Giving alone: towards an understanding of the practices and motivations of American Evangelical Millennial philanthropy

The giving of financial resources by American Evangelical Christians to further the development of the church and society has been a defining characteristic of this group for many generations. However, that legacy appears to be in jeopardy as the rising Millennial generation, those born in the 1980s and 90s, are giving less to the church and other charitable work. The objective of this thesis is to examine the giving practices and motivations of Evangelical Millennials and identify why they are giving differently. The study utilizes a mixed-methods approach within the qualitative research paradigm. The findings identify three major motivational factors (proximity to need, community of practice, active accountability) that contribute to the development of a moral reasoning framework leading to a moral imagination critical for sustained charitable financial giving. However, the majority of the Millennial research subjects displayed proclivity toward privatization, resulting in a physical and emotional distance from social need, and a belief structure disconnected from behaviour. The conclusions from this study suggest that Evangelical Millennials may lack in ability and disposition for making giving choices or exercising practical moral judgement in line with proximate and ultimate ends. In addition, the agency of the local church was not seen to be compelling for most Evangelical Millennials as a way to effect change. And since the church is one of very few public communities of practice for sustained charitable giving, Evangelical Millennials seem to be left only hoping to affect change in a virtually connected, but physiologically solitary giving environment. This research points to several areas for further scholarly reflection, especially within a broader set of faith traditions. Local congregations and faith-based non-profits will benefit from a richer understanding and connection to Evangelical Millennials, thereby increasing the level of stewardship and informed generosity, potentially making a global difference for the Church and the common good

Hyperspectral canopy sensing of wheat septoria tritici blotch disease

Producing quantitative and reliable measures of crop disease is essential for resistance breeding, but is challenging and time consuming using traditional phenotyping methods. Hyperspectral remote sensing has shown potential for the detection of plant diseases, but its utility for phenotyping large and diverse populations of plants under field conditions requires further evaluation. In this study, we collected canopy hyperspectral data from 335 wheat varieties using a spectroradiometer, and we investigated the use of canopy reflectance for detecting the Septoria tritici blotch (STB) disease and for quantifying the severity of infection. Canopy- and leaf-level infection metrics of STB based on traditional visual assessments and automated analyses of leaf images were used as ground truth data. Results showed (i) that canopy reflectance and the selected spectral indices show promise for quantifying STB infections, and (ii) that the normalized difference water index (NDWI) showed the best performance in detecting STB compared to other spectral indices. Moreover, partial least squares (PLS) regression models allowed for an improvement in the prediction of STB metrics. The PLS discriminant analysis (PLSDA) model calibrated based on the spectral data of four reference varieties was able to discriminate between the diseased and healthy canopies among the 335 varieties with an accuracy of 93% (Kappa = 0.60). Finally, the PLSDA model predictions allowed for the identification of wheat genotypes that are potentially more susceptible to STB, which was confirmed by the STB visual assessment. This study demonstrates the great potential of using canopy hyperspectral remote sensing to improve foliar disease assessment and to facilitate plant breeding for disease resistance

Estimating Biophysical Characteristics of Musk Thistle (Carduus nutans) With Three Remote Sensing Instruments

Identifying the dynamics and extent of noxious weeds in a spatial and temporal context improves monitoring, planning, and management practices. Musk thistle (Carduus nutans L.), a noxious weed, is a good candidate for detection by remote sensing platforms because it may produce a unique spectral signature due to a large, purple-red flower head. Therefore, 3 remote sensing instruments—a ground hyperspectral spectrometer, a multispectral ground radiometer, and an airborne hyperspectral imaging spectrometer—were used to establish regression models between reflected data and the biophysical parameters (density, height, flower head density, and percent ground cover) of musk thistle. The coefficients of determination (R2) obtained from simple regression models for vegetation indices and musk thistle biophysical variables ranged from 0.46 to 0.77. Multiple regression models with up to 3 variables increased R2 by an average of 0.07. This study indicated that normalized difference and simple ratio indices can be used for specific applications such as detection of musk thistle biophysical variables in rangelands. Once applied to the image, these results will produce a map of parameters that can be used to determine the size of infestation and the reduction in rangeland productivity. https://doi.org/10.2458/azu_jrm_v59i1_miri

Estimating Biophysical Characteristics of Musk Thistle (Carduus nutans) With Three Remote Sensing Instruments

Identifying the dynamics and extent of noxious weeds in a spatial and temporal context improves monitoring, planning, and management practices. Musk thistle (Carduus nutans L.), a noxious weed, is a good candidate for detection by remote sensing platforms because it may produce a unique spectral signature due to a large, purple-red flower head. Therefore, 3 remote sensing instruments—a ground hyperspectral spectrometer, a multispectral ground radiometer, and an airborne hyperspectral imaging spectrometer—were used to establish regression models between reflected data and the biophysical parameters (density, height, flower head density, and percent ground cover) of musk thistle. The coefficients of determination (R2) obtained from simple regression models for vegetation indices and musk thistle biophysical variables ranged from 0.46 to 0.77. Multiple regression models with up to 3 variables increased R2 by an average of 0.07. This study indicated that normalized difference and simple ratio indices can be used for specific applications such as detection of musk thistle biophysical variables in rangelands. Once applied to the image, these results will produce a map of parameters that can be used to determine the size of infestation and the reduction in rangeland productivity. The Rangeland Ecology & Management archives are made available by the Society for Range Management and the University of Arizona Libraries. Contact [email protected] for further information.Migrated from OJS platform August 2020Legacy DOIs that must be preserved: 10.2458/azu_jrm_v59i1_miri

Diversity and Mefenoxam Sensitivity of <i>Phytophthora</i> spp. Associated with the Ornamental Horticulture Industry in the Southeastern United States

Phytophthora isolates associated with ornamental plants or recovered from irrigation water in six states in the southeastern United States (Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and Virginia) were identified and screened for sensitivity to mefenoxam. Isolates from forest and suburban streams in Georgia and Virginia were included for comparison. A new in vitro assay, utilizing 48-well tissue culture plates, was used to screen for mefenoxam sensitivity; this assay allowed high throughput of isolates and used less material than the traditional petri plate assay. In total, 1,483 Phytophthora isolates were evaluated, and 27 species were identified with Phytophthora nicotianae, P. hydropathica, and P. gonapodyides, the most abundant species associated with plants, irrigation water, and streams, respectively. Only 6% of isolates associated with plants and 9% from irrigation water were insensitive to mefenoxam at 100 μg a.i./ml. Approximately 78% of insensitive isolates associated with plants were P. nicotianae, and most of these (67%) came from herbaceous annual plants. Most of the insensitive isolates recovered from irrigation water were P. gonapodyides, P. hydropathica, P. megasperma, and P. pini, and 83% of the insensitive isolates from streams were P. gonapodyides. Overall, this study suggests that mefenoxam should continue to be a valuable tool in the management of Phytophthora diseases affecting ornamental plants in the southeastern United States. </jats:p