EC38-118 Soil and Moisture Conservation in Nebraska

When the white men first explored Nebraska, they found little erosion taking place. They found the hills, particularly in eastern Nebraska, covered with a dense growth of grass, underlain with a thick mat of decaying debris. The valleys were even more densely covered with the water-loving grasses and sedges. The soil underneath the prairie was black and spongy, the result of centuries of accumulating humus. The valleys bordering the streams were boggy and abounded with springs. Clear water flowed constantly in the streams. The upland draws in the more favorable parts of the state were heavily covered with the big bluestem and slough grass. Springs occurred in many of these. Soil erosion in Nebraska has not progressed to as great an extent as in states to the east and to the south. This is because of the comparatively lower rainfall in Nebraska, because the land has been farmed for fewer years in this state, and because some Nebraska soils are comparatively less erosive. This extension circular covers factors which influence erosion, erosion control practices, and storage of soil moisture.

EC38-118 Soil and Moisture Conservation in Nebraska

When the white men first explored Nebraska, they found little erosion taking place. They found the hills, particularly in eastern Nebraska, covered with a dense growth of grass, underlain with a thick mat of decaying debris. The valleys were even more densely covered with the water-loving grasses and sedges. The soil underneath and prairie was black and soggy, the result of centuries of accumulating humus. The valleys bordernig the streams were boggy and abounded with springs. Clear water flowed constantly in the streams. The upland draws in the more favorable parts of the state were heavily covered with the big bluesteam and slough grass. Springs occurred in many of these. Soil erosion in Nebraska has not progressed to as great an extent as in states to the east and to the south. This is because of the comparatively lower rainfall in Nebraska, because the land has been farmed for fewer years in this state, and because some Nebraska soils are comparatively less erosive. This extension circular covers the factors which influence erosion, erosion control practices and storage of soil moisture.

Conservation assessments and Red Listing of the endemic Moroccan flora (monocotyledons)

Morocco constitutes an important centre of plant diversity and speciation in the Mediterranean Basin. However, numerous species are threatened by issues ranging from human activities to global climatic change. In this study, we present the conservation assessments and Red Listing of the endemic Moroccan monocotyledons according to International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) criteria and categories. For each species, we include basic taxonomic information, local names and synonyms, uses, a distribution map, extent of occurrence, area of occupancy, population size and trend, a description of habitats and ecological requirements, and a discussion of the threats affecting the species and habitats. We assessed the threatened status of the endemic Moroccan monocotyledons at the species level (59 species) using the IUCN Red List criteria and categories (Version 3.1). This study shows the high extinction risk to the Moroccan monocotyledon flora, with 95% of threatened species (20% Critically Endangered, 50% Endangered, 25% Vulnerable) and only 5% not threatened (2% Near Threatened and 3% Least Concern). The flora is thus of conservation concern, which is poorly recognized, both nationally and internationally. The study presents the first part and so far the only national IUCN Red Data List for a large group of Moroccan plants, and thus provides an overview of the threatened Moroccan flora. This IUCN Red List is an important first step towards the recognition of the danger to Moroccan biodiversity hotspots, conservation of threatened species and the raising of public awareness at national and international levels.

Sample locations, stratigraphic information and listing of carbon and oxygen isotope data of the measured planktonic foraminifera of surface sediments in the western South Atlantic Ocean (Table 1)

We explored the potential to use the stable isotopic compositions of planktonic foraminifera as a proxy for the position of the Brazil-Malvinas Confluence (BMC) in the Argentine Basin. For this purpose, we measured the oxygen and carbon isotopic compositions of Globigerinoides ruber (pink and white varieties measured separately), Globigerinoides trilobus, Globigerina bulloides, Globorotalia inflata and Globorotalia truncatulinoides (left- and right-coiling forms measured separately) from a latitudinal transect of 56 surface sediment samples from the continental slope off Brazil, Uruguay and Argentina between 20 and 48°S. Lowest oxygen isotopes values were found in G. ruber (pink), followed by G. ruber (white) and G. trilobus reflecting the highly stratified near surface water conditions north of the BMC. Globigerina bulloides was present mainly south of the BMC and records subsurface conditions supporting earlier plankton tow studies. Globorotalia inflata and G. truncatulinoides (left and right) were both available over the whole transect and calcify in the depth level with the steepest temperature change across the BMC. Accordingly, the delta18O of these species depict a sharp gradient of 2? at the confluence with remarkably stable values north and south of the BMC. Our data show that the oxygen isotopic composition of G. inflata and G. truncatulinoides (left and right) are the most reliable indicators for the present position of the BMC and can therefore be used to define the past migration of the front if appropriate cores are available.

The Carnival’s edge [LISTING]

Listing of 'The Carnival's Edge', Brisbane Festival, published in The Australian, 21 September 2009.