Planning a Medical School to Serve an Educationally and Medically Underserved Area: Florida International University in Miami, FL

This paper provides the historic background of the Florida International University College of Medicine planning process.

The effects of using rap music on the fluency skills of 2nd grade African American students

A concern for both educators and policy makers is how to increase the reading achievement of African American students. Studies have shown that rap music, which has its roots in the African American community, can be used as a tool to facilitate this increase, specifically how using rap songs in reading lessons can improve a child's reading motivation, information recall, and vocabulary development. There are also studies on how repeated reading of a text can help improve a child's reading fluency. Yet, there are no studies that combine rap music and repeated reading of a text. This study describes the effects of using a culturally responsive reading strategy on the fluency, decoding, and comprehension skills of African American students. ^ The sample consisted of 105 African American students within eight, second grade classrooms at two different elementary schools. The classes were randomly selected and assigned to the rap group or the control group. Students received eight half-hour sessions using either a rap text or a traditional text in a repeated reading lesson. All of the students were pre-tested and post-tested on the Oral Reading Fluency and the Nonsense Word Fluency portions of the Dynamic Indicators of Basic Literacy Skills Test. Additionally, a researcher constructed comprehension quiz was given to the students at the beginning, middle, and end of the study. Research questions were analyzed using ANOVAs and t tests. ^ The hypotheses were not supported but there was some evidence that rap music in a reading lesson helped improve the fluency skills of African American students at one of the schools. The results also revealed that rap music used in a reading lesson initially improved the comprehension skills of African American students. The rap treatment may not have worked best overall because of the lack of intensity of the treatment. ^ The study has shown some evidence to support using culturally appropriate materials such as rap with students. There needs to be more research on the interaction between teaching methods, materials, and students. ^

Effects of shading on calcareous benthic periphyton in a short-hydroperiod oligotrophic wetland (Everglades, FL, USA)

The effects of shade on benthic calcareous periphyton were tested in a short-hydroperiod oligotrophic subtropical wetland (freshwater Everglades). The experiment was a split-plot design set in three sites with similar environmental characteristics. At each site, eight randomly selected 1-m2 areas were isolated individually in a shade house, which did not spectrally change the incident irradiance but reduced it quantitatively by 0, 30, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90 and 98%. Periphyton mat was sampled monthly under each shade house for a 5 month period while the wetland was flooded. Periphyton was analyzed for thickness, DW, AFDW, chlorophyll a (chl a) and incubated in light and dark BOD bottles at five different irradiances to assess its photosynthesis–irradiance (PI) curve and respiration. The PI curves parameters P max, I k and eventually the photoinhibition slope (β) were determined following non-linear regression analyses. Taxonomic composition and total algal biovolume were determined at the end of the experiment. The periphyton composition did not change with shade but the PI curves were significantly affected by it. I k increased linearly with increasing percent irradiance transmittance (%IT = 1−%shade). P max could be fitted with a PI curve equation as it increased with %IT and leveled off after 10%IT. For each shade level, the PI curve was used to integrate daily photosynthesis for a day of average irradiance. The daily photosynthesis followed a PI curve equation with the same characteristics as P max vs. %IT. Thus, periphyton exhibited a high irradiance plasticity under 0–80% shade but could not keep up the same photosynthetic level at higher shade, causing a decrease in daily GPP at 98% shade levels. The plasticity was linked to an increase in the chl a content per cell in the 60–80% shade, while this increase was not observed at lower shade likely because it was too demanding energetically. Thus, chl a is not a good metric for periphyton biomass assessment across variously shaded habitats. It is also hypothesized that irradiance plasticity is linked to photosynthetic coupling between differently comprised algal layers arranged vertically within periphyton mats that have different PI curves.

The Influence of Hydrologic Restoration on Groundwater-Surface Water Interactions in a Karst Wetland, the Everglades (FL, USA)

Efforts to rehydrate and restore surface water flow in karst wetlands can have unintended consequences, as these highly conductive and heterogeneous aquifers create a close connection between groundwater and surface water. Recently, hydrologic restoration efforts in the karstic Taylor Slough portion of the Everglades has changed from point source delivery of canal water (direct restoration), to the use of a series of surface water recharge retention basins (diffuse restoration). To determine the influence of restoration on groundwater-surface water interactions in the Taylor Slough headwaters, a water budget was constructed for 1997–2011 using 70 hydro-meteorological stations. With diffuse restoration, groundwater seepage from the Everglades toward the urban boundary increased, while the downstream delivery of surface water to the main portion of the slough declined. The combined influence of diffuse restoration and climate led to increased intra-annual variability in the volume of groundwater and surface water in storage but supported a more seasonally hydrated wetland compared to the earlier direct tactics. The data further indicated that hydrologic engineering in karst wetland landscapes enhances groundwater-surface water interactions, even those designed for restoration purposes.

Maps of Sea Level Rise - Nautilus Island, Miami Beach, FL

A series of 7 maps illustrating the impact of sea level rise on Nautilus Island in Miami Beach.

The 2008 Terrestrial Vegetation of Biscayne National Parko FL, USA Derived From Aerial Photography, NDVI, and LiDAR

Established as a National Park in 1980, Biscayne National Park (BISC) comprises an area of nearly 700 km2 , of which most is under water. The terrestrial portions of BISC include a coastal strip on the south Florida mainland and a set of Key Largo limestone barrier islands which parallel the mainland several kilometers offshore and define the eastern rim of Biscayne Bay. The upland vegetation component of BISC is embedded within an extensive coastal wetland network, including an archipelago of 42 mangrove-dominated islands with extensive areas of tropical hardwood forests or hammocks. Several databases and vegetation maps describe these terrestrial communities. However, these sources are, for the most part, outdated, incomplete, incompatible, or/and inaccurate. For example, the current, Welch et al. (1999), vegetation map of BISC is nearly 10 years old and represents the conditions of Biscayne National Park shortly after Hurricane Andrew (August 24, 1992). As a result, a new terrestrial vegetation map was commissioned by The National Park Service Inventory and Monitoring Program South Florida / Caribbean Network.

Ten Year Study on Water Flushing Times and Water Quality in Southern Taylor Slough, Everglades National Park, FL

The purpose of this research was to investigate the effects of wetland restoration on the water balance, flushing time, and water chemistry of southern Taylor Slough, a major water way in Everglades National Park. Water balance and flushing time equations were calculated on a monthly time step from 2001 – 2011. Water chemistry of major ions and nutrients were analyzed and correlated with water flushing times. Results showed that evapotranspiration followed by water volume had the greatest influence on flushing time. The flushing times varied between 3 and 78 days, with longer times observed between October and December, and the shorter times between March and May. Ion concentrations at the coastal areas decreased with increased flushing times. Increased surface water inflow that resulted from restoration projects and water management changes were productive in the rainy season and should result in increased flushing times and decreased ion concentrations in Taylor Slough.