Baird's pocket gopher (Geomys breviceps) is found in eastern Texas, eastern Oklahoma, central and western Arkansas, and western Louisiana. The cytochrome-b gene was sequenced and analyzed for 16 pocket gophers from throughout the range of the species. Similar phylogenetic trees were obtained using maximum-parsimony, maximum-likelihood, neighbor-joining, and Bayesian analyses. Two major clades were formed with northern individuals belonging to clade I and southern individuals belonging to clade II. G. b. sagittalis was paraphyletic in relation to G. b. breviceps in all analyses. Based on inconsistencies between the taxonomic classification and systematic relationships within Baird's pocket gopher, a taxonomic restructuring appears warranted.

A collection of poems focused primarily on rural America and the South, the creative writing thesis also includes material concerned with the history of Mexico, particularly Mexico at the time of the Spanish Conquest. The introduction combines a personal essay with critical material discussing and defining the idea of the Southern writer.

Introduction: COVID-19 vaccination in the United States (U.S.) has stalled, with the lowest rates observed in the southern parts of the country. Vaccine hesitancy is a primary contributor to this trend, and health literacy (HL) has been identified as a potential determinant for hesitancy. This study aims to assess the association between HL and COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy in a population residing in 14 southern states of the U.S. Methods: We utilized a web-based survey conducted in U.S. southern states between February and June 2021 that yielded 417 total responses. The outcome was “vaccine hesitancy”. The main independent variable was HL, assessed by validated measures whose responses were aggregated to an HL index score and subsequently categorized as “low or moderate HL”, and “high HL”. Descriptive statistics were performed, and multivariable logistic regression analysis was conducted, controlling for sociodemographic and other variables. Results: Of the total respondents (n=247 after data cleaning), the overall rate of vaccine hesitancy was 22.3%. The rate of vaccine hesitancy was 10.9% and 89.1% for low/moderate and high levels of HL, respectively, but the association was not significant. However, personal perception of COVID-19 threat was significantly associated with lower odds of vaccine hesitancy versus those without perception of threat [adjusted odds ratio, AOR: 0.15; 95% CI: 0.03-0.73; p = 0.0186]. Similarly, obtaining information from public health sources was significantly associated with a lower likelihood of vaccine hesitancy [AOR:0.17; 95% CI: 0.05-0.61; p=0.0064]. Conclusion: HL was not a significant predictor of vaccine hesitancy in a population residing in southern states, suggesting that low rates of vaccination in the region may not be due to knowledge about COVID-19. Personal perception of COVID-19 threats and obtaining information from public health sources were associated with decreased vaccine hesitancy. This implies that we should strengthen public health communication infrastructure in the country. We also need to unpack the contextual factors that contribute to the disproportionately high rates of vaccine hesitancy in the region.

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Discolorations in highly valued southern hardwood species have been a costly problem for the U.S. forest products industry since its beginning. Both microbial (fungi) and non-microbial (enzyme-mediated) sapstain problems are more prevalent in the southeast than in other regions, so preventive measure must be done to keep hardwood logs and lumber discolorationree. Six full-scale field trials were conducted along the Mississippi River from Yokena, MS to Ripley, TN between March to October 2007. The basis for the research was a belief that discolorations that affect southern hardwood logs can be controlled by various techniques such as log end coating, inventory management, and combinations of each. These tests revealed important information such as chemical compatibility issues, storage facility upkeep, workforce development through scheduling and communication, and other items were found in this research to keep southern hardwood logs and lumber from discoloring.

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Competition for resources and other interference from non-crop vegetation often limits the productivity of pine and pine-hardwood forest stands in the southern United States. However, forest researchers have yet to fully quantify the effect of this interference on forest tree yield and there is an incomplete understanding of the biological mechanisms of interference. To better quantify the effects of interference interactions and elucidate their mechanisms, a field replacement series experiment and two supporting greenhouse experiments were carried out using loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.), red maple (Acer rubrum L.), black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia L.), and herbaceous vegetation. Interference between pine. hardwood species, and herbaceous vegetation significantly impacted the growth and yield of young experimental pine-hardwood stands. While herbaceous vegetation significantly affected all stands. it reduced the yield of hardwood species more than loblolly pine. Loblolly pine appeared to ameliorate the effect of herbaceous vegetation on hardwoods in some stands. Interference outcomes were site- and scale-dependent. In field stands, synergistic adjustment in total yield due to pine-hardwood interference was not observed, except for loblolly pine-black locust mixtures on lower site quality replicates. Hardwood species suppressed the growth of pine in seedling stands planted at very close spacing in greenhouse boxes, while the yield at age three of less densely-planted field stands was positively related to the proportion of pine in the stand. Close spacing increased the ability of wide-spreading hardwood crowns to overtop and restrict light availability to conically-shaped pine crowns. Interference outcomes were related to the interactive effect of light, soil moisture, and soil nitrogen resources on tree growth and competitive ability. If not overtopped by hardwoods, loblolly pine had high yields in mixtures with hardwoods and competed effectively for soil moisture and nitrogen through efficient use of these resources. Changes in allometric relationships were observed for tree species in response to interference including root-shoot ratios, crown dimensions, and specific leaf areas. Tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea Schreb.), the principal herbaceous species in the field study, appeared to affect the physiology and yield of all species through allelopathy in a greenhouse experiment. suggesting that reduced yield in herbaceous plots may be due to direct chemical effects in addition to resource competition. / Ph. D.

This study was conducted as a second part in the shear damage research project at Virginia Tech. The objectives were to verify the results obtained by Gallagher (1984) in the first study under normal mill operations as well as develop a method to compare and evaluate the extent of shear damage in relation to other defects present in southern pine lumber. This was accomplished through two sawmill studies and two kiln cart surveys performed in different geographic locations. Visible indicators such as stump-pull that are used to determine shear damage extent are often misleading. Stump-pull, used as a scaling deduction for shear damage, does not fully determine the extent of shear damage present. Shatter is often present in greater amounts over the cross section of the butt of the log. The recommendation of six inches of butt trim that was determined to minimize value losses in the first study is supported by the results obtained in this research. A trim of six inches removed 94 to 99 percent of shear damage in this study. Defects other than shear damage were present on dried and surfaced lumber. Drying checks and splits along with shake were often observed on the lumber ends. These defects often extend further up on the lumber ends, past the seven inch simulated trim. Shake was determined to be the limiting defect. Shatter, in the absence of shake, was determined to be limiting. Kiln cart surveys conducted at mills that utilize a large percentage of sheared logs can be an inexpensive and effective tool to enable mill personnel to determine the extent of shear damage in relation to other defects present on lumber ends based on green trim already taken. / Master of Science

Nutrition problems have been given much consideration in recent years. Today, when devastated areas of Europe are suffering from hardships due to the lack of sufficient food, the whole world is acutely aware of foods and nutrition problems. It is necessary, in order to improve the world food picture, that the need of each country be understood and the available foods used to meet needs without waste, either from the standpoint of economy or nutritional well-being. Agricultural and home economics workers in Puerto Rico have felt the necessity of teaching the people of their country methods to improve the quality and quantity of food products. The Puerto Rican people need to learn how to get the most from their soil, how to use fertilizers, and how to conserve the value of the soil. Much has already been accomplished in this work, but it is necessary to obtain more interest on the part of the people in improving their production and use of food. In addition to learning improved methods of production and conservation, the people of Puerto Rico need to emphasize wise use of the available food products. Many foods are available because Puerto Rico has a rich soil, and with the aid of only a small amount of fertilizer, many products may be grown. Vegetables and fruits may be produced throughout the year in sufficient quantities to meet the needs of the people. This makes it possible to have an adequate intake of vitamins A and C, if they eat available foods. Of course, the amount of sunlight the year around gives an ample supply of vitamin D. (Rickets due to deficiency of vitamin D is almost unknown.) In spite of the fortunate geographical position which makes the production of many foods possible, the people still need much information about the best methods of preparing and preserving this food. Home economists in extension work must make continued efforts to plan programs to meet the needs of the Puerto Rican people. Those who are responsible for choosing and preparing foods must be given more knowledge of foods and nutrition and thus improve the nutritional status of the people and use well the available foods. In order to develop new plans that would aid the extension program of one area, much can be learned from a study of methods in use elsewhere. For that reason, this study of extension work in foods and nutrition in the southern United States was begun. In studying the foods and nutrition extension work of the southern United States and Puerto Rico, as much information as possible was secured from the library. In order to augment this material, a questionnaire was sent to extension foods and nutrition specialists working in the southern states of the United states. This questionnaire was designed to obtain information about the type of work done, the methods used, and the success of these methods. A copy of the questionnaire may be found in the appendix. From the foods and nutrition extension information obtained from other states, a comparison is made with the Puerto Rican extension work, and some plans based upon this study for furthering the work in Puerto Rico are presented. Information from this study, it is hoped, may be useful to the author upon returning to a position in foods and nutrition extension in Puerto Rico. In this study, it was thought advisable to give brief consideration of the nature of extension work in general, and emphasize the work of specialists, especially the work of foods and nutrition specialists. In order to develop the problem, it has been necessary to explain at some length the extension work and its background in Puerto Rico. Only with a clear picture of the Puerto Rican conditions, accomplishments and future needs, is it possible to see relationship between extension in this country and the southern United states and apply ideas gained from the study in plans for future extension work. It is hoped from this study to (1) Study the food and nutrition needs of the people in the southern United States and the methods used to meet these needs. (2) Compare the needs of the people of Puerto Rico with those of the people of the southern United states. (3) Compare the methods used in the southern United States with those used in Puerto Rico. (4) Apply ideas gained from the study in suggestions to further foods and nutrition work in Puerto Rico. / M.S.