Appalachian Piedmont landscapes from the Permian to the Holocene

Science.gov (United States)

Cleaves, E.T.

1989-01-01

Between the Potomac and Susquehanna Rivers and from the Blue Ridge to the Fall Zone, landscapes of the Piedmont are illustrated for times in the Holocene, Late Wisconsin, Early Miocene, Early Cretaceous, Late Triassic, and Permian. Landscape evolution took place in tectonic settings marked by major plate collisions (Permian), arching and rifting (Late Triassic) and development of the Atlantic passive margin by sea floor spreading (Early Cretaceous). Erosion proceeded concurrently with tectonic uplift and continued after cessation of major tectonic activity. Atlantic Outer Continental Shelf sediments record three major erosional periods: (1) Late Triassic-Early Jurassic; (2) Late Jurassic-Early Cretaceous; and (3) Middle Miocene-Holocene. The Middle Miocene-Holocene pulse is related to neotectonic activity and major climatic fluctuations. In the Piedmont upland the Holocene landscape is interpreted as an upland surface of low relief undergoing dissection. Major rivers and streams are incised into a landscape on which the landforms show a delicate adjustment to rock lithologies. The Fall Zone has apparently evolved from a combination of warping, faulting, and differential erosion since Late Miocene. The periglacial environment of the Late Wisconsin (and earlier glacial epochs) resulted in increased physical erosion and reduced chemical weathering. Even with lowered saprolitization rates, geochemical modeling suggests that 80 m or more of saprolite may have formed since Late Miocene. This volume of saprolite suggests major erosion of upland surfaces and seemingly contradicts available field evidence. Greatly subdued relief characterized the Early Miocene time, near the end of a prolonged interval of tropical morphogenesis. The ancestral Susquehanna and Potomac Rivers occupied approximately their present locations. In Early Cretaceous time local relief may have been as much as 900 m, and a major axial river draining both the Piedmont and Appalachians flowed southeast

Piedmont seismic reflection study: A program integrated with tectonics to probe the cause of eastern seismicity

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Glover, L. III; Coruh, C.; Costain, J.K.; Bollinger, G.A. (Virginia Polytechnic Inst. and State Univ., Blacksburg, VA (United States). Dept. of Geological Sciences)

1992-03-01

A new tectonic model of the Appalachian orogen indicates that one, not two or more, terrane boundaries is present in the Piedmont and Blue Ridge of the central and southern Appalachians. This terrane boundary is the Taconic suture, it has been transported in the allochthonous Blue Ridge/Piedmont crystalline thrust nappe, and it is repeated at the surface by faulting and folding associated with later Paleozoic orogenies. The suture passes through the lower crust and lithosphere somewhere east of Richmond. It is spatially associated with seismicity in the central Virginia seismic zone, but is not conformable with earthquake focal planes and appears to have little causal relation to their localization.

Volcanic activity in Late Variscan Krkonoše Piedmont Basin: petrological and geochemical constraints

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Ulrych, Jaromír; Štěpánková, Jana; Novák, Jiří Karel; Pivec, Edvín; Prouza, V.

2002-01-01

Roč. 8, 3-4 (2002), s. 219-234 ISSN 1335-096X R&D Projects: GA AV ČR(CZ) IAA3013903 Keywords : Late Palaeozoic volcanism * Krkonoše Piedmont Basin * geochemistry Subject RIV: DB - Geology ; Mineralogy

Development of an earth pressure model for design of earth retaining structures in piedmont soil.

Science.gov (United States)

2008-10-01

Anecdotal evidence suggests that earth pressure in Piedmont residual soils is typically over estimated. Such estimates of earth pressure impact the design of earth retaining structures used on highway projects. Thus, the development of an appropriate...

Water balances of two Piedmont headwater catchments: implications for regional hydrologic landscape classification

Science.gov (United States)

C. Dreps; G. Sun; J. Boggs

2014-01-01

In the Piedmont of North Carolina, a traditionally water-rich region, reservoirs that serve over 1 million people are under increasing pressure due to naturally occurring droughts and increasing land development. Innovative development approaches aim to maintain hydrologic conditions of the undisturbed landscape, but are based on insufficient target information. This...

Characterization of Groundwater Quality Based on Regional Geologic Setting in the Piedmont and Blue Ridge Physiographic Provinces, North Carolina

Science.gov (United States)

Harden, Stephen L.; Chapman, Melinda J.; Harned, Douglas A.

2009-01-01

A compilation of groundwater-quality data collected as part of two U.S. Geological Survey studies provides a basis for understanding the ambient geochemistry related to geologic setting in the Piedmont and Blue Ridge Physiographic Provinces (hereafter referred to as Piedmont and Mountains Provinces) of North Carolina. Although the geology is complex, a grouping of the sampled wells into assemblages of geologic units described as 'geozones' provides a basis for comparison across the region. Analyses of these two data sets provide a description of water-quality conditions in bedrock aquifers of the Piedmont and Mountains Provinces of North Carolina. Analyzed data were collected between 1997 and 2008 from a network of 79 wells representing 8 regional geozones distributed throughout the Piedmont and Mountains Provinces. This area has experienced high rates of population growth and an increased demand for water resources. Groundwater was used by about 34 percent of the population in the 65 counties of this region in 2005. An improved understanding of the quality and quantity of available groundwater resources is needed to plan effectively for future growth and development. The use of regional geologic setting to characterize groundwater-quality conditions in the Piedmont and Mountains Provinces is the focus of this investigation. Data evaluation included an examination of selected properties and the ionic composition of groundwater in the geozones. No major differences in overall ionic chemistry of groundwater among the geozones were evident with the data examined. Variability in the cationic and anionic composition of groundwater within a particular geozone appeared to reflect local differences in lithologic setting, hydrologic and geochemical conditions, and(or) land-use effects. The most common exceedances of the drinking-water criteria (in accordance with Federal and State water-quality standards) occurred for radon, pH, manganese, iron, and zinc. Radon had the most

75 FR 54222 - Piedmont & Northern Railway, Inc.-Operation Exemption-North Carolina Department of Transportation

Science.gov (United States)

2010-09-03

... to provide common carrier rail service over the Line, the common carrier obligation continues... to operate over approximately 13.04 miles of rail line (the Line) owned by the North Carolina... FD 35403, Patriot Rail, LLC--Continuance in Control Exemption--Piedmont & Northern Railway, in which...

BEE AS ENVIRONMENTAL BIOINDICATOR: FIRST RESULTS IN PIEDMONT

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P. Guaraldo

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Many investigators have employed honeybees or honeybee products (honey, wax, pollen as tools for assessing environmental pollution in industrial areas. Several reports refer of their utility in monitoring environmental radionuclides or heavy metal contamination. The objective of this study was to investigate the potential impact of pollution on Biella area, located in the east of Piedmont region. A survey of 6 apiaries was carried out, samples of: honey, beeswax, bees and pollen were collected and analyzed for: pesticides and PCB, neonicotinoides and heavy metal; by GC/MS, LC/MS/MS or AAS. We found 23% of samples of bees contained neonicotinoides, suggesting the correlation with bees mortality.

Weight, Volume, and Physical Properties of Major Hardwood Species in the Piedmont

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Alexander Clark; Douglas R. Phillips; Douglas J. Frederick

1986-01-01

Weight, volume, and physical properties of trees 1 to 20 inches d.b.h.were determined for red maple, sweetgum, sycamore, yellow-poplar, elm, hickory, chestnut oak, scarlet oak, southern red oak, and white oak in the Piedmont of the Southeastern United States. A total of 772 trees were destructively sampled at 16 locations from Viryinia to Alabama. Hard hardwoods, soft...

A chronological framework connecting the early Upper Palaeolithic across the Central Asian piedmont.

Science.gov (United States)

Fitzsimmons, Kathryn E; Iovita, Radu; Sprafke, Tobias; Glantz, Michelle; Talamo, Sahra; Horton, Katharine; Beeton, Tyler; Alipova, Saya; Bekseitov, Galymzhan; Ospanov, Yerbolat; Deom, Jean-Marc; Sala, Renato; Taimagambetov, Zhaken

2017-12-01

Central Asia has delivered significant paleoanthropological discoveries in the past few years. New genetic data indicate that at least two archaic human species met and interbred with anatomically modern humans as they arrived into northern Central Asia. However, data are limited: known archaeological sites with lithic assemblages generally lack human fossils, and consequently identifying the archaeological signatures of different human groups, and the timing of their occupation, remains elusive. Reliable chronologic data from sites in the region, crucial to our understanding of the timing and duration of interactions between different human species, are rare. Here we present chronologies for two open air Middle to Upper Palaeolithic (UP) sequences from the Tien Shan piedmont in southeast Kazakhstan, Maibulak and Valikhanova, which bridge southern and northern Central Asia. The chronologies, based on both quartz optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) and polymineral post-infrared infrared luminescence (pIR-IRSL) protocols, demonstrate that technological developments at the two sites differ substantially over the ∼47-19 ka time span. Some of the innovations typically associated with the earliest UP in the Altai or other parts of northeast Asia are also present in the Tien Shan piedmont. We caution against making assumptions about the directionality of spread of these technologies until a larger, better defined database of transitional sites in the region is available. Connections between the timing of occupation of regions, living area setting and paleoenvironmental conditions, while providing hypotheses worth exploring, remain inconclusive. We cautiously suggest a trend towards increasing occupation of open air sites across the Central Asian piedmont after ∼40 ka, corresponding to more humid climatic conditions which nevertheless included pulses of dust deposition. Human occupation persisted into the Last Glacial Maximum, despite cooler, and possibly drier

Prescribed burning effects on the hydrologic behavior of gullies in the South Carolina Piedmont

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M.A. Galang; L.A. Morris; D. Markewitz; C.R. Jackson; E.A Carter

2010-01-01

Gullies found in the Piedmont of South Carolina are legacies of past land use and erosion. Although the majority of these gullies are now under forest vegetation and perceived as geomorphologically stable, the question of gully contribution to nonpoint source pollution remains undetermined, especially when these gullies are subjected to prescribed burning or other...

Effect of wetland management: are lentic wetlands refuges of plant-species diversity in the Andean–Orinoco Piedmont of Colombia?

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Johanna I. Murillo-Pacheco

2016-08-01

Full Text Available Accelerated degradation of the wetlands and fragmentation of surrounding vegetation in the Andean–Orinoco Piedmont are the main threats to diversity and ecological integrity of these ecosystems; however, information on this topic is of limited availability. In this region, we evaluated the value of 37 lentic wetlands as reservoirs of woody and aquatic plants and analyzed diversity and changes in species composition within and among groups defined according to management given by: (1 type (swamps, heronries, rice fields, semi-natural lakes, constructed lakes and fish farms and (2 origins (natural, mixed and artificial. A total of 506 plant species were recorded: 80% woody and 20% aquatic. Of these, 411 species (81% were considered species typical of the area (Meta Piedmont distribution. Diversity patterns seem to be driven by high landscape heterogeneity and wetland management. The fish farms presented the highest diversity of woody plants, while swamps ranked highest for aquatic plant diversity. Regarding wetland origin, the artificial systems were the most diverse, but natural wetlands presented the highest diversity of typical species and can therefore be considered representative ecosystems at the regional scale. Our results suggest that lentic wetlands act as refuges for native vegetation of Meta Piedmont forest, hosting 55% of the woody of Piedmont species and 29% of the aquatic species of Orinoco basin. The wetlands showed a high species turnover and the results indicated that small wetlands (mean ± SD: size = 11 ± 18.7 ha, with a small area of surrounding forest (10 ± 8.6 ha supported high local and regional plant diversity. To ensure long-term conservation of lentic wetlands, it is necessary to develop management and conservation strategies that take both natural and created wetlands into account.

78 FR 23220 - Foreign-Trade Zone (FTZ) 230-Piedmont Triad Area, North Carolina; Notification of Proposed...

Science.gov (United States)

2013-04-18

...-backed paperboard and to laminate plastic film (the laminating activity is not ``production'' activity...--Piedmont Triad Area, North Carolina; Notification of Proposed Production Activity; Oracle Flexible..., grantee of FTZ 230, submitted a notification of proposed production activity on behalf of Oracle Flexible...

Estimating carbon sequestration in the piedmont ecoregion of the United States from 1971 to 2010

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Jinxun Liu

2016-06-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Human activities have diverse and profound impacts on ecosystem carbon cycles. The Piedmont ecoregion in the eastern United States has undergone significant land use and land cover change in the past few decades. The purpose of this study was to use newly available land use and land cover change data to quantify carbon changes within the ecoregion. Land use and land cover change data (60-m spatial resolution derived from sequential remotely sensed Landsat imagery were used to generate 960-m resolution land cover change maps for the Piedmont ecoregion. These maps were used in the Integrated Biosphere Simulator (IBIS to simulate ecosystem carbon stock and flux changes from 1971 to 2010. Results Results show that land use change, especially urbanization and forest harvest had significant impacts on carbon sources and sinks. From 1971 to 2010, forest ecosystems sequestered 0.25 Mg C ha−1 yr−1, while agricultural ecosystems sequestered 0.03 Mg C ha−1 yr−1. The total ecosystem C stock increased from 2271 Tg C in 1971 to 2402 Tg C in 2010, with an annual average increase of 3.3 Tg C yr−1. Conclusions Terrestrial lands in the Piedmont ecoregion were estimated to be weak net carbon sink during the study period. The major factors contributing to the carbon sink were forest growth and afforestation; the major factors contributing to terrestrial emissions were human induced land cover change, especially urbanization and forest harvest. An additional amount of carbon continues to be stored in harvested wood products. If this pool were included the carbon sink would be stronger.

Prospective varieties of Narcissus hybridus hort. suitable for mass growing in piedmont Crimea

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Repetskaya Anna Igorevna

2016-12-01

The evaluation determined six (6 unpromising, thirteen (13 average promising and eleven (11 highly promising varieties. The highly promising varieties are 'Ice Follies', 'Kissрroof', 'Pink Charm', 'Salome', 'Serola', (Large-cupped Daffodils, 'Curlew', 'Pipit' (Jonquilla Daffodils, 'Tahiti' (Double Daffodils, 'Mount Hood' (Trumpet Daffodils, 'Jetfire' (Cyclamineus Daffodils and 'Lemon Beauty' (Split Corona Daffodils. They are recommended for use in landscaping practice within the piedmont Crimea.

Sediment contributions from floodplains and legacy sediments to Piedmont streams of Baltimore County, Maryland

Science.gov (United States)

Donovan, Mitchell; Miller, Andrew; Baker, Matthew; Gellis, Allen

2015-04-01

Disparity between watershed erosion rates and downstream sediment delivery has remained an important theme in geomorphology for many decades, with the role of floodplains in sediment storage as a common focus. In the Piedmont Province of the eastern USA, upland deforestation and agricultural land use following European settlement led to accumulation of thick packages of overbank sediment in valley bottoms, commonly referred to as legacy deposits. Previous authors have argued that legacy deposits represent a potentially important source of modern sediment loads following remobilization by lateral migration and progressive channel widening. This paper seeks to quantify (1) rates of sediment remobilization from Baltimore County floodplains by channel migration and bank erosion, (2) proportions of streambank sediment derived from legacy deposits, and (3) potential contribution of net streambank erosion and legacy sediments to downstream sediment yield within the Mid-Atlantic Piedmont. We calculated measurable gross erosion and deposition rates within the fluvial corridor along 40 valley segments from 18 watersheds with drainage areas between 0.18 and 155 km2 in Baltimore County, Maryland. We compared stream channel and floodplain morphology from lidar-based digital elevation data collected in 2005 with channel positions recorded on 1:2400 scale topographic maps from 1959-1961 in order to quantify 44-46 years of channel change. Sediment bulk density and particle size distributions were characterized from streambank and channel deposit samples and used for volume to mass conversions and for comparison with other sediment sources. Average annual lateral migration rates ranged from 0.04 to 0.19 m/y, which represented an annual migration of 2.5% (0.9-4.4%) channel width across all study segments, suggesting that channel dimensions may be used as reasonable predictors of bank erosion rates. Gross bank erosion rates varied from 43 to 310 Mg/km/y (median = 114) and were

Ground water in the Piedmont upland of central Maryland

Science.gov (United States)

Richardson, Claire A.

1982-01-01

This report, describing ground-water occurrence in a 130-square-mile area of the central Maryland Piedmont, was originally designed for use by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in replying to a request for designation of the aquifers to be the sole or principal source of ground water. However, the information contained in the report is pertinent to other crystalline-rock areas as well. The study area is underlain chiefly by crystalline rocks and partly by unaltered sandstones and siltstones. The ground water is derived from local precipitation and generally occurs under water-table conditions. Its movement is restricted by the lack of interconnected openings, and most ground water occurs within 300 feet of the land surface. Hydrographs indicate no long-term change in ground-water storage. A few wells yield more than 100 gallons per minute, but about 70 percent of 286 inventoried wells yield 10 gallons per minute or less; most specific capacities are less than 1.0 gallon per minute per foot. The ground-water quality is generally satisfactory without treatment, and there are no known widespread pollution problems. Estimated daily figures on ground-water use are as follows: 780,000 gallons for domestic purposes; 55,000, for commercial purposes; and 160,000, for public supply. Although part of the area is served by an existing surface-water supply and could be served by possible extension of it and of other public-supply water mains, much of the rural population is dependent on the ground water available from private wells tapping the single aquifer that underlies any given location. Neither the ground-water conditions nor this dependence on individual wells is unique to the study area, but, rather, applies to the entire Piedmont province.

Sediment Flux and Storage in a Rural Southeastern Piedmont River System

Science.gov (United States)

Jackson, C. R.; Martin, J. K.

2001-12-01

A sediment budget was developed for a representative rural southeastern Piedmont watershed to provide information on the relative importance of sediment sources. Sediment issues in the southeastern Piedmont are complicated by the so-called legacy sediment produced by poor farming practices during the cotton-farming era, approximately 1810-1930. The Murder Creek basin near Monticello, GA was chosen because: it featured forestry and agriculture as the principal land uses; a USGS gage provided a flow record; and the creek deposited in a reservoir built in 1948. Suspended load export was calculated using a sediment rating curve and the USGS flow time series. Bed load export was determined by estimating the volume of sediment deposited in the reservoir since construction. Unpaved road erosion was estimated using the WEPP model, and other surface erosion was estimated using USLE and delivery ratios. Historical floodplain storage was determined by coring floodplain deposits, measuring the depth to the pre-historic/historic sediment interface, and multiplying by the area of the floodplain. Recent accretion rates were estimated using dendrogeomorphology. Results showed that the practices of the cotton farming era deposited an average of 1.6 meters of sediment on the floodplains. This depth was relatively uniform across the watershed. The cotton-farming sediment in storage exceeds the current annual export by a factor of about 5000. Approximately half of the current export comes from current inputs, and half comes from remobilized floodplain sediments.

Groundwater quality in the Piedmont and Blue Ridge crystalline-rock aquifers, eastern United States

Science.gov (United States)

Lindsey, Bruce

2017-12-07

Groundwater provides nearly 50 percent of the Nation’s drinking water. To help protect this vital resource, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) National Water-Quality Assessment (NAWQA) Project assesses groundwater quality in aquifers that are important sources of drinking water (Burow and Belitz, 2014). The Piedmont and Blue Ridge crystalline-rock aquifers constitute one of the important areas being evaluated.

Beetle-killed stands in the South Carolina piedmont: from fuel hazards to regenerating oak forests

Science.gov (United States)

Aaron D. Stottlemyer; G. Geoff Wang; Thomas A. Waldrop

2012-01-01

Impacts of spring prescribed fire, mechanical mastication, and no-treatment (control) on fuels and natural hardwood tree regeneration were examined in beetle-killed stands in the South Carolina Piedmont. Mechanical mastication ground the down and standing dead trees and live vegetation into mulch and deposited it onto the forest floor. The masticated debris layer had...

Intrinsic stream-capture control of stepped fan pediments in the High Atlas piedmont of Ouarzazate (Morocco)

Science.gov (United States)

Pastor, A.; Babault, J.; Teixell, A.; Arboleya, M. L.

2012-11-01

The Ouarzazate basin is a Cenozoic foreland basin located to the south of the High Atlas Mountains. The basin has been externally drained during the Quaternary, with fluvial dynamics dominated by erosive processes from a progressive base level drop. The current drainage network is composed of rivers draining the mountain and carrying large amounts of coarse sediments and by piedmont streams with smaller catchments eroding the soft Cenozoic rocks of the Ouarzazate basin. The coarse-grained sediments covering the channel beds of main rivers cause the steepening of the channel gradient and act as a shield inhibiting bedrock incision. Under such circumstances, piedmont streams that incise to lower gradients evolve to large, depressed pediments at lower elevations and threaten to capture rivers originating in the mountain. Much of the current surface of the Ouarzazate basin is covered by coarse sediments forming large systems of stepped fan pediments that developed by the filling of low elevation pediments after a capture event. We identified 14 capture events, and previously published geochronology support an ~ 100 ka frequency for fan pediment formation. Our study indicates that the reorganization of the fluvial network in the Ouarzazate basin during the late Pleistocene and Holocene has been controlled by the piedmont-stream piracy process, a process ultimately controlled by the cover effect. The stream capture is influenced by erosion, sediment supply and transport, and therefore may not be entirely decoupled from tectonic and climatic forcing. Indeed, we show that at least two capture events may have occurred during climate changes, and local tectonic structures control at most the spatial localization of capture events.

Islam and state school: opinions of Muslim parents in Piedmont

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Renzo Guolo

2009-07-01

Full Text Available What are the opinions of Muslim parents, as to the teaching of Islamic religion? In case it were possible, would they prefer it to be taught in state or religious schools? And in the first case, by whom? What do families think about problems like the observance of dietary laws in school canteens, the class of physical education for girls in mixed classes, the wearing of veil? The article summarizes the data of a survey on these topics (between 2006 and 2007 carried out in Piedmont, in particular in Turin, on a sample of about 1000 people representing the different ethnonational islamic communities living in the region. The methodology employed is both quantitative (the whole sample was given a structured questionnaire and qualitative. The latter concerns detailed interviews with the leaders of Islamic associations in the region. The result is definitely in favour of the teaching of Islamic religion in state schools, together with the request to observe dietary laws, both cultural and religious, and the acceptance, on principle, of the mixed class of physical education. There are of course different opinions which, however, show a growing trend in favour of free choice as to the obligation of veil: a picture widely determined by the ethnonational origin of the interviewed, confirming the pluralism of Italian Islam. The result points out that most Muslims in Piedmont have an inclusive approach and that religion does not mean cultural separation. The main trend, apart from the opinions and projects of a few associative leaderships, is one of an Islam that wishes to become a recognized member of Italian religious and cultural scene.

Ten-Year Effect of Six Site-Preparation Treatments on Piedmont Loblolly Pine Survival and Growth

Science.gov (United States)

M. Boyd Edwards

1994-01-01

Limited information is available on growth responses to different levels of intensity for site preparation in the Piedmont. In the present study, six intensities of site preparation were compared for their effect on survival, height and diameter growth, total volume produced, and basal area per acre for the first 10 years after treatment. Rates of survival and growth...

Soil erosion from harvested sites versus streamside management zone sediment deposition in the Piedmont of Virginia

Science.gov (United States)

William A. Lakel; W. Michael Aust; C. Andrew Dolloff; Amy W. Easterbrook

2006-01-01

Forestry best management practices were primarily developed to address two major issues related to soil erosion: water quality and site productivity. Sixteen watersheds managed as loblolly pine plantations in the piedmont region were monitored for soil erosion and water quality prior to treatment. Subsequently, all watersheds were harvested with clearcutting, ground-...

The 2014 assessment of stream quality in the Piedmont and southern Appalachian Mountain region of southeastern United States

Science.gov (United States)

Celeste Journey; Paul M. Bradley; Peter Van Metre

2016-01-01

During the spring and summer of 2014, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) National Water- Quality Assessment Program (NAWQA) assessed stream quality across the Piedmont and southern Appalachian Mountain region in the southeastern United States.

Sediment contributions from floodplains and legacy sediments to Piedmont streams of Baltimore County, Maryland

Science.gov (United States)

Donovan, Mitchell; Miller, Andrew; Baker, Matthew; Gellis, Allen C.

2015-01-01

Disparity between watershed erosion rates and downstream sediment delivery has remained an important theme in geomorphology for many decades, with the role of floodplains in sediment storage as a common focus. In the Piedmont Province of the eastern USA, upland deforestation and agricultural land use following European settlement led to accumulation of thick packages of overbank sediment in valley bottoms, commonly referred to as legacy deposits. Previous authors have argued that legacy deposits represent a potentially important source of modern sediment loads following remobilization by lateral migration and progressive channel widening. This paper seeks to quantify (1) rates of sediment remobilization from Baltimore County floodplains by channel migration and bank erosion, (2) proportions of streambank sediment derived from legacy deposits, and (3) potential contribution of net streambank erosion and legacy sediments to downstream sediment yield within the Mid-Atlantic Piedmont.We calculated measurable gross erosion and deposition rates within the fluvial corridor along 40 valley segments from 18 watersheds with drainage areas between 0.18 and 155 km2 in Baltimore County, Maryland. We compared stream channel and floodplain morphology from lidar-based digital elevation data collected in 2005 with channel positions recorded on 1:2400 scale topographic maps from 1959–1961 in order to quantify 44–46 years of channel change. Sediment bulk density and particle size distributions were characterized from streambank and channel deposit samples and used for volume to mass conversions and for comparison with other sediment sources.Average annual lateral migration rates ranged from 0.04 to 0.19 m/y, which represented an annual migration of 2.5% (0.9–4.4%) channel width across all study segments, suggesting that channel dimensions may be used as reasonable predictors of bank erosion rates. Gross bank erosion rates varied from 43 to 310 Mg/km/y (median = 114) and

Modeling soil erosion and sediment transport from fires in forested watersheds of the South Carolina Piedmont

Science.gov (United States)

Tyler Crumbley; Ge Sun; Steve McNulty

2007-01-01

Forested watersheds in the Southeastern U.S. provide high quality water vital to ecosystem integrity and downstream aquatic resources. Excessive sedimentation from human activities in forest streams is of concern to responsible land managers. Prescribed fire is a common treatment applied to Southeastern Piedmont forests and the risk of wildfire is becoming increasingly...

Interaction Among Machine Traffic, Soil Physical Properties and Loblolly Pine Root Prolifereation in a Piedmont Soil

Science.gov (United States)

Emily A. Carter; Timothy P. McDonald

1997-01-01

The impact of forwarder traffic on soil physical properties was evaluated on a Gwinnett sandy loam, a commonly found soil of the Piedmont. Soil strength and saturated hydraulic conductivity were significantly altered by forwarder traffic, but reductions in air-filled porosity also occurred. Bulk density did not increase significantly in trafficked treatments. The...

Modeling soil erosion and sediment transport from fires in forested watersheds of the South Carolina Piedmont

Science.gov (United States)

Tyler Crumbley; Ge Sun; Steve McNulty

2008-01-01

Forested watersheds in the Southeastern U.S. provide high quality water vital to ecosystem integrity and downstream aquatic resources. Excessive sedimentation from human activities in forest streams is of concern to responsible land managers. Prescribed fire is a common treatment applied to Southeastern piedmont forests and the risk of wildfire is becoming increasingly...

Large Scale Water Vapor Sources Relative to the October 2000 Piedmont Flood

Science.gov (United States)

Turato, Barbara; Reale, Oreste; Siccardi, Franco

2003-01-01

Very intense mesoscale or synoptic-scale rainfall events can occasionally be observed in the Mediterranean region without any deep cyclone developing over the areas affected by precipitation. In these perplexing cases the synoptic situation can superficially look similar to cases in which very little precipitation occurs. These situations could possibly baffle the operational weather forecasters. In this article, the major precipitation event that affected Piedmont (Italy) between 13 and 16 October 2000 is investigated. This is one of the cases in which no intense cyclone was observed within the Mediterranean region at any time, only a moderate system was present, and yet exceptional rainfall and flooding occurred. The emphasis of this study is on the moisture origin and transport. Moisture and energy balances are computed on different space- and time-scales, revealing that precipitation exceeds evaporation over an area inclusive of Piedmont and the northwestern Mediterranean region, on a time-scale encompassing the event and about two weeks preceding it. This is suggestive of an important moisture contribution originating from outside the region. A synoptic and dynamic analysis is then performed to outline the potential mechanisms that could have contributed to the large-scale moisture transport. The central part of the work uses a quasi-isentropic water-vapor back trajectory technique. The moisture sources obtained by this technique are compared with the results of the balances and with the synoptic situation, to unveil possible dynamic mechanisms and physical processes involved. It is found that moisture sources on a variety of atmospheric scales contribute to this event. First, an important contribution is caused by the extratropical remnants of former tropical storm Leslie. The large-scale environment related to this system allows a significant amount of moisture to be carried towards Europe. This happens on a time- scale of about 5-15 days preceding the

Freight planning and regional cooperation in the Piedmont Atlantic megaregion : a regional models of cooperation peer exchange summary report

Science.gov (United States)

2017-09-08

This report highlights key themes identified at the Freight Planning and Regional Cooperation in the Piedmont Atlantic Megaregion Peer Exchange held on January 31, 2017 and February 1, 2017 in Atlanta, Georgia. The Regional Models of Cooperatio...

Genetic variation of common walnut (Juglans regia in Piedmont, Northwestern Italy

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Ferrazzini D

2007-12-01

Full Text Available The European or common walnut is a large tree prized as a multipurpose species: it provides valuable timber and produces a high-quality edible nut. The diffusion of the species in Italy has been largely influenced by the human activity, mainly through germplasm movement, selection of genotypes most suited for wood or fruit production and adaptation induced on fruit crop reproductive materials. As a consequence, genetic variability has been reduced, so that programs aimed at its preservation appear of the utmost importance. 104 walnut plants growing in Piedmont, northwestern Italy, were investigated through genetic variation scored at RAPD loci, yielded by PCR amplification of 10 decamer primers. Among the 101 studied loci, only 53 were polymorphic, showing a low level of genetic variation within the studied material. Genetic differentiation was estimated both at individual and geographical area level. Only in few cases trees growing in the same area showed to be genetically similar, while the differentiation between areas accounted for about 10% of the total variation, according to AMOVA. No significant correlation was found between genetic and geographic distances. The results of the study showed that also in Piedmont (such as it was already demonstrated in other parts of Italy the distribution of common walnut is a direct consequence of the human activity. The selection of individual trees, to be used as basic materials for seed supply, should therefore be based mainly on phenotypic traits, rather than ecological features of the location: in species characterized by artificial diffusion, the adoption of Region of Provenance has a scarce significance and prominence should be given to the phenotype selection.

PB-Piedmont: A numerical model for predicting the movement of biological material near the ground at night.

Science.gov (United States)

Gary L. Achtemeier

2000-01-01

PB-Piedmont is a numerical model designed to simulate near-ground smoke movement at night under clear skies and near calm winds over irregular terrain characterized by ridge/valley elevation differences of the order of 50 m. Although the model was developed for monitoring smoke at night, the model is equally suitable for monitoring movement of agricultural odors and...

Evaluating the effect of lithology on porosity development in ridgetops in the Appalachian Piedmont

Science.gov (United States)

Marcon, V.; Gu, X.; Fisher, B.; Brantley, S. L.

2016-12-01

Together, chemical and physical processes transform fresh bedrock into friable weathered material. Even in systems where lithology, tectonic history, and climatic history are all known, it is challenging to predict the depth of weathering because the mechanisms that control the rate of regolith formation are not understood. In the Appalachian Piedmont, where rates of regolith formation and erosion are thought to be in a rough steady state, the depth of weathering varies with lithology. The Piedmont provides a controlled natural environment to isolate the effects of lithology on weathering processes so we can start to understand the mechanisms that initiate and drive weathering. Weathering is deepest over feldspathic rocks (schist/granite) with regolith 20-30m thick and thinnest over mafic and ultramafic rocks (diabase/serpentinite) with regolith serpentinization reactions and lost from collapse during weathering. Serpentinite consists of easily weathered hydrous minerals with little quartz. Comparatively, rocks with more quartz (e.g. schist) have a supportive skeleton as the rock weathers. This quartz skeleton could prevent the collapse of pores and result in isovolumetric weathering. Non-isovolumetric weathering limits infiltration of reactive fluids deeper into the rock, minimizing regolith formation in serpentinite due to its lack of a quartz skeleton. Given this, fracture toughness may be an important parameter to consider in terms of predicting regolith thickness.

Development of Ecogeomorphological (EGM Stream Design and Assessment Tools for the Piedmont of Alabama, USA

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Brian Helms

2016-04-01

Full Text Available Regional data needed for effective stream restoration include hydraulic geometry relationships (i.e., regional curves and reference channel morphology parameters. Increasingly ecological conditions are being considered when designing, implementing, and assessing restoration efforts. We provide morphology relationships and associated ecological endpoint curves for reference streams in the Alabama piedmont. Twenty-one reference stream reaches were identified in the Tallapoosa drainage of Alabama, ranging from 0.2 to 242 km2 drainage area. Geomorphic surveys were conducted in each stream to measure riffle cross-sections and longitudinal profiles and related to drainage area to develop regional curves. Fish, crayfish, and benthic macroinvertebrates were collected from each surveyed reach and related to drainage area and geomorphic data to provide associated biological community endpoints. Bankfull channel cross-section area, width, mean depth, and estimated discharge were strongly correlated to watershed drainage area, similar to efforts in other areas of the Piedmont ecoregion. Multiple measures of fish assemblages and crayfish size were strongly predicted by drainage area and geomorphic dimensions. Macroinvertebrates showed no taxonomic and limited functional relationships with drainage area and geomorphic dimension. These tools, which integrate geomorphological and ecological conditions, can result in improved stream evaluations and designs increasing the effectiveness of stream restoration projects.

Review of potential host rocks for radioactive waste disposal in the Piedmont Province of Georgia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wenner, D.B.; Gillon, K.A.

1980-10-01

A literature study was conducted on the Piedmont province of Georgia to designate areas that may be favorable for field exploration for consideration of a repository for storage of radioactive waste. The criteria utilized in such a designation was based upon consideration of the rock unit having favorable geological, geotechnical, and geohydrological features. The most important are that the rock unit have: (1) satisfactory unit dimensions (> 100 km 2 outcrop area and at least 1500 meters (approx. 5000 feet) depth of a continuous rock type); and (2) acceptable geohydrological conditions. Among all rock types, it is concluded that the granites of the large post-metamorphic plutons and large, homogeneous orthogneissic units offer the most favorable geologic settings for exploration for siting a radioactive waste repository. Virtually all other rock types, including most metavolcanic and metasedimentary lithologies have unacceptable unit dimensions, generally unfavorable geohydrologic settings, and deleterious mechanical and physical geotechnical properties. After consideration of all major lithologies that comprise the Georgia Piedmont, the following units were deemed favorable: (1) the Elberton Pluton; (2) the Siloam Pluton; (3) the Sparta Pluton; (4) two unnamed plutons adjacent to the Snelson body of S.W. Georgia; (5) the Lithonia Gneiss; (6) basement orthogneisses and charnockites of the Pine Mountain Belt

Stitching the western Piedmont of Virginia: Early Paleozoic tectonic history of the Ellisville Pluton and the Potomac and Chopawamsic Terranes

Science.gov (United States)

Hughes, K. S.; Hibbard, J. P.; Sauer, R.T.; Burton, William C.

2014-01-01

The theme of the 2014 Virginia Geological Field Conference is the tectonic development, economic geology, and seismicity of the western Piedmont of Louisa County, Virginia. It is timely for the conference to turn its attention here, for during the past decade these aspects of western Piedmont geology have garnered the renewed attention of researchers. In terms of regional tectonics, it has been hypothesized that the major structure in the region, the Chopawamsic fault system, represents the most significant boundary in the Appalachian orogen, the main Iapetan suture (Hibbard et al., 2014). Economically, recent elevated market values of metals— particularly that of gold—has spurred reconsideration of the economic geology of the western Piedmont. Finally, the August 23, 2011, M5.8 earthquake, with its epicenter in our field area, startled the North American east coast and has revived awareness of the seismic potential of the region. This renewed interest in the geology of the western Piedmont of north-central Virginia has led to new detailed bedrock mapping, detailed surficial mapping, high-resolution UPb TIMS zircon geochronology, U-Pb LA-ICPMS detrital zircon geochronology, radiogenic isotope geochemistry, major/minor/REE geochemistry, and geophysical studies (e.g. Bailey et al., 2005, 2008; Bailey and Owens, 2012: Berti et al., 2012; Burton et al., 2014; Burton, in progress; Harrison, 2012; Horton et al., 2010, in press; Hughes, 2010, 2014; Hughes et al., 2013a, 2013b, 2014, in press a, in press b; Malenda, in progress; Owens et al., 2013; Spears and Gilmer 2012; Spears et al. 2013, Terblanche, 2013; Terblanche and Nance, 2012). A host of institutions have taken part in the research, including North Carolina State University, the Virginia Department of Mines, Minerals, and Energy, the U.S. Geological Survey, Virginia Tech, Lehigh University, and the College of William and Mary. Many of these investigations remain active. The majority of the data presented

FARM LEVEL DYNAMIC ANALYSIS OF SOIL CONSERVATION: AN APPLICATION TO THE PIEDMONT AREA OF VIRGINIA

OpenAIRE

Segarra, Eduardo; Taylor, Daniel B.

1987-01-01

A conceptual optimal control theory model which considers farm level decision making with respect to soil management is developed. A simplified version of the theoretical model is applied to the Piedmont area of Virginia. The model includes the productivity impacts of both soil erosion and technological progress. Both the theoretical model and its empirical application are improvements over previous efforts. Results suggest that farmers in the study area can achieve substantial reductions in ...

REVISION AND RE-DOCUMENTATION OF M. AIROLDI'S SPECIES OF ARCHAEOLITHOTHAMNIUM FROM THE TERTIARY PIEDMONT BASIN (NW ITALY

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GRAZIA VANNUCCI

2000-07-01

Full Text Available Airoldi (1930, 1932 described twenty-three fossil Corallinales (Rhodophyta from the Oligocene of the Tertiary Piedmont Basin (NW Italy, containing thirteen new species. In this paper Archaeolithothamnium praeerithraeum Airoldi 1932 and Archaeolithothamnium statiellense Airoldi 1932 are re-documented and re-described. The features observable in the sporangial compartments allowed to attribute both species to the genus Sporolithon. 

Impact of weed control and fertilization on growth of four species of pine in the Virginia Piedmont

Science.gov (United States)

Dzhamal Y. Amishev; Thomas R. Fox

2006-01-01

During 1999, a mixed stand of Virginia pine and hardwoods in the Piedmont of Virginia was clearcut and site prepared by burning. Three replications, containing strips of loblolly pine, shortleaf pine, Virginia pine, and Eastern white pine, were planted at a 3 m x 1.5 m spacing during February to June, 2000. The strips were subsequently split to accommodate four...

Antiphospholipid syndrome in northwest Italy (APS Piedmont Cohort): demographic features, risk factors, clinical and laboratory profile.

Science.gov (United States)

Bertero, M T; Bazzan, M; Carignola, R; Montaruli, B; Silvestro, E; Sciascia, S; Vaccarino, A; Baldovino, S; Roccatello, D

2012-06-01

We report the experience from the Antiphospholipid Antibodies (aPL) Regional Consortium in northwest Italy, meant to support clinical research and foster collaboration among health professionals regarding the diagnosis and management of antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) patients. This cohort-study (APS Piedmont Cohort) was designed to register the clinical characteristics at inception and associated immunological manifestations at diagnosis (if any) of patients who strictly fulfilled the current criteria for APS, all recruited at the Piedmont and Valle d'Aosta regions. Clinical and laboratory data from 217 APS patients (171 with vascular events, 33 with pregnancy morbidity and 13 with both), from 16 centres within the geographical area were collected. Venous thrombosis was recorded in 45.6% of patients, arterial thrombosis in 35%, small-vessel thrombosis in 1.12% and mixed arterial and venous thrombosis in the remaining 19.4% of the cases. Pregnancy morbidity included 19 patients with unexplained fetal death beyond the 10th week of pregnancy, 17 with premature birth before the 34th week and 10 with three or more unexplained spontaneous abortions before the 10th week of gestation. This consortium represents an instrument by which to audit clinical practice, to provide counselling to local centres and to sustain future basic and clinical APS research.

Estimate of throughput of bridge transitions and pipe passages built on minor rivers of piedmont areas of Krasnodar Territory-Russia

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Bryukhan Fedor

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Stability and accident-free operation of engineering road structures including bridge transitions and pipe passages built on mountain rivers mostly depends on a stream regime and lack of obstructions for water flow. Such structures pose a prominent potential hazard being built in piedmont areas of Caucasus Mountains characterized by flash floods and blockage of structures by floating debris, mudflow deposits and wastes of construction. This notwithstanding, the threats caused by these phenomena are poorly studied. The purpose of this study is in estimation of throughput of bridge transitions and pipe passages built on minor rivers of piedmont areas and analysis of hazards caused by floods and obstructions to water flow. The results of calculation of capacities of existing road structures are provided herein. A qualitative assessment of potential emergencies in case of severe flood is also given. A major hazard of possible blockage of waterways that can cause emergency even in regular flood conditions is noted.

Comparison of spatial interpolation techniques to predict soil properties in the colombian piedmont eastern plains

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Mauricio Castro Franco

2017-07-01

Full Text Available Context: Interpolating soil properties at field-scale in the Colombian piedmont eastern plains is challenging due to: the highly and complex variable nature of some processes; the effects of the soil; the land use; and the management. While interpolation techniques are being adapted to include auxiliary information of these effects, the soil data are often difficult to predict using conventional techniques of spatial interpolation. Method: In this paper, we evaluated and compared six spatial interpolation techniques: Inverse Distance Weighting (IDW, Spline, Ordinary Kriging (KO, Universal Kriging (UK, Cokriging (Ckg, and Residual Maximum Likelihood-Empirical Best Linear Unbiased Predictor (REML-EBLUP, from conditioned Latin Hypercube as a sampling strategy. The ancillary information used in Ckg and REML-EBLUP was indexes calculated from a digital elevation model (MDE. The “Random forest” algorithm was used for selecting the most important terrain index for each soil properties. Error metrics were used to validate interpolations against cross validation. Results: The results support the underlying assumption that HCLc captured adequately the full distribution of variables of ancillary information in the Colombian piedmont eastern plains conditions. They also suggest that Ckg and REML-EBLUP perform best in the prediction in most of the evaluated soil properties. Conclusions: Mixed interpolation techniques having auxiliary soil information and terrain indexes, provided a significant improvement in the prediction of soil properties, in comparison with other techniques.

Celiac disease and school food service in Piedmont Region: Evaluation of gluten-free meal.

Science.gov (United States)

Bioletti, L; Capuano, M T; Vietti, F; Cesari, L; Emma, L; Leggio, K; Fransos, L; Marzullo, A; Ropolo, S; Strumia, C

2016-01-01

The Law 123/2005 recognizes celiac disease as a social disease and so Ministry of Public Health annually allocates specific resources to Regions for managing gluten-free meals in school canteens. Therefore in 2009 Piedmont Region approved a specific project, in collaboration with Food Hygiene and Nutrition Department (SIAN) of several ASL (Local Health Authority), including ASL TO3 as regional leader, and the "Italian Celiac Association - Piedmont and Valle d'Aosta". This project was intended to facilitate the natural integration of celiac people in social life. A retrospective analysis of data has been carried out to assess the management of gluten- free meal of school food services in Piedmont Region in 2010. Furthermore the intervention efficacy has been evaluated comparing the critical points observed in 2010 and 2012. The object of the study includes primary and secondary schools that have provided gluten-free food service in Piedmont Region. These school were examined by SIAN staff. (the examination included the check of hygienic aspects and qualitative assessment of the meal). The data were collected using the same checklist throughout the region. All data were included in the unified regional system ("Reteunitaria"). The results show that 29% of the sampled schools (277) are acceptable in all eight sections (supply, storage, process analysis, equipment check, packaging and transport, distribution of meals, self-control plan and qualitative assessment), whereas 71% are inadequate for at least one of the profiles (60% does not perform the qualitative valuation of service) and in 18% of schools three to seven insufficiencies are observed. Correlations between the number of total insufficiencies and the most critical sections of the check list were performed (with lower scores in "good") such as process analysis, distribution of meals, self-control plan and qualitative assessment. The analysis process has achieved a high score in the field of deficiency for at

Carbon storage, soil carbon dioxide efflux and water quality in three widths of piedmont streamside management zones

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Erica F. Wadl; William Lakel; Michael Aust; John Seiler

2010-01-01

Streamside management zones (SMZs) are used to protect water quality. Monitoring carbon pools and fluxes in SMZs may a good indicator of the SMZ’s overall function and health. In this project we evaluated some of these pools and fluxes from three different SMZ widths (30.5, 15.3, and 7.6 m) in the Piedmont of Virginia. We quantified carbon storage in the soil (upper 10...

Mapping Plant Diversity and Composition Across North Carolina Piedmont Forest Landscapes Using Lidar-Hyperspectral Remote Sensing

Science.gov (United States)

Hakkenberg, Christopher R.

Forest modification, from local stress to global change, has given rise to efforts to model, map, and monitor critical properties of forest communities like structure, composition, and diversity. Predictive models based on data from spatially-nested field plots and LiDAR-hyperspectral remote sensing systems are one particularly effective means towards the otherwise prohibitively resource-intensive task of consistently characterizing forest community dynamics at landscape scales. However, to date, most predictive models fail to account for actual (rather than idealized) species and community distributions, are unsuccessful in predicting understory components in structurally and taxonomically heterogeneous forests, and may suffer from diminished predictive accuracy due to incongruity in scale and precision between field plot samples, remotely-sensed data, and target biota of varying size and density. This three-part study addresses these and other concerns in the modeling and mapping of emergent properties of forest communities by shifting the scope of prediction from the individual or taxon to the whole stand or community. It is, after all, at the stand scale where emergent properties like functional processes, biodiversity, and habitat aggregate and manifest. In the first study, I explore the relationship between forest structure (a proxy for successional demographics and resource competition) and tree species diversity in the North Carolina Piedmont, highlighting the empirical basis and potential for utilizing forest structure from LiDAR in predictive models of tree species diversity. I then extend these conclusions to map landscape pattern in multi-scale vascular plant diversity as well as turnover in community-continua at varying compositional resolutions in a North Carolina Piedmont landscape using remotely-sensed LiDAR-hyperspectral estimates of topography, canopy structure, and foliar biochemistry. Recognizing that the distinction between correlation and

A molecular approach to study the arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi community in a typical Piedmont grapevine cultivar

Science.gov (United States)

Magurno, F.; Bughi Peruglia, G.; Lumini, E.; Bianciotto, V.; Balestrini, R.

2009-04-01

Viticulture and wine production represent one of the most relevant agro-food sectors for the Piedmont Region (Italy) in terms of value, with more than 400 millions € a year (12 % of total agricultural production of the Region and the 10 % of the national grape and wine production). The soil where grapevines (Vitis spp.) grow is one of the first parameters influencing the complex grapevine-wine chain. Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMFs), a main component of soil microbiota in most agrosystems, are considered crucial biomarkers of soil quality because of their biofertilisers role. As mutualistic symbionts, they colonize the roots of the majority of plants. Benefits in symbiosis are well showed as an improvement in shoot/root growth, mineral transport, water-stress tolerance and resistance to certain diseases. Grapevines roots are often heavily colonized by AMFs under field conditions and in some cases AMFs appear to be necessary for their normal growth and survival. Even so, little information are until now available about composition of AMFs communities living in the vineyards soil and in associations with grapevine roots, mainly related to morphological characterization. Vineyard of Nebbiolo, one of the most important Piedmont cultivar, was selected in order to study the AMFs community using a molecular approach. Soil samples and roots from an experimental vineyard located in Lessona (Biella, Piedmont, Italy) were analyzed using AM fungal-specific primers to partially amplify the small subunit (SSU) of the ribosomal DNA genes. Much more than 650 clones were sequenced. Phylogenetic analyses identified 32 OTUs from soil, clustered into Glomus groups Aa, Ab, Ad and B, Diversisporaceae and Gigasporaceae families. Thirteen OTUs from roots were determined, clustered into Glomus groups Ab, Ad and B, and Gigasporaceae family. In particular, Glomus group Ad was the best represented in both compartments, suggesting a correlation between intra and extra radical communities

[Renal biopsy practice in Piedmont and Valle d'Aosta].

Science.gov (United States)

Manganaro, Marco; Nebiolo, Pier Eugenio; Rollino, Cristiana; Giacchino, Franca; Savoldi, Silvana; Besso, Luca; Colla, Loredana; Amore, Alessandro; Ferro, Michela; Marazzi, Federico; Chiarinotti, Doriana; Guarnieri, Andrea; Quaglia, Marco; Manes, Massimo; Vaccaro, Valentina; Marcuccio, Cristina; Licata, Carolina; Patti, Rosaria; Mariano, Filippo; Bongi, Anna Maria; Biamino, Ercole; Boschetti, Maria Antonietta; Della Volpe, Mario; Malcangi, Ugo; Baroni, Adriana; Vagelli, Giuseppe; Costantini, Luigia; Salomone, Mario; Formica, Marco; Caramello, Elisa; Campo, Andrea; Pignone, Eugenia; Messuerotti, Alessandra; Roccatello, Dario; Stratta, Piero; Segoloni, Giuseppe; Coppo, Rosanna

2012-01-01

In 2010 a questionnaire was administered to the renal units of Piedmont and Valle d'Aosta to analyze their procedures for renal biopsy (RB). Seventy-eight percent of units performed RBs, 57% for more than 20 years, but only 43% performed at least 20 BRs per year. 20/21 units performed RB in an inpatient setting and 1/21 in day hospital with the patient remaining under observation the night after. Thirty-two percent did not consider a single kidney as a contraindication to RB, 59% considered it a relative contraindication and 9% considered it an absolute contraindication. In 90.5% of units there was a specific protocol for patient preparation for RB and 86% used a specific informed consent form. Ninety-five percent of units performed ultrasound-guided RB, 60% of them using needle guides attached to the probe. In 81% of units the left side was preferred; 71% put a pillow under the patient's abdomen. All units used disposable, automated or semi-automated needles. Needle size was 16G in 29%, 18G in 58%, and both 16G and 18G in 14% of units; 1 to 3 samples were drawn. One third of units had a microscope available for immediate evaluation of specimen adequacy. After RB, 86% of units kept patients in the prone position for 2-6 hours and all prescribed a period of bed rest (at least 24 hours in 90.5%). 90.5% of units followed a specific postbiopsy observation protocol consisting of blood pressure, heart rate and red blood cell measurements at different times, and urine monitoring and ultrasound control within 12-24 hours (only half of them also employing color Doppler). One third of all units discharged patients after 1 day and two thirds after 2-3 days; all prescribed abstention from effort and from antiplatelet drugs for 7-15 days. In 9 units both RB and tissue processing and examination were done in the same hospital, while 12 units sent the samples elsewhere. 76% obtained results in 2-4 days, 19% in 6-7 days, and 5% in 10-15 days. Less than 20% of the interviewed

Review of potential host rocks for radioactive waste disposal in the southeast United States-Southern Piedmont subregion

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1980-10-01

A literature study was conducted on the geology of the Southern Piedmont province in the states of Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia. The purpose was to identify geologic areas potentially suitable for containment of a repository for the long-term isolation of solidified radioactive waste. The crystalline rocks of the Southern Piedmont province range in age from Precambrian to Paleozoic, and are predominantly slates, phyllites, argillites, schists, metavolcanics, gneisses, gabbros, and granites. These rock units were classified as either favorable, potentially favorable, or unfavorable as potential study areas based on an evaluation of the geologic, hydrologic, and geotechnical characteristics. No socio-economic factors were considered. Rocks subjected to multiple periods of deformation and metamorphism, or described as highly fractured, or of limited areal extent were generally ranked as unfavorable. Potentially favorable rocks are primarily the high-grade metamorphic gneisses and granites. Sixteen areas were classified as being favorable for additional study. These areas are primarily large igneous granite plutons as follows: the Petersburg granite in Virginia; the Rolesville-Castallia, Churchland, and Landis plutons in North Carolina; the Liberty Hill, Winnsboro, and Ogden plutons in South Carolina; and the Siloam, Elberton, and six unnamed granite plutons in Georgia

Preliminary hydrogeologic assessment and study plan for a regional ground-water resource investigation of the Blue Ridge and Piedmont provinces of North Carolina

Science.gov (United States)

Daniel, Charles C.; Dahlen, Paul R.

2002-01-01

Prolonged drought, allocation of surface-water flow, and increased demands on ground-water supplies resulting from population growth are focuses for the need to evaluate ground-water resources in the Blue Ridge and Piedmont Provinces of North Carolina. Urbanization and certain aspects of agricultural production also have caused increased concerns about protecting the quality of ground water in this region.More than 75 percent of the State's population resides in the Blue Ridge and Piedmont Provinces in an area that covers 30,544 square miles and 65 counties. Between 1940 and 2000, the population in the Piedmont and Blue Ridge Provinces increased from 2.66 to 6.11 million; most of this increase occurred in the Piedmont. Of the total population, an estimated 1.97 million people, or 32.3 percent (based on the 1990 census), relied on ground water for a variety of uses, including commercial, industrial, and most importantly, potable supplies.Ground water in the Blue Ridge and Piedmont traditionally has not been considered as a source for large supplies, primarily because of readily available and seemingly limitless surface-water supplies, and the perception that ground water in the Blue Ridge and Piedmont Provinces occurs in a complex, generally heterogeneous geologic environment. Some reluctance to use ground water for large supplies derives from the reputation of aquifers in these provinces for producing low yields to wells, and the few high-yield wells that are drilled seem to be scattered in areas distant from where they are needed. Because the aquifers in these provinces are shallow, they also are susceptible to contamination by activities on the land surface.In response to these issues, the North Carolina Legislature supported the creation of a Resource Evaluation Program to ensure the long-term availability, sustainability, and quality of ground water in the State. As part of the Resource Evaluation Program, the North Carolina Division of Water Quality

Morphotectonic and neotectonic control on river pattern in the Sierra de la Cantera piedmont, Central Precordillera, province of San Juan, Argentina

Science.gov (United States)

Perucca, Laura P.; Rothis, Martín; Vargas, Horacio N.

2014-01-01

The drainage pattern on the western piedmont of the Sierra de La Cantera is divergent, typical of alluvial fans and showing anomalies that are directly related to the trace of La Cantera thrust. In previous studies, two types of anomalies were identified: upstream of the fault scarp, rivers have a broom-shaped pattern, while downstream - in the hanging block - streams become denser, more sinuous and incised. In this contribution, these morphotectonic aspects were analyzed in detail, making direct and indirect analysis to quantify the relationship between these anomalies and the faults affecting alluvial fans. In addition, the influence of neotectonic activity on smaller water course patterns in the alluvial fan areas was investigated in order to find indicators of on-going vertical movements, since the spatial arrangements of these piedmont channels are determined by slope and structure, where active faults cause diversions or anomalies. Topographic profiles in two selected channels cutting across the trace of the fault were performed using a differential GPS in order to establish the relationship between the sinuosity and slope of these rivers. The results obtained allow us to state that the most sinuous channels have lower slopes and are located in the hanging wall of the fault. Morphometric analysis of scarps stated that active tectonics have played an essential role in controlling the drainage pattern in the piedmont, leading the rivers to adjust to these slope variations. Finally, based on the geomorphologic, stratigraphic, structural and seismological characteristics and parameters analyzed, La Cantera Thrust is considered a seismogenic source of significance to the nearby towns (> 700,000 inhabitants) and also to the large-scale dams built downstream along the San Juan River.

Review of potential host rocks for radioactive waste disposal in the Piedmont province of North Carolina

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Butler, J.R.

1980-10-01

This report reviews the geology of the Piedmont province in North Carolina, emphasizing those features most pertinent to selection of potential host rocks for radioactive waste disposal. Discussion of criteria for selection indicates that the outcrop area of the rock body, probable homogeneity, low incidence of fractures, and low permeability are among the prime considerations. Application of the criteria leads to the selection of three large granite batholiths (Castalia, Churchland, and Rolesville) as potential field study areas. The report has an extensive bibliography

The Traversella mining site as Piedmont geosite

Science.gov (United States)

Costa, Emanuele; Benna, Piera; Antonella Dino, Giovanna; Rossetti, Piergiorgio

2017-04-01

The multidisciplinary research project PROGEOPiemonte, started in 2012, selected nine strategic geothematic areas that have been and are still investigated as representative of the geodiversity of Piedmont region. The dissemination of the knowledge connected to geological history, climate and environmental changes, natural hazards, soil processes, and georesources, not only of the geosites but also of the museum collections, has been and will be spread, evidencing the mining and quarrying activities, and by means of science exhibits and Nature trails. Among the nine selected geosites, there is the Traversella mining area, object of the present research. Traversella mine is located nearly 50 km north of Torino, and it was (together with the neighbor site of Brosso) one of the most important mining location for iron exploitation. The Traversella orebody was exploited from late medieval age up to the middle XX century. It is a representative contact-metasomatic deposit at the border between granodiorite and preexisting host rocks (micaschists, gneisses and marbles of the Sesia-Lanzo Zone), and the mining district represents the only exploited skarn-type mineralization in the Alps. The iron mineral, exploited from different veins and mass (pertaining to the contact aureola) was primarily magnetite, an iron oxide easy to treat in cast iron even employing the technology locally available before 1900. After the beginning of XX century the extraction involved also pyrite and chalcopyrite (iron and copper-iron sulfide), used mainly for the production of sulfuric acid. The mine, after some interruptions and re-openings, was officially closed in the second half of the XX century, due to the high exploitation costs and the competition of the foreign mine deposits interested by iron extraction. The area still presents several signs of mining and dressing activities (underground pits, explorable under severe restrictions, traces of dressing plant, offices, and miners changing

Preliminary Effects of Prescribed Burning and Thinning as Fuel Reduction Treatments on the Piedmont Soils of the Clemson Experimental Forest

Science.gov (United States)

Victor B. Shelburne; M. Forbes Boyle; Darren J. Lione; Thomas A. Waldrop

2004-01-01

This study is a component of the National Fire and Fire Surrogate (NFFS) Study which is an integrated national network of long-term interdisciplinary research to facilitate broad applicability of fuel impacts. This part of the NFFS study in the Piedmont of South Carolina studied three ways of reducing fuel loads (prescribed burning, thinning, and the two in combination...

REVISION AND RE-DOCUMENTATION OF M. AIROLDI’S SPECIES OF MESOPHYLLUM FROM THE TERTIARY PIEDMONT BASIN (NW ITALY

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

DANIELA BASSO

1998-03-01

Full Text Available Airoldi (1930, 1932 described twenty-three fossil Corallinales (Rhodophyta from the Oligocene of the Tertiary Piedmont Basin (NW Italy, including thirteen new species. In this paper Mesophyllum fructiferum Airoldi 1932 and Mesophyllum obsitum Airoldi 1932 are re-documented and re-described. The presence of cell fusions, multiporate conceptacles and a ventral core of cell filaments passing from coaxial to non-coaxial confirm that both species belong to the genus Mesophyllum.   SHORT NOTES  

Cultural Routes and Networks of Knowledge: the Identity and Promotion of Cultural Heritage. The Case Study of Piedmont

OpenAIRE

Silvia Beltramo

2013-01-01

The European project called “PER VIAM Pilgrims’ Routes In Action”, funded by the European Commission in 2012, is a significant opportunity of cultural and economic development for the whole Europe and also for the territory of Piedmont Region. The certainty of the need for transnational cooperation, which should create a network amongst the different territories in a perspective of working together and exchange of traveling, economic and cultural experiences – as well as best practices - nowa...

Multiphase cooling and exhumation of the Krkonoše Piedmont Basin during Mesozoic - Cenozoic basin inversion based on apatite fission track analysis

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Martínek, K.; Svojtka, Martin; Filip, Jiří

2008-01-01

Roč. 34, 4/6 (2008), s. 1353003-1353003 ISSN 0161-6951. [International Geological Congress /33./. 06.08.2008-14.08.2008, Oslo] R&D Projects: GA AV ČR KJB3111305 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z30130516 Keywords : fission track * apatite * Krkonoše Piedmont basin Subject RIV: DB - Geology ; Mineralogy

Planned Burn-Piedmont. A local operational numerical meteorological model for tracking smoke on the ground at night: Model development and sensitivity tests

Science.gov (United States)

Gary L. Achtemeier

2005-01-01

Smoke from both prescribed fires and wildfires can, under certain meteorological conditions, become entrapped within shallow layers of air near the ground at night and get carried to unexpected destinations as a combination of weather systems push air through interlocking ridge-valley terrain typical of the Piedmont of the Soutthern United States. Entrapped smoke...

Resilient modulus prediction of soft low-plasticity Piedmont residual soil using dynamic cone penetrometer

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S. Hamed Mousavi

2018-04-01

Full Text Available Dynamic cone penetrometer (DCP has been used for decades to estimate the shear strength and stiffness properties of the subgrade soils. There are several empirical correlations in the literature to predict the resilient modulus values at only a specific stress state from DCP data, corresponding to the predefined thicknesses of pavement layers (a 50 mm asphalt wearing course, a 100 mm asphalt binder course and a 200 mm aggregate base course. In this study, field-measured DCP data were utilized to estimate the resilient modulus of low-plasticity subgrade Piedmont residual soil. Piedmont residual soils are in-place weathered soils from igneous and metamorphic rocks, as opposed to transported or compacted soils. Hence the existing empirical correlations might not be applicable for these soils. An experimental program was conducted incorporating field DCP and laboratory resilient modulus tests on “undisturbed” soil specimens. The DCP tests were carried out at various locations in four test sections to evaluate subgrade stiffness variation laterally and with depth. Laboratory resilient modulus test results were analyzed in the context of the mechanistic-empirical pavement design guide (MEPDG recommended universal constitutive model. A new approach for predicting the resilient modulus from DCP by estimating MEPDG constitutive model coefficients (k1, k2 and k3 was developed through statistical analyses. The new model is capable of not only taking into account the in situ soil condition on the basis of field measurements, but also representing the resilient modulus at any stress state which addresses a limitation with existing empirical DCP models and its applicability for a specific case. Validation of the model is demonstrated by using data that were not used for model development, as well as data reported in the literature. Keywords: Dynamic cone penetrometer (DCP, Resilient modulus, Mechanistic-empirical pavement design guide (MEPDG, Residual

Effects of repeated growing season prescribed fire on the structure and composition of pine-hardwood forests in the southeastern Piedmont, USA

Science.gov (United States)

Matthew Reilly; Kenneth Outcalt; Joseph O’Brien; Dale Wade

2016-01-01

We examined the effects of repeated growing season prescribed fire on the structure and composition of mixed pine–hardwood forests in the southeastern Piedmont region, Georgia, USA. Plots were burned two to four times over an eight-year period with low intensity surface fires during one of four six-week long periods from early April to mid-September. Density...

Problems and challenges in detection of pre-Mesozoic maar volcanoes: example from the Principálek Volcano in the Permian Krkonoše Piedmont Basin

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Valenta, Jan; Rapprich, V.; Stárková, M.; Skácelová, Z.; Fojtíková, Lucia; Staněk, František; Balek, Jan

2014-01-01

Roč. 59, č. 3 (2014), s. 169-181 ISSN 1802-6222 Institutional support: RVO:67985891 Keywords : diatreme * geophysics * volcanology * Permian * Krkonoše Piedmont Basin Subject RIV: DB - Geology ; Mineralogy Impact factor: 1.405, year: 2014 http://www.jgeosci.org/detail/jgeosci.170

Processes of Terrace Formation on the Piedmont of the Santa Cruz River Valley During Quaternary Time, Green Valley-Tubac Area, Southeastern Arizona

Science.gov (United States)

Lindsey, David A.; Van Gosen, Bradley S.

2010-01-01

In this report we describe a series of stepped Quaternary terraces on some piedmont tributaries of the Santa Cruz River valley in southeastern Arizona. These terraces began to form in early Pleistocene time, after major basin-and-range faulting ceased, with lateral planation of basin fill and deposition of thin fans of alluvium. At the end of this cycle of erosion and deposition, tributaries of the Santa Cruz River began the process of dissection and terrace formation that continues to the present. Vertical cutting alternated with periods of equilibrium, during which streams cut laterally and left thin deposits of channel fill. The distribution of terraces was mapped and compiled with adjacent mapping to produce a regional picture of piedmont stream history in the middle part of the Santa Cruz River valley. For selected tributaries, the thickness of terrace fill was measured, particle size and lithology of gravel were determined, and sedimentary features were photographed and described. Mapping of terrace stratigraphy revealed that on two tributaries, Madera Canyon Wash and Montosa Canyon Wash, stream piracy has played an important role in piedmont landscape development. On two other tributaries, Cottonwood Canyon Wash and Josephine Canyon Wash, rapid downcutting preempted piracy. Two types of terraces are recognized: erosional and depositional. Gravel in thin erosional terraces has Trask sorting coefficients and sedimentary structures typical of streamflood deposits, replete with bar-and-swale surface topography on young terraces. Erosional-terrace fill represents the channel fill of the stream that cuts the terrace; the thickness of the fill indicates the depth of channel scour. In contrast to erosional terraces, depositional terraces show evidence of repeated deposition and net aggradation, as indicated by their thickness (as much as 20+ m) and weakly bedded structure. Depositional terraces are common below mountain-front canyon mouths where streams drop their

Origin and hydrogeochemistry of a shallow flow-through lake on a Pleistocene piedmont, northern Spanish Meseta

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Margarita Jambrina

2013-06-01

Full Text Available The Cristo lagoon, situated on Neogene deposits in the northern Spanish Meseta, occupies a shallow depression on a Pleistocene piedmont. The development of the lacustrine depression on the piedmont was favoured by the fault network, reinforced by substrateloss by weathering, probably during the late Quaternary. Even during the hot summer season, salinity is low, with concentrations of total dissolved solids (TDS being around 150 mg L–1. Only when the lagoon is almost dry do TDS concentrations exceed 500 mg L–1, sometimes rising as high as 1700 mg L–1. Whenthe lake level is high, lake chemistry is dominated by Na+, Ca2+, HCO3– and Cl–. During drier stages, there is a relative increase in Ca2+, Mg2+, Cl–, and SO42–, trending toward a calcium chloride-sulphate brine. Values of pH are above 9 during late spring and summer, resulting primarily from evaporative degassing favoured by the shallow depth of water, and secondarily from photosynthesis by the abundant submerged macrophytes. The infilling deposits, less than 0.5 m thick, are dark brown, massive, sandy muds consisting of quartz and clays (illite, kaolinite, smectite, all of which are allogenic in origin. The main source of dissolved sulphate was the oxidation of sulphides during weathering of lower Palaeozoic rocks in the catchment area. The 13C-depleted nature of dissolved inorganic carbon indicates an origin mostly by respiration and oxidation of organic matter. Geomorphology and hydrogeochemistry indicate a flow-through lake dominated essentially by groundwater flows. 

The changing ethnoecological cobweb of white truffle (Tuber mangnatum Pico) gatherers in South Piedmont, NW Italy.

Science.gov (United States)

Pieroni, Andrea

2016-04-18

Traditional Environmental Knowledge (TEK) related to truffles represents an under-investigated area of research in ethnobiology. Nevertheless, truffles, in a few southern European areas, and notably in South Piedmont, represent a crucial component of the local economy and cultural heritage. Thirty-four white truffle (Tuber magnatum Pico) gatherers, locally known as trifulau, aged between 35 and 75 years and living in a few villages and small towns of the Langhe and Roero areas (South Piedmont, NW Italy), were interviewed in-depth during the years 2010-2014 regarding their ecological perceptions, truffle gathering techniques, and the socio-ecological changes that have occurred during the past several decades. A very sophisticated ethnoecological knowledge of the trees, soils, and climatic conditions considered ideal for searching for and finding white truffles was recorded. Moreover, a very intimate connection between gatherers and their dogs plays a fundamental role in the success of the truffle search. However, according to the informants, this complex ethnoecological cobweb among men, truffles, dogs, and the environment has been heavily threatened in the past few decades by major changes: climate change, in which the summer has become a very hot and dry season; social changes, due to a more market-oriented attitude of younger gatherers; and especially environmental and macro-economic dynamics, which followed the remarkable expansion of viticulture in the study area. The TEK of white truffle gatherers indicates the urgent need for fostering sustainable gastronomy-centred initiatives, aimed at increasing the awareness of consumers and food entrepreneurs regarding the co-evolution that has inextricably linked locals, truffles, and their natural environment during the past three centuries.

Analysis of monazite, zircon, and apatite from the southeastern Piedmont. National uranium resource evaluation program

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Karfunkel, B.S.; Fay, W.M.; Price, V. Jr.

1981-12-01

Two hundred sixty-three monazite, 191 zircon, and 16 apatite grains from 52 stream-sediment locations in the Southeastern Piedmont were analyzed by electron microprobe for one of the following suites of elements: Ca, La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd, Er, Dy, Y, Th, U, P, and F, or Ca, La, Ce, Fe, Er, Hf, Y, Th, U, P, Zr, Mg, Al, and Si. Monazite samples that had high uranium or thorium content and zircon samples that had high hafnium or iron content from a total of six locations were reanalyzed to confirm the initial results. This report contains a description of sample collection and preparation procedures, analytical methods, tables of analyses, and a statistical summary of analyses

Late Pleistocene acceleration of deformation across the northern Tianshan piedmont (China) evidenced from the morpho-tectonic evolution of the Dushanzi anticline

Science.gov (United States)

Charreau, Julien; Saint-Carlier, Dimitri; Lavé, Jérôme; Dominguez, Stéphane; Blard, Pierre-Henri; Avouac, Jean-Philippe; Brown, Nathan D.; Malatesta, Luca Claude; Wang, Shengli; Rhodes, Edward J.

2018-04-01

We document the temporal evolution of deformation in the northern Tianshan piedmont where the deformation is partitioned across several thrusts and folds. We focus on the Dushanzi anticline, where abandoned terraces and growth strata allow us to constrain the history of folding since the Miocene. Based on subsurface seismic imaging, structural measurements and morphological analysis, we show that this anticline is associated with two decollement levels. We use kink band migration in growth strata dated by paleomagnetism to constrain the shortening from the Mio-Pliocene to the Holocene. Our results show that the Dushanzi anticline has been active since at least 8 Ma and that the fold grew at a steady shortening rate of 0.6 ± 0.1 mm/yr from 8 to 1.5 Ma with possible variations from 2.5 to 1.5 Ma. Then it accelerated rapidly to a rate of 4.3 ± 1.0 mm/yr over at least the last 100 ka. These results, together with similar temporal shortening evolutions across other structures, suggest that the deformation rate across the eastern Tianshan piedmont increased relatively recently. This may reflect either a redistribution of the deformation from the internal structures toward the borders or a general acceleration of the deformation across the entire range.

Effects of Repeated Growing Season Prescribed Fire on the Structure and Composition of Pine–Hardwood Forests in the Southeastern Piedmont, USA

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Matthew J. Reilly

2016-12-01

Full Text Available We examined the effects of repeated growing season prescribed fire on the structure and composition of mixed pine–hardwood forests in the southeastern Piedmont region, Georgia, USA. Plots were burned two to four times over an eight-year period with low intensity surface fires during one of four six-week long periods from early April to mid-September. Density of saplings (0.25–11.6 cm diameter at breast height was significantly reduced after one or two fires during the first four-year period. Sapling density declined with additional burning over the next four years, but density of mesic hardwoods including sweetgum (Liquidambar styraciflua and red maple (Acer rubrum remained relatively high (~865 stems ha−1. Repeated burning had little effect on density or basal area of trees (≥11.7 cm dbh and changes in overstory structure were limited to small increases in the quadratic mean diameter of all trees and pines. We found little evidence to suggest differential effects on structure or composition due to timing of burn within the growing season. Although repeated growing season burning alters midstory structure and composition, burning alone is unlikely to result in immediate shifts in overstory composition or structure in mixed pine–hardwood forests of the southeastern Piedmont region.

Patterns and contributions of floodplain and legacy sediments remobilized from Piedmont streams of the mid-Atlantic U.S.

Science.gov (United States)

Donovan, Mitchell; Miller, Andrew; Baker, Matthew; Gellis, Allen

2015-04-01

The perceived role of streambank erosion as a contributor to watershed sediment yield is an important driver of policy decisions for managing downstream impacts in the United States. In the Piedmont physiographic province of the eastern U.S. and in other regions of the south and midwest, the issue of 'legacy' sediment stored in stream valleys has long been recognized as a consequence of rapid deforestation and erosive agricultural practices following European settlement. Remobilization of stored floodplain sediment by bank erosion is frequently cited as a dominant component of watershed sediment budgets, with legacy sediment comprising the largest portion of this source. However there are few published studies documenting spatially extensive measurements of channel change throughout the drainage network on time scales of more than a few years. In this study we document 1) rates of sediment remobilization from Baltimore County floodplains by channel migration and bank erosion, 2) proportions of streambank sediment derived from legacy deposits, and 3) potential contribution of net streambank erosion and legacy sediments to downstream sediment yield within the Mid-Atlantic Piedmont. We measured gross erosion and channel deposition rates over 45 years within the fluvial corridor along 40 valley segments from 18 watersheds with drainage areas between 0.18 and 155 km2 by comparing stream channel and floodplain morphology from LiDAR-based digital elevation data collected in 2005 with channel positions recorded on 1:2400-scale topographic maps from 1959-1961. Results were extrapolated to estimate contributions to watershed sediment yield from 1005 km2 of northern Baltimore County. Results indicate that legacy sediment is a dominant component (62%) of the sediment derived from bank erosion and that its relative importance is greater in larger valleys with broader valley floors and lower gradients. Although mass of sediment remobilized per unit channel length is greater in

[«All of a sudden…» preventability and priorities of construction fatalities: an experience in Piedmont].

Science.gov (United States)

Pasqualini, Osvaldo; Libener, Marcello; Farina, Elena; Bena, Antonella

2011-01-01

To examine the usefulness for prevention of the National Surveillance System on occupational fatalities, which is based on the narrative description of the work accident collected by OSH inspectors and on the subsequent classification of the injury dynamics by means of a standardized model of analysis. The system ability of providing useful recommendations for prevention was evaluated on one hand by analyzing the effectiveness of inspections in preventing fatalities, on the other hand by identifying the most frequent accident mechanisms. Data analyzed consisted of investigation reports of construction fatalities occurred during 2002-2008 in the Piedmont Region, collected by surveillance system. The injury narrative description was used to assess whether the fatality would have been preventable by an inspection hypothetically conducted the day before the event; injuries were classified as probably preventable, probably not preventable, and uncertain. A standardized model of classification of injury dynamics was employed to identify mechanisms and circumstances related to the construction fatalities, and particularly those caused by falls from height. Among 122 construction fatalities occurred, 25%were considered probably preventable and 60%probably not preventable. Half of the construction fatalities was caused by fall from height, most of which were caused by sudden breaking of a surface walkway, and almost 20% by fall of objects, including burial. The analysis of the preventability of construction fatalities in Piedmont seems partly to rebut the assumption that more inspections are necessarily associated with a reduction in fatalities. The interpretation of the injury narrative descriptions, which are implemented by OHS inspectors as part of their usual activity, through a standardized model of analysis allows to identify the breaking of surface walkways as the most important mechanism of fatality among falls from height.

Cultural Routes and Networks of Knowledge: the Identity and Promotion of Cultural Heritage. The Case Study of Piedmont

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Silvia Beltramo

2013-07-01

Full Text Available The European project called “PER VIAM Pilgrims’ Routes In Action”, funded by the European Commission in 2012, is a significant opportunity of cultural and economic development for the whole Europe and also for the territory of Piedmont Region. The certainty of the need for transnational cooperation, which should create a network amongst the different territories in a perspective of working together and exchange of traveling, economic and cultural experiences – as well as best practices - nowadays calls for implementation tools such as European projects supported and sought for by the local authorities.The Piedmont is nowadays crossed by various cultural itineraries, many of which are certificated by the European Council: Via Francigena, the Route of the Cistercian Abbeys, the Transromanica, the itinerary of the historical thermal cities and the Saint Michael's way. Starting from a survey on the meaning of "cultural itinerary" expressed by the different European institutions (i.e. ICOMOS, UNESCO, Council of Europe and European Commission, this essay is proposing an analysis of the current status of such territory, highlighting the public policies in progress, the role and activities of the local associations and the valorisation of implemented projects as related to those itineraries which have already been recognized by the Council of Europe.This paper presents some significant experiences and best practices in the study of religious tourism, as they have been defined on the regional territory throughout the last few years, which can contribute to the debate and to the overall awareness on management and valorization of sustainable tourism. 

Soil Co2 Efflux and Soil Carbon Content as Influenced by Thinning in Loblolly Pine Plantations on the Piedmont of Virginia

OpenAIRE

Selig, Marcus Franklin

2003-01-01

The thinning of loblolly pine plantations has a great potential to influence the fluxes and storage of carbon within managed stands. This study looked at the effects of thinning on aboveground carbon and mineral soil carbon storage, 14-years after the thinning of an 8-year-old loblolly pine plantation on the piedmont of Virginia. The study also examined soil respiration for one year following the second thinning of the same stand at age twenty-two. The study was conducted using three repli...

Swot Analysis of Tourism on Kopaonik and the Spas of its Piedmont

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Goran Bojović

2011-07-01

Full Text Available Kopaonik and the four spas of Jošanica, Lukovo, Prolom and Kursumlija, of its piedmont occupy an area of approximately 3,400 km² with a population of 110,000 inhabitants. In terms of administration, the researched area is disposal of 11 municipalities. In some municipalities, tourism has been developed and improved according to plan, with the municipalities of Raška, Kuršumlija and Brus being the leading ones. In the development plans of these municipalities, tourism has received priority importance. In addition to the numerous indicators of sustainable tourism development of this mountain-spa region, the SWOT analysis certainly contributes significantly to a clearer view of this situation. Through specific examples of “advantages and opportunities” the SWOT analysis will indicate the link of reality of tourism with opportunities of the region and offer guidelines to ease some of many years’ disadvantages and shortcomings. “ Five key factors for the mountain and spa tourism of Kopaonik will be exposed to the authors in the thesis through analysis and comments.

Abundance, feeding and reproduction of Salminus sp. (Pisces: Characidae from mountain streams of the Andean piedmont in Venezuela

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Douglas Rodríguez-Olarte

Full Text Available To obtain basic information for management, aspects of the ecology of Salminus sp. (Pisces: Characidae, were studied in piedmont rivers of the southwestern flank of the Andes in Venezuela. Collections were made with seines of various lengths and mesh sizes, and both underwater and terrestrial observations were recorded to estimate abundance and feeding events. Interviews with local fishermen and inhabitants were made to obtain data on use. The species is present along the entire length of the Andean piedmont in Venezuela, although in some rivers it is now scarce. Small individuals form mixed schools with Brycon whitei, but larger Salminus sp. usually only school with others of the same species. Average abundance was greater in larger rivers, and didn't vary appreciably with season for any of the rivers studied. Size and weight ranged from 15.1 to 40.5 cm SL and 47.7 to 1,210 g, respectively. Females had maximum ovary maturity at the beginning of the rainy season, with an average fecundity of 35,834 eggs, and spawning occurred during spates of high water. Feeding was crepuscular, with most events recorded during the first and last hours of sunlight. In smaller fish up to 20 cm SL, the diet was varied, but above that size fish were the principal food item. Salminus sp. has little commercial importance in this region but forms an important part of the local subsistence fishery, and occasionally it is targeted for sport fishing. The minimum legal size of capture for the species should be raised, since the current limit permits the capture of many sexually immature individuals.

Better utilization of ground water in the Piedmont and mountain region of the southeast

Science.gov (United States)

Heath, Ralph C.

1979-01-01

The development of water supplies for domestic consumption, and for those commercial and industrial uses requiring relatively pure water, has followed a pattern in the Piedmont and mountain areas of the southeast similar to that in most other humid areas. The first settlers utilized seepage springs on hillsides. Such springs occur along steep slopes where the water table intersects the land surface. As the population of the region grew, it became increasingly necessary to resort to shallow dug wells for domestic water supplies. Such wells also served as sources of water for the villages that developed, in time, around crossroad taverns. Seepage springs and dug wells are a satisfactory source of water in a virgin environment but are quickly polluted by careless waste-disposal practices. Thus disposal of domestic wastes in shallow pits resulted in epidemics of water-borne diseases as the villages grew into towns. This resulted in the third phase of water-supply development, which consisted of installing water lines and supplying water to homes from town-owned wells. In time, some of these wells became polluted and others failed to supply adequate water for the increasing needs of the larger urban areas. In the fourth phase these areas met their needs by drawing water from nearby streams. By the early years of this century it was possible to make this water palatable and relatively safe as a result of improvement in filtration methods. Streams, of course, have highly variable rates of flow and, as towns grew into small cities, the minimum flow of many streams was not adequate to meet the water-supply needs. This problem was solved in the fifth phase by building dams on the streams. We are still in this phase as we build larger and larger reservoirs to meet our growing water needs. Thus, through five phases of growth in the Piedmont and mountains we have advanced from the point where ground water was the sole source of supply to the point where it is the forgotten

Effect of culture and density on aboveground biomass allocation of 12 years old loblolly pine trees in the upper coastal plain and piedmont of Georgia and Alabama

Science.gov (United States)

Santosh Subedi; Dr. Michael Kane; Dr. Dehai Zhao; Dr. Bruce Borders; Dr. Dale Greene

2012-01-01

We destructively sampled a total of 192 12-year-old loblolly pine trees from four installations established by the Plantation Management Research Cooperative (PMRC) to analyze the effects of planting density and cultural intensity on tree level biomass allocation in the Piedmont and Upper Coastal Plain of Georgia and Alabama. Each installation had 12 plots, each plot...

On Grape, Feast and Community: An Ethnographic Note on the Making of a Grape Harvest Festival in an Italian Town in Piedmont

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Michele Filippo Fontefrancesco

2014-06-01

Full Text Available This paper analyses the phenomenon of grape harvest festivals in Italy. By exploring ethnographically the grape harvest festival of Lu (Alessandria province, Piedmont region, the paper points out the economic and social roles played by the festivals in modern Italy. The historic analysis of the case study helps to focus on the history of these festivals in the country and the role played by television and localism in defining the present forms of the rite.

On Grape, Feast and Community: An Ethnographic Note on the Making of the Grape Harvest Festival in an Italian Town in Piedmont

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Michele Filippo Fontefrancesco

2014-06-01

Full Text Available This paper analyses the phenomenon of grape harvest festivals in Italy. By exploring ethnographically the grape harvest festival of Lu (Alessandria province, Piedmont region, the paper points out the economic and social roles played by the festivals in modern Italy. The historic analysis of the case study helps to focus on the history of these festivals in the country and the role played by television and localism in defining the present forms of the rite.

Biogeochemical environments of streambed-sediment pore waters withand without arsenic enrichment in a sedimentary rock terrain, New Jersey Piedmont, USA

Science.gov (United States)

Mumford, Adam C.; Barringer, Julia L.; Reilly, Pamela A.; Eberl, Dennis D.; Blum, Alex E.; Young, Lily Y.

2015-01-01

Release of arsenic (As) from sedimentary rocks has resulted in contamination of groundwater in aquifers of the New Jersey Piedmont Physiographic Province, USA; the contamination also may affect the quality of the region's streamwater to which groundwater discharges. Biogeochemical mechanisms involved in the release process were investigated in the streambeds of Six Mile Run and Pike Run, tributaries to the Millstone River in the Piedmont. At Six Mile Run, streambed pore water and shallow groundwater were low or depleted in oxygen, and contained As at concentrations greater than 20μg/L. At Pike Run, oxidizing conditions were present in the streambed, and the As concentration in pore water was 2.1μg/L. The 16S rRNA gene and the As(V) respiratory reductase gene, arrA, were amplified from DNA extracted from streambed pore water at both sites and analyzed, revealing that distinct bacterial communities that corresponded to the redox conditions were present at each site. Anaerobic enrichment cultures were inoculated with pore water from gaining reaches of the streams with acetate and As(V). As(V) was reduced by microbes to As(III) in enrichments with Six Mile Run pore water and groundwater, whereas no reduction occurred in enrichments with Pike Run pore water. Cloning and sequencing of the arrA gene indicated 8 unique operational taxonomic units (OTUs) at Six Mile Run and 11 unique OTUs at Pike Run, which may be representative of the arsenite oxidase gene arxA. Low-oxygen conditions at Six Mile Run have favored microbial As reduction and release, whereas release was inhibited by oxidizing conditions at Pike Run.

Recent and historic sediment dynamics along Difficult Run, a suburban Virginia Piedmont stream

Science.gov (United States)

Hupp, Cliff R.; Noe, Gregory B.; Schenk, Edward R.; Bentham, Adam J.

2012-01-01

Suspended sediment is one of the major concerns regarding the quality of water entering the Chesapeake Bay. Some of the highest suspended-sediment concentrations occur on Piedmont streams, including Difficult Run, a tributary of the Potomac River draining urban and suburban parts of northern Virginia. Accurate information on catchment level sediment budgets is rare and difficult to determine. Further, the sediment trapping portion of sediment budget represents an important ecosystem service that profoundly affects downstream water quality. Our objectives, with special reference to human alterations to the landscape, include the documentation and estimation of floodplain sediment trapping (present and historic) and bank erosion along an urbanized Piedmont stream, the construction of a preliminary sediment balance, and the estimation of legacy sediment and recent development impacts. We used white feldspar markers to measure floodplain sedimentation rates and steel pins to measure erosion rates on floodplains and banks, respectively. Additional data were collected for/from legacy sediment thickness and characteristics, mill pond impacts, stream gaging station records, topographic surveying, and sediment density, texture, and organic content. Data were analyzed using GIS and various statistical programs. Results are interpreted relative to stream equilibrium affected by both post-colonial bottomland sedimentation (legacy) and modern watershed hardening associated with urbanization. Six floodplain/channel sites, from high to low in the watershed, were selected for intensive study. Bank erosion ranges from 0 to 470 kg/m/y and floodplain sedimentation ranges from 18 to 1369 kg/m/y (m refers to meters of stream reach). Upstream reaches are net erosional, while downstream reaches have a distinctly net depositional flux providing a watershed sediment balance of 2184 kg/m/y trapped within the system. The amounts of both deposition and erosion are large and suggest

Recent and historic sediment dynamics along Difficult Run, a suburban Virginia Piedmont stream

Science.gov (United States)

Hupp, Cliff R.; Noe, Gregory B.; Schenk, Edward R.; Benthem, Adam J.

2013-01-01

Suspended sediment is one of the major concerns regarding the quality of water entering the Chesapeake Bay. Some of the highest suspended-sediment concentrations occur on Piedmont streams, including Difficult Run, a tributary of the Potomac River draining urban and suburban parts of northern Virginia. Accurate information on catchment level sediment budgets is rare and difficult to determine. Further, the sediment trapping portion of sediment budget represents an important ecosystem service that profoundly affects downstream water quality. Our objectives, with special reference to human alterations to the landscape, include the documentation and estimation of floodplain sediment trapping (present and historic) and bank erosion along an urbanized Piedmont stream, the construction of a preliminary sediment balance, and the estimation of legacy sediment and recent development impacts. We used white feldspar markers to measure floodplain sedimentation rates and steel pins to measure erosion rates on floodplains and banks, respectively. Additional data were collected for/from legacy sediment thickness and characteristics, mill pond impacts, stream gaging station records, topographic surveying, and sediment density, texture, and organic content. Data were analyzed using GIS and various statistical programs. Results are interpreted relative to stream equilibrium affected by both post-colonial bottomland sedimentation (legacy) and modern watershed hardening associated with urbanization. Six floodplain/channel sites, from high to low in the watershed, were selected for intensive study. Bank erosion ranges from 0 to 470 kg/m/y and floodplain sedimentation ranges from 18 to 1369 kg/m/y (m refers to meters of stream reach). Upstream reaches are net erosional, while downstream reaches have a distinctly net depositional flux providing a watershed sediment balance of 2184 kg/m/y trapped within the system. The amounts of both deposition and erosion are large and suggest

Dendrochronology and late Holocene history of Bering piedmont glacier, Alaska

Science.gov (United States)

Wiles, G.C.; Post, A.; Muller, E.H.; Molnia, B.F.

1999-01-01

Fluctuations of the piedmont lobe of Bering Glacier and its sublobe Steller Glacier over the past two millennia are reconstructed using 34 radiocarbon dates and tree-ring data from 16 sites across the glaciers' forelands. The general sequence of glacial activity is consistent with well-dated fluctuations of tidewater and land-terminating glaciers elsewhere along the Gulf of Alaska. Extensive forested areas along 25 km of the Bering ice margin were inundated by glacio-lacustrine and glacio-fluvial sediments during a probable ice advance shortly before 500 cal yr A.D. Regrowth of forests followed the retreating ice as early as the 7th century A.D., with frequent interruptions of tree growth due to outwash aggradation. Forests overrun by ice and buried in outwash indicate readvance about 1080 cal yr A.D. Retreat followed, with ice-free conditions maintained along the distal portions of the forefield until the early 17th century after which the ice advanced to within a few kilometers of its outer Neoglacial moraine. Ice reached this position after the mid-17th century and prior to 200 yr ago. Since the early 20th century, glacial retreat has been punctuated by periodic surges. The record from forests overrun by the nonsurging Steller Lobe shows that this western ice margin was advancing by 1250 A.D., reaching near its outer moraine after 1420 cal yr A.D. Since the late 19th century, the lobe has dominantly retreated.

Regional Curves of Bankfull Channel Geometry for Non-Urban Streams in the Piedmont Physiographic Province, Virginia

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Lotspeich, R. Russell

2009-01-01

Natural-channel design involves constructing a stream channel with the dimensions, slope, and plan-view pattern that would be expected to transport water and sediment and yet maintain habitat and aesthetics consistent with unimpaired stream segments, or reaches. Regression relations for bankfull stream characteristics based on drainage area, referred to as 'regional curves,' are used in natural stream channel design to verify field determinations of bankfull discharge and stream channel characteristics. One-variable, ordinary least-squares regressions relating bankfull discharge, bankfull cross-sectional area, bankfull width, bankfull mean depth, and bankfull slope to drainage area were developed on the basis of data collected at 17 streamflow-gaging stations in rural areas with less than 20 percent urban land cover within the basin area (non-urban areas) of the Piedmont Physiographic Province in Virginia. These regional curves can be used to estimate the bankfull discharge and bankfull channel geometry when the drainage area of a watershed is known. Data collected included bankfull cross-sectional geometry, flood-plain geometry, and longitudinal profile data. In addition, particle-size distributions of streambed material were determined, and data on basin characteristics were compiled for each reach. Field data were analyzed to determine bankfull cross-sectional area, bankfull width, bankfull mean depth, bankfull discharge, bankfull channel slope, and D50 and D84 particle sizes at each site. The bankfull geometry from the 17 sites surveyed during this study represents the average of two riffle cross sections for each site. Regional curves developed for the 17 sites had coefficient of determination (R2) values of 0.950 for bankfull cross-sectional area, 0.913 for bankfull width, 0.915 for bankfull mean depth, 0.949 for bankfull discharge, and 0.497 for bankfull channel slope. The regional curves represent conditions for streams with defined channels and bankfull

Trends and risk factors for syphilis infection in Piedmont Region, Italy, 2002-2008.

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Federica Vigna-Taglianti

2011-03-01

Full Text Available

Abstract:
Background: This work aims to analyze trends of syphilis infections in the Piedmont Region (Italy between 2002 and 2008, and to evaluate risk factors for infection. Methods: Syphilis trends were described according to socio-demographic characteristics, sexual behavior, condom use, number of partners and HIV infection. Independent risk factors for syphilis among men having sex with men (MSM, men having sex with women (MSW, and women were identified through logistic regression comparing cases with 12,773 negative patients. Results: Between 2002 and 2008, 1,046 cases of syphilis were diagnosed, with peaks in 2004 and 2007. The risk of a syphilis diagnosis was independently associated with being older than 24, having a low education level, homosexual behavior, HIV self-reported infection (for MSM and MSW, number of partners (for MSW and women and non- consistent condom use (for women. Conclusions: Recent outbreaks suggest that the attention to syphilis can’t be lowered. Screening, treatment of cases and notification of partners should be reinforced and integrated with sexual health education and counselling in high-risk environments. Surveillance data must be continuously collected.

Development of regional curves of bankfull-channel geometry and discharge for streams in the non-urban, Piedmont Physiographic Province, Pennsylvania and Maryland

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Cinotto, Peter J.

2003-01-01

Stream-restoration projects utilizing natural stream designs frequently are based on the bankfull-channel characteristics of stream reaches that can accommodate streamflow and sediment transport without excessive erosion or deposition and lie within a watershed that has similar runoff characteristics. The bankfull channel at an ungaged impaired site or reference reach is identified by use of field indicators and is confirmed with tools such as regional curves. Channel dimensions were surveyed at 14 streamflow-measurement stations operated by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) in the Gettysburg-Newark Lowland Section, Piedmont Lowland Section, and the Piedmont Upland Section of the Piedmont Physiographic Province1 in Pennsylvania and Maryland. From the surveyed channel dimensions, regional curves were developed from regression analyses of the relations between drainage area and the cross-sectional area, mean depth, width, and streamflow of the bankfull channel at these sites. Bankfull cross-sectional area and bankfull discharge have the strongest relation to drainage area as evidenced by R2 values of 0.94 and 0.93, respectively. The relation between bankfull crosssectional area and drainage area has a p-value of less than 0.001; no p-value is presented for the relation between bankfull discharge and drainage area because of a non-normal residual distribution. The relation between bankfull width and drainage area has an R2 value of 0.80 and a p-value of less than 0.001 indicating a moderate linear relation between all stations. The relation between bankfull mean depth and drainage area, with an R2 value of 0.72 and a p-value of less than 0.001, also indicates a moderate linear relation between all stations. The concept of regional curves can be a valuable tool to support efforts in stream restoration. Practitioners of stream restoration need to recognize it as such and realize the limitations. The small number of USGS streamflow-measurement stations available for

Fertilization Management of Paddy Fields in Piedmont (NW Italy

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Laura Zavattaro

2008-09-01

Full Text Available A well-documented analysis of fertilization management techniques in use by farmers in a given region is the first step to improving the management standards of agronomic practices. The aim of this work was to summarize the fertilization management that farmers normally utilize for the rice crop in the Piedmont Region of Northwest Italy, and to analyze its agronomic and environmental sustainability. On average, 127 kg ha-1 of N, 67 kg ha-1 of P2O5, and 161 kg ha-1 of K2O were applied to the rice crop. Inorganic fertilizers were used on most of the surface. Calcium cyanamide was the most widely used slow-release product. Commercial organic compounds were spread on about 32% of the paddy surface, while farmyard manure was distributed over 6% of the surface. Organic-mineral products were also widely used. One fourth of the paddy surface received only inorganic products. Using organic or organic-mineral fertilizers together with inorganic products was the most common strategy (55% of the paddy surface. In most cases, N and P fertilization was balanced with crop removal. The N soil surface balance was in the ± 50 kg range for 77% of the surface, P fertilization was less than removal for 53% of the surface, whereas K fertilization was excessive (surplus >100 kg ha-1 for 53% of the surface. The nutrient balance was affected by the widespread practice of burning straw after harvest (66% of the paddy surface. The farmers modulated fertilization according to the rice variety requirements and tolerance to high N supply. The largest nutrient surplus was associated with stocking farms. Inefficient use of fertilizers that should be avoided to improve the territorial nutrient balance were then outlined, and possible specific actions were proposed.

Fertilization Management of Paddy Fields in Piedmont (NW Italy

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Laura Zavattaro

Full Text Available A well-documented analysis of fertilization management techniques in use by farmers in a given region is the first step to improving the management standards of agronomic practices. The aim of this work was to summarize the fertilization management that farmers normally utilize for the rice crop in the Piedmont Region of Northwest Italy, and to analyze its agronomic and environmental sustainability. On average, 127 kg ha-1 of N, 67 kg ha-1 of P2O5, and 161 kg ha-1 of K2O were applied to the rice crop. Inorganic fertilizers were used on most of the surface. Calcium cyanamide was the most widely used slow-release product. Commercial organic compounds were spread on about 32% of the paddy surface, while farmyard manure was distributed over 6% of the surface. Organic-mineral products were also widely used. One fourth of the paddy surface received only inorganic products. Using organic or organic-mineral fertilizers together with inorganic products was the most common strategy (55% of the paddy surface. In most cases, N and P fertilization was balanced with crop removal. The N soil surface balance was in the ± 50 kg range for 77% of the surface, P fertilization was less than removal for 53% of the surface, whereas K fertilization was excessive (surplus >100 kg ha-1 for 53% of the surface. The nutrient balance was affected by the widespread practice of burning straw after harvest (66% of the paddy surface. The farmers modulated fertilization according to the rice variety requirements and tolerance to high N supply. The largest nutrient surplus was associated with stocking farms. Inefficient use of fertilizers that should be avoided to improve the territorial nutrient balance were then outlined, and possible specific actions were proposed.

Comparison of landslide forecasting services in Piedmont (Italy) and Norway, illustrated by events in late spring 2013

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Devoli, Graziella; Tiranti, Davide; Cremonini, Roberto; Sund, Monica; Boje, Søren

2018-05-01

Only few countries operate systematically national and regional forecasting services for rainfall-induced landslides (i.e., debris flows, debris avalanches and shallow slides), among them Norway and Italy. In Norway, the Norwegian Water Resources and Energy Directorate (NVE) operates a landslide forecasting service at national level. In Italy, the Regional Agency for Environmental Protection, ARPA Piemonte, is responsible for issuing landslide warnings for the Piedmont region, located in northwestern Italy. A daily hazard assessment is performed, describing both expected awareness level and type of landslide hazard for a selected warning region. Both services provide regular landslide hazard assessments based on a combination of quantitative thresholds and daily rainfall forecasts together with qualitative expert analysis. Daily warning reports are published at http://www.arpa.piemonte.gov.it/rischinaturali and http://www.varsom.no, last access: 7 May 2018. In spring 2013, ARPA Piemonte and the NVE issued warnings for hydro-meteorological hazards due to the arrival of a deep and large low-pressure system, called herein Vb cyclone. This kind of weather system is known to produce the largest floods in Europe. Less known is that this weather pattern can trigger landslides as well. In this study, we present the experiences of NVE and ARPA Piemonte in the late spring of 2013. The Vb cyclone influenced weather throughout Europe over a long period, from the end of April until the beginning of June 2013. However, major affects were observed in the first half part of this period in Piedmont, while in Norway, major damage was reported from 15 May to 2 June 2013. Floods and landslides significantly damaged roads, railways, buildings and other infrastructure in both countries. This case study shows that large synoptic pattern can produce different natural hazards in different parts of Europe, from sandstorms at low latitudes, to flood and landslides when the system moves

Analysis of information on food chain in Europe and Piedmont region, Italy

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Daniele Pattono

2014-09-01

Full Text Available Food chain information (FCI is an innovation of the new European regulation. Its purpose is to enhance the concept of food security. FCI includes specifications such as: health status, information on treatments and diseases, analytical reports on control plans, zoonoses or environmental contaminants, production performance, etc. The aim of this article is to compare the different European guidelines and analyse the situation in Piedmont in order to assess potential problems and propose solutions. European guidelines are similar one another, but they have been tailored to the epidemiological situations of each state. Except for Spain and Germany, FCI models are different for each species and the poultry sector is the most detailed. Unfortunately, Italy has not provided guidelines yet, and this has generated considerable differences. Overall, the number of FCI models with incomplete information is the largest group compared to the models not completed for each entry. The main deficiencies are related to pharmacological treatments. The health status of the farm is listed consistently regarding the compulsory eradication plans, but other national voluntary or accreditation plans are rarely mentioned. The situation is similar in other European countries. In conclusion, FCI is an effective tool if applied with consistency and reason. Only in this way the collection of data will be effective and representative of the food chain.

Availability of emergency contraception: a survey of hospital emergency department gynaecologists and emergency physicians in Piedmont, Italy.

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Bo, Marco; Casagranda, Ivo; Charrier, Lorena; Gianino, Maria Michela

2012-10-01

To compare the knowledge and the willingness of emergency physicians and gynaecologists caring for women in Italian emergency departments (EDs) to prescribe levonorgestrel-only emergency contraceptive pills (LNG-EC pills). A cross-sectional survey was conducted in 2009; anonymous postal questionnaires were mailed to the medical staff working at the 30 EDs located in Piedmont (Italy). Emergency physicians and gynaecologists have similar knowledge of the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of LNG-EC pills, but do not feel at ease in prescribing these and consider the prescription of LNG-EC pills an inappropriate activity for ED staff. In Italy, unlike in most other European countries, LNG-EC pills are still prescription drugs. Thus it may be useful to further investigate the reasons why Italian ED medical staff do not feel the prescription of LNG-EC pills should be within their remit and whether women can successfully obtain the prescription from physicians working in other services that can be accessed around the clock.

Quantitative analysis of yield and soil water balance for summer maize on the piedmont of the North China Plain using AquaCrop

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Jingjing WANG,Feng HUANG,Baoguo LI

2015-12-01

Full Text Available The North China Plain (NCP is a major grain production area in China, but the current winter wheat-summer maize system has resulted in a large water deficit. This water-shortage necessitates the improvement of crop water productivity in the NCP. A crop water model, AquaCrop, was adopted to investigate yield and water productivity (WP for rain-fed summer maize on the piedmont of the NCP. The data sets to calibrate and validate the model were obtained from a 3-year (2011—2013 field experiment conducted on the Yanshan piedmont of the NCP. The range of root mean square error (RMSE between the simulated and measured biomass was 0.67—1.25 t·hm-2, and that of relative error (RE was 9.4%—15.4%, the coefficient of determination (R2 ranged from 0.992 to 0.994. The RMSE between the simulated and measured soil water storage at depth of 0—100 cm ranged from 4.09 to 4.39 mm; and RE and R2 in the range of 1.07%—1.20% and 0.880—0.997, respectively. The WP as measured by crop yield per unit evapotranspiration was 2.50—2.66 kg·m-3. The simulated impact of long-term climate (i.e., 1980—2010 and groundwater depth on crop yield and WP revealed that the higher yield and WP could be obtained in dry years in areas with capillary recharge from groundwater, and much lower values elsewhere. The simulation also suggested that supplementary irrigation in areas without capillary groundwater would not result in groundwater over-tapping since the precipitation can meet the water required by both maize and ecosystem, thus a beneficial outcome for both food and ecosystem security can be assured.

Video monitoring of wood transport in a free-meandering piedmont river

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MacVicar, B. J.; Piégay, H.; Tougne, L.; Ali, I.

2009-12-01

Wood in rivers exerts an important influence on riverine habitat, sediment transport, geomorphological form, and human infrastructure. There is a need to quantify wood transport within river systems in order to understand the relevant processes and develop wood budgets at local and watershed scales. Here we present a study that uses a riverside video camera to monitor wood passage. The camera was installed at a gauging station on the Ain River, a 3500 km2 piedmont river (France), in early 2007. Video was obtained during 12 floods, including 5 that were at or greater than the bankfull discharge and one flood at twice the bankfull discharge with a return period between 2 and 5 years. An image analysis algorithm is presented that uses an intersection of intensity, gradient and image difference masks to detect moving wood objects on the surface of the water. The algorithm is compared to the results from manual detection of wood in a selection of video segments. Manual detection is also used to estimate the length, diameter, velocity, and rotation of wood pieces and to note the presence of roots and branches. Agreement between the detection algorithm and the manual detection procedure is on the order of 90%. Despite considerable scatter, results show a threshold of wood transport at approximately two-thirds bankfull, a linear relation between wood transport volume and flow discharge beyond the wood transport threshold, and a strong hysteresis effect such that wood transport is an order of magnitude higher on the rising limb than on the falling limb. Wood transport vs discharge for two floods

Subsidence hazards connected to quarrying activities in a karst area: the case of the Moncalvo sinkhole event (Piedmont, NW Italy

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Bonetto, Sabrina

2008-09-01

Full Text Available Gypsum is an important raw material for constructions and other industrial sectors. In Piedmont (NW Italy, main gypsum bodies are located in the Monferrato area, where large open pits and underground quarries are present. The gypsum-bearing formation outcropping in this area shows typical geological, structural, and hydrogeological features, which affect the quarrying and the related interaction with natural phenomena, human activities, and land use. In particular, gypsum karst has considerable influence on mining operations, as well as mining operations can produce strong impact on gypsum karst. In Monferrato, a specific case of interaction between the quarrying activity and geological, hydrogeological, and territorial setting is represented by the event of water inrush that happened in the Moncalvo underground quarry in association with the development of a surface sinkhole phenomenon.

Comparison of landslide forecasting services in Piedmont (Italy and Norway, illustrated by events in late spring 2013

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G. Devoli

2018-05-01

Full Text Available Only few countries operate systematically national and regional forecasting services for rainfall-induced landslides (i.e., debris flows, debris avalanches and shallow slides, among them Norway and Italy. In Norway, the Norwegian Water Resources and Energy Directorate (NVE operates a landslide forecasting service at national level. In Italy, the Regional Agency for Environmental Protection, ARPA Piemonte, is responsible for issuing landslide warnings for the Piedmont region, located in northwestern Italy. A daily hazard assessment is performed, describing both expected awareness level and type of landslide hazard for a selected warning region. Both services provide regular landslide hazard assessments based on a combination of quantitative thresholds and daily rainfall forecasts together with qualitative expert analysis. Daily warning reports are published at http://www.arpa.piemonte.gov.it/rischinaturali and http://www.varsom.no, last access: 7 May 2018. In spring 2013, ARPA Piemonte and the NVE issued warnings for hydro-meteorological hazards due to the arrival of a deep and large low-pressure system, called herein Vb cyclone. This kind of weather system is known to produce the largest floods in Europe. Less known is that this weather pattern can trigger landslides as well. In this study, we present the experiences of NVE and ARPA Piemonte in the late spring of 2013. The Vb cyclone influenced weather throughout Europe over a long period, from the end of April until the beginning of June 2013. However, major affects were observed in the first half part of this period in Piedmont, while in Norway, major damage was reported from 15 May to 2 June 2013. Floods and landslides significantly damaged roads, railways, buildings and other infrastructure in both countries. This case study shows that large synoptic pattern can produce different natural hazards in different parts of Europe, from sandstorms at low latitudes, to flood and landslides when

[Organizational well-being in public health. Climate survey in a Piedmont public health organization].

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Agnelli, Ileana; Saglietti, Daniele; Zotti, Anna Maria

2010-01-01

More and more Italian and European directives refers to organizational health promotion in work placements. As a matter of fact, organization well-being implies important benefits for individuals and improves business efficiency/efficacy. Improving factors involve listening tools aimed to analyze critical situations and needs, focus on working teams and communication development. In this respect, in a public health organization in Piedmont a research was devised for planning interventions of organizational health promotion and improvement, relying on climate analysis. The research process was supported by General Direction and involved the head of physicians and the departments CPSE (Coordinatore Professionale Sanitario Esperto: Professional Health Coordinator). The survey was carried out on the organizational population, focusing on teambuilding, which is the core of daily work life. Team Climate Inventory Questionnaire (TCI) was employed and administered on-line. Beyond the 5 original factorial scales, 6 item groups related to the individuals feeling in working team and consistent with the research interests were identified. 75.42% (n=1264) of employees answered the provided questionnaire. The data highlighted average scores--expressing organizational climate--over other public health organization data. The subjects also showed a good organizational climate perception. Elderly workers appeared more satisfied than the young ones. Furthermore, higher educated subjects took more advantage of technical and organizational supports.

Ecological aspects of Lebiasina erythrinoides (Characiformes: Lebiasinidae from an andean piedmont stream in Colombia

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Javier Alejandro Maldonado Ocampo

2016-03-01

Full Text Available The present study describes ecological aspects of Lebiasina erythrinoides; 200 individuals were sampled throughout an annual hydrological cycle from October 2008 to September 2009 in La Calaboza stream, a Piedmont tributary of the Rio Cravo Sur. The studied population had more females than males (1.5:1 and preferred habitats dominated by shoreline vegetation and rocky substrates. Prior to reproductive events, individuals presented an increase in the condition factor (K and the gonosomatic index (GSI. On average, 648.8 oocytes are discharged twice a year: at the beginning of the rainy season, and during falling water phase. The mean sizes at sexual maturity found for females were 73.5 mm standard length (SL and for males 70 mm SL. Rounding up, an average minimum size of capture of 75 mm SL is proposed. Most specimens of the population (65 % were found to be maturing or mature (stages II and III, 28.5 % immature (stage I, 5.0 % in post reproduction stage V, and 1.5 % in reproductive phase (IV. Results suggest this species is omnivorous with a preference for invertebrates (IRI = 41.2 % and vegetal material (IRI = 27.8 %, but also includes a variety of other items. The values of the diet are correlated with hydrological cycle and size.

Deep Percolation in Arid Piedmont Slopes: Multiple Lines of Evidence Show How Land Use Change and Ecohydrological Properties Affect Groundwater Recharge

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Schreiner-McGraw, A.; Vivoni, E. R.; Browning, D. M.

2017-12-01

A critical hydrologic process in arid regions is the contribution of episodic streamflow in ephemeral channels to groundwater recharge. This process has traditionally been studied in channels that drain large watersheds (10s to 100s km2). In this study, we aim to characterize the provision of the ecosystem services of surface and groundwater supply in a first-order watershed (4.6 ha) in an arid piedmont slope of the Jornada Experimental Range (JER). We use an observational and modeling approach to estimate deep percolation. During a 6 year study period, we observed 428 mm of percolation (P) and 39 mm of runoff (Q); ratios of P to rainfall (R) of P/R = 0.27 and Q/R = 0.02. Utilizing an instrument network and site measurements, we determine that percolation occurs primarily inside channel reaches when these receive runoff from upland hillslopes and find that a monthly rainfall threshold of 62 mm is needed for significant percolation to be generated. In order to quantify the mechanisms leading to this threshold response, we develop a channel transmission loss module for the TIN-based Real-time Integrated Basin Simulator (tRIBS) and test the model thoroughly against the available observations over the study period. For these purposes, we make use of image classifications from Unmanned Aerial Vehicle flights, a ground-based phenocam, and species-level measurements to parameterize vegetation processes in the model. We then conduct an extensive set of sensitivity experiments to determine the relative roles of channel, soil, and vegetation properties on modifying the relation between monthly rainfall and percolation. Additionally, we test how the observed vegetation transitions in the JER over the last 150 years affect the deep percolation and runoff estimates. By quantifying mechanisms through which vegetation changes affect water resource provision, this work provides new insights on the ecohydrological controls on the water yield of arid piedmont slopes.

"Territorial promiscuity” and border demarcation in Piedmont. The case of Piovà Massaia and Cerreto d’Asti

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Renato Bordone

2006-06-01

Full Text Available The relationship between a community organized in an established administrative structure and the surrounding territory and its exploitable resources is not always definitely biunique. We will discuss some cases in Piedmont, illustrating the persistence of situations dating back to the Middle Ages that still affect the administrative structures. Particular attention will be given to the boundary dispute between Cerreto d’Asti and Piovà Massaia, originating from a long-lasting condition of uncertain boundaries between the two territories. Originally, both villages were part of one ecclesiastical-political district (the Mairate parish church, with no territorial divisions. In the Modern Age each of them achieved a more defined territorial status; yet, there remained (and still remain areas of uncertain attribution. The dispute that is now in progress is the heritage of a territorial organization dating back to the Middle Ages, at present opposing a different, universally adopted model. Thus two alternatives – originally not in contrast – emerge: either sharing the territorial resources or exploiting them in an exclusive way.

Review of potential host rocks for radioactive waste disposal in the Piedmont Province of Virginia and Maryland

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brown, W.R.

1980-10-01

This study is a detailed follow-up of a broad study of the Southeastern Piedmont by Acres American, Inc. (1978) based upon literature and existing knowledge. The purpose is to designate broad areas in which the rock type is favorable for field exploration for the possible designation of a site for disposal of solidified radioactive waste. The Acres study classified rock units as favorable, potentially favorable, and unfavorable. The objective of the present study is: (1) to review the criteria used in this classification, and (2) on the basis of a detailed knowledge of local rock units to reassign the rock types in the potentially favorable category to either the favorable or the unfavorable categories. As in the Acres study, the objective is to designate field study areas, not potential sites. This study was based entirely upon a literature study, discussions with persons knowledgeable of the region, and a personal acquaintance with the rocks and structures. No field work was done specifically for this project. No consideration was given to sociological, economic, or non-technical factors

Impact of land use change on soil carbon loss of the Sikkim Himalayan piedmont

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Prokop, Pawel; Ploskonka, Dominik

2014-05-01

Natural and human causes of change in land use on soil carbon were studied at the outlet of the Tista River from the Sikkim Himalayas over the last 150 years. Analysis of topographic maps and satellite images indicates that the land reforms related to location of tea gardens in the piedmont caused rapid deforestation of terraces in the late 19th century. Continuous population growth after 1930 initiated the replacement of floodplain forest by rice cultivation. Both processes changed soil carbon content and intensified fluvial activity expressed through terrace erosion. The replacement of natural forest by tea cultivation reduced the soil carbon content within terraces from 1.95 kg to 1.77 kg (in 1 m of topsoil) respectively. The replacement of natural forest by rice reduced the soil carbon content within floodplains from 0.42 kg to 0.23 kg (in 1 m topsoil) respectively. Much more dangerous, was terrace erosion leading to permanent removal of sediment including soil. The total loss of soil carbon in a 1 m thick soil layer due to conversion of 5 km2 forest to tea cultivation was about 900 t between 1930 and 2010. While the total soil carbon removed due to 1.8 km2 terrace erosion reached 3510 t in the same period. Result is the outcome of research project 2012/05/B/ST10/00309 of the National Science Centre (Poland).

Coarse woody debris and soil respiration 6 years post-tornado in a Piedmont forest blowdown

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Oldfield, C.; Peterson, C. J.

2017-12-01

Severe wind disturbances can rapidly change carbon pools and fluxes in forests, causing a site to switch from a carbon sink to a source in a matter of minutes. Moreover, salvage logging after a disturbance can result in disturbed and compacted soil, altered woody debris carbon pools, and seedling mortality, all of which may further alter carbon dynamics beyond that caused by the disturbance itself. We measured down dead wood and soil respiration in the summer of 2017 at Boggs Creek Recreation Area in the Piedmont of northeast Georgia, the site of a severe tornado in 2011. Down dead wood and soil respiration were compared in control (intact forest), salvaged, and unsalvaged areas. Megagrams per hectare of down dead wood was significantly higher in the unsalvaged condition than the control or salvage logging condition (ANOVAs, pdead wood was not significantly different in the control when compared to the salvage logging condition (p=0.99). Soil respiration was significantly higher in the salvage logged condition than the control (pdead wood in a forest, and salvage logging may lead to greater soil respiration years after the initial disturbance, both of which will influence the time elapsed before a disturbed forest switches from carbon source to carbon sink. Further research is needed to determine the duration of these effects, along with the carbon consequences for other forest carbon pools.

Cancer incidence rates and trends among children and adolescents in Piedmont, 1967-2011.

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Isaevska, Elena; Manasievska, Milena; Alessi, Daniela; Mosso, Maria Luisa; Magnani, Corrado; Sacerdote, Carlotta; Pastore, Guido; Fagioli, Franca; Merletti, Franco; Maule, Milena

2017-01-01

In the past, increases in childhood cancer incidence were reported in Europe and North America. The aim of this study is to show updated patterns of temporal behavior using data of the Childhood Cancer Registry of Piedmont (CCRP), a region with approximately 4.5 million inhabitants in North-West Italy. CCRP has been recording incident cases in children (0-14 years) since 1967 and in adolescents (15-19) since 2000. Time trends were estimated as annual percent change (APC) over the 1976-2011 period for children, and over 2000-2011 for both children and adolescents. CCRP registered 5020 incident cases from 1967 to 2011. Incidence rates were 157 per million person-years for children (1967-2011) and 282 for adolescents (2000-2011). From 1976-2011, increasing trends were observed in children for all neoplasms (APC 1.1, 95%CI: 0.8; 1.5) and for both embryonal and non-embryonal tumors: 1.1%, (0.5; 1.6) and 1.2%, (0.7; 1.6), respectively. Increases were observed in several tumor types, including leukemia, lymphoma, central nervous system tumors and neuroblastoma. In 2000-2011, incidence rates showed mostly non statistically significant variations and large variability. The observation of trends over a long period shows that the incidence of most tumors has increased, and this is only partially explained by diagnostic changes. Large rate variability hampers interpretation of trend patterns in short periods. Given that no satisfying explanation for the increases observed in the past was ever found, efforts must be made to understand and interpret this peculiar and still ununderstood pattern of childhood cancer incidence.

Cancer incidence rates and trends among children and adolescents in Piedmont, 1967-2011.

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Elena Isaevska

Full Text Available In the past, increases in childhood cancer incidence were reported in Europe and North America. The aim of this study is to show updated patterns of temporal behavior using data of the Childhood Cancer Registry of Piedmont (CCRP, a region with approximately 4.5 million inhabitants in North-West Italy. CCRP has been recording incident cases in children (0-14 years since 1967 and in adolescents (15-19 since 2000. Time trends were estimated as annual percent change (APC over the 1976-2011 period for children, and over 2000-2011 for both children and adolescents. CCRP registered 5020 incident cases from 1967 to 2011. Incidence rates were 157 per million person-years for children (1967-2011 and 282 for adolescents (2000-2011. From 1976-2011, increasing trends were observed in children for all neoplasms (APC 1.1, 95%CI: 0.8; 1.5 and for both embryonal and non-embryonal tumors: 1.1%, (0.5; 1.6 and 1.2%, (0.7; 1.6, respectively. Increases were observed in several tumor types, including leukemia, lymphoma, central nervous system tumors and neuroblastoma. In 2000-2011, incidence rates showed mostly non statistically significant variations and large variability. The observation of trends over a long period shows that the incidence of most tumors has increased, and this is only partially explained by diagnostic changes. Large rate variability hampers interpretation of trend patterns in short periods. Given that no satisfying explanation for the increases observed in the past was ever found, efforts must be made to understand and interpret this peculiar and still ununderstood pattern of childhood cancer incidence.

Cultural intensity and planting density effects on individual tree stem growth, stand and crown attributes, and stand dynamics in thinned loblolly pine plantations during the age 12- to age 15- year period in the Upper Coastal Plain and Piedmont of the Southeastern United States

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Evan Johnson; Michael Kane; Dehai Zhao; Robert Teskey

2015-01-01

Three existing loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) installations in the Plantation Management Research Cooperative's Upper Coastal Plain/Piedmont Culture Density Study were used to examine the effects of two cultural intensities, four initial planting densities, and their interactions on stem growth at the individual tree level from age 12 to 15 years and at the stand...

The potential of e-ticketing for public transport planning: the Piedmont region case study

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Arnone, M.

2016-07-01

In the Piedmont region (Italy) the electronic ticketing system called BIP, is currently active across much of its territory, and thedata collected in the Province of Cuneo since the full activation of the system (2014) provide today a sound source ofinformation. Two different travel documents are available, travel passes and pay-per-use, with different validation rules: check-inonly for travel passes and check-in and check-out for pay-per-use. Data produced by this electronic ticketing system employingsmart cards allow to perform a detailed analysis of each user’s behaviour, and calculate time and space distributions of eachpassenger trip. In detail, data originating from smart card transactions allow to trace back the trip chains, establish journey originsand destinations, and produce a “travel diary” for each passenger. Based on this data, performance indicators (i.e. load factor) aswell as user mobility patterns and origin-destination matrices can be calculated in an automated and reliable way. This articlepresents a methodology for assessing the quality of the data collected when information about boarding and alighting stops isavailable from the (on board) validation system. It also presents an algorithm to assign a destination for each trip where only theboarding information is available. In the case study of the Province of Cuneo, it was found that 91% of the pay-per-use journeydata are reliable and can be used for further analysis, whereas with the use of the proposed algorithm it was possible to estimatethe destinations for 82% of the travel pass trips. (Author)

Influence of cover crops on citrus crops on arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi development in the Colombian piedmont Oxisols

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Hernán Javier Monroy L.

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Native arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi associated with grassand legume cover crops established on Oxisol soils in the Colombian piedmont (Meta were identified morphologically and the ability to colonize was evaluated. The experimental area consisted of cover crops Arachispintoi (CIAT 18744, Brachiaria brizantha cv. Toledo, B. dictyoneura cv. Llanero, Desmodium ovalifolium c v. Maquenque, Panicum maximum (CIAT 36000, Paspalumnotatum, and a chemical control (Glyphosate and mechanical control established in the rows in a Valencia orange grove. The experiment followed a complete randomized block design (8 cover crops and three replications, evaluated during the wet and dry seasons. Rhizosphere soil and grass and legumes roots were sampled in order to identified AMF and quantify the number of spores and the percentage of colonization. A total of 26 species were identified, including Acaulosporascrobiculata, A. morrowiae and, Scutellospora heterogama, which accounted for over 65% of the population. Thepercentage of root colonization ranged between 47% and 94% with spore counts between 63 and 300/100 g of dry soil. Cover crops with the highest colonization percentage and AMF diversity were B. brizantha, B. dictyoneura and P. notatumin their respective order. Glyphosate and mechanical control had a negative influence on the sporulation and colonization of the arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi in the root system

Small reservoir effects on headwater water quality in the rural-urban fringe, Georgia Piedmont, USA

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Dr.. Amber R. Ignatius, Geographer

2016-12-01

Full Text Available Small reservoirs are prevalent landscape features that affect the physical, chemical, and biological characteristics of headwater streams. Tens of thousands of small reservoirs, often less than a hectare in size, were constructed over the past century within the United States. While remote-sensing and geographic-mapping technologies assist in identifying and quantifying these features, their localized influence on water quality is uncertain. We report a year-long physicochemical study of nine small reservoirs (0.15–2.17 ha within the Oconee and Broad River Watersheds in the Georgia Piedmont. Study sites were selected along an urban-rural gradient with differing amounts of agricultural, forested, and developed land covers. Sites were sampled monthly for discharge and inflow/outflow water quality parameters (temperature, specific conductance, pH, dissolved oxygen, turbidity, alkalinity, total phosphorus, total nitrogen, nitrate, ammonium. While the proportion of developed land cover within watersheds had positive correlations with reservoir specific conductivity values, agricultural and forested land covers showed correlations (positive and negative, respectively with reservoir alkalinity, total nitrogen, nitrate, and specific conductivity. The majority of outflow temperatures were warmer than inflows for all land uses throughout the year, especially in the summer. Outflows had lower nitrate concentrations, but higher ammonium. The type of outflow structure was also influential; top-release dams showed higher dissolved oxygen and pH than bottom-release dams. Water quality effects were still evident 250 m below the dam, albeit reduced.

Projected hydrological changes in the North Carolina piedmont using bias-corrected North American Regional Climate Change Assessment Program (NARCCAP data

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Yuri Kim

2017-08-01

New hydrological insights for the region: Evapotranspiration (ET and water yield (WY with projected CO2, precipitation, and temperature during 2044–2070 were affected by each climate factor separately and synergistically. Increasing CO2 to 600 ppm only scenario resulted in an ET decrease (5–17% which led to WY increase (17–36%. With projected temperature increases (1–5 °C only scenarios, ET was projected to increase noticeably (12–112% especially in winter and spring. The amount of projected ET increase was reduced by a CO2 increase to 600 ppm due to decreased stomatal conductance. Projected WY varied due to the high variability of future precipitation patterns (−54% to 33% but generally increased when solely precipitation projections were applied. However, WY with combined effects of CO2, precipitation, and temperature did not show significant changes compared with the historical WY. Therefore, it is necessary to incorporate interactions of precipitation, temperature, and CO2 to simulate future water availability in the North Carolina Piedmont.

Risk management on an alluvial fan: a case study of the 2008 debris-flow event at Villar Pellice (Piedmont, N-W Italy

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M. Arattano

2010-05-01

Full Text Available In the Piedmont Region (North-Western Italy, the regional authorities manage debris flow risk by following the ideal sequence of steps that are generally pursued in land planning and civil protection activities. Complex procedures and methods are elaborated and widely discussed with politicians, economists and the general public. On the contrary, in emergency situations, civil protection agencies generally prefer the adoption of simple and flexible criteria. In this paper, a catastrophic debris flow event, that occurred in 2008 in Villar Pellice, is described in this perspective, after an analysis of the triggering rainfalls and of the effects on human life and properties. The availability of a series of personal accounts coming from people who witnessed the occurrences before, during and after the event has allowed us to analyse, in detail, the dynamics of the event. Thanks to these accounts, it has been possible to propose new guidelines for the planning of the emergency activities in areas that are potentially prone to similar impulsive phenomena.

Thrombotic recurrences and bleeding events in APS vascular patients: a review from the literature and a comparison with the APS Piedmont Cohort.

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Bazzan, M; Vaccarino, A; Stella, S; Bertero, M T; Carignola, R; Montaruli, B; Roccatello, D; Shoenfeld, Y

2013-06-01

In APS vascular patients, thrombotic recurrences are more frequent than in non-APS thrombotic patients. To better define this clinical setting, a systematic review of the literature after 1999 was performed: 8 cohort studies (including the recent APS Piedmont Cohort) and 6 intervention studies were selected and evaluated. Thrombotic recurrences, bleeding events, therapeutic strategies, antiphospholipid (aPL) profile, inherited and acquired risk factors (when present) were calculated and compared. Emerging risk factors for thrombotic recurrences include withdrawal of oral anticoagulant therapy (OAT), high intensity OAT (INR range 3-4), aPL profile (triple positivity, Miyakis types 1 and 2a profiles) and association with inherited or acquired pro-thrombotic risk factors. Moreover, there are evidences that high risk (mainly for aPL profile) APS vascular patients have a high recurrence rate in spite of correct OAT treatment. Clinical trials in this clinical setting are needed. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Indicators predicting use of mental health services in Piedmont, Italy.

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Tibaldi, Giuseppe; Munizza, Carmine; Pasian, Sherri; Johnson, Sonia; Salvador-Carulla, Luis; Zucchi, Serena; Cesano, Simona; Testa, Cristina; Scala, Elena; Pinciaroli, Luca

2005-06-01

Since the 1978 Italian reform, an integrated network of community mental health services has been introduced. With few exceptions, research on determinants of mental health service use at the district level has focused on inpatient activities and social deprivation indicators. The European Psychiatric Care Assessment Team (EPCAT) standardized methodology allows for an evidence-based comparison of mental health systems between geographical areas. To compare service provision and utilization between local catchment areas; to explore quantitative relationships between residential and community service use and socio-demographic indicators at the ecological level. The European Socio-demographic Schedule (ESDS) was used to describe area characteristics, and the European Service Mapping Schedule (ESMS) to measure service provision and utilization in 18 catchment areas in Piedmont. Substantial variation in service use emerged. Acute hospital bed occupancy rates were lower in areas with more intensive community continuing care service users and with a smaller percentage of the population living alone. The non-acute hospital bed occupancy rate was directly related to the percentage of the population living alone or in overcrowded conditions, and to the level of mobile continuing care service users. Community continuing care service use was highest in areas with a larger percentage of the population living alone. Multiple regression models explained between 48 and 55% of the variation in inpatient and community service use between areas. Relationships based on ecological characteristics do not necessarily apply to the individual. This level of assessment, however, is necessary in evaluating mental health policy and service systems, and in allocating resources. The distribution of mental health care resources should be weighted in terms of indicators of social deprivation shown to be important predictors of both inpatient and community service use, as these are likely to be

Evaluation of hygiene and safety criteria in the production of a traditional Piedmont cheese

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Sara Astegiano

2014-08-01

Full Text Available Traditional products and related processes must be safe to protect consumers’ health. The aim of this study was to evaluate microbiological criteria of a traditional Piedmont cheese, made by two different cheese producers (A and B. Three batches of each cheese were considered. The following seven samples of each batch were collected: raw milk, milk at 38°C, curd, cheese at 7, 30, 60, 90 days of ripening. During cheese making process, training activities dealing with food safety were conducted. Analyses regarding food safety and process hygiene criteria were set up according to the EC Regulation 2073/2005. Other microbiological and chemical-physical analyses [lactic streptococci, lactobacilli, pH and water activity (Aw] were performed as well. Shiga-toxin Escherichia coli, aflatoxin M1 and antimicrobial substances were considered only for raw milk. All samples resulted negative for food safety criteria; Enterobacteriaceae, E.coli and coagulase-positive staphylococci (CPS were high in the first phase of cheese production, however they decreased at the end of ripening. A high level of CPS in milk was found in producer A, likewise in some cheese samples a count of >5 Log CFU/g was reached; staphylococcal enterotoxins resulted negative. The pH and Aw values decreased during the cheese ripening period. The competition between lactic flora and potential pathogen microorganisms and decreasing of pH and Aw are considered positive factors in order to ensure safety of dairy products. Moreover, training activities play a crucial role to manage critical points and perform corrective action. Responsible application of good manufacturing practices are considered key factors to obtain a high hygienic level in dairy products.

Evaluation of Hygiene and Safety Criteria in the Production of a Traditional Piedmont Cheese.

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Astegiano, Sara; Bellio, Alberto; Adriano, Daniela; Bianchi, Daniela Manila; Gallina, Silvia; Gorlier, Alessandra; Gramaglia, Monica; Lombardi, Giampiero; Macori, Guerrino; Zuccon, Fabio; Decastelli, Lucia

2014-08-28

Traditional products and related processes must be safe to protect consumers' health. The aim of this study was to evaluate microbiological criteria of a traditional Piedmont cheese, made by two different cheese producers (A and B). Three batches of each cheese were considered. The following seven samples of each batch were collected: raw milk, milk at 38°C, curd, cheese at 7, 30, 60, 90 days of ripening. During cheese making process, training activities dealing with food safety were conducted. Analyses regarding food safety and process hygiene criteria were set up according to the EC Regulation 2073/2005. Other microbiological and chemical-physical analyses [lactic streptococci, lactobacilli, pH and water activity (A w )] were performed as well. Shiga-toxin Escherichia coli , aflatoxin M1 and antimicrobial substances were considered only for raw milk. All samples resulted negative for food safety criteria; Enterobacteriaceae , E.coli and coagulase-positive staphylococci (CPS) were high in the first phase of cheese production, however they decreased at the end of ripening. A high level of CPS in milk was found in producer A, likewise in some cheese samples a count of >5 Log CFU/g was reached; staphylococcal enterotoxins resulted negative. The pH and A w values decreased during the cheese ripening period. The competition between lactic flora and potential pathogen microorganisms and decreasing of pH and A w are considered positive factors in order to ensure safety of dairy products. Moreover, training activities play a crucial role to manage critical points and perform corrective action. Responsible application of good manufacturing practices are considered key factors to obtain a high hygienic level in dairy products.

Clear-water abutment and contraction scour in the Coastal Plain and Piedmont Provinces of South Carolina, 1996-99

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Benedict, Stephen T.

2016-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the South Carolina Department of Transportation, collected observations of clear-water aburment and contraction scour at 146 bridges in the Coastal Plain and Piedmont of South Carolina. Scour depths ranged from 0 to 23.6 feet. Theoretical scour depths were computed at each bridge and compared with observed scour. This comparison showed that theoretical scour depths, in general, exceeded the observed scour depths and often were excessive. A comparison of field data with dimensionless relations for laboratory data showed that the range of dimensionless variables used in laboratory investigations was outside of the range for field data in South Carolina, suggesting laboratory relations may not be applicable to field conditions in South Carolina. Variables determined to be important in developing scour within laboratory studies were investigated to understand their influence within the South Carolina field data, and many of these variables appeared to be insignificant under field conditions found in South Carolina. The strongest explanatory variables were embankment length, geometric-contraction ratio, approach velocity, and soil cohesion. Envelope curves developed with the field data are useful tools for assessing reasonable ranges of scour depth in South Carolina. These tools are simple to apply and are an improvement over the current methods for predicting theoretical scour.

Soil Properties Predict Plant Community Development of Mitigation Wetlands Created in the Virginia Piedmont, USA

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Dee, Suzanne M.; Ahn, Changwoo

2012-05-01

The study investigated vegetative and soil properties in four created mitigation wetlands, ranging in age from three to ten years, all created in the Virginia Piedmont. Vegetation attributes included percent cover, richness (S), diversity (H'), floristic quality assessment index (FQAI), prevalence index (PI), and productivity [i.e., peak above-ground biomass (AGB) and below-ground biomass]. Soil attributes included soil organic matter (SOM), gravimetric soil moisture (GSM), pH, and bulk density (Db) for the top 10 cm. Species dominance (e.g., Juncus effusus, Scirpus cyperinus, Arthraxon hispidus) led to a lack of differences in vegetative attributes between sites. However, site-based differences were found for GSM, pH, and SOM ( P analysis, resulting in four soil condition (SC) categories where plots were grouped based on common attribute levels (i.e., SC1 > SC2 > SC3 > SC4, trended more to less developed). When vegetation attributes were compared between SC groups, greater SOM, lower Db, more circumneutral pH, and higher GSM, all indicative of maturation, were associated with higher H' ( P < 0.05), FQAI ( P < 0.05), and total and volunteer percent cover ( P < 0.05), and lower AGB ( P < 0.001), PI ( P < 0.05), and seeded percent cover ( P < 0.05). The outcome of the study shows that site age does not necessarily equate with site development with soil and vegetation developmental rates varying both within and among sites. The inclusion of soil attributes in post-construction monitoring should be required to enhance our understanding and prediction of developmental trajectory of created mitigation wetlands.

1990-2016 surface solar radiation variability and trend over the Piedmont region (northwest Italy)

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Manara, Veronica; Bassi, Manuela; Brunetti, Michele; Cagnazzi, Barbara; Maugeri, Maurizio

2018-05-01

A new surface solar radiation database of 74 daily series is set up for the Piedmont region (northwest Italy) for the 1990-2016 period. All the series are subjected to a detailed quality control, homogenization and gap-filling procedure and are transformed into relative annual/seasonal anomaly series. Finally, a gridded version (0.5°×0.5°) of the database is generated. The resulting series show an increasing tendency of about + 2.5% per decade at annual scale, with strongest trend in autumn (+ 4% per decade). The only exception is winter, showing a negative but not significant trend. Considering the plain and mountain mean series, the trends are more intense for low than for high elevations with a negative vertical gradient of about - 0.03% per decade per 100 m at annual scale and values up to - 0.07% per decade per 100 m in spring. Focusing on clear days only (selected by CM SAF ClOud fractional cover dataset from METeosat first and second generation—Edition 1 satellite data over the 1991-2015 period), trend significance strongly increases and both low and high elevation records exhibit a positive trend in all seasons. However, the trends result slightly lower than for all-sky days (with the only exception of winter). The differences observed under clear-sky conditions between low and high elevations are more pronounced in winter, where the trend shows a negative vertical gradient of about - 0.1% per decade every 100 m. Overall, this paper shows how a high station density allows performing a more detailed quality control thanks to the higher performances in detecting the inhomogeneities with higher data availability and capturing regional peculiarities otherwise impossible to observe.

[Professional drivers and psychoactive substances consumption: results from medical surveillance at the workplace in Piedmont region].

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Rosso, G L; Feola, M; Rubinetto, Maria Paola; Petti, N; Rubinetto, L

2011-01-01

The use of psychoactive substances has been shown to be a risk factor for accidents in professional drivers. According to an approved Italian law, in order to detect dependency at the workplace the occupational health physician is called to assess the use of illicit drugs among professional drivers. The main purpose of this study was to investigate the use of psychoactive substances among professional drivers. From July to December 2008, rapid urine screening test was carried out on 198 professional drivers. All positive results from the screening stage were verified by specialized laboratories. We found 4 workers with a positive rapid urine screening test (7.1%), one of which was positive only for benzodiazepines and another positive test was not confirmed by specialized laboratory. By only considering illegal substances detected, 6.1% of the drivers tested positive. In this study, the high number of consumers among professional drivers ranged from 31 to 35 years old. Cannabis (THC) was the most frequently detected substance (seen in 10 over 12 cases,), after that was methadone (2/12 cases) and cocaine (1/12 case). We only had one case where more than one substance was found in the same subject (THC and cocaine). Five (41.7%) were former drug-addicts and public Pathological Addiction Services (Ser.T.) had previously followed them. Our results highlight the problem of drug consumption among professional drivers in Piedmont region. Health education and medical surveillance in workplace drug-testing may improve worker and third parties safety.

Genesis of high-zinc chromite and associated cobalt-mineralized blackwall in the Sykesville District, Maryland piedmont

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Wylie, A.G.; Candela, P.A.; Burke, T.M.

1985-01-01

Zone, Zn-bearing chromites occur in a serpentinized ultramafite (UM), pelitic schists, the associated blackwall, and a banded Fe oxide-quartz rock (BIR). The spinels are associated with Fe-Cu-Co mineralization in the Sykesville District of the Maryland Piedmont. Within most grains, three main zones can be distinguished based on optical properties and chemistry. The marked discontinuity between the central core and the middle zone (ferrit-chromite (FC)) and the anhedral form of the core suggest that the FC developed by the irreversible dissolution of the core and reprecipitation of FC as a mantle. The outer magnetite zone was added during the latter stages of serpentinization as chemical communication with the original spinel core ceased. The highest Zn contents occur in the spinel cores near the boundary with the FC. ZnO contents of up to 19 wt.% have been measured. To the authors knowledge, these are the highest reported concentrations of Zn in chromite. The Zn/Mg ratio in the spinel cores correlates closely with the host rock mineralogy such that /mu//sub ZnMg/ decreases monotonically from the pelite into the UM. The occurrence of chromite in all rock units and the strong field association between the UM and the BIR suggest that UM material was present on the seafloor. Based on chemical and textural evidence, the authors postulate that Zn was introduced during the earliest stages of the hydrothermal processes accompanying serpentinization and mineralization in a subaqueous environment. Cu and Zn were probably supplied by a seafloor hydrothermal system, and the BIR and Co were produced alteration of the UM unit.

Climatic impact on isovolumetric weathering of a coarse-grained schist in the northern Piedmont Province of the central Atlantic states

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Cleaves, E.T.

1993-01-01

The possible impact of periglacial climates on the rate of chemical weathering of a coarse-grained plagioclase-muscovite-quartz schist has been determined for a small watershed near Baltimore, Maryland. The isovolumetric chemical weathering model formulated from the geochemical mass balance study of the watershed shows that the weathering front advances at a velocity of 9.1 m/m.y., if the modern environmental parameters remain the same back through time. However, recent surficial geological mapping demonstrates that periglacial climates have impacted the area. Such an impact significantly affects two key chemical weathering parameters, the concentration of CO2 in the soil and groundwater moving past the weathering front. Depending upon the assumptions used in the model, the rate of saprolitization varies from 2.2 to 5.3 m/m.y. The possible impact of periglacial processes suggested by the chemical weathering rates indicates a need to reconsider theories of landscape evolution as they apply to the northern Piedmont Province of the mid-Atlantic states. I suggest that from the Late Miocene to the present that the major rivers have become incised in their present locations; this incision has enhanced groundwater circulation and chemical weathering such that crystalline rocks beneath interfluvial areas remain mantled by saprolite; and the saprolite mantle has been partially stripped as periglacial conditions alternate with humid-temperate conditions. ?? 1993.

Analysis of the existing correlations of effective friction angle for eastern piedmont soils of Bogota from in situ tests

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July E. Carmona-Álvarez

2015-07-01

Full Text Available To estimate the effective friction angle of soil from in situ test is a complicated job, due to high rates of strain existing in this kind of tests, which tend to be too invasive and disturb the vicinities of test depth, even the sample that eventually is taken at the site. Likewise, the most of the correlations found in the current bibliography to obtain the effective friction angle using field tests, have been developed for soils from different regions. For that reason when are implemented on tropical soils present high scatter, to compare the field parameter values with real results obtained at the lab. This research aims to use in situ tests define through of analysis of different correlations, which fits adequately to the specific conditions of the piedmont soils of Bogota. For the present study will be utilized data from SPT (widely used in Colombia and SPT-T (never before conducted in the country, carried out considering the appropriated norms to each test, taking in account to SPT-T, doesn’t exist local standard governing such tests. The correlations for field procedures of the tests implemented were for effective confining and energy transference of the SPT hammer, since the state-of-the-art mentions it as the most affect the reliability of the final results. The final results show the tendency of the methodologies used to obtain the correlation, in relation with the real value of effective friction angle from of lab tests.

Spatio-temporal patterns of distribution of West Nile virus vectors in eastern Piedmont Region, Italy

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Bisanzio Donal

2011-12-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background West Nile Virus (WNV transmission in Italy was first reported in 1998 as an equine outbreak near the swamps of Padule di Fucecchio, Tuscany. No other cases were identified during the following decade until 2008, when horse and human outbreaks were reported in Emilia Romagna, North Italy. Since then, WNV outbreaks have occurred annually, spreading from their initial northern foci throughout the country. Following the outbreak in 1998 the Italian public health authority defined a surveillance plan to detect WNV circulation in birds, horses and mosquitoes. By applying spatial statistical analysis (spatial point pattern analysis and models (Bayesian GLMM models to a longitudinal dataset on the abundance of the three putative WNV vectors [Ochlerotatus caspius (Pallas 1771, Culex pipiens (Linnaeus 1758 and Culex modestus (Ficalbi 1890] in eastern Piedmont, we quantified their abundance and distribution in space and time and generated prediction maps outlining the areas with the highest vector productivity and potential for WNV introduction and amplification. Results The highest abundance and significant spatial clusters of Oc. caspius and Cx. modestus were in proximity to rice fields, and for Cx. pipiens, in proximity to highly populated urban areas. The GLMM model showed the importance of weather conditions and environmental factors in predicting mosquito abundance. Distance from the preferential breeding sites and elevation were negatively associated with the number of collected mosquitoes. The Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI was positively correlated with mosquito abundance in rice fields (Oc. caspius and Cx. modestus. Based on the best models, we developed prediction maps for the year 2010 outlining the areas where high abundance of vectors could favour the introduction and amplification of WNV. Conclusions Our findings provide useful information for surveillance activities aiming to identify locations where the

Metals in Soil and Runoff from a Piedmont Hay Field Amended with Broiler Litter and Flue Gas Desulfurization Gypsum.

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Schomberg, Harry H; Endale, Dinku M; Jenkins, Michael B; Chaney, Rufus L; Franklin, Dorcas H

2018-03-01

Flue gas desulfurization gypsum (FGDG) from coal-fired power plants is readily available for agricultural use in many US regions. Broiler litter (BL) provides plant available N, P, and K but can be a source of unwanted As, Cu, and Zn. As a source of Ca and S, FGDG can reduce losses of P and other elements in runoff from BL-amended areas. Rainfall simulation plots (2.0 m) were established on a Piedmont Cecil soil growing 'Coastal' bermudagrass ( L.) for hay. Accumulation and transport of As, Cu, Cd, Cr, Hg, Pb, and Zn were evaluated after annual BL applications (13.5 Mg ha) with four FGDG rates (0, 2.2, 4.5, 9.0 Mg ha) and two FGDG treatments (0 and 9 Mg ha) without BL. Runoff As concentrations were sixfold greater with BL than without ( ≤ 0.01) and were similar to BL with FGDG at 2.2, 4.5 or 9.0 Mg ha ( ≤ 0.10). Runoff concentrations of target elements did not increase where FGDG was applied alone. After three annual applications of FGDG and BL, soil concentrations of As, Cr, Pb, Hg, and Cu were well below levels of environmental concern. Our findings indicate that runoff losses of As from BL application are not reduced with FGDG but support other research indicating no identifiable environmental risks from FGDG beneficial use in agricultural systems. Copyright © by the American Society of Agronomy, Crop Science Society of America, and Soil Science Society of America, Inc.

Geostatistical interpolation model selection based on ArcGIS and spatio-temporal variability analysis of groundwater level in piedmont plains, northwest China.

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Xiao, Yong; Gu, Xiaomin; Yin, Shiyang; Shao, Jingli; Cui, Yali; Zhang, Qiulan; Niu, Yong

2016-01-01

Based on the geo-statistical theory and ArcGIS geo-statistical module, datas of 30 groundwater level observation wells were used to estimate the decline of groundwater level in Beijing piedmont. Seven different interpolation methods (inverse distance weighted interpolation, global polynomial interpolation, local polynomial interpolation, tension spline interpolation, ordinary Kriging interpolation, simple Kriging interpolation and universal Kriging interpolation) were used for interpolating groundwater level between 2001 and 2013. Cross-validation, absolute error and coefficient of determination (R(2)) was applied to evaluate the accuracy of different methods. The result shows that simple Kriging method gave the best fit. The analysis of spatial and temporal variability suggest that the nugget effects from 2001 to 2013 were increasing, which means the spatial correlation weakened gradually under the influence of human activities. The spatial variability in the middle areas of the alluvial-proluvial fan is relatively higher than area in top and bottom. Since the changes of the land use, groundwater level also has a temporal variation, the average decline rate of groundwater level between 2007 and 2013 increases compared with 2001-2006. Urban development and population growth cause over-exploitation of residential and industrial areas. The decline rate of the groundwater level in residential, industrial and river areas is relatively high, while the decreasing of farmland area and development of water-saving irrigation reduce the quantity of water using by agriculture and decline rate of groundwater level in agricultural area is not significant.

Natural and human impact on the land use and soil properties of the Sikkim Himalayas piedmont in India.

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Prokop, P; Płoskonka, D

2014-06-01

Natural and human causes of change in land use and soil properties were studied in the Sikkim Himalayas piedmont over the last 150 years, with a special emphasis on the period 1930-2010. Analysis of historical reports, combined with the visual interpretation of topographic maps and satellite images, indicates that the land reforms related to the location of tea gardens caused rapid deforestation of the higher elevated terraces in the late 19th century. Continuous population growth between 1930 and 2010 caused a shift in the major land use changes from the terraces to the floodplains. As a consequence, a gradual extension of tea plantation and forestry development helped in stabilizing the land use of the terraces, while the parallel deforestation of mountain catchments and floodplains for rice cultivation intensified fluvial activity. The enlargement of river-channel area by about 42% between 1930 and 2010 excluded a large part of the floodplains from cultivation and increased risk of soil degradation. The replacement of natural forest by monocultural tea and rice cultivation influenced the physical and chemical properties of the soil. Statistically significant changes were observed only in some chemical properties of the topsoil. Tea cultivation reduced the total carbon content by 26% and total nitrogen content by 33% in the surface soil horizon. The influence of rice tillage on the soil properties is masked by the fluvial activity. The combined effect of flooding and rice cultivation is reflected in the lower content of total carbon and nitrogen in the surface of the soil, namely, 76% and 77% respectively. Taking into account the long-term nature of the plantation, the soil still has the capability to support tea production. The productivity of rice depends partly on fertilization levels and partly on the natural deposition of fresh sediment eroded from mountains. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Preliminary studies on environmental pollutants in chamois and wild boar from Eastern Piedmont, Italy.

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Federica Ceriani

2018-06-01

Full Text Available Organochlorine pesticides (OCPs and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs are synthetic chlorinated compounds classified as POPs whereas only the penta e tetra-brominated polybromodiphenyl ethers (PBDEs are so defined by the Stockolm Convention (Stockholm Convention, 2005 in order to elimitate or restrict the use of POPs. Organophosphorus insecticides (OCPs represent important environmental and food contamination sources, widely used in agriculture. Among polyciclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs, benzo[a]pirene is classified by IARC in Group 1, as cancerogen  and Benzo[a]fluoranthene as a Group 2B, as possible cancerogen (IARC, 2012; IARC, 2010.  EFSA (European Food Safety Authority has released a scientific opinion on the risks to public health related to the presence of brominated flame retardants in food (EFSA, 2011 and in 2014 European commission has asked Member States to monitor the presence of brominated flame retardants (BFRs in food over the next two years (EC, 2014. Due to their heir n-octanol/water partition coefficient (log Kow, they accumulate in fat tissue, bioconcentrate and biomagnify in the animals at the higher trophic levels, possibly causing, through chronic exposure, endocrine disruption and cancer (Wania et al., 1995; Vallack et al., 1998. The aim of this study is to evaluate the presence of OCPs, PCBs, PBDEs and PAHs in chamois and wild boar from Eastern Piedmont, Italy. A total of 20 chamois and 20 wild boar muscle samples were collected during the hunting season 2017, from Verbania Cusio Ossola (VCO (Fig 1. The chemical analysis for the detection of OCPs, PCBs, PBDEs, and PAHs   was performed by GC-MS/MS on muscle samples purified and extracted using a QuEChERS technique, validated according to SANTE 2017 (SANTE/11183/2017. These preliminary results show the ubiquitary presence of the studied contaminants. PCBs have been found more in chamois (45% than in wild boar (35%. No PBDEs were detected in wild boar but in chamois

Subfossil leaves reveal a new upland hardwood component of the pre-European Piedmont landscape,Lancaster County, Pennsylvania.

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Sara J Elliott

Full Text Available Widespread deforestation, agriculture, and construction of milldams by European settlers greatly influenced valley-bottom stream morphology and riparian vegetation in the northeastern USA. The former broad, tussock-sedge wetlands with small, anastomosing channels were converted into today's incised, meandering streams with unstable banks that support mostly weedy, invasive vegetation. Vast accumulations of fine-grained "legacy" sediments that blanket the regional valley-bottom Piedmont landscape now are being reworked from stream banks, significantly impairing the ecological health of downstream water bodies, most notably the Chesapeake Bay. However, potential restoration is impaired by lack of direct knowledge of the pre-settlement riparian and upslope floral ecosystems. We studied the subfossil leaf flora of Denlingers Mill, an obsolete (breached milldam site in southeastern Pennsylvania that exhibits a modern secondary forest growing atop thin soils, above bedrock outcrops immediately adjacent to a modified, incised stream channel. Presumably, an overhanging old-growth forest also existed on this substrate until the early 1700s and was responsible for depositing exceptionally preserved, minimally transported subfossil leaves into hydric soil strata, which immediately underlie post-European settlement legacy sediments. We interpret the eleven identified species of the subfossil assemblage to primarily represent a previously unknown, upland Red Oak-American Beech mixed hardwood forest. Some elements also appear to belong to a valley-margin Red Maple-Black Ash swamp forest, consistent with preliminary data from a nearby site. Thus, our results add significantly to a more complete understanding of the pre-European settlement landscape, especially of the hardwood tree flora. Compared with the modern forest, it is apparent that both lowland and upslope forests in the region have been modified significantly by historical activities. Our study

Physicochemical and microbial assessment of spring water quality for drinking supply in Piedmont of Béni-Mellal Atlas (Morocco)

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Barakat, Ahmed; Meddah, Redouane; Afdali, Mustapha; Touhami, Fatima

2018-04-01

The present study was conducted to examine the water quality of karst springs located along the Piedmont of Béni-Mellal Atlas (Morocco) for drinking purposes. Twenty-five water samples were collected from seven springs in June, July, August and September 2013, and May 2016 have been analyzed for their physicochemical and microbial characteristics. The analytical data of temperature, pH, DO, TAC, TH, oxidizability and NH4+ showed that all sampled springs are suitable as drinking water according to Moroccan and the World Health Organization (WHO) standards. Nevertheless, EC, turbidity, and NO3- were sometimes noted higher than the allowable limits, what would be ascribed to erosion and leaching of soil and karstic rocks. The microbial analysis revealed the presence of fecal contamination (total coliforms, E. coli, and intestinal enterococci) in all springs at various times. The water quality index (WQI) calculated based on physicochemical and microbial data reveled that water quality categorization for all sampling springs was found to be 'medium' to 'good' for drinking uses in the National Sanitation Foundation WQI (NSF-WQI), and ''necessary treatment becoming more extensive'' to ''purification not necessary'' in the Dinius' Second Index (D-WQI). The Aine Asserdoune and Foum el Anceur springs showed the good quality of drinking water. According to Moroccan standards for water used for drinking purposes, the waters belong to category A1 that requires becoming drinkable a simple physical treatment and disinfection. From the type of parameters present in quantities exceeding drinking water limits, it is very obvious that these water resources are under the influence of anthropogenic activities such as sewage, waste disposal, deforestation and agricultural activities, caused land degradation and nonpoint pollution sources. Environmental attention, such as systematic quality control and adequate treatment before being used for drinking use and access to sewage

Buried Wetlands: The Origin and Evolution of Pre-Settlement Piedmont Valley Bottoms in Pennsylvania and Maryland

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Walter, R. C.; Merritts, D. J.; Voli, M. T.; Scheid, C. R.; Hartranft, J. L.; Hilgartner, W. B.; Rahnis, M. A.

2008-12-01

In Walter and Merritts (2008) we describe the stratigraphy of Mid-Atlantic Piedmont stream banks to consist of 1-5 m stacks of post-settlement fine-grained sediments overlying a thin organic-rich horizon, which in turn overlies a veneer of gravels on bedrock. We attribute the widespread deposition of the fine-grained sediments to an increase in base level caused by the construction of Early American milldams that lined valley bottoms by the mid 19th Century, and to the filling of extensive millponds with eroded upland soil. Several earlier researchers noted the existence of a dark organic-rich horizon near the base of stream banks in this region, but little attention was paid to their nature or origin. Our studies show that this dark layer formed during the Holocene, and was hydro-climatically stable for at least the last 5,000 yrs. Analyses of extracted seeds reveal obligate and facultative wetland plants, indicating that this horizon should be classified as a hydric (wetland) soil. Trenches and bank exposures show that this wetland soil can be traced across valley bottoms where it overlies coarse, generally quartz-rich gravels that are angular to subangular except where underlain by bedrock composed of rounded gravels. We interpret these basal gravels to be a concentrated lag from denudation of adjacent hillslopes over millions of years, and in places this lag was reworked by periglacial processes. The angularity of the clasts and the lack of fluvial depositional structures indicate that the basal gravels were not transported or deposited by river action. We have found no evidence of a pre-settlement stream channel form in the 1st to 3rd order streams of the 20+ watersheds we have studied to date. The widespread occurrence of hydric soils and the lack of discernable pre-settlement stream channels indicate that valley bottoms were dominated by broad wetland ecosystems. Given that state and federal agencies are spending millions of dollars to create new wetlands

Citrus tristeza virus (CTV influence on the behavior of Tahiti lime (Citrus latifoliaTanaka grafted on six rootstocks in the plain piedmont of Colombia (1997-2008

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Hans Nicolás Chaparro Zambrano

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Tahiti lime, Citrus latifolia Tanaka (Rutaceae, is susceptible to Citrus Tristeza Virus (CTV, and if affected, decreases the profitability of the crop. In the well-drained high terrace of the Meta piedmont, the influence of the virus attack was evaluated on the performance of Tahiti lime grafted on six rootstocks (Carrizo; Sunki × English; Sunki × Jacobson; Pomeroy; Rubidoux, y Kryder 15-3 on a completely randomized experiment design taking each tree as an experimental unit. A comparison of means and inferential statistic were used for: plant height, height and canopy diameter; canopy volume, yield and severity of CTV. All rootstocks showed homogenous height. Carrizo was the exception with less size and canopy volume. The highest accumulated fruit yield (Kg/tree wasobtained by Sunki x English, followed by Rubidoux and the lowest yield was obtained by Carrizo. The highest yield efficiency of average canopy volume was obtained with Sunki x Jacobson. The Tahiti lime yield and morphological development fell in the seventh year (2007 in all rootstocks, due to an infection caused by a mix of isolates of CTV type Madeira and type B128, isolates which cause stem channeling : type B31 which causes moderate stem channeling and B7 and VT isolate,

Uncorrected land-use planning highlighted by flooding: the Alba case study (Piedmont, Italy)

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Luino, F.; Turconi, L.; Petrea, C.; Nigrelli, G.

2012-07-01

Alba is a town of over 30 000 inhabitants located along the Tanaro River (Piedmont, northwestern Italy) and is famous for its wine and white truffles. Many important industries and companies are based in Alba, including the famous confectionery group Ferrero. The town suffered considerably from a flood that occurred on 5-6 November 1994. Forty-eight percent of the urban area was inundated, causing severe damage and killing nine people. After the flood, the Alba area was analysed in detail to determine the reasons for its vulnerability. Information on serious floods in this area since 1800 was gathered from official records, state technical office reports, unpublished documents in the municipal archives, and articles published in local and national newspapers. Maps, plans and aerial photographs (since 1954) were examined to reconstruct Alba's urban development over the last two centuries and the planform changes of the Tanaro River. The results were compared with the effects of the November 1994 flood, which was mapped from aerial photographs taken immediately after the flood, field surveys and eyewitness reports. The territory of Alba was subdivided into six categories: residential; public service; industrial, commercial and hotels; sports areas, utilities and standards (public gardens, parks, athletics grounds, private and public sport clubs); aggregate plants and dumps; and agriculture and riverine strip. The six categories were then grouped into three classes with different flooding-vulnerability levels according to various parameters. Using GIS, the three river corridors along the Tanaro identified by the Autorità di Bacino del Fiume Po were overlaid on the three classes to produce a final map of the risk areas. This study shows that the historic floods and their dynamics have not been duly considered in the land-use planning of Alba. The zones that were most heavily damaged in the 1994 flood were those that were frequently affected in the past and sites of

Uncorrected land-use planning highlighted by flooding: the Alba case study (Piedmont, Italy

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F. Luino

2012-07-01

Full Text Available Alba is a town of over 30 000 inhabitants located along the Tanaro River (Piedmont, northwestern Italy and is famous for its wine and white truffles. Many important industries and companies are based in Alba, including the famous confectionery group Ferrero.

The town suffered considerably from a flood that occurred on 5–6 November 1994. Forty-eight percent of the urban area was inundated, causing severe damage and killing nine people. After the flood, the Alba area was analysed in detail to determine the reasons for its vulnerability.

Information on serious floods in this area since 1800 was gathered from official records, state technical office reports, unpublished documents in the municipal archives, and articles published in local and national newspapers. Maps, plans and aerial photographs (since 1954 were examined to reconstruct Alba's urban development over the last two centuries and the planform changes of the Tanaro River.

The results were compared with the effects of the November 1994 flood, which was mapped from aerial photographs taken immediately after the flood, field surveys and eyewitness reports.

The territory of Alba was subdivided into six categories: residential; public service; industrial, commercial and hotels; sports areas, utilities and standards (public gardens, parks, athletics grounds, private and public sport clubs; aggregate plants and dumps; and agriculture and riverine strip. The six categories were then grouped into three classes with different flooding-vulnerability levels according to various parameters. Using GIS, the three river corridors along the Tanaro identified by the Autorità di Bacino del Fiume Po were overlaid on the three classes to produce a final map of the risk areas.

This study shows that the historic floods and their dynamics have not been duly considered in the land-use planning of Alba. The zones that were most heavily damaged in the 1994 flood were

Cost to deliver sweet sorghum fermentables to a central plant

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cundiff, J.S.

1991-01-01

The major obstacle to a sweet sorghum-for-ethanol industry in the Piedmont of Virginia is the short harvest season of eight weeks. A Piedmont harvesting system is described that will enable the Piedmont to compete with Louisiana in production of sweet sorghum for ethanol. The cost to supply feedstock (up to the point fermentation begins) for a one million GPY ethanol plant was estimated to be $2.35/gal expected ethanol yield. This amount compared favorably with two other options

Water quality of small seasonal wetlands in the Piedmont ecoregion, South Carolina, USA: Effects of land use and hydrological connectivity.

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Yu, Xubiao; Hawley-Howard, Joanna; Pitt, Amber L; Wang, Jun-Jian; Baldwin, Robert F; Chow, Alex T

2015-04-15

Small, shallow, seasonal wetlands with short hydroperiod (2-4 months) play an important role in the entrapment of organic matter and nutrients and, due to their wide distribution, in determining the water quality of watersheds. In order to explain the temporal, spatial and compositional variation of water quality of seasonal wetlands, we collected water quality data from forty seasonal wetlands in the lower Blue Ridge and upper Piedmont ecoregions of South Carolina, USA during the wet season of February to April 2011. Results indicated that the surficial hydrological connectivity and surrounding land-use were two key factors controlling variation in dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and total dissolved nitrogen (TDN) in these seasonal wetlands. In the sites without obvious land use changes (average developed area land use changes. The connected wetlands in more urbanized areas (average developed area = 12.3%) showed higher concentrations of dissolved organic matter (DOM) (DOC: 11.76 ± 6.09 mg L(-1), TDN: 0.74 ± 0.22 mg L(-1), mean ± standard error) compared to those in isolated wetlands (DOC: 7.20 ± 0.62 mg L(-1), TDN: 0.20 ± 0.08 mg L(-1)). The optical parameters derived from UV and fluorescence also confirmed significant portions of protein-like fractions likely originating from land use changes such as wastewater treatment and livestock pastures. The average of C/N molar ratios of all the wetlands decreased from 77.82 ± 6.72 (mean ± standard error) in February to 15.14 ± 1.58 in April, indicating that the decomposition of organic matter increased with the temperature. Results of this study demonstrate that the water quality of small, seasonal wetlands has a direct and close association with the surrounding environment. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Evaluation of repeated measurements of radon-222 concentrations in well water sampled from bedrock aquifers of the Piedmont near Richmond, Virginia, USA: Effects of lithology and well characteristics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Harris, Shelley A.; Billmeyer, Ernest R.; Robinson, Michael A.

2006-01-01

Radon ( 222 Rn) concentrations in 26 ground water wells of two distinct lithologies in the Piedmont of Virginia were measured to assess variation in ground water radon concentrations (GWRC), to evaluate differences in concentrations related to well characteristics, lithology, and spatial distributions, and to assess the feasibility of predicting GWRC. Wells were sampled in accordance with American Public Health Association Method 7500 Rn-B, with modifications to include a well shaft profile analysis that determined the minimum purge time sufficient to remove the equivalent of one column of water from each well. Statistically significant differences in GWRC were found in the Trssu (1482±1711 pCi/L) and Mpg (7750±5188 pCi/L) lithologies, however, no significant differences were found among GWRC at each well over time. Using multiple regression, 86% of the variability (R 2 ) in the GWRC was explained by the lithology, latitudinal class, and water table elevation of the wells. The GWRC in a majority of the wells studied exceed US Environmental Protection Agency designated maximum contaminant level and AMCL. Results support modifications to sampling procedures and indicate that, in previous studies, variations in GWRC concentrations over time may have been due in part to differences in sampling procedures and not in source water

Evaluating potential impacts of species conversion on transpiration in the Piedmont of North Carolina

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Boggs, J.; Treasure, E.; Simpson, G.; Domec, J.; Sun, G.; McNulty, S.

2010-12-01

Land management practices that include species conversion or vegetation manipulation can have consequences to surface water availability, groundwater recharge, streamflow generation, and water quality through altering the transpiration processes in forested watersheds. Our objective in this study is to compare stand water use or transpiration in a piedmont mixed hardwood stand (i.e., present stand) to five hypothetical single species stands (i.e., management scenarios), [Quercus spp. (oak), Acer Rubrum (red maple), Liquidambar styraciflua (sweetgum), Liriodendron tulipifera (tulip poplar), and Pinus Taeda (loblolly pine]. Since October 2007, six watersheds with a flume or v-notch weir installed at the watershed outlet have been monitored for baseline streamflow rates (mm d-1). In the summer of 2010, five trees from each of the above species were instrumented with sap flow sensors in the riparian upland of one watershed to develop linkages between stand stream runoff and transpiration. The sap flow or thermal heat dissipation method was used to calculate tree sap flux density for the mixed hardwood stand. Tree sapwood area and stand tree density were then used to compute stand transpiration rates, mm d-1, from June - August 2010. The parameters of the hypothetical single species stands were based on values determined from mixed hardwood stand conditions (e.g., the same stand sapwood area and stand tree density were applied to each option). The diameter at beast height of the monitored trees ranged from 10 cm to 38 cm with a water use range of 1.8 kg d-1 to 104 kg d-1. From our preliminary data, we found daily transpiration from the mixed hardwood stand (2.8 mm d-1 ± 0.06) was significantly (p < 0.05) lower than daily transpiration from the red maple (3.7 mm d-1 ± 0.14) and tulip poplar (3.5 mm d-1 ± 0.12) single species stand management option and significantly (p < 0.05) higher than the loblolly pine (2.3 mm d-1 ± 0.08), sweetgum (2.1 mm d-1 ± 0.08) and oak

The Evolution of Porosity During Weathering of Serpentinite and the Creation of Thin Regolith in the Appalachian Piedmont

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Marcon, V.; Gu, X.; Brantley, S. L.

2017-12-01

as quartz to provide supportive skeleton in the regolith, dissolution ultimately leads to collapse in the upper meter of the profile. The evolution of porosity in this profile can help explain why serpentinite regolith is characteristically thin to non-existent in the Piedmont: thin regolith occurs because of porosity occlusion as well as collapse.

An analysis of potential water availability from the Charles Mill, Clendening, Piedmont, Pleasant Hill, Senecaville, and Wills Creek Lakes in the Muskingum River Watershed, Ohio

Science.gov (United States)

Koltun, G.F.

2014-01-01

This report presents the results of a study to assess potential water availability from the Charles Mill, Clendening, Piedmont, Pleasant Hill, Senecaville, and Wills Creek Lakes, located within the Muskingum River Watershed, Ohio. The assessment was based on the criterion that water withdrawals should not appreciably affect maintenance of recreation-season pool levels in current use. To facilitate and simplify the assessment, it was assumed that historical lake operations were successful in maintaining seasonal pool levels, and that any discharges from lakes constituted either water that was discharged to prevent exceeding seasonal pool levels or discharges intended to meet minimum in-stream flow targets downstream from the lakes. It further was assumed that the volume of water discharged in excess of the minimum in-stream flow target is available for use without negatively impacting seasonal pool levels or downstream water uses and that all or part of it is subject to withdrawal. Historical daily outflow data for the lakes were used to determine the quantity of water that potentially could be withdrawn and the resulting quantity of water that would flow downstream (referred to as “flow-by”) on a daily basis as a function of all combinations of three hypothetical target minimum flow-by amounts (1, 2, and 3 times current minimum in-stream flow targets) and three pumping capacities (1, 2, and 3 million gallons per day). Using both U.S. Geological Survey streamgage data (where available) and lake-outflow data provided by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers resulted in analytical periods ranging from 51 calendar years for Charles Mill, Clendening, and Piedmont Lakes to 74 calendar years for Pleasant Hill, Senecaville, and Wills Creek Lakes. The observed outflow time series and the computed time series of daily flow-by amounts and potential withdrawals were analyzed to compute and report order statistics (95th, 75th, 50th, 25th, 10th, and 5th percentiles) and means for

7 CFR 30.36 - Class 1; flue-cured types and groups.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

...-cured, produced principally in the Piedmont sections of Virginia and North Carolina. (b) Type 11b. That... lying between the Piedmont and coastal plains regions of Virginia and North Carolina. (c) Type 12. That type of flue-cured tobacco commonly known as Eastern Flue-cured or Eastern Carolina Flue-cured...

Cobra Strikes! High-Performance Car Inspires Students, Markets Program

Science.gov (United States)

Jenkins, Bonita

2008-01-01

Nestled in the Lower Piedmont region of upstate South Carolina, Piedmont Technical College (PTC) is one of 16 technical colleges in the state. Automotive technology is one of its most popular programs. The program features an instructive, motivating activity that the author describes in this article: building a high-performance car. The Cobra…

New Horizons in a Next Generation School: A Case Study of Rural Alabama Middle School Students in a Transformational Initiative

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Lamey, Jack Harley, Sr.

2017-01-01

The purpose of this case study was to understand non-mastery for students in the mBolden Academic Model at Piedmont City Middle School (PCMS). The following research questions guided this study: How does the mBolden Academic Model influence student success at Piedmont City Middle School? Furthermore, this study has answered the following…

The Mousterian lithic assemblage of the Ciota Ciara cave (Piedmont, Northern Italy: Exploitation and conditioning of raw materials

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Sara Daffara

2014-09-01

Full Text Available The Ciota Ciara cave is situated in Monte Fenera’s karst (Borgosesia – Vercelli, at 670 metres above sea level. It is the most important evidence of a Middle Palaeolithic settlement in Piedmont: the cave was used by Homo neanderthalensis during the OIS 5, in a mild-humid period, as proven by faunal remains. The environment was characterized by deciduous woodland and glades. The intersection between different habitats, the presence of lithic raw materials, the karst morphology and water sources were certainly the main factors that encouraged human settlement during the Upper Pleistocene period, between 80.000 and 70.000 BP.In 2009 systematic excavations began in the cave by the University of Ferrara, in partnership with the Soprintendenza per i Beni Archeologici del Piemonte e del Museo di Antichità Egizie. Research focused on the cave’s atrium where three stratigraphic units were investigated: 13, 103 and 14.The exploited raw materials’ characterization were made by the stereo-microscope observations and through the SEM (Scanning Electron Microscope. Several lithologies are represented in different proportion: quartz is the predominant exploited raw material, followed by spongolite, sandstone, mylonite and opal. The archaeological record consists of various typologies of quartz: macro-crystalline pegmatite quartz, micro-crystalline pegmatite quartz and hyaline quartz. All these types of raw materials have been found in the proximity of the archaeological site, within 5 km range.The lithic assemblage is made of flakes, retouched tools, cores and debris. The raw materials exploitation was achieved through the direct percussion technique with various methods: S.S.D.A., discoid and Levallois. The reduction sequences on quartz are complete, although no refitting was found. The reduction sequence is not complete for most part of the other raw materials. The débitage products are small-medium size (1-4 cm and have different morphologies

Calcite Twinning in the Ordovician Martinsburg Formation, Delaware Water Gap, New Jersey, USA: Implications for Cleavage Formation and Tectonic Shortening in the Appalachian Piedmont Province

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John P. Craddock

2016-02-01

Full Text Available A traverse across the Stone Church syncline in the Ordovician Martinsburg turbidites reveals an axial planar cleavage (N40°E, SE dips in regional thrust-related folds (N40°E, shallow plunges and five phases of sparry calcite. Calcite fillings are bedding-parallel, cleavage-parallel, and one vein set cross-cuts both earlier phases; the youngest calcite filling is a bedding-parallel fault gouge that crosscuts the cleavage and preserves top-down-to-the-southeast normal fault kinematics. Calcite veins unique to disharmonically-folded calcareous siltstones (Maxwell, 1962 were also analyzed. Stable isotopic analysis (O, C of all of the calcite phases indicates a uniform fluid source (δ13C −2.0, δ18O −13.3 VPDB and, potentially, a similar precipitation and mechanical twinning age. The twinning strains (n = 1341; average Δσ = −32 MPa; average ε1 = −2.9% in the calcite suite are consistent with SE-NW thrust shortening, and sub-horizontal shortening perpendicular to evolving axial planar cleavage planes in the Stone Church syncline. Calcareous siltstone layers within the Martinsburg Fm. turbidites share concordant bedding planes and are unique, chemically (XRF, but folded and cleaved differently than the surrounding clay-rich Martinsburg turbidites. Neither sediment type yielded detrital zircons. Electron backscatter X-ray diffraction (EBSD and calcite twinning results in a folded calcareous siltstone layer preserving a layer-normal SE-NW shortening strain and Lattice Preferred Orientation (LPO. Shortening axes for the five-phase calcite suite trends ~N40°W, consistent with tectonic transport associated with crystalline nappe emplacement of the Reading Prong within the Piedmont province.

Legacies in urban stormwater management and the effect on gully formation in a Piedmont region of the US Mid Atlantic

Science.gov (United States)

Claessens, L.; Wehner, C. E.; Santangelo, T.; Soroka, A.

2013-12-01

Impervious surfaces in urban areas lead to increased stormwater runoff and produce flashier hydrology which can lead to stream bank erosion and increased sediment delivery to downstream ecosystems. Since the early 1990s the EPA has enforced stormwater regulation and nowadays, practices must be implemented that minimize water quality impacts. However, legacies of stormwater management in pre-regulated areas could be an important factor in the degradation of water quality. From a larger watershed perspective there is therefore a disconnect between investments in newly developed areas where water quality deterioration is perhaps minor vs. minimal investments in pre-regulation areas where water quality deterioration is perhaps major. In this study we examine such legacies in urban stormwater management and the effect on gully formation, with the objective to identify hotspots of water quality degradation and optimal locations for reducing water quality impacts. Our research primarily focuses on older developments (pre-1990s) in the Piedmont region of the Christina River basin (CRB), a tributary of the Delaware River. Many of the streams in the CRB have impaired water quality. We used a combination of methodological approaches, including historical surveys (aerial imagery, land-use maps, stormwater design reports), field observations (WQ sampling, topographic surveys), hydrological modeling, and geospatial analysis. We developed a simple GIS-based model that predicts susceptibility for gully erosion. The model calculates runoff (using Curve Number method), performs hydrologic routing, and based on topographic indices it estimates gully susceptibility for stream reaches draining urban developments. Our results show that the gully susceptibility model produces accurate predictions, including the location of deeply incised gullies. Through geospatial analysis we also identify benefits of structural stormwater control measures and BMPs, and the role of spatial variable land

Savannah River Laboratory quarterly report, October--December 1975. Hydrogeochemical and stream sediment reconnaissance: eastern United States. National Uranium Resource Evaluation program

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1975-01-01

Orientation studies were completed in six states. Areas sampled included the Texas Coastal Plain; Georgia Piedmont; North and South Carolina Blue Ridge; North Carolina Inner Piedmont, Slate Belt, Triassic Basin, and Coastal Plain; and Pennsylvania and Tennessee Plateaus. The sample preparation and neutron activation analyses are on a routine basis. No data is, however, reported. Programming and input for data management, analysis, and interpretation are reported

Using Emergent and Internal Catchment Data to Elucidate the Influence of Landscape Structure and Storage State on Hydrologic Response in a Piedmont Watershed

Science.gov (United States)

Putnam, S. M.; Harman, C. J.

2017-12-01

Many studies have sought to unravel the influence of landscape structure and catchment state on the quantity and composition of water at the catchment outlet. These studies run into issues of equifinality where multiple conceptualizations of flow pathways or storage states cannot be discriminated against on the basis of the quantity and composition of water alone. Here we aim to parse out the influence of landscape structure, flow pathways, and storage on both the observed catchment hydrograph and chemograph, using hydrometric and water isotope data collected from multiple locations within Pond Branch, a 37-hectare Piedmont catchment of the eastern US. This data is used to infer the quantity and age distribution of water stored and released by individual hydrogeomorphic units, and the catchment as a whole, in order to test hypotheses relating landscape structure, flow pathways, and catchment storage to the hydrograph and chemograph. Initial hypotheses relating internal catchment properties or processes to the hydrograph or chemograph are formed at the catchment scale. Data from Pond Branch include spring and catchment discharge measurements, well water levels, and soil moisture, as well as three years of high frequency precipitation and surface water stable water isotope data. The catchment hydrograph is deconstructed using hydrograph separation and the quantity of water associated with each time-scale of response is compared to the quantity of discharge that could be produced from hillslope and riparian hydrogeomorphic units. Storage is estimated for each hydrogeomorphic unit as well as the vadose zone, in order to construct a continuous time series of total storage, broken down by landscape unit. Rank StorAge Selection (rSAS) functions are parameterized for each hydrogeomorphic unit as well as the catchment as a whole, and the relative importance of changing proportions of discharge from each unit as well as storage in controlling the variability in the catchment

Heat flow at the proposed Appalachian Ultradeep Core Hole (ADCOH) Site: Tectonic implications

Science.gov (United States)

Costain, John K.; Decker, Edward R.

The heat flow in northwestern South Carolina at the Appalachian Ultradeep Core Hole (ADCOH) site area is approximately 55 mW/m². This data supplements other data to the east in the Piedmont and Atlantic Coastal Plain provinces where heat flows > 55 mW/m² are characteristic of post- and late-synmetamorphic granitoids. Piedmont heat flow and heat generation data for granites, metagranites, and one Slate Belt site, in a zone approximately parallel to major structural Appalachian trends, define a linear relation. Tectonic truncation of heat-producing crust at a depth of about 8 km (a depth equal to the slope of the heat flow-heat production line) is proposed to explain the linear relation. Using the value of reduced heat flow estimated from this empirical relation, and assuming thicknesses of heat-producing crust defined by new ADCOH seismic data, the heat flow and heat production at the ADCOH site are consistent with a depth to the base of the Inner Piedmont crystalline allochthon of about 5.5 km. Seismic data at the ADCOH site confirm that the Inner Piedmont is tectonically truncated at about 5.5 km by the Blue Ridge master decollement. Temperatures at 10 km at the ADCOH site are predicted to be less than 200 °C.

Some results of NURE uranium geochemical studies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Price, V. Jr.

1979-01-01

Some technical developments of the National Uranium Resource Evaluation Program which are of general application in geochemical exploration are being studied. Results of stream water and suspended and bottom sediment analyses are compared for an area near Williamsport, Pennsylvania. Variations of uranium content of water samples with time in the North Carolina Piedmont are seen to correlate with rainfall. Ground water samples from coastal and piedmont areas were analyzed for helium. All media sampled provide useful information when properly analyzed and interpreted as part of a total geological analysis of an area

First steps of integrated spatial modeling of titanium, zirconium, and rare earth element resources within the Coastal Plain sediments of the southeastern United States

Science.gov (United States)

Ellefsen, Karl J.; Van Gosen, Bradley S.; Fey, David L.; Budahn, James R.; Smith, Steven M.; Shah, Anjana K.

2015-01-01

The Coastal Plain of the southeastern United States has extensive, unconsolidated sedimentary deposits that are enriched in heavy minerals containing titanium, zirconium, and rare earth element resources. Areas favorable for exploration and development of these resources are being identified by geochemical data, which are supplemented with geological, geophysical, hydrological, and geographical data. The first steps of this analysis have been completed. The concentrations of lanthanum, yttrium, and titanium tend to decrease as distance from the Piedmont (which is the likely source of these resources) increases and are moderately correlated with airborne measurements of equivalent thorium concentration. The concentrations of lanthanum, yttrium, and titanium are relatively high in those watersheds that adjoin the Piedmont, south of the Cape Fear Arch. Although this relation suggests that the concentrations are related to the watersheds, it may be simply an independent regional trend. The concentration of zirconium is unrelated to the distance from the Piedmont, the equivalent thorium concentration, and the watershed. These findings establish a foundation for more sophisticated analyses using integrated spatial modeling.

Bedrock geology and mineral resources of the Knoxville 1° x 2° quadrangle, Tennessee, North Carolina, and South Carolina

Science.gov (United States)

Robinson, Gilpin R.; Lesure, Frank G.; Marlowe, J. I.; Foley, Nora K.; Clark, S.H.

2004-01-01

The Knoxville 1°x 2° quadrangle spans the Southern Blue Ridge physiographic province at its widest point from eastern Tennessee across western North Carolina to the northwest corner of South Carolina. The quadrangle also contains small parts of the Valley and Ridge province in Tennessee and the Piedmont province in North and South Carolina. Bedrock in the Valley and Ridge consists of unmetamorphosed, folded and thrust-faulted Paleozoic miogeoclinal sedimentary rocks ranging in age from Cambrian to Mississippian. The Blue Ridge is a complex of stacked thrust sheets divided into three parts: (1) a west flank underlain by rocks of the Late Proterozoic and Early Cambrian Chilhowee Group and slightly metamorphosed Late Proterozoic Ocoee Supergroup west of the Greenbrier fault; (2) a central part containing crystalline basement of Middle Proterozoic age (Grenville), Ocoee Supergroup rocks east of the Greenbrier fault, and rocks of the Murphy belt; and (3) an east flank containing the Helen, Tallulah Falls, and Richard Russell thrust sheets and the amphibolitic basement complex. All of the east flank thrust sheets contain polydeformed and metamorphosed sedimentary and igneous rocks of mostly Proterozoic age. The Blue Ridge is separated by the Brevard fault zone from a large area of rocks of the Inner Piedmont to the east, which contains the Six Mile thrust sheet and the ChaugaWalhalla thrust complex. All of these rocks are also polydeformed and metamorphosed sedimentary and igneous rocks. The Inner Piedmont rocks in this area occupy both the Piedmont and part of the Blue Ridge physiographic provinces.

Ciriottiite, Cu(Cu,Ag3Pb19(Sb,As22(As2S56, the Cu-Analogue of Sterryite from the Tavagnasco Mining District, Piedmont, Italy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Luca Bindi

2016-02-01

Full Text Available The new mineral species ciriottiite, ideally Cu(Cu,Ag3Pb19(Sb,As22(As2S56 has been discovered in the Tavagnasco mining district, Piedmont, Italy, as very rare black metallic tubular crystals, up to 150 μm in length, associated with Bi sulfosalts and arsenopyrite. Its Vickers hardness (VHN10 is 203 kg/mm2 (range 190–219. In reflected light, ciriottiite is light grey in color, distinctly anisotropic with brownish to greenish rotation tints. Internal reflections are absent. Reflectance values for the four COM wavelengths (Rmin, Rmax (% (λ in nm are: 33.2, 37.8 (471.1; 31.8, 35.3 (548.3, 31.0, 34.7 (586.6; and 27.9, 32.5 (652.3. Electron microprobe analysis gave (in wt %, average of 5 spot analyses: Cu 2.33 (8, Ag 0.53 (5, Hg 0.98 (6, Tl 0.78 (3, Pb 44.06 (14, As 4.66 (7, Sb 23.90 (10, Bi 1.75 (7, total 99.38 (26. On the basis of 56 S atoms per formula unit, the chemical formula of ciriottiite is Cu3.23(11Ag0.43(4Hg0.43(2Pb18.74(9Tl0.34(1Sb17.30(5As5.48(10Bi0.74(3S56. The main diffraction lines, corresponding to multiple hkl indices, are (d in Å (relative visual intensity: 4.09 (m, 3.91 (m, 3.63 (vs, 3.57 (m, 3.22 (m, 2.80 (mw, 2.07 (s. The crystal structure study revealed ciriottiite to be monoclinic, space group P21/n, with unit-cell parameters a = 8.178 (2, b = 28.223 (6, c = 42.452 (5 Å, β = 93.55 (2°, V = 9779.5 (5 Å3, Z = 4. The crystal structure was refined to a final R1 = 0.118 for 21304 observed reflections. Ciriottiite is the Cu analogue of sterryite and can be described as an expanded derivative of owyheeite. The name ciriottiite honors Marco Ernesto Ciriotti (b. 1945 for his longstanding contribution to mineral systematics.

The geology and chronology of the Acheulean deposits in the Mieso area (East-Central Ethiopia).

Science.gov (United States)

Benito-Calvo, Alfonso; Barfod, Dan N; McHenry, Lindsay J; de la Torre, Ignacio

2014-11-01

This paper presents the Quaternary sequence of the Mieso area of Central-East Ethiopia, located in the piedmont between the SE Ethiopian Escarpment and the Main Ethiopian Rift-Afar Rift transition sector.In this region, a piedmont alluvial plain is terraced at þ25 m above the two main fluvial courses, the Mieso and Yabdo Rivers. The piedmont sedimentary sequence is divided into three stratigraphic units separated by unconformities. Mieso Units I and II contain late Acheulean assemblages and a weakly consolidated alluvial sequence, consisting mainly of fine sediments with buried soils and, to a lesser degree, conglomerates. Palaeo-wetland areas were common in the alluvial plain, represented by patches of tufas, stromatolites and clays. At present, the piedmont alluvial surface is preserved mainly on a dark brown soil formed at the top of Unit II. Unit III corresponds to a fluvial deposit overlying Unit II, and is defined by sands, silty clays and gravels, including several Later Stone Age (LSA) occurrences. Three fine-grained tephra levels are interbedded in Unit I (tuffs TBI and TA) and II (tuff CB), and are usually spatially-constrained and reworked. Argon/argon (40Ar/39Ar) dating from tuff TA, an ash deposit preserved in a palustrine environment, yielded an age of 0.212 ± 0.016 Ma (millions of years ago). This date places thetop of Unit I in the late Middle Pleistocene, with Acheulean sites below and above tuff TA. Regional correlations tentatively place the base of Unit I around the Early-Middle Pleistocene boundary, Unit II inthe late Middle Pleistocene and within the Late Pleistocene, and the LSA occurrences of Unit III in the LatePleistoceneeHolocene.

A Layered Past: the Transformation and Development of Legacy Sediments as Alluvial Soils

Science.gov (United States)

Wade, A.; Richter, D. D., Jr.

2017-12-01

Legacy sediments are a widespread consequence of post-colonial upland erosion in the United States. Although these deposits are ubiquitous in valley bottoms of the southeastern Piedmont, mature hardwood forests and collapsed stream banks mask their occurrence. While these deposits have been studied for their fluvial dynamics and water quality impacts, they have received less attention in regards to soil structure and formation. In this study, we characterized legacy sediment mineraology, composition and structure to understand how pedogenic processes are overprinting sediment layering in a 40-hectare Piedmont floodplain. To constrain the timing of deposition, we used Pb-210 and C-14 dating on buried charcoal and tree stumps. Our results show that in 100 years of forest regeneration, vegetation and oscillating floodplain conditions have driven these eroded sediment deposits to evolve as soil profiles both in structure and composition. These textural and nutrient gradients have ramifications for the subsurface flow of nutrients through the floodplain. Given the estimated millennia it will take to erode legacy sediment from Piedmont floodplains, it is important to think of these deposits as new stable environments on their own trajectory of soil evolution.

RAW MILK IN AUTOMATIC SALE MACHINES: MONITORING PLAN IN PIEDEMONT REGION

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

S. Gallina

2010-06-01

Full Text Available Raw milk at vending machine is surging in popularity amongst consumers of Northern Italy; indeed in Piedmont Region there are more than 100 vending machines. In June 2008 Piedmont Region set out a specific monitoring plan to check the milk quality. From June to December 2008, 113 raw milk samples were collected at vending machines. Samples were analysed for Listeria monocytogenes, Salmonella spp., coagulase positive staphylococci, Staphylococcus aureus and Campylobacter. Moreover, 100 samples were analysed for the quantification of aflatoxin M1. 26 samples have been resulted Not Conform for the hygienic criteria and 1 exceeded the aflatoxin M1 limit.

Winter Activity of Coastal Plain Populations of Bat Species Affected by White-Nose Syndrome and Wind Energy Facilities.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

John F Grider

Full Text Available Across the entire distribution of a species, populations may have variable responses to environmental perturbations. Many bat species experience mortality in large portions of their range during hibernation and along migratory paths to and from wintering grounds, from White-nose syndrome (WNS and wind energy development, respectively. In some areas, warm temperatures may allow bats to remain active through winter, thus decreasing their susceptibility to WNS and/or mortality associated with migration to wintering grounds. These areas could act as a refugia and be important for the persistence of local populations. To determine if warmer temperatures affect bat activity, we compared year-round activity of bat populations in the Coastal Plain and Piedmont of North Carolina, USA, two regions that differ in winter temperature. We established six recording stations, four along a 295-kilometer north-south transect in the Coastal Plain, and two in the Piedmont of North Carolina. We recorded bat activity over two years. We supplemented our recordings with mist-net data. Although bat activity was lower during winter at all sites, the odds of recording a bat during winter were higher at Coastal Plain sites when compared with Piedmont sites. Further, bats in the Piedmont had a lower level of winter activity compared to summer activity than bats in the Coastal Plain that had more similar levels of activity in the winter and summer. We found high bat species richness on the Coastal Plain in winter, with winter-active species including those known to hibernate throughout most of their range and others known to be long distance migrants. In particular, two species impacted by WNS, the northern long-eared bat (Myotis septentrionalis and tricolored bat (Perimyotis subflavus, were present year round in the Coastal Plain. The tricolored bat was also present year-round in the Piedmont. In the Coastal Plain, the long distance migratory hoary bat (Lasiurus cinereus

Winter Activity of Coastal Plain Populations of Bat Species Affected by White-Nose Syndrome and Wind Energy Facilities.

Science.gov (United States)

Grider, John F; Larsen, Angela L; Homyack, Jessica A; Kalcounis-Rueppell, Matina C

2016-01-01

Across the entire distribution of a species, populations may have variable responses to environmental perturbations. Many bat species experience mortality in large portions of their range during hibernation and along migratory paths to and from wintering grounds, from White-nose syndrome (WNS) and wind energy development, respectively. In some areas, warm temperatures may allow bats to remain active through winter, thus decreasing their susceptibility to WNS and/or mortality associated with migration to wintering grounds. These areas could act as a refugia and be important for the persistence of local populations. To determine if warmer temperatures affect bat activity, we compared year-round activity of bat populations in the Coastal Plain and Piedmont of North Carolina, USA, two regions that differ in winter temperature. We established six recording stations, four along a 295-kilometer north-south transect in the Coastal Plain, and two in the Piedmont of North Carolina. We recorded bat activity over two years. We supplemented our recordings with mist-net data. Although bat activity was lower during winter at all sites, the odds of recording a bat during winter were higher at Coastal Plain sites when compared with Piedmont sites. Further, bats in the Piedmont had a lower level of winter activity compared to summer activity than bats in the Coastal Plain that had more similar levels of activity in the winter and summer. We found high bat species richness on the Coastal Plain in winter, with winter-active species including those known to hibernate throughout most of their range and others known to be long distance migrants. In particular, two species impacted by WNS, the northern long-eared bat (Myotis septentrionalis) and tricolored bat (Perimyotis subflavus), were present year round in the Coastal Plain. The tricolored bat was also present year-round in the Piedmont. In the Coastal Plain, the long distance migratory hoary bat (Lasiurus cinereus) was active in the

An Alternative to Channel-Centered Views of the Landscape for Understanding Modern Streams in the Mid-Atlantic Piedmont Region, Eastern USA

Science.gov (United States)

Merritts, D. J.; Walter, R. C.; Rahnis, M. A.; Oberholtzer, W.

2008-12-01

Stream channels generally are the focus of conceptual models of valley bottom geomorphology. The channel-centered model prevalent in the tectonically inactive eastern U. S. invokes meandering stream channels migrating laterally across valley floors, eroding one bank while depositing relatively coarse sediment in point bars on the other. According to this model, overbank deposition during flooding deposits a veneer of fine sediment over the gravel substrate. Erosion is considered normal, and the net volume of sediment is relatively constant with time. A dramatic change in conditions-land-clearing during European settlement--led to widespread aggradation on valley bottoms. This historic sedimentation was incorporated in the channel-centered view by assuming that meandering streams were overwhelmed by the increased sediment load and rapidly aggraded vertically. Later, elevated stream channels cut through these deposits because of decreased sediment supply and increased stormwater runoff accompanying urbanization. This view can be traced to early ideas of stream equilibrium in which incoming sediment supply and runoff determine stream-channel form. We propose a different conceptual model. Our trenching and field work along hundreds of km of stream length in the mid-Atlantic Piedmont reveal no point bars prior to European settlement. Instead, a polygenetic valley-bottom landscape underlies the drape of historic sediment. The planar surface of this veneer gives the appearance of a broad floodplain generated by long-term meandering and overbank deposition, but the "floodplain" is a recent aggradational surface from regional base-level rise due to thousands of early American dams that spanned valley bottoms. As modern streams incise into the historic fine-grained slackwater sediment, they expose organic-rich hydric soils along original valley bottom centers; talus, colluvium, bedrock, and saprolite with forest soils along valley margins; and weathered Pleistocene (and

Contributions of Phosphorus from Groundwater to Streams in the Piedmont, Blue Ridge, and Valley and Ridge Physiographic Provinces, Eastern United States

Science.gov (United States)

Denver, Judith M.; Cravotta,, Charles A.; Ator, Scott W.; Lindsey, Bruce D.

2011-01-01

Phosphorus from natural and human sources is likely to be discharged from groundwater to streams in certain geochemical environments. Water-quality data collected from 1991 through 2007 in paired networks of groundwater and streams in different hydrogeologic and land-use settings of the Piedmont, Blue Ridge, and Valley and Ridge Physiographic Provinces in the eastern United States were compiled and analyzed to evaluate the sources, fate, and transport of phosphorus. The median concentrations of phosphate in groundwater from the crystalline and siliciclastic bedrock settings (0.017 and 0.020 milligrams per liter, respectively) generally were greater than the median for the carbonate setting (less than 0.01 milligrams per liter). In contrast, the median concentrations of dissolved phosphate in stream base flow from the crystalline and siliciclastic bedrock settings (0.010 and 0.014 milligrams per liter, respectively) were less than the median concentration for base-flow samples from the carbonate setting (0.020 milligrams per liter). Concentrations of phosphorus in many of the stream base-flow and groundwater samples exceeded ecological criteria for streams in the region. Mineral dissolution was identified as the dominant source of phosphorus in the groundwater and stream base flow draining crystalline or siliciclastic bedrock in the study area. Low concentrations of dissolved phosphorus in groundwater from carbonate bedrock result from the precipitation of minerals and (or) from sorption to mineral surfaces along groundwater flow paths. Phosphorus concentrations are commonly elevated in stream base flow in areas underlain by carbonate bedrock, however, presumably derived from in-stream sources or from upland anthropogenic sources and transported along short, shallow groundwater flow paths. Dissolved phosphate concentrations in groundwater were correlated positively with concentrations of silica and sodium, and negatively with alkalinity and concentrations of calcium

Service Station for the Community

Science.gov (United States)

Fulk, Margaret E.; Blank, Gordon C.

1977-01-01

Western Piedmont Community College adopted the concept of a people-oriented Learning Resources Center with services offered to the entire college community through a learning laboratory, audiovisual center and library. (JG)

Geologic map of the Washington West 30’ × 60’ quadrangle, Maryland, Virginia, and Washington D.C.

Science.gov (United States)

Lyttle, Peter T.; Aleinikoff, John N.; Burton, William C.; Crider, E. Allen; Drake, Avery A.; Froelich, Albert J.; Horton, J. Wright; Kasselas, Gregorios; Mixon, Robert B.; McCartan, Lucy; Nelson, Arthur E.; Newell, Wayne L.; Pavlides, Louis; Powars, David S.; Southworth, C. Scott; Weems, Robert E.

2018-01-02

The Washington West 30’ × 60’ quadrangle covers an area of approximately 4,884 square kilometers (1,343 square miles) in and west of the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area. The eastern part of the area is highly urbanized, and more rural areas to the west are rapidly being developed. The area lies entirely within the Chesapeake Bay drainage basin and mostly within the Potomac River watershed. It contains part of the Nation's main north-south transportation corridor east of the Blue Ridge Mountains, consisting of Interstate Highway 95, U.S. Highway 1, and railroads, as well as parts of the Capital Beltway and Interstate Highway 66. Extensive Federal land holdings in addition to those in Washington, D.C., include the Marine Corps Development and Education Command at Quantico, Fort Belvoir, Vint Hill Farms Station, the Naval Ordnance Station at Indian Head, the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historic Park, Great Falls Park, and Manassas National Battlefield Park. The quadrangle contains most of Washington, D.C.; part or all of Arlington, Culpeper, Fairfax, Fauquier, Loudoun, Prince William, Rappahannock, and Stafford Counties in northern Virginia; and parts of Charles, Montgomery, and Prince Georges Counties in Maryland.The Washington West quadrangle spans four geologic provinces. From west to east these provinces are the Blue Ridge province, the early Mesozoic Culpeper basin, the Piedmont province, and the Coastal Plain province. There is some overlap in ages of rocks in the Blue Ridge and Piedmont provinces. The Blue Ridge province, which occupies the western part of the quadrangle, contains metamorphic and igneous rocks of Mesoproterozoic to Early Cambrian age. Mesoproterozoic (Grenville-age) rocks are mostly granitic gneisses, although older metaigneous rocks are found as xenoliths. Small areas of Neoproterozoic metasedimentary rocks nonconformably overlie Mesoproterozoic rocks. Neoproterozoic granitic rocks of the Robertson River Igneous Suite intruded

Hydrology and climate in the southwestern Amazon basin (Bolivia)

Science.gov (United States)

Ronchail, J.; Bourrel, L.; Maurice-Bourgoin, L.; Vauchel, P.; Cochonneau, G.; Guyot, J. L.; Phillips, L.; Castro, A.

2003-04-01

The variability of the runoff of the Bolivian tributaries of the Madeira River, the greatest southern affluent of the Amazon R., is of major importance for the riparian people safety and for the economic development of the region. We investigated whether the discharge of these rivers is predictable or not, using the Sea Surface Temperatures Anomalies (SSTAs) in the Equatorial Pacific and in the Tropical Atlantic oceans. The hydrological variability is studied using daily river discharge data of 3 tributaries: the Rio Beni in Rurrenabaque, the Rio Ichilo in Puerto Villaroel and the Mamoré River in Puerto Varador, respectively representative of the Andes, the Andean Piedmont and the lowlands. This information has been collected and criticized in the mark of successive Bolivian - French conventions. The hydrological response of the Andean river is out of phase with that of the piedmont and plain rivers. The Rio Beni in Rurrenabaque experiments high runoff during La Niña events and during cool (warm) events in the northern (southern) tropical Atlantic. On the contrary, the Ichilo and Mamoré Rivers and inundation data show that high runoff are more frequent during El Niño events and when the southern tropical Atlantic Ocean is cooler than normally. 30% of the Beni R. discharge variability is explained by the ENSO events and 25% by the SSTAs in the tropical Atlantic. In the Andean piedmont and in the lowlands, the ENSO explains 45% of the discharges, but differences in series lengths may also contribute to this better result. On the contrary, the relationship with the southern tropical Atlantic is only a tendency and is not statistically significant. To conclude, the SSTAs in the tropical oceans do not allow a prediction of the discharge variability of the Bolivian tributaries of the Madeira River but they contribute to their comprehension. The present results, different for Andean and Piedmont or lowlands tributaries, are consistent with those relative to the ENSO

Geology and ground-water resources of Washington, D.C., and vicinity

Science.gov (United States)

Johnston, Paul McKelvey

1964-01-01

The area of this report includes 436 square miles centered about the District of Columbia. The area contains parts of two distinctly different physiographic provinces-the Piedmont and the Coastal Plain. The Fall Line, which separates the Piedmont province on the west from the Coastal Plain Province on the east, bisects the area diagonally from northeast to southwest. Northwest of the Fall Line, deeply weathered igneous and metamorphic rocks are exposed ; to the southeast, these rocks are covered by Coastal Plain sediments; the nonconformity between crystalline rock and sediments dips southeast at an average rate of about 125 feet per mile. The rocks of the Piedmont include: (1) schist, phyllite, and quartzite of the Wissahickon Formation; (2) altered mafic rocks such as greenstone and serpentine; (3) the Laurel Gneiss of Chapman, 1942, and the Sykesville Formation of Jonas, 1928--both probably derived from the Wissahickon ; and (4) later granitic intrusive rocks. Lying upon this basement of hard rocks east of the Fall Line are the generally unconsolidated sediments of the Coastal Plain, which include gravel, sand, and clay, ranging in age from Cretaceous to Recent. These sediments measure only a few inches at their western extremity but thicken to 1,800 feet at the southeast corner of the mapped area. Owing to the great diversity in the geology of the two provinces, the waterbearing characteristics of the rocks also vary greatly. In the Piedmont, ground water occurs under unconfined or water-table conditions in openings and fissures in the hard rocks or in the residual weathered blanket that overlies them. In the Coastal Plain, the shallow wells tap unconfined water, but beneath the upper clay layers the water is contained in the sand and gravel under artesian pressure and must be recovered by deep drilled wells. Wells are of three types--drilled, bored, and dug. Drilled wells furnish a permanent water supply and are the least subject to pollution when properly

Modelling soil erosion risk based on RUSLE-3D using GIS in a ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

the point where runoff entered a well defined chan- ... and deep-incised drainage with steep and sharp hill slopes. Piedmont ... Water Information System (ILWIS) image process- ing and GIS ..... characterized as excessively drained, shallow to.

Gold deposits of the southern Piedmont

Science.gov (United States)

Pardee, J.T.; Park, C.F.

1948-01-01

This report deals chiefly with the gold mines in the Southern Appalachian gold belt whose workings were accessible at the time of examination, but it also · summarizes available information concerning many mines that were not accessible. Most of the mines lie within a belt, 10 to 100 miles wide, that extends

Geology and industrial mineral resources of the Macon-Gordon Kaolin District, Georgia

Science.gov (United States)

Buie, Bennett Frank; Hetrick, J.H.; Patterson, S.H.; Neeley, C.L.

1979-01-01

The Macon-Gordon kaolin district is about 80 miles (130 km) southeast of Atlanta, Georgia. It extends across the boundary between, and includes parts of, the Piedmont and Atlantic Coastal Plain physiographic provinces. The rocks in the Piedmont are mainly intensely folded sericite schist and granite gneiss containing irregular masses of amphibolite and feldspathic biotite gneiss and scattered igneous intrusive rocks. Most of the crystalline rocks are thought to be of Paleozoic age, but some of the intrusive rocks may be younger. The crystalline rocks are cut by a major unconformity and are overlain by sedimentary formations ranging in age from Cretaceous to Miocene. The valuable kaolin deposits occur in the Cretaceous beds, undivided, and in the Huber Formation which is of Paleocene to middle Eocene age. The resources of kaolin in the district are estimated in millions of metric tons as follows: reserves, 100; subeconomic resources, 700 to 900; undiscovered resources, probably 700 to 1,000. In addition to kaolin, the leading mineral commodity mined in the district, crushed stone and sand are now being produced, and fuller's earth and a minor amount of limestone were formerly produced. The crushed stone is quarried from igneous rocks in the Piedmont province. The sand is washed from the Cretaceous beds, undivided. The fuller's earth was mined from the Twiggs Clay Member of the Barnwell Formation, and limestone was dug from the Tivola Limestone.

Geotechnical Materials Database for Embankment Design and Construction

Science.gov (United States)

2011-12-01

This project was focused on the assimilation of engineering properties of borrow soils across the state of : South Carolina. Extensive data on soils used for embankment construction were evaluated and compared : within Group A (Piedmont) and Group B ...

Gneisses (Serizzi and Beole) of the Verbano-Cusio-Ossola district (Piedmont, Northern Italy): possible candidates for the designation of "Global Heritage Stone province"

Science.gov (United States)

Antonella Dino, Giovanna; Borghi, Alessandro; Cavallo, Alessandro; Primavori, Piero

2016-04-01

The Verbano-Cusio-Ossola quarrying district (Piedmont, northern Italy) produces many different ornamental stones (granites, gneisses, marbles): two really important categories are represented by Serizzo and Beola gneisses. Several varieties of Serizzo and Beola crop out in the upper and middle Ossola Valley: Serizzo derives from the Antigorio, Monte Leone and Monte Rosa Penninic Units, whereas Beola from the Monte Leone, Orselina-Moncucco-Isorno and Monte Rosa Penninic Units, as well from the Fobello-Rimella schists (Austroalpine). The Serizzo, represented by a group of foliated granitoid orthogneisses (Serizzo Antigorio, Serizzo Formazza, Serizzo Sempione and Serizzo Monte Rosa varieties), is probably the most important and extensively exploited ornamental stones from the VCO province (about 70% of the VCO stone production). The quarries are mostly concentrated in the Antigorio and Formazza valleys, where the Antigorio nappe has a sub-horizontal attitude and reaches its greatest thickness (up to 1000 m). This stone was largely used to produce columns since the end of XV century (e.g. the old Ospedale Maggiore in Milano, now University of Milano) and later on it was replaced with granites. It was also used in the building structure of the Duomo di Milano, for the plinth and the piers. Nowadays, thanks to its good wear resistance and low cost, it is mainly used in polished slabs for paving: a recent application is the Frankfurt airport floor. Beola is the name of a group of heterogeneous orthogneisses with mylonitic foliation and strong mineralogical lineation (Beola Grigia, Bianca, Ghiandonata, Striata varieties), easy to split into thin slabs with hammer and chisel, occurring in the middle Ossola Valley, between Vogogna and Montecrestese. The quarries of Beola are probably the oldest of the Ossola Valley, although the precise period in which the stone started to be exported is unknown. The Beola trade probably started at the end of the XIII century, with the

DEGRADATION AND MIGRATION OF VINCLOZOLIN IN SAND AND SOIL

Science.gov (United States)

The migration of the dicarboximide fungicide vinclozolin and its principal degradation products through porous media was experimentally determined by simulating pesticide applications to a 23-30 mesh Ottawa sand and a North Carolina Piedmont, aquic hapludult soil in laboratory ...

Management and inventory of southern hardwoods

Science.gov (United States)

John A. Putnam; George M. Furnival; J.S. McKnight

1960-01-01

The valleys and uplands of the South outside the mountains and upper Piedmont have, since 1915, been responsible for about 45 percent of the national production of hardwood sawtimber. They are strong indications that this situation may continue indefinitely.

A Regional Guidebook for Conducting Functional Assessments of Forested Wetlands in the Arkansas Valley Region of Arkansas

Science.gov (United States)

2008-08-01

the Piedmont of the Carolinas and Georgia. EPA/600/R-96/057, U.S. Environ- mental Protection Agency National Health and Environmental Effects...Cornus florida green ash Fraxinus pennsylvanica hawthorn Crataegus spp. hibiscus Hibiscus spp. highbush blueberry Vaccinium arboreum honey locust

77 FR 9837 - Airworthiness Directives; Lycoming Engines Reciprocating Engines

Science.gov (United States)

2012-02-21

... Airmotive Corporation, formerly Facet Aerospace Products Company, formerly Marvel-Schebler (BorgWarner)) HA... identified in this AD, contact Marvel-Schebler Aircraft Carburetors LLC, 125 Piedmont Avenue, Gibsonville NC... Precision Airmotive Corporation, formerly Facet Aerospace Products Company, formerly Marvel-Schebler (Borg...

Collaboration: Rethinking Roles and Strengthening Relationships

Science.gov (United States)

Coltrain, Mark

2015-01-01

Collaboration among librarians and faculty when designing courses can offer a new model of embedded librarianship that allows better scalability and opportunities for more authentic assessment. This column looks at one example at Central Piedmont Community College in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Streambed infiltration and ground-water flow from the trout creek drainage, an intermittent tributary to the Humboldt River, north-central Nevada: Chapter K in Ground-water recharge in the arid and semiarid southwestern United States (Professional Paper 1703)

Science.gov (United States)

Prudic, David E.; Niswonger, Richard G.; Harrill, James R.; Wood, James L.; Stonestrom, David A.; Constantz, Jim; Ferré, Ty P.A.; Leake, Stanley A.

2007-01-01

Ground water is abundant in many alluvial basins of the Basin and Range Physiographic Province of the western United States. Water enters these basins by infiltration along intermittent and ephemeral channels, which originate in the mountainous regions before crossing alluvial fans and piedmont alluvial plains. Water also enters the basins as subsurface ground-water flow directly from the mountains, where infiltrated precipitation recharges water-bearing rocks and sediments at these higher elevations. Trout Creek, a typical intermittent stream in the Middle Humboldt River Basin in north-central Nevada, was chosen to develop methods of estimating and characterizing streambed infiltration and ground-water recharge in mountainous terrains. Trout Creek has a drainage area of about 4.8 × 107 square meters. Stream gradients range from more than 1 × 10–1 meter per meter in the mountains to 5 × 10–3 meter per meter at the foot of the piedmont alluvial plain. Trout Creek is perennial in short reaches upstream of a northeast-southwest trending normal fault, where perennial springs discharge to the channel. Downstream from the fault, the water table drops below the base of the channel and the stream becomes intermittent.Snowmelt generates streamflow during March and April, when streamflow extends onto the piedmont alluvial plain for several weeks in most years. Rates of streambed infiltration become highest in the lowest reaches, at the foot of the piedmont alluvial plain. The marked increases in infiltration are attributed to increases in streambed permeability together with decreases in channel-bed armoring, the latter which increases the effective area of the channel. Large quartzite cobbles cover the streambed in the upper reaches of the stream and are absent in the lowest reach. Such changes in channel deposits are common where alluvial fans join piedmont alluvial plains. Poorly sorted coarse and fine sediments are deposited near the head of the fan, while

Surficial Geologic Map of the Roanoke Rapids 30' x 60' Quadrangle, North Carolina

Science.gov (United States)

Weems, Robert E.; Lewis, William C.; Aleman-Gonzalez, Wilma

2009-01-01

The Roanoke Rapids 1:100,000 map sheet is located in northeastern North Carolina. Most of the area is flat to gently rolling, though steep slopes occur occasionally along some of the larger streams. Total relief in the area is slightly less than 400 feet (ft), with elevations ranging from sea level east of Murfreesboro in the far northeastern corner of the map to 384 ft near the northwestern map border near Littleton. The principal streams are the Roanoke River and Fishing Creek, which on average flow from northwest to southeast in the map area. The principal north-south roads are Interstate Route 95, U.S. Route 258, and U.S. Route 301. Two lines of the CSX railroad also cross the area in a north-south and northeast-southwest direction. This part of North Carolina is primarily rural and agricultural. The only large community in the area is Roanoke Rapids. The map lies astride the Tidewater Fall Line, a prominent physiographic feature marked by rapids and waterfalls that separate the rocky streams of the eastern Piedmont physiographic province from the sandy and alluviated streams of the western Atlantic Coastal Plain physiographic province. The energy from the Roanoke River descending the Tidewater Fall Line has been harnessed by dams to produce hydroelectric power, and this source of energy was a major factor in the growth and development of Roanoke Rapids. The Piedmont in the western part of the map area is underlain by Neoproterozoic to Cambrian metavolcanic and metasedimentary rocks that are intruded by granite in some areas. In the central and eastern part of the map area, the folded and faulted igneous and metamorphic rocks of the Piedmont, as well as tilted sedimentary rocks in a buried Triassic basin, are all overlain with profound unconformity by generally unlithified and only slightly eastward-tilted Cretaceous, Paleogene, and Neogene sediments of the Atlantic Coastal Plain. The Coastal Plain sediments lap westward onto the eastern Piedmont along the high

Combining outcrop, magnetic, and airborne LiDAR data in a course-based undergraduate research experience (CURE): interpretation of bedrock fracturing in the northeastern Deep River Basin and adjacent basement, North Carolina

Science.gov (United States)

Pedigo, R.; Waters-Tormey, C. L.; Styers, D.; Hurst, E.

2017-12-01

Course-based undergraduate research experiences (CUREs) are a way for students to learn the power of combining geological, geophysical, and geodetic datasets, while also generating new results to answer real questions. A 5-week undergraduate geophysics CURE combined newly released public domain LiDAR-derived ground models with outcrop and magnetic data. The goal was to see if this approach could improve understanding of bedrock fracture sets in the NC Piedmont, which in turn would improve decisions about groundwater resources and proposed hydraulic fracturing of "tight" shale reservoirs in the 230 Ma Deep River failed rift basin. The 10 km2 study area was selected because it straddles the fault contact between crystalline basement and basin sedimentary rocks, it contains 200 Ma NW-SE trending mafic dikes related to successful rifting of Pangea common in the Piedmont, bedrock exposure is typical of the Piedmont (poor), and its land use history is representative of much of the Piedmont. Students visited representative field sites to collect observations then manually identified lineaments in several adjacent LiDAR ground model tiles. Results suggest that (1) lineaments as short as a few m are easily identified except underneath Quaternary deposits, (2) the dominant lineament set trends NW-SE with m- to 10 m-scale spacing, (3) lineaments are better expressed in sedimentary rocks and (4) do not spatially coincide with dike traces. Using field observations, map patterns, and total magnetic intensity profiles across several dikes, the lineaments are interpreted to be edges of subvertical joint fractures recording extension parallel to the dikes' dilation direction. The CURE concluded with students in small groups proposing next steps for the larger research project. The CURE introduced geology majors to the power of using geophysical and remote sensing data with geological data to address geoscience questions. Student feedback was very positive even though the learning

76 FR 54397 - Airworthiness Directives; Lycoming Engines (Type Certificate Previously Held by Textron Lycoming...

Science.gov (United States)

2011-09-01

... Facet Aerospace Products Company, formerly Marvel-Schebler (BorgWarner)) HA-6 carburetors, inspecting... information identified in this proposed AD, contact Marvel-Schebler Aircraft Carburetors LLC, 125 Piedmont... We reviewed Marvel-Schebler Aircraft Carburetors LLC Emergency Service Bulletin (SB) No. SB-18, dated...

Problematika jihovýchodního pokračování lužického zlomu v západním Podkrkonoší

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Prouza, V.; Coubal, Miroslav; Adamovič, Jiří

2013-01-01

Roč. 2012, Prosinec (2013), s. 59-63 ISSN 0514-8057 Institutional support: RVO:67985831 Keywords : Lusatian Fault * Koberovy Flexure * reverse faulting * Krkonoše piedmont region Subject RIV: DB - Geology ; Mineralogy http://www.geology.cz/zpravy/obsah/2012/Zpravy_2012-11.pdf

Forested communities of the pine mountain region, Georgia, USA

Science.gov (United States)

Robert Floyd; Robert Carter

2013-01-01

Seven landscape scale communities were identified in the Pine Mountain region having a mixture of Appalachian, Piedmont, and Coastal Plain species. The diagnostic environmental variables included elevation, B-horizon depth, A-horizon silt, topographic relative moisture index, and A-horizon potassium (K).

Tectonic Geomorphology.

Science.gov (United States)

Bull, William B.

1984-01-01

Summarizes representative quantitative tectonic-geomorphology studies made during the last century, focusing on fault-bounded mountain-front escarpments, marine terraces, and alluvial geomorphic surfaces (considering stream terraces, piedmont fault scarps, and soils chronosequences). Also suggests where tectonic-geomorphology courses may best fit…

TRANSFORMATION AND TRANSPORT OF SEMI-VOLATILE ORGANIC COMPOUNDS FROM SOIL: MEASURING DICARBOXIMIDES IN A CHAMBER

Science.gov (United States)

A laboratory chamber was used to determine transport of a suspected anti-androgenic dicarboximide fungicide, vinclozolin (3,5-dichlorophenyl)-5-methyl-5-vinyl-oxzoli-dine-2,4-dione) and three degradation products from a North Carolina Piedmont aquic hapludult soil following a s...

Gneiss wastes as secondary raw material for the ceramic industry: an example from the Verbano Cusio Ossola district (Piedmont, north-western Alps, Italy)

Science.gov (United States)

Cavallo, Alessandro

2015-04-01

The Verbano Cusio Ossola province (VCO, Piedmont, north-western Italy) is one of the most important Italian quarrying districts, due to the peculiarity and variety of its exploited rock types, mainly orthogneisses such as Serizzo and Beola, and subordinately granites, marbles and other rocks. The most important and extensively exploited ornamental stone from the VCO province is surely the Serizzo, commercialized in four main varieties, and representing about 70% of all the stone production from the VCO area. The protholith of the Serizzo is a Permian granite - granodiorite metamorphosed during the alpine events, and the rock-forming minerals are mainly quartz, K-feldspar, plagioclase (andesine), biotite, with variable amounts of muscovite and epidote (allanite). The other important ornamental stone of the VCO province is the Beola, a series of heterogeneous materials (mainly orthogneisses) with marked (mylonitic) foliation and strong mineralogical lineation, occurring in the median Ossola Valley; its production (15% of the whole stones of the VCO) is subordinated with respect to that of Serizzo. The mineralogical composition of the Beola varieties is similar to Serizzo, consisting of quite homogeneous quartz, K-feldspar (orthoclase or microcline), plagioclase, biotite and muscovite. The main differences relate to the grain size, the rock fabric (generally mylonitic) and to the presence of accessory/secondary minerals. Recent regulatory developments and the growing environmental awareness, require an increasing reuse of wastes deriving from the extraction and processing of dimension stones (up to 50 % of the extracted gross volume). Granite wastes from the VCO (Baveno pink granite and Montorfano white granite), after specific industrial treatments (crushing, sieving, drying, magnetic separation of biotite and hornblende), are used successfully as quartz-feldspars mix in the ceramic industry, with very low FeOtot content. On the other hand, other quartzose

Paleontologický výzkum v permokarbonu podkrkonošské pánve

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Šimůnek, Z.; Stárková, M.; Zajíc, Jaroslav; Mikuláš, Radek; Drábková, J.

2010-01-01

Roč. 2009, - (2010), s. 167-171 ISSN 0514-8057 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z30130516 Keywords : Krkonoše-Piedmont Basin * Carboniferous * Permian * fauna * flora * palynomorphs * ichnofossils Subject RIV: DB - Geology ; Mineralogy http://www.geology.cz/zpravy/obsah/2009/2009-45.pdf

Bootlegging Literacy Sponsorship, Brewing up Institutional Change

Science.gov (United States)

Carrick, Tracey Hammler

2007-01-01

This paper considers how community literacy programs factor into broader economies of literacy development. The author analyzes two Appalachian community literacy projects, Shirley Brice Heath's ethnographic project in the Carolina Piedmont and Highlander Research and Education Center's organizing efforts with the Appalachian People's Movement, to…

Prescribed burning and mastication effects on surface fuels in southern pine beetle-killed loblolly pine plantations

Science.gov (United States)

Aaron D. Stottlemyer; Thomas A. Waldrop; G. Geoff Wang

2015-01-01

Surface fuels were characterized in loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) plantations severely impacted by southern pine beetle (Dendroctonus frontalis Ehrh.) (SPB) outbreaks in the upper South Carolina Piedmont. Prescribed burning and mastication were then tested as fuel reduction treatments in these areas. Prescribed burning reduced...

Human impacts and eutrophication patterns during the past ~200 years at Lago Grande di Avigliana (N. Italy)

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Finsinger, W.; Bigler, C.; Krähenbühl, U.; Lotter, A.F.; Ammann, B.

2006-01-01

A short sediment core from Lago Grande di Avigliana (Piedmont, Italy), the second most eutrophied lake in Italy, was analysed for pollen and diatoms to reconstruct land-use changes and to estimate baseline conditions for total phosphorus (TP) in the water column. Varve counts on sediment

76 FR 29006 - In the Matter of Certain Motion-Sensitive Sound Effects Devices and Image Display Devices and...

Science.gov (United States)

2011-05-19

... 98052. Nyko Technologies, Inc., 1990 Westwood Blvd., 3rd Floor, Los Angeles, CA 90025. Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications (USA), Inc., 3333 Piedmont Road, Suite 600, Atlanta, GA 30305. Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications AB, Nya Vattentornet SE-221, 88 Lund, Sweden. Vivitek Corporation, 4425 Cushing Parkway, San Jose...

77 FR 77016 - Authorization of Production Activity: Foreign-Trade Zone 230: Sonoco Corrflex (Kitting-Gift Sets...

Science.gov (United States)

2012-12-31

... DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE Foreign-Trade Zones Board [B-69-2012] Authorization of Production Activity: Foreign-Trade Zone 230: Sonoco Corrflex (Kitting-Gift Sets); Rural Hall and Winston-Salem, North Carolina On August 20, 2012, the Piedmont Triad Partnership, grantee of FTZ 230, submitted a notification of...

Types of soft-sediment deformation structures in a lacustrine Ploužnice member (Stephanian, Gzhelian, Pennsylvanian, Bohemian Massif), their timing, and possible trigger mechanism

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Stárková, M.; Martínek, K.; Mikuláš, Radek; Rosenau, N.

2015-01-01

Roč. 104, č. 5 (2015), s. 1277-1298 ISSN 1437-3254 Institutional support: RVO:67985831 Keywords : soft-sediment deformation structures * bioturbation * early diagenetic carbonate * lacustrine facies * Bohemian Massif * Stephanian C * Krkonoše Piedmont Basin Subject RIV: DB - Geology ; Mineralogy Impact factor: 2.133, year: 2015

Soil CO2 efflux in loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) plantations on the virginia Piedmond and South Carolina coastal plain over a rotation-length chronosequence

Science.gov (United States)

Christopher M. Gough; John R. Seiler; P. Eric Wiseman; Christopher A. Maier

2005-01-01

We measured soil surface CO2 efflux (Fx) in loblolly pine stands (Pinus taeda L.) located on the Virginia Piedmont (VA) and South Carolina Coastal Plain (SC) in efforts to assess the impact climate, productivity, and cultural practices have on Fs in the managed loblolly pine...

Creating Win-Win Capstone Projects.

Science.gov (United States)

Williams, Gornie T., Jr.

To prepare students for a total quality workplace, South Piedmont Community College (SPCC) is offering hands-on projects for students to learn the following skills: learning to learn; listening and oral communications; competence in reading, writing, and computation; adaptability, which includes creative thinking and problem solving; personal…

Land changes and their driving forces in the Southeastern United States

Science.gov (United States)

Napton, Darrell E.; Auch, Roger F.; Headley, Rachel; Taylor, Janis

2010-01-01

The ecoregions of the Middle Atlantic Coastal Plain, Southeastern Plains, Piedmont, and Blue Ridge provide a continuum of land cover from the Atlantic Ocean to the highest mountains in the East. From 1973 to 2000, each ecoregion had a unique mosaic of land covers and land cover changes. The forests of the Blue Ridge Mountains provided amenity lands. The Piedmont forested area declined, while the developed area increased. The Southeastern Plains became a commercial forest region, and most agricultural lands that changed became forested. Forests in the Middle Atlantic Coastal Plain declined, and development related to recreation and retirement increased. The most important drivers of land conversion were associated with commercial forestry, competition between forest and agriculture, and economic and population growth. These and other drivers were modified by each ecoregion’s unique suitability and land use legacies with the result that the same drivers often produced different land changes in different ecoregions.

Site vegetation report: Terrestrial vegetation survey (1993--1995) for the Rocky Flats Environmental Technology Site

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1997-06-01

The Ecological Monitoring Program (EcMP) was designed to investigate the long-term ecological trends in terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems at the US Department of energy's (DOE's) Rocky Flats Environmental Technology Site (Site) (DOE 1993). Field sampling was conducted during 1993, 1994, and 1995, until the program was terminated in late 1995. This report presents the terrestrial vegetation data that were gathered by the EcMP. The site is located on the Colorado Piedmont, east of the Front Range, between Boulder and Golden, approximately 25 km (16 miles) northwest of Denver. The topography and proximity of the Site to the mountain front result in an interesting mixture of prairie and mountain plant species. The Site is one of the few large, relatively undisturbed areas of its kind that remains along the Colorado Piedmont. Until 1989, the primary mission of the Site was the production of nuclear weapons components (DOE 1993). After production ceased, Site personnel shifted their focus to cleanup and closure

Site vegetation report: Terrestrial vegetation survey (1993--1995) for the Rocky Flats Environmental Technology Site

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1997-06-01

The Ecological Monitoring Program (EcMP) was designed to investigate the long-term ecological trends in terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems at the US Department of energy`s (DOE`s) Rocky Flats Environmental Technology Site (Site) (DOE 1993). Field sampling was conducted during 1993, 1994, and 1995, until the program was terminated in late 1995. This report presents the terrestrial vegetation data that were gathered by the EcMP. The site is located on the Colorado Piedmont, east of the Front Range, between Boulder and Golden, approximately 25 km (16 miles) northwest of Denver. The topography and proximity of the Site to the mountain front result in an interesting mixture of prairie and mountain plant species. The Site is one of the few large, relatively undisturbed areas of its kind that remains along the Colorado Piedmont. Until 1989, the primary mission of the Site was the production of nuclear weapons components (DOE 1993). After production ceased, Site personnel shifted their focus to cleanup and closure.

Removal of an invasive shrub (Chinese privet: Ligustrum sinense Lour) reduces exotic earthworm abundance and promotes recovery of native North American earthworms

Science.gov (United States)

Joshua W. Lobe; Mac A. Callaham Jr.; Paul F. Hendrix; James L Hanula

2014-01-01

This study investigated the possibility of a facilitative relationship between Chinese privet (Ligustrum sinense) and exotic earthworms, in the southeastern region of the USA. Earthworms and selected soil properties were sampled five years after experimental removal of privet from flood plain forests of the Georgia Piedmont region. The earthworm...

Effect of burning on hexazinone residues in firewood

Science.gov (United States)

P.B. Bush; D.G. Neary; Charles K. McMahon; H.L. Hendricks

1986-01-01

Abstract. Two studies were conducted in 1980 and 1982 to determine if hardwood stems killed by hexazinone were suitable for use as firewood. Mixed hardwood-pine stands, in the upper Piedmont of Georgia and in central Florida, we treated with labeled rates of hexazinone in pellet or liquid formulations.

Evaluation of HDPE water sample bottles and PVC sampler tubing used in herbicide dissipation studies.

Science.gov (United States)

J. B. Fischer; J. L. Michael; H. L. Gibbs

2009-01-01

The recovery of six herbicides (triclopyr, triclopyr ester, sulfometuron methyl, metsulfuron methyl, imazapyr, and hexazinone) was evaluated in two stream water samples, one from Weogufka Creek in the Alabama Piedmont and one from a stagnant stream in the Escambia Experimental Forest near Florida. Simulated field study conditions were...

A Grounded Theory Exploration of the North Carolina Educator Evaluation System and Its Effects on Teaching Practices and Teacher Leadership

Science.gov (United States)

Wydo, Daniel A.

2016-01-01

This study examined the effects of the recently implemented North Carolina Educator Evaluator System (NCEES) on teaching practices and teacher leadership in a mostly rural county in the Piedmont region of North Carolina. NCEES is designed to improve teaching practices and teacher leadership through performance-based standards. This…

Groundwater mixing and mineralization processes in a mountain-oasis-desert basin, northwest China: hydrogeochemistry and environmental tracer indicators

Science.gov (United States)

Ma, Bin; Jin, Menggui; Liang, Xing; Li, Jing

2018-02-01

Hydrogeochemistry and environmental tracers (2H, 18O, 87Sr/86Sr) in precipitation, river and reservoir water, and groundwater have been used to determine groundwater recharge sources, and to identify mixing characteristics and mineralization processes in the Manas River Basin (MRB), which is a typical mountain-oasis-desert ecosystem in arid northwest China. The oasis component is artificial (irrigation). Groundwater with enriched stable isotope content originates from local precipitation and surface-water leakage in the piedmont alluvial-oasis plain. Groundwater with more depleted isotopes in the north oasis plain and desert is recharged by lateral flow from the adjacent mountains, for which recharge is associated with high altitude and/or paleo-water infiltrating during a period of much colder climate. Little evaporation and isotope exchange between groundwater and rock and soil minerals occurred in the mountain, piedmont and oasis plain. Groundwater δ2H and δ18O values show more homogeneous values along the groundwater flow direction and with well depths, indicating inter-aquifer mixing processes. A regional contrast of groundwater allows the 87Sr/86Sr ratios and δ18O values to be useful in a combination with Cl, Na, Mg, Ca and Sr concentrations to distinguish the groundwater mixing characteristics. Two main processes are identified: groundwater lateral-flow mixing and river leakage in the piedmont alluvial-oasis plain, and vertical mixing in the north oasis plain and the desert. The 87Sr/86Sr ratios and selected ion ratios reveal that carbonate dissolution and mixing with silicate from the southern mountain area are primarily controlling the strontium isotope hydrogeochemistry.

Indicators of structural degradation on intensively cultivated soils of the Piedemonte Llanero

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Obando, Franco H

2000-01-01

In order to evaluate the validity of a diagnosis methodology of structural soil degradation based on the combination of internal morphology of aggregates and measurement of resistance to penetration, a reconnaissance survey of physical degradation processes on intensively cultivated soils in the Piedemonte Llanero was carried out. The internal morphology of soil aggregates was classified into five states; micro-aggregate (μ), compacted (∇ μ), very compacted (∇), cracked compacted (φ) and agglomerate (ψ) defined according to morphological characteristics derived from cultivation practices and wheel traffic. Two crops systems were selected: low-lying rice (mono-cropping) during 30 years) and upland rice, maize, soybean cotton crop rotations during 20 years in two landscapes of the alluvial plain of piedmont (medium terraces of the sub-recent piedmont, TM, and No-flooding Lowland Flats of the Recent Piedmont, PR). A natural forest and 20 years cacao tree plantation was include as benchmark systems. It was found that higher values of resistance to penetration and total density are associated to compact layers (∇ μ, ∇ and φ states) and lower values to the μ a ψ states. The ∇ state was particularly evident on TM under mono-cropping e low-lying rice crop. High values of resistance to penetration of topsoil on PR were rather associated to e textural resistance. Under natural forest and cacao e plantation it was found the micro-aggregate state (μ) o on surface soil. High values of weighed mean diameter of water stable aggregates, DMP, (≥ 5mm) were associated to compacted layers in the crop rotation e systems in PR. it was demonstrated that this methodology developed in France (temperate zone) can be applied to tropical soils

Institutional Effectiveness Plan: Assessing Effectiveness To Improve Service and Increase Accountability.

Science.gov (United States)

Quinley, John W.; And Others

This institutional effectiveness plan for Central Piedmont Community College (CPCC) is designed to serve as the blueprint by which assessment activities are undertaken and results disseminated throughout the college. First, Chapter One provides an overview of CPCC's self-study planning process, indicating that a 33-member task force comprised of…

Impacts of removing Chinese privet from riparian forests on plant communities and tree growth five years later

Science.gov (United States)

Jacob R. Hudson; James L. Hanula; Scott Horn

2014-01-01

An invasive shrub, Chinese privet (Ligustrum sinense Lour.), was removed from heavily infested riparian forests in the Georgia Piedmont in 2005 by mulching machine or chainsaw felling. Subsequent herbicide treatment eliminated almost all privet by 2007. Recovery of plant communities, return of Chinese privet, and canopy tree growth were measured on...

Journal of Earth System Science | Indian Academy of Sciences

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Located in the south-western part of Romania, the south-west development region overlaps the main relief forms: the Carpathians mountains, the Getic Subcarpathians, the Getic piedmont, the Romanian plain and the Danube valley. The study aims at providing an overview on the main pluvial parameters and their role in ...

Minerály Pt-kovů na ložisku pyropu u obce Vestřev v Podkrkonoší

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Malec, J.; Böhmová, Vlasta

2012-01-01

Roč. 2011, podzim (2012), s. 185-188 ISSN 0514-8057 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z30130516 Keywords : platinum * Os-Ir-Ru minerals * hongshiit * pyrope placers * Krkonoše Piedmont Basin * Bohemian Massif Subject RIV: DB - Geology ; Mineralogy http://www.geology.cz/zpravy/obsah/2011/zpravy_2011-42.pdf

Removing Chinese privet from riparian forests still benefits pollinators five years later

Science.gov (United States)

Jacob R. Hudson; James Hanula; Scott Horn

2014-01-01

Chinese privet (Ligustrum sinense) is an invasive shrub of the Southeastern U.S. that forms dense stands and limits biodiversity. It was removed from heavily infested riparian forests of the Georgia Piedmont in 2005 by mulching machine or chainsaw felling and subsequent herbicide application. Abundance and species richness of bees and butterflies...

Comparison of hen preference for nesting substrate material, and performance in a free range production system

Science.gov (United States)

This project consisted of 200 Hy-Line Brown hens and was conducted utilizing the brood-grow-lay range huts at the North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services’ Piedmont Research Station. Fifty hens were placed in each pen/paddock providing 1338 cm2/hen of floor space in the hut an...

Forestry BMP Implementation Costs for Virginia

Science.gov (United States)

R.M. Shaffer; H.L. Haney; E.G. Worrell; W.M. Aust

1998-01-01

Forestry Best Management Practices (BMPs) are operational techniques used to protect water quality during timber harvesting operations. The implementation cost of BMPs is important to loggers, forest landowners, and the forest industry. This study provides an estimate of BMP implementation cost on a per harvested acre basis for the coastal plain, Piedmont, and...

Species Composition, Tree Quality and Wood Properties of Southern Pine Stands Under Ecosystemm Management on National Forests in the Peidmont and Coastal Plain

Science.gov (United States)

Alexander Clark; James W. McMinn

1999-01-01

National Forests in the United States are under sustainable ecosystem management to conserve biodiversity, achieve sustainable conditions and improve the balance among forest values. This paper reports on a study established to identify the implications of ecosystem management strategies on natural stands in the Piedmont and Coastal Plain. The impact of partial...

A Comparison of Regional and SiteSpecific Volume Estimation Equations

Science.gov (United States)

Joe P. McClure; Jana Anderson; Hans T. Schreuder

1987-01-01

Regression equations for volume by region and site class were examined for lobiolly pine. The regressions for the Coastal Plain and Piedmont regions had significantly different slopes. The results shared important practical differences in percentage of confidence intervals containing the true total volume and in percentage of estimates within a specific proportion of...

Chromite and other mineral deposits in serpentine rocks of the Piedmont Upland, Maryland, Pennsylvania, and Delaware

Science.gov (United States)

Pearre, Nancy C.; Heyl, Allen V.

1960-01-01

The Piedmont Upland in Maryland, Pennsylvania, and Delaware is about 160 miles long and at the most 50 miles wide. Rocks that underlie the province are the Baltimore gneiss of Precambrian age and quartzite, gneiss, schist, marble, phyllite, and greenstone, which make up the Glenarm series of early Paleozoic (?) age. These are intruded by granitic, gabbroic, and ultramaflc igneous rocks. Most of the ultramaflc rocks, originally peridotite, pyroxenite, and dunite, have been partly or completely altered to serpentine and talc; they are all designated by the general term serpentine. The bodies of serpentine are commonly elongate and conformable with the enclosing rocks. Many have been extensively quarried for building, decorative, and crushed stone. In addition, chromite, titaniferous magnetite, rutile, talc and soapstone, amphibole asbestos, magnesite, sodium- rich feldspar (commercially known as soda spar), and corundum have been mined or prospected for in the serpentine. Both high-grade massive chromite and lower grade disseminated chromite occur in very irregular and unpredictable form in the serpentine, and placer deposits of chromite are in and near streams that drain areas underlain by serpentine. A group of unusual minerals, among them kammererite, are typical associates of high-grade massive chromite but are rare in lower grade deposits. Chromite was first discovered in the United States at Bare Hills, Md., around 1810. Between 1820 and 1850, additional deposits were discovered and mined in Maryland and Pennsylvania, including the largest deposit of massive chromite ever found in the United States the Wood deposit, in the State Line district. A second period of extensive chromite mining came during the late 1860's and early 1870's. Production figures are incomplete and conflicting. Estimates from the available data indicate that the aggregate production from 27 of 40 known mines before 1900 totaled between 250,000 and 280,000 tons of lode-chromite ore

The origins of the plebs Sanctae Agathae. Inscriptions lost and rediscovered on the history of Santhià in the Early Middle Ages

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marco Aimone

2014-04-01

Full Text Available Two fragments of white marble are embedded in the apsis’ wall outside the parish church of St. Agatha in Santhià (near Vercelli, in Piedmont: the first one is engraved with the final part of a dedicatory inscription to a martyr by a clergyman named Vvalpertus (or Alpertus; the second one is a part of a small pillar or a lintel coming from a presbytery enclosure, and is decorated with a motif of intertwined gallons. The inscription stayed in the middle of a pluteus bordered by a carved frame, of which only a part of the lower band survives: the letters and the style of the decorations allow a chronology within the 8th century, while the fragment of pillar is to be traced back to a period between the 8th and the first half of the 9th. Of special interest are the Lombard onomastic of the dedicator and, in the final surviving text, the “signature” of a sculptor, which is present in a second inscription of Lombard age found in Piedmont, adorned with carved decorations as well. The analysis of these artefacts - hitherto unpublished - offered the opportunity to restudy two other inscriptions once existing in the church of St. Agatha, long lost and of uncertain authenticity: all these data allow various deductions about the history of Santhià over the centuries of the early Middle ages, the presence of a clergy in the countryside of the diocese of Vercelli, and the work of sculptors and engravers active between the 8th and 9th century in an area between Lombardy, Piedmont, Liguria and Provence, labelled in the past under the unifying name of “bottega delle Alpi Marittime”.

Integrated Methodologies (SWOT, TOWS, LCA for Improving Production Chains and Environmental Sustainability of Kiwifruit and Baby Kiwi in Italy

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Claudio Baudino

2017-09-01

Full Text Available Italy’s kiwifruit growers are considered to be world-leading players of the past 20 years. However, with this success come its challenges. In the last five years, a bacterial canker of kiwifruit known as Pseudomonas syringae pv. actinidiae (Psa has caused a dramatic reduction in the size of the areas cultivated, leading to several experienced Piedmontese Actinidia deliciosa growers beginning to cultivate the A. arguta. To better understand the potential for replacing the common kiwifruit in Italy’s Piedmont region with plantations of A. arguta and to attain a systematic approach and support for decision situations; we assessed the environmental impact of the two production chains (field and storage from a technical-operational perspective. The assessment was conducted through interviews with producers, field and warehouse technicians and sales managers in order to reveal the strengths and weaknesses of the two systems. The work presented below considers the application of the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA method for the field system (two different phases of the plantation and the SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats analysis for the entire supply chain (field and warehouse management. Finally, a TOWS analysis (Threats, Opportunities, Weakness, Strengths integrated the results of both LCA and SWOT analyses and permitted to highlight the development strategies for A. arguta in Piedmont. The total orchard cycle for A. arguta presents an impact of 0.14 kg CO2 eq (GWP and for A. deliciosa an impact of 0.11 kg CO2 eq (GWP. Based on the synthesis of results from our TOWS analysis, we identified the following development strategies to help to shape the future A. arguta supply chain in Piedmont: Large-scale oriented; Berry fruits oriented; Export and organic oriented and Niche oriented.

Assessing longleaf pine (Pinus palustris) restoration after southern pine beetle kill using a compact experimental design

Science.gov (United States)

J.-P. Berrill; C.M. Dagley

2010-01-01

A compact experimental design and analysis is presented of longleaf pine (Pinus palustris) survival and growth in a restoration project in the Piedmont region of Georgia, USA. Longleaf pine seedlings were planted after salvage logging and broadcast burning in areas of catastrophic southern pine beetle (Dendroctonus frontalis) attacks on even-aged mixed pine-hardwood...

Influence of elevation and forest type on community assemblage and species distribution of shrews in the central and southern Appalachian mountains

Science.gov (United States)

W. Mark Ford; Timothy S. McCay; Michael A. Menzel; W. David Webster; Cathryn H. Greenberg; John F. Pagels; Joseph F. Merritt; Joseph F. Merritt

2005-01-01

We analyzed shrew community data from 398,832 pitfall trapnights at 303 sites across the upper Piedmont, Blue Ridge, northern Ridge and Valley, southern Ridge and Valley, Cumberland Plateau and Allegheny Mountains and Plateau sections of the central and southern Appalachian Mountains from Alabama to Pennsylvania. The objectives of our research were to describe regional...

THE ASSESSMENT OF FLOODS WITHIN COŞUŞTEA RIVER BASIN, ROMANIA (2000 - 2012. A STATISTICAL AND CONDITIONAL APPROACH

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MOROȘANU GABRIELA ADINA

2015-03-01

Full Text Available The research aims to analyze the floods that occurred between 2000 and 2012 in the Coșuștea river basin, Romania. The study area has 449 km2 and it is extended over the north-western part of Getic Piedmont (lower sector, as well as on Mehedinti Plateau and Mountains, in its upper sector. To achieve the objectives, hydrological data from two hydrometric stations, Corcova (downstream, located in the piedmont area and Șișești (upstream to the outlet of karstic upper section were used, in order to identify trends, employing statistical methods and graphical representations. We also verified the existence of extraordinary levels, respectively conditions responsible for the differences in the maximum flows, their frequency and duration in the two measured sections of the river basin. Thus, the results include: the statistical treatment of hydrologic data on floods between 2000 and 2012 and contributing factors that may result in different values of flood elements at the two hydrometric stations.

Urban floods: a case study in the Savigliano area (North-Western Italy

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C. Audisio

2011-11-01

Full Text Available Flood processes and effects are examined, concerning two rivers in an urbanized area in North-Western Italy (Piedmont – Cuneo Plain. In May 2008, some areas in Northern Italy were struck by intense and persistent rainfall. In the Cuneo province (Southern Piedmont, floodplain with some urban areas was inundated over ca. ten square kilometres, and the city of Savigliano (about 21 000 inhabitants was particularly hit by flood. A purposely-made historical research has evidenced approximately fifty flood events as having occurred since 1350 in the Savigliano area. Based upon historical data, both documents and maps, GIS (Geographical Information System technique and field surveys were used to quantitatively assess the growing urbanization of the city and to describe flood processes and effects over years. This work aims to describe the dynamic behaviour of the 2008 flood, also comparing it to past events, in particular those that occurred in 1896. It is emphasized how the knowledge of past events can be helpful in reducing urban flooding.

Stand and individual tree growth response to treatments in young natural hardwoods

Science.gov (United States)

Daniel J. Robison; Tracy San Filipo; Charlie Lawrence III; Jamie L. Schuler; Bryan J. Berenguer

2012-01-01

Young even-aged upland Piedmont mixed hardwood and pine stands were treated with a variety of fertilizer and release (competition control) treatments. The sites studied are on the NC State University Hill Demonstration Forest in central North Carolina, and are characterized by formerly highly eroded agricultural sites (Richter et al. 2000) now in their third rotation...

Landforms along transverse faults parallel to axial zone of folded ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Himalaya, along the Kali River valley, is defined by folded hanging wall ... role of transverse fault tectonics in the formation of the curvature cannot be ruled out. 1. .... Piedmont surface is made up of gravelliferous and ... made to compute the wedge failure analysis (Hoek .... (∼T2) is at the elevation of ∼272 m asl measured.

Removing an invasive shrub (Chinese privet) increases native bee diversity and abundance in riparian forests of the southeastern United States

Science.gov (United States)

James L. Hanula; Scott Horn

2011-01-01

1. Chinese privet (Ligustrum sinense Lour.) was removed from riparian forests in the Piedmont of Georgia in November 2005 by mulching with a track-mounted mulching machine or by chainsaw felling. The remaining privet in the herbaceous layer was killed with herbicide in December 2006. 2. Bee (Hymentoptera: Apoidea) abundance, diversity and community similarity in the...

Jump as Far as You Can [Problem Solvers: Solutions

Science.gov (United States)

Yigit, Melike; Bofferding, Laura; Warnock, Miranda

2014-01-01

The How Far Do You Think You Can Jump? activity (see EJ1174770) was completed in three different contexts: an after-school mathematics enrichment program at Woodland and Country Schools in Weston, Massachusetts; a small-group pull-out of second graders at Wren Elementary in Piedmont, South Carolina; and a family math night in Lafayette, Indiana.…

The Relationship Between Soils and Foliar Nutrition For Planted Royal Paulownia

Science.gov (United States)

James E. Johnson; David O. Mitchem; Richard E. Kreh

2002-01-01

Royal paulownia is becoming an important hardwood plantation species in the southern U.S. A study was done to investigate two novel site preparation techniques for aiding the establishment of royal paulownia seedlings in the Virginia Piedmont. The effects of these treatments on the foliar nutrition of first year seedlings was determined, as was the relationship...

Low-cost regeneration techniques for mixed-species management – 20 years later

Science.gov (United States)

Thomas A. Waldrop; Helen H. Mohr

2012-01-01

Four variations of the fell-and-burn technique, a low-cost regeneration system developed for pine-hardwood mixtures in the Southern Appalachian Mountains, were tested in the Piedmont of South Carolina. All variations successfully improved the commercial value of low-quality hardwood stands by introducing a pine component. After 20 years, pines were almost as numerous...

Forest diversity and disturbance: changing influences and the future of Virginia's Forests

Science.gov (United States)

Christine J. Small; James L. Chamberlain

2015-01-01

The Virginia landscape supports a remarkable diversity of forests, from maritime dunes, swamp forests, and pine savannas of the Atlantic coastal plain, to post-agricultural pine-hardwood forests of the piedmont, to mixed oak, mixed-mesophytic, northern hardwood, and high elevation conifer forests in Appalachian mountain provinces. Virginia’s forests also have been...

Jacutingait, paladiové zlato a Pd-selenidy v Cu-zrudnění z karbonských sedimentů od Košťálova u Semil (podkrkonošská pánev)

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Malec, J.; Veselovský, F.; Böhmová, Vlasta; Prouza, V.

2012-01-01

Roč. 2011, podzim (2012), s. 189-192 ISSN 0514-8057 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z30130516 Keywords : jacutingaite * Pd-gold * Pd-selenide * silver * chalcodite s. l. * analyses of ore elements * siltstone * Upper Carboniferous * Krkonoše Piedmont Bassin (Czech Republic) Subject RIV: DB - Geology ; Mineralogy http://www.geology.cz/zpravy/obsah/2011/zpravy_2011-43.pdf

Performance of mixed pine-hardwood stands 16 years after fell-and-burn treatments

Science.gov (United States)

Elizabeth M. Blizzard; David H. van Lear; G. Geoff Wang; Thomas A. Waldrop

2006-01-01

Four variations of the fell-and-burn technique were compared for height and volume production on dry Piedmont sites. A two-factorial randomized complete block design of winter versus spring felling, with and without a summer burn, was implemented, followed by planting of loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) at 15 x 15 foot spacing. After 16 growing seasons...

Petrography and geochemistry of the Middle Miocene Gebel El ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Samir M Zaid

2017-10-09

Oct 9, 2017 ... felsic-granitic source rocks and deposited in a passive margin of a synrift basin. The inferred .... tribution show that they began accumulation as piedmont boulders bed ...... the source rocks to the study areas can be identified ..... Petrol. 34 625–632. El-Akkad S and Dardir A A 1966 Geology of the Red Sea.

Determination of loblolly pine response to cultural treatments based on soil class, base productivity, and competition level

Science.gov (United States)

David Garrett; Michael Kane; Daniel Markewitz; Dehai Zhao

2015-01-01

The objective of this research is to better understand what factors drive loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) growth response to intensive culture in the University of Georgia Plantation Management Research Cooperative’s Culture x Density study in the Piedmont and Upper Coastal Plain. Twenty study sites were established ranging from southern Alabama to South Carolina in...

The effects of planting density and cultural intensity on loblolly pine crown characteristics at age twelve

Science.gov (United States)

Madison Akers; Michael Kane; Robert Teskey; Richard Daniels; Dehai Zhao; Santosh Subedi

2012-01-01

Twelve-year old loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) stands were analyzed for the effects of planting density and cultural intensity on tree and crown attributes. Four study installations were located in the Piedmont and Upper Coastal Plain regions of the U.S. South. The treatments included six planting densities (740, 1480, 2220, 2960, 3700, 4440 trees...

K otázce provenience svrchnokarbonských slepenců v severovýchodních Čechách

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Mikuláš, Radek; Prouza, V.

2008-01-01

Roč. 2007, - (2008), s. 27-29 ISSN 0514-8057 R&D Projects: GA AV ČR IAA304130601 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z30130516 Keywords : Krkonoše Piedmont Basin * Intrasudetic Basin * Upper Carboniferous * Ordovician * Skolithos ichnofabric * conglomerates Subject RIV: DB - Geology ; Mineralogy http://www.geology.cz/zpravy/obsah/2007/2007-8.pdf

Litter Decomposition and Soil Respiration Responses to Fuel-Reduction Treatments in Piedmond Loblolly Pine Forests

Science.gov (United States)

Mac A. Callaham; Peter H. Anderson; Thomas A. Waldrop; Darren J. Lione; Victor B. Shelburne

2004-01-01

As part of the National Fire and Fire Surrogate Study, we measured the short-term effects of different fuel-management practices on leaf litter decomposition and soil respiration in loblolly pine stands on the upper Piedmont of South Carolina. These stands had been subjected to a factorial arrangement of experimental fuel-management treatments that included prescribed...

Status and trends of bottomland hardwood forests in the mid-Atlantic Region

Science.gov (United States)

Anita Rose; Steve Meadows

2016-01-01

Bottomland hardwood forests cover approximately 2.9 million acres of the Coastal Plain and Piedmont region of Virginia and North Carolina. As of 2014, 59 percent of bottomland hardwood forests were in the large-diameter stand-size class. Between 2002 and 2014, area of large-diameter sized stands increased, while that of medium- and small-diameter stands decreased,...

Rockmagnetic correlation between Holocene cave sediments at the mountain and loess soil deposits in Piedmont Crimea (on example of the trap cave Emine-Bair-Khosar and archaeological site Biyuk-Karasu-XIX

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kseniia BONDAR

2014-11-01

Full Text Available Modern soils and paleosols, loess and uncemented aeolian caves sediments are carriers of a paleoclimatic signal (Evans, Heller, 2003. The saturation degree of a layer with humus material, depending on the temperature, correlates well with magnetic susceptibility and different types of magnetization of deposits (Tang et al., 2003, Bosak&Pruner, 2011.On the base of rockmagnetic measurements of soil-containing samples, collected from sections at Biyuk-Karasu-XIX (Piedmont Crimea and Emine-Bair-Khosar Cave (lower plateau of Chatyrdag mountain massive in Crimea (Ridush et al., 2013, correlation of sediments done in the context of common climate changes in the region during Holocene.The process of sediments accumulation in the sections covers roughly the same period. The loess soil section Biyuk-Karasu-XIX contains findings of hand shaped pottery and flintstones. The section structure has characteristic features of Holocene soil formation for which received a definite chronological anchor. The section of cave deposits in the Emine-Bair-Khosar Cave was dated by radiocarbon and paleomagnetic methods (Ridush et al., 2013. For saiga bone from the depth of 2.0 m radiocarbon (14C date 10,490 +/- 170 (Ki-13063 obtained. At -1.1 m deep the paleomagnetic excursion, dated 2.8 kyr BP, was recorded (Bondar, Ridush, 2010.Sediments of both sections are horizontally-layered. They contain darker units, which color is controlled by organic material, and lighter units of loess-like loam.Section Biyuk-Karasu-XIX consists of the following lithofacial units: 1, 2 - hlb2 – meadow alkaline chernozem, where unit 1 - horizon Hegl, unit 2 - horizon Hp, Pikgl, Pkgl; 3, 4 - hlb1 - the soil has features of grey or sod-calcareous soil forming, unit 3 combines horizons He and Eh, unit 4 – illuvial horizons Ihp and Pigl; 5 - pc-bg? - silty-sandy light loam. Lithofacial units are named according to “Stratigraphic scheme of Quaternary deposits of Ukraine” (Veklich et al

The Virginia pine sawfly in 1960 - a special cooperative report

Science.gov (United States)

T. McIntyre; R. C. Heller; C. L. Morris

1961-01-01

An outbreak of the pine sawfly, Neodiprion pratti pratti (Dyar), has existed in Maryland since 1955. By 1959 the insect had spread throughout 14 million acres in the Coastal Plain and Piedmont of Virginia and into several North Carolina counties. Because egg surveys conducted in the spring of 1960 indicated a continuation of the epidemic, an aerial survey was conducted...

Evolution of soil, ecosystem, and critical zone research at the USDA FS Calhoun Experimental Forest

Science.gov (United States)

Daniel deB. Richter; Allan R. Bacon; Sharon A. Billings; Dan Binkley; Marilyn Buford; Mac Callaham; Amy E. Curry; Ryan L. Fimmen; A. Stuart Grandy; Paul R. Heine; Michael Hofmockel; Jason A. Jackson; Elisabeth LeMaster; Jianwei Li; Daniel Markewitz; Megan L. Mobley; Mary W. Morrison; Michael S. Strickland; Thomas Waldrop; Carol G. Wells

2015-01-01

The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) Forest Service Calhoun Experimental Forest was organized in 1947 on the southern Piedmont to engage in research that today is called restoration ecology, to improve soils, forests, and watersheds in a region that had been severely degraded by nearly 150 years farming. Today, this 2,050-ha research forest is managed by the Sumter...

[Prevention of road accidents in the road haulage field].

Science.gov (United States)

Rosso, G L; Zanelli, R; Corino, P; Bruno, S

2007-01-01

Every year many traffic accidents with fatal outcomes occur in our Country. According to the recent indications of the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work, the Piedmont region has financed the plan: Prevention of road accidents in the road haulage field. The aims of the plan are to stimulate transport companies to the target of road safety and to improve and enforce sanitary surveillance, in order to improve the safety on road haulage and to prevent traffic injuries. the plan foresees, over a period of two years, a few encounters with all the interested parties (companies, police forces, labour unions etc). During those encounters we have to give a questionnaire for evaluating the companies' knowledge about the problem and we have to choose a common plan with the aim of improving road safety. The Piedmont regional plan recalls the need to increase the attention to numerous and diversified hazards for safety on road haulage. It also imposes the choice of measures that include: risk assessment, health education, technical and environmental prevention, sanitary surveillance and clinical interventions (diagnosis and rehabilitation of occupational accidents).

Initial Response of Pine Seedlings and Weeds to Dried Sewage Sludge in Rehabilitation of an Eroded Forest Site

Science.gov (United States)

Charles R. Berry

1977-01-01

Dried sewage sludge was applied at rates of 0, 17, 34, and 69 metric tons/ha on a badly eroded forest site in the Piedmont region of northeast Georgia. Production of weed bio mass varied directly with amount of sludge applied. Heigh growth for both shortleafand loblolly pine seedlings appeared to be greater on plots receiving 17 metric tons of sludge/ha, bu differences...

Estimating Vertical Land Motion in the Chesapeake Bay

Science.gov (United States)

Houttuijn Bloemendaal, L.; Hensel, P.

2017-12-01

This study aimed to provide a modern measurement of subsidence in the Chesapeake Bay region and establish a methodology for measuring vertical land motion using static GPS, a cheaper alternative to InSAR or classical leveling. Vertical land motion in this area is of particular concern because tide gages are showing up to 5 mm/yr of local, relative sea level rise. While a component of this rate is the actual eustatic sea level rise itself, part of the trend may also be vertical land motion, in which subsidence exacerbates the effects of actual changes in sea level. Parts of this region are already experiencing an increase in the frequency and magnitude of near-shore coastal flooding, but the last comprehensive study of vertical land motion in this area was conducted by NOAA in 1974 (Holdahl & Morrison) using repeat leveled lines. More recent measures of vertical land motion can help inform efforts on resilience to sea level rise, such as in the Hampton Roads area. This study used measured GPS-derived vertical heights in conjunction with legacy GPS data to calculate rates of vertical motion at several points in time for a selection of benchmarks scattered throughout the region. Seventeen marks in the stable Piedmont area and in the areas suspected of subsidence in the Coastal Plain were selected for the analysis. Results indicate a significant difference between the rates of vertical motion in the Piedmont and Coastal Plain, with a mean rate of -4.10 mm/yr in the Coastal Plain and 0.15 mm/yr in the Piedmont. The rates indicate particularly severe subsidence at the southern Delmarva Peninsula coast and the Hampton-Roads area, with a mean rate of -6.57 mm/yr in that region. By knowing local rates of subsidence as opposed to sea level change itself, coastal managers may make better informed decisions regarding natural resource use, such as deciding whether or not to reduce subsurface fluid withdrawals or to consider injecting treated water back into the aquifer to slow

Petrology and Geochemistry of Neoproterozoic Arc Plutons Beneath the Atlantic Coastal Plain, SRS, SC

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Maryak, M.

1998-10-21

In this report is presented first a brief review of the regional geologic setting of the Savannah River Site, descriptions of the plutonic rock units sampled here, whole rock geochemical data on the plutonic igneous rocks, and finally, a discussion of how the crystalline basement rocks of the Savannah River Site formed and how they may correlate with other terranes exposed in the Piedmont of the Carolinas, Georgia, and Virginia.

Implementation of Forestry Best Management Practices on Biomass and Conventional Harvesting Operations in Virginia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Scott M. Barrett

2016-03-01

Full Text Available Logging residues are often utilized as a Best Management Practice (BMP for stabilizing bare soil on forest harvesting operations. As utilization of woody biomass increases, concern has developed regarding availability of residues for implementing BMPs. The Virginia Department of Forestry (VDOF inspects all logging operations in Virginia and randomly selects a portion of harvests for more intensive audits. The VDOF BMP audit process intensively evaluates implementation of BMPs in seven categories (84 specific BMPs on 240 sites per year. This research analyzed three years of audit data (2010–2012 to quantify differences in BMP implementation between biomass and conventional harvesting operations. Among 720 audited tracts, 97 were biomass harvests, with 88 occurring in the Piedmont region. Only the streamside management zone (SMZ category had significant implementation percentage differences between biomass (83.1% and conventional harvests (91.4% (p = 0.0007 in the Piedmont. Specific areas where biomass harvesting operations had lower implementation were generally not related to a lack of residues available for implementing BMPs, but rather were from a lack of appropriate SMZs, overharvesting within SMZs, or inadequate construction of roads, skid trails, and stream crossings. Existing BMP recommendations already address these areas and better implementation would have negated these issues.

Karst of the Mid-Atlantic region in Maryland, West Virginia, and Virginia

Science.gov (United States)

Doctor, Daniel H.; Weary, David J.; Brezinski, David K.; Orndorff, Randall C.; Spangler, Lawrence E.; Brezinski, David K.; Halka, Jeffrey; Ortt, Richard A.

2015-01-01

The Mid-Atlantic region hosts some of the most mature karst landscapes in North America, developed in highly deformed rocks within the Piedmont and Valley and Ridge physiographic provinces. This guide describes a three-day excursion to examine karst development in various carbonate rocks by following Interstate 70 west from Baltimore across the eastern Piedmont, across the Frederick Valley, and into the Great Valley proper. The localities were chosen in order to examine the structural and lithological controls on karst feature development in marble, limestone, and dolostone rocks with an eye toward the implications for ancient landscape evolution, as well as for modern subsidence hazards. A number of caves will be visited, including two commercial caverns that reveal strikingly different histories of speleogenesis. Links between karst landscape development, hydrologic dynamics, and water resource sustainability will also be emphasized through visits to locally important springs. Recent work on quantitative dye tracing, spring water geochemistry, and groundwater modeling reveal the interaction between shallow and deep circulation of groundwater that has given rise to the modern karst landscape. Geologic and karst feature mapping conducted with the benefit of lidar data help reveal the strong bedrock structural controls on karst feature development, and illustrate the utility of geologic maps for assessment of sinkhole susceptibility.

[Organizational wellbeing in the health sector: the Piemonte Region experience].

Science.gov (United States)

Converso, Daniela; Baratti, Alberto

2010-01-01

In 2007, the Health Councillorship of the Piedmont region announced, in convention with the Psychology Department of the University of Turin, of the creation of "Workgroup for Safeguard of Organizational Wellbeing" composed by psychologists, occupational doctors, and superintendents for Prevention and Protection services. This group is aimed at promoting pilot experiences in the Health Units in order to prevent and combat psychosocial discomfort and to sustain workers' wellbeing. A complex intervention started in January 2009 and involved the personnel from Services for the Organization and Development of Human Resources, Personnel Services, Services for Occupational Medicine, Services of Communication, Quality Services, belonging to all of the Health Units from Piedmont, and of some structures operating within the national health service, for a total of 23 work groups. Based on the results produced and/or from the shared reflections in the classroom between the 23 groups, four main themes were singled out, corresponding to different levels and fields of interventions, in order to favour the contrast of psychosocial distress and to promote a culture of wellbeing, were adopted taking into account needs and cultural specificity of different Units' realities. The activities embarked on, inside every main theme represent, in the expectations of all the participants, good practices that could be spread to the different Local Health Units.

Theater of Operations Construction in the Desert. A Handbook of Lessons Learned in the Middle East. Phase I.

Science.gov (United States)

1981-01-01

pavements (calcrete duricrusts ) for coarse aggregate sources, discard the top 1 ft because it is most highly contaminated by chlorides and sulfates. Most...The basic cross " sabkhas, sa/inas, salt playas and some sectional profile comprises a mountain duricrusts , unsuitable construction and a piedmont plain...various forms of metres below the surface, where for stops when sand and silts are damp: " duricrust ". The latter is often, but not example :,vers of

Theater of Operations Construction in the Desert: A Handbook of Lessons Learned in the Middle East

Science.gov (United States)

1981-01-01

concentration. 7. When using natural desert or beach pavements (calcrete duricrusts ) for coarse aggregate sources, discard the top 1 ft because it is most...profile comprises a mountain duricrusts ; unsuitable construction and a piedmont plain. Although such a P.G. Fookes materials - e.g. some silts, sands...surface, where for stops when sand and silts are damp; " duricrust ". The latter is often, but not example layers of fibrous gypsum can capillary moisture

The Rhizosphere Bacterial Microbiota of Vitis vinifera cv. Pinot Noir in an Integrated Pest Management Vineyard

OpenAIRE

Novello, Giorgia; Gamalero, Elisa; Bona, Elisa; Boatti, Lara; Mignone, Flavio; Massa, Nadia; Cesaro, Patrizia; Lingua, Guido; Berta, Graziella

2017-01-01

Microorganisms associated with Vitis vinifera (grapevine) can affect its growth, health and grape quality. The aim of this study was to unravel the biodiversity of the bacterial rhizosphere microbiota of grapevine in an integrated pest management vineyard located in Piedmont, Italy. Comparison between the microbial community structure in the bulk and rhizosphere soil (variable: space) were performed. Moreover, the possible shifts of the bulk and rhizosphere soil microbiota according to two ph...

(NII) Novel Catalytic, Synthesis Methods for Main Group

Science.gov (United States)

2014-12-23

Hydride Complex.” Dalt. Trans. 2014, 43, 10046–10056. 7. Johnson, M. W.; Bagley , S . W.; Mankad, N. P.; Bergman, R. G.; Mascitti, V.; Toste, F. D...6. AUTHOR( S ) Bergman, Robert G. Arnold, John Toste, F. Dean 5d. PROJECT NUMBER 5e. TASK NUMBER 5f. WORK UNIT NUMBER 7. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION...NAME( S ) AND ADDRESS(ES) Regents of the University of California, Berkeley 2220 Piedmont Ave, Berkeley, CA 94720 8. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION REPORT

Comparative study fodder plant in desert condition submontane in semidesert and utilization of amelioration

OpenAIRE

Nazarov Xolmirza Tirkashovich; Yusupova Kamola

2017-01-01

The aim of our research was selection and in visitation of eco-biological and economically valuable peculiarities, more perspective prospects of food under their sorts, useful for creation of seed food agricultural lands and haymaking in piedmont semi desert of Uzbekistan. The task of the research contained comparative research of their rise and development, food and seed productivity, and food mass. Practical value of the work was concluded in that for the first time the condition of piedmon...

RESPONSIBILITIES OF FOOD BUSINESS OPERATORS RELATED TO FOOD SAFETY: CONCERNS RELATED TO HACCP IN MICRO-BUSINESSES FOOD COMPANIES

OpenAIRE

T. Civera; D. Nucera; A. Bellio; M. Botosso; M. Mora; R. Goi; B. Griglio

2012-01-01

The research was aimed at collecting information on food safety knowledge by operators of small and less developed food businesses. This will allow to reveal what are the real drawbacks in HACCP application in these realities. Fifty meat producing plants located in Piedmont region were involved. In all the plants a questionnaire with questions on HACCP system was submitted. The analysis of the collected answers, evidenced that 42% of the operators needed to perform structural modifications in...

Baseline report - tall upland shrubland at the Rocky Flats Environmental Technology Site

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1997-03-01

Rocky Flats Environmental Technology Site (Site) is located on the Colorado Piedmont east of the Front Range between Boulder and Golden. At an elevation of approximately 6,000 feet, the Site contains a unique ecotonal mixture of mountain and prairie plant species, resulting from the topography and close proximity to the mountain front. The Buffer Zone surrounding the Industrial Area is one of the largest remaining undeveloped areas of its kind along the Colorado Piedmont. A number of plant communities at the Site have been identified as increasingly rare and unique by Site ecologists and the Colorado Natural Heritage Program (CNHP). These include the xeric tallgrass prairie, tall upland shrubland, wetlands, and Great Plains riparian woodland communities. Many of these communities support populations of increasingly rare animals as well, including the Preble's meadow jumping mouse, grasshopper sparrow, loggerhead shrike, Merriam's shrew, black crowned night heron, and Hops blue and Argos skipper butterflies. One of the more interesting and important plant communities at the Site is the tall upland shrubland community. It has been generally overlooked by previous Site ecological studies, probably due to its relatively small size; only 34 acres total. Although mentioned in a plant community ordination study conducted by Clark et al. and also in the Site baseline ecological study, few data were available on this plant community before the present study

Review of potential host rocks for radioactive waste disposal in the southeastern United States. Executive summary

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bledsoe, H.W. Jr.; Marine, I.W.

1980-10-01

The geology of the southeastern United States was studied to recommend areas that should be considered for field exploration in order to select a site for a radioactive waste repository. The region studied included the Piedmont Province, the Triassic Basins, and the Atlantic Coastal Plain in Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia. This study was entirely a review of literature and existing knowledge from a geotechnical point of view and was performed by subcontractors whose individual reports are listed in the bibliography. No field work was involved. The entire study was geotechnical in nature, and no consideration was given to socioeconomic or demographic factors. These factors need to be addressed in a separate study. For all areas, field study is needed before any area is further considered. A total of 29 areas are recommended for further consideration in the Piedmont Province subregion: one area in Maryland, 8 areas in Virginia, 4 areas in North Carolina, 6 areas in South Carolina, and 10 areas in Georgia. Of the 14 exposed and 5 buried or hypothesized basins identified in the Triassic basin subregion, 6 are recommended for further study: one basin in Virginia, 3 basins in North Carolina, and 2 basins in South Carolina. Four potential candidate areas are identified within the Atlantic Coastal Plain subregion: one in Maryland, one in North Carolina, and 2 in Georgia

A graph-theory framework for evaluating landscape connectivity and conservation planning.

Science.gov (United States)

Minor, Emily S; Urban, Dean L

2008-04-01

Connectivity of habitat patches is thought to be important for movement of genes, individuals, populations, and species over multiple temporal and spatial scales. We used graph theory to characterize multiple aspects of landscape connectivity in a habitat network in the North Carolina Piedmont (U.S.A). We compared this landscape with simulated networks with known topology, resistance to disturbance, and rate of movement. We introduced graph measures such as compartmentalization and clustering, which can be used to identify locations on the landscape that may be especially resilient to human development or areas that may be most suitable for conservation. Our analyses indicated that for songbirds the Piedmont habitat network was well connected. Furthermore, the habitat network had commonalities with planar networks, which exhibit slow movement, and scale-free networks, which are resistant to random disturbances. These results suggest that connectivity in the habitat network was high enough to prevent the negative consequences of isolation but not so high as to allow rapid spread of disease. Our graph-theory framework provided insight into regional and emergent global network properties in an intuitive and visual way and allowed us to make inferences about rates and paths of species movements and vulnerability to disturbance. This approach can be applied easily to assessing habitat connectivity in any fragmented or patchy landscape.

Phylogeography and systematics of the westernmost Italian Dolichopoda species (Orthoptera, Rhaphidophoridae)

Science.gov (United States)

Allegrucci, Giuliana; Rampini, Mauro; Di Russo, Claudio; Lana, Enrico; Cocchi, Sara; Sbordoni, Valerio

2014-01-01

Abstract The genus Dolichopoda (Orthoptera; Rhaphidopohoridae) is present in Italy with 9 species distributed from northwestern Italy (Piedmont and Liguria) to the southernmost Apennines (Calabria), occurring also in the Tyrrhenian coastal areas and in Sardinia. Three morphologically very close taxa have been described in Piedmont and Liguria, i.e., D. ligustica ligustica, D. ligustica septentrionalis and D. azami azami. To investigate the delimitation of the northwestern species of Dolichopoda, we performed both morphological and molecular analyses. Morphological analysis was carried out by considering diagnostic characters generally used to distinguish different taxa, as the shape of epiphallus in males and the subgenital fig in females. Molecular analysis was performed by sequencing three mitochondrial genes, 12S rRNA, 16S rRNA, partially sequenced and the entire gene of COI. Results from both morphological and molecular analyses highlighted a very homogeneous group of populations, although genetically structured. Three haplogroups geographically distributed could be distinguished and based on these results we suggest a new taxonomic arrangement. All populations, due to the priority of description, should be assigned to D. azami azami Saulcy, 1893 and to preserve the names ligustica and septentrionalis, corresponding to different genetic haplogroups, we assign them to D. azami ligustica stat. n. Baccetti & Capra, 1959 and to D. azami septentrionalis stat. n. Baccetti & Capra, 1959. PMID:25197209

Phylogeography and systematics of the westernmost Italian Dolichopoda species (Orthoptera, Rhaphidophoridae

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Giuliana Allegrucci

2014-08-01

Full Text Available The genus Dolichopoda (Orthoptera; Rhaphidopohoridae is present in Italy with 9 species distributed from northwestern Italy (Piedmont and Liguria to the southernmost Apennines (Calabria, occurring also in the Tyrrhenian coastal areas and in Sardinia. Three morphologically very close taxa have been described in Piedmont and Liguria, i.e., D. ligustica ligustica, D. ligustica septentrionalis and D. azami azami.To investigate the delimitation of the northwestern species of Dolichopoda, we performed both morphological and molecular analyses. Morphological analysis was carried out by considering diagnostic characters generally used to distinguish different taxa, as the shape of epiphallus in males and the subgenital plate in females. Molecular analysis was performed by sequencing three mitochondrial genes, 12S rRNA, 16S rRNA, partially sequenced and the entire gene of COI.Results from both morphological and molecular analyses highlighted a very homogeneous group of populations, although genetically structured. Three haplogroups geographically distributed could be distinguished and based on these results we suggest a new taxonomic arrangement. All populations, due to the priority of description, should be assigned to D. azami azami Saulcy, 1893 and to preserve the names ligustica and septentrionalis, corresponding to different genetic haplogroups, we assign them to D. azami ligustica Baccetti & Capra, 1959, stat. n. and to D. azami septentrionalis Baccetti & Capra, 1959, stat. n.

Baseline report - tall upland shrubland at the Rocky Flats Environmental Technology Site

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1997-03-01

Rocky Flats Environmental Technology Site (Site) is located on the Colorado Piedmont east of the Front Range between Boulder and Golden. At an elevation of approximately 6,000 feet, the Site contains a unique ecotonal mixture of mountain and prairie plant species, resulting from the topography and close proximity to the mountain front. The Buffer Zone surrounding the Industrial Area is one of the largest remaining undeveloped areas of its kind along the Colorado Piedmont. A number of plant communities at the Site have been identified as increasingly rare and unique by Site ecologists and the Colorado Natural Heritage Program (CNHP). These include the xeric tallgrass prairie, tall upland shrubland, wetlands, and Great Plains riparian woodland communities. Many of these communities support populations of increasingly rare animals as well, including the Preble`s meadow jumping mouse, grasshopper sparrow, loggerhead shrike, Merriam`s shrew, black crowned night heron, and Hops blue and Argos skipper butterflies. One of the more interesting and important plant communities at the Site is the tall upland shrubland community. It has been generally overlooked by previous Site ecological studies, probably due to its relatively small size; only 34 acres total. Although mentioned in a plant community ordination study conducted by Clark et al. and also in the Site baseline ecological study, few data were available on this plant community before the present study.

Regional Disparities in Emissions of Rural Household Energy Consumption: A Case Study of Northwest China

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wenheng Wu

2017-05-01

Full Text Available The purpose of this paper is to present the emissions status of multiple rural areas from the perspective of a field survey and make up for the defects of the traditional emission cognition of single type of area. The basic data in the lower reaches of the Weihe River of Northwest China were collected through household questionnaire surveys, and emissions from rural household energy consumption were calculated in the paper. In addition, the grey relational analysis method was used to identify influential factors of emission disparities. The results show that the total emissions of the plain, loess tableland, and Qinling piedmont areas are 1863.20, 1850.43, and 2556.68 kg, respectively. Regional disparities in emissions of rural household energy consumption vary greatly. CO2 emissions are highest in the Qinling piedmont area, followed by the loess tableland area. For other emissions, there is no fixed order of the three areas, which suggests that disparities in emissions are connected with the dominant type of energy consumption. Diversification of energy use might not necessarily produce higher emissions, but the traditional biomass energy pattern does generate more emissions. The regional supply capacity of household energy is the original influence factor of disparities in emissions, and factors that influence these disparities are directly related to differences among farmers, followed by the age structure, educational background, income level, occupation, and so on.

Blood Biochemistry and Plasma Corticosterone Concentration in Broiler Chickens Under Heat Stress

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Elvis Alexander Díaz López

2014-07-01

Full Text Available High ambient temperatures cause susceptibility to heat stress in broiler chickens, generating metabolic changes. This paper seeks to determine the changes in blood biochemistry and plasma corticosterone concentration, as well as in glucose, total protein, albumin, globulin, sodium, chlorine, potassium, magnesium, phosphorus, and calcium in broiler chickens under chronic heat stress and at ambient temperature conditions at the Colombian Amazonian piedmont. 21-days-old male chickens of two lines were studied, distributed in an unrestricted random design, in a two-factor scheme, with four treatments. Five repetitions per treatment were performed, and 25 animals per experimental unit examined. Broilers were fed a basic diet of corn and soybean meal with 3,100 kcal ME and 19.5% protein until they reached 42 days of age. The line factor had no effect on the evaluated variables (p ≥ 0.05. However, there was statistically significant difference (p ≤ 0.05 in all variables when concentrations of metabolites in broilers under chronic heat stress were compared to those of chickens exposed to ambient temperatures at the Colombian Amazon piedmont. In conclusion, blood biochemistry suffered significant changes under both experimental temperatures, with more physiological detriment in broilers under chronic heat stress. Concentration of corticosterone became the most sensitive and consistent indicator of the physiological condition of chronic heat stress.

SEASONAL CHANGES IN PHOSPHORUS LOAD FLOWING OUT OF SMALL AGRICULTURAL CATCHMENTS

OpenAIRE

Krzysztof Pulikowski; Katarzyna Pawęska; Aleksandra Bawiec

2014-01-01

In this article distribution of monthly phosphorus loads flowing out of two agricultural catchments which are located in different physiographic conditions of Lower Silesia was analysed. Loads of phosphorus runoff from the catchment located in the piedmont part of Lower Silesia in each month rarely exceed 0.10 kg P ∙ ha-1. The size of annual load is determined by loads obtained in two months of early spring. Much lower loads obtained for lowland catchment, located near Wroclaw. Values ​​calcu...

Correlation between river slope and meandering variability (obtained by DGPS data) and morphotectonics for two Andean tributaries of the Amazon river: the case of Beni (Bolivia) and Napo (Ecuador-Peru) rivers.

Science.gov (United States)

Bourrel, L.; Darrozes, J.; Guyot, J.; Christophoul, F.; Bondoux, F.

2007-05-01

The Beni river drains a catchment area of 282 000 km2 of which 40 percent are located in the Cordillera of the Bolivian and Peruvian Andes, and the rest in the Amazonian plain : the studied reaches runs from Guanay (Andean Piedmont) to Riberalta (junction with Madre de Dios river) that represents a distance by the river of 1055 km. The Napo river starts in the Ecuadorian Andes and leaves Ecuador in Nuevo Rocafuerte (27 400 km2) and enters in Peru until its junction with the Amazon river : the studied section runs from Misahualli (Andean Piedmont) to this junction, that represents a distance by the river of 995 km. The GPS data were acquired using a mobile GPS embarked on a boat and 4 fixed bases located along the Beni river, 6 along the Napo river and the two rivers profile calculated from post-treated differential GPS solutions. For the Beni river, two sectors were identified: - the upstream sector (~230 km) between Guanay (414 m) and 50 km downstream Rurrenabaque (245 m) is located in Andean Piedmont, which consists in a series of thrusts associated with anticlines and synclines (the subandean zone), and presents slope values range between 135 cm/km and 10 cm/km and an average index of sinuosity (IS) of 1.29, - the downstream sector (~ 820 km) which runs in Amazonian plain (until Riberalta -165 m-), is characterized by an average slope of 8 cm/km and an average IS of 2.06 (this sector is much more homogeneous and the Beni river shows a meandering channel). For the Napo River, three sectors were identified: - the first sector (~140 km) between Misahualli (401 m) and Coca (265 m), is located in Andean Piedmont (subandean zone) and presents slope values range between 170 cm/km and 30 cm/km and an average IS of 1.6, - the second sector (~250 km) between Coca (when the Napo river enters in the Amazonian plain) and Nuevo Rocafuerte (190 m), presents slope values range between 30 cm/km and 20 cm/km and an average IS of 1.2, and a convex-up shape profile corresponding to

Groundwater-table and recharge changes in the Piedmont region of ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

drinie

2 Shijiazhuang Institute of Agricultural Modernization, Chinese Academy of Sciences, ... 3Department of Earth Sciences, Chiba University, 1-33 Yayoi-cho, Inage-ku, Chiba .... crop rotation is practiced, and two crops such as winter wheat and.

Genealogical relationships between early medieval and modern inhabitants of Piedmont.

Science.gov (United States)

Vai, Stefania; Ghirotto, Silvia; Pilli, Elena; Tassi, Francesca; Lari, Martina; Rizzi, Ermanno; Matas-Lalueza, Laura; Ramirez, Oscar; Lalueza-Fox, Carles; Achilli, Alessandro; Olivieri, Anna; Torroni, Antonio; Lancioni, Hovirag; Giostra, Caterina; Bedini, Elena; Pejrani Baricco, Luisella; Matullo, Giuseppe; Di Gaetano, Cornelia; Piazza, Alberto; Veeramah, Krishna; Geary, Patrick; Caramelli, David; Barbujani, Guido

2015-01-01

In the period between 400 to 800 AD, also known as the period of the Barbarian invasions, intense migration is documented in the historical record of Europe. However, little is known about the demographic impact of these historical movements, potentially ranging from negligible to substantial. As a pilot study in a broader project on Medieval Europe, we sampled 102 specimens from 5 burial sites in Northwestern Italy, archaeologically classified as belonging to Lombards or Longobards, a Germanic people ruling over a vast section of the Italian peninsula from 568 to 774. We successfully amplified and typed the mitochondrial hypervariable region I (HVR-I) of 28 individuals. Comparisons of genetic diversity with other ancient populations and haplotype networks did not suggest that these samples are heterogeneous, and hence allowed us to jointly compare them with three isolated contemporary populations, and with a modern sample of a large city, representing a control for the effects of recent immigration. We then generated by serial coalescent simulations 16 millions of genealogies, contrasting a model of genealogical continuity with one in which the contemporary samples are genealogically independent from the medieval sample. Analyses by Approximate Bayesian Computation showed that the latter model fits the data in most cases, with one exception, Trino Vercellese, in which the evidence was compatible with persistence up to the present time of genetic features observed among this early medieval population. We conclude that it is possible, in general, to detect evidence of genealogical ties between medieval and specific modern populations. However, only seldom did mitochondrial DNA data allow us to reject with confidence either model tested, which indicates that broader analyses, based on larger assemblages of samples and genetic markers, are needed to understand in detail the effects of medieval migration.

Paired forested watershed experiments in the Piedmont of North Carolina

Science.gov (United States)

Johnny Boggs; Ge Sun; Steve McNulty

2016-01-01

Understanding how regional-specific water resources respond to disturbances can serve as useful information to land managers as they aim to set flow targets needed to maintain ecological integrity in surface...

NITROUS OXIDE CONCENTRATIONS IN SMALL STREAMS OF THE GEORGIA PIEDMONT

Science.gov (United States)

We are measuring the dissolved nitrous oxide concentration in 17 headwater streams in the South Fork Broad River, Georgia watershed on a monthly basis. The selected small streams drain watersheds dominated by forest, pasture, developed, or mixed land uses. Nitrous oxide concentr...

Blueberries for the Upper Piedmont and Mountain Regions. Part 1

OpenAIRE

Bratsch, Tony

2008-01-01

This publication reviews the main strategies for growing blueberries as a specialty crop, including planting, mulching, irrigation, fertilizing, pruning, harvesting, marketing, and predation, weed, insect and disease control.

Blueberries for the Upper Piedmont and Mountain Regions. Part 2

OpenAIRE

Bratsch, Tony

2008-01-01

This publication reviews the main strategies for growing blueberries as a specialty crop, including planting, mulching, irrigation, fertilizing, pruning, harvesting, marketing, and predation, weed, insect and disease control.

Genealogical relationships between early medieval and modern inhabitants of Piedmont.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Stefania Vai

Full Text Available In the period between 400 to 800 AD, also known as the period of the Barbarian invasions, intense migration is documented in the historical record of Europe. However, little is known about the demographic impact of these historical movements, potentially ranging from negligible to substantial. As a pilot study in a broader project on Medieval Europe, we sampled 102 specimens from 5 burial sites in Northwestern Italy, archaeologically classified as belonging to Lombards or Longobards, a Germanic people ruling over a vast section of the Italian peninsula from 568 to 774. We successfully amplified and typed the mitochondrial hypervariable region I (HVR-I of 28 individuals. Comparisons of genetic diversity with other ancient populations and haplotype networks did not suggest that these samples are heterogeneous, and hence allowed us to jointly compare them with three isolated contemporary populations, and with a modern sample of a large city, representing a control for the effects of recent immigration. We then generated by serial coalescent simulations 16 millions of genealogies, contrasting a model of genealogical continuity with one in which the contemporary samples are genealogically independent from the medieval sample. Analyses by Approximate Bayesian Computation showed that the latter model fits the data in most cases, with one exception, Trino Vercellese, in which the evidence was compatible with persistence up to the present time of genetic features observed among this early medieval population. We conclude that it is possible, in general, to detect evidence of genealogical ties between medieval and specific modern populations. However, only seldom did mitochondrial DNA data allow us to reject with confidence either model tested, which indicates that broader analyses, based on larger assemblages of samples and genetic markers, are needed to understand in detail the effects of medieval migration.

Ground-water quality and its relation to hydrogeology, land use, and surface-water quality in the Red Clay Creek basin, Piedmont Physiographic Province, Pennsylvania and Delaware

Science.gov (United States)

Senior, Lisa A.

1996-01-01

The Red Clay Creek Basin in the Piedmont Physiographic Province of Pennsylvania and Delaware is a 54-square-mile area underlain by a structurally complex assemblage of fractured metamorphosed sedimentary and igneous rocks that form a water-table aquifer. Ground-water-flow systems generally are local, and ground water discharges to streams. Both ground water and surface water in the basin are used for drinking-water supply.Ground-water quality and the relation between ground-water quality and hydrogeologic and land-use factors were assessed in 1993 in bedrock aquifers of the basin. A total of 82 wells were sampled from July to November 1993 using a stratified random sampling scheme that included 8 hydrogeologic and 4 land-use categories to distribute the samples evenly over the area of the basin. The eight hydrogeologic units were determined by formation or lithology. The land-use categories were (1) forested, open, and undeveloped; (2) agricultural; (3) residential; and (4) industrial and commercial. Well-water samples were analyzed for major and minor ions, nutrients, volatile organic compounds (VOC's), pesticides, polychlorinated biphenyl compounds (PCB's), and radon-222.Concentrations of some constituents exceeded maximum contaminant levels (MCL) or secondary maximum contaminant levels (SMCL) established by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for drinking water. Concentrations of nitrate were greater than the MCL of 10 mg/L (milligrams per liter) as nitrogen (N) in water from 11 (13 percent) of 82 wells sampled; the maximum concentration was 38 mg/L as N. Water from only 1 of 82 wells sampled contained VOC's or pesticides that exceeded a MCL; water from that well contained 3 mg/L chlordane and 1 mg/L of PCB's. Constituents or properties of well-water samples that exceeded SMCL's included iron, manganese, dissolved solids, pH, and corrosivity. Water from 70 (85 percent) of the 82 wells sampled contained radon-222 activities greater than the proposed MCL of

Report on repetition analyses for pesticide residues: 1988-1995; Rapporto sulle revisioni di analisi per residui di antiparassitari-1995

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Di Muccio, A; Attard Barbini, D; De Merulis, G; Vergori, L; Girolimetti, S; Sernicola, L; Dommarco, R [Ist. Superiore di Sanita` , Rome (Italy). Lab. di Tossicologia Applicata

1995-12-01

From 1988 to 1995, 1,254 analyses were carried out on samples of fruits (61%), vegetables (29%), cereals and derived products (3%). The analyses were for 80 different pesticides, of which 51% were fungicides, 31% insecticides, 8% diphenylamine and ethoxiquin (post-harvest antioxidans agents for protection of fruits), and 5% antigermogliants and herbicides. Regions that mostly contributed with samples were: Emilia-Romagna (35%), Piedmont (15%), Liguria (11%), Tuscany (10%). Global rate of confirmation between first analysis and repetition analysis was 64% for all the samples analysed.

Multiple Landslide-Hazard Scenarios Modeled for the Oakland-Berkeley Area, Northern California

Science.gov (United States)

Pike, Richard J.; Graymer, Russell W.

2008-01-01

With the exception of Los Angeles, perhaps no urban area in the United States is more at risk from landsliding, triggered by either precipitation or earthquake, than the San Francisco Bay region of northern California. By January each year, seasonal winter storms usually bring moisture levels of San Francisco Bay region hillsides to the point of saturation, after which additional heavy rainfall may induce landslides of various types and levels of severity. In addition, movement at any time along one of several active faults in the area may generate an earthquake large enough to trigger landslides. The danger to life and property rises each year as local populations continue to expand and more hillsides are graded for development of residential housing and its supporting infrastructure. The chapters in the text consist of: *Introduction by Russell W. Graymer *Chapter 1 Rainfall Thresholds for Landslide Activity, San Francisco Bay Region, Northern California by Raymond C. Wilson *Chapter 2 Susceptibility to Deep-Seated Landsliding Modeled for the Oakland-Berkeley Area, Northern California by Richard J. Pike and Steven Sobieszczyk *Chapter 3 Susceptibility to Shallow Landsliding Modeled for the Oakland-Berkeley Area, Northern California by Kevin M. Schmidt and Steven Sobieszczyk *Chapter 4 Landslide Hazard Modeled for the Cities of Oakland, Piedmont, and Berkeley, Northern California, from a M=7.1 Scenario Earthquake on the Hayward Fault Zone by Scott B. Miles and David K. Keefer *Chapter 5 Synthesis of Landslide-Hazard Scenarios Modeled for the Oakland-Berkeley Area, Northern California by Richard J. Pike The plates consist of: *Plate 1 Susceptibility to Deep-Seated Landsliding Modeled for the Oakland-Berkeley Area, Northern California by Richard J. Pike, Russell W. Graymer, Sebastian Roberts, Naomi B. Kalman, and Steven Sobieszczyk *Plate 2 Susceptibility to Shallow Landsliding Modeled for the Oakland-Berkeley Area, Northern California by Kevin M. Schmidt and Steven

Effects of urbanization on streamflow in the Atlanta area (Georgia, USA): A comparative hydrological approach

Science.gov (United States)

Rose, S.; Peters, N.E.

2001-01-01

For the period from 1958 to 1996, streamflow characteristics of a highly urbanized watershed were compared with less-urbanized and non-urbanized watersheds within a 20 000 km2 region in the vicinity of Atlanta, Georgia: In the Piedmont and Blue Ridge physiographic provinces of the southeastern USA. Water levels in several wells completed in surficial and crystalline-rock aquifers were also evaluated. Data were analysed for seven US Geological Survey (USGS) stream gauges, 17 National Weather Service rain gauges, and five USGS monitoring wells. Annual runoff coefficients (RCs; runoff as a fractional percentage of precipitation) for the urban stream (Peachtree Creek) were not significantly greater than for the less-urbanized watersheds. The RCs for some streams were similar to others and the similar streams were grouped according to location. The RCs decreased from the higher elevation and higher relief watersheds to the lower elevation and lower relief watersheds: Values were 0.54 for the two Blue Ridge streams. 0.37 for the four middle Piedmont streams (near Atlanta), and 0.28 for a southern Piedmont stream. For the 25 largest stormflows, the peak flows for Peachtree Creek were 30% to 100% greater then peak flows for the other stream. The storm recession period for the urban stream was 1-2 days less than that for the other streams and the recession was characterized by a 2-day storm recession constant that was, on average, 40 to 100% greater, i.e. streamflow decreased more rapidly than for the other streams. Baseflow recession constants ranged from 35 to 40% lower for Peachtree Creek than for the other streams; this is attributed to lower evapotranspiration losses, which result in a smaller change in groundwater storage than in the less-urbanized watersheds. Low flow of Peachtree Creek ranged from 25 to 35% less than the other streams, possibly the result of decreased infiltration caused by the more efficient routing of stormwater and the paving of groundwater

Preliminary study of the uranium potential of the Wadesboro Triassic basin, North Carolina

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Thayer, P.A.; Harris, W.B.

1981-11-01

This report presents results of a four-channel spectrometric survey of the Wadesboro Triassic basin and adjacent Piedmont, North and South Carolina. A total of 216 gamma-ray spectrometric measurements was taken at 165 sites in the Wadesboro Basin and at 37 sites in the adjacent Piedmont. The normal sampling density in the Wadesboro Basin is one site per 4.5 km 2 . Surface radiometric surveys reveal no anomalous radioactivity. Estimated uranium concentrations (eU) from the area are from 0.1 to 4.9 ppM. Average eU content of Triassic sandstones is 1.5 ppM, which is nearly the average for adjacent metavolcanic rocks (1.6 ppM). Granitic intrusives of the Pageland and Lilesville plutons display the highest eU concentrations in the area, averaging 3.3 ppM. The uranium/thorium ratio is consistently low throughout the area, from 0.01 to 0.54; the log uranium/log thorium ratio is from -1.11 to a maximum of 0.66. Triassic sandstones have the highest values, averaging 0.25. Granites of the Pageland and Lilesville plutons have an average uranium/thorium ratio of 0.21, and Slate Belt metavolcanic rocks average 0.15. On the basis of surface radiometric surveys and geologic studies, it is believed that sedimentary strata of the Wadesboro Basin are poor targets for further uranium exploration. This conclusion is based on the lack of many favorable characteristics associated with fluvial uranium deposits

Southern Appalachian Regional Seismic Network

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chiu, S.C.C.; Johnston, A.C.; Chiu, J.M. [Memphis State Univ., TN (United States). Center for Earthquake Research and Information

1994-08-01

The seismic activity in the southern Appalachian area was monitored by the Southern Appalachian Regional Seismic Network (SARSN) since late 1979 by the Center for Earthquake Research and Information (CERI) at Memphis State University. This network provides good spatial coverage for earthquake locations especially in east Tennessee. The level of activity concentrates more heavily in the Valley and Ridge province of eastern Tennessee, as opposed to the Blue Ridge or Inner Piedmont. The large majority of these events lie between New York - Alabama lineament and the Clingman/Ocoee lineament, magnetic anomalies produced by deep-seated basement structures. Therefore SARSN, even with its wide station spacing, has been able to define the essential first-order seismological characteristics of the Southern Appalachian seismic zone. The focal depths of the southeastern U.S. earthquakes concentrate between 8 and 16 km, occurring principally beneath the Appalachian overthrust. In cross-sectional views, the average seismicity is shallower to the east beneath the Blue Ridge and Piedmont provinces and deeper to the west beneath the Valley and Ridge and the North American craton. Results of recent focal mechanism studies by using the CERI digital earthquake catalog between October, 1986 and December, 1991, indicate that the basement of the Valley and Ridge province is under a horizontal, NE-SW compressive stress. Right-lateral strike-slip faulting on nearly north-south fault planes is preferred because it agrees with the trend of the regional magnetic anomaly pattern.

Landuse legacies of old-field succession and soil structure at the Calhoun Criticl Zone Observatory in SC, USA.

Science.gov (United States)

Brecheisen, Z. S.; Richter, D. D., Jr.; Callaham, M.; Carrera-Martinez, R.; Heine, P.

2017-12-01

The pre-colonial Southern Piedmont was an incredibly stable CZ with erosion rates between 0.35-3m/Myr on a 4th order interfluve. With soils and saprolite weathered up to 30m in total depth bedrock with multi-million year residence times under continual forest cover prior to widespread agricultural disturbance. With this biogeomorphic stability came time for soil macroporosity and soil structure to be established and maintained by the activities of soil fauna, plant root growth and death, and tree-fall tip-up events serving to continually mix and aerate the soil. Greatly accelerated surficial agricultural erosion (ca. 1750-1930) has fundamentally altered the Calhoun Critical Zone Observatory forest community dynamics aboveground and the soil structure, hydrology, and biogeochemistry belowground. The arrival of the plow to the Southern Piedmont marked the destruction of soil structure, macropore networks, and many of the macroinvertebrate soil engineers. This transformation came via forest clearing, soil tilling, compaction, and wholesale soil erosion, with the region having lost an estimated average of 18cm of soil across the landscape. In the temporal LULC progression from hardwood forests, to cultivated farms, to reforestation, secondary forest soil structure is expected to remain altered compared to the reference hardwood ecosystems. The research presented herein seeks to quantify CZ soil structure regeneration in old-field pine soil profiles' Ksat, aggregation, texture, macro-invertebrates, and direct measurements of topsoil porosity using X-ray computed tomography analysis on 15cm soil cores.

Hydrological connectivity from glaciers to rivers in the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau: roles of suprapermafrost and subpermafrost groundwater

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R. Ma

2017-09-01

Full Text Available The roles of groundwater flow in the hydrological cycle within the alpine area characterized by permafrost and/or seasonal frost are poorly known. This study explored the role of permafrost in controlling groundwater flow and the hydrological connections between glaciers in high mountains and rivers in the low piedmont plain with respect to hydraulic head, temperature, geochemical and isotopic data, at a representative catchment in the headwater region of the Heihe River, northeastern Qinghai–Tibet Plateau. The results show that the groundwater in the high mountains mainly occurred as suprapermafrost groundwater, while in the moraine and fluvioglacial deposits on the planation surfaces of higher hills, suprapermafrost, intrapermafrost and subpermafrost groundwater cooccurred. Glacier and snow meltwaters were transported from the high mountains to the plain through stream channels, slope surfaces, and supra- and subpermafrost aquifers. Groundwater in the Quaternary aquifer in the piedmont plain was recharged by the lateral inflow from permafrost areas and the stream infiltration and was discharged as baseflow to the stream in the north. Groundwater maintained streamflow over the cold season and significantly contributed to the streamflow during the warm season. Two mechanisms were proposed to contribute to the seasonal variation of aquifer water-conduction capacity: (1 surface drainage through the stream channel during the warm period and (2 subsurface drainage to an artesian aquifer confined by stream icing and seasonal frost during the cold season.

Southern Appalachian Regional Seismic Network

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chiu, S.C.C.; Johnston, A.C.; Chiu, J.M.

1994-08-01

The seismic activity in the southern Appalachian area was monitored by the Southern Appalachian Regional Seismic Network (SARSN) since late 1979 by the Center for Earthquake Research and Information (CERI) at Memphis State University. This network provides good spatial coverage for earthquake locations especially in east Tennessee. The level of activity concentrates more heavily in the Valley and Ridge province of eastern Tennessee, as opposed to the Blue Ridge or Inner Piedmont. The large majority of these events lie between New York - Alabama lineament and the Clingman/Ocoee lineament, magnetic anomalies produced by deep-seated basement structures. Therefore SARSN, even with its wide station spacing, has been able to define the essential first-order seismological characteristics of the Southern Appalachian seismic zone. The focal depths of the southeastern U.S. earthquakes concentrate between 8 and 16 km, occurring principally beneath the Appalachian overthrust. In cross-sectional views, the average seismicity is shallower to the east beneath the Blue Ridge and Piedmont provinces and deeper to the west beneath the Valley and Ridge and the North American craton. Results of recent focal mechanism studies by using the CERI digital earthquake catalog between October, 1986 and December, 1991, indicate that the basement of the Valley and Ridge province is under a horizontal, NE-SW compressive stress. Right-lateral strike-slip faulting on nearly north-south fault planes is preferred because it agrees with the trend of the regional magnetic anomaly pattern

Advancements in understanding the aeromagnetic expressions of basin-margin faults—An example from San Luis Basin, Colorado

Science.gov (United States)

Grauch, V. J.; Bedrosian, Paul A.; Drenth, Benjamin J.

2013-01-01

Advancements in aeromagnetic acquisition technology over the past few decades have led to greater resolution of shallow geologic sources with low magnetization, such as intrasedimentary faults and paleochannels. Detection and mapping of intrasedimentary faults in particular can be important for understanding the overall structural setting of an area, even if exploration targets are much deeper. Aeromagnetic methods are especially useful for mapping structures in mountain-piedmont areas at the margins of structural basins, where mineral exploration and seismic-hazard studies may be focused, and where logistical or data-quality issues encumber seismic methods. Understanding if the sources of aeromagnetic anomalies in this context originate from sedimentary units or bedrock is important for evaluating basin structure and/or depth to shallow exploration targets. Advancements in aeromagnetic acquisition technology over the past few decades have led to greater resolution of shallow geologic sources with low magnetization, such as intrasedimentary faults and paleochannels. Detection and mapping of intrasedimentary faults in particular can be important for understanding the overall structural setting of an area, even if exploration targets are much deeper. Aeromagnetic methods are especially useful for mapping structures in mountain-piedmont areas at the margins of structural basins, where mineral exploration and seismic-hazard studies may be focused, and where logistical or data-quality issues encumber seismic methods. Understanding if the sources of aeromagnetic anomalies in this context originate from sedimentary units or bedrock is important for evaluating basin structure and/or depth to shallow exploration targets.

INFLUENCE OF WEATHER CONDITIONS ON RED BEET YIELD IN VARIOUS ZONES OF THE FORE-CAUCASUS

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M. S. Gaplaev

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Based on the researches conducted in conditions of vertical zonality of the Chechen Republic, the high-yielding varieties of red beet in the certain climate and environmental conditions were selected. Moving from the plain zone to the piedmont and the mountain zones, the yield of red beet roots has increased by 1,6-3,4 t/ha regardless of early ripeness of cultivars and hybrids. Application of mathematical modeling allows the selection of the varieties, which are able to realize their yield potential in various conditions.

Diagnosis of the surface layer damage in a 1960s reinforced concrete building

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S.L. Pagliolico

2014-01-01

Full Text Available This work aimed to determine the degradation causes of the Palace of Public Works located in S. Giovanni square in Turin (Piedmont, Italy. The samples collected from the surface layer were characterized by means of scanning electron microscopy (SEM, X-ray diffraction (XRD, thermogravimetric coupled with differential thermal analysis (TG-DTA, mercury intrusion porosimetry measurements (MIP and phenolphthalein test. Metallographic and elemental analyses were also carried out on the steel reinforcing bars. An exhaustive picture of the main causes of deterioration was drawn in order to design the intervention of rehabilitation.

Holocene tectono-geomorphic evolution of parts of the Upper and Middle Gangetic plains, India

Science.gov (United States)

Pati, Pitambar; Parkash, B.; Awasthi, A. K.; Acharya, Vivekanand

2011-05-01

alluvial fans on this block. The Gandak-Kosi block is marked by a set of seven thrust splays off the Himalayan Frontal Thrust (HFT) in the footwall. Activity of these thrust splays in the foothill region caused progradation of the gravel piedmont and thus developed the widest piedmont zone (124 km) in the Gangetic plains. This is the first report of gravel piedmont progradation from a modern environment and role of thrust splays in such a progradation. In the southernmost part of this block, the continuous occurrence of terminal fans over a length of 140 km south of the South Muzaffarpur Fault forms a terminal fan piedmont/bajada. Orientation of the faults was used to interpret compression from the SW in the Ghaghara-Rapti Interfluve Plain in the west since ~ 10 Ka and compression from the south in the Gandak-Kosi interfan region in the east after 4.5 Ka. The Rapti-Gandak region in the central part shows the effects of mainly compression from the SW and compression from the south at different times. In addition to terminal fans formed because of low relief terrain features created by the activity of faults by involvement of the entire discharge of small meandering/braided streams, a new type of fan formed by splays from a large river on the downthrown sides of faults, called 'splay terminal fans' is observed from the Rapti-Gandak block.

Geologic map and cross sections of the Embudo Fault Zone in the Southern Taos Valley, Taos County, New Mexico

Science.gov (United States)

Bauer, Paul W.; Kelson, Keith I.; Grauch, V.J.S.; Drenth, Benjamin J.; Johnson, Peggy S.; Aby, Scott B.; Felix, Brigitte

2016-01-01

The southern Taos Valley encompasses the physiographic and geologic transition zone between the Picuris Mountains and the San Luis Basin of the Rio Grande rift. The Embudo fault zone is the rift transfer structure that has accommodated the kinematic disparities between the San Luis Basin and the Española Basin during Neogene rift extension. The eastern terminus of the transfer zone coincides with the intersection of four major fault zones (Embudo, Sangre de Cristo, Los Cordovas, and Picuris-Pecos), resulting in an area of extreme geologic and hydrogeologic complexities in both the basin-fill deposits and the bedrock. Although sections of the Embudo fault zone are locally exposed in the bedrock of the Picuris Mountains and in the late Cenozoic sedimentary units along the top of the Picuris piedmont, the full proportions of the fault zone have remained elusive due to a pervasive cover of Quaternary surficial deposits. We combined insights derived from the latest geologic mapping of the area with deep borehole data and high-resolution aeromagnetic and gravity models to develop a detailed stratigraphic/structural model of the rift basin in the southern Taos Valley area. The four fault systems in the study area overlap in various ways in time and space. Our geologic model states that the Picuris-Pecos fault system exists in the basement rocks (Picuris formation and older units) of the rift, where it is progressively down dropped and offset to the west by each Embudo fault strand between the Picuris Mountains and the Rio Pueblo de Taos. In this model, the Miranda graben exists in the subsurface as a series of offset basement blocks between the Ponce de Leon neighborhood and the Rio Pueblo de Taos. In the study area, the Embudo faults are pervasive structures between the Picuris Mountains and the Rio Pueblo de Taos, affecting all geologic units that are older than the Quaternary surficial deposits. The Los Cordovas faults are thought to represent the late Tertiary to

Curricular Innovation for Sustainability: The Piedmont/Ponderosa Model of Faculty Development

Science.gov (United States)

Barlett, Peggy F.; Chase, Geoffrey W.

2012-01-01

Curricular innovation is at the center of the challenges many colleges and universities face as they seek to help students address more successfully than previous generations the complex, multi-faceted, systemic challenges of global climate change, population growth, loss of biodiversity, environmental justice, toxic wastes, and food insecurity.…

Underweight, overweight and obesity among a Piedmont (Northern Italy) children sample

OpenAIRE

M. Micheletti Cremasco; A. Lorè; F. Zanon; E. Fubini

2011-01-01

The aim of the present study is to assess the incidence of under/overweight and obesity in a sample of children 6-11 years old in Turin province and to monitor the secular trend in weight. Our survey shows that about 2% of children are underweight, 17% overweight and 3% obese. Males show a prevalence of overweight and obesity, The comparison of current data with those collected in 1979 by Ente Italiano Moda (E.I.M.) [I] shows a significant increase of weight problems in both sexes: this, in c...

Underweight, overweight and obesity among a Piedmont (Northern Italy children sample

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M. Micheletti Cremasco

2011-01-01

Full Text Available The aim of the present study is to assess the incidence of under/overweight and obesity in a sample of children 6-11 years old in Turin province and to monitor the secular trend in weight. Our survey shows that about 2% of children are underweight, 17% overweight and 3% obese. Males show a prevalence of overweight and obesity, The comparison of current data with those collected in 1979 by Ente Italiano Moda (E.I.M. [I] shows a significant increase of weight problems in both sexes: this, in chilhood, is an emergent social problem that can produce adverse health effects in adulthood. It could be prevented encouraging correct eating behaviors and active lifestyle among children.

Repeated compost application effects on phosphorus runoff in the Virginia Piedmont.

Science.gov (United States)

Spargo, John T; Evanylo, Gregory K; Alley, Marcus M

2006-01-01

Increasing amounts of animal and municipal wastes are being composted before land application to improve handling and spreading characteristics, and to reduce odor and disease incidence. Repeated applications of composted biosolids and manure to cropland may increase the risk for P enrichment of agricultural runoff. We conducted field research in 2003 and 2004 on a Fauquier silty clay loam (Ultic Hapludalfs) to compare the effects of annual (since 1999) applications of composted and uncomposted organic residuals on P runoff characteristics. Biosolids compost (BSC), poultry litter-yard waste compost (PLC), and uncomposted poultry litter (PL) were applied based on estimated plant-available N. A commercial fertilizer treatment (CF) and an unamended control treatment (CTL) were also included. Corn (Zea mays L.) and a cereal rye (Secale cereal L.) cover crop were planted each year. We applied simulated rainfall in fall 2004 and analyzed runoff for dissolved reactive P (DRP), total dissolved P (TDP), total P (TP), total organic C (TOC), and total suspended solids (TSS). End of season soil samples were analyzed for Mehlich-3 P (M3P), EPA 3050 P (3050P), water soluble P (WSP), degree of P saturation (DPS), soil C, and bulk density. Compost treatments significantly increased soil C, decreased bulk density, and increased M3P, 3050P, WSP, and DPS. The concentration of DRP, TDP, and TP in runoff was highest in compost treatments, but the mass of DRP and TDP was not different among treatments because infiltration was higher and runoff lower in compost-amended soil. Improved soil physical properties associated with poultry litter-yard waste compost application decreased loss of TP and TSS.

Well Inventory and Geophysical Logging of Selected Wells in Troup County, Georgia, 2007-2008

Science.gov (United States)

Peck, Michael F.; Leeth, David C.; Hamrick, Michael D.

2008-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) - in cooperation with the Troup County Board of Commissioners - conducted a well inventory to provide information to help evaluate ground-water resources for Troup County, Georgia. In addition, borehole geophysical logs were collected in selected wells to provide a better understanding of the subsurface geologic and water-bearing characteristics in specific areas of interest. This investigation provides information to help guide future ground-water development and water-management decisions for Troup County while enhancing understanding of the hydrogeology of fractured rocks in the Piedmont physiographic province. This report presents well data compiled from USGS files and from site visits to wells during November and December 2007. Data were entered into the USGS National Water Information System (NWIS) and made available on the Web at http://waterdata.usgs.gov/ga/nwis/inventory. Previous studies of ground-water resources have been conducted in the vicinity, but did not include Troup County. The ground-water resources of Heard and Coweta Counties, located north and northeast, respectively, of Troup County were part of a larger study by Cressler and others (1983) that encompassed the Greater Atlanta Region. That study evaluated the quantity and quality of ground water in the Atlanta region and described the methods that could be used for locating high-yielding wells in the Piedmont Province. The geology underlying the Atlanta area is similar to that underlying Troup County. Clarke and Peck (1990) conducted a similar investigation that included Meriwether and Coweta Counties, located to the east and northeast of Troup County.

Contingency table analysis of pebble lithology and roundness: A case study of Huangshui River, China and comparison to rivers in the Rocky Mountains, USA

Science.gov (United States)

Miao, X.; Lindsey, D.A.; Lai, Z.; Liu, Xiuying

2010-01-01

Contingency table analysis of pebble lithology and roundness is an effective way to identify the source terrane of a drainage basin and to distinguish changes in basin size, piracy, tectonism, and other events. First, the analysis to terrace gravel deposited by the Huangshui River, northeastern Tibet Plateau, China, shows statistically contrasting pebble populations for the oldest terrace (T7, Dadongling, 1.2. Ma) and the youngest terraces (T0-T3, ?. 0.15. Ma). Two fluvial processes are considered to explain the contrast in correlation between lithology and roundness in T7 gravel versus T0-T3 gravel: 1) reworking of T7 gravel into T0-T3 gravel and 2) growth in the size of the river basin between T7 and T0-T3 times. We favor growth in basin size as the dominant process, from comparison of pebble counts and contingency tables. Second, comparison of results from Huangshui River of China to three piedmont streams of the Rocky Mountains, USA highlights major differences in source terrane and history. Like Rocky Mountain piedmont gravel from Colorado examples, the Huangshui gravels show a preference (observed versus expected frequency) for rounded granite. But unlike Rocky Mountain gravel, Huangshui gravel shows a preference for angular quartzite and for rounded sandstone. In conclusion, contrasting behavior of lithologies during transport, not always apparent in raw pebble counts, is readily analyzed using contingency tables to identify the provenance of individual lithologies, including recycled clasts. Results of the analysis may help unravel river history, including changes in basin size and lithology. ?? 2009.

Flood susceptibility assessment in a highly urbanized alluvial fan: the case study of Sala Consilina (southern Italy

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N. Santangelo

2011-10-01

Full Text Available This paper deals with the risk assessment to alluvial fan flooding at the piedmont zone of carbonate massifs of the southern Apennines chain (southern Italy. These areas are prime spots for urban development and are generally considered to be safer than the valley floors. As a result, villages and towns have been built on alluvial fans which, during intense storms, may be affected by flooding and/or debris flow processes.

The study area is located at the foothills of the Maddalena mountains, an elongated NW-SE trending ridge which bounds to the east the wide intermontane basin of Vallo di Diano. The area comprises a wide detrital talus (bajada made up by coalescent alluvial fans, ranging in age from the Middle Pleistocene to the Holocene. Historical analysis was carried out to ascertain the state of activity of the fans and to identify and map the zones most hit by past flooding. According to the information gathered, the Sala Consilina fans would appear prone to debris flows; in the past these processes have produced extensive damage and loss of life in the urban area. The watershed basins feeding the fans have very low response times and may produce debris flow events with high magnitudes. Taking into account the historical damage, the fan surface morphology, and the present urban development (street orientation and hydraulic network, the piedmont area was zoned and various susceptibility classes were detected. These results may represent a useful tool for studies aiming at territorial hazard mapping and civil protection interventions.

Compensatory stream and wetland mitigation in North Carolina: an evaluation of regulatory success.

Science.gov (United States)

Hill, Tammy; Kulz, Eric; Munoz, Breda; Dorney, John R

2013-05-01

Data from a probability sample were used to estimate wetland and stream mitigation success from 2007 to 2009 across North Carolina (NC). "Success" was defined as whether the mitigation site met regulatory requirements in place at the time of construction. Analytical results were weighted by both component counts and mitigation size. Overall mitigation success (including preservation) was estimated at 74 % (SE = 3 %) for wetlands and 75 % (SE = 4 %) for streams in NC. Compared to the results of previous studies, wetland mitigation success rates had increased since the mid-1990s. Differences between mitigation providers (mitigation banks, NC Ecosystem Enhancement Program's design-bid-build and full-delivery programs, NC Department of Transportation and private permittee-responsible mitigation) were generally not significant although permittee-responsible mitigation yielded higher success rates in certain circumstances. Both wetland and stream preservation showed high rates of success and the stream enhancement success rate was significantly higher than that of stream restoration. Additional statistically significant differences when mitigation size was considered included: (1) the Piedmont yielded a lower stream mitigation success rate than other areas of the state, and (2) recently constructed wetland mitigation projects demonstrated a lower success rate than those built prior to 2002. Opportunities for improvement exist in the areas of regulatory record-keeping, understanding the relationship between post-construction establishment and long-term ecological trajectories of stream and wetland restoration projects, incorporation of numeric ecological metrics into mitigation monitoring and success criteria, and adaptation of stream mitigation designs to achieve greater success in the Piedmont.

Emergency Contraception: a survey of Hospital Emergency Departments Staffs

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Marco Bo

2011-06-01

Full Text Available The World Health Organization defines emergency contraception (EC as a means to prevent unwanted pregnancy. In countries where EC is dispensed behind the counter, emergency departments are a preferred point of care for its prescription and dispensing. In light of this situation and as no studies on emergency contraception in emergency departments in Italy have been conducted to date, this study was designed with a view to analyze the responses of emergency room physicians in relation to their prescribing habits and knowledge about the drug and in relation to frequency and profile of women arriving for care at hospital emergency departments in Piedmont and requesting prescription for the morning-after pill. This cross-sectional survey involved 29 hospital emergency departments in Piedmont where no gynecologists are on active duty. The survey instrument was a 24-item questionnaire. Analysis of responses revealed that in the physicians’ opinion the vast majority of requests came from Italian nationals (97% ranging in age from 18 to 30 years (76%, single and not cohabiting with a partner (60%, and nulliparous (64.0%. Women mostly request EC for first-time and the most common reasons were condom breakage or slippage. Just over half the physicians (52% stated that emergency contraception prescription was not an appropriate part of care provided at an emergency department and 72% stated they felt uneasy about prescribing emergency contraception. The survey also revealed gaps in physician knowledge about the pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic properties of emergency contraception pills.

Emergency Contraception: a survey of Hospital Emergency Departments Staffs

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marco Bo

2011-03-01

Full Text Available The World Health Organization defines emergency contraception (EC as a means to prevent unwanted pregnancy. In countries where EC is dispensed behind the counter, emergency departments are a preferred point of care for its prescription and dispensing. In light of this situation and as no studies on emergency contraception in emergency departments in Italy have been conducted to date, this study was designed with a view to analyze the responses of emergency room physicians in relation to their prescribing habits and knowledge about the drug and in relation to frequency and profile of women arriving for care at hospital emergency departments in Piedmont and requesting prescription for the morning-after pill. This cross-sectional survey involved 29 hospital emergency departments in Piedmont where no gynecologists are on active duty. The survey instrument was a 24-item questionnaire. Analysis of responses revealed that in the physicians’ opinion the vast majority of requests came from Italian nationals (97% ranging in age from 18 to 30 years (76%, single and not cohabiting with a partner (60%, and nulliparous (64.0%. Women mostly request EC for first-time and the most common reasons were condom breakage or slippage. Just over half the physicians (52% stated that emergency contraception prescription was not an appropriate part of care provided at an emergency department and 72% stated they felt uneasy about prescribing emergency contraception. The survey also revealed gaps in physician knowledge about the pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic properties of emergency contraception pills.

National Uranium Resource Evaluation Program (NURE): hydrogeochemical and stream sediment reconnaissance in the eastern United States

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ferguson, R.B.; Price, V. Jr.

1976-01-01

A geochemical reconnaissance of twenty-five eastern states for uranium will be conducted by the Savannah River Laboratory for the U.S. Energy Research and Development Administration. A sound technical basis for the reconnaissance is being developed by intensive studies of sampling, analysis, and data management. Results of three orientation studies in the southern Appalachian Piedmont and Blue Ridge areas indicate that multi-element analysis of -100 mesh (less than 149 μm) stream sediments will provide adequate information for reconnaissance. Stream and groundwater samples also provide useful information but are not considered cost-effective for regional reconnaissance in the areas studied

Effect of castration age on slaughtering performance of Piemontese male cattle

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C. Lazzaroni

2010-01-01

Full Text Available Calves castration represents an old and traditional practice to obtain animal work force, but for technical, economic and social reasons in the last half of the 20th century it was left. The recent renewal of Piemontese steers rearing in the breed’s native diffusion area, for quality meat production (Biagini et al., 2001, has been spurred also for the interest in local typical dishes. Traditionally, in Piedmont calves were castrated before puberty (about 6 month of age, but now also later (12-14 month of age to benefit by the bull higher growing rate.

Estudio y diseño de un sistema inmótico para seguridad, comunicación y confort, utilizando el protocolo KNX para el edificio Torre Piamonte ubicado en el sector de Totoracocha de la ciudad de Cuenca

OpenAIRE

Jara Maldonado, Pedro Alcibiades

2015-01-01

El presente proyecto tiene como objetivo el estudio y diseño de un sistema inmótico para el edificio "Torre Piamonte" de la Ciudad de Cuenca. El estándar propuesto es el KNX. Se tiene los planos arquitectónicos y el diseño de planos inmóticos del edificio. Al final se obtiene el TIR y VAN para verificar la factibilidad del proyecto. This project aims to study and design of a building automation system for the "Torre Piedmont" building in the City of Cuenca. The proposed standard is the KNX...

Late Cenozoic flexural deformation of the middle U.S. Atlantic passive margin

Science.gov (United States)

Pazzaglia, Frank J.; Gardner, Thomas, W.

1994-01-01

Despite the century-long recognition of regional epeirogeny along the middle Atlantic passive margin, relatively few studies have focused on understanding postrift uplift mechanisms. Here, we demonstrate that epeirogenic uplift of the central Appalachian Piedmont and subsidence of the Salisbury Embayment represent first-order, flexural isostatic processes driven by continental denudation and offshore deposition. Our results show that regional epeirogenic processes, present on all Atlantic-type passive margins, are best resolved by specific stratigraphic and geomorphic relationships, rather than topography. A simple one-dimensional geodynamic model, constrained by well-dated Baltimore Canyon trough, Coastal Plain, and lower Susquehanna River (piedmont) stratigraphy, simulates flexural deforamtion of the U.S. Atlantic margin. The model represents the passive margin lithosphree as a uniformly thick elastic plate, without horizontal compressive stresses, that deforms flexurally under the stress of strike-averaged, vertically applied line loads. Model results illustrate a complex interaction among margin stratigraphy and geomorphology, the isostatic repsonse to denudational and depositional processes, and the modulating influence of exogenic forces such as eustasy. The current elevation, with respect to modern sea level, of fluvial terraces and correlateive Coastal Plain deposits or unconformities is successfully predicted through the synthesis of paleotopography, eustatic change, and margin flexure. Results suggest that the middle U.S. Atlantic margin landward of East Coast Magnetic Anomaly is underlain by lithoshpere with an average elastic thickness of 40 km (flexural rigidity, D = 4 X 10(exp 23) N m), the margin experience an average, long-term denudation rate of approximately 10m/m.y., and the Piedmont has been flexurally upwaped between 35 and 130 meters in the last 15 m.y. Long term isostatic continental uplift resulting rom denudation and basin subsidence

Regional seismic-wave propagation from the M5.8 23 August 2011, Mineral, Virginia, earthquake

Science.gov (United States)

Pollitz, Fred; Mooney, Walter D.

2015-01-01

The M5.8 23 August 2011 Mineral, Virginia, earthquake was felt over nearly the entire eastern United States and was recorded by a wide array of seismic broadband instruments. The earthquake occurred ~200 km southeast of the boundary between two distinct geologic belts, the Piedmont and Blue Ridge terranes to the southeast and the Valley and Ridge Province to the northwest. At a dominant period of 3 s, coherent postcritical P-wave (i.e., direct longitudinal waves trapped in the crustal waveguide) arrivals persist to a much greater distance for propagation paths toward the northwest quadrant than toward other directions; this is probably related to the relatively high crustal thickness beneath and west of the Appalachian Mountains. The seismic surface-wave arrivals comprise two distinct classes: those with weakly dispersed Rayleigh waves and those with strongly dispersed Rayleigh waves. We attribute the character of Rayleigh wave arrivals in the first class to wave propagation through a predominantly crystalline crust (Blue Ridge Mountains and Piedmont terranes) with a relatively thin veneer of sedimentary rock, whereas the temporal extent of the Rayleigh wave arrivals in the second class are well explained as the effect of the thick sedimentary cover of the Valley and Ridge Province and adjacent Appalachian Plateau province to its northwest. Broadband surface-wave ground velocity is amplified along both north-northwest and northeast azimuths from the Mineral, Virginia, source. The former may arise from lateral focusing effects arising from locally thick sedimentary cover in the Appalachian Basin, and the latter may result from directivity effects due to a northeast rupture propagation along the finite fault plane.

Stafford fault system: 120 million year fault movement history of northern Virginia

Science.gov (United States)

Powars, David S.; Catchings, Rufus D.; Horton, J. Wright; Schindler, J. Stephen; Pavich, Milan J.

2015-01-01

The Stafford fault system, located in the mid-Atlantic coastal plain of the eastern United States, provides the most complete record of fault movement during the past ~120 m.y. across the Virginia, Washington, District of Columbia (D.C.), and Maryland region, including displacement of Pleistocene terrace gravels. The Stafford fault system is close to and aligned with the Piedmont Spotsylvania and Long Branch fault zones. The dominant southwest-northeast trend of strong shaking from the 23 August 2011, moment magnitude Mw 5.8 Mineral, Virginia, earthquake is consistent with the connectivity of these faults, as seismic energy appears to have traveled along the documented and proposed extensions of the Stafford fault system into the Washington, D.C., area. Some other faults documented in the nearby coastal plain are clearly rooted in crystalline basement faults, especially along terrane boundaries. These coastal plain faults are commonly assumed to have undergone relatively uniform movement through time, with average slip rates from 0.3 to 1.5 m/m.y. However, there were higher rates during the Paleocene–early Eocene and the Pliocene (4.4–27.4 m/m.y), suggesting that slip occurred primarily during large earthquakes. Further investigation of the Stafford fault system is needed to understand potential earthquake hazards for the Virginia, Maryland, and Washington, D.C., area. The combined Stafford fault system and aligned Piedmont faults are ~180 km long, so if the combined fault system ruptured in a single event, it would result in a significantly larger magnitude earthquake than the Mineral earthquake. Many structures most strongly affected during the Mineral earthquake are along or near the Stafford fault system and its proposed northeastward extension.

Spatio-temporal long-term (1950-2009) temperature trend analysis in North Carolina, United States

Science.gov (United States)

Sayemuzzaman, Mohammad; Jha, Manoj K.; Mekonnen, Ademe

2015-04-01

This study analyzed long-term (1950-2009) annual and seasonal time series data of maximum and minimum temperature from 249 uniformly distributed stations across the State of North Carolina, United States. The Mann-Kendall and Theil-Sen approach were applied to quantify the significance and magnitude of trend, respectively. A pre-whitening technique was applied to eliminate the effect of lag-1 serial correlation. For most stations over the period of the past 60 years, the difference between minimum and maximum temperatures was found decreasing with an overall increasing trend in the mean temperature. However, significant trends (confidence level ≥ 95 %) in the mean temperature analysis were detected only in 20, 3, 23, and 20 % of the stations in summer, winter, autumn, and spring, respectively. The magnitude of the highest warming trend in minimum temperature and the highest cooling trend in maximum temperature was +0.073 °C/year in the autumn season and -0.12 °C/year in the summer season, respectively. Additional analysis in mean temperature trend was conducted on three regions of North Carolina (mountain, piedmont, and coastal). The results revealed a warming trend for the coastal zone, a cooling trend for the mountain zone, and no distinct trend for the piedmont zone. The Sequential Mann-Kendall test results indicated that the significant increasing trends in minimum temperature and decreasing trend in maximum temperature had begun around 1970 and 1960 (change point), respectively, in most of the stations. Finally, the comparison between mean surface air temperature (SAT) and the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) concluded that the variability and trend in SAT can be explained partially by the NAO index for North Carolina.

Flood risk management in Italy: challenges and opportunities for the implementation of the EU Floods Directive (2007/60/EC)

Science.gov (United States)

Mysiak, J.; Testella, F.; Bonaiuto, M.; Carrus, G.; De Dominicis, S.; Ganucci Cancellieri, U.; Firus, K.; Grifoni, P.

2013-11-01

Italy's recent history is punctuated with devastating flood disasters claiming high death toll and causing vast but underestimated economic, social and environmental damage. The responses to major flood and landslide disasters such as the Polesine (1951), Vajont (1963), Firenze (1966), Valtelina (1987), Piedmont (1994), Crotone (1996), Sarno (1998), Soverato (2000), and Piedmont (2000) events have contributed to shaping the country's flood risk governance. Insufficient resources and capacity, slow implementation of the (at that time) novel risk prevention and protection framework, embodied in the law 183/89 of 18 May 1989, increased the reliance on the response and recovery operations of the civil protection. As a result, the importance of the Civil Protection Mechanism and the relative body of norms and regulation developed rapidly in the 1990s. In the aftermath of the Sarno (1998) and Soverato (2000) disasters, the Department for Civil Protection (DCP) installed a network of advanced early warning and alerting centres, the cornerstones of Italy's preparedness for natural hazards and a best practice worth following. However, deep convective clouds, not uncommon in Italy, producing intense rainfall and rapidly developing localised floods still lead to considerable damage and loss of life that can only be reduced by stepping up the risk prevention efforts. The implementation of the EU Floods Directive (2007/60/EC) provides an opportunity to revise the model of flood risk governance and confront the shortcomings encountered during more than 20 yr of organised flood risk management. This brief communication offers joint recommendations towards this end from three projects funded by the 2nd CRUE ERA-NET (http://www.crue-eranet.net/) Funding Initiative: FREEMAN, IMRA and URFlood.

Dynamic behavior of the Bering Glacier-Bagley icefield system during a surge, and other measurements of Alaskan glaciers with ERS SAR imagery

Science.gov (United States)

Lingle, Craig S.; Fatland, Dennis R.; Voronina, Vera A.; Ahlnaes, Kristina; Troshina, Elena N.

1997-01-01

ERS-1 synthetic aperture radar (SAR) imagery was employed for the measurement of the dynamics of the Bagley icefield during a major surge in 1993-1994, the measurement of ice velocities on the Malaspina piedmont glacier during a quiescent phase between surges, and for mapping the snow lines and the position of the terminus of Nabesna glacier on Mount Wrangell (a 4317 m andesitic shield volcano) in the heavily glacierized Saint Elias and Wrangell Mountains of Alaska. An overview and summary of results is given. The methods used include interferometry, cross-correlation of sequential images, and digitization of boundaries using terrain-corrected SAR imagery.

Fallout cesium-137 and mineral-element distribution in food chains of granitic-outcrop ecosystems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Crossley, D.A. Jr.; Duke, K.M.; Waide, J.B.

1975-01-01

Fallout 137 Cs movement is described for arthropod food chains on Panola and Arabia mountains, granite monadnocks in the Georgia Piedmont region. Food chains on mountain slopes had significant 137 Cs in herbivore and predator trophic levels. Food bases were identified from observation and from cesium to potassium ratios in vegetation and arthropods. Lichens are major accumulators of fallout 137 Cs but do not appear to be important food sources for arthropods. Cesium-137 concentrations decrease in the food chains; these decreases resemble those reported for other terrestrial arthropod chains. Aspects of 137 Cs movement and nutrient-element dynamics in granitic-outcrop ecosystems are discussed

Las medidas de sustentabilidad en los planes para Santiago 1960 – 1994: El caso de los corredores del Maipo-Mapocho y Andino Pedemontano.

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María Isabel Pávez Reyes

2009-09-01

It investigates the plans for Santiago de Chile 1960-1994, with emphasis on measures relating to the corridors of Maipo-Mapocho and Andean piedmont. We conclude that there was an early measures of sustainability. The State then addressed especially projects resulting in metropolitan roads and transport, although there was low or no promotion of associational community to help generate and participate in the development of specific projects arising intercommunal scale. Concerning sustainability measures were set aside since 1979, and today the maximum decentralization entails rejecting the neoliberal model "decentralization out" or communal associativity to deal with governments at central issues affecting interregional and / or benefit the local level.

Geologic map of the Bateman Spring Quadrangle, Lander County, Nevada

Science.gov (United States)

Ramelli, Alan R.; Wrucke, Chester T.; House, P. Kyle

2017-01-01

This 1:24,000-scale geologic map of the Bateman Spring 7.5-minute quadrangle in Lander County, Nevada contains descriptions of 24 geologic units and one cross section. Accompanying text includes full unit descriptions and references. This quadrangle includes lower Paleozoic siliciclastic sedimentary rocks of the Roberts Mountain allochthon, Miocene intrusive dikes, alluvial deposits of the northern Shoshone Range piedmont, and riverine deposits of the Reese and Humboldt rivers.Significant findings include: refined age estimates for the Ordovician-Cambrian Valmy Formation and Devonian Slaven Chert, based on new fossil information; and detailed mapping of late Quaternary fault traces along the Shoshone Range fault system.

Forest Field Trips among High School Science Teachers in the Southern Piedmont

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McCabe, Shannon M.; Munsell, John F.; Seiler, John R.

2014-01-01

Students benefit in many ways by taking field trips to forests. Improved academic performance, increased participation in outdoor recreation, and a better grasp of natural resources management are some of the advantages. However, trips are not easy for teachers to organize and lead. Declining budgets, on-campus schedules, and standards of learning…

Distribution, typology and assessment of degraded soils Piedmont Plains Zhetysu Ridge, Kazakhstan

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Maira Kussainova

2017-04-01

Full Text Available Identification of land degradation is essential to check the problem and to implement the remedial measures needed. The study area falls under parts of foothill plains Zhetysu Ridge, Kazakhstan, that is an arid region in climate. Recent data on the status of study area refer to the 80s of the last century, and the intensive use of them led to a significant anthropogenic transformation. This study was carried out in 2015-2016 as part of a project aimed to study features and causes of land degradation in foothill plains Zhetysu Ridge, Kazakhstan. Under the conditions of rainfed soil degradation manifests itself in the development of erosion processes, agro depletion of soils, reducing the productivity of agriculture. The use of land for irrigation often accompanied by secondary salinization. In this regard, at present there is need to assess current state of the soil, with the identification of changes in their properties as a result of the impact of various anthropogenic factors and creation of new electronic soil maps and applied the powerful capabilities of advanced remote sensing (RS and geographic information system (GIS techniques to identify the geomorphological units and degradation risk assessment. Satellite imagery in addition to the field and laboratory studies to identify salinity-induced soil degradation was adopted in this study. Morphological, chemical and physical characteristics of soils in degraded sites in foothill plains Zhetysu Ridge, Kazakhstan, were depicted. The main results of a thorough evaluation of soil degradation in foothill plains Zhetysu Ridge, Kazakhstan, are presented. The data revealed that extent of salinity-induced degradation was generally related to some physical properties of soil, uncontrolled livestock grazing and previous soil management practices. These results are useful as the basis for designing soil conservation and restoration programs, as a base line for evaluating the performance of conservation programs and for assessing the impact of other soil-related activities (e.g. agriculture and livestock rising.

Operational forest stream crossings effects on water quality in the Virginia Piedmont

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Wallace M. Aust; Matthew B. Carroll; M. Chad Bolding; Andy Dolloff

2011-01-01

Water quality indices were examined for paired upstream and downstream samples for 23 operational stream crossings and approaches during four periods. Stream crossings were (1) portable bridges (BRIDGE), (2) culverts backfilled with poles (POLE), (3) culverts with earth backfill (CULVERT), and (4) reinforced fords (FORD). The four operational periods were (1) prior to...

NITRATE AND NITROUS OXIDE CONCENTRATIONS IN SMALL STREAMS OF THE GEORGIA PIEDMONT

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We are measuring dissolved nitrate and nitrous oxide concentrations and related parameters in 17 headwater streams in the South Fork Broad River, Georgia watershed on a monthly basis. The selected small streams drain watersheds dominated by forest, pasture, residential, or mixed...

Patterns of cowbird parasitism in the Southern Atlantic Coastal Plain and Piedmont.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

J.C. Kilgo; C.E. Moorman

2003-09-01

Until recently, little information was available on patterns of brood parasitism by Brownheaded Cowbirds (Molothrus ater) in the southeastern United States, a region into which cowbirds expanded their range only during the last half of the Twentieth Century and where their abundance is relatively low. We compiled parasitism data from several published and unpublished studies conducted in Georgia and South Carolina from 1993-2000 to examine levels of brood parasitism and determine frequent host species. The combined dataset included 1,372 nests of 24 species reported in the literature to have been parasitized by cowbirds. The parasitism rate on all species combined was 8.2%. Considering only those species that served as hosts in these studies (n = I2), the parasitism rate was 9.3%. Seven species were parasitized at rates 2 10%. Based on the extent of parasitism (among studies and locations), their relative abundance, and the sample size of nests, Prairie Warblers (Dendroicta discolor), Hooded Warblers (Wilsonia citrina), Yellow-breasted Chats (Icteria virens), and Indigo Buntings (Passerina cyanea), all shrub nesters, appear to be the most important cowbird hosts in the region. Parasitism on some species reported as frequent hosts elsewhere was extremely low or not documented. We conclude that the impact of brood parasitism on the seasonal fecundity of hosts in the region probably is minimal, but additional work is warranted on species of concern, such as the Painted Bunting (Passerina ciris).

75 FR 26979 - Piedmont National Wildlife Refuge, Jones and Jasper Counties, GA

Science.gov (United States)

2010-05-13

... acquisition; (3) forest and fire management and education; (4) cane break restoration; (5) invasive species... area with smaller burn units on a 2-year rotation. We would prioritize the need for removal of invasive... expand invasive plant species control from uplands to include other habitat types to reduce adverse...

Geochemical interpretation of Kings Mountain, North Carolina, orientation area

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Price, V.; Ferguson, R.B.

1977-01-01

An orientation study has been made of uranium occurrences in the area of Kings Mountain, North Carolina. This is one of the orientation studies of known uranium occurrences that are being conducted in several geologic provinces and under various climatic (weathering) conditions to provide the technical basis for design and interpretation of NURE geochemical reconnaissance programs. The Kings Mountain area was chosen for study primarily because of the reported presence of high-uranium monazite. This 750-mi 2 area is in the deeply weathered southern Appalachian Piedmont and spans portions of the Inner Piedmont, Kings Mountain, and Charlotte geologic belts. Uranium concentration maps for ground and surface water samples clearly outline the outcrop area of the Cherryville Quartz Monzonite with highs up to 10 ppb uranium near the reported uraninite. Several surface water samples appear to be anomalous because of trace industrial contamination. Uranium concentration maps for -100 to +200 mesh stream sediments indicate the area of monazite abundance. Several samples with >100 ppM uranium content appear to be high in uranium-rich resistate minerals. When the uranium content of sediment samples is ratioed to the sum of Hf, Dy, and Th, the anomaly pattern shifts to coincide with uranium highs in ground and surface water samples. False anomalies from concentrations of monazite (Ce,ThPO 4 ), xenotime (Y,DyPO 4 ), and zircon (Zr,HfSiO 4 ) in stream sediment samples can thus be eliminated. Residual anomalies should be related to unusual uranium enrichment of these common minerals or to the presence of an uncommon uranium-rich mineral. Tantalum, beryllium, and tin in stream sediments correspond to high concentrations of uranium in stream and ground water but not to uranium in sediments. In an initial reconnaissance, several media should be sampled, and it is essential to correct uranium in sediments for the sample mineralogy

Angiostrongylus vasorum in red foxes (Vulpes vulpes and badgers (Meles meles from Central and Northern Italy

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Marta Magi

2010-06-01

Full Text Available Abstract During 2004-2005 and 2007-2008, 189 foxes (Vulpes vulpes and 6 badgers (Meles meles were collected in different areas of Central Northern Italy (Piedmont, Liguria and Tuscany and examined for Angiostrongylus vasorum infection. The prevalence of the infection was significantly different in the areas considered, with the highest values in the district of Imperia (80%, Liguria and in Montezemolo (70%, southern Piedmont; the prevalence in Tuscany was 7%. One badger collected in the area of Imperia turned out to be infected, representing the first report of the parasite in this species in Italy. Further studies are needed to evaluate the role played by fox populations as reservoirs of infection and the probability of its spreading to domestic dogs.
Riassunto Angiostrongylus vasorum nella volpe (Vulpes vulpes e nel tasso (Meles meles in Italia centro-settentrionale. Nel 2004-2005 e 2007-2008, 189 volpi (Vulpes vulpes e 6 tassi (Meles meles provenienti da differenti aree dell'Italia settentrionale e centrale (Piemonte, Liguria Toscana, sono stati esaminati per la ricerca di Angiostrongylus vasorum. La prevalenza del nematode è risultata significativamente diversa nelle varie zone, con valori elevati nelle zone di Imperia (80% e di Montezemolo (70%, provincia di Cuneo; la prevalenza in Toscana è risultata del 7%. Un tasso proveniente dall'area di Imperia è risultato positivo per A. vasorum; questa è la prima segnalazione del parassita in tale specie in Italia. Ulteriori studi sono necessari per valutare il potenziale della volpe come serbatoio e la possibilità di diffusione della parassitosi ai cani domestici.

doi:10.4404/hystrix-20.2-4442

Late Quaternary evolution of the La Cantera Fault System (Central Precordillera, Argentina): A morphotectonic and paleoseismic analysis

Science.gov (United States)

Perucca, Laura; Rothis, Martín; Bezerra, Francisco Hilario; Vargas, Nicolás; Lima, Jean

2015-10-01

The La Cantera Fault System (LCFS) is the most active Quaternary structure in the Central Precordillera of San Juan, in central-western Argentina; the system extends for 47 km along the intermountain valley that separates the Sierra de La Cantera and La Invernada, north of the San Juan River. The average fault trend is 20°; it dips at angles varying between 15° and 30° W in the northern section, to approximately 40° W in the central section, and up to 60° W in the southern section. The fault affects Holocene to recent alluvium deposits in the western piedmont of the Sierra de La Cantera and is defined by a series of landforms found in compressive tectonic environments, including simple and compound counterslope fault scarps, staircased alluvial terraces, sag ponds, flexural scarps, aligned springs, broom-shaped drainage patterns, river diversions, beheaded channels, changes in incision depths, sinuosity and a river gradient along channels. Trench investigations indicated that at least three events occurred in the past 1.1-10.1 ky. The topographic profiles of the selected channels and interfluves cutting across the northern and central trace of the fault were analyzed using a Stonex Vector GPS differential system to establish the relationship between the topography and slope of the rivers. This morphometric analysis of scarps indicates that active tectonics have played an essential role in controlling the drainage pattern in the piedmont, leading the rivers to adjust to these slope variations. Based on the analyzed geomorphologic, stratigraphic and structural characteristics, the LCFS is considered to be a relevant seismogenic source in the intraplate portion of southern South America, with a recurrence interval of at least 2000 ± 500 years for moderate magnitude earthquakes during the last 11,000 years.

Estimating the magnitude and frequency of floods for urban and small, rural streams in Georgia, South Carolina, and North Carolina

Science.gov (United States)

Feaster, Toby D.; Gotvald, Anthony J.; Weaver, J. Curtis

2014-01-01

Reliable estimates of the magnitude and frequency of floods are essential for such things as the design of transportation and water-conveyance structures, Flood Insurance Studies, and flood-plain management. The flood-frequency estimates are particularly important in densely populated urban areas. A multistate approach was used to update methods for determining the magnitude and frequency of floods in urban and small, rural streams that are not substantially affected by regulation or tidal fluctuations in Georgia, South Carolina, and North Carolina. The multistate approach has the advantage over a single state approach of increasing the number of stations available for analysis, expanding the geographical coverage that would allow for application of regional regression equations across state boundaries, and building on a previous flood-frequency investigation of rural streamflow-gaging stations (streamgages) in the Southeastern United States. In addition, streamgages from the inner Coastal Plain of New Jersey were included in the analysis. Generalized least-squares regression techniques were used to generate predictive equations for estimating the 50-, 20-, 10-, 4-, 2-, 1-, 0.5-, and 0.2-percent annual exceedance probability flows for urban and small, rural ungaged basins for three hydrologic regions; the Piedmont-Ridge and Valley, Sand Hills, and Coastal Plain. Incorporation of urban streamgages from New Jersey also allowed for the expansion of the applicability of the predictive equations in the Coastal Plain from 2.1 to 53.5 square miles. Explanatory variables in the regression equations included drainage area (DA) and percent of impervious area (IA) for the Piedmont-Ridge and Valley region; DA and percent of developed land for the Sand Hills; and DA, IA, and 24-hour, 50-year maximum precipitation for the Coastal Plain. An application spreadsheet also was developed that can be used to compute the flood-frequency estimates along with the 95-percent prediction

Mortality from lymphohematopoietic neoplasms and other causes in a cohort of laminated plastic workers exposed to formaldehyde.

Science.gov (United States)

Pira, Enrico; Romano, Canzio; Verga, Federica; La Vecchia, Carlo

2014-10-01

A possible relationship between exposure to formaldehyde and leukemia-particularly myeloid leukemia-as well as of lymphoid neoplasms has been debated and is still controversial. We thus examined the issue using data from a cohort of workers of a laminated plastic factory sited in Piedmont, northern Italy. The study cohort included 2,750 subjects (2,227 men and 523 women) who worked in the factory between 1947 and 2011, for at least 180 days. Follow-up ended in May 2011, for a total of 70,933 person-years of observation. We computed standardized mortality ratios (SMR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) using national and (whenever available) Piedmont Region death rates. Overall, there were 417 deaths versus 493.4 expected ones (SMR = 84.5, 95% CI 76.6-93.0). The SMRs were 79.8 (95% CI 67.5-93.6) for total cancer mortality, 148.5 (95% CI 68.0-282.2) for oral cavity and pharynx (three deaths were registered, but not confirmed, as nasopharyngeal cancer), 48.3 (95% CI 13.1-123.7) for pancreas, 66.1 (95% CI 13.6-193.0) for larynx, and 96.7 (95% CI 72.0-127.2) for lung cancer. The SMR of all lymphohematopoietic malignancies was 68.6 (95% CI 31.4-130.3; nine observed deaths). This tended to increase with duration of exposure and to decrease with period at first exposure, always remaining below 100. There were four deaths from lymphoma (SMR = 74.1, 95% CI 20.1-189.6) and five deaths from leukemia (SMR = 92.4, 95% CI 29.9-215.3). We found no meaningful excess mortality from any lymphohematopoietic nor other neoplasms, except possibly for nasopharyngeal cancer.

Seasonal and annual precipitation time series trend analysis in North Carolina, United States

Science.gov (United States)

Sayemuzzaman, Mohammad; Jha, Manoj K.

2014-02-01

The present study performs the spatial and temporal trend analysis of the annual and seasonal time-series of a set of uniformly distributed 249 stations precipitation data across the state of North Carolina, United States over the period of 1950-2009. The Mann-Kendall (MK) test, the Theil-Sen approach (TSA) and the Sequential Mann-Kendall (SQMK) test were applied to quantify the significance of trend, magnitude of trend, and the trend shift, respectively. Regional (mountain, piedmont and coastal) precipitation trends were also analyzed using the above-mentioned tests. Prior to the application of statistical tests, the pre-whitening technique was used to eliminate the effect of autocorrelation of precipitation data series. The application of the above-mentioned procedures has shown very notable statewide increasing trend for winter and decreasing trend for fall precipitation. Statewide mixed (increasing/decreasing) trend has been detected in annual, spring, and summer precipitation time series. Significant trends (confidence level ≥ 95%) were detected only in 8, 7, 4 and 10 nos. of stations (out of 249 stations) in winter, spring, summer, and fall, respectively. Magnitude of the highest increasing (decreasing) precipitation trend was found about 4 mm/season (- 4.50 mm/season) in fall (summer) season. Annual precipitation trend magnitude varied between - 5.50 mm/year and 9 mm/year. Regional trend analysis found increasing precipitation in mountain and coastal regions in general except during the winter. Piedmont region was found to have increasing trends in summer and fall, but decreasing trend in winter, spring and on an annual basis. The SQMK test on "trend shift analysis" identified a significant shift during 1960 - 70 in most parts of the state. Finally, the comparison between winter (summer) precipitations with the North Atlantic Oscillation (Southern Oscillation) indices concluded that the variability and trend of precipitation can be explained by the

Late Pleistocene glacial stratigraphy of the Kumara-Moana region, West Coast of South Island, New Zealand

Science.gov (United States)

Barrows, Timothy T.; Almond, Peter; Rose, Robert; Keith Fifield, L.; Mills, Stephanie C.; Tims, Stephen G.

2013-08-01

On the South Island of New Zealand, large piedmont glaciers descended from an ice cap on the Southern Alps onto the coastal plain of the West Coast during the late Pleistocene. The series of moraine belts and outwash plains left by the Taramakau glacier are used as a type section for interpreting the glacial geology and timing of major climatic events of New Zealand and also as a benchmark for comparison with the wider Southern Hemisphere. In this paper we review the chronology of advances by the Taramakau glacier during the last or Otira Glaciation using a combination of exposure dating using the cosmogenic nuclides 10Be and 36Cl, and tephrochronology. We document three distinct glacial maxima, represented by the Loopline, Larrikins and Moana Formations, separated by brief interstadials. We find that the Loopline Formation, originally attributed to Oxygen Isotope Chronozone 4, is much younger than previously thought, with an advance culminating around 24,900 ± 800 yr. The widespread late Pleistocene Kawakawa/Oruanui tephra stratigraphically lies immediately above it. This Formation has the same age previously attributed to the older part of the Larrikins Formation. Dating of the Larrikins Formation demonstrates there is no longer a basis for subdividing it into older and younger phases with an advance lasting about 1000 years between 20,800 ± 500 to 20,000 ± 400 yr. The Moana Formation represents the deposits of the last major advance of ice at 17,300 ± 500 yr and is younger than expected based on limited previous dating. The timing of major piedmont glaciation is restricted to between ˜25,000 and 17,000 yr and this interval corresponds to a time of regionally cold sea surface temperatures, expansion of grasslands at the expense of forest on South Island, and hemisphere wide glaciation.

Hydrogeologic characterization of a proposed landfill expansion in Pickens County near Easley, South Carolina

Science.gov (United States)

Stringfield, W.J.

1994-01-01

This report presents the results of a hydrogeologic study in the Piedmont physiographic province of South Carolina to obtain geologic, hydrologic, and water-quality data from the site of a proposed landfill expansion in Pickens County near Easley, South Carolina. The geology of the study area is typical of the Piedmont region. The unconsolidated regolith on the site is soil and saprolite, which is a product of the weathered parent rock. The soil ranges in thickness from about 5 to 20 feet. The saprolite ranges in thickness from about 5 to 134 feet. The most abundant parent rock type in the area is a biotite gneiss. Ground- and surface-water data were collected at the site. Slug tests on the saprolite indicate a mean hydraulic conductivity of 3 x 0.000003 feet per second. Transmissivity ranges from 12 to 27 cubic feet per day per feet (squared per day). The ground-water velocity for the site ranges from 3 to 6 feet per year. The closest major stream to the site is Golden Creek. Based on low-flow data for Golden Creek, the estimated minimum 7 consecutive day flow that has a recurrence interval of 10 years (7Q10) at station 02186102 is 2.4 cubic feet per second. Water samples were collected from five monitoring wells at the proposed landfill expansion site and from one stream adjacent to the expansion site. Measured pH units ranged from 5.5 to 8.1, and alkalinity concentrations ranged from 5.1 to 73 milligrams per liter as CaCO3. Other water- quality data obtained included temperature and specific conductance, and 5-day BOD (biochemical oxygen demand), bicarbonate, ammonia-nitrogen, nitrite-nitrogen, nitrite plus nitrate, organic carbon, calcium, magnesium, sodium, potassium, chloride, sulfate, fluoride, and selected trace metal concentrations.

Design and methods of the Southeast Stream Quality Assessment (SESQA), 2014

Science.gov (United States)

Journey, Celeste A.; Van Metre, Peter C.; Bell, Amanda H.; Button, Daniel T.; Garrett, Jessica D.; Nakagaki, Naomi; Qi, Sharon L.; Bradley, Paul M.

2015-07-15

During 2014, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) National Water-Quality Assessment Program (NAWQA) assessed stream quality across the Piedmont and southern Appalachian Mountain regions of the southeastern United States. This Southeast Stream Quality Assessment (SESQA) simultaneously characterized watershed and stream-reach water-quality stressors along with instream biological conditions, in order to better understand regional stressor-effects relations. The goal of SESQA is to provide communities and policymakers with information about those human and environmental factors that have the greatest impact on stream quality across the region. The SESQA design focused on hydrologic alteration and urbanization because of their importance as ecological stressors of particular concern to Southeast region resource managers.

[Enterobiasis in pediatric subjects in north-western Italy: a study of home remedies].

Science.gov (United States)

Dutto, M; Montù, D; Raineri, G

2012-01-01

The present study examines the most common home remedies in the Piedmont region of northwest Italy currently used in the treatment of pediatric enterobiasis, commonly known as pinworm infection. The remedies in question, typically based on popular beliefs and as such are nearly useless, were noted through interviews with subjects who had come to the local Hygiene and Public Health Services offices for information about pinworm prevention and treatment. Analysis of replies by the subjects clearly indicates that local families are ill-prepared to recognize the symptoms this parasitic infection; often it is confused with pediatric ketosis, therefore leading to inappropriate treatment which at times may be potentially harmful to the patient.

James Madison and a Shift in Precipitation Seasonality

Science.gov (United States)

Druckenbrod, D. L.; Mann, M. E.; Stahle, D. W.; Cleaveland, M. K.; Therrell, M. D.; Shugart, H. H.

2001-12-01

An eighteen-year meteorological diary and tree ring data from James Madison's Montpelier plantation provide a consistent reconstruction of early summer and prior fall rainfall for the 18th Century Virginia piedmont. The Madison meteorological diary suggests a seasonal shift in monthly rainfall towards an earlier wet season relative to 20th Century norms. Furthermore, dendroclimatic reconstructions of early summer and prior fall rainfall reflect this shift in the seasonality of summer rainfall. The most pronounced early summer drought during the Madison diary period is presented as a case study. This 1792 drought occurs during one of the strongest El Niño events on record and is highlighted in the correspondence of James Madison.

Natural radionuclides in the rocks of the Valle del Cervo Pluton in Piedmont.

Science.gov (United States)

Sesana, Lucia; Fumagalli, Marco; Carnevale, Mauro; Polla, Giancarla; Facchini, Ugo; Colombo, Annita; Tunesi, Annalisa; De Capitani, Luisa; Rusconi, Rosella

2006-01-01

Monitoring of the gamma radiation in Valle del Cervo Pluton was performed by determining U and Th contents in the main rock types cropping out over the entire area and pertaining to the granitic complex, syenitic complex and monzonitic complex. In particular, syenitic rocks were largely used as building and ornamental materials (e.g. Sienite della Balma). All the samples are fresh and do not present joints or fractures filled with U minerals. In the crushed samples the activity of uranium varies from 346 to 764 Bq/kg. Concentration of thorium varies from 202 to 478 Bq/kg. For all the analysed rocks uranium activity is higher than thorium one. The lowest value of radioactive concentration is referred to rocks of the granitic complex. The most active rocks are syenites. The data confirm the high activities of Valle del Cervo rock types, strongly connected with high K content of the source magma (geochemical signature); on the contrary, the activity seems to be not related to the location of the samples.

Description of a new Allobates (Anura, Dendrobatidae from the eastern Andean piedmont, Venezuela

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César Luis Barrio-Amorós

2009-12-01

Full Text Available We describe a new nurse frog in the genus Allobates (Dendrobatidae from Río Negro, Municipio Córdoba, Estado Táchira, in western Venezuela. This species is a leaflitter inhabitant of primary and secondary lowland rainforest at altitudes from 400 to 1000 m. The new species is similar to the species in the Allobates marchesianus group and is restricted to the slopes of the western Venezuelan Andes. It differs from its congeners by having an irregularly spotted dorsalpattern, diffuse oblique lateral stripe, ventrolateral stripe and yellowish belly on males.

Bermudagrass Management in the Southern Piedmont U.S. IV. Soil Surface Nitrogen Pools

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Alan J. Franzluebbers

2001-01-01

Full Text Available The fate of nitrogen (N applied in forage-based agricultural systems is important for understanding the long-term production and environmental impacts of a particular management strategy. We evaluated the factorial combination of three types of N fertilization (inorganic, crimson clover [Trifolium incarnatum L.] cover crop plus inorganic, and chicken [Gallus gallus] broiler litter pressure and four types of harvest strategy (unharvested forage, low and high cattle [Bos Taurus] grazing pressure, and monthly haying in summer on surface residue and soil N pools during the first 5 years of ̒Coastal̓ bermudagrass (Cynodon dactylon [L.] Pers. management. The type of N fertilization used resulted in small changes in soil N pools, except at a depth of 0 to 2 cm, where total soil N was sequestered at a rate 0.2 g ‧ kg–1‧ year–11 greater with inorganic fertilization than with other fertilization strategies. We could account for more of the applied N under grazed systems (76–82% than under ungrazed systems (35–71%. As a percentage of applied N, 32 and 48% were sequestered as total soil N at a depth of 0 to 6 cm when averaged across fertilization strategies under low and high grazing pressures, respectively, which was equivalent to 6.8 and 10.3 g ‧ m–2 ‧ year–1. Sequestration rates of total soil N under the unharvested-forage and haying strategies were negligible. Most of the increase in total soil N was at a depth of 0 to 2 cm and was due to changes in the particulate organic N (PON pool. The greater cycling of applied N into the soil organic N pool with grazed compared with ungrazed systems suggests an increase in the long-term fertility of soil.

Geology of Joshua Tree National Park geodatabase

Science.gov (United States)

Powell, Robert E.; Matti, Jonathan C.; Cossette, Pamela M.

2015-09-16

and basins in the Park exhibit an east-west physiographic grain controlled by left-lateral fault zones that form a sinistral domain within the broad zone of dextral shear along the transform boundary between the North American and Pacific plates. Geologic and geophysical evidence reveal that movement on the sinistral faults zones has resulted in left steps along the zones, resulting in the development of sub-basins beneath Pinto Basin and Shavers and Chuckwalla Valleys. The sinistral fault zones connect the Mojave Desert dextral faults of the Eastern California Shear Zone to the north and east with the Coachella Valley strands of the southern San Andreas Fault Zone to the west.Quaternary surficial deposits accumulated in alluvial washes and playas and lakes along the valley floors; in alluvial fans, washes, and sheet wash aprons along piedmonts flanking the mountain ranges; and in eolian dunes and sand sheets that span the transition from valley floor to piedmont slope. Sequences of Quaternary pediments are planed into piedmonts flanking valley-floor and upland basins, each pediment in turn overlain by successively younger residual and alluvial surficial deposits.

Safety Evaluation Report related to the operation of Cartawba Nuclear Station, Units 1 and 2 (Docket Nos. 50-413 and 50-414). Supplement No. 5

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1986-02-01

This report supplements the Safety Evaluation Report (NUREG-0954) issued in February 1983 by the Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation of the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission with respect to the application filed by Duke Power Company, North Carolina Municipal Power Agency Number 1, North Carolina Membership Corporation, Saluda River Electric Cooperative, Inc., and Piedmont Municipal Power Agency, as applicants and owners, for licenses to operate the Catawba Nuclear Station, Units 1 and 2 (Docket Nos. 50-413 and 50-414, respectively). The facility is located in York County, South Carolina, approximately 9.6 km (6 mi) north of Rock Hill and adjacent to Lake Wylie. This supplement provides additional information supporting the license for initial criticality and power ascension to full-power operation for Unit 2

La pianificazione paesaggistica in Piemonte. Approfondimenti

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Luigi La Riccia

2015-11-01

Full Text Available This paper represents a systematic deep examination about the situation of landscape planning in Piedmont. This research is structured on the analysis and interpretation of legislative and planning instruments, by two fundamental approaches. On the one hand, there are the modalities by which landscape enters the regional legislation. On the other hand the research focuses on regional landscape planning instruments, like the Regional Territorial Plan (1997 and the new Regional Landscape Plan (2009, suggesting a comparison between cognitive, strategic and regulative dimensions. Finally, we find an in-depth examination about the question concerning landscape authorization, the sub-delegation to local authorities and main issues on implementation of regional strategies, public participation, the role on local identities and the methodology of identification of landscapes.

Contamination of Soil, Water, Plant and Dust by Zinc, Lead and Cadmium in Southwest Isfahan

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Nastaran Esmaeilpourfard

2016-02-01

Full Text Available Introduction Due to mining, considerable amounts of heavy metal bearing mineralsare scattered in the atmosphere in the form of dust and make the surrounding air, water and soils polluted.Runoff water movingfrom the mountainstowardsplains may also transport heavy metals from mines to the soils.One type ofpollutions is contamination withheavy metals.The purpose of the present research has been to investigate the effect of heavy metals of mine on soil, water, plant and dust pollution. Materials and Methods: Gushfil mine is located 3 kilometers southwest of Sepahanshahr, Isfahan. Soil profiles were dug 500 meters apart along three parallel transects, between east of Sepahanshahr and Gushfil mine. The profiles were described and samples were collected from their horizons. Ore, wells, plant and dust were sampled as well. Total concentrations of lead, zinc and cadmium were measured in the samples. To find the origin of polluted dust and soil, lead isotopes contents in the samples were measured and regressional relationships between the ratios of these contents were investigated. Results and Discussion Sepahanshahr soils are not contaminated by zinc, lead and cadmium, but within a distance of one to two kilometers from the Gushfil mine, the soils are polluted by zinc and lead. Cadmium contamination was not observed in the studied soils. In all of the soils, the heavy metals content varies downwards irregularly. The reason for this variation trend is that the studied soils are alluvial. In different periods of time, alluvium parent materials have been transported by runoff water from the lead and zinc mines towards the alluvial piedmont plain. The studied heavy metals have been distributed irregularly in different horizons of the soils that have been formed in these parent materials. Lead and cadmium concentrations of drinking water in the studied area are much higher than the maximum amount allowed by the World Health Organization. Cadmium content in

History and legacy of fire effects in the South Carolina piedmont and coastal regions

Science.gov (United States)

Lindsay H. Fairchilds; Carl C. Trettin

2006-01-01

Agriculture, fire suppression, and urbanization have drastically altered natural forest processes and conditions since humankind settled in the Southeastern United States. Today, many of South Carolina’s forests are dense and overstocked, with high fuel loads. These conditions increase the susceptibility of forests to southern pine beetle attack and wildfire. These...

Philorhizus occitanus sp. n. from the South-Western Alps (Piedmont, Italy (Coleoptera: Carabidae, Dromiini

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Gianni Allegro

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Philorhizus occitanus sp. n. from the South-Western Alps (Ellero Valley and Maira Valley is described. This new species is similar to P. crucifer and P. notatus as far as the external morphology is concerned, but it is distinguished by the color pattern and the shape of elytra, as well as by the features of the median lobe of aedeagus. P. liguricus, which is easily distinguished from P. occitanus sp. n. by the external morphology, was already recorded from the South-Western Alps and from the Ligurian Apennines. P. occitanus sp. n. is a likely close relative of P. notatus, although the affinities of this relict flightless new species remain uncertain.

Dancy mandarin: a new alternative for citrus growing in the piedmont plains of Colombia

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Diana Mateus Cagua

2015-01-01

Full Text Available The major citrus production of the world are located between 20-40 degrees north and south latitude. In these conditions the mandarins get the best internal and external qualities. ‘Arrayana’ is the main mandarin cultivated in Colombia tropical lowlands (around 04° N. This variety is characterized by a high concentration of the harvest in december and january because it has only one principal bloom in the year (two weeks after onset of rainy season; and an average external quality that prevents it from being highly competitive. Both conditions reduce the profitability of citrus growers in the region. In order to identify and develop mandarin genotypes who obtain outstanding qualities in tropical lowlands, was evaluated at Corpoica La Libertad Research Center (Villavicencio, Meta the Dancy variety since 2000 (Citrus reticulata Blanco var. Dancy for vegetative growth, fruit yield, quality and consumer acceptance through a hedonic test. This information was compared with that obtained in experimental field of Arrayana tangerine; both were grafted on ‘Cleopatra’ mandarin rootstock (Citrus reshni hort. ex Tanaka. The outstanding fruit quality of Dancy (TSS: 10,8; TSS/TA ratio: 18,1; fruit weight: 145,85 g and high cumulative production confirms the adaptation of the variety to the conditions of the Foothills of Meta department; while good consumer acceptance, suggests its recommendation to be established as complementary to the Arrayana’s production. The evaluated clone is susceptible to Alternaria which may limit its cultivation in tropical medium lands conditions where the rainfall regime is bimodal and relative humidity can be high.

76 FR 13205 - Piedmont National Wildlife Refuge, Jones and Jasper Counties, GA; Final Comprehensive...

Science.gov (United States)

2011-03-10

...; fishing; environmental education and interpretation; wildlife observation and photography; boating; camping (associated with big game hunts, scouts, and other youth organizations only); firewood cutting... game-management demonstration area'' to demonstrate that wildlife could be restored on worn out, eroded...

Bank-derived material dominates fluvial sediment in a suburban Chesapeake Bay watershed

Science.gov (United States)

Cashman, M. J.; Gellis, A.; Gorman-Sanisaca, L.; Noe, G. B.; Cogliandro, V.; Baker, A.

2017-12-01

Excess fine sediment is a leading cause of ecological degradation within the Chesapeake Bay watershed. The Piedmont physiographic province, which includes parts of the Washington, D.C. metro area, has the highest sediment yields in the Chesapeake Bay. In order to effectively employ sediment mitigation measures, it is necessary to identify and quantify the contributions of sediments sources within rapidly urbanizing areas in the Piedmont. This sediment fingerprinting study examines the inputs of various sediment sources to Upper Difficult Run (14.2 km2; 22.6% impervious surface), an urbanized watershed in Fairfax County, Virginia. A source sediment library was constructed from collections of stream bank material, forest soils, and road dust from across the watershed. Target fluvial sediments were collected from fine channel margin deposits and from suspended sediment using an autosampler during 16 storm events from 2008 - 2012. Apportionment of the target samples to the source sediments was performed using Sed_SAT, a publically available toolkit for sediment fingerprinting. Bed sediment was found to be dominated by stream bank sources (mean: 96%), with minor contributions from forest (4%) and no detectable contribution from roads (0%). Suspended fine sediments were also found to predominantly originate from stream bank sources (SSC-weighted mean: 91%), with minor contributions from roads (8%), and negligible contributions from forests (1%). Stream bank sources dominated at all discharges, with the greatest contributions from overland sources found only at low discharges. On the rising limb of the hydrograph and at peak flow, sediment concentrations increased due to increasing contributions of bank material rather than surface erosion caused by overland flow. Results demonstrate that stream bank erosion is responsible for the vast majority of fine sediment occurring in this suburban basin of the Chesapeake Bay watershed. This is likely a consequence of storm

Applied design methodology for lunar rover elastic wheel

Science.gov (United States)

Cardile, Diego; Viola, Nicole; Chiesa, Sergio; Rougier, Alessandro

2012-12-01

In recent years an increasing interest in the Moon surface operations has been experienced. In the future robotic and manned missions of Moon surface exploration will be fundamental in order to lay the groundwork for more ambitious space exploration programs. Surface mobility systems will be the key elements to ensure an efficient and safe Moon exploration. Future lunar rovers are likely to be heavier and able to travel longer distances than the previously developed Moon rover systems. The Lunar Roving Vehicle (LRV) is the only manned rover, which has so far been launched and used on the Moon surface. Its mobility system included flexible wheels that cannot be scaled to the heavier and longer range vehicles. Thus the previously developed wheels are likely not to be suitable for the new larger vehicles. Taking all these considerations into account, on the basis of the system requirements and assumptions, several wheel concepts have been discussed and evaluated through a trade-off analysis. Semi-empirical equations have been utilized to predict the wheel geometrical characteristics, as well as to estimate the motion resistances and the ability of the system to generate thrust. A numerical model has also been implemented, in order to define more into the details the whole wheel design, in terms of wheel geometry and physical properties. As a result of the trade-off analysis, the ellipse wheel concept has shown the best behavior in terms of stiffness, mass budget and dynamic performance. The results presented in the paper have been obtained in cooperation with Thales Alenia Space-Italy and Sicme motori, in the framework of a regional program called STEPS . STEPS-Sistemi e Tecnologie per l'EsPlorazione Spaziale is a research project co-financed by Piedmont Region and firms and universities of the Piedmont Aerospace District in the ambit of the P.O.R-F.E.S.R. 2007-2013 program.

Regional climate models downscaling in the Alpine area with multimodel superensemble

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

D. Cane

2013-05-01

Full Text Available The climatic scenarios show a strong signal of warming in the Alpine area already for the mid-XXI century. The climate simulations, however, even when obtained with regional climate models (RCMs, are affected by strong errors when compared with observations, due both to their difficulties in representing the complex orography of the Alps and to limitations in their physical parametrization. Therefore, the aim of this work is to reduce these model biases by using a specific post processing statistic technique, in order to obtain a more suitable projection of climate change scenarios in the Alpine area. For our purposes we used a selection of regional climate models (RCMs runs which were developed in the framework of the ENSEMBLES project. They were carefully chosen with the aim to maximise the variety of leading global climate models and of the RCMs themselves, calculated on the SRES scenario A1B. The reference observations for the greater Alpine area were extracted from the European dataset E-OBS (produced by the ENSEMBLES project, which have an available resolution of 25 km. For the study area of Piedmont daily temperature and precipitation observations (covering the period from 1957 to the present were carefully gridded on a 14 km grid over Piedmont region through the use of an optimal interpolation technique. Hence, we applied the multimodel superensemble technique to temperature fields, reducing the high biases of RCMs temperature field compared to observations in the control period. We also proposed the application of a brand new probabilistic multimodel superensemble dressing technique, already applied to weather forecast models successfully, to RCMS: the aim was to estimate precipitation fields, with careful description of precipitation probability density functions conditioned to the model outputs. This technique allowed for reducing the strong precipitation overestimation, arising from the use of RCMs, over the Alpine chain and to

A methodology for system-of-systems design in support of the engineering team

Science.gov (United States)

Ridolfi, G.; Mooij, E.; Cardile, D.; Corpino, S.; Ferrari, G.

2012-04-01

project co-financed by Piedmont Region and firms and universities of the Piedmont Aerospace District in the ambit of the P.O.R-F.E.S.R. 2007-2013 program.

Attributing the effects of climate on phenology change suggests high sensitivity in coastal zones

Science.gov (United States)

Seyednasrollah, B.; Clark, J. S.

2015-12-01

The impact of climate change on spring phenology depends on many variables that cannot be separated using current models. Phenology can influence carbon sequestration, plant nutrition, forest health, and species distributions. Leaf phenology is sensitive to changes of environmental factors, including climate, species composition, latitude, and solar radiation. The many variables and their interactions frustrate efforts to attribute variation to climate change. We developed a Bayesian framework to quantify the influence of environment on the speed of forest green-up. This study presents a state-space hierarchical model to infer and predict change in forest greenness over time using satellite observations and ground measurements. The framework accommodates both observation and process errors and it allows for main effects of variables and their interactions. We used daily spaceborne remotely sensed data from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) to quantify temporal variability in the enhanced vegetation index (EVI) along a habitat gradient in the Southeastern United States. The ground measurements of meteorological parameters are obtained from study sites located in the Appalachian Mountains, the Piedmont and the Atlantic Coastal Plain between years 2000 and 2015. Results suggest that warming accelerates spring green-up in the Coastal Plain to a greater degree than in the Piedmont and Appalachian. In other words, regardless of variation in the timing of spring onset, the rate of greenness in non-coastal zones decreases with increasing temperature and hence with time over the spring transitional period. However, in coastal zones, as air temperature increases, leaf expansion becomes faster. This may indicate relative vulnerability to warming in non-coastal regions where moisture could be a limiting factor, whereas high temperatures in regions close to the coast enhance forest physiological activities. Model predictions agree with the remotely

A reassessment of the suspended sediment load in the Madeira River basin from the Andes of Peru and Bolivia to the Amazon River in Brazil, based on 10 years of data from the HYBAM monitoring programme

Science.gov (United States)

Vauchel, Philippe; Santini, William; Guyot, Jean Loup; Moquet, Jean Sébastien; Martinez, Jean Michel; Espinoza, Jhan Carlo; Baby, Patrice; Fuertes, Oscar; Noriega, Luis; Puita, Oscar; Sondag, Francis; Fraizy, Pascal; Armijos, Elisa; Cochonneau, Gérard; Timouk, Franck; de Oliveira, Eurides; Filizola, Naziano; Molina, Jorge; Ronchail, Josyane

2017-10-01

The Madeira River is the second largest tributary of the Amazon River. It contributes approximately 13% of the Amazon River flow and it may contribute up to 50% of its sediment discharge to the Atlantic Ocean. Until now, the suspended sediment load of the Madeira River was not well known and was estimated in a broad range from 240 to 715 Mt yr-1. Since 2002, the HYBAM international network developed a new monitoring programme specially designed to provide more reliable data than in previous intents. It is based on the continuous monitoring of a set of 11 gauging stations in the Madeira River watershed from the Andes piedmont to the confluence with the Amazon River, and discrete sampling of the suspended sediment concentration every 7 or 10 days. This paper presents the results of the suspended sediment data obtained in the Madeira drainage basin during 2002-2011. The Madeira River suspended sediment load is estimated at 430 Mt yr-1 near its confluence with the Amazon River. The average production of the Madeira River Andean catchment is estimated at 640 Mt yr-1 (±30%), the corresponding sediment yield for the Andes is estimated at 3000 t km-2 yr-1 (±30%), and the average denudation rate is estimated at 1.20 mm yr-1 (±30%). Contrary to previous results that had mentioned high sedimentation rates in the Beni River floodplain, we detected no measurable sedimentation process in this part of the basin. On the Mamoré River basin, we observed heavy sediment deposition of approximately 210 Mt yr-1 that seem to confirm previous studies. But while these studies mentioned heavy sedimentation in the floodplain, we showed that sediment deposition occurred mainly in the Andean piedmont and immediate foreland in rivers (Parapeti, Grande, Pirai, Yapacani, Chimoré, Chaparé, Secure, Maniqui) with discharges that are not sufficiently large to transport their sediment load downstream in the lowlands.

Regional climate models downscaling in the Alpine area with multimodel superensemble

Science.gov (United States)

Cane, D.; Barbarino, S.; Renier, L. A.; Ronchi, C.

2013-05-01

The climatic scenarios show a strong signal of warming in the Alpine area already for the mid-XXI century. The climate simulations, however, even when obtained with regional climate models (RCMs), are affected by strong errors when compared with observations, due both to their difficulties in representing the complex orography of the Alps and to limitations in their physical parametrization. Therefore, the aim of this work is to reduce these model biases by using a specific post processing statistic technique, in order to obtain a more suitable projection of climate change scenarios in the Alpine area. For our purposes we used a selection of regional climate models (RCMs) runs which were developed in the framework of the ENSEMBLES project. They were carefully chosen with the aim to maximise the variety of leading global climate models and of the RCMs themselves, calculated on the SRES scenario A1B. The reference observations for the greater Alpine area were extracted from the European dataset E-OBS (produced by the ENSEMBLES project), which have an available resolution of 25 km. For the study area of Piedmont daily temperature and precipitation observations (covering the period from 1957 to the present) were carefully gridded on a 14 km grid over Piedmont region through the use of an optimal interpolation technique. Hence, we applied the multimodel superensemble technique to temperature fields, reducing the high biases of RCMs temperature field compared to observations in the control period. We also proposed the application of a brand new probabilistic multimodel superensemble dressing technique, already applied to weather forecast models successfully, to RCMS: the aim was to estimate precipitation fields, with careful description of precipitation probability density functions conditioned to the model outputs. This technique allowed for reducing the strong precipitation overestimation, arising from the use of RCMs, over the Alpine chain and to reproduce well the

Freeze-thaw processes and intense winter rainfall: The one-two punch for high streambank legacy sediment and nutrient loads from Mid-Atlantic watersheds

Science.gov (United States)

Inamdar, S. P.; Johnson, E. R.; Rowland, R. D.; Walter, R. C.; Merritts, D.

2017-12-01

Historic and contemporary anthropogenic soil erosion combined with early-American milldams resulted in large deposits of legacy sediments in the valley bottoms of Piedmont watersheds of the eastern US. Breaching of milldams subsequently yielded highly incised streams with exposed vertical streambanks that are vulnerable to erosion. Streambank erosion is attributed to fluvial scouring, freeze-thaw processes and mass wasting. While streambanks represent a large reservoir of fine sediments and nutrients, there is considerable uncertainty about the contribution of these sources to watershed nonpoint source pollution. Using high-frequency hydrologic, sediment, and turbidity data we show that freeze-thaw events followed by intense winter rainstorms can export unusually high concentrations of suspended sediment and particulate nutrients from watersheds. Data from a 12 ha forested, Piedmont, stream following an intense rain event (54 mm) on February 2016 yielded suspended sediment and particulate nutrient (organic carbon and nitrogen) concentrations and exports that exceeded those from tropical storms Irene, Lee, and Sandy that had much greater rainfall and discharge amounts, but which occurred later in the year. A similar response was also observed with regards to turbidity data for USGS stream monitoring locations at Brandywine Creek (813 km2) and White Clay Creek (153 km2). We hypothesize that much of the sediment export associated with winter storms is likely due to erosion of streambank sediments and was driven by the coupled occurrence of freeze-thaw conditions and intense rainfall events. We propose that freeze-thaw erosion represents an important and underappreciated mechanism in streams that "recharges" the sediment supply, which then is available for flushing by moderate to large storms. Future climate projections indicate increased intensification of storm events and increased variability of winter temperatures. Freeze-thaw cycles coupled with winter rain events

Comparative Medical Ethnobotany of the Senegalese Community Living in Turin (Northwestern Italy) and in Adeane (Southern Senegal)

Science.gov (United States)

Ellena, Rachele; Quave, Cassandra L.; Pieroni, Andrea

2012-01-01

A medico-ethnobotanical survey was conducted among the Senegalese migrant communities of Turin (Piedmont, NW Italy) and their peers living in Adeane (Casamance, Southern Senegal), both among healers and laypeople. Through 27 in-depth interviews, 71 medicinal plant taxa were recorded and identified in Adeane and 41 in Turin, for a total of 315 different folk remedies recorded in Senegal and 62 in Turin. The large majority of the medicinal plants recorded among Senegalese migrants in Turin were also used in their country of origin. These findings demonstrate the resilience of home remedies among migrants and consequently the role they should have in shaping public health policies devoted to migrant groups in Western Countries, which seek to seriously take into account culturally sensitive approaches, that is, emic health-seeking strategies. PMID:22761638

Comparative Medical Ethnobotany of the Senegalese Community Living in Turin (Northwestern Italy and in Adeane (Southern Senegal

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rachele Ellena

2012-01-01

Full Text Available A medico-ethnobotanical survey was conducted among the Senegalese migrant communities of Turin (Piedmont, NW Italy and their peers living in Adeane (Casamance, Southern Senegal, both among healers and laypeople. Through 27 in-depth interviews, 71 medicinal plant taxa were recorded and identified in Adeane and 41 in Turin, for a total of 315 different folk remedies recorded in Senegal and 62 in Turin. The large majority of the medicinal plants recorded among Senegalese migrants in Turin were also used in their country of origin. These findings demonstrate the resilience of home remedies among migrants and consequently the role they should have in shaping public health policies devoted to migrant groups in Western Countries, which seek to seriously take into account culturally sensitive approaches, that is, emic health-seeking strategies.

Safety Evaluation Report related to the operation of Catawba Nuclear Station, Units 1 and 2 (Docket Nos. 50-413 and 50-414). Supplement No. 6

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1986-05-01

This report supplements the Safety Evaluation Report (NUREG-0954) issued in February 1983 by the Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation of the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission with respect to the application filed by Duke Power Company, North Carolina Municipal Power Agency Number 1, North Carolina Membership Corporation, Saluda River Electric Cooperative, Inc., and Piedmont Municipal Power Agency, as applicants and owners, for licenses to operate the Catawba Nuclear Station, Units 1 and 2 (Docket Nos. 50-413 and 50-414, respectively). The facility is located in York County, South Carolina, approximately 9.6 km (6 miles) north of Rock Hill and adjacent to Lake Wylie. This supplement provides additional information supporting the license for operation above 5% power and power ascension to full-power operation for Unit 2

FISH AND SHELLFISH PRODUCTS DISTRIBUTED BY "ETHNIC" MINI-MARKET: CONFORMITY ASSESSMENT TO CURRENT LEGISLATION

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

I. Giorgi

2012-08-01

Full Text Available The purpose of this study was to conduct an assessment on the quality and methods for marketing of fish products sold by ethnic minimarket. Has been inspected 20 supermarkets and buyed 60 fish and shellfish samples. The neatness of the rooms were evaluated during the shopping in the markets. Products purchased in the supermarket (about three samples for each shop were brought in Ichthypathology laboratory of State Veterinary Institute of Piedmont, Liguria and Aosta Valley, in Turin. Were conducted in the laboratory the readings of the labels. The conditions of hygiene were poor, especially in supermarket freezers. Only 16 samples were labelled in accordance with current legislation. According to the results obtained, the products 'ethnic' distributed in the supermarkets visited, may be considered a potential risk to human health.

Does Experience Rating Improve Obstetric Practices?

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Amaral-Garcia, Sofia; Bertoli, Paola; Grembi, Veronica

We provide an assessment of the introduction of experience rating for medical malpractice insurance using 2002-2009 inpatient discharge records data on deliveries from the Italian Region of Piedmont. Considering experience rating as an increase in medical malpractice pressure, we show that such i...... specification. We show that our results are robust to the different methodologies, and they can be explained in terms of a reduction in the discretion over obstetric decisions ratherthan a change in the risk profile of the patients....... schedules of non economic damages to set compensations for personal injuries and 6 do not. We use this ex-ante policy conditions to distinguish treated from control and implement first a difference in difference analysis, the robustness of which we test through a basic difference in discontinuities...

Spiritual transcendence as a predictor of psychosocial outcome from an outpatient substance abuse program.

Science.gov (United States)

Piedmont, Ralph L

2004-09-01

Does the Spiritual Transcendence Scale (STS; R. L. Piedmont, 1999) predict psychosocial outcomes from an outpatient substance abuse program? Self-report data on symptoms, personality, and coping resources were obtained for 73 consecutive admissions (57 men and 16 women; ages 19-66 years) at intake and again from the 56 (47 men and 9 women) who completed treatment. Controlling for relevant demographic variables, pretreatment STS scores were significantly related to self-ratings at posttreatment. The STS predicted treatment outcomes over and above the contribution of the five-factor model of personality. Significant partial correlations between pretreatment STS scores and therapist ratings of treatment outcome were also obtained. Spiritual Transcendence, especially the facets of Universality and Connectedness, appears to play a significant role in substance abuse recovery. (c) 2004 APA

[TV, overweight and nutritional surveillance. Ads content, food intake and physical activity].

Science.gov (United States)

Spagnoli, T D; Bioletti, L; Bo, C; Formigatti, M

2003-01-01

The relationship between television viewing and obesity in children and adults was examined in a large number of cross-sectional epidemiological studies. Some randomised, controlled trials confirmed the evidence that television viewing is a cause of increased body fatness. It seems of utility in nutritional surveillance to esteem time spent by children and adults in television watching and to evaluate ads contents and food preferences suggested by them. This editorial shows a two-years long analysis of food commercials broadcasted by the main Italian TV networks; food ads targeted on children, housewives and sport fans were evaluated; the relationship between television viewing, commercials and food intake or global lifestyle was investigated in a Piedmont's population (from Northern Italy). School projects aimed to reduce television viewing represent a promising strategy for preventing childhood obesity.

Evaluating extreme flood characteristics of small mountainous basins of the Black Sea coastal area, Northern Caucasus

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L. S. Lebedeva

2015-06-01

Full Text Available The probability of heavy rains and river floods is expected to increase with time in the Northern Caucasus region. Densely populated areas in the valleys of small mountainous watersheds already frequently suffer from catastrophic peak floods caused by intense rains at higher elevations. This study aimed at assessing the flood characteristics of several small basins in the piedmont area of the Caucasus Mountains adjacent to the Black Sea coast including ungauged Cemes River in the Novorossiysk city. The Deterministic-Stochastic Modelling System which consists of hydrological model Hydrograph and stochastic weather generator was applied to evaluate extreme rainfall and runoff characteristics of 1% exceedance probability. Rainfall intensity is shown to play more significant role than its depth in formation of extreme flows within the studied region.

Valutazione dei benefici per un sistema di trasporto locale nell’ambito del turismo culturale

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marina Bravi

2015-08-01

Full Text Available The need for an efficient Transport System (TS is widely recognized as an important factor of a successful program of tourism development, but little work has been made to investigate the impact of TS on Cultural Heritage Tourism (CHT. This is one of the most recognized and investigated forms of tourism but, unfortunately, there is a fragmentation in the research field that does not allow a full comprehension of existing relationships between TS, CHT, and tourist experience. In this light, the work tries to evaluate the economic impact of the on-site vs. long-distance transports, in a scenario where tourism public policies are not adequately developed. The analysis is based on CHT access data and economic information on travel costs managed with the help of a large data set coming from the Cultural Observatory of Piedmont Region (Italy.

Active façade component integrated into the building: from the study to the innovative prototype

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Andrea Levra Levron

2014-05-01

Full Text Available The article shows the results of a research that has been conducted within the project: “Energyskin: active building façades”. The project has been financed by the Piedmont Region and ESF (European Social Fund, among different industrial and academic partners with the aim to develop, monitor and optimize an adaptive dynamic innovative envelope component, that integrates the heat pump and the solar thermal system technology, by using the envelope as source/well for collecting heat. The research starts with the idea to integrate academic expertise with industrial realities, in order to start together the process that leads to the innovation and overcome the barriers of individual specializations. Those competences, under current practice, characterize both the functional specific models of companies on the one hand and the academic areas of expertise on the other hand.

10Be accumulation in a soil chronosequence

Science.gov (United States)

Pavich, M.J.; Brown, L.; Klein, J.; Middleton, R.

1984-01-01

We have measured the concentration of the cosmogenic isotope 10Be in soil samples from various horizons at six sites, including three independently dated Rappahannock River terraces and a previously undated Piedmont soil to which we have assigned an age. All of the incident 10Be can be accounted for in one of these soils and a second is within a factor of two. In three soils, whose concentrations vary widely with depth, a significant fraction of the incident 10Be cannot be accounted for. Incomplete sampling, and enhanced Be mobility caused by organic components, are the probable reasons for the low inventory of Be from these three soils. Overall, the data from these six sites indicate that 10Be accumulation could be used to assign ages to soils if Be is not mobilized and lost from the soil profile. ?? 1984.

Characterization of Archaeological Sediments Using Fourier Transform Infrared (FT-IR) and Portable X-ray Fluorescence (pXRF): An Application to Formative Period Pyro-Industrial Sites in Pacific Coastal Southern Chiapas, Mexico.

Science.gov (United States)

Neff, Hector; Bigney, Scott J; Sakai, Sachiko; Burger, Paul R; Garfin, Timothy; George, Richard G; Culleton, Brendan J; Kennett, Douglas J

2016-01-01

Archaeological sediments from mounds within the mangrove zone of far-southern Pacific coastal Chiapas, Mexico, are characterized in order to test the hypothesis that specialized pyro-technological activities of the region's prehistoric inhabitants (salt and ceramic production) created the accumulations visible today. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) is used to characterize sediment mineralogy, while portable X-ray fluorescence (pXRF) is used to determine elemental concentrations. Elemental characterization of natural sediments by both instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA) and pXRF also contribute to understanding of processes that created the archaeological deposits. Radiocarbon dates combined with typological analysis of ceramics indicate that pyro-industrial activity in the mangrove zone peaked during the Late Formative and Terminal Formative periods, when population and monumental activity on the coastal plain and piedmont were also at their peaks. © The Author(s) 2015.

Does Experience Rating Improve Obstetric Practices?

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Amaral-Garcia, Sofia; Bertoli, Paola; Grembi, Veronica

2015-01-01

is associated with a decrease in the probability of performing a C-section from 2.3 to 3.7 percentage points (7–11.6%) with no consequences for medical complications or neonatal outcomes. The impact can be explained by a reduction in the discretion of obstetric decision-making rather than by patient cream......Using inpatient discharge records from the Italian region of Piedmont, we estimate the impact of an increase in malpractice pressure brought about by experience-rated liability insurance on obstetric practices. Our identification strategy exploits the exogenous location of public hospitals in court...... districts with and without schedules for noneconomic damages. We perform difference-in-differences analysis on the entire sample and on a subsample which only considers the nearest hospitals in the neighborhood of court district boundaries. We find that the increase in medical malpractice pressure...

Thermal and mineral resource exploitation in Angaco department, province of San Juan, Argentina, as therapeutic and recreational resort area

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Herrera, M.; Martinez Iillanes, S.; Luccato, M; Herrera, C.

2007-01-01

In this paper the development of the Guayaupa thermal and mineral spring water intended as therapeutic and recreational resort area is presented. This area is located on the western piedmont of the Pie de Palo range, Department of Angaco, province of San Juan. From the analysis of the information related to geological, hydrogeological, hydrochemical, location, accessibility and climate aspects and also to the processing of the Landsat Tms satellite images to evaluate the geomorphologic and flora features an ordered diagnosis of the organization internal reality and its relation with the environment (FODA analysis) is presented. Internal strengths and weaknesses and the external factors that generate both opportunities and/or hazards were identified to define strategy guidelines that meet the legal and environmental standards in force. Results obtained from the strategic planning process conclude the availability and convenience of the project.(author)

Record of Brandt’s bat Myotis brandtii (Eversmann, 1845 in Piedmont (Chiroptera, Vespertilionidae

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Roberto Toffoli

2006-09-01

Full Text Available Riassunto Ritrovamento del Vespertilio di Brandt Myotis brandtii (Eversmann, 1845 in Piemonte (Chiroptera, Vespertilionidae Viene riportata la cattura con mist-net di 5 maschi adulti di Vespertilio di Brandt Myotis brandtii, nell’agosto 2005, nei pressi dell’abitato di Devero (Baceno, VB, a 1827 metri d’altitudine, nel Parco Naturale Alpe Veglia e Alpe Devero. Tale dato rappresenta la prima segnalazione certa della specie in Piemonte. L’identificazione è stata effettuata sulla base delle caratteristiche dentarie e del pene. Sono fornite indicazioni sulle caratteristiche dei segnali di ecolocalizzazione ottenuti dopo il rilascio degli individui.

Sediment and Runoff Losses following Harvesting/Site Prep Operations on a Piedmont Soil in Alabama

Science.gov (United States)

Johnny M. III Grace; Emily A. Carter

2001-01-01

Impacts of soil erosion on water quality from forest harvesting and site preparation have received increased concern in recent years. The study presented here was performed in Lee County, Alabama to investigate the impact of harvesting and site preparation on a 20-year-old loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) plantation on sediment and runoff yield....

Microbiological criteria in public catering: sampling and auditing experiences in canteens and cafeterias in Piedmont

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Amaranta Traversa

2013-02-01

Full Text Available In the period 2006-2011 six public catering establishments (3 canteens and 3 cafeterias were monitored, trough audit and sampling, in order to verify the application of good manufacturing and hygiene practices during food production, handling and serving. The compliance to microbiological food safety criteria (Listeria monocytogenes and Salmonella spp. and process hygiene criteria were investigated using ISO standards for microbiological analyses. A total of 612 samples were collected: 192 food samples and 288 environmental swab samples from canteens; 33 food samples and 99 swab samples from cafeterias. Regarding food safety, two samples were in disagreement with criteria fixed in EU Regulation as Listeria monocytogenes was isolated from a turkey breast in a canteen and from a sandwich in a cafeteria. Regarding process hygiene criteria, as no microbiological limits are legally defined for catering services, for this study limits were fixed according to the quality standards of tender, scientific literature and laboratory experience. 23.4% foodstuffs and 8.7% swabs resulted non-compliant in canteens; 48.5% foodstuffs and 6.1% swabs resulted non-compliant in cafeterias. The count of coagulase-positive staphylococci (CPS was higher of the fixed limits in raw turkey meat and in cooked spinach: the presence among CPS of S. aureus was confirmed, strains were not able to produce enterotoxins. The most common non-compliance in hygiene criteria was represented by aerobic colony count (60.7% of total non-compliance in canteens and 75.0% in cafeterias and coliform bacteria (20.3% in canteens and 25.0% in cafeterias. Nine raw foods or raw readyto- eat food samples were non-compliant for both coliform bacteria and aerobic count; one sample (raw turkey meat was non-compliant for CPS and aerobic count but resulted to be compliant after cooking. Auditing and sampling are the most effective tools to improve food quality standard and to enhance food business operators’ awareness of hygiene procedures.

An assessment of fish communities along a piedmont river receiving organic pollution (Aconquija Mountains, Argentina)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fernandez, Luis; Bechara, Jose A

2010-01-01

The relationships between fish assemblage structure and environmental variables along a pollution gradient in the Medina River were analyzed over a year in four sampling sites (S1-S4). The river flows in a mountain-plain transition and is affected by several small town waste water and sugar cane industries effluents. Environmental variables were divided in two sets, hereafter named pollution and natural. The first set included water quality variables modified by anthropogenic activities such as D.O. (Dissolved Oxygen), C.O.D. (Chemical Demand Oxygen), and dissolved ion concentrations. Natural variables included altitude, position, and time of the year. The upstream site (S1) had the lowest species richness and C.P.U.E. (Catch per Unit of Effort). The number of species and density increased down river (S2-S3). S1 was inhabited by an invertivore species (Trichomycterus corduvensis) that has low tolerance to adverse environmental conditions, and has high D.O. requirements. S4 sustained the most tolerant and abundant species (Otocinclus vittatus, Corydoras paleatus), which endure the lowest D.O. and the highest C.O.D. a Canonical Correspondence Analysis for natural variables showed a significant gradient of species composition related to altitude and discharge. Water quality degradation by sugar cane factories and urban development, coupled with natural climatic, topographic and hydrological factors explained a significant amount of spatial and temporal variation in fish community structure (48%). natural and pollution variables shared about 15% of total variance. however, pollution variables were not significant after partitioning out the effects of natural variables. Natural variability remained significant after removal of pollution effects.

Growth and stem form quality of clonal Pinus taeda following fertilization in the Virginia Piedmont

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Jeremy P. Stovall; Colleen A. Carlson; John R. Seiler; Thomas R. Fox

2013-01-01

Clonal forestry offers the opportunity to increase yields, enhance uniformity, and improve wood characteristics. Intensive silvicultural practices, including fertilization, will be required to capture the full growth potential of clonal plantations. However, variation in nutrient use efficiency that exists among clones could affect growth responses. Our research...

Evaluation of different agronomic managements on rice mesofauna: a case study in Piedmont (North Italy)

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Landi, Silvia; d'Errico, Giada; Gagnarli, Elena; Barzanti, Gian Paolo; Cito, Annarita; Papini, Rossella; Simoni, Sauro; Roversi, Pio Federico

2014-05-01

Rice is the most important cereal crop in the developing world and, in Europe, Italy is leader in rice production. The intensive cultivation of rice leads to continuous inputs chemicals as fertilizers, weeding and pesticides. The intensification of sustainable rice production by minimizing the impact on the environment of cultivation is a main issue . In this context this study, supported by the Italian National Project POLORISO (MIPAAF), aims to afford preliminary indications about the evaluation of ecological impact by different managements on soil mesofauna biodiversity. Biomonitoring of soil mesofauna, in particular nematodes and microarthropods, allows to determine the effects of crop management on the communities; the lack and/or reduction of these organisms can allow inference on the soil quality. This preliminary study aims at evaluate the different influence of conventional, integrated and biological managements on mesofauna communities. The samplings were conducted in Summer and Autumn 2013 near Vercelli (North Italy) in three study sites with similar pedologic characteristics but different in control strategies (conventional, organic farming, Integrated Pest Management (IPM)). The extraction of nematodes and microarthropods was performed by Bermann method and the Berlese-Tullgren selector, respectively. All specimens were counted and determined up to the order level. The biological soil quality was evaluated by Maturity Index (MI) for nematodes, BSQar and the soil Biological Classes (sBC)(range I-VII) for microarthropods. Regarding nematodes, Rhabditidae, Dorylamidae, Mononchidae, Tylenchidae and Heteroderidae were the most represented families. The Principal Component Analysis (PCA) evidenced that the trophic group of plant parasites was favored in organic farming, while groups of omnivores and predators were abundant in the other managements. The lowest nematodes' abundance was found in submerged rice soil with dominance of omnivores and plant parasites groups. Dry land was more suitable to development of bacterial feeders and predators. On the whole, MI values ranged between 2 and 3, registered in organic farming and conventional management, respectively. The Acari represented the main group of microarthropods (about 43%), then Diptera (33%), Collembola (19%) and the others. The only euedaphic groups are Acari and Collembola. The BSQar value was 48 (sBC II) in IPM rice field, 71 in organic farming (sBC II/III), 95 in conventional management (sBC III). On all situation tested, the analysis of soil quality, by the study of mesofauna, reflects low differentiation in the arthropod communities' structure. In general, the results relative to the soil mesofauna biodiversity indicated a quite high level of disturbance and a low level of biodiversity. Future studies on this subject could help preserve, or even enhance, the biodiversity and soil quality.

Las altas superficies del interfluvio de los ríos Manzanares-Jarama al NE de Madrid (España. Caracterización geomorfológico y edáfica

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Zazo, C.

1996-12-01

Full Text Available The northern piedmont of the Madrid's basin was formed during the Upper Aragonian and it constitutes a substrate of arkosic nature which currently is going through a dissection process. In the area of Madrid it persist remainings of altipain which is interpreted as morphologic references near the culmination of its sedimentary fill-up. The soils which appear over these surfaces are not comparable which those developed over other peninsular piedmonts. Although these soils are supposed to have a high leve1 of evolution, as a consequence of the antiquity of the surfaces, present a high dependence from the lithologic nature of the geological substrate independently if it is Tertiary or Quaternary. In this manner present a texture generally sandy and their more common characteristic, the occurrence of textura1 contrasts between horizons, is a direct consequence of the original stratigrafical arrangement of the sediment. The repetition in depth of the illuvial horizons is due to the existence of deposition sequences of the geological material. The gain in clay which forms the thick and dense clay skin in these horizons, as well as their mineralogical homogeneity, imply a certain previous soil genesis, to that other developed over the high piedmont surfaces. The order of al1 these soils is Haploxeralf (Soil Taxonomy or Luvisol (FAO. The fact that these soils are not considered «palexeralf» only responds to the rigidity of the normative imposed by the classification, which specify a minimum thickness for the argillic horizon. The truth is that these soils are complex andlor polycyclic worked out over paleosoils intrasedimentary of Neogene age.El piedemonte septentrional de la Cuenca de Madrid se ha construido durante el Aragoniense superior y constituye un sustrato de naturaleza arcósica que se encuentra actualmente en proceso de disección. En la zona madrileña permanecen restos de altiplanicies que se interpretan como referencias morfol

Distinctive channel geometry and riparian vegetation: A geomorphic classification for arid ephemeral streams

Science.gov (United States)

Sutfin, N.; Shaw, J. R.; Wohl, E. E.; Cooper, D.

2012-12-01

Interactions between hydrology, channel form, and riparian vegetation along arid ephemeral streams are not thoroughly understood and current stream classifications do not adequately represent variability in channel geometry and associated riparian communities. Relatively infrequent hydrologic disturbances in dryland environments are responsible for creation and maintenance of channel form that supports riparian communities. To investigate the influence of channel characteristics on riparian vegetation in the arid southwestern United States, we develop a geomorphic classification for arid ephemeral streams based on the degree of confinement and the composition of confining material that provide constraints on available moisture. Our conceptual model includes five stream types: 1) bedrock channels entirely confined by exposed bedrock and devoid of persistent alluvium; 2) bedrock with alluvium channels at least partially confined by bedrock but containing enough alluvium to create bedforms that persist through time; 3) incised alluvium channels bound only by unconsolidated alluvial material into which they are incised; 4) braided washes that exhibit multi-thread, braided characteristics regardless of the composition of confining material; and 5) piedmont headwater 0-2nd order streams (Strahler) confined only by unconsolidated alluvium and which initiate as secondary channels on piedmont surfaces. Eighty-six study reaches representing the five stream types were surveyed on the U.S. Army Yuma Proving Ground in the Sonoran Desert of southwestern Arizona. Non-parametric multivariate analysis of variance (PERMANOVA) indicates significant differences between the five stream types with regards to channel geometry (i.e., stream gradient, width-to-depth ratio, the ratio between valley width and channel width (Wv/Wc), shear stress, and unit stream power) and riparian vegetation (i.e., presence and canopy coverage by species, canopy stratum, and life form). Discriminant analysis

Geologic map of the Fort Morgan 7.5' quadrangle, Morgan County, Colorado

Science.gov (United States)

Berry, Margaret E.; Taylor, Emily M.; Slate, Janet L.; Paces, James B.; Hanson, Paul R.; Brandt, Theodore R.

2018-06-08

The Fort Morgan 7.5′ quadrangle is located on the semiarid plains of northeastern Colorado, along the South Platte River corridor where the river has incised into Upper Cretaceous Pierre Shale. The Pierre Shale is largely covered by surficial deposits that formed from alluvial, eolian, and hillslope processes operating in concert with environmental changes from the late Pliocene to the present. The South Platte River, originating high in the Colorado Rocky Mountains, has played a major role in shaping surficial geology in the map area, which is several tens of kilometers downstream from where headwater tributaries join the river. Recurrent glaciation (and deglaciation) of basin headwaters has affected river discharge and sediment supply far downstream, influencing deposition of alluvium and river incision in the Fort Morgan quadrangle. Distribution and characteristics of the alluvial deposits indicate that during the Pleistocene the course of the river within the map area shifted progressively southward as it incised, and by late middle Pleistocene the river was south of its present position, cutting and filling a deep paleochannel near the south edge of the quadrangle. The river shifted back to the north during the late Pleistocene. Kiowa and Bijou Creeks are unglaciated tributaries originating in the Colorado Piedmont east of the Front Range that also have played a major role in shaping surficial geology of the map area. Periodically during the late Pleistocene, major flood events on these tributaries deposited large volumes of sediment at and near their confluences, forming a broad, low-gradient fan composed of sidestream alluvium that could have occasionally dammed the river for short periods of time. Wildcat Creek, also originating on the Colorado Piedmont, and the small drainage of Cris Lee Draw dissect the map area north of the river. Eolian sand deposits of the Sterling (north of river) and Fort Morgan (south of river) dune fields cover much of the

«Ad faciendum et distrenpandum colores». Giorgio da Firenze e la pittura murale a olio in Piemonte nel Trecento / «Ad faciendum et distrenpandum colores». Giorgio da Firenze and the oil mural painting in Piemonte in the 14th Century

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Bernardo Oderzo Gabrieli

2013-11-01

Full Text Available Il periferico Piemonte ospita dalla fine del Settecento un erudito dibattito su di una serie di documenti che testimoniano l’uso dell’olio in pittura murale da parte di un pittore toscano, Giorgio degli Agli, artista di corte dei Savoia tra il 1314 ed il 1348. L’analisi dei ricettari e dei trattati di tecnica artistica medievale rivela quanto fosse nota la possibilità di una pittura a olio o totalmente a tempera su muro, dalla Schedula di Teophilus fino al Manoscritto di Strasburgo. I documenti d’archivio inglesi trecenteschi confermano le quantità e i prezzi pagati nelle attestazioni piemontesi, sia per i pigmenti che per i leganti, dove uova, colla e olio sono ad faciendum et distrenpandum colores. Recenti campagne analitiche infine hanno permesso di riconoscere la presenza di leganti di natura organica tra i diversi strati della pellicola pittorica, rivelando una tradizione tecnica tutta oltralpina (a partire dal cantiere assisiate; fra questi, Jean de Grandson, collaboratore e allievo di Giorgio, nel ciclo della Camera Domini del Castello di Chillon (1342-1343 dipinge su muro proprio come se si trattasse di una tavola.   To the late eighteenth century, the peripheral Piedmont hosts a scholarly debate on a series of documents which demonstrate the use of oil in mural painting by a Tuscan painter, Giorgio degli Agli, court artist of the Savoy between 1314 and 1348. The analysis of medieval technique treaties reveals how was known the use of oil or tempera on wall painting, from the Schedule of Theophilus to the Manuscript in Strasbourg. The English fourteenth archive documents confirm the quantities and prices paid claims in Piedmont, both for the pigments to the medium, where eggs, glue and oil are used at faciendum et distrenpandum colores. Recent analytical campaigns finally made it possible to recognize the presence of organic media between the different film layers of paintings, revealing a whole transalpine technical tradition

Romans and Ostrogoths between integration and separation. The contribution of archeology to a historical debate

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Marco Aimone

2012-03-01

Full Text Available The paper deals with issues of integration between the Roman population and new immigrants, known from the sources with the collective name of “Ostrogoths”, in the Italian kingdom of Theoderic. Earlier scholarship has focused mostly on the written sources, leading to conflicting conclusions. In this study the material evidence takes the forefront as main data to reconstruct trends of contacts and acculturation among natives and immigrants. The survey of the extant sites showing the possible presence of Ostrogothic groups around the end of the fifth century CE is here limited to modern Piedmont and Valle d'Aosta. The emerging picture is quite complex:  while it is possible to identify interrelations and exchanges between the two groups at different levels of the social life, there are also clear signs of exclusions and separation attesting to a social and economic milieu in rapid transformation.

Landscape, Geology and Wines in the Jurançon vineyard

Science.gov (United States)

Fasentieux, Bertrand; Burgio, Marion; Delfaud, Jean

2015-04-01

Located on the Pyrenean Northern Piedmont, in Bearn, the PDO vineyards of Jurançon are undergoing great development, which requires a study of soils. The landscape constitutes the main approach exploiting physical parameters - climatological, morphological and geological. Man has realized the cadastral map for agricultural land in which vineyards develop. The geological substratum falls into three units: the Cretaceous flysch to the South, the Cenozoic calcareous pudding stone of Jurançon to the North-East and the oligo-Miocene molasse of Monein to the North-West.The soils resulting from these units are varied, with different pHs, permeabilities and clay minerals. Each of these three ' terroirs ' produces dry or sweet wines with different characteristics well highlighted by winemakers. Thus, geology, associated with climatology, determines distinctive types. Their expression, the landscape, becomes a communication tool, with a view to develop wine tourism.

Who knew? First Myotis sodalis (Indiana Bat) maternity colony in the coastal plain of Virginia

Science.gov (United States)

St. Germain, Michael J.; Kniowski, Andrew B.; Silvis, Alexander; Ford, W. Mark

2017-01-01

We report the first confirmed Myotis sodalis (Indiana Bat) maternity colony in Virginia, discovered at Fort A.P. Hill Military Reservation in Caroline County along the Piedmont-Coastal Plain Fall Line. Acoustic surveys conducted in 2014 indicated likely presence of Indiana Bats on the installation. Subsequent focal mist-netting during May–June 2015 resulted in capture of 4 lactating females that we subsequently radio tracked to a maternity colony site containing at least 20 individuals. The core roosting-area was comprised of Pinus taeda (Loblolly Pine) snags with abundant exfoliating bark and high solar exposure. This forest patch was adjacent to a large emergentshrub wetland and within a larger matrix of mature, mid-Atlantic hardwood forests. The site where we found the colony location is 140 km east of the nearest known hibernaculum and is outside of the previously documented extent of this species' occurrence.

Survey of existing underground openings for in-situ experimental facilities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wollenberg, H.; Graf, A.; Strisower, B.; Korbin, G.

1981-07-01

In an earlier project, a literature search identified 60 underground openings in crystalline rock capable of providing access for an in-situ experimental facility to develop geochemical and hydrological techniques for evaluating sites for radioactive waste isolation. As part of the current project, discussions with state geologists, owners, and operators narrowed the original group to 14. Three additional sites in volcanic rock and one site in granite were also identified. Site visits and application of technical criteria, including the geologic and hydrologic settings and depth, extent of the rock unit, condition, and accessibility of underground workings, determined four primary candidate sites: the Helms Pumped Storage Project in grandiodorite of the Sierra Nevada, California; the Tungsten Queen Mine in Precambrian granodiorite of the North Carolina Piedmont; the Mount Hope Mine in Precambrian granite and gneiss of northern New Jersey; and the Minnamax Project in the Duluth gabbro complex of northern Minnesota

Karst groundwater vulnerability mapping to the pollution: Case of Dir springs located between EL KSIBA and Ouaoumana (High Atlas, Morocco)

Science.gov (United States)

Alili, L.; Boukdir, A.; Maslouhi, M. R.; Ikhmerdi, H.

2018-05-01

The study area is located in the north of the province of Beni Mellal, it covers the Piedmont of the high Atlas between El Ksiba and Ouaoumana. It is characterized by a poorly developed hydrographic network and the presence of very important karstic forms. These forms condition the rapid infiltration to the karstic springs are the subject of this study. In this work we presented a method of mapping the vulnerability to pollution of Karstic springs located between El Ksiba and Ouaoumana. To do this, we have introduced a vulnerability index called F which takes into account four parameters (EPIK): Development of the Epikarst, importance of the protective cover, infiltration conditions and development of the Karst network. The overlay of the thematic maps of these parameters through a GIS software (ArcGIS) gave us a map of the vulnerability to contamination on the whole hydrogeological basin of the springs.

Desert plains classification based on Geomorphometrical parameters (Case study: Aghda, Yazd)

Science.gov (United States)

Tazeh, mahdi; Kalantari, Saeideh

2013-04-01

This research focuses on plains. There are several tremendous methods and classification which presented for plain classification. One of The natural resource based classification which is mostly using in Iran, classified plains into three types, Erosional Pediment, Denudation Pediment Aggradational Piedmont. The qualitative and quantitative factors to differentiate them from each other are also used appropriately. In this study effective Geomorphometrical parameters in differentiate landforms were applied for plain. Geomorphometrical parameters are calculable and can be extracted using mathematical equations and the corresponding relations on digital elevation model. Geomorphometrical parameters used in this study included Percent of Slope, Plan Curvature, Profile Curvature, Minimum Curvature, the Maximum Curvature, Cross sectional Curvature, Longitudinal Curvature and Gaussian Curvature. The results indicated that the most important affecting Geomorphometrical parameters for plain and desert classifications includes: Percent of Slope, Minimum Curvature, Profile Curvature, and Longitudinal Curvature. Key Words: Plain, Geomorphometry, Classification, Biophysical, Yazd Khezarabad.

Strategic environmental assessment implementation of transport and mobility plans. The case of Italian regions and provinces

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Andrea De Montis

2016-06-01

Full Text Available Transport and mobility plans imply strategies and actions that affect the environment. The European Union has introduced in 2001 the strategic environmental assessment (SEA to take into account and mitigate adverse environmental effects in planning and decision-making. SEA limited implementation has attracted the interest of many scholars that have sought methods able to assess the quality of SEA processes by identifying vices and virtues in practice. In this paper, we measure the quality of eight SEAs for transport and mobility plans of regional and provincial administrations of Italy. Results show that the overall quality level of SEA reports is only barely sufficient, Abruzzo is among the virtuous and Piedmont among the critical administrations. We also stress that the determination of impact significance has received the worse quality score. We finally compare our results to other Italian and British homologous cases finding interesting and generally confirmative evidences.

URBANIZATION, SEDIMENTATION, AND HOMOGENIZATION OF FISHES IN THE ETOWAH RIVER BASIN, GEORGIA PIEDMONT, USA. (R826597)

Science.gov (United States)

The perspectives, information and conclusions conveyed in research project abstracts, progress reports, final reports, journal abstracts and journal publications convey the viewpoints of the principal investigator and may not represent the views and policies of ORD and EPA. Concl...

Maternal Smoking and Socio-Demographic Characteristics in Correlation with Low Birth Weight: A Turin (Piedmont Study

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Mannocci Alice

2014-09-01

Full Text Available Uvod. Med nosečnostjo kadi 15 % do 25 % žensk. Znanstveni dokazi kažejo, da izpostavljenost kajenju povzroča nižjo porodno težo. Cilj te študije je oceniti povezavo med kajenjem med nosečnostjo, socialnodemografskimi značilnostmi matere in nizko porodno težo. Metode. Podatki so bili pridobljeni iz 1572 vprašalnikov, ki so jih izpolnile vse ženske, ki so v obdobju od leta 2008 do leta 2010 rodile v učni bolnišnici za ginekologijo »S. Anna« v Torinu (Italija. Za oceno povezave med socialno-demografskimi značilnostmi in porodno težo je bila uporabljena multipla logistična analiza; sledil je postopni pristop z »vzvratnim izločanjem« in ocena ustreznosti modela s pomočjo Hosmer- Lemeshowega testa. Rezultati. Univariatna analiza je razkrila, da kajenje cigaret (17 %, nižja stopnja izobrazbe (13 % in ženski spol dojenčka (13 % predstavljajo dejavnik tveganja, saj povečujejo tveganje, da bo imel otrok nizko porodno težo. Analiza z logistično regresijo je pokazala, da sta gestacijska starost in kajenje matere statistično povezani spremenljivki. Zaključki. Rezultati potrjujejo, da se porodna teža povečuje sorazmerno z gestacijsko starostjo ter da kajenje matere in spol otroka (ženski povečujeta tveganje za nižjo porodno težo ob rojstvu. Logistična regresija dokazuje, da povezava med kajenjem matere in nizko porodno težo pomeni povečano tveganje za celotno populacijo (RO = 2,85, tako za novorojenčke moškega (RO = 3,45 kot tudi ženskega spola (RO = 2,44

Interim Regional Supplement to the Corps of Engineers Wetland Delineation Manual: Eastern Mountains and Piedmont Region

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

wetland species, whereas the higher zones can be very diverse with smallspike false nettle (Boehmeria cylindrica), Canadian woodnettle (Laportea...grasses (e.g., Chasmanthium laxum, Glyceria spp., and Cinna arundinacea), rushes (Juncus spp.), smallspike false nettle , lizard’s tail, skunk cabbage...Aquatic fauna Category: Primary General Description: Presence of live individuals, diapausing insect eggs or crustacean cysts, or dead remains of

Characterization of the endomycorrhizal and seven groups of microorganisms in agro systems of the amazon piedmont

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Franco Castro, Luis Antonio; Garcia Conde, Mary Ruth

2012-01-01

This study characterized the functional structure, the diversity of the community of endomycorrhizae and population size of seven functional groups of microorganisms in soils under four different uses of land or agro systems (forest, cane, pasture, and cultivation of coffee), the which were located in a production unit in the rural area of Florencia-Caqueta. From samples of surface soil (0-20 cm) were determined agro ecosystems soil physical and chemical properties, the size of populations seven functional groups of microorganisms, the structure of the community to endomycorrhizae (spore density, density mycelium total) and diversity (richness, dominance, equity indices). It was found that the change in natural cover on the land use implications in population size of certain bacterial groups in the structure and functional diversity of endomycorrhizae. Was also be determined the population structure of soil microbiota is particular to each vegetation type and population size is strongly related to levels of soil nutrients, which come from the mineralization of organic matter.

78 FR 13664 - Piedmont Triad Regional Water Authority; Notice of Termination of Exemption by Implied Surrender...

Science.gov (United States)

2013-02-28

... intake canal; (5)a penstock off the right side of the intake canal;(6) a powerhouse with two turbine/ generator units operating at a hydraulic head of 16-feet for a total installed capacity of 275 kW; (7)a 50...

Bacterial Pathogens in Ixodid Ticks from a Piedmont County in North Carolina: Prevalence of Rickettsial Organisms

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

Felz and Durden 1999) and the nymphal stage has rarely been collected by flagging vegetation (Diuk- Wasser et al. 2006, Apperson et al. 2008...Scientific), which provided a humid environment with the addition of a few drops of water . A piece of nitrile glove was held in place over the open end of...micro- centrifuge tube, 20 IJL of 1% (w /v) protease K was added, and the preparation was incubated in a water bath for 2 hat 56oC. After incubation

Effect of the degree of anthropization in the structure, at three sites fragmented evergreen piedmont forest

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Hugo Gabriel Sánchez Villacis

2017-08-01

Full Text Available The Ecuadorian Amazon is recognized worldwide for its extraordinary megadiversity and multiplicity of forest goods and services. However, the inadequate practices of extractive use of non-timber forest products, the clearing of extensive areas of forests for the development of oil activity and the unsustainable use of timber as economic sustenance of communities have led to structural and functional changes In ecosystems. The study was carried out in three sites of a degraded evergreen forest of the eastern Amazon (Mera, Shell and Puyo in order to evaluate the effect of the degree of intervention on the forest structure. A floristic inventory was carried out with 60 plots of 25 x 25 m2 and tree species ≥ 2.5 cm d1.30 and species in natural regeneration phase with h <2 m were measured. We found 35 families, 65 genera, 101 species and 2 298 individuals, with Arecaceae, Fabaceae and Moraceae being the most representative botanical families. The degree of anthropization was highly modified where Mera was the best state of conservation. It was evidenced a low floristic diversity with patterns of alteration in the vertical and horizontal structure, distinguished phytosociologically by two strata in the sites of Shell and Puyo and by three in Mera, indicator of structural changes.

77 FR 56809 - Foreign-Trade Zone 230-Piedmont Triad Area, North Carolina; Notification of Proposed Production...

Science.gov (United States)

2012-09-14

..., stuffed toys, brushes, travel sets, combs, and makeup application pads (duty rate ranges from free to 8.1... materials sourced from abroad include: Perfumes/ toilet waters, makeup preparations (lip, eye, rouge and...

The South Carolina bridge-scour envelope curves

Science.gov (United States)

Benedict, Stephen T.; Feaster, Toby D.; Caldwell, Andral W.

2016-09-30

The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the South Carolina Department of Transportation, conducted a series of three field investigations to evaluate historical, riverine bridge scour in the Piedmont and Coastal Plain regions of South Carolina. These investigations included data collected at 231 riverine bridges, which lead to the development of bridge-scour envelope curves for clear-water and live-bed components of scour. The application and limitations of the South Carolina bridge-scour envelope curves were documented in four reports, each report addressing selected components of bridge scour. The current investigation (2016) synthesizes the findings of these previous reports into a guidance manual providing an integrated procedure for applying the envelope curves. Additionally, the investigation provides limited verification for selected bridge-scour envelope curves by comparing them to field data collected outside of South Carolina from previously published sources. Although the bridge-scour envelope curves have limitations, they are useful supplementary tools for assessing the potential for scour at riverine bridges in South Carolina.

Three new species of Begonia (Begoniaceae) from Bahia, Brazil.

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Gregório, Bernarda de Souza; Costa, Jorge Antonio Silva; Rapini, Alessandro

2015-01-01

The taxonomic treatment of Begoniaceae for the state of Bahia, Brazil, led to the recognition of three new species of Begonia with narrow distributions, which are described and illustrated here: Begoniadelicata Gregório & J.A.S. Costa, sp. nov. is a herb restricted to the region of the Recôncavo; Begoniaelianeae Gregório & J.A.S. Costa, sp. nov. is a shrub endemic to the Atlantic forest of the southern part of the state; and Begoniapaganuccii Gregório & J.A.S. Costa, sp. nov. is a subshrub known only from the type material, collected in the Piedmont of Paraguaçu. Notes on morphology, comparisons with morphologically similar species, etymology, geographic distribution, habitat and phenological data for each species are also presented. Furthermore, keys are provided as an aid to separating the new species from congeneric species that occur in their surroundings. Due to the sparse knowledge of the new species, there is as yet insufficient data to accurately assess their conservation status.

Climatological Implications of Deep-Rooting in Water-Limited Ecosystems

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Amenu, G. G.; Kumar, P.

2005-12-01

In vegetated ecosystems, plants are the primary channels that connect the soil with the atmosphere (through water, energy, carbon, and nutrient cycles), with plant roots controlling the below-ground dynamics. Recently, several observational evidences are emerging which suggests the existence of plant roots much deeper in the soil/rock profile than the depth usually perceived in existing hydroclimatological and hydroecological models. In this study, using land surface model, we assess the effects of vegetation deep-rooting on (a) moisture and temperature redistribution in the soil profile, (b) energy flux partitioning at the land surface, and (c) net primary productivity of vegetated ecosystems. Three sites characterized by different vegetation, soil, and climate (all located in arid to sub-humid regions of the United States) were studied. The sites include the Mogollon Rim in Arizona, the Edwards Plateau in Texas, and the Southern Piedmont in Georgia. Soil depths of up to 10 m are investigated. Results of this modeling effort and its implications for climatological modeling will be presented.

The Relationship Between Lithology and Slope Morphology in the Tucson Mountains, Arizona.

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Kamel Khanchoul

2008-05-01

Full Text Available The relationship between lithology and slope morphology is investigated at eight sites on granitic, andesitic, andsedimentary hillslopes in the Tucson Mountains, Arizona. Several methods are used in the study. Topographic profi lesare constructed. Skewness indices, slope length, and mean slope angles of the different slope profi les are computed andcompared with each other. Debris size analysis has permitted for some profi les, the determination of hillfront/piedmontjunctions. The nature and structural characteristics of the bedrock are the ones that determine the hillslope morphologyin this semi-arid region. There are, as a matter of fact, variations in profi les on the same bedrock nature but differentlyexposed. More precise morphologic studies have been also done in comparing the different lithologic pairs. They havepermitted to show some similarities in shapes. The granitic-andesitic slopes and andesiic-sedimentary slopes are thebest comparisons which show the relationship between lithology and slope morphology. The granitic-sedimentary sloperelationship is shown in the hillfront concavities, mountain front and piedmont mean slope angles.

Chemical and Isotopic Study of the Groundwater of Jeffara Plain of Medenine and Tataouine (Southern Tunisia)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Trabelsi, R.; Kalled, M; Zouari, K.; Abidi, B.; Yahyaoui, H.

2007-01-01

The study area constitutes the major part of the plain of Jeffara, located at the south-east of Tunisia. This plain is characterized by an arid climate with rare and irregular pluviometry. The hydrochemical approach is used to define the chemical characteristics of the water in these aquifer systems. Indeed, the water salinity varies between 0.6g/? and 9g/?, and increases from the Daher mountains in the west to the Mediterranean Sea. The groundwaters are homogeneous and characterized by a Cl-(SO 4 ) and Na-(Ca-Mg) water type. The isotopic approach shows that the carbone-14 activities, measured in groundwater, evolve in the same direction of groundwater flow. These activities suggest a recent recharge area in eastern piedmont of the Dahar mountains, as well as the zone of the Sahel Abebsa and Zeuss-Koutine. The isotopic values confirm, also, the communication between the various major levels through the existing faults and discontinuities in this area

Cases of bed bug (Cimex lectularius infestations in Northwest Italy

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Federica Giorda

2013-12-01

Full Text Available Bed bugs (Cimex lectularius have been a common problem for humans for at least 3,500 years and in Europe their presence was endemic until the end of World War II, when infestations began to decrease. However, since the beginning of the 21st century new cases of infestations have been reported in developed countries. Many theories have been put forward to explain this change of direction, but none has been scientifically proven. The aim of this study is to provide some reports of bed bug infestations in Northern Italy (Liguria, Piedmont and Aosta valley regions and a brief summary about their identification, clinical significance, bioecology and control. From 2008 to date, 17 bed bug infestations were identified in Northwest Italy. Knowledge about the presence and distribution of bed bugs in Italy is scanty, prior to this work only 2 studies reported the comeback of these arthropods in the Italian territory; further investigations would be necessary to better understand the current situation.

National Uranium Resource Evaluation: Spartanburg Quadrangle, South Carolina and North Carolina

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schot, E.H.; Galipeau, J.M.

1980-11-01

The Spartanburg Quadrangle, South Carolina and North Carolina, was evaluated for uranium favorability using National Uranium Resource Evaluation criteria. The evaluation included the study and analysis of published and collected geologic, geophysical, and geochemical data from subsurface, surface, and aerial studies. Five environments are favorable for uranium deposits. The Triassic Wadesboro Basin has ground waters with anomalously high uranium concentrations and uranium-to-conductivity ratios. The Upper Cretaceous Tuscaloosa-Middendorf Formation is near a uranium source and has sediments favorable for uranium deposition. The contact-metamorphic aureoles associated with the Liberty Hill-Kershaw and Winnsboro-Rion plutonic complexes are close to uranium sources and contain the reductants (sulfides, graphite) necessary for precipitation. The East Fork area in the Charlotte Belt has ground waters with uranium concentrations 4 to 132 times the mean concentration reported for the surrounding Piedmont area. Unfavorable environments include the Catawba Granite, the area west of the Winnsboro-Rion complex, gold-quartz veins, the vermiculite district, and the Western Monazite Belt

Metabolic syndrome and cognitive performance in the elderly

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Marianna Rinaldi

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Metabolic syndrome (MetS is a cluster of conditions, each of which represents a risk factor for cardiovascular disease: central obesity, hyperglycemia, dyslipidemia and hypertension. In different recent studies, MetS has been associated with an accelerate cognitive decline in the elderly. The aim of our research was to investigate the relationship between MetS and cognitive performance in 174 Italian elderly people living in Val Cenischia (Piedmont, Italy. Mini mental state examination (MMSE has been administered to assess the cognitive status of all participants. The prevalence of MetS is 50.3% (51.3 and 49.5% for males and females, respectively. Our results confirm the association between MetS and worse cognitive performance in the elderly: an increased number of MetS components is associated with an increased risk of developing cognitive impairment (odds ratio=1.54; confidence interval 95%:1.04-2.28; P<0.05.

Distribution and mobility of metals in contaminated sites. chemometric investigation of pollutant profiles.

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Abollino, Ornella; Aceto, Maurizio; Malandrino, Mery; Mentasti, Edoardo; Sarzanini, Corrado; Barberis, Renzo

2002-01-01

The distribution and mobility of heavy metals in the soils of two contaminated sites in Piedmont (Italy) was investigated, evaluating the horizontal and vertical profiles of 15 metals, namely Al, Cd, Cu, Cr, Fe. La, Mn, Ni, Pb, Sc, Ti, V, Y, Zn and Zr. The concentrations in the most polluted areas of the sites were higher than the acceptable limits reported in Italian and Dutch legislations for soil reclamation. Chemometric elaboration of the results by pattern recognition techniques allowed us to identify groups of samples with similar characteristics and to find correlations among the variables. The pollutant mobility was studied by extraction with water, dilute acetic acid and EDTA and by applying Tessier's procedure. The fraction of mobile species, which potentially is the most harmful for the environment, was found to be higher than the one normally present in unpolluted soils, where heavy metals are, to a higher extent, strongly bound to the matrix.

Changes in ground beetle diversity and community composition in age structured forests (Coleoptera, Carabidae

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Kathryn Riley

2011-11-01

Full Text Available We examined diversity, community composition, and wing-state of Carabidae as a function of forest age in Piedmont North Carolina. Carabidae were collected monthly from 396 pitfall traps (12×33 sites from March 2009 through February 2010, representing 5 forest age classes approximately 0, 10, 50, 85, and 150 years old. A total of 2,568 individuals, representing 30 genera and 63 species, were collected. Carabid species diversity, as estimated by six diversity indices, was significantly different between the oldest and youngest forest age classes for four of the six indices. Most carabid species were habitat generalists, occurring in all or most of the forest age classes. Carabid species composition varied across forest age classes. Seventeen carabid species were identified as potential candidates for ecological indicators of forest age. Non-metric multidimensional scaling (NMDS showed separation among forest age classes in terms of carabid beetle community composition. The proportion of individuals capable of flight decreased significantly with forest age.

Terra d’acque: il progetto ambientale del Parco del Ticino piemontese

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Fabrizio Schiaffonati

2015-11-01

Full Text Available The paper describes studies and researches carried out by the Department B.E.S.T. Building Environment Science and Technology of Politecnico di Milano since 2002 to sustain the writing out of the new Area Plan (Piano d’area of the Natural Park of Ticino river in Piedmont. In particular the text points out the themes related with the systems of the resources -ecological, environmental, cultural and landscape resources- characterising the Park, the aims, the foreseen outcomes with reference to the planning of environment, territory and landscape of the area, considering the major methodological ways followed and the formal framework of the Plan. The short introduction of the paper points out the actions still open with regards to the environmental project of the Park of Ticino river, for example: the studies for the buffer zone called also prepark area; the analysis to sustain the drawing up of specific masterplan by the Trust for the management of the Park. 

Outbreak of febrile gastroenteritis caused by Listeria monocytogenes 1/2a in sliced cold beef ham, Italy, May 2016

Science.gov (United States)

Maurella, Cristiana; Gallina, Silvia; Ru, Giuseppe; Adriano, Daniela; Bellio, Alberto; Bianchi, Daniela Manila; Chiavacci, Laura; Crescio, Maria Ines; Croce, Margherita; D'Errico, Valeria; Dupont, Maria Franca; Marra, Alessandro; Natangelo, Ubaldo; Pomilio, Francesco; Romano, Angelo; Stanzione, Stefano; Zaccaria, Teresa; Zuccon, Fabio; Caramelli, Maria; Decastelli, Lucia

2018-01-01

In May 2016, two separate clusters of febrile gastroenteritis caused by Listeria monocytogenes were detected by the local health authority in Piedmont, in northern Italy. We carried out epidemiological, microbiological and traceback investigations to identify the source. The people affected were students and staff members from two different schools in two different villages located in the Province of Turin; five of them were hospitalised. The epidemiological investigation identified a cooked beef ham served at the school canteens as the source of the food-borne outbreak. L. monocytogenes was isolated from the food, the stools of the hospitalised pupils and the environment of the factory producing the cooked beef ham. All isolates except one were serotype 1/2a, shared an indistinguishable PFGE pattern and were 100% identical by whole genome sequencing (WGS). By combining a classical epidemiological approach with both molecular subtyping and WGS techniques, we were able to identify and confirm a Listeria gastroenteritis outbreak associated with consumption of sliced cold beef ham. PMID:29536831

The use of mosses as environmental metal pollution indicators.

Science.gov (United States)

Aceto, Maurizio; Abollino, Ornella; Conca, Raffaele; Malandrino, Mery; Mentasti, Edoardo; Sarzanini, Corrado

2003-01-01

The possibility of using mosses as environmental indicators of metal pollution has been investigated. Mosses of the species Bryum argenteum were collected from different parts of Piedmont (Italy), ranging from highly polluted areas to nearly uncontaminated mountain areas. Periodical samplings were planned in every site on a monthly base, in order to check variations of metal uptake throughout one year; correlations with pluviometric and thermal patterns were investigated for all sampling stations. On every moss sample 20 elements, ranging from major (K, P, Al, Ca, Fe and Mg) to minor (Mn, Na, Ti and Zn) and trace (As, Ba, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Li, Ni, Pb and Sr), were quantitatively determined by inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry or graphite furnace-atomic absorption spectrometry, depending on the needed sensitivity. Statistical analyses, carried out with principal component analysis and cluster analysis methods, revealed that a good correlation exists between metal content in mosses and pollution degree in the areas sampled.

Role of Lanthanides in the Traceability of the Milk Production Chain.

Science.gov (United States)

Aceto, Maurizio; Musso, Davide; Calà, Elisa; Arieri, Fabio; Oddone, Matteo

2017-05-24

The traceability and authentication of milk were studied using trace and ultratrace elements as chemical markers. Among these variables, the group of lanthanides resulted in being particularly useful for this purpose as a result of their homogeneous distribution inside milk, which showed on the contrary to be intrinsically inhomogeneous from the elemental point of view. Using in this pilot study milk samples from a factory in Piedmont (Italy), we demonstrated that the distribution of lanthanides can be used as a fingerprint to put into relation the soil of the pasture land on which cows graze and the bottled milk produced in the factory. In fact, the distribution is maintained nearly unaltered along the production chain of milk, apart from the passage into the stomachs of the cows. Using the same variables, it was possible to discriminate between milk produced in the factory and milk samples taken from the large-scale retail trade.

Evaluation of radon occurrence in groundwater from 16 geologic units in Pennsylvania, 1986–2015, with application to potential radon exposure from groundwater and indoor air

Science.gov (United States)

Gross, Eliza L.

2017-05-11

Results from 1,041 groundwater samples collected during 1986‒2015 from 16 geologic units in Pennsylvania, associated with 25 or more groundwater samples with concentrations of radon-222, were evaluated in an effort to identify variations in radon-222 activities or concentrations and to classify potential radon-222 exposure from groundwater and indoor air. Radon-222 is hereafter referred to as “radon.” Radon concentrations in groundwater greater than or equal to the proposed U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) maximum contaminant level (MCL) for public-water supply systems of 300 picocuries per liter (pCi/L) were present in about 87 percent of the water samples, whereas concentrations greater than or equal to the proposed alternative MCL (AMCL) for public water-supply systems of 4,000 pCi/L were present in 14 percent. The highest radon concentrations were measured in groundwater from the schists, gneisses, and quartzites of the Piedmont Physiographic Province.In this study, conducted by the U.S. Geological Survey in cooperation with the Pennsylvania Department of Health and the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, groundwater samples were aggregated among 16 geologic units in Pennsylvania to identify units with high median radon concentrations in groundwater. Graphical plots and statistical tests were used to determine variations in radon concentrations in groundwater and indoor air. Median radon concentrations in groundwater samples and median radon concentrations in indoor air samples within the 16 geologic units were classified according to proposed and recommended regulatory limits to explore potential radon exposure from groundwater and indoor air. All of the geologic units, except for the Allegheny (Pa) and Glenshaw (Pcg) Formations in the Appalachian Plateaus Physiographic Province, had median radon concentrations greater than the proposed EPA MCL of 300 pCi/L, and the Peters Creek Schist (Xpc), which is in the Piedmont

Revised conceptualization of the North China Basin groundwater flow system: Groundwater age, heat and flow simulations

Science.gov (United States)

Cao, Guoliang; Han, Dongmei; Currell, Matthew J.; Zheng, Chunmiao

2016-09-01

Groundwater flow in deep sedimentary basins results from complex evolution processes on geological timescales. Groundwater flow systems conceptualized according to topography and/or groundwater table configuration generally assume a near-equilibrium state with the modern landscape. However, the time to reach such a steady state, and more generally the timescales of groundwater flow system evolution are key considerations for large sedimentary basins. This is true in the North China Basin (NCB), which has been studied for many years due to its importance as a groundwater supply. Despite many years of study, there remain contradictions between the generally accepted conceptual model of regional flow, and environmental tracer data. We seek to reconcile these contractions by conducting simulations of groundwater flow, age and heat transport in a three dimensional model, using an alternative conceptual model, based on geological, thermal, isotope and historical data. We infer flow patterns under modern hydraulic conditions using this new model and present the theoretical maximum groundwater ages under such a flow regime. The model results show that in contrast to previously accepted conceptualizations, most groundwater is discharged in the vicinity of the break-in-slope of topography at the boundary between the piedmont and central plain. Groundwater discharge to the ocean is in contrast small, and in general there are low rates of active flow in the eastern parts of the basin below the central and coastal plain. This conceptualization is more compatible with geochemical and geothermal data than the previous model. Simulated maximum groundwater ages of ∼1 Myrs below the central and coastal plain indicate that residual groundwater may be retained in the deep parts of the basin since being recharged during the last glacial period or earlier. The groundwater flow system has therefore probably not reached a new equilibrium state with modern-day hydraulic conditions. The

Mapping multi-scale vascular plant richness in a forest landscape with integrated LiDAR and hyperspectral remote-sensing.

Science.gov (United States)

Hakkenberg, C R; Zhu, K; Peet, R K; Song, C

2018-02-01

The central role of floristic diversity in maintaining habitat integrity and ecosystem function has propelled efforts to map and monitor its distribution across forest landscapes. While biodiversity studies have traditionally relied largely on ground-based observations, the immensity of the task of generating accurate, repeatable, and spatially-continuous data on biodiversity patterns at large scales has stimulated the development of remote-sensing methods for scaling up from field plot measurements. One such approach is through integrated LiDAR and hyperspectral remote-sensing. However, despite their efficiencies in cost and effort, LiDAR-hyperspectral sensors are still highly constrained in structurally- and taxonomically-heterogeneous forests - especially when species' cover is smaller than the image resolution, intertwined with neighboring taxa, or otherwise obscured by overlapping canopy strata. In light of these challenges, this study goes beyond the remote characterization of upper canopy diversity to instead model total vascular plant species richness in a continuous-cover North Carolina Piedmont forest landscape. We focus on two related, but parallel, tasks. First, we demonstrate an application of predictive biodiversity mapping, using nonparametric models trained with spatially-nested field plots and aerial LiDAR-hyperspectral data, to predict spatially-explicit landscape patterns in floristic diversity across seven spatial scales between 0.01-900 m 2 . Second, we employ bivariate parametric models to test the significance of individual, remotely-sensed predictors of plant richness to determine how parameter estimates vary with scale. Cross-validated results indicate that predictive models were able to account for 15-70% of variance in plant richness, with LiDAR-derived estimates of topography and forest structural complexity, as well as spectral variance in hyperspectral imagery explaining the largest portion of variance in diversity levels. Importantly

Determining Sediment Sources in the Anacostia River Watershed

Science.gov (United States)

Devereux, O. H.; Needelman, B. A.; Prestegaard, K. L.; Gellis, A. C.; Ritchie, J. C.

2005-12-01

Suspended sediment is a water-quality problem in the Chesapeake Bay. This project is designed to identify sediment sources in an urban watershed, the Northeast Branch of the Anacostia River (in Washington, D.C. and Maryland - drainage area = 188.5 km2), which delivers sediment directly to the Bay. This watershed spans two physiographic regions - the Piedmont and Coastal Plain. Bank sediment and suspended-sediment deposits were characterized using the following techniques: radionuclide (Cs-137) analysis by gamma ray spectrometry, trace-element analysis by ICP-MS, clay mineralogy by XRD, and particle-size analysis by use of a laser particle-size analyzer. Sampling of bank and suspended sediment was designed to: a) characterize tributary inputs from both Piedmont and Coastal Plain sources, and b) differentiate tributary inputs from bank erosion along the main stem of the Northeast Branch. Thirteen sample sites were chosen that represent tributary source areas of each physiographic region and the main stem where mixing occurs. Surface samples of the banks were compared to overbank deposits from a ten year storm (a proxy for the suspended sediments). Fingerprint components are selected from these data. Cesium-137 concentrations were analyzed for bank and overbank deposits for each physiographic region. No clear differences were seen between the two physiographic regions. Significant differences were observed between upland tributaries and the main stem of the Anacostia River. The average activity of Cs-137 for the tributaries was 5.4 bq/kg and the average for the main stem was 1.1 bq/kg. This suggests that there is significant erosion and storage of sediment in the tributaries. The low activity from Cs-137 in the main stem suggests a lack of storage of sediment along the main stem of the river. For the trace-element data, we focused on elements that showed significant variation among the sites. For the bank sediment, these elements include: Sr, V, Y, Ce, and Nd. For the

Effects of Warming on Tree Species’ Recruitment in Deciduous Forests of the Eastern United States

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Melillo, Jerry M. [Marine Biological Lab., Woods Hole, MA (United States); Clark, James S. [Duke Univ., Durham, NC (United States); Mohan, Jacqueline [Univ. of Georgia, Athens, GA (United States)

2015-03-25

Climate change is restructuring forests of the United States, although the details of this restructuring are currently uncertain. Rising temperatures of 2 to 8oC and associated changes in soil moisture will shift the competitive balance between species that compete for light and water, and so change their abilities to produce seed, germinate, grow, and survive. We have used large-scale experiments to determine the effects of warming on the most sensitive stage of species distributions, i.e., recruitment, in mixed deciduous forests in southern New England and in the Piedmont region of North Carolina. Two questions organized our research: (1) Might temperate tree species near the “warm” end of their range in the eastern United States decline in abundance during the coming century due to projected warming? and (2) Might trees near the “cool” end of their range in the eastern United States increase in abundance, or extend their range, during the coming 100 years because of projected warming? To explore these questions, we exposed seedlings to air and soil warming experiments in two eastern deciduous forest sites; one at the Harvard Forest (HF) in central Massachusetts, and the other at the Duke Forest (DF) in the Piedmont region of North Carolina. We focused on tree species common to both Harvard and Duke Forests (such as red, black, and white oaks), those near northern range limits (black oak, flowing dogwood, tulip poplar), and those near southern range limits (yellow birch, sugar maple, Virginia pine). At each site, we planted seeds and seedlings in common gardens established in temperature-controlled, open-top chambers. The experimental design was replicated and fully factorial and involved three temperature regimes (ambient, +3oC and +5oC) and two light regimes (closed forest canopy (low light) and gap conditions (high light)). Measured variables included Winter/Spring responses to temperature and mid-Summer responses to low soil moisture. This research

Ceratopogonidae (Diptera: Nematocera of the piedmont of the Yungas forests of Tucumán: ecology and distribution

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José Manuel Direni Mancini

2016-11-01

Full Text Available Within the Ceratopogonidae family, many genera transmit numerous diseases to humans and animals, while others are important pollinators of tropical crops. In the Yungas ecoregion of Argentina, previous systematic and ecological research on Ceratopogonidae focused on Culicoides, since they are the main transmitters of mansonelliasis in northwestern Argentina; however, few studies included the genera Forcipomyia, Dasyhelea, Atrichopogon, Alluaudomyia, Echinohelea, and Bezzia. Therefore, the objective of this study was to determine the presence and abundance of Ceratopogonidae in this region, their association with meteorological variables, and their variation in areas disturbed by human activity. Monthly collection of specimens was performed from July 2008 to July 2009 using CDC miniature light traps deployed for two consecutive days. A total of 360 specimens were collected, being the most abundant Dasyhelea genus (48.06% followed by Forcipomyia (26.94% and Atrichopogon (13.61%. Bivariate analyses showed significant differences in the abundance of the genera at different sampling sites and climatic conditions, with the summer season and El Corralito site showing the greatest abundance of specimens. Accumulated rainfall was the variable that related the most to the abundance of Culicoides (10.56%, while temperature was the most closely related variable to the abundance of Forcipomyia, Dasyhelea, and Atrichopogon.

Water infiltration and surface soil structural properties as influenced by animal traffic in the Southern Piedmont USA

Science.gov (United States)

Surface-soil structural condition in long-term perennial pastures is expected to be modified by how forage is (a) harvested through haying or grazing and (b) stimulated through source of nutrient application. We determined the effects of harvest management and nutrient source on macropore filling, ...

The Haw River Sites: Archaeological Investigations at Two Stratified Sites in the North Carolina Piedmont. Volume III.

Science.gov (United States)

1982-04-01

activity of the NBS Oxalic acid as a modem standard. .......... Table 1 Radiocarbon Age Determinations for Samples from 31ChS and 31Ch29 Lab Number...devitrified flow. Devitrification of both basic and acidic tuffs involves alteration of glass and glass fragments to other minerals (Howell, Turner...quartz as " hydrothermal veins" (Blatt at al. 1972:276-277) account for its white color. Additional trace minerals may add color to the quartz. In

Reconstructing Post-Carboniferous History of the Krkonoše Piedmont Basin Using Detrital Apatite Fission-Track Data

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Martínek, K.; Svojtka, Martin; Filip, Jiří

2006-01-01

Roč. 20, - (2006), s. 91-92 ISSN 1210-9606. [Meeting of the Central European Tectonic Studies Group /4./. Zakopane, 19.04.2006-22.04.2006] Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z30130516 Keywords : fission-track * Krkonoše * apatite Subject RIV: DB - Geology ; Mineralogy http://geolines.gli.cas.cz/fileadmin/volumes/volume20/G20-091b.pdf

RAW MILK AT VENDING MACHINES: EVALUATION OF E. SAKAZAKII, COXIELLA BURNETII AND M. PARATUBERCULOSIS IN PIEDMONT EXPERIENCE

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S. Gallina

2009-12-01

Full Text Available Italian consumers changed their food habits in the last period; the increase of raw milk consuming is also related to the high number of self service vending machines that have been authorized, particularly in Northern Italy. According to national rules on raw milk hygienic conditions, the most important bacteria are checked by Veterinary Services; the aim of this study was to investigate some emerging or re-emerging hazards in raw milk at vending machines. For this reason 100 raw milk samples were collected and analyzed in order to detect E. sakazakii, Coxiella burnetii and M. avium subsp paratuberculosis. One milk sample resulted to be positive with PCR method for E. sakazakii (no cultural confirmation was possible; 49% of samples resulted posivite for the presence of Coxiella burnetii specific DNA, and 5% of milk samples came out positive to the presence of M. paratuberuclosis antibodies with ELISA methods.

Effectiveness of Fire and Fire Surrogate Treatments For Controlling Wildfire Behavior in Piedmont Forests: A Simulation Study

Science.gov (United States)

Helen H. Mohr; Thomas A. Waldrop; Sandra Rideout; Ross J. Phillips; Charles T. Flint

2004-01-01

The need for fuel reduction has increased in United States forests due to decades of fire exclusion. Excessive fuel buildup has led to uncharacteristically severe fires in areas with historically short-interval, low-to-moderate-intensity fire regimes. The National Fire and Fire Surrogate (NFFS) Study compared the impacts of three fuel-reduction treatments on numerous...

Effectiveness of control strategies against Botrytis cinerea in vineyard and evaluation of the residual fungicide concentrations.

Science.gov (United States)

Gabriolotto, Chiara; Monchiero, Matteo; Negre, Michele; Spadaro, Davide; Gullino, Maria Lodovica

2009-05-01

This investigation was undertaken to test different control strategies against Botrytis cinerea vineyards. Two commercial vineyards, "Barbera" and "Moscato," located in Piedmont (Northern Italy) were divided into seven plots and treated with different combinations of fungicides including fenhexamid, pyrimethanil, fludioxonil + cyprodinil, iprodione, and boscalid, a new carboxamide compound. An integrated strategy including a chemical (pyrimethanil) and a biocontrol agent (Trichoderma spp. t2/4ph1) was also included. At harvest, the percentage of bunches and berries attacked by B. cinerea and the concentration of the chemical fungicides were determined. All the pesticide residues at harvest were below the maximum residue level (MRL), except when two applications of pyrimethanil per season were applied. Boscalid was the most effective active ingredient against B. cinerea among the tested chemicals. When boscalid application was followed by a treatment with pyrimethanil, its efficacy was similar to that shown by two treatments of pyrimethanil. However, this second strategy was not feasible due to the risks of resistance development in the pathogen and to the residue accumulation as indicated by the analysis.

Carolinas Energy Career Center

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Classens, Anver; Hooper, Dick; Johnson, Bruce

2013-03-31

Central Piedmont Community College (CPCC), located in Charlotte, North Carolina, established the Carolinas Energy Career Center (Center) - a comprehensive training entity to meet the dynamic needs of the Charlotte region's energy workforce. The Center provides training for high-demand careers in both conventional energy (fossil) and renewable energy (nuclear and solar technologies/energy efficiency). CPCC completed four tasks that will position the Center as a leading resource for energy career training in the Southeast: • Development and Pilot of a New Advanced Welding Curriculum, • Program Enhancement of Non-Destructive Examination (NDE) Technology, • Student Support through implementation of a model targeted toward Energy and STEM Careers to support student learning, • Project Management and Reporting. As a result of DOE funding support, CPCC achieved the following outcomes: • Increased capacity to serve and train students in emerging energy industry careers; • Developed new courses and curricula to support emerging energy industry careers; • Established new training/laboratory resources; • Generated a pool of highly qualified, technically skilled workers to support the growing energy industry sector.

Acoustic emission monitoring of medieval towers considered as sensitive earthquake receptors

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A. Carpinteri

2007-01-01

Full Text Available Many ancient masonry towers are present in Italian territory. In some cases these structures are at risk on account of the intensity of the stresses they are subjected to due to the high level of regional seismicity. In order to preserve this inestimable cultural heritage, a sound safety assessment should take into account the evolution of damage phenomena. In this connection, acoustic emission (AE monitoring can be highly effective. This study concerns the structural stability of three medieval towers rising in the centre of Alba, a characteristic town in Piedmont (Italy. During the monitoring period a correlation between peaks of AE activity in the masonry of these towers and regional seismicity was found. Earthquakes always affect structural stability. Besides that, the towers behaved as sensitive earthquake receptors. Here a method to correlate bursts of AE activity in a masonry building and regional seismicity is proposed. In particular, this method permits to identify the premonitory signals that precede a catastrophic event on a structure, since, in most cases, these warning signs can be captured well in advance.

Sustainability and Mountain Tourism: The Millennial’s Perspective

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Alessandro Bonadonna

2017-07-01

Full Text Available Evidence from several studies illustrates the different points of view through which sustainability and mountains have been studied over the years. Nowadays, interest in Millennials is increasing but no research has compared Millennials and sustainability in the mountain context. This study aims at defining sustainability with reference to Millennial perception of both winter and summer mountain sports. By analysing data gathered from a sample of 2292 Millennials (Piedmont area, the authors confirm their high degree of sensitivity towards sustainable issues and, above all, discover that there are differences in the sustainable perception Millennials have of both mountain winter and summer sports. More specifically, Millennial perception is deeply influenced by the place where they are used to living―mountains or cities―and by their gender. From a managerial point of view, results have direct implications on the administrators of mountain institutions who can implement appropriate initiatives in order to correctly sensitise Millennials towards mountain sports. Moreover, from a theoretical perspective, the study opens a new scenario on two important topics linked to sustainability, namely Millennials and mountain sports.

Testate amoebae analysis in the peat deposits of the swamp Dolgon’koye in the south of Western Siberia and peatland paleohydrology for last 3100 years

Science.gov (United States)

Kurina, Irina V.; Blyakharchuk, Tatiana A.

2018-03-01

Our research is devoted to paleohydrological reconstruction in the swamp located in the river valley on the piedmont of the Altai Mountains in the south of Western Siberia. The reconstruction was carried out based on rhizopod analysis for the last 3100 cal yr. A large amount of different testate amoebae was found in the peat. Total 64 testate amoebae taxa were recorded in the peat core with the most abundant being: Trinema lineare, Centropyxis aculeata, C. aerophila, Euglypha rotunda, Cryptodifflugia sp. Decrease of surface wetness in the swamp are observed 2280, 2140, 1900–600 cal yr BP and increase – in 2700, 2500–1900, 230–215 cal yr BP. The results of our reconstruction of the swamp paleohydrology agrees well with the paleoclimatic data obtained earlier for the central area of the south of Western Siberia Plain. It indicates a high sensitivity of the swamp to climatic changes in the Holocene. The rhizopod analysis proved to be very effective when used for paleohydrology reconstruction in minerotrophic peat.

Multilevel soil-vapor extraction test for heterogeneous soil

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Widdowson, M.A.; Haney, O.R.; Reeves, H.W.

1997-01-01

The design, performance, and analysis of a field method for quantifying contaminant mass-extraction rates and air-phase permeability at discrete vertical locations of the vadose zones are presented. The test configuration consists of a multiscreen extraction well and multilevel observation probes located in soil layers adjacent to the extraction well. For each level tested an inflatable packer system is used to pneumatically isolate a single screen in the extraction well, and a vacuum is applied to induce air flow through the screen. Test data include contaminant concentration and flow characteristics at the extraction well, and transient or steady-state pressure drawdown data at observation probes located at variable radii from the extraction well. The test method is applicable to the design of soil-vapor extraction (SVE) and bioventing remediation systems in a variety of geologic settings, particularly stratified soils. Application of the test method at a gasoline-polluted site located in the Piedmont physiographic region is described. Contaminant mass-extraction rates, expressed in terms of volatile hydrocarbons, varied from 0.16 to 14 kg/d

Performance of Minneola tangelo trees grafted over six rootstocks in Colombia Tropical Lowland (1997-2010

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Hans Chaparro

2017-07-01

Full Text Available ‘Cleopatra’ tangerine (Citrus reshni hort. ex Tanaka is a commonly used rootstock in the piedmont of Meta department, Colombia for establishing of commercial citrus orchards. Have allowed a late production entrance rootstock and produced big plants when grafted with tangelo ‘Minneola’ (C. reticulata Blanco x C. paradise Macf, decreasing the productive efficiency in plants and hard crop practices. The evaluated performance were as follows:  tree size, productive efficiency and fruit quality of tangelo ‘Minneola’ grafted in six rootstocks. It found that the cumulated production of 11 years was better with Citrumelo ‘Swingle’ (Citrus paradisi Macf. × Poncirus trifoliata (L. Raf with 1388.3 kg tree-1, followed by ‘Cleopatra’ (Citrus reshni hort. ex Tanaka with 893.2 kg.tree-1, in last place was ‘Carrizo’ (Citrus sinensis Osb. × Poncirustrifoliata (L. Raf with 182.9 kg tree-1. The other rootstocks, had a medium production. The greatest height and canopy value, was found with ‘Cleopatra’ without significant differences with Citrumelo ‘Swingle’. In fruit quality no significant differences occurred.

Channel and Floodplain Change Analysis over a 100-Year Period: Lower Yuba River, California

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Rolf Aalto

2010-07-01

Full Text Available Hydraulic gold mining in the Sierra Nevada, California (1853–1884 displaced ~1.1 billion m3 of sediment from upland placer gravels that were deposited along piedmont rivers below dams where floods can remobilize them. This study uses topographic and planimetric data from detailed 1906 topographic maps, 1999 photogrammetric data, and pre- and post-flood aerial photographs to document historic sediment erosion and deposition along the lower Yuba River due to individual floods at the reach scale. Differencing of 3 × 3-m topographic data indicates substantial changes in channel morphology and documents 12.6 × 106 m3 of erosion and 5.8 × 106 m3 of deposition in these reaches since 1906. Planimetric and volumetric measurements document spatial and temporal variations of channel enlargement and lateral migration. Over the last century, channels incised up to ~13 m into mining sediments, which dramatically decreased local flood frequencies and increased flood conveyance. These adjustments were punctuated by event-scale geomorphic changes that redistributed sediment and associated contaminants to downstream lowlands.

Energy analysis of ethanol production from sweet sorghum

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Worley, J.W. (Georgia Univ., Athens, GA (United States). Dept. of Agricultural Engineering); Vaughan, D.H.; Cundiff, J.S. (Virginia Polytechnic Inst. and State Univ., Blacksburg, VA (United States). Dept. of Agricultural Engineering)

1992-01-01

The Piedmont System is a collection of equipment for efficiently removing the juice from sweet sorghum stalks for the production of ethanol. The concept is to separate the whole stalks into pith and rind-leaf fractions, pass only the pith fraction through a screw press, and thus achieve an improvement in juice-expression efficiency and press capacity. An energy analysis was done for two options of this proposed harvesting/processing system: (Option 1) The juice is evaporated to syrup and used throughout the year to produce ethanol, and the by-products are used as cattle feed. (Option 2) The juice is fermented as it is harvested, and the by-products (along with other cellulosic materials) are used as feedstock for the remainder of the year. Energy ratios (energy output/energy input) of 0.9, 1.1 and 0.8 were found for sweet sorghum Option 1, sweet sorghum Option 2, and corn, respectively, as feedstocks for ethanol. If only liquid fuels are considered, the ratios are increased to 3.5, 7.9 and 4.5. (author).

Evaluation of the factors involved in bioaccumulation of gamma-emmitting radionuclides in white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginanus). Final report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jenkins, J.H.

1977-01-01

The objectives of the work were to: determine the amounts and kinds of fallout gamma emitting radionuclides in an important food and sport animal, the white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) in the southeastern U.S.A.; elucidate some of the food chain interrelationships around the year; and see if a relationship exists between bioaccumulation in deer, the soils, the deer foods available, the rumen contents, and uptake in man. Whole body counters were constructed to measure the gamma rays emitted by animals varying in size from warblers (10 grams) and cotton rats (100 grams) up through live deer and people. Over 1800 deer from throughout the Southeast were analyzed. Deer from the Flatwoods sub-type of the Lower Coastal Plain region often have 137 Cs levels exceeding those reported for Alaskan Caribou at their peak and 90 Sr is as effectively transported through the Lower Coastal Plains environment as 137 Cs. Detailed studies have been conducted on two sites (Piedmont and Lower Coastal Plain) to determine the characteristics of soil and vegetation contributing to biomagnification

Preliminary description of quaternary and late pliocene surficial deposits at Yucca Mountain and vicinity, Nye County, Nevada

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hoover, D.L.

1989-01-01

The Yucca Mountain area, in the south-central part of the Great Basin, is in the drainage basin of the Amargosa River. The mountain consists of several fault blocks of volcanic rocks that are typical of the Basin and Range province. Yucca Mountain is dissected by steep-sided valleys of consequent drainage systems that are tributary on the east side to Fortymile Wash and on the west side to an unnamed wash that drains Crater Flat. Most of the major washes near Yucca Mountain are not integrated with the Amargosa River, but have distributary channels on the piedmont above the river. Landforms in the Yucca Mountain area include rock pediments, ballenas, alluvial pediments, alluvial fans, stream terraces, and playas. Early Holocene and older alluvial fan deposits have been smoothed by pedimentation. The semiconical shape of alluvial fans is apparent at the junction of tributaries with major washes and where washes cross fault and terrace scarps. Playas are present in the eastern and southern ends of the Amargosa Desert. 39 refs., 9 figs., 1 tab

Beryllium-10 in Chesapeake Bay sediments: an indicator of sediment provenance

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Helz, G.R.; Valette-Silver, Nathalie

1992-01-01

In a plot of 10 Be vs. Fe, central Chesapeake Bay sediments can be segregated into distinct units. This plot reveals an unexpected, statistically significant difference between sediments on the eastern and western flanks of the main channel, implying different origins. Although the 10 Be concentrations in sediments from these two regions span as much as an order of magnitude range, the 10 Be/Fe ratios vary by an amount approximating analytical error alone. The large concentration ranges are ascribed to hydraulic sorting, which can produce variance in composition while not affecting ratios between grain surface components such as Fe and Be. On the basis of 10 Be/Fe signatures, sediments on the western flank of the main channel appear to have been derived from the Susquehanna or another Piedmont/Appalachian river. Sediments on the eastern flank may have been transported from the south, by landward flowing bottom currents, or may be relics of a Pleistocene estuarine system. Conditions under which 10 Be may prove a useful tool in sediment provenance studies elsewhere are discussed. (Author)

Prassi documentarie e gestione delle finanze nei comuni del principato di Savoia-Acaia (Moncalieri, Pinerolo, Torino, fine secolo XIII-prima metà secolo XIV

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Paolo Buffo

2015-01-01

Full Text Available This essay deals with the birth of a practical documentation relating to the current managing of direct taxation in several communes of the principality of Savoy-Achaea, in Piedmont (particularly Moncalieri, Pinerolo and Turin, between the end of the 13th century and the first half of the 14th century. The increase in the tax burden of the prince on communities stimulated the development of the structure and contents of municipal accounting records. On the one hand there was a gradual tendency for writing the majority of the collection and audit operations carried out by municipal officers. On the other hand, the accounting records were organized as a coherent system of thematic registers, tied to one another by functional links and intertextuality. After 1330 a municipal finance crisis caused an increase of political functions attributed to accounting records, as an instrument of control over the fiscal behaviour of citizens; an effect of this situation was the production of registers dedicated to lists of tax evaders.

Mercury accumulation in native mammals of the Southeast

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cumbie, P.M.; Jenkins, J.H.

1974-01-01

Mercury levels in tissues of mammals collected in Georgia, Florida, and South Carolina were compared using hair mercury concentration as an index of total mercury content. Bobcats (Lynx rufus), raccoons (Procyon lotor), opossum (Didelphis marsupialis) and gray fox (Urocyon cinereoargenteus) from the Lower Coastal Plain of Georgia had higher mercury levels than specimens from the Upper Coastal Plain or Piedmont. The highest individual mercury levels in raccoons and bobcats occurred in specimens from the Georgia Lower Coastal Plain flatwoods. Skeletal muscle and liver of individual raccoons and bobcats taken in the coastal flatwoods exceeded the 0.5 ppm limit for mercury in human foodstuffs. No pattern of mercury accumulation was detected in white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus). Hair analysis revealed elevated mercury levels in mammals from a region exposed to mercury pollution. Mercury levels in wildlife exhibit a pattern similar to that of certain fallout radioisotopes such as /sub 137/Cs. These observations indicate that significant biomagnification of mercury may occur in native mammals in certain southeastern habitats. 28 references, 6 tables.

Suburban watershed nitrogen retention: Estimating the effectiveness of stormwater management structures

Science.gov (United States)

Koch, Benjamin J.; Febria, Catherine M.; Cooke, Roger M.; Hosen, Jacob D.; Baker, Matthew E.; Colson, Abigail R.; Filoso, Solange; Hayhoe, Katharine; Loperfido, J. V.; Stoner, Anne M.K.; Palmer, Margaret A.

2015-01-01

Excess nitrogen (N) is a primary driver of freshwater and coastal eutrophication globally, and urban stormwater is a rapidly growing source of N pollution. Stormwater best management practices (BMPs) are used widely to remove excess N from runoff in urban and suburban areas, and are expected to perform under a wide variety of environmental conditions. Yet the capacity of BMPs to retain excess N varies; and both the variation and the drivers thereof are largely unknown, hindering the ability of water resource managers to meet water quality targets in a cost-effective way. Here, we use structured expert judgment (SEJ), a performance-weighted method of expert elicitation, to quantify the uncertainty in BMP performance under a range of site-specific environmental conditions and to estimate the extent to which key environmental factors influence variation in BMP performance. We hypothesized that rain event frequency and magnitude, BMP type and size, and physiographic province would significantly influence the experts’ estimates of N retention by BMPs common to suburban Piedmont and Coastal Plain watersheds of the Chesapeake Bay region.

RESPONSIBILITIES OF FOOD BUSINESS OPERATORS RELATED TO FOOD SAFETY: CONCERNS RELATED TO HACCP IN MICRO-BUSINESSES FOOD COMPANIES

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

T. Civera

2012-08-01

Full Text Available The research was aimed at collecting information on food safety knowledge by operators of small and less developed food businesses. This will allow to reveal what are the real drawbacks in HACCP application in these realities. Fifty meat producing plants located in Piedmont region were involved. In all the plants a questionnaire with questions on HACCP system was submitted. The analysis of the collected answers, evidenced that 42% of the operators needed to perform structural modifications in order to address the HACCP measures, whereas 40% applied modifications in working procedures. The most frequent shortcoming (44% of the answers of the HACCP system was represented by the applicability of Good Manufacturing Practices, and the most difficult control measure to be applied was the prevention of the cross-contaminations (40% of the answers. The information gathered within this project allowed to evidence the real needs of the micro businesses in the application of HACCP plan. These results can be useful for the institutions, which could elaborate HACCP alternative systems, able to better fulfil food safety requirements and Food Business Operator needs.

Ground Water Atlas of the United States: Segment 11, Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia

Science.gov (United States)

Trapp, Henry; Horn, Marilee A.

1997-01-01

direct runoff or enters streams as base flow (discharge from one or more aquifers). The distribution of average annual runoff (fig. 2) is similar to the distribution of precipitation; that is, runoff is generally greatest where precipitation is greatest. Runoff rates range from more than 50 inches per year in parts of western North Carolina to less than 12 inches in parts of North Carolina, Virginia, and West Virginia. Parts of the seven following physiographic provinces are in Segment 11: the Coastal Plain, the Piedmont, the Blue Ridge, the New England, the Valley and Ridge, the Appalachian Plateaus, and the Central Lowland. The provinces generally trend northeastward (fig. 3). The northeastern terminus of the Blue Ridge Province is in south-central Pennsylvania, and the southwestern part of the New England Province, the Reading Prong, ends in east-central Pennsylvania. The topography, lithology, and water-bearing characteristics of the rocks that underlie the Blue Ridge Province and the Reading Prong are similar. Accordingly, for purposes of this study, the hydrology of the Reading Prong is discussed with that of the Blue Ridge Province. The Coastal Plain Province is a lowland that borders the Atlantic Ocean. The Coastal Plain is as much as 140 miles wide in North Carolina but narrows northeastward to New Jersey where it terminates in Segment 11 at the south shore of Raritan Bay. Although it is generally a flat, seaward-sloping lowland, this province has areas of moderately steep local relief, and its surface locally reaches altitudes of 350 feet in the southwestern part of the North Carolina Coastal Plain. The Coastal Plain mostly is underlain by semiconsolidated to unconsolidated sediments that consist of silt, clay, and sand, with some gravel and lignite. Some consolidated beds of limestone and sandstone are present. The Coastal Plain sediments range in age from Jurassic to Holocene and dip gently toward the ocean. The boundary between the Coastal Plain and the

Survival and growth of restored Piedmont riparian forests as affected by site preparation, planting stock, and planting aids

Science.gov (United States)

Chelsea M. Curtis; W. Michael Aust; John R. Seiler; Brian D. Strahm

2015-01-01

Forest mitigation sites may have poor survival and growth of planted trees due to poor drainage, compacted soils, and lack of microtopography. The effects of five replications of five forestry mechanical site preparation techniques (Flat, Rip, Bed, Pit, and Mound), four regeneration sources (Direct seed, Bare root, Tubelings, and Gallon), and three planting aids (None...

Application of ¹H NMR for the characterisation and authentication of ''Tonda Gentile Trilobata" hazelnuts from Piedmont (Italy).

Science.gov (United States)

Caligiani, Augusta; Coisson, Jean Daniel; Travaglia, Fabiano; Acquotti, Domenico; Palla, Gerardo; Palla, Luigi; Arlorio, Marco

2014-04-01

The Italian hazelnut (Corylus avellana L.) cultivar "Tonda Gentile Trilobata" (TGT) is covered by protected geographical indication "Nocciola Piemonte" and is well-known as the best-suited hazelnut for the industrial transformation into roasted kernel. The hazelnut cultivar identification is primarily based on morphological characteristics, so there is the need for more objective analytical methods for high quality hazelnut authentication. This study reports the (1)H NMR fingerprinting of raw and roasted hazelnut, with the aim of obtaining hazelnut classification based on their spectroscopic pattern. (1)H NMR analyses were carried out on polar extracts of TGT and other cultivars: the data were analysed with multivariate statistical methods. Results showed that (1)H NMR combined with chemometrics is useful to characterise the hazelnuts as a function of the cultivars, both on raw and roasted form. The classification models allowed identifying molecular markers useful to distinguish TGT from other types, among these trigonelline, amino acids and an unidentified orto-disubstituted aromatic compound. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Regional Supplement to the Corps of Engineers Wetland Delineation Manual: Eastern Mountains and Piedmont Region (Version 2.0)

Science.gov (United States)

2012-04-01

nettle (Boehmeria cylindrica), Canadian woodnettle (Laportea canaden- sis), white panicle aster (Symphyotrichum lanceolatum = Aster simplex...spp.), smallspike false nettle , lizard’s tail, skunk cabbage (Symplocarpus foetidus), cardinal flower, jewelweed (Impatiens capensis), tearthumbs...Presence of live individuals, diapausing insect eggs or crustacean cysts, or dead remains of aquatic fauna, such as, but not limited to, sponges, bivalves

Metals in soil and runoff from a piedmont hayfield amended with broiler litter and flue gas desulfurization gypsum

Science.gov (United States)

Flue gas desulfurization gypsum (FGDG) from coal-fired power plants is available for agricultural use in many US regions. Broiler litter (BL) provides plant available N, P, and K but may be a source of unwanted arsenic (As), copper (Cu), and zinc (Zn). FGDG provides Ca and S and can reduce runoff lo...

Can quarries supplement rare xeric habitats in a piedmont region? Spiders of the Blansky les Mts, Czech Republic

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Tropek, R.; Konvička, Martin

2008-01-01

Roč. 19, č. 1 (2008), s. 104-114 ISSN 1085-3278 R&D Projects: GA MŠk LC06073 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z50070508 Keywords : anthropogenous sites * spiders * quarries Subject RIV: EH - Ecology, Behaviour Impact factor: 1.245, year: 2008

Changes in flood risk impacted by river training – case study of piedmont section of the Vistula river

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Łajczak Adam

2014-12-01

Full Text Available Zmiany w zagrożeniu powodziowych powodowane przez regulację rzeki na przykładzie przedgórskiego odcinka Wisły. W pracy zanalizowano główne problemy związane z zagrożeniem powodziowym w dolinie przedgórskiego odcinka Wisły (południowa Polska. Ten odcinek rzeki podlega pracom regulacyjnym od połowy XIX wieku. Omówiono wiele problemów wpisujących się w główny nurt dyskusji na temat efektywności stosowanych metod regulacji rzek. Główną uwagę zwrócono na: (1 aktualny stan zagrożenia powodziowego, (2 wielkość odpływu rzeki, (3 zmiany w zagrożeniu powodziowym od początku prac regulacyjnych z uwzględnieniem zmian w geometrii koryta i zmian w wielkości odpływu rzeki odzwierciedlających efekty prac regulacyjnych. Za główną cechę hydrologiczną badanego odcinka Wisły należy uznać znaczny od zapoczątkowania prac regulacyjnych wzrost wielkości przepływu pełnokorytowego, który trwa nadal. Oznacza to, że zmniejsza się ilość wody w rzece, która podczas stanów wyższych od stanu pełnokorytowego może zatapiać strefę międzywala. Tą uwagę uznano za podstawę analizy zmian w zagrożeniu powodziowym w przedgórskim odcinku Wisły. Ocenę tych zmian w badanym odcinku rzeki nie można jednak uznać za jednoznaczną, gdyż niektóre zmiany w warunkach odpływu przyczyniają się do zmniejszenia ryzyka powodzi, podczas gdy inne są odpowiedzialne za jego zwiększenie. W pracy wykorzystano dane z ponad 100-letniego okresu udostępnione przez Państwową Służbę Hydrologiczną, uwzględniono również mapy opublikowane w dużej skali w ostatnich 230 latach, a także wyniki badań terenowych autora.

Study of responses of 64-story Rincon Building to Napa, Fremont, Piedmont, San Ramon earthquakes and ambient motions

Science.gov (United States)

Çelebi, Mehmet; Hooper, John; Klemencic, Ron

2017-01-01

We analyze the recorded responses of a 64-story, instrumented, concrete core shear wall building in San Francisco, California, equipped with tuned sloshing liquid dampers (TSDs) and buckling restraining braces (BRBs). Previously, only ambient data from the 72-channel array in the building were studied (Çelebi et al. 2013). Recently, the 24 August 2014 Mw 6.0 Napa and three other earthquakes were recorded. The peak accelerations of ambient and the larger Napa earthquake responses at the basement are 0.12 cm/s/s and 5.2 cm/s/s respectively—a factor of ~42. At the 61st level, they are 0.30 cm/s/s (ambient) and 16.8 cm/s/s (Napa), respectively—a factor of ~56. Fundamental frequencies (NS ~ 0.3, EW ~ 0.27 Hz) from earthquake responses vary within an insignificant frequency band of ~0.02–0.03 Hz when compared to those from ambient data. In the absence of soil-structure interaction (SSI), these small and insignificant differences may be attributed to (1) identification errors, (2) any nonlinear behavior, and (3) shaking levels that are not large enough to activate the BRBs and TSDs to make significant shifts in frequencies and increase damping.

A new species of Trachymyrmex (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) fungus-growing ant from the Sierra Madre Oriental of northeastern Mexico

Science.gov (United States)

Sánchez-Peña, Sergio R.; Chacón-Cardosa, Manuela Citlali; Canales-del-Castillo, Ricardo; Ward, Lauren; Resendez-Pérez, Diana

2017-01-01

Abstract Here we describe a new species of Trachymyrmex, T. pakawa sp. n., from the Gran Sierra Plegada range of the Sierra Madre Oriental, in the states of Coahuila and Nuevo Leon, northeastern Mexico. Trachymyrmex pakawa is a large-sized species compared to other North American Trachymyrmex. Its geographic distribution includes the piedmont of the Gran Sierra Plegada at La Estanzuela, Monterrey, as well as peripheral mountains segregated from the Sierra Madre Oriental (Cerro de las Mitras, Sierra de Zapalinamé, Cañon de San Lorenzo, Cerro de las Letras). The preferred habitats of T. pakawa include oak-pine forest at La Estanzuela, xeric oak forest at Zapalinamé and mesic Chihuahuan desert scrub with sotol (Dasylirion) at other sites. All localities are on slopes, on very rocky, shallow lithosols overlaying large boulders. This species nests under and between large boulders and rocks. It has not been observed on alluvial or better developed, deeper soils, and it is absent from sites with human activity (urban, disturbed, and landscaped areas). It is closely related to and morphologically similar to Trachymyrmex smithi. The known distribution ranges of T. pakawa and T. smithi almost overlap in Saltillo, Coahuila state. The main character that distinguishes the new species from T. smithi is longer antennal scapes in T. pakawa; also, different nesting habits (rocky slopes vs. alluvial sites or deep sand in T. smithi), and geographic distribution. Phylogenetic analysis of DNA sequences from the mitochondrial marker cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) and the first intron of the F1 copy of the nuclear protein-coding gene Elongation Factor 1- α (EF1-α-F1) confirm a sister-species relationship between T. pakawa and T. smithi. Bayesian coalescent analyses indicate a divergence time of about 8.00 million years before present (95% confidence interval: 4.8–11.5 mya) between T. pakawa and T. smithi. The divergence of the lineages of T. pakawa and T. smithi could have

A new species of Trachymyrmex (Hymenoptera, Formicidae fungus-growing ant from the Sierra Madre Oriental of northeastern Mexico

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Sergio R. Sánchez-Peña

2017-10-01

Full Text Available Here we describe a new species of Trachymyrmex, T. pakawa sp. n., from the Gran Sierra Plegada range of the Sierra Madre Oriental, in the states of Coahuila and Nuevo Leon, northeastern Mexico. Trachymyrmex pakawa is a large-sized species compared to other North American Trachymyrmex. Its geographic distribution includes the piedmont of the Gran Sierra Plegada at La Estanzuela, Monterrey, as well as peripheral mountains segregated from the Sierra Madre Oriental (Cerro de las Mitras, Sierra de Zapalinamé, Cañon de San Lorenzo, Cerro de las Letras. The preferred habitats of T. pakawa include oak-pine forest at La Estanzuela, xeric oak forest at Zapalinamé and mesic Chihuahuan desert scrub with sotol (Dasylirion at other sites. All localities are on slopes, on very rocky, shallow lithosols overlaying large boulders. This species nests under and between large boulders and rocks. It has not been observed on alluvial or better developed, deeper soils, and it is absent from sites with human activity (urban, disturbed, and landscaped areas. It is closely related to and morphologically similar to Trachymyrmex smithi. The known distribution ranges of T. pakawa and T. smithi almost overlap in Saltillo, Coahuila state. The main character that distinguishes the new species from T. smithi is longer antennal scapes in T. pakawa; also, different nesting habits (rocky slopes vs. alluvial sites or deep sand in T. smithi, and geographic distribution. Phylogenetic analysis of DNA sequences from the mitochondrial marker cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI and the first intron of the F1 copy of the nuclear protein-coding gene Elongation Factor 1- α (EF1-α-F1 confirm a sister-species relationship between T. pakawa and T. smithi. Bayesian coalescent analyses indicate a divergence time of about 8.00 million years before present (95% confidence interval: 4.8–11.5 mya between T. pakawa and T. smithi. The divergence of the lineages of T. pakawa and T. smithi could

Perifiton en el mesohábitat de corredera de un arroyo serrano: dinámica estacional en relación a variables físico-químicas Periphyton in a run mesohabitat of a mountain stream: seasonal dynamics related to physicochemical parameters

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M. Andrea Amaidén

2011-12-01

Full Text Available Se analizó la composición y la distribución de algas perifíticas en un mesohábitat de corredera del arroyo Achiras, al suroeste de Río Cuarto, Córdoba, estacionalmente durante el período 2005-2006. Se seleccionaron tres sitios de muestreo en el gradiente longitudinal de una zona serrana y pedemontana, donde se realizará la construcción de una presa. Esta investigación aporta los primeros resultados sobre la comunidad algal perifítica y sienta las bases para una profundización futura. Se determinaron 267 taxones, la clase Bacillariophyceae aportó 174, Chlorophyceae 78 y Cyanophyceae 15. La máxima similitud entre las muestras fue de 100 %, correspondiendo a los sitios 1 y 2 durante la primavera. La mayor abundancia promedio fue de 320.486 org.cm-2 para el sitio 3 durante el verano. La clasificación de las muestras separó dos grupos principales y conformó subgrupos. El CCA efectuado a muestras y especies mostró una separación del sitio 3, ubicado en el pedemonte, con mayor porcentaje de sedimento de menor tamaño y una menor velocidad de corriente respecto a los otros. Los sitios 1 y 2 se caracterizaron, en general, por un gradiente de pH. Todos los grupos formados por la clasificación estuvieron integrados, en su mayoría, por organismos del orden Biraphidales.Composition and distribution of periphytic algae in a run mesohabitat of the stream Achiras, southwest of Rio Cuarto, Cordoba, were analyzed seasonally during 2005-2006. Three sites were selected for sampling in the longitudinal gradient of a mountainous and piedmont area, where the construction of a dam is considered. This research provides the first results on the algal periphytic community and lays the groundwork for a deepening future. A total of 267 taxa were identified, the class Bacillariophyceae contributed with 174 taxa, Chlorophyceae with 78 and Cyanophyceae with 15. The maximum similarity between samples was 100%, corresponding to sites 1 and 2 during the

Artesian water in the Malabar coastal plain of southern Kerala, India

Science.gov (United States)

Taylor, George C.; Ghosh, P.K.

1964-01-01

The present report is based on a geological and hydrological reconnaissance during 1954 of the Malabar Coastal Plain and adjacent island area of southern Kerala to evaluate the availability of ground water for coastal villages and municipalities and associated industries and the potentialities for future development. The work was done in cooperation with the Geological Survey of India and under the auspices of the U.S. Technical Cooperation Mission to India. The State of Kerala, which lies near the southern tip of India and along the eastern shore of the Caspian Sea, contains a total area of 14,937 square miles. The eastern part of the state is s rugged mountainous highland which attains altitudes of more than 6,000 feet. This highland descends westward through piedmont upland to s narrow coastal plain, which reaches a maximum width of about 16 miles in the latitude of Shertalli. A tropical monsoon rain-forest climate prevails in most of Kerala, and annual rainfall ranges from 65 to 130 inches in the southern part of the coastal plain to as much a 200 inches in the highland. The highland and piedmont upland tracts of Kerala are underlain by Precambrian meamorphic and igneous rocks belonging in large parabola-the so-called Charnockite Series. Beneath ahe coastal plain are semiconsolidated asunconsolidated sedimentary deposits whose age ranges from Miocene to Recent. These deposits include sofa sandstone and clay shale containing some marl or limestone and sand, and clay and pea containing some gravel. The sofa sandstone, sand, and gravel beds constitute important aquifers a depths ranging from a few tens of feet to 400 feet or more below the land surface. The shallow ground war is under water-able or unconfined conditions, but the deeper aquifers contain water under artesian pressure. Near the coast, drilled wells tapping the deeper aquifers commonly flow with artesian heads as much as 10 to 12 feet above the land surface. The draft from existing wells in the

Digital field mapping for stimulating Secondary School students in the recognition of geological features and landforms

Science.gov (United States)

Giardino, Marco; Magagna, Alessandra; Ferrero, Elena; Perrone, Gianluigi

2015-04-01

Digital field mapping has certainly provided geoscientists with the opportunity to map and gather data in the field directly using digital tools and software rather than using paper maps, notebooks and analogue devices and then subsequently transferring the data to a digital format for subsequent analysis. But, the same opportunity has to be recognized for Geoscience education, as well as for stimulating and helping students in the recognition of landforms and interpretation of the geological and geomorphological components of a landscape. More, an early exposure to mapping during school and prior to university can optimise the ability to "read" and identify uncertainty in 3d models. During 2014, about 200 Secondary School students (aged 12-15) of the Piedmont region (NW Italy) participated in a research program involving the use of mobile devices (smartphone and tablet) in the field. Students, divided in groups, used the application Trimble Outdoors Navigators for tracking a geological trail in the Sangone Valley and for taking georeferenced pictures and notes. Back to school, students downloaded the digital data in a .kml file for the visualization on Google Earth. This allowed them: to compare the hand tracked trail on a paper map with the digital trail, and to discuss about the functioning and the precision of the tools; to overlap a digital/semitransparent version of the 2D paper map (a Regional Technical Map) used during the field trip on the 2.5D landscape of Google Earth, as to help them in the interpretation of conventional symbols such as contour lines; to perceive the landforms seen during the field trip as a part of a more complex Pleistocene glacial landscape; to understand the classical and innovative contributions from different geoscientific disciplines to the generation of a 3D structural geological model of the Rivoli-Avigliana Morainic Amphitheatre. In 2013 and 2014, some other pilot projects have been carried out in different areas of the

Smoke Management: Toward a Data Base to Validate PB-Piedmont - Numerical Simulation of Smoke on the Ground at Night

Science.gov (United States)

Gary L. Achtemeier

1999-01-01

The use of fire for controlled burning to meet objectives for silviculture or for ecosystem management carries the risk of liability for smoke. Near-ground smoke can degrade air quality, reduce visibility, aggravate health problems, and create a general nuisance. At night, smoke can locally limit visibility over roadways creating serious hazards to transportation. PB-...

Relationship between the feature of gravity and magnetic fields and uranium mineralization in the south piedmont of Tianshan mountain

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cui Huanmin; Luo Juecheng.

1988-01-01

The figures of Bouguer anomalies and vertical magnetic anomalies obtained at the scales of 1:1000 000, 1:500 000 and 1:100 000 were processed and the Moho depths were calculated. The feature of gravity and magnetic fields over uranium deposits was determined through interpreting cmprehensive data from uranium deposits No. 504 and No. 509 and potential areas of uranium mineralization were predicted

Angelo Sismonda (1807–1878), pioneer of geological mapping in the Alps of Savoy and the Piedmont: a bibliography

CERN Document Server

Hollier, John; Basaglia, Tullio; Hollier, Anita

2016-01-01

Angelo Sismonda (Ange Sismonda) was an Italian mineralogist and geologist based in Turin during the Risorgimento who produced pioneering maps of the Alps in the Kingdom of Sardinia. Well known during his lifetime, he is now mentioned only in passing by historians and no comprehensive bibliography of his work exists. To render his work more accessible, we present a short biography and a bibliography.

Effects of Prescribed Fire on Herpetofauna Within Hardwood Forests of the Upper Piedmont of South Carolina: A Preliminary Analysis

Science.gov (United States)

Thomas M. Floyd; Kevin R. Russell; Christopher E. Moorman; David H. van Lear; David C. Guynn; J. Drew Lanham

2002-01-01

Despite a large body of knowledge concerning the use of prescribed burning for wildlife management, amphibians and reptiles (collectively, herpetofauna) have received relatively little attention regarding their responses to fire. With few exceptions, previous studies of herpetofauna and prescribed burning have been confined to fire-maintained, pine-dominated...

The ground beetles (Coleoptera, Carabidae of “Bosco Palli”, a relict Turkey oak wood in Basso Monferrato (Piedmont, Italy

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Allegro G

2016-12-01

Full Text Available The Carabid fauna of “Bosco Palli”, a relict Turkey oak wood in the hilly area of Basso Monferrato, is described. This wood covers an area of about 50 hectares divided in two separate core areas and is almost entirely surrounded by agricultural crops. A total of 25 Carabid species were recorded, of which only 11 are present in the central core areas and 23 in the peripheral ecotone areas. There are only very few species with strict forest attitude, but a prosperous population of Carabus italicus was recorded, located in a peripheral portion of the forest on moist and swampy soil. The poorness of this fauna and the scarcity of specialized forest species may be a consequence of the limited area of the wood, its fragmentation, the total isolation in an agricultural context and the repeated coppicing carried out up to about half of the past century.

Physicochemical Properties, Micromorphology and Clay Mineralogy of Soils Affected by Geological Formations, Geomorphology and Climate

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A. Bayat

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Soil genesis and development in arid and semi-arid areas are strongly affected by geological formations and geomorphic surfaces. Various morphological, physical, and geochemical soil properties at different geomorphic positions are usually attributed to different soil forming factors including parent material and climate. Due to variations in climate, geological formations (Quaternary, Neogene and Cretaceous and geomorphology, the aim of the present research was the study of genesis, development, clay mineralogy, and micromorphology of soils affected by climate, geology and geomorphology in Bardsir area, Kerman Province. Materials and Methods: The study area, 25000 ha, starts from Bardsir and extends to Khanesorkh elevations close to Sirjan city. The climate of the area is warm and semi-arid with mean annual temperature and precipitation of 14.9 °C and 199 mm, respectively. Soil moisture and temperature regimes of the area are aridic and mesic due to 1:2500000 map, provided by Soil and Water Research Institute. Moving to west and southwest, soil moisture regime of the area changes to xeric with increasing elevation. Using topography and geology maps (1:100000 together with Google Earth images, geomorphic surfaces and geologic formations of the area were investigated. Mantled pediment (pedons 1, 3, 7, and 8, rock pediment (pedon 2, semi-stable alluvial plain (pedon 6, unstable alluvial plain (pedon 5, piedmont plain (pedons 9 and 11, intermediate surface of alluvial plain and pediment (pedon 4, and old river terrace (pedon 10 are among geomorphic surfaces investigated in the area. Mantled pediment is composed of young Quaternary sediments and Cretaceous marls. Rock pediments are mainly formed by Cretaceous marls. Quaternary formations are dominant in alluvial plains. Alluvial terraces and intermediate surface of alluvial plain and pediment are dominated by Neogene conglomerates. Siltstone, sandstone, and Neogene marls together with

Investigation of radon entry and effectiveness of mitigation measures in seven houses in New Jersey: Midproject report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Matthews, T.G.; Dudney, C.S.; Monar, K.P.; Landguth, D.C.; Wilson, D.L.; Hawthorne, A.R.; Hubbard, L.M.; Gadsby, K.J.; Bohac, D.L.; Decker, C.A.

1987-12-01

A detailed radon mitigation study is in progress in 14 homes in the New Jersey Piedmont area. The principal goals are the refinement of diagnostic measurements for selection and implementation of mitigation systems, and the reduction of radon concentrations to acceptable levels inside the study houses. Monitoring stations were installed in each home in October, 1986. Instrumented measurements included: basement and upstairs radon; differential pressures across the basement/subslag, basement/upstairs and basement/outdoor interfaces; temperatures at basement, upstairs and outdoor locations; and central air handler usage. A weather station was located at one house, monitoring wind speed and direction; barometric pressure; precipitation; soil temperature; and outdoor temperature and relative humidity. A time-averaged value of all of the above parameters was recorded every 30 min. Several additional parameters were monitored on an intermittent basis in all or selected homes. These include multizone air infiltration rates which have been measured in all homes using passive perfluorocarbon tracers (PFT) and in two homes using a constant concentration tracer gas system (CCTG). Total radon progeny, soil gas radon concentration and permeability characteristics, and gamma radiation levels were also monitored periodically in all study homes. 10 refs., 53 figs.

Hydrological implications of land-cover and land-use change: a proposal for spatial analysis at a regional level in the closed Cuitzeo-lake basin, Michoacán

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Manuel Mendoza

2012-03-01

Full Text Available This study was undertaken to understand the implications of regional land-cover and land-use change (LCLUC in a spatially distributed water balance (SDWB within a poorly gauged basin in 1975 and 2000. Results from this work were derived by integrating remote sensing and geographic information system tools with a water-balance model, along with the application of a transitional matrix analysis. The analysis of changes in water-balance components, based on landforms and transitional matrices, indicated a small tendency towards improvement in the basin's hydrological conditions at a regional level. However, as a consequence of the increase in urban land-use, the basin's plains piedmonts showed a rice in runoff. In addition, the basins' lower areas exhibited a high demand for water resources due to an increased urban land-use in both years, along with the Cuitzeo lake degradation, particularly in terms of pollution and reduction of surface water inflow. The integrated approach used herein constitutes a viable alternative for understanding changes in the amount and spatial distribution of water available in poorly gauged water basins as a consequence of LCLUC.

Interhemispheric correlation of late pleistocene glacial events.

Science.gov (United States)

Lowell, T V; Heusser, C J; Andersen, B G; Moreno, P I; Hauser, A; Heusser, L E; Schlüchter, C; Marchant, D R; Denton, G H

1995-09-15

A radiocarbon chronology shows that piedmont glacier lobes in the Chilean Andes achieved maxima during the last glaciation at 13,900 to 14,890, 21,000, 23,060, 26,940, 29,600, and >/=33,500 carbon-14 years before present ((14)C yr B.P.) in a cold and wet Subantarctic Parkland environment. The last glaciation ended with massive collapse of ice lobes close to 14,000(14)C yr B.P., accompanied by an influx of North Patagonian Rain Forest species. In the Southern Alps of New Zealand, additional glacial maxima are registered at 17,720(14)C yr B.P., and at the beginning of the Younger Dryas at 11,050 (14)C yr B. P. These glacial maxima in mid-latitude mountains rimming the South Pacific were coeval with ice-rafting pulses in the North Atlantic Ocean. Furthermore, the last termination began suddenly and simultaneously in both polar hemispheres before the resumption of the modern mode of deep-water production in the Nordic Seas. Such interhemispheric coupling implies a global atmospheric signal rather than regional climatic changes caused by North Atlantic thermohaline switches or Laurentide ice surges.

HBIM and Virtual Tools: A New Chance to Preserve Architectural Heritage

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Anna Osello

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Nowadays, architectural heritage is increasingly exposed to dangers due to natural disasters or human invasive actions. However, management and conservation represent crucial phases within the life cycle of historical buildings. Unfortunately, the complexity of conservation practices and the lack of knowledge of historic buildings are the cause of an inefficient recovering process in case of emergencies. To overcome this problem, this research aims to ensure the preservation of relevant information through the use of building information modeling (BIM methodology. By developing historic building information models (HBIMs, it is possible to enhance the architectural heritage. This represents an opportunity to incorporate digital media into the global heritage conservation field. To achieve this goal, a historical castle was selected as a case study; this unique piece of architecture is located in the Piedmont Region, close to city of Turin (Italy. The results show a direct relation between a historical digital model, finalized to the management of architectural and system components, and visualization tools. To conclude, the adoption of this strategy is an effective way to preserve and consult information using advanced visualization techniques based on augmented and virtual reality (AR and VR.

Snow Precipitation and Snow Cover Climatic Variability for the Period 1971–2009 in the Southwestern Italian Alps: The 2008–2009 Snow Season Case Study

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Simona Fratianni

2010-10-01

Full Text Available Snow cover greatly influences the climate in the Alpine region and is one of the most relevant parameters for the climate change analysis. Nevertheless, snow precipitation variability is a relatively underexplored field of research because of the lack of long-term, continuous and homogeneous time series. After a historical research aiming to recover continuous records, three high quality time series of snow precipitation and snow depth recorded in the southwestern Italian Alps were analyzed. The comparison between the climatological indices over the 30 years reference period 1971–2000 and the decade 2000–2009 outlined a general decrease in the amount of snow precipitation, and a shift in the seasonal distribution of the snow precipitation in the most recent period. In the analysis of the last decade snow seasons characteristics, the attention was focused on the heavy snowfalls that occurred in Piedmont during the 2008–2009 snow season: MODerate resolution Imager Spectroradiometer (MODIS snow cover products were used to evaluate snow cover extension at different times during the snow season, and the results were set in relation to the temperatures.

Ordering Interfluves: a Simple Proposal for Understanding Critical Zone Evolution and Function

Science.gov (United States)

Brecheisen, Z. S.; Richter, D., Jr.; Moon, S.; Halpin, P. N.

2015-12-01

A geomorphic interfluve ordering system, a reciprocal to the Hortonian-Strahler stream network order, is envisioned at the Calhoun Critical Zone Observatory (CCZO) in the South Carolina Piedmont. In this system the narrowest and most highly dissected interfluves (gentle ridges and hilltops) are 1st order and increase in rank dendritically through interfluve branching and broadening. Interfluve order attends to the structure, function, and management of residual porous-solid systems in the transport of water, solutes, and eroded solids in our deeply weathered (>30m soil/saprolite) critical zone. Recently generated geospatial data regarding the interactions of geomorphology, human land use, and forest ecology further strengthen the utility of this system. These upland networks and corresponding "land-sheds" have potential in linking recent work in the fields of geophysics and geomorphology regarding bedrock weathering front dynamics. Patterns of bedrock weathering depth, landcover & land-use change, and soil erosion are considered as they correspond to interfluve order. With LiDAR mapping and the burgeoning development and utilization of geophysical techniques and models enabling new quantitative research of critical zone landscape structure and function, many physiographic regions could benefit from a system that delineates and orders interfluve networks.

Investigation of radon entry and effectiveness of mitigation measures in seven houses in New Jersey: Midproject report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Matthews, T.G.; Dudney, C.S.; Monar, K.P.

1987-12-01

A detailed radon mitigation study is in progress in 14 homes in the New Jersey Piedmont area. The principal goals are the refinement of diagnostic measurements for selection and implementation of mitigation systems, and the reduction of radon concentrations to acceptable levels inside the study houses. Monitoring stations were installed in each home in October, 1986. Instrumented measurements included: basement and upstairs radon; differential pressures across the basement/subslag, basement/upstairs and basement/outdoor interfaces; temperatures at basement, upstairs and outdoor locations; and central air handler usage. A weather station was located at one house, monitoring wind speed and direction; barometric pressure; precipitation; soil temperature; and outdoor temperature and relative humidity. A time-averaged value of all of the above parameters was recorded every 30 min. Several additional parameters were monitored on an intermittent basis in all or selected homes. These include multizone air infiltration rates which have been measured in all homes using passive perfluorocarbon tracers (PFT) and in two homes using a constant concentration tracer gas system (CCTG). Total radon progeny, soil gas radon concentration and permeability characteristics, and gamma radiation levels were also monitored periodically in all study homes. 10 refs., 53 figs

Historical Land Use Dynamics in the Highly Degraded Landscape of the Calhoun Critical Zone Observatory

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Michael R. Coughlan

2017-05-01

Full Text Available Processes of land degradation and regeneration display fine scale heterogeneity often intimately linked with land use. Yet, examinations of the relationships between land use and land degradation often lack the resolution necessary to understand how local institutions differentially modulate feedback between individual farmers and the spatially heterogeneous effects of land use on soils. In this paper, we examine an historical example of a transition from agriculture to forest dominated land use (c. 1933–1941 in a highly degraded landscape on the Piedmont of South Carolina. Our landscape-scale approach examines land use and tenure at the level that individuals enact management decisions. We used logistic regression techniques to examine associations between land use, land tenure, topography, and market cost-distance. Our findings suggest that farmer responses to changing market and policy conditions were influenced by topographic characteristics associated with productivity and long-term viability of agricultural land use. Further, although local environmental feedbacks help to explain spatial patterning of land use, property regime and land tenure arrangements also significantly constrained the ability of farmers to adapt to changing socioeconomic and environmental conditions.

Natuculture Systems: Addressing Students' STEM and Agriculture Knowledge

Science.gov (United States)

Joyce, Alexander Augusto

The purpose of this study was to assess the inclusion of a Natuculture systems learning experience into selected high school STEM courses to determine high school students' interests in majoring in STEM and for pursuing careers in agricultural sciences. Natuculture is defined as "any human-made system that mimics nature in human-disturbed landscapes". The research occurred at an urban area high school located in the Piedmont region of North Carolina. Fifty-three students in grades 9-12 participated during an academic semester learning experience which included planting, maintenance, & harvesting for an oasissofa. Data was collected using a questionnaire and reflective journals to gather students' attitudes towards agriculture and science and knowledge towards agriculture. Results showed that while the experiences did not improve students' interest in pursuing careers in agricultural sciences, overall, they did increase their knowledge of concepts related to agriculture. It was concluded that students benefit from experiential learning experiences. Based on the study, it is recommended that future research follow up with students to learn of their educational and career choices in agriculture and future learning experiences include curricula that integrates agricultural topics with STEM courses.

The Rhizosphere Bacterial Microbiota of Vitis vinifera cv. Pinot Noir in an Integrated Pest Management Vineyard.

Science.gov (United States)

Novello, Giorgia; Gamalero, Elisa; Bona, Elisa; Boatti, Lara; Mignone, Flavio; Massa, Nadia; Cesaro, Patrizia; Lingua, Guido; Berta, Graziella

2017-01-01

Microorganisms associated with Vitis vinifera (grapevine) can affect its growth, health and grape quality. The aim of this study was to unravel the biodiversity of the bacterial rhizosphere microbiota of grapevine in an integrated pest management vineyard located in Piedmont, Italy. Comparison between the microbial community structure in the bulk and rhizosphere soil (variable: space) were performed. Moreover, the possible shifts of the bulk and rhizosphere soil microbiota according to two phenological stages such as flowering and early fruit development (variable: time) were characterized. The grapevine microbiota was identified using metagenomics and next-generation sequencing. Biodiversity was higher in the rhizosphere than in the bulk soil, independent of the phenological stage. Actinobacteria were the dominant class with frequencies ≥ 50% in all the soil samples, followed by Proteobacteria, Gemmatimonadetes, and Bacteroidetes. While Actinobacteria and Proteobacteria are well-known as being dominant in soil, this is the first time the presence of Gemmatimonadetes has been observed in vineyard soils. Gaiella was the dominant genus of Actinobacteria in all the samples. Finally, the microbiota associated with grapevine differed from the bulk soil microbiota and these variations were independent of the phenological stage of the plant.

The Rhizosphere Bacterial Microbiota of Vitis vinifera cv. Pinot Noir in an Integrated Pest Management Vineyard

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Giorgia Novello

2017-08-01

Full Text Available Microorganisms associated with Vitis vinifera (grapevine can affect its growth, health and grape quality. The aim of this study was to unravel the biodiversity of the bacterial rhizosphere microbiota of grapevine in an integrated pest management vineyard located in Piedmont, Italy. Comparison between the microbial community structure in the bulk and rhizosphere soil (variable: space were performed. Moreover, the possible shifts of the bulk and rhizosphere soil microbiota according to two phenological stages such as flowering and early fruit development (variable: time were characterized. The grapevine microbiota was identified using metagenomics and next-generation sequencing. Biodiversity was higher in the rhizosphere than in the bulk soil, independent of the phenological stage. Actinobacteria were the dominant class with frequencies ≥ 50% in all the soil samples, followed by Proteobacteria, Gemmatimonadetes, and Bacteroidetes. While Actinobacteria and Proteobacteria are well-known as being dominant in soil, this is the first time the presence of Gemmatimonadetes has been observed in vineyard soils. Gaiella was the dominant genus of Actinobacteria in all the samples. Finally, the microbiota associated with grapevine differed from the bulk soil microbiota and these variations were independent of the phenological stage of the plant.

Refurbishment of Social housing: a survey of the building stock owned by ATC Torino

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Andrea Levra Levron

2016-11-01

Full Text Available The Italian public housing building stock is considerable, although quantitatively less than that of other European countries,. The public policies adopted in the last decades have pushed the supply of housing by the private sector and supported the sale of the assets by the public housing authorities. Those buildings are often degraded and obsolete. Nevertheless, the issue of redevelopment of this part of the residential building stock is a central focus, also because of its important social role, especially in the current period of crisis. One of the recurring factors in the Italian case is the low quality of this building stock due to the lack of an organic maintenance activity. The paper reports the first results of a research carried out by the Department of Architecture and Design in cooperation with a social housing public authority, the Regional Agency for the Central Piedmont House (ATC. The goal of the research was the development of methodologies for estimating and analysis of maintenance requirements. Moreover, the study suggests and develops a forecasting tool for the planning of maintenance operations and redevelopment of the large building estates.

Guidelines for the design of a healing garden for the rehabilitation of psychiatric patients

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Chantal Erbino

2015-06-01

Full Text Available Healing gardens are green spaces designed to promote and improve health and well-being for people suffering from illness. This paper proposes a methodology for defining a master plan for healing gardens. The methodology is based on site analysis (identification, limitations and potentials of the area and the evaluation of user needs (patients, staff, relatives. The aim of the master plan is to provide guidelines for the definition of the executive plan, and to set up a sufficiently flexible project suitable for future new categories of patients, according to the different needs of the regional health authorities. The methodology has been applied to a case study: this paper considers the design of the healing garden of a building named Villa Bianca, part of the wider complex of the clinic for mental disorders Villa di Salute located in Trofarello (in the province of Turin, Piedmont, Italy. The main kinds of disturbances treated at Villa di Salute are schizophrenia and personality disorders; there are also some patients with severe depression. At the present time the building and the garden of Villa Bianca are not being used and are undergoing renovation.

The lost micro-deserts of the Patuxent River using landscape history, insect and plant specimens, and field work to detect and define a unique community

Science.gov (United States)

Droege, S.; Davis, C.A.; Steiner, W.E.; =Mawdsley, J.

2009-01-01

Historical and recent records of both plants and insects are synthesized for uplands along the eastern edge of Maryland?s Patuxent River from the edge of the Piedmont south to Jug Bay. This strip is characterized by deep sandy soils found in the Evesboro and Galestown sandy loams soil series. Within this narrow strip there exists a unique flora and fauna adapted to open dry sandy soils and occurring in small remnant patches associated with old sand mining operations and scattered protected areas. We illustrate the uniqueness of these sites using four groups, vascular plants, tenebrionid beetles (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae), tiger beetles (Coleoptera: Cicindelidae), and bees (Hymenoptera: Apoidea: Anthophila). Within each of these groups, rare species were detected whose populations were locally restricted to this soil type and whose nearest known populations were often hundreds of kilometers away. In addition to documenting the direct conservation importance of these small sandy openings along the Patuxent, we contrast the lack of any indication from vertebrate inventories that this region is unique. The combination of plant and insect inventories appears to be a better means of clarifying a site?s importance than does any survey of a single taxonomic group.

[Ecological adaptability evaluation of peanut cultivars based on biomass and nutrient accumulation].

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Xue; Cui, Shao-xiong; Sun, Zhi-mei; Mu, Guo-jun; Cui, Shun-li; Wang, Peng-chao; Liu, Li-feng

2015-07-01

To identify the good peanut cultivars with the properties of high yield, high nutrient use efficiency and wide adaptability, 19 selected peanut cultivars were planted in the low champaign area and piedmont plain area of Hebei Province. By using principal component analysis, the adaptability of these 19 cultivars was evaluated for different ecological regions through comparing their 16 main traits including biomass and nutrient parameters. According to the critical value of principal component (>1.0), the 16 biomass and nutrient characteristics were integrated into 4 principal components which accounted for 85% of the original information. The results indicated that there were obvious differences in yield and nutrient use efficiency for the peanut cultivars in different ecological regions. The 19 peanut cultivars were classified into 2 groups according to their ecological adaptability, and the cultivars from the group with wide adaptability could further be divided into 3 categories according to their yield and nutrient use efficiency. Among these cultivars, Yuhua 9719, Jihua 0212-4, Weihua 10, Yuhua 15, Puhua 28 and Jihua 10 were selected as the better peanut cultivars with the properties of high yield, high nutrient use efficiency and wide adaptability.

Les flux de matières dissoutes et particulaires des Andes de Bolivie vers le rio Madeira en Amazonie brésilienne

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1995-01-01

Full Text Available Le Rio Madeira est le principal affluent méridional de l’Amazone et le deuxième tributaire andin du bassin. L’utilisation des données obtenues en Bolivie par le PHICAB (1, et au Brésil sur le réseau du DNAEE (2, a permis de suivre l’évolution des flux de matières dissoutes et particulaires, depuis les Andes jusqu’à l’Amazone. Les flux de matières en solution [36 106 t an-1 à Villabella (3] augmentent progressivement d’amont en aval avec les débits. Les flux de matières en suspension diminuent du piedmont andin jusqu’à Villabella (258 106 t an-1 du fait d’une forte sédimentation. Ensuite, les différences notables observées au Brésil posent clairement le problème des modes d’échantillonnage et de calcul des flux sédimentaires. LOS FLUJOS DE MATERIA DISUELTA Y PARTICULAR DESDE LOS ANDES DE BOLIVIA HASTA EL RÍO MADEIRA EN EL AMAZONAS DE BRASIL. El río Madeira es el principal afluente meridional del Amazonas, y el segundo tributario andino de la cuenca. La utilización de los datos obtenidos en Bolivia por el PHICAB (1, y en el Brasil sobre la red del DNAEE (2 permite conocer la evolución de los flujos de materia disuelta y particular, desde los Andes hasta el Amazonas. Los aportes en materia disuelta [36 106 t año-1 en Villabella (3] aumentan progresivamente de aguas arriba para aguas abajo, con el caudal. Los flujos de materias en suspensión disminuyen desde el Piedemonte hasta Villabella (258 106 t año-1 por causa de una fuerte sedimentación. Después, las diferencias notables observadas en el Brasil colocan claramente el problema de los tipos de muestreo y de cálculo de los flujos de sedimentos. THE DISSOLVED AND SEDIMENT YIELDS FROM THE ANDES OF BOLIVIA TO THE MADEIRA RIVER IN THE BRAZILIAN AMAZON. The Madeira river is the main Southern tributary of the Amazon, and the second Andean tributary of the drainage basin. The use of Bolivian data from the PHICAB (1, and Brazilian data from the DNAEE (2, allow to

Collecting Distributed Knowledge For Community’s Smart Changes

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Alessandro Sciullo

2013-11-01

Full Text Available The paper deals with the role of ICT in innovating government’s and the whole process of “policy production process”. By enhancing the connections between various governmental and social organizations, ICT supported knowledge flow s and the associated Socio  Technical System may  be a vehicle to support innovation in the public sector. In fact, they would enable governments to better cope with the uncertainties of a complex environment.The MIDA Project carried out in the territory of Asti Province (Piedmont can be considered as an attempt to engage in building such as a system.The Project uses a crowd sourcing approach and it involves citizens in collecting data concerning broadband coverage, Internet access and usages.  From a research standpoint, MIDA represented an opportunity to test the role of Internet as a dynamic collaborative environment where statistically relevant data and interpreted information could be merged.In terms of policy, the project stood as an opportunity for the local government to engage itself in a new policy approach to grasp people’s needs and improve service delivery. The paper deals with the role of ICT in innovating government’s and the whole process of “policy production process”. By enhancing the connections between various governmental and social organizations, ICT supported knowledge flow s and the associated Socio  Technical System may  be a vehicle to support innovation in the public sector. In fact, they would enable governments to better cope with the uncertainties of a complex environment.The MIDA Project carried out in the territory of Asti Province (Piedmont can be considered as an attempt to engage in building such as a system.The Project uses a crowd sourcing approach and it involves citizens in collecting data concerning broadband coverage, Internet access and usages.  From a research standpoint, MIDA represented an opportunity to test the role of Internet as a dynamic

Application of geographic information systems to investigating associations between social status and burial location in medieval Trino Vercellese (Piedmont, Italy).

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Stewart, Marissa C; Vercellotti, Giuseppe

2017-09-01

Socioeconomic status differences in skeletal populations are often inferred from skeletal indicators of stress and burial location. However, to date, the association between osteometric parameters and spatial location in relation to socioeconomic status in medieval Italy has not been explicitly tested. This study examined the spatial distribution of osteometric data in the medieval (8th-13th c.) cemetery of San Michele di Trino (Trino Vercellese, VC, Italy) to determine whether skeletal correlates of socioeconomic status correspond with privileged burial locations. Specifically, we tested the hypothesis that greater growth outcomes are associated with privileged burials located inside the church by examining osteometric data (femoral bicondylar length [N = 74], maximum tibial length [N = 62], and the sum of the two measurements [N = 59]) in a geographic information system (GIS) of the cemetery. Getis-Ord G Hot Spot analysis identified significant (90% CI) spatial clustering of high osteometric values within the church, while low values clustered in areas of the cemetery farther from the church. These results, supported by the results of interpolation analyses, became more pronounced when z-scores were calculated to combine the male and female samples and the analyses were repeated. Overall, the findings corroborate the observation that the spatial distribution of osteometric data reflects socioeconomic status differences within the population. This research exemplifies the advantages of integrating bioarchaeology and spatial analysis to examine mortuary behavior and health outcomes in highly stratified societies where access to resources is demarcated in both life and in death. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Alpine ethnobotany in Italy: traditional knowledge of gastronomic and medicinal plants among the Occitans of the upper Varaita valley, Piedmont.

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Pieroni, Andrea; Giusti, Maria Elena

2009-11-06

A gastronomic and medical ethnobotanical study was conducted among the Occitan communities living in Blins/Bellino and Chianale, in the upper Val Varaita, in the Piedmontese Alps, North-Western Italy, and the traditional uses of 88 botanical taxa were recorded. Comparisons with and analysis of other ethnobotanical studies previously carried out in other Piemontese and surrounding areas, show that approximately one fourth of the botanical taxa quoted in this survey are also known in other surrounding Occitan valleys. It is also evident that traditional knowledge in the Varaita valley has been heavily eroded. This study also examined the local legal framework for the gathering of botanical taxa, and the potential utilization of the most quoted medicinal and food wild herbs in the local market, and suggests that the continuing widespread local collection from the wild of the aerial parts of Alpine wormwood for preparing liquors (Artemisia genipi, A. glacialis, and A. umbelliformis) should be seriously reconsidered in terms of sustainability, given the limited availability of these species, even though their collection is culturally salient in the entire study area.

Exploratory Assessment of Risks from Drinking and Recreational Water Exposure to Children in the State of New Jersey

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Brandon M. Owen

2018-03-01

Full Text Available In this study, we conducted a worst-case risk assessment for children’s health from ingestion exposure to water sources in two densely populated counties of the Piedmont province of New Jersey—Hunterdon and Mercer counties. Carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic health risk estimates for 19 contaminants, representing 3 different chemical classes—organic, inorganic and contaminants of emerging concern (CEC, for which environmental monitoring data are available—were generated. The three exposure scenarios examined were: (1 ingestion exposure to untreated groundwater from contaminated private wells; (2 recreational exposure through incidental ingestion of water from the Delaware River; and (3 ingestion exposure through fish consumption sourced from the Delaware River. The total health hazard posed by each contaminant across all the three exposure scenarios was compared to prioritize contaminants based on health risk potential. As a result of this analysis, arsenic and trichloroethylene in private well water were identified as key drivers of health risk and, hence, are proposed as the contaminants of primary concern for the target population. Significantly high total excess cancer risk of 2.13 × 10−3 from arsenic exposure was estimated, highlighting the need for testing and treating water sources as well as setting a framework for more detailed work in the future.

U.S. Geological Survey; North Carolina's water resources; a partnership with State, Federal and local agencies

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Winner, M.D.

1993-01-01

For more than 80 years, the Federal-State Cooperative Program in North Carolina has been an effective partnership that provides timely water information for all levels of government. The cooperative program has raised awareness of State and local water problems and issues and has enhanced transfer and exchange of scientific information. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) conducts statewide water-resources investigations in North Carolina that include hydrologic data collection, applied research studies, and other interpretive studies. These programs are funded through cooperative agreements with the North Carolina Departments of Environment, Health, and Natural Resources; Human Resources; and Transportation, as well as more than a dozen city and county governmental agencies. The USGS also conducts special studies and data-collection programs for Federal agencies, including the Department of Defense, the U.S. Soil Conservation Service, the Tennessee Valley Authority, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency that contribute to North Carolina's water information data base. Highlights of selected programs are presented to show the scope of USGS activities in North Carolina and their usefulness in addressing water-resource problems. The reviewed programs include the statewide data-collection program, estuarine studies, the National Water-Quality Assessment program, military installation restoration program, and groundwater flow model-development program in the Coastal Plain and Piedmont provinces.

Interdisciplinary workshop yields new entomological data for forensic sciences: Chrysomya rufifacies (Diptera: Calliphoridae) established in North Carolina.

Science.gov (United States)

Tomberlin, Jeffery K; Albert, A Midori; Byrd, Jason H; Hall, David W

2006-11-01

ABSTRACT Workshops are used for educating law enforcement personnel on the application of entomological, anthropological, and botanical techniques to gather forensically important information from a body recovery site. From 8 to 11 June 2004, such a workshop was conducted in the metropolitan area of Charlotte, NC, by the American Academy of Applied Forensics at Central Piedmont Community College. For this workshop, three pig carcasses weighing individually between 40 and 60 kg were placed in the field 4 June, whereas three pigs similar in size were placed in the field 7 June. During the afternoon session on 11 June, workshop participants collected three Chrysomya rufifacies (Macquart) (Diptera: Calliphoridae) third instar larvae from a pig carcass placed in the field on 7 June. These data represent the first records of this forensically important insect in North Carolina; furthermore, these data provide evidence of this species expansion into new geographic regions of the United States. This finding is an example of the benefits derived from an experiential and interdisciplinary approach to educating death scene investigators. Learners acquired new knowledge, put it into practice through the "body" recovery exercise, and ultimately contributed to science by way of the discovery and first documentation of a forensically important insect previously not known to inhabit North Carolina.

Accumulation of heavy metals from contaminated soil to plants and evaluation of soil remediation by vermiculite.

Science.gov (United States)

Malandrino, Mery; Abollino, Ornella; Buoso, Sandro; Giacomino, Agnese; La Gioia, Carmela; Mentasti, Edoardo

2011-01-01

We evaluated the distribution of 15 metal ions, namely Al, Cd, Cu, Cr, Fe, La, Mn, Ni, Pb, Sc, Ti, V, Y, Zn and Zr, in the soil of a contaminated site in Piedmont (Italy). This area was found to be heavily contaminated with Cu, Cr and Ni. The availability of these metal ions was studied using Tessier's sequential extraction procedure: the fraction of mobile species, which potentially is the most harmful for the environment, was much higher than that normally present in unpolluted soils. This soil was hence used to evaluate the effectiveness of treatment with vermiculite to reduce the availability of the pollutants to two plants, Lactuca sativa and Spinacia oleracea, by pot experiments. The results indicated that the addition of vermiculite significantly reduces the uptake of metal pollutants by plants, confirming the possibility of using this clay in amendment treatments of metal-contaminated soils. The effect of plant growth on metal fractionation in soils was investigated. Finally, the sum of the metal percentages extracted into the first two fractions of Tessier's protocol was found to be suitable in predicting the phytoavailability of most of the pollutants present in the investigated soil. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Cohorts of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) in Vitis vinifera, a typical Mediterranean fruit crop.

Science.gov (United States)

Balestrini, Raffaella; Magurno, Franco; Walker, Christopher; Lumini, Erica; Bianciotto, Valeria

2010-08-01

In field conditions, grapevine roots normally are colonized by arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF). However, little is published, from either morphological or molecular studies, on the species composition of these symbionts in production vineyards. The AMF biodiversity of two Piedmont vineyards (at Neive and Lessona), characterized by different soil features, was investigated by morphological and molecular analyses. Several morphotypes were identified from the two vineyard soils. Community composition of AMF, both in soil and root samples, was then analysed with molecular approach to amplify a portion (550 bp) of AM fungal SSU rDNA. Phylogenetic analyses show a different distribution of sequences from the two sites in the main glomeromycotan groups. In the Neive site, the Glomeraceae group A is the only one well represented whereas more groups were found at Lessona. Among the more representative operational taxonomic units (OTUs), only one related to the Glomus irregulare phylotype was shared between the two vineyard soils. The data obtained in this work together with similar results in literature on this important fruit crop reinforce the concept that the general AMF assemblage structure and composition in vineyards might be influenced more by soil type than by host plant features (age, vegetative stages) or management practices. © 2010 Society for Applied Microbiology and Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Estimation of organic carbon loss potential in north of Iran

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Shahriari, A.; Khormali, F.; Kehl, M.; Welp, G.; Scholz, Ch.

2009-04-01

The development of sustainable agricultural systems requires techniques that accurately monitor changes in the amount, nature and breakdown rate of soil organic matter and can compare the rate of breakdown of different plant or animal residues under different management systems. In this research, the study area includes the southern alluvial and piedmont plains of Gorgan River extended from east to west direction in Golestan province, Iran. Samples from 10 soil series and were collected from cultivation depth (0-30 cm). Permanganate-oxidizable carbon (POC) an index of soil labile carbon, was used to show soil potential loss of organic carbon. In this index shows the maximum loss of OC in a given soil. Maximum loss of OC for each soil series was estimated through POC and bulk density (BD). The potential loss of OC were estimated between 1253263 and 2410813 g/ha Carbon. Stable organic constituents in the soil include humic substances and other organic macromolecules that are intrinsically resistant against microbial attack, or that are physically protected by adsorption on mineral surfaces or entrapment within clay and mineral aggregates. However, the (Clay + Silt)/OC ratio had a negative significant (p < 0.001) correlation with POC content, confirming the preserving effect of fine particle.

Hydrology of marginal evaporitic basins during the Messinian Salinity Crisis: isotopic investigation of gypsum deposits

Science.gov (United States)

El Kilany, Aida; Caruso, Antonio; Dela Pierre, Francesco; Natalicchio, Marcello; Rouchy, Jean-Marie; Pierre, Catherine; Balter, Vincent; Aloisi, Giovanni

2016-04-01

The deposition of gypsum in Messinian Mediterranean marginal basins is controlled by basin restriction and the local hydrological cycle (evaporation/precipitation rates and relative importance of continental vs marine water inputs). We are using the stable isotopic composition of gypsum as a proxy of the hydrological cycle that dominated at the moment of gypsum precipitation. We studied the Messinian Caltanissetta (Sicily) and Tertiary Piedmont (north western Italy) basins where we carried out a high-resolution isotopic study of gypsum layers composing gypsum-marl cycles. These cycles are thought to be the sedimentary expression of astronomical precession cycles, lasting approximately 20 kyr, during which the marginal basins experienced a succession of arid and a wet conditions. We determined the isotopic composition of gypsum hydration water (18O and D), of the sulphate ion (34S, 18O) and of Strontium (87/86Sr), all of which are potentially affected by the hydrological cycle. In our samples, the mother water from which gypsum precipitated is considerably lighter (-4.0 micro-scale. This is an essential step in interpreting the isotopic signals of gypsum because we can expect the 18O and D composition of Messinian continental input to be not too dissimilar from that of modern meteoric waters involved in diagenetic processes.

Chronology of fluvial terrace sequences for large Atlantic rivers in the Iberian Peninsula (Upper Tagus and Duero drainage basins, Central Spain)

Science.gov (United States)

Silva, Pablo G.; Roquero, Elvira; López-Recio, Mario; Huerta, Pedro; Martínez-Graña, Antonio M.

2017-06-01

This work analyses the chronology of fluvial terrace sequences of the two most important fluvial basins from central Spain draining to the Atlantic Ocean (Upper Tagus and Duero drainage basins). Both basins evolved under similar Mediterranean climatic conditions throughout the Pleistocene and present comparable number of fluvial terraces (16-17) after excluding the higher terrace levels of the Tagus (T1-T5) entrenched in the Raña surface. These higher ;rañizo terraces; was formed in response to fan-head trenching in this high alluvial piedmont (+220 m) and therefore not properly controlled by Quaternary fluvial downcutting. The study accomplishes the implementation of multiple regression analyses for terrace height-age relationships. To transform relative terrace heights above the present river thalwegs (i.e. +100 m) in numerical ages a ;height-age transference function; has been developed on the basis of preliminary statistical geochronological approaches proposed for Central Spain. The resultant height-age transference function gather 73 published geochronological data for terrace sequences, featuring a 3rd Order Polynomial Function (R2 0.90). This function describes the overall trend of valley downcutting for the last c. 2.3 Ma in Central Spain and is used to assign numerical ages to terrace levels at different relative elevation.

Shallow and Deep Groundwater Contributions to Ephemeral Streamflow Generation

Science.gov (United States)

Zimmer, M. A.; McGlynn, B. L.

2016-12-01

Our understanding of streamflow generation processes in low relief, humid landscapes is limited. To address this, we utilized an ephemeral-to-intermittent drainage network in the Piedmont region of the United States to gain new understanding about the drivers of ephemeral streamflow generation, stream-groundwater interactions, and longitudinal expansion and contraction of the stream network. We used hydrometric and chemical data collected within zero through second order catchments to characterize streamflow and overland, shallow soil, and deep subsurface flow across landscape positions. Results showed bi-directionality in stream-groundwater gradients that were dependent on catchment storage state. This led to annual groundwater recharge magnitudes that were similar to annual streamflow. Perched shallow and deep water table contributions shifted dominance with changes in catchment storage state, producing distinct stream hydrograph recession constants. Active channel length versus runoff followed a consistent relationship independent of storage state, but exhibited varying discharge-solute hysteresis directions. Together, our results suggest that temporary streams can act as both important groundwater recharge and discharge locations across the landscape, especially in this region where ephemeral drainage densities are among the highest recorded. Our results also highlight that the internal catchment dynamics that generate temporary streams play an important role in dictating biogeochemical fluxes at the landscape scale.

Distribution, provenance, and onset of the Xiashu Loess in Southeast China with paleoclimatic implications

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Xiaoyong; Lu, Huayu; Zhang, Hanzhi; Wu, Jiang; Hou, Xiaoxue; Fu, Yu; Geng, Junyan

2018-04-01

Loess deposits are important archives of past climate change in subtropical China, where long-term terrestrial records are scarce. However, only a few long-term records with reliable dating were reported in Jiangsu Province, where loess deposits in southeastern China were first discovered and designated as the Xiashu Loess. Moreover, the provenance of the Xiashu Loess is still controversial. This study presents the magnetostratigraphy and detrital zircon U-Pb age results of loess deposits at Zhoujiashan in Nanjing, Jiangsu Province. To date, this section (with basal age of approximately 0.88 Ma) may be the oldest loess deposits discovered in southeastern China. Based on the detrital zircon U-Pb ages of the Zhoujiashan section, together with published results of geochemistry, geomorphology, sedimentology, and meteorology, we propose that the Xiashu Loess has two mixed sources. Local materials derived from the Yangtze River Basin (including exposed river/lake beds, floodplains, and mountains) served as a major contributor. The distal eolian dust that originated from the arid areas of North China (including deserts, piedmont alluvial fans, and drylands) played a minor role in the formation process of the Xiashu Loess. The nearly synchronous onset age (approximately 0.88-0.85 Ma) of the Xiashu Loess was attributed to a regional environmental event during the middle Pleistocene transition.

Monitoring algal blooms in drinking water reservoirs using the Landsat-8 Operational Land Imager

Science.gov (United States)

Keith, Darryl; Rover, Jennifer; Green, Jason; Zalewsky, Brian; Charpentier, Mike; Hursby, Glen; Bishop, Joseph

2018-01-01

In this study, we demonstrated that the Landsat-8 Operational Land Imager (OLI) sensor is a powerful tool that can provide periodic and system-wide information on the condition of drinking water reservoirs. The OLI is a multispectral radiometer (30 m spatial resolution) that allows ecosystem observations at spatial and temporal scales that allow the environmental community and water managers another means to monitor changes in water quality not feasible with field-based monitoring. Using the provisional Land Surface Reflectance product and field-collected chlorophyll-a (chl-a) concentrations from drinking water monitoring programs in North Carolina and Rhode Island, we compared five established approaches for estimating chl-aconcentrations using spectral data. We found that using the three band reflectance approach with a combination of OLI spectral bands 1, 3, and 5 produced the most promising results for accurately estimating chl-a concentrations in lakes (R2 value of 0.66; root mean square error value of 8.9 µg l−1). Using this model, we forecast the spatial and temporal variability of chl-a for Jordan Lake, a recreational and drinking water source in piedmont North Carolina and several small ponds that supply drinking water in southeastern Rhode Island.

Efficient and genotype-independent Agrobacterium--mediated tomato transformation.

Science.gov (United States)

Park, Sung Hun; Morris, Jay L; Park, Jung Eun; Hirschi, Kendal D; Smith, Roberta H

2003-10-01

An efficient method to transform five cultivars of tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum), Micro-Tom, Red Cherry, Rubion, Piedmont, and E6203 is reported. A comparison was made of leaf, cotyledon, and hypocotyl explants on 7 different regeneration media without Agrobacterium tumefaciens cocultivation and on 11 different media with cocultivation. Although all cultivars and explants formed callus and regenerated on the initial 7 media, cocultivation with A. tumefaciens significantly reduced the callus induction and regeneration. From these experiments, a transformation methodology using either hypocotyls or cotyledons cultured for one day on BA 1 mgL-1, NAA 0.1 mgL-1 and 3 days cocultivation with the Agrobacterium on this same medium followed by a transfer to a medium with zeatin 2 mgL-1 and IAA 0.1 mgL-1 for 4-6 weeks resulted in a greater than 20% transformation frequency for all five cultivars tested. In this transformation method, no feeder layers of tobacco, petunia or tomato suspension cultures were used, and the subculture media was minimal. Stable integration and transmission of the transgene in T1 generation plants were confirmed by Southern blot analysis. This procedure represents a simple, efficient and general means of transforming tomato.

Chlamydia trachomatis prevalence in North-West Italy.

Science.gov (United States)

Grio, R; Bello, L; Smirne, C; D'Addato, F; Latino, M A; Corvetto, L; De Intinis, G; Spagnolo, E; Maffei, S; Leotta, E

2004-10-01

Chlamydia (C.) trachomatis infection is the most common sexually transmitted disease (STD) among sexually active adolescents and young adults in Europe. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of C. trachomatis among sexually active women in Piedmont, Italy and the correlation between some risk factors and C. trachomatis infection. In our study 31,419 sexually active women aged 12-55 were screened for C. trachomatis by Abbott's ligase chain reaction (LCR) using cervical swabs during the period 1997-2001 at St. Anna Obstetric-Gynecological Hospital, Turin. All the patients answered a specific questionnaire. In our analysis the prevalence of C. trachomatis infection was found to be 1.23%, and the average age among the infected patients was 36.98 years. Statistical analysis was performed using the chi squared test; a peducation (pcitizenship (p<0.001). No statistically significant differences were found among the contraceptive methods used, whether an hormonal or a barrier type; a marked increment of the risk was observed when no contraception was used. Frequent microbiological examinations are desirable for patients whose anamnesis shows an augmented risk of contracting sexually transmitted infections in order to avoid long term complications from misdiagnosed or asymptomatic pathologies, as often happens with C. trachomatis.

Uplift sequence of the Andes at 30°S: Insights from sedimentology and U/Pb dating of synorogenic deposits

Science.gov (United States)

Suriano, J.; Mardonez, D.; Mahoney, J. B.; Mescua, J. F.; Giambiagi, L. B.; Kimbrough, D.; Lossada, A.

2017-04-01

The South Central Andes at 30°S represent a key area to understand the Andes geodynamics as it is in the middle of the flat slab segment and all the morphotectonic units of the Central Andes are well developed. This work is focused in the proximal synorogenic deposits of the Western Precordillera, in the La Tranca valley, in order to unravel the uplift sequence of this belt. Nine facies associations were recognized; most of them represent piedmont facies with local provenance from Precordillera and were deposited in the wedge-top depozone, as is expected for proximal sinorogenic deposits. However there are intercalations of transference fluvial systems, which show mixed provenance indicating that Permo-Triassic igneous rocks were already exposed to the west (Frontal Cordillera). There are also lacustrine deposits which are interpreted as the result of damming by fault activity at east of the studied basin. Finally, two maximum depositional ages at ca. 11 Ma and 8 Ma of these deposits indicate that the onset of uplift of the Precordillera at 30°S is little older than 11 Ma. These data change two previous ideas about the evolution of the Precordillera: its uplift at 30° S is younger than proposed by previous works and it is nearly synchronous along strike.

Fatigue behaviour analysis for the durability prequalification of strengthening mortars

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bocca, P; Grazzini, A; Masera, D

2011-01-01

An innovative laboratory procedure used as a preliminary design stage for the pre-qualification of strengthening mortars applied to historical masonry buildings is described. In the analysis of the behaviour of masonry structures and their constituent materials, increasing importance has been assumed by the study of the long-term evolution of deformation and mechanical characteristics, which may be affected by both loading and environmental conditions. Through static and fatigue tests on mixed specimens historical brick-reinforced mortar it has been possible to investigate the durability of strengthening materials, in order to select, from a range of alternatives, the most suitable for the historical masonry. Cyclic fatigue stress has been applied to accelerate the static creep and to forecast the corresponding creep behaviour of the historical brick-strengthening mortar system under static long-time loading. This methodology has proved useful in avoiding the errors associated with materials that are not mechanically compatible and guarantees the durability of strengthening work. The experimental procedure has been used effectively in the biggest restoration building site in Europe, the Royal Palace of Venaria, and it is in progress of carrying out at the Special Natural Reserve of the Sacro Monte di Varallo, in Piedmont (Italy).

Uraniferous gorceixite in the South Carolina coastal plain (U. S. A. )

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Michel, J; Cole, K H; Moore, W S [South Carolina Univ., Columbia (USA). Dept. of Geology

1982-04-01

Gorceixite, a rare Ba-Al phosphate containing 200-2000 ppm U, occurs as thin seams or nodules in Upper Eocene deposits of the Coastal Plain province in Aiken County, South Carolina. At every locality gorceixite appears to be a post-depositional feature. Radiochemical results for various daughter-parent pairs in the /sup 238/U decay series show that uranium enrichment occurred at least 1 Ma ago and there has been little uranium migration since. There has been extensive redistribution of /sup 226/Ra relative to /sup 230/Th and /sup 210/Po, with /sup 226/Ra suddenly migrating from the gorceixite into the overlying sediments within the last one hundred years. The clay-mineral and elemental distributions through a gorceixite outcrop suggest that gorceixite formed as a result of intensive leaching by acidic groundwater during development of a paleo-soil horizon. The sources for the components of gorceixte may have been leached from local sedimentary deposits derived from the barite, monazite and granitic occurrences in the adjacent piedmont rocks. This model provides for: the predominance of gibbsite above and kaolinite below the gorceixite; mechanisms for phosphate fixation and uranium enrichment; depletion of the more soluble elements above the gorceixite; and the thinness and limited areal extent of known occurrences.

Influence of discharge on fish habitat suitability curves in mountain watercourses in IFIM methodology

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Macura Viliam

2018-03-01

Full Text Available In this study, the quality of the aquatic habitats of mountain and piedmont streams was evaluated using the ‘Instream Flow Incremental Methodology (IFIM’ decision-making tool. The quality of habitats was interpreted from the behaviour of bioindicators in the form of habitat suitability curves (HSCs. From 1995 until the present, 59 different reaches of 43 mountain streams in Slovakia and 3 validation reaches were evaluated, and the results analysed. The aim of this study was to generalize the parameters of the HSCs for the brown trout. The generalized curves will be useful for water management planning. It is difficult and time-consuming to take hydrometrical and ichthyological measurements at different water levels. Therefore, we developed a methodology for modifying suitability curves based on an ichthyological survey during a low flow and a flow at which fish lose the ability to resist the flow velocity. The study provides the information how such curves can be modified for a wider flow range. In summary, this study shows that generalized HSCs provide representative data that can be used to support both the design of river restoration and the assessment of the impacts of the water use or of climate change on stream habitat quality.

Arsenic distribution along different hydrogeomorphic zones in parts of the Brahmaputra River Valley, Assam (India)

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Choudhury, Runti; Mahanta, Chandan; Verma, Swati; Mukherjee, Abhijit

2017-06-01

The spatial distribution of arsenic (As) concentrations along three classified hydrogeomorphological zones in the Brahmaputra River Valley in Assam (India) have been investigated: zone I, comprising the piedmont and alluvial fans; zone II, comprising the runoff areas; and zone III, comprising the discharge zones. Groundwater (150 samples) from shallow hand-pumped and public water supply wells (2-60 m in depth) was analysed for chemical composition to examine the geochemical processes controlling As mobilization. As concentrations up to 0.134 mg/L were recorded, with concentrations below the World Health Organization and the Bureau of Indian Standards drinking-water limits of 0.01 mg/L being found mainly in the proximal recharge areas. Eh and other redox indicators (i.e., dissolved oxygen, Fe, Mn and As) indicate that, except for samples taken in the recharge zone, groundwater is reducing and exhibits a systematic decrease in redox conditions along the runoff and discharge zones. Hydrogeochemical evaluation indicated that zone I, located along the proximal recharge areas, is characterized by low As concentration, while zones II and III are areas with high and moderate concentrations, respectively. Systematic changes in As concentrations along the three zones support the view that areas of active recharge with high hydraulic gradient are potential areas hosting low-As aquifers.

Study of microarthopod communities to assess soil quality in different managed vineyards

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Gagnarli, E.; Goggioli, D.; Tarchi, F.; Guidi, S.; Nannelli, R.; Vignozzi, N.; Valboa, G.; Lottero, M. R.; Corino, L.; Simoni, S.

2015-01-01

Land use influences the abundance and diversity of soil arthropods. The evaluation of the impact of different management strategies on soil quality is increasingly requested. The determination of communities' structures of edaphic fauna can represent an efficient tool. In this study, in some vineyards in Piedmont (Italy), the effects of two different management systems, organic and integrated pest management (IPM), on soil biota were evaluated. As microarthropods living in soil surface are an important component of soil ecosystem interacting with all the other system components, a multi disciplinary approach was adopted by characterizing also some soil physical and chemical characteristics (soil texture, soil pH, total organic carbon, total nitrogen, calcium carbonate). Soil samplings were carried out on Winter 2011 and Spring 2012. All specimens were counted and determined up to the order level. The biological quality of the soil was defined through the determination of ecological indices, such as QBS-ar, species richness and indices of Shannon-Weaver, Pielou, Margalef and Simpson. The mesofauna abundance was affected by both the type of management and the soil texture. The analysis of microarthropod communities by QBS-ar showed higher values in organic than in IPM managed vineyards; in particular, the values registered in organic vineyards were similar to those characteristic of preserved soils.

Use of SPOT and ERS-1 SAR data to study the tectonic and climatic history of arid regions

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Farr, Tom G.; Peltzer, Gilles F.

1993-01-01

In order to separate the effects of the different tectonic and climatic processes on the shapes of desert piedmonts, a modified conic equation was fitted to digital topographic data for individual alluvial fans in Death Valley (California, U.S.). The topographic data were obtained from a SPOT panchromatic stereo pair and from the airborne interferometric SAR (Synthetic Aperture Radar) (TOPSAR). The conic fit allows parameters for the epex position, slope, and radial curvature to be compared with unit age, uplift rate, and climatic conditions. Preliminary results indicate that slope flattens with age and radial curvature is concave up, but decreases with age. Work is continuing on correlation of fit residuals and apex position with fan unit age. This information will help in the determination of tectonic uplift rates and the climatic history of the western U.S. ERS-1 SAR images were used to study an area of western China where a large strike slip fault crosses a series of alluvial fans and stream valleys. Previous analysis of SPOT panchromatic images of the area shows that offsets fans and streams can be recognized. Measurement of the rate of motion of this fault will help in the overall model of deformation of the Asian tectonic plate in response to the collision of the Indian plate.

Job satisfaction among nursing personnel in Hong Kong: a questionnaire survey.

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Cheung, Kin; Ching, Shirley Siu Yin

2014-07-01

To investigate the perceived importance and actual level of job satisfaction among enrolled nurses (ENs), registered nurses (RNs), specialty nurses (SNs) and nurse managers (NMs) in Hong Kong. In the past, few studies have been conducted to investigate job satisfaction among different groups of nursing personnel. This was a cross-sectional study. Stamps and Piedmonte's Index of Work Satisfaction (IWS) Scale was used to measure the level of job satisfaction. Six hundred and seventy-two nursing personnel from two large hospitals participated in this study. Discrepancies were found between the perceived importance and the actual satisfaction of job components among nursing personnel. The level of job satisfaction varied by position (F3,668  = 28.83, P job satisfaction. The IWS scores for ENs, RNs, SNs and NMs were 12.3, 11.2, 12.5 and 13, respectively. Each group shared and had its own unique factors associated with its job satisfaction. The perceived importance and actual satisfaction with the six job components among nursing personnel varied by position. Administrators should be aware that strategies to improve job satisfaction should be specific to job titles. No single strategy is appropriate for all nursing personnel. © 2012 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Extreme rainfalls in Eastern Himalaya and southern slope of Meghalaya Plateau and their geomorphologic impacts

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Soja, Roman; Starkel, Leszek

2007-02-01

This paper presents the detailed rainfall characteristics of 3 key areas located in the eastern monsoon India: the margin of Darjeeling Himalaya, the margin of Bhutanese Himalaya and the Cherrapunji region at the southern slope of Meghalaya Upland. All these areas are sensitive to changes but differ in annual rainfall totals (2000-4000 mm, 4000-6000 m and 6000-23,000 mm respectively) and in the frequency of extreme rainfalls. Therefore the response of geomorphic processes is different, also due to various human impact. In the Darjeeling Himalaya the thresholds may be passed 2-3 times in one century and the system may return to the former equilibrium. At the margin of western Bhutanese Himalaya in 1990s, the clustering of three events caused an acceleration in the transformation and formation of a new trend of evolution, especially in the piedmont zone. In the Cherrapunji of Meghalaya region in the natural conditions the effects of dozens of extreme rainfalls every year were checked by the dense vegetation cover. After deforestation and extensive land use the fertile soil was removed and either the exposed bedrock or armoured debris top layer protect the surface against degradation and facilitate only rapid overland flow. A new "sterile" system has been formed.

Bank Erosion, Mass Wasting, Water Clarity, Bathymetry and a Sediment Budget Along the Dam-Regulated Lower Roanoke River, North Carolina

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Schenk, Edward R.; Hupp, Cliff R.; Richter, Jean M.; Kroes, Daniel E.

2010-01-01

Dam construction and its impact on downstream fluvial processes may substantially alter ambient bank stability, floodplain inundation patterns, and channel morphology. Most of the world's largest rivers have been dammed, which has prompted management efforts to mitigate dam effects. Three high dams (completed between 1953 and 1963) occur along the Piedmont portion of the Roanoke River, North Carolina; just downstream, the lower part of the river flows across largely unconsolidated Coastal Plain deposits. To document bank erosion rates along the lower Roanoke River, more than 700 bank erosion pins were installed along 124 bank transects. Additionally, discrete measurements of channel bathymetry, water clarity, and presence or absence of mass wasting were documented along the entire 153-kilometer-long study reach. Amounts of bank erosion in combination with prior estimates of floodplain deposition were used to develop a bank erosion and floodplain deposition sediment budget for the lower river. Present bank erosion rates are relatively high [mean 42 milimeters per year (mm/yr)] and are greatest along the middle reaches (mean 60 mm/yr) and on lower parts of the bank on all reaches. Erosion rates were likely higher along upstream reaches than present erosion rates such that erosion rate maxima have migrated downstream. Mass wasting and water clarity also peak along the middle reaches.

Correlation between isotopic and meteorological parameters in Italian wines: a local-scale approach.

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Aghemo, Costanza; Albertino, Andrea; Gobetto, Roberto; Spanna, Federico

2011-08-30

Since the beginning of the 1980s deuterium nuclear magnetic resonance and carbon-13 mass spectrometry have proved to be reliable techniques for detecting adulteration and for classifying natural products by their geographic origin. Scientific literature has so far mainly focused on data acquired at regional level where isotopic parameters are correlated to climatic mean data relative to large territories. Nebbiolo and Barbera wine samples of various vintages and from different areas within the Piedmont region (northern Italy) were analysed using SNIF-NMR and GC-C-IRMS and a large set of meteorological parameters were recorded by means of weather stations placed in fields where the grapes were grown. Correlations between isotopic ((2)H and (13)C) data and several climatic parameters at a local level (mean temperature, total rainfall, mean humidity and thermal sums) were attempted and some linear correlations were found. Mean temperature and total rainfall were found to be correlated to isotopic ((2)H and (13)C) abundance in linear direct and inverse proportions respectively. Lower or no correlations between deuterium and carbon-13 abundances and other meteorological parameters such as mean humidity and thermal sums were found. Moreover, wines produced from different grape varieties in the same grape field showed significantly different isotopic values. Copyright © 2011 Society of Chemical Industry.

Preventive maintenance prioritization index of medical equipment using quality function deployment.

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Saleh, Neven; Sharawi, Amr A; Elwahed, Manal Abd; Petti, Alberto; Puppato, Daniele; Balestra, Gabriella

2015-05-01

Preventive maintenance is a core function of clinical engineering, and it is essential to guarantee the correct functioning of the equipment. The management and control of maintenance activities are equally important to perform maintenance. As the variety of medical equipment increases, accordingly the size of maintenance activities increases, the need for better management and control become essential. This paper aims to develop a new model for preventive maintenance priority of medical equipment using quality function deployment as a new concept in maintenance of medical equipment. We developed a three-domain framework model consisting of requirement, function, and concept. The requirement domain is the house of quality matrix. The second domain is the design matrix. Finally, the concept domain generates a prioritization index for preventive maintenance considering the weights of critical criteria. According to the final scores of those criteria, the prioritization action of medical equipment is carried out. Our model proposes five levels of priority for preventive maintenance. The model was tested on 200 pieces of medical equipment belonging to 17 different departments of two hospitals in Piedmont province, Italy. The dataset includes 70 different types of equipment. The results show a high correlation between risk-based criteria and the prioritization list.

Culture and Density Effects on Tree Quality in Midrotation Non-Thinned Loblolly Pine Plantations

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P. Corey Green

2018-02-01

Full Text Available Six non-thinned loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L. culture × density study sites in the Piedmont and Upper Coastal Plain of the Southeast U.S. were used to examine the effects of two cultural intensities and three planting densities on solid wood potential as well as the proportion and position of product-defining defects (forks, crooks, broken tops. A tree quality index (TQI was used to grade stems for solid wood potential. The results show that an operational management regime exhibited a higher proportion of trees with solid wood product potential than did a very intensive management regime. Trees subject to operational management exhibited product-defining defects higher on the stem; however, the proportion of stems with defects was not significantly different from the intensive management. Planting densities of 741, 1482, and 2223 trees per hectare (TPH exhibited a relatively narrow range of the proportion of trees with solid wood product potential that were not significantly different. Density did not have a significant effect on the heights of the product-defining defects. These results show that management intensity and less so planting density, affect the solid wood product potential indicators evaluated and should be considered when making management decisions.

Aircraft Propeller Hub Repair

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Muth, Thomas R [ORNL; Peter, William H [ORNL

2015-02-13

The team performed a literature review, conducted residual stress measurements, performed failure analysis, and demonstrated a solid state additive manufacturing repair technique on samples removed from a scrapped propeller hub. The team evaluated multiple options for hub repair that included existing metal buildup technologies that the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has already embraced, such as cold spray, high velocity oxy-fuel deposition (HVOF), and plasma spray. In addition the team helped Piedmont Propulsion Systems, LLC (PPS) evaluate three potential solutions that could be deployed at different stages in the life cycle of aluminum alloy hubs, in addition to the conventional spray coating method for repair. For new hubs, a machining practice to prevent fretting with the steel drive shaft was recommended. For hubs that were refurbished with some material remaining above the minimal material condition (MMC), a silver interface applied by an electromagnetic pulse additive manufacturing method was recommended. For hubs that were at or below the MMC, a solid state additive manufacturing technique using ultrasonic welding (UW) of thin layers of 7075 aluminum to the hub interface was recommended. A cladding demonstration using the UW technique achieved mechanical bonding of the layers showing promise as a viable repair method.

Micronutrient Availability in Relation to Selected Soil Properties and landscape Position in Calcareous Soils of Golpayegan

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Mojtaba Fathi

2017-02-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Variety of soil reactions govern the distribution of metal micronutrients that includes complexation with organic and inorganic ligands, ion exchange, adsorption and desorption processes, precipitation and dissolution of solids and acid-based equilibria. The relative importance of these reactions depends on many factors such as soil physical, chemical, and mineralogical properties and the nature of metal ions. Environmental factors such as climate, physiographic position, and soil development may affect variability of some soil properties and thereby nutrient availability. The present research was conducted to find relationships between Iron, manganese, zinc, and copper availability and some major soil properties, physiographic condition and soil development. Materials and Methods: Golpayegan region is located in northwest of Isfahan province in central Iran. The mean elevation of the studied area is 1790 above sea level. Annual precipitation was about 244mm and mean monthly temperature ranges from -6 in January to 34°C in August. The soils were developed on different physiographic conditions including piedmont plains, alluvial-fan, plateaus, and flood plains belonging to Entisols and Aridisols. Soil samples (0–60 cm were collected from 98 grid points with 2000m distance in the agricultural area of Golpayegan. Particle size distribution, calcium carbonate, organic carbon, available potassium and phosphorus of the soils were measured by SWRI standard methods. Available Zn, Cu, Mn, and Fe were determined by addition of 10 g soil to 20mL 0.005M diethylentriaminepentacetic‏. The solutions were shaken for 2 h at 25°C, centrifuged, filtered, and Fe, Mn, Zn, and Cu concentrations were measured by an atomic absorption spectrophotometer. Results Discussion: Studied soils were developed on calcareous material and about 60% of samples have more than 20% of calcium carbonate. Available Fe ranged from 1.4 to 6.5 mg kg-1 (mean 15.8 mg kg-1

Council Regulation (EC) No. 1099/2009: State of the Art and Its Application in a Local Health Unit in Piedmont, Italy

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Paolucci, Ginevra; Cagnasso, Daniela; Cassani, Francesco

2015-01-01

In the last decade, the European Union has reinforced the concept of animal welfare throughout the food chain, from breeding to slaughtering. Studies and assessments of economic nature led to the adoption of Regulation EC 1099/2009 and at the end of 2014 this regulation will be applied to all the members involved in the food chain. For this reason several local health units organized different initiatives. The local health unit of Turin no. 4 (ASLTO4) has developed a project aimed to train food business operators (FBO) to fulfill all the criteria developed in this Regulation. This initiative was divided into four steps: i) communication to the companies about the criteria of the new regulation; ii) a training course for official veterinarians; iii) slaughterhouse audits in order to get information about animal welfare; iv) and a training course for the personnel involved in slaughterhouses. The purpose of this paper was to report the results of the audits in order to identify critical points of structural, instrumental and documentary facilities. Then, the results can be compared with similar studies in order to develop common strategies and intervention areas. PMID:27800389