Meaning of Change Agents within Organizational Change

Does an officially appointed change agent overestimate his change related skills and knowledge in comparison to the assessment of his employees

Integrating Liana Abundance and Forest Stature into an Estimate of Total Aboveground Biomass for an Eastern Amazonian Forest

This study provides an estimate of aboveground live biomass for an intact eastern Amazonian forest. An allometric regression biomass equation was developed to estimate the aboveground biomass of live lianas. This equation, together with a previously published equation for trees, was then used to estimate the contributions of lianas and trees to the total biomass of forest patches in four stature classes: gap (openings in the canopy of at least 25 m2 with the dominant vegetation \u3c 3 m high), low (3±15 m canopy height), medium (15±25 m canopy height), and high (\u3e 25 m canopy height). Total stand-level biomass was estimated as the weighted average of the stature classes. In 130 ha of surveyed forest, forest stature classes were found in the following proportions: gap phase 8%; low stature 31%; medium stature 44%; and high stature 17%. Total aboveground biomass was found to be three times higher in high stature forest than in low. Liana biomass, however, showed the opposite result, being three times higher in low stature forest. Stand-level aboveground live biomass was estimated at 314 t ha-1 of which 43 t ha-1 (14%) was lianas. Liana leaf area index (LAI) ranged from 1.3 m m-2 in high stature forest to 5.3 m m-2 in low stature. Abundant lianas are generally interpreted as a sign of past forest disturbance. As forests throughout the Amazon basin are increasingly disturbed through human activities, it is likely that their biomass will be underestimated if the contribution of lianas is ignored

Building Capacity for Sustainability through Curricular and Faculty Development: A Learning Outcomes Approach

Portland State University has made integration of sustainability across its academic programs an institutional priority. This article describes the strategies that have been used to engage faculty in developing sustainability curricula, including adopting sustainability as one of eight campus-wide learning outcomes, incorporating sustainability into the general education program, providing faculty development, and developing a Graduate Certificate in Sustainability. The article shares lessons learned and next steps planned to advance Portland State\u27s sustainability curricula

Development of forest structure and leaf area in secondary forests regenerating on abandoned pastures in Central Amazonia

The area of secondary forest (SF) regenerating from pastures is increasing in the Amazon basin; however, the return of forest and canopy structure following abandonment is not well understood. This study examined the development of leaf area index (LAI), canopy cover, aboveground biomass, stem density, diameter at breast height (DBH), and basal area ( BA) by growth form and diameter class for 10 SFs regenerating from abandoned pastures. Biomass accrual was tree dominated, constituting >= 94% of the total measured biomass in all forests abandoned >= 4 to 6 yr. Vine biomass increased with forest age, but its relative contribution to total biomass decreased with time. The forests were dominated by the tree Vismia spp. (> 50%). Tree stem density peaked after 6 to 8 yr ( 10 320 stems per hectare) before declining by 42% in the 12- to 14-yr-old SFs. Small-diameter tree stems in the 1-5-cm size class composed > 58% of the total stems for all forests. After 12 to 14 yr, there was no significant leaf area below 150-cm height. Leaf area return (LAI = 3.2 after 12 to 14 yr) relative to biomass was slower than literature-reported recovery following slash-and-burn, where LAI can reach primary forest levels ( LAI = 4 - 6) in 5 yr. After 12 to 14 yr, the colonizing vegetation returned some components of forest structure to values reported for primary forest. Basal area and LAI were 50% - 60%, canopy cover and stem density were nearly 100%, and the rapid tree-dominated biomass accrual was 25% - 50% of values reported for primary forest. Biomass accumulation may reach an asymptote earlier than expected because of even-aged, monospecific, untiered stand structure. The very slow leaf area accumulation relative to biomass and to reported values for recovery following slash-and-burn indicates a different canopy development pathway that warrants further investigation of causes ( e. g., nutrient limitations, competition) and effects on processes such as evapotranspiration and soil water uptake, which would influence long-term recovery rates and have regional implications

Relationships between potentially toxic elements in intertidal sediments and their bioaccumulation by benthic invertebrates

The bioaccumulation of Potentially Toxic Elements (PTEs) by benthic invertebrates in estuarine sediments is poorly understood. We sampled and analysed PTEs in sediments and benthic invertebrates from five sites in the Skeena Estuary (British Columbia, Canada), including sites adjacent to an abandoned cannery and a decommissioned papermill. Our aim was to elucidate baseline levels of PTE concentrations at sites that may be recovering from disturbance associated with prior industrial development and identify organisms that could be used to biomonitor the impact of future industrial developments. There was no indication that sediments of the salmon cannery were polluted, but acidic sediments adjacent to the papermill contained elevated concentrations of Cd, Cr, Hg and Pb. Benthic invertebrate community assemblages confirm that sediments have mostly recovered from prior industrial development associated with discharge of papermill sludge. Overall, we did not observe any relationship between PTE concentrations in the sediment and PTE concentrations in invertebrate tissues. However, we did observe a negative relationship between sediment pH and the Biota-Sediment Accumulation Factor (BSAF) of most PTEs for Oregon pill bugs (Gnorimosphaeroma oregonensis). G. oregonensis, observed at all sites, feeds on the fibers associated with the papermill discharge. Thus, G. oregonensis is a useful biomonitors for quantifying the impact of the decommissioned papermill, and are candidate biomonitors for assessing the impact of similar industrial development projects on intertidal ecosystems

Plant Tissue Analysis

If you can see something wrong with the crop but can’t figure out the cause, plant tissue analysis may give you the best diagnosis. Tissue analysis is particularly good in determining a nutrient deficiency because these symptoms are hard to tell apart in the field. Nutrient deficiencies are also hard to differentiate from symptoms caused by diseases, herbicide residues, insects, too much to too little moisture, or adverse temperatures. Tissue analysis may be your best bet

Salt Affects More Severe During Drought

Nitrate nitrogen soil test levels will be higher due to drought conditions. In addition to the nitrate that was in soil in spring, many fields received fertilizer and accumulated additional nitrate from the breakdown of crop residues and organic matter during the dry season. Very little of this nitrogen is removed by crops during a dry year as compared to an average year (Table 1)

Did the Fertilizer or Drought Burn it Up?

Fertilize during a dry year, especially with nitrogen, and you’ll burn up the crop! That’s a statement occasionally made by farmers in South Dakota. Research at SDSU, however, does not support this belief. Two examples of recent fertilizer research under very dry conditions are given in Table 1. Wheat in McPherson Co. and corn in Day Co. received nitrogen rates up to 125 and 150 lbs. per acre. Neither a yield increase of a yield decrease was measure at either location. Drought at both locations limited yields to about 20 bushels wheat and 40 bushels corn per acre

Drought Will Increase Nitrate Test Levels

Nitrate nitrogen soil test levels will be higher due to drought conditions. In addition to the nitrate that was in soil in spring, many fields received fertilizer and accumulated additional nitrate from the breakdown of crop residues and organic matter during the dry season. Very little of this nitrogen is removed by crops during a dry year as compared to an average year (Table1)