1,315 research outputs found
Historical Fiction Author Don Neal Discusses Cold War Activities in Alaska
No full textDuring the Cold War, the USA was concerned that Russia would invade Alaska and American intelligence officers created the Stay Behind Agent Program to counter. At this event, Don Neal, author of the Ben Hunnicutt series that includes Cross Kill, Warhead, and washtub Gold, discusses the Nike missile system, the top-secret anti-espionage campaign Operation Washtub, and other Cold War activities in Alaska
Grasstree stem analysis reveals insufficient data for inference of fire history
No full textGrinding back dead leaf bases on the stems of arborescent grasstrees (Xant7wrrlwea spp.) reveals a pattern of horizontal bands that has been interpreted as a record of the fire history experienced by the plant. The validity of this fire history record has previously been assessed through comparison of 100 grasstree stems sampled from shrubland near Eneabba in Western Australia against a 30 year fire history determined from satellite imagery. This analysis showed that the two records matched more than would be expected by chance, but concluded that the interpretation of the grasstree record as a fire history was not warranted as most of the grasstree fire records did not match satellite fire records. A second analysis of the same two sets of records, published in this journal, also showed that the records matched more than by chance, but concluded that the interpretation of grasstree banding as fire history was valid, though it failed to quantify the strength of this agreement. Here we examine' the approaches and interpretations of the two previously published studies, and provide new analyses to refine estimates of the amount of fire-related data present in the grasstree record. We show that only ~20% of grasstree 'fire' records may be attributable to fire. With eight out of ten of records not attributable to fire, we confirm that the grasstree record in its current form cannot be interpreted as fire history, and therefore claims of the grasstree technique to support management actions are untenable
Soil seed bank dynamics in transferred topsoil: Evaluating restoration potentials
No full textGlobal change, increasing human population growth and urbanisation represent increasing pressures on biodiversity and ecosystem function. It is now widely recognised that conservation of existing natural fragments will not be sufficient to maintain extant biodiversity or meet conservation goals. Thus there is a major and rapidly expanding need for the practice of ecological restoration whereby degraded lands are managed to increase and maintain indigenous species.
A soil seed bank germination experiment was conducted over a period of 13 weeks. This aimed to evaluate restoration values of topsoil transfer, by investigating soil seed bank similarity to standing vegetation, and exploring mechanisms to improve restoration outcomes on the Swan Coastal Plain, Western Australia. This was experimentally designed to make comparisons between the soil seed bank pre and post-transfer, an aspect of topsoil transfer that has not been looked at previously. In addition sampling was conducted at two depths, with treated (smoke and heat) and non-treated trials. This study examined the similarity of the soil seed bank to standing vegetation, the effect of soil transfer, and the influence of soil spreading depth and fire related germination cues.
Seventy-three per cent of germinants were found in the top 5 cm of natural (pre-transfer), soil transfer leading to mixing (no depth effect) and a reduction in germinant densities (-2472.00 germinants m-2). Treatment with germination cues (heat and smoke in concert) increased germinant densities by 1537.80 germinants m-2, however no increase in transferred soils was observed. Native annuals dominated species composition of transferred soils, contributing 68% of observed richness, with woody species only accounting for 9% overall. The similarity of the soil seed bank to the standing vegetation ranged from 15% to 19%, the higher similarity found when treatment was used. Overall topsoil transfer is a useful tool for restoration; however it must be used in conjunction with other methods, such as planting and direct seeding, to return a representative set of species to a sit
Soil seed bank dynamics in Mediterranean urban vegetation fragments
No full textConservation of biodiversity in urban vegetation fragments is of increasingly high importance with growing urbanisation globally, particularly so in the biodiversity hotspot of the Mediterranean southwest of Western Australia. Relationships between fragmentation (connectivity, fragment size, time since isolation) and urban disturbances (weed invasion, human disturbance, rubbish) relative to the soil seed bank of a representative sample of Perth’s urban woodland fragments (N=36) were examined. In total, 182 seedling types comprising 57 invasive, 105 native and 20 unknowns were identified. Approximately 65% of the 21,770 seedlings counted were native, 33% invasive and 2% unidentified. The average soil seed bank seedling density was 2,787 germinates per m2. Community analysis (ordination) showed that the soil seed bank composition correlated with fragment age. Subsequent quantitative analysis (linear regression) did not find evidence for species or functional trait groups being vulnerable to decline due to isolation or fragment age, indicating that species extinction is not evident within Perth’s urban fragments. More invasive annual herbs were found within older fragments and the soil seed banks of smaller fragments were found to have lower native species abundance compared to larger fragments. A positive relationship was found between the number of footpaths within a fragment and the abundance of annual invasive herbs within the soil seed bank. High weed cover in a fragment resulted in high weed presence within the soil seed bank. It was also found that high weed cover did not necessarily indicate low native species diversity or abundance within the soil seed bank, suggesting caution in using weed cover to classify sites as suitable/unsuitable for topsoil transfer in restoration activities. The soil seed bank of the study sites contained a diverse range of native species, indicating that topsoil from these areas may be useful in restoration of degraded sites
Material Spirituality with Neal DeRoo Pt. I
No full textIs spirituality one part of our lives that we experience in worship? Or does it permeate our whole being? Are we able to pull spirituality and religion apart? What would happen if we considered how our spirituality is embodied, deeply, in our world? In this inaugural episode of Critical Faith, Neal DeRoo explores these questions in his lecture "Toward a Material Spirituality: Religion and Phenomenological Expression." The recording is the first of three parts, all from a Scripture, Faith, and Scholarship Seminar hosted at the Institute for Christian Studies.
Neal DeRoo is Canada Research Chair in Phenomenology and Philosophy of Religion and Associate Professor of Philosophy at The King's University in Edmonton, Alberta, and the author of Futurity in Phenomenology: Promise and Method in Husserl, Levinas, and Derrida (Fordham: 2013)
The population structure and dynamics of Macrozamia riedlei within the Perth region
No full textMacrozamia riedlei is a long lived, large seeded member of the cycad family, common to the Jarrah forest and Banksia woodlands within the Perth region of Western Australia. Because of the large size of the seeds (up to 50mm), it is believed that large bodied herbivores are required to act as dispersal agents. Currently, the Emu (Dromaius novaehollandiae) is considered to be the primary dispersal agent for M. riedlei. Due to anthropogenic activities, much of the habitat of M.riedlei is becoming fragmented primarily through agricultural and residential land clearing. This leads to the potential restriction of long distance dispersal of seed, required for healthy gene flow and the ability for range expansion in the face of an uncertain climatic future.
The aims of this study were to investigate the current population structure of M. riedlei at three locations within the Perth region and to identify dispersal agents and the distance they can disperse seeds. The sites chosen were Avon Valley, Sawyers Valley and Kings Park; these three sites were chosen since they present a gradient in emu population density, from abundant at Avon Valley to absent for a century at Kings Park.
To ascertain how these three populations of M. riedlei were currently structured, all plants in replicate 50x50m plots were recorded at each site and the data used to analyse the demographic and spatial structure of each population. Because of the gradient in emu population density, it was hypothesised that the spatial and demographic structure would differ at each site, due to the availability of emus to disperse the seeds of M. riedlei. The three study sites were shown to be very similar in population structure despite the difference in emu numbers. It was also found that the Australia Raven (Corvis coronoides) was capable of dispersing the seeds of M. riedlei over distances of up to 390m, indicating that ravens are able to act as suitable dispersers of M.riedlei seeds and in the absence of emus maybe considered as a key dispersal agent
Grace Neal Parkway design concept report
No full textabstract: Grace Neal Parkway and Bank Street are located in the northern Kingman area partially outside of the Kingman city limits. This report discusses of creating a new arterial roadway providing safety and convenience for vehicular traffic and pedestrians. Although Grace Neal is referred to as a parkway, its designation for design is arterial.Stockton Hill Road to SR-66; Bank Street assessment, Northern Avenue to Grace Neal Parkway
From the Editor. Decription of author John Neal, his book Portland Illustrate
No full textFrom the Editor. Decription of author John Neal, his book Portland Illustrated (published in 1874), and his relationships with art critic N.C. Willis, Lady Blessington, and painter Charles Codman
John Neal House (as City Motel), 1965
No full textFull exterior view of the John Neal House, 175 State Street, from southwest- east of Longfellow Square. At the time of this photograph, the building was known as The City Motel. The building was constructed in 1836, and was home to author and patron of the arts John Neal. The façade is made of Yarmouth granite, from a quarry purchased by Neal.
Photo published in the Evening Express, on 25 August 1965https://digitalcommons.portlandlibrary.com/pphnegs_images_business/1548/thumbnail.jp
Remembering Neal Miller
No full textAbstract
The author describes two encounters with Neal Miller, including a discussion of the pioneering curare/visceral learning experiments and of Miller's perspective on the biofeedback training paradigm.</jats:p
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