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A Multi-Country Assessment Of Factors Related To Smallholder Food Security In Varying Rainfall Conditions, Meredith T. Niles, Molly E. Brown Dec 2017

A Multi-Country Assessment Of Factors Related To Smallholder Food Security In Varying Rainfall Conditions, Meredith T. Niles, Molly E. Brown

College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Faculty Publications

Given that smallholder farmers are frequently food insecure and rely significantly on rain-fed agriculture, it is critical to examine climate variability and food insecurity. We utilize data from smallholder farmer surveys from 12 countries with 30 years of rainfall data to examine how rainfall variability and household resources are correlated with food security. We find that on average, households that experienced a drier than average year are 3.81 months food insecure, while households within a normal range of rainfall were 3.67 months food insecure, and wetter than average households were 2.86 months food insecure. Reduced odds of food insecurity is …


Genomic Signature Of Adaptive Divergence Despite Strong Nonadaptive Forces On Edaphic Islands: A Case Study Of Primulina Juliae, Jing Wang, Chao Feng, Tenglong Jiao, Eric Bishop Von Wettberg, Ming Kang Dec 2017

Genomic Signature Of Adaptive Divergence Despite Strong Nonadaptive Forces On Edaphic Islands: A Case Study Of Primulina Juliae, Jing Wang, Chao Feng, Tenglong Jiao, Eric Bishop Von Wettberg, Ming Kang

College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Faculty Publications

Both genetic drift and divergent selection are expected to be strong evolutionary forces driving population differentiation on edaphic habitat islands. However, the relative contribution of genetic drift and divergent selection to population divergence has rarely been tested simultaneously. In this study, restriction-site associated DNA-based population genomic analyses were applied to assess the relative importance of drift and divergent selection on population divergence of Primulina juliae, an edaphic specialist fromsouthern China. All populations were found with low standing genetic variation, small effective population size (NE), and signatures of bottlenecks. Populations with the lowest genetic variation were most genetically differentiated from other …


The Complete Chloroplast Genome Of Primulina And Two Novel Strategies For Development Of High Polymorphic Loci For Population Genetic And Phylogenetic Studies, Chao Feng, Meizhen Xu, Chen Feng, Eric J.B. Von Wettberg, Ming Kang Nov 2017

The Complete Chloroplast Genome Of Primulina And Two Novel Strategies For Development Of High Polymorphic Loci For Population Genetic And Phylogenetic Studies, Chao Feng, Meizhen Xu, Chen Feng, Eric J.B. Von Wettberg, Ming Kang

College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Faculty Publications

Background: Primulina Hance is an emerging model for studying evolutionary divergence, adaptation and speciation of the karst flora. However, phylogenetic relationships within the genus have not been resolved due to low variation detected in the cpDNA regions. Chloroplast genomes can provide important information for phylogenetic and population genetic studies. Recent advances in next-generation sequencing (NGS) techniques greatly facilitate sequencing whole chloroplast genomes for multiple individuals. Consequently, novel strategies for development of highly polymorphic loci for population genetic and phylogenetic studies based on NGS data are needed. Methods: For development of high polymorphic loci for population genetic and phylogenetic studies, two …


Adults And Children In Low-Income Households That Participate In Cost-Offset Community Supported Agriculture Have High Fruit And Vegetable Consumption, Karla L. Hanson, Jane Kolodinsky, Weiwei Wang, Emily H. Morgan, Stephanie B. Jilcott Pitts, Alice S. Ammerman, Marilyn Sitaker, Rebecca A. Seguin Jul 2017

Adults And Children In Low-Income Households That Participate In Cost-Offset Community Supported Agriculture Have High Fruit And Vegetable Consumption, Karla L. Hanson, Jane Kolodinsky, Weiwei Wang, Emily H. Morgan, Stephanie B. Jilcott Pitts, Alice S. Ammerman, Marilyn Sitaker, Rebecca A. Seguin

College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Faculty Publications

Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This paper examines fruit and vegetable intake (FVI) in low-income households that participated in a cost-offset (CO), or 50% subsidized, community-supported agriculture (CSA) program. CSA customers paid farms upfront for a share of the harvest, and received produce weekly throughout the growing season. A cohort of adults and children 2-12 y in a summer CO-CSA were surveyed online twice: August 2015 (n = 41) and February 2016 (n = 23). FVI was measured by the National Cancer Institute’s (NCI) Fruit and Vegetable Screener (FVS) and an inventory of locally grown fruits and vegetables. FVI relative to …


Crowdsourced Delphis: Designing Solutions To Complex Environmental Problems With Broad Stakeholder Participation, Sarah Coleman, Stephanie Hurley, Christopher Koliba, Asim Zia Jul 2017

Crowdsourced Delphis: Designing Solutions To Complex Environmental Problems With Broad Stakeholder Participation, Sarah Coleman, Stephanie Hurley, Christopher Koliba, Asim Zia

College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Faculty Publications

There is a well-established need for increased stakeholder participation in the generation of adaptive management approaches and specific solutions to complex environmental problems. However, integrating participant feedback into current science, research, and decision-making processes is challenging. This paper presents a novel approach that marries a rigorous Delphi method, borrowed from policy and organizational sciences, with contemporary “crowdsourcing” to address the complex problems of water pollution exacerbated by climate change in the Lake Champlain Basin. In an online Delphi forum that occurred over a six-week period during the Spring of 2014, fifty-three participants proposed and commented on adaptive solutions to address …


Crowdsourced Delphis: Designing Solutions To Complex Environmental Problems With Broad Stakeholder Participation, Sarah Coleman, Stephanie Hurley, Christopher Koliba, Asim Zia Jul 2017

Crowdsourced Delphis: Designing Solutions To Complex Environmental Problems With Broad Stakeholder Participation, Sarah Coleman, Stephanie Hurley, Christopher Koliba, Asim Zia

College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Faculty Publications

There is a well-established need for increased stakeholder participation in the generation of adaptive management approaches and specific solutions to complex environmental problems. However, integrating participant feedback into current science, research, and decision-making processes is challenging. This paper presents a novel approach that marries a rigorous Delphi method, borrowed from policy and organizational sciences, with contemporary “crowdsourcing” to address the complex problems of water pollution exacerbated by climate change in the Lake Champlain Basin. In an online Delphi forum that occurred over a six-week period during the Spring of 2014, fifty-three participants proposed and commented on adaptive solutions to address …


Farm Fresh Foods For Healthy Kids (F3hk): An Innovative Community Supported Agriculture Intervention To Prevent Childhood Obesity In Low-Income Families And Strengthen Local Agricultural Economies, Rebecca A. Seguin, Emily H. Morgan, Karla L. Hanson, Alice S. Ammerman, Stephanie B. Jilcott Pitts, Jane Kolodinsky, Marilyn Sitaker, Florence A. Becot, Leah M. Connor, Jennifer A. Garner, Jared T. Mcguirt Apr 2017

Farm Fresh Foods For Healthy Kids (F3hk): An Innovative Community Supported Agriculture Intervention To Prevent Childhood Obesity In Low-Income Families And Strengthen Local Agricultural Economies, Rebecca A. Seguin, Emily H. Morgan, Karla L. Hanson, Alice S. Ammerman, Stephanie B. Jilcott Pitts, Jane Kolodinsky, Marilyn Sitaker, Florence A. Becot, Leah M. Connor, Jennifer A. Garner, Jared T. Mcguirt

College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Faculty Publications

Background: Childhood obesity persists in the United States and is associated with serious health problems. Higher rates of obesity among children from disadvantaged households may be, in part, attributable to disparities in access to healthy foods such as fruits and vegetables. Community supported agriculture can improve access to and consumption of fresh produce, but the upfront payment structure, logistical barriers, and unfamiliarity with produce items may inhibit participation by low-income families. The aim of this project is to assess the impact of subsidized, or "cost-offset," community supported agriculture participation coupled with tailored nutrition education for low-income families with children. Methods/design: …


Harnessing Local Strength For Sustainable Coffee Value Chains In India And Nicaragua: Reevaluating Certification To Global Sustainability Standards, Dagmar Mithöfer, V. Ernesto Méndez, Arshiya Bose, Philippe Vaast Jan 2017

Harnessing Local Strength For Sustainable Coffee Value Chains In India And Nicaragua: Reevaluating Certification To Global Sustainability Standards, Dagmar Mithöfer, V. Ernesto Méndez, Arshiya Bose, Philippe Vaast

College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Faculty Publications

Coffee is generally grown in areas derived from forest, and both its expansion and management cause biodiversity loss. Sustainability standards in coffee are well established but have been criticized while social and environmental impact is elusive. This paper assesses the issue-attention cycle of coffee production in India and Nicaragua, including producer concerns and responses over time to concerns (sustainability standards, public regulations and development projects). Systematic comparison of the socioeconomic, environmental and policy context in both countries is then used to explore potential effects of sustainability standards. Results show limits, in local context, to relevance of global certification approaches: in …


Integrating Agroecology And Participatory Action Research (Par): Lessons From Central America, V. Ernesto Méndez, Martha Caswell, Stephen R. Gliessman, Roseann Cohen Jan 2017

Integrating Agroecology And Participatory Action Research (Par): Lessons From Central America, V. Ernesto Méndez, Martha Caswell, Stephen R. Gliessman, Roseann Cohen

College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Faculty Publications

The last decade has seen an increasing advancement and interest in the integration of agroecology and participatory action research (PAR). This article aims to: (1) analyze the key characteristics and principles of two case studies that integrated PAR and agroecology in Central America; and (2) learn from the lessons offered by these case studies, as well as others from the literature, on how to better integrate PAR and agroecology. Key principles identified for effective PAR agroecological processes include a shared interest in research by partners, a belief in collective power/action, a commitment to participation, practicing humility and establishing trust and …