration, and temporal distance.
Among 6-to 8-year olds, a longer delay to recall was associated with lower event duration estimate accuracy. Further, after the 1-day delay there was a significantly lower level of accuracy in temporal distance estimates among 5-to-6 year olds, relative to 7-year olds and 8-year olds. The overall pattern of results indicates that children have difficulty estimating temporal features of previous events, and that this difficulty may be exacerbated by delay to recall and youth. It is important to know what children are capable of so that we can evaluate children’s evidence more accurately and so that we can elicit this information from children more effectively
Analysis of fMRI Brain Activity for the Localization of the Quiet Eye
No full textAbstract: The quiet eye (QE) is defined as a period of fixated gaze (within 1 degree of visual angle and at least 100ms in duration) on a target before a movement is initiated. Previous research has positively correlated a longer quiet eye duration (QED) in the performance of expert athletes compared to novices during aiming tasks with more successful outcomes in performance and increased task complexity. Previous researchers have also proposed brain areas that are thought to be involved in the QE. This is the first study that has investigated the neural mechanisms of the QED using fMRI techniques in expert and novice participants. The aim of this research is to analyse previously collected fMRI data of 19 participants (9 archers, 10 non-archers). The participants performed a computer archery task using a joystick to aim and shoot at a target on a screen in high and low noise conditions in order to examine differences in QED in varying task complexity. Participants also tracked a cross hair with the joystick to obtain non-QE baseline brain activity. Analysis of fMRI data was performed using Statistical Parametric Mapping (SPM) 12 in MATLAB. The fMRI contrasts will be made between high and low noise conditions of experts and novices as well as comparing brain activity in experts vs. novices
Data Privacy in the Age of Social Media Addiction
No full textIn the 21st century, social media has rapidly become a part of everyday life. It is almost unavoidable for individuals to partake in to keep up with their personal and professional lives. People can be consumed by their devices and applications for many hours a day in an attempt to stay connected. This prompts the following questions: Does daily social media consumption share characteristics of symptoms of addiction? Is there a stage of addiction that inhibits individuals’ concern for online privacy and security? This research explores the overarching question, “Do individuals who exhibit signs of social media addiction prioritize their social utility over their personal data privacy?” It is an interdisciplinary project which employs a two-part quantitative survey to compare responses about addictive social media behaviours and attitudes towards personal data privacy. Derived from past research on Facebook addiction, part one of the study evaluates participants’ inclination to demonstrate symptoms of social media addiction. Part two allows participants to rate their knowledge and concern for the data they provide to companies by using their platforms. The results of this research will shed light on any significant correlations between the participants’ social media usage and their disposition towards data privacy
Matrix and pH Effects on the Degradation Kinetics of Xanthates in Mining Waters
No full textThe main focus of this project is to determine optimal pH conditions for a given matrix of xanthates that would be representative of a real matrix in an industrial setting such as a flotation tank or a tailings pond. The primary method for analysis is the use of headspace GC-MS. Aqueous samples of xanthates in buffer solutions were tested for degradation by testing for the generation of carbon disulphide. It is projected that for optimal results, pH will be above 7. The research being conducted is to determine the optimal pH level for the rate of xanthate decomposition and will be confirmed through calculation of rate constant, k, at these levels. Depending on how the stabilization or destabilization of the degradation reaction proceeds there will be a measurable change in the evolution of carbon disulphide gas. This change can be calculated and will help to determine the positive or negative effects of a given matrix of co-solutes. The implications of this research include increase in mineral yield such that mining companies like New Gold can better develop their industrial processes to make better use of xanthates. As well, companies will be able to minimize and potentially decrease environmental and health hazards posed by by-products such as carbon disulphide gas. This will help ensure that mines can create environmentally sustainable procedures and processes to keep their workers in safe conditions
Social Return of Instagram as a Marketing Tool to Target Millennials
No full textThe purpose of this research is to analyze the social return that Instagram can have on hotels. The use of Instagram as an informational tool for millennials has impacted the accommodation sector over the past five years. Studies have focused on the role of social media for organizations that market destinations but there is still limited research in regard to the use of social media in the hospitality sector. This research uses a case study that explores the utility of Instagram in the visitor experience. It will interpret the social return millennials receive when posting photos in relation to the Douglas Hotel, in Vancouver, British Columbia. This study uses a qualitative analysis of 160 photos under the Douglas Hotel\u27s Instagram hashtag \u27#thedouglasvancouver\u27 and an in-depth interview with a social media expert from Destination BC. The expectation is this research may inform how accommodation businesses can utilize this technology to enrich their social presence