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THE IMPACTS OF ANTHROPOGENIC PROCESSES ON THE NITROGEN BUDGET OF A POND**
No full textLevee-style ponds are constructed to impound water and prevent flooding. While humans benefit from the flooding mitigation downstream, it leaves streams with slow moving water that doesn’t allow for proper recharge of the aquifers and can disrupt nutrient cycles. Nitrate, a producer-available form of nitrogen (N), is often a limiting nutrient in aquatic ecosystems. Nitrate can enter a pond through a variety of fluxes, including surface runoff and biomass decay. Factors such as landscaping clippings, leaf litter, fertilizer and even stocked fish can add nitrate to a system. Weather and climate changes also have the potential to alter nitrate levels. In our observational study of the Lockerly Arboretum levee-constructed pond system located in Milledgeville, Baldwin County, Georgia, we assessed the nitrogen budget of the system, and the impacts of landscaping practices and fish stocking. Nitrate concentration was assessed on water samples collected from each of our four sites using a HACH colorimeter. Two sites were located within the pond itself, one was located upstream in a feeder creek, and one was located downstream under the levee. Dissolved oxygen (DO), pH, and electrical conductivity (EC) were measured using EXtech field meters in situ at all four study sites. The feeder stream site had the highest nitrate measurements (average 1.64 mg/L) of all locations, likely due to sunlight being a limiting factor for photosynthesis in this shaded area, and the substantial addition of allochthonous biomass. Measurements of pH, DO, and EC changed as the temperature dropped from summer to fall, supporting our nitrate results as nitrate can be influenced by temperature, oxygen, and electrical conductivity. We plan to conduct hydrological assessments of the site, as this study continues to progress
EFFECTS OF POST-ENCODING AROUSING STIMULI OF DIFFERENT VALENCES ON PHYSIOLOGY AND MEMORY PERFORMANCE
No full textEmotionally arousing events are typically remembered better than neutral events, an effect which is known as the Emotional Enhancement of Memory (EEM). The most widely accepted explanation of this memory enhancement effect for emotional events is that emotional arousal boosts consolidation, a process that occurs after learning, where initially fragile memory traces are strengthened over time and become resistant to forgetting. However, the extent to which EEM occurs for item and associative memory has not been examined. To address this gap, we employed a post-encoding presentation of emotional stimuli, which allowed us to focus specifically on the influence of emotional arousal on the memory consolidation processes. Seventy-six undergraduate students from Emory University were recruited for this study. Participants who were presented with neutral words and word pairs, rated how easily they were able to create a sentence or image with the word or word pair. After encoding, participants were randomly assigned to view either positive, neutral, or negative film clips. Emotional arousal during video presentation was assessed with physiological recordings of heart rate (HR) and skin conductance responses (SCRs)...as well as with subjective emotion reports assessed by valence (negative - positive) and arousal (low emotional intensity - high emotional intensity) ratings and the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS). Item and associative word memory were tested 24 hours later in a recognition memory test. Preliminary data demonstrate a significant enhancement of associative memory for the positive post-encoding video condition relative to neutral videos. No such enhancement was found for item memory. This study contributes to the growing literature on the effects of post-encoding arousal on memory consolidation and suggests a potential benefit for post-encoding positive stimuli on memory
PERFORMANCE IMPROVEMENTS IN UFOV \u27BRAIN TRAINING\u27 STUDIES ARE CONFOUNDED BY STIMULUS LEARNING
No full textComputerized brain training is a multi-billion-dollar industry that makes many claims about how it is a vital tool to support optimal brain function. Researchers often use the brain as muscle metaphor to suggest that cognitive exertion strengthens the brain in the same way that physical exertion strengthens the body. The most striking findings in the field have involved transfer of training from the Useful Field of View (UFOV), sometimes categorized as speed of processing training, to subsequent tasks. Yet apart from vague appeals to neuroplasticity, no plausible mechanism of transfer has emerged. UFOV training involves an adaptive dual task to identify one stimulus and locate another. Researchers using classic visual search paradigms have long known that if the target and distractor stimuli are consistent, then stimulus learning can occur, and the UFOV is one such paradigm. We compared UFOV groups trained with similar consistently mapped (CM) stimuli, to those with changing, varied mapped (VM) stimuli and distractors, and so isolated the component of stimulus learning. These groups were then transferred to new stimuli, to show the effects of loss of the familiar stimulus advantage. Transfer to new CM stimuli following extensive practice was associated with a large performance cost for the CM-trained group (d = -1.31, t = -7.91, pbonf \u3c 0.001); smaller changes in performance were noted for VM trained participants transferred to new VM stimuli (d = -0.86, t = -4.93, pbonf \u3c 0.001). Training improvements may be driven by stimulus familiarity rather than any change in latent constructs like processing speed. Claims that improving UFOV training increases latent constructs such as processing speed or expanding an attentional field are overstated
EXPLORING VETERAN IDENTITY THROUGH LYRIC ANALYSIS**
No full textResearchers attempt to define what it means to be a Veteran, but it is rare for that question to be directly asked of Veterans. Traditionally, experimenters define variables and ask the group of interest to provide responses without being included in the research process or reaping any direct benefit from participation. We aim to use a Community-based Participatory Action Research (CbPAR) model to amplify their voices and focus on what is important to them. We sought to allow Veterans to define their identity in their own words. Researchers served as messengers to help amplify Veteran voices and disseminate their stories to the larger community. This study was part of a larger research project using both photovoice and lyric analysis to help define the “sights and sounds” of Veteran identity. In this study, we asked Veterans to identify songs that answered the question, “What does being a Veteran mean to you?” Veterans worked individually and in groups with researchers through the process of lyric analysis and thematic exploration. Lyric analysis is a music therapy intervention in which the client and therapist listen to a song together and discuss the connection the lyrics have to the client’s life experiences. Transcripts of interviews were analyzed to uncover shared themes that help researchers understand how they conceptualize their identity as Veterans. External validity was addressed through member checking, in which participants reviewed transcripts, discussed identified themes, and chose songs to present as a part of an immersive, interactive gallery experience for the community to allow for their stories to be told. The following identity themes have emerged in preliminary thematic analysis: Honor, integrity, pride, isolation/loneliness, duty, sacrifice, humanity, and identity conflict. We assert that more research should be done with the Veteran community, not to them
CURIOSITY, MEMORY, AND THE PLACE
No full textThis study delves into how building layouts influence visitor emotions and motivation, examining their impact on curiosity and memory in three distinct phases. First, it explores how a spatial environment\u27s organization correlates with curiosity. Second, it investigates how curiosity influences spatial memory. Finally, it analyzes how the layout of a space affects memory retention. The methodology involves participants experiencing three different environments using head-mounted devices within a virtual reality setting. The isovist method quantifies visual elements, assessing the openness of each space. Behavioral data, including movement patterns, exploration duration, and attentional focus, is collected during this VR exploration. This data is captured using Unity programming in C# and the Tobii eye-tracking feature of the Vive Pro Eye headset. Additionally, neural data is recorded using fNIRS to identify potential patterns in dopamine-rich brain areas and memory systems, particularly regarding the interaction between curiosity and memory. The underlying hypothesis posits that an ideal environment strikes a balance between openness and mystery, enhancing both curiosity and spatial memory. The study\u27s outcomes reveal compelling insights: semi-open plans evoke what\u27s termed distributed curiosity, leading to increased memorability and perceived liveliness. Conversely, compartmentalized layouts with limited visual information prove to be confusing, uninteresting, and least memorable. These varying levels of openness evoke different types of curiosity, referred to as compacted and distributed curiosity, impacting memorability based on the available visual information for cognitive mapping. In essence, the study highlights the importance of spatial layouts in evoking curiosity and enhancing memory formation. By understanding how openness and mystery influence curiosity types and subsequent memory recall, it offers valuable insights for creating more engaging and memorable environments
THE IMPACT OF ADAPTIVE VERSUS MALADAPTIVE STRATEGIES FOR COPING WITH COVID-19 RELATED STRESS ON MENTAL WELL-BEING IN COLLEGE STUDENTS**
No full textThe ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has left both physical and psychological scars. Data from the 2023 American College Health Association National College Health Assessment (ACHA NCHA) indicates that at Georgia College & State University, 37.1% of students report anxiety and 39.6% reported stress as being impediments to their academic performance, which is a slight increase from the 2021 data at 33.5% for anxiety and 39.1% for stress. Social isolation, financial concerns, fear of loved ones or themselves getting sick, and food insecurity are some explanations for these trends (Knolle et al., 2021). At present, we are grappling with the long-term effects of the pandemic and processing what we have witnessed and experienced. We addressed two broad questions in the current study: 1) How have college students been coping with COVID-19 related stress both in the past and presently and 2) What is the impact of different coping strategies on mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic? We asked college students to reflect on the coping strategies they used to cope with COVID-19 related stress in the past, defined as from March 2020 to July 2022, as well as what strategies they were currently using, defined as from August 2022 to May 2023. We used the 28-item Brief COPE scale and separated the subscales into two categories for analysis: Adaptive and maladaptive strategies. We measured emotional, social, and psychological mental well-being using the Mental Health Continuum Short-Form (MCHC-SF). We predicted that students who use more adaptive coping strategies, both in the past and present, would demonstrate higher scores in all three domains of the MCHC-SF than students who use more maladaptive coping strategies. This research is an important piece for building a better understanding of the impact of the pandemic on mental health in vulnerable populations
TEMPERATURE AFFECTS NEST BOX SELECTION, NEST SUCCESS, AND NESTLING SIZE IN A SOUTHEASTERN POPULATION OF EASTERN BLUEBIRDS
Get PDFGiven the critical role of temperature in avian reproduction, rising global temperatures will likely impact reproductive success of many bird populations. We examined the effect of nest box temperature, nest box color, entrance orientation, distance to forest cover, and distance to water on net box selection, nest success, and nestling size in eastern bluebirds (Sialia sialis) in central Georgia. White painted nest boxes had significantly cooler temperatures than control nest boxes (P \u3c 0.05). However, model selection revealed that eastern bluebird females selected control boxes, despite their overall warmer temperatures. Nest success was associated with year, likely because of high nest predation during the warmer 2022 breeding season (P \u3c 0.05). Nest success was also associated with cooler nest boxes, possibly because incubating females spend more time incubating which can reduce predation risks. Larger nestlings fledged from painted nest boxes, nest boxes with cooler temperatures, and nests from 2021, which we attribute to decreased thermoregulatory demands enabling faster nestling growth in cooler boxes and years. These seemingly opposing results suggest there may be an optimal temperature range where nest box temperature maximizes reproductive fitness while minimizing energetic demands on incubating adults. Determining this temperature range can help target management efforts to ensure specific goals are met
Working in Pairs Increases Consistency of Georgia Adopt-A-Stream\u27s Habitat Assessment
Get PDFHabitat assessment is a skill that is important to stream ecologists of all levels, including volunteers of water quality monitoring programs such as Georgia Adopt-A-Stream (AAS). Some aspects of habitat assessment can be subjective because observers must use their best judgement in assessing some variables, therefore, it is worthwhile to examine the variation in volunteer stream monitor observations, the effect of training, and the reliability of habitat metrics calculated from the data collected. To gain some insight, we asked volunteers attending a workshop at AAS’s 2022 Confluence Conference to complete a Habitat Assessment Worksheet both before and after a short group discussion. The assessment was completed at two sites on the same creek. Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) was used to test for differences before and after group discussion, site, and discussion x site interaction factors. Group discussion significantly affected the mean score for only 2 of the 9 measured variables (channel flow status and channel alteration), but significantly reduced the variance of only channel flow status. On the other hand, group discussion increased agreement among the volunteers rating the overall health of the stream using a Stream Habitat Score within the broad categories Excellent, Good, Fair, and Poor. Interestingly, the coefficient of variation was markedly lower for the Stream Habitat Score than for any of its constituent 9 variables. Because of this, we conclude that the total stream habitat index is more reliable for comparison between different sites than any of its 9 constituent variables alone. Seven additional workshops were conducted from 2022-2024 and during the 5 workshops when volunteers were asked to work in pairs, the variation in Stream Habitat Score was always lower than when working alone. The coefficient of variation decreased from an average of 0.15 unpaired to 0.12 paired, so we recommend that all monitors work in pairs and come to a consensus with each other when completing their worksheet to increase the reliability of their habitat assessment score
Habitat Preferences of the Hiwassee Crayfish (Cambarus hiwasseensis) and Appalachian Brook Crayfish (Cambarus bartonii cavatus) in a Headwater Stream
Get PDFThe Hiwassee crayfish Cambarus hiwasseensis (CH) is an endemic species to the Hiwassee River watershed in north Georgia and western North Carolina that is sympatric with the more widespread Appalachian Brook crayfish Cambarus bartonii cavatus (CB). This was the first study to investigate CH habitat use, comparing CH habitat to CB habitat in Corn Creek, a small, second-order stream in the Hiwassee River watershed. From August to November 2016 and January to April 2018, 15 habitat parameters were measured for 154 1-m2 quadrants randomly sampled from an 800-m stream reach. Mann-Whitney U tests compared habitat parameters between present and absent sites for CH and CB and compared differences between CH and CB present sites. Dominant substrate and habitat types at present and absent site were compared with a Chi-square test. For CH, there was no significant differences among habitat units (χ2 = 4.13; P = 0.127) or substrates (χ2 = 8.87; P = 0.181) for CH although they were found at greater frequency in run and pool habitats and among cobble and small boulder substrates. CB significantly preferred riffles and habitats with less silt , embeddedness, stream roughness, and shallower depths. The amount of silt substrate was significantly greater for CH present locations than for CB present locations. Thus, CH demonstrated more generalist tendencies with greater occurrence in shallow, slow-flowing pools with some silt whereas CB was more specific to shallow, faster flowing riffles swept clear of silt with potential overlap in run habitats between the two species. This study improves understanding of CH habitat use and may be useful in considering future management strategies and recommendations in response to human impacts and environmental changes
INVESTIGATING THE EFFECT OF SEASONAL VARIATION ON CIRRI APPENDAGES IN DWARF SEAHORSES **
No full textDwarf seahorses (Hippocamus zosterae) are cryptic fishes found in coastal marine environments that grow cirri, which are skin filaments theorized to aid in camouflaging and mate preference. Cirri presence has been reported to vary across seahorse species and tend to disappear in captive individuals, but we do not know what factors cause changes in cirri length and appearance. By analyzing the cirri on seahorses from various collection events throughout the year in Tampa Bay, we aim to determine how seasonal variation influences the presence of cirri across the sexes and age distributions in the wild. Seahorses were photographed after collection, and cirri were documented for four locations on the fish’s body, including eyes, head, crown, and body segments. Preliminary results indicate that cirri on some parts of the body are more numerous and ornamented in the wet season while seahorse populations are more abundant in the wild. Ongoing analyses averaging cirri presence across individual head spots also show a difference in cirri between the wet and dry season. Analyses are also being conducted to determine if the presence of the cirri varies across the juveniles compared to sexually mature adult seahorses. Previous studies on European seahorses indicate that larger fish had more cirri, therefore future directions include measuring body sizes of the seahorses to investigate this relationship in the dwarf seahorse. The results from this illuminate potential seasonal adaptations to changing environmental conditions for wild populations of seahorses