The Impact of Endothall on the Aquatic Plant Community of Kress Lake, Washington

CA dense mat-forming population of Eurasian watermilfoil ( Myriophyllum spicatum L . ) was interfering with fishing and recreation in a small western Washington lake. A low concentration (1.5 mg/L active ingredient) of the herbicide endothall formulated as Aquathol® K was used in 2000 to attempt to selectively control the Eurasian watermilfoil. Aquatic plant biomass and frequency data were collected before treatment, ten weeks after treatment and during the growing season for 3 additional years. Macrophyte data were analyzed to assess the herbicide’s impacts on Eurasian watermilfoil as well as the rest of the aquatic plant community. Results showed a significant decrease in Eurasian watermilfoil biomass and frequency 10 weeks after treatment. The Eurasian watermilfoil continued to be present, but at a significantly reduced level through the remainder of the study (3 years after treatment). Of the native plant species, large-leaf pondweed ( Potamogeton amplifolius Tucker . ) frequency and biomass was significantly reduced after treatment. Common elodea ( Elodea canadensis Rich.), muskgrass ( Chara sp. Vallaint.) and bladderwort ( Utricularia sp. L.) all increased significantly after treatment. (PDF has 6 pages.)

The CAMEL Project: Collaborative Approaches to the Management of E-Learning

CAMEL is short for Collaborative Approaches to the Management of e-Learning and was a project funded by the HEFCE Leadership, Governance and Management programme. It set out to explore how institutions who were making effective use of e-learning and who were collaborating in regional lifelong learning partnerships might be able to learn from each other in a Community of Practice based around study visits to each of the partner institutions. This short publication highlights some of the things CAMEL participants found out about e-learning and about each other.

Code of practice for learning analytics

Setting out the responsibilities of educational institutions to ensure that learning analytics is carried out responsibly, appropriately and effectively.

Feeding ecology and population characteristics of Oreochromis niloticus (L.) and trophic interactions in the fish community of Nyanza Gulf, Lake Victoria, Kenya

Oreochromis niloticus (L.) were caught by beach seining, hook and line and trawling from Nyanza Gulf, lake Victoria (Kenya) in order to study their feeding ecology and population characteristics. Collected fish were weighed and TL measured immediately after capture. Fish were dissected and sexed. Stomach contents were removed and preserved in 4% buffered formalin for laboratory analysis. In the laboratory items were sorted into categories such as three quarters, half and quarter and awarded 20, 15 and 5 points respectively. Main food items for O. niloticus from November 1998 to March 1999 were insects, algae, fish and plant material. Increase in insects in the diet of O. niloticus might be attributed to the lake infestation by water hyacinth which harbours different species of insects

Building a sustainable community of coastal leaders to deal with sea level rise and inundation

Sea level rise and inundation were stated to be the highest priorities in the community-developed Ocean Research Priorities Plan and Implementation Strategy in 2005. Although they remain stated priorities, very few resources have been allocated towards this challenge. Inundation poses a substantial risk to many coastal communities, and the risk is projected to increase because of continued development, changes in the frequency and intensity of inundation events, and acceleration in the rate of sea-level rise along our vulnerable shorelines. (PDF contains 4 pages) There is an increasing urgency for federal and state governments to focus on the local and regional levels and consistently provide the information, tools, and methods necessary for adaptation. Calls for action at all levels acknowledge that a viable response must engage federal, state and local expertise, perspectives, and resources in a coordinated and collaborative effort. A workshop held in December 2000 on coastal inundation and sea level rise proposes a shared framework that can help guide where investments should be made to enable states and local governments to assess impacts and initiate adaptation strategies over the next decade.