Plant Sciences Commons^™

Leaching Mechanism Of Semiconducting Minerals, Fathi Habashi

Fathi Habashi

The mechanism of leaching of semiconducting minerals such as PbS, ZnS, UO2, etc., has been the subject of intensive speculation by hydrometallurgists in the early 1950s. The electrochemical mechanism proposed in 1970 by the author in volume 2 of his Principles of Extractive Metallurgy avoids the assumption of forming intermediate complexes that cannot be isolated or identified.

Phenotypic Leaf Variation In Avicennia Marina In Tropical Australia: Can Discrete Subpopulations Be Recognised In The Field?, Peter Saenger, Lyndon O. Brooks

Dr Lyndon O Brooks

The geographic patterns of phenotypic variation in leaf morphology traits were studied in the mangrove Avicennia marina (Forsk.) Vierh. in tropical Queensland, Australia, to determine whether discrete subpopulations could be recognised in the field. Significant differences in the various leaf characters occurred among the sites, which were not explained by longitude or latitude, nor by inter-site distances. Hierarchical cluster analysis of the estimated site means showed no coherent geographical groupings of the sites, suggesting that site populations do not follow a differentiation by distance model. Principal component analysis showed that site groupings with consistent leaf morphological characteristics could be identified, …

Integrating Geographic Information Systems And Multi-Criteria Analysis To Assess Suitable Species And Plantation Sites: A Case Study Assessing Elaeocarpus Grandis And Gevillea Robusta Suitability On The Nsw North Coast, Kristin Den Exter

Dr Kristin den Exter

No abstract provided.

Floristic Investigation Of Crooked Creek Community Of Juan Solomon Park, Indianapolis Indiana, Raelene M. Crandall, Rebecca W. Dolan

Rebecca W. Dolan

The protection of plant resources in urban areas is a growing conservation concern. Inventory activities that document species presence and stewardship plans that protect and enhance these areas are needed. The results of a botanical inventory of the Crooked Creek Community Juan Solomon Park in Indianapolis, Indiana, are reported in this paper. The 46-acre park contains three distinct habitats, supporting a wide variety of plants. One hundred seventy-nine vascular plant species from 64 families were identified, including 53 (29.6%) non-native species that are naturalizing within the park. Despite its high percentage of alien species and urban setting, the park is …

Background Fluorescence In Groundwater From A Tropical Karst Island Aquifer, Michelle Hoffman

Michelle Hoffman

Background levels of four fluorescent compounds were monitored biweekly at thirteen sampling sites on Guam, consisting of subtidal and intertidal springs, dissolution fractures, and internal upland contact spring discharge, over a 13-month period from 2006 to 2007. Samples were compared to local precipitation and to seawater samples from four nearby reef flats. The data revealed that the concentrations of optical brighteners were consistently two orders of magnitude greater than either sodium fluorescein or rhodamine WT, while Eosine Y was rarely detected. Background levels in seawater, by comparison, accounted for 25% or more of the fluorescent compounds detected at the thirteen …

Carbon Bio-Sequestration Within The Phytoliths Of Economic Bamboo Species, Jeffrey Parr, Leigh Sullivan, Bihua Chen, Gongfu Ye, Zheng Wiepeng

Jeffrey Parr

The rates of carbon bio-sequestration within silica phytoliths of the leaf litter of 10 economically important bamboo species indicates that (a) there is considerable variation in the content of carbon occluded within the phytoliths (PhytOC) of the leaves between different bamboo species, (b) this variation does not appear to be directly related to the quantity of silica in the plant but rather the efficiency of carbon encapsulation by the silica. The PhytOC content of the species under the experimental conditions ranged from 1.6% to 4% of the leaf silica weight. The potential phytolith carbon bio-sequestration rates in the leaf-litter component …

Land From The Sea: The Mangrove Afforestation Program Of Bangladesh, Peter Saenger, N A. Siddiqi

Emeritus Professor Peter Saenger

The coastal areas of Bangladesh have a high cyclone frequency. The protection from cyclone damage afforded by the natural mangrove forests of the Sundarbans, led the Forest Department in 1966 to initiate a mangrove afforestation programme. These initial plantings proved highly successful in protecting and stabilizing coastal areas, and led to a large-scale mangrove afforestation initiative. To date, approximately 120 000 ha of mangroves have been planted. Nursery and planting techniques have been developed for the major species, while additional species are still being investigated. As a result of the extensive monospecific plantations, however, outbreaks of two major insect pest …

Capturing Genetic Variation During Ecological Restorations: An Example From Kankakee Sands In Indiana, Rebecca W. Dolan, Deborah L. Marr, Andrew Schnabel

Rebecca W. Dolan

Genetic variation in populations, both natural and restored, is usually considered crucial for response to short term environmental stresses and for long term evolutionary change. To have the best chance of successful long-term survival, restored populations should reflect the extant variation found in remnants, but restored sites may suffer from genetic bottlenecks as a result of founder effects. Kankakee Sands is a large-scale restoration being conducted by The Nature Conservancy (TNC) in northwestern Indiana. Our goal was to test for loss of genetic variation in restored plant populations by comparing them with TNC’s seed source nursery and with local remnant …

Capturing Genetic Variation During Ecological Restorations: An Example From Kankakee Sands In Indiana, Rebecca W. Dolan, Deborah L. Marr, Andrew Schnabel

Rebecca W. Dolan

Genetic variation in populations, both natural and restored, is usually considered crucial for response to short term environmental stresses and for long term evolutionary change. To have the best chance of successful long-term survival, restored populations should reflect the extant variation found in remnants, but restored sites may suffer from genetic bottlenecks as a result of founder effects. Kankakee Sands is a large-scale restoration being conducted by The Nature Conservancy (TNC) in northwestern Indiana. Our goal was to test for loss of genetic variation in restored plant populations by comparing them with TNC’s seed source nursery and with local remnant …

Comparative Genetics Of Seven Plants Endemic To Florida’S Lake Wales Ridge, Eric S. Menges, Rebecca W. Dolan, Rebecca Yahr, Doria R. Gordan

Rebecca W. Dolan

Here we submit that mathematical tools used in population viability analysis can be used in conjunction with floristic and faunistic surveys to predict changes in biogeographic range. We illustrate our point by summarizing the results of a demographic study of Lobelia boykinii. In this study we used deterministic and stochastic matrix models to estimate the growth rate and to predict the time to extinction for three populations growing in the Carolina bays. The stochastic model better discriminated among the fates of the three populations. It predicted extinction for two populations in the next 25 years but no extinction of the …

The Clute Holotypes And The Herbarium Of Willard Nelson Clute In The Friesner Herbarium Of Butler University, Rebecca W. Dolan

Rebecca W. Dolan

The herbarium of Willard Nelson Clute is housed in the Friesner Herbarium (BUT). Clute, co-founder of the American Fern Society, was a staff member at Butler University in the 1920's and 30's. His collection of ferns and fern allies from the tum of the century is significant for its selected regional coverage and for type specimens of taxa described by Clute and other fern specialists of the day.

Genetic Variation In Past And Current Landscapes: Conservation Implications Based On Six Endemic Florida Scrub Plants, Eric S. Menges, Rebecca W. Dolan, Robert Pickert, Rebecca Yahr, Doria R. Gordon

Rebecca W. Dolan

If genetic variation is often positively correlated with population sizes and the presence of nearby populations and suitable habitats, landscape proxies could inform conservation decisions without genetic analyses. For six Florida scrub endemic plants (Dicerandra frutescens, Eryngium cuneifolium, Hypericum cumulicola, Liatris ohlingerae, Nolina brittoniana, and Warea carteri), we relate two measures of genetic variation, expected heterozygosity and alleles per polymorphic locus (APL), to population size and landscape variables. Presettlement areas were estimated based on soil preferences and GIS soils maps. Four species showed no genetic patterns related to population or landscape factors. The other two species showed significant but inconsistent …

Metals: Typical And Less Typical, Transition And Inner Transition, Fathi Habashi

Fathi Habashi

While most chemists agree on what is a metal and what is a non-metal there is a disagreement with respect to what is a metalloid and what is a transition metal. It is believed that this problem can be solved if two new terms are adopted: typical and less typical metals. These new terms will also help reconcile the European Periodic Table versus the North American regarding numbering of groups as well as the IUPAC numbering which could be as well abandoned in favour of group names as will be shown in the manuscript.

Beethoven: Patriotism And Social Justice, Fathi Habashi

Fathi Habashi

Phosphate Industry And The Radon Problem, Fathi Habashi

Fathi Habashi

The problem of radon generated during the treatment of phosphate rock by sulfuric acid to produce fertilizers can be solved by using nitric acid. In this case radium, which is the source of radon, goes into solution and can be precipitated by a controlled method and safely disposed of. A variety of options are discussed. Text in Farsi with English translation.

Management Strategies To Improve Yield And Nitrogen Use Of Spring Wheat And Field Pea In The Semi-Arid Northern Great Plains Usa, Andrew W. Lenssen, Brett Allen, Upendra Sainju, Thecan Caesar, Robert Lartey, Robert Evans

Andrew W. Lenssen

Available water and N fertility are primary constraints to crop production in the northern Great Plains of the USA. A field trial was initiated in 2004 to compare four crop rotations in a complete factorial of two tillage and two management systems. Rotations were continuous spring wheat (SW), pea-SW, barley hay-pea-SW, and barley hay-corn-pea-SW. Tillage systems were no till and field cultivator tillage, while management systems were conventional and ecological. Conventional management included broadcast nitrogen fertilizer, standard seeding rates, and short stubble height. Ecological management practices varied by crop, and included banded nitrogen fertilizer for cereals, increased seeding rate, delayed …

Aqua Science Through The Ages. An Illustrated History Of Water, Fathi Habashi

Fathi Habashi

Water a component of the Four Elements considered by the ancient philosophers as essential for survival, played, and is still playing an essential role in society. Great civilizations in ancient times developed along great rivers. The ancient peoples knew how to manage water supplies by digging canals, controlling floods, and using water for irrigation. They designed equipment that used water to measure the time, to determine the density of solids, to fight fires, and to create vacuum. Modern engineers exploited water flow to design and construct huge hydroelectric power stations. Waterways and navigation systems were also an essential element for …

Mining And Civilization, An Illustrated History, Fathi Habashi

Fathi Habashi