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A 20-Year Ecotone Study of Pacific Northwest Mountain Forest Vulnerability to Changing Snow Conditions
Get PDFBackground: Global climate change is expected to significantly alter growing conditions along mountain gradients. Landscape ecological patterns are likely to shift significantly as species attempt to adapt to these changes. We evaluated the extent to which spatial (elevation and canopy cover) and temporal (decadal trend and El Niño–Southern Oscillation/Pacific Decadal Oscillation) factors impact seasonal snowmelt and forest community dynamics in the Western Hemlock–True Fir ecotone region of the Oregon Western Cascades, USA. (2) Methods: Tsuga heterophylla and Abies amabilis seedling locations were mapped three times over 20 years (2002–2022) on five sample transects strategically placed to cross the ecotone. Additionally, daily ground temperature readings were collected over 10 years for the five transects using 123 data loggers to estimate below-canopy snow metrics. (3) Results: Based on validation using time-lapse cameras, the data loggers proved highly reliable for estimating snow cover. The method reported fewer days of snow cover as compared to meteorological station-based snow products for the region, emphasizing the importance of direct under-canopy field observations of snow. Snow season variability was most significantly impacted temporally by cyclical ENSO/PDO climate patterns and spatially by differences in canopy cover within the ecotone. The associated seedling analysis identified clear sorting of species by elevation within the ecotone but reflected a lack of a long-term trend, as species dominance in the seedling strata did not significantly shift along the elevation gradient over the 20-year study. (4) Conclusions: The data logger-based approach provided estimates of snow cover at ecologically significant locations and fine enough spatial resolutions to allow for the study of forest regeneration dynamics. The results highlight the importance of long-term, understory snow measurements and the influence of climatic oscillations in understanding the vulnerability of mountain areas to the changing climate
Navigating the Intersection of Mckinney-Vento and Idea
Get PDFStudents with disabilities who are also experiencing homelessness face compounded challenges related to attending and participating in school. These children and youth are provided educational protection through two federal laws: the 2004 “Individuals with Disabilities Education Act” (IDEA) and the McKinney-Vento (MV) Education of Homeless Children and Youth (EHCY) program. It is the responsibility of educators, school personnel, and families to carefully navigate the dual mandates in order to ensure equitable educational opportunities, while also meeting the unique needs of each student. The purpose of this article is to offer a foundation for understanding the intersection of the two laws and for effectively implementing them to deliver appropriate services and resources to students. First, an overview of the combined impact of disability and homelessness on students, as well as of the EHCY program, is provided. Then, the key areas of intersection of the two laws are articulated through Virginia-specific examples, in addition to relevant court cases. Finally, intersectionality considerations related to the improvement of service coordination for this population of students are offered
III Middle English
No full textThis chapter has 12 sections: 1. Early Middle English (c.1050–1350); 2. Manuscript and Technical Studies; 3. Religious Prose and Verse; 4. Secular Prose; 5. Secular Verse; 6. Piers Plowman; 7. Gower; 8. Older Scots; 9. Drama; 10. The Gawain-Poet; 11. Romance. 12. Hoccleve and Lydgate. Section 1 is by Samira Lindstedt; section 2 is by Mary F. Wheaton; section 3 is by Natalie Calder; section 4 is by Mark Ronan; sections 5, 10, and 11 are by Darragh Greene; section 6 is by Seth Strickland; section 7 is by Rebecca Menmuir; section 8 is by Kate Ash-Irisarri; section 9 is by Sarah Brazil; section 12 is by Laurie Atkinson
Investigating Appraisal Discrimination
Get PDFOver the past five years, the question of whether real estate appraisers systematically undervalue homes purchased or occupied by Black and Hispanic households has emerged as a significant civil rights issue. Major media have highlighted some instances where the same home received a dramatically higher appraisal when the appraiser believed the client was white rather than Black. Some social scientists have argued that appraisal discrimination is the root cause of the lower housing prices that prevail in many urban minority neighborhoods— and thus an important source of the racial “wealth gap.” Candidate Biden expressed strong concern about the issue during the 2020 presidential campaign, and President Biden in 2021 created a special cabinet-level Task Force on Property Appraisal and Valuation Equity (PAVE) to investigate the issue and propose solutions..
Black-Scholes Option Pricing and Greeks Using Excel’s “LAMBDA” Function
Get PDFThe =LAMBDA function within Excel provides a powerful new tool for investors and analysts. In this treatment, we show how to create a function that calculates an option’s intrinsic value, price, and delta based on the Black-Scholes model. Other option Greek functions and calculations are available in a downloadable file. The LAMBDA function is not limited to the Black-Scholes model and has important advantages over Excel’s previous solution of creating user-defined functions in VBA
It’s Worse If Superman Does It: Perceptions of Moral Transgressions Committed by Superheroes and Supervillains
Get PDFSuperheroes are distinguished from supervillains due to their morally relevant behavior. However, what happens when they both engage in immoral behavior? This study examined how individuals perceive moral transgressions by their favorite superhero/villain in a quasi-experimental design. In line with Social Cognitive Domain Theory and Moral Foundations Theory, transgressions related to harm and justice were assessed. Specifically, participants (N = 363, predominantly White/Caucasian and South Asian) assessed characters’ likability, character traits, and moral evaluations. In line with hypotheses, results suggested that (a) superheroes were liked more than supervillains; (b) transgressions by superheroes were more morally impermissible than those by supervillains, and (c) superheroes were perceived as having more positive character traits than supervillains. Participants’ moral evaluations were qualified by interaction effects related to culture and assessment order. Implications for our understanding of fictional characters are discussed
Hydrogen Law and Policy Initiatives in the United States
Get PDFThe article discusses key US federal developments in hydrogen policy, including tax credits and significant funding for hydrogen hubs. Despite hydrogen\u27s potential for decarbonization, establishing a hydrogen economy in the US requires overcoming production challenges and addressing legal, technological, and economic hurdles. Concerns persist regarding public acceptance and effectiveness in reducing greenhouse gas emissions in line with energy justice goals
Whatever happened to the Snapdragon family?
No full textThe short answer is DNA sequencing and phylogenetic systematics