Master of Arts / Department of Geography / Kendra K. McLauchlan / The quantitative relationship between pollen assemblages in sediment and vegetation cover is largely unknown because many factors influence this relationship. This lack of quantitative relationship is particularly acute in grassland regions, where both past and future climate change have the potential to determine grassland composition and cover. The tool used to reconstruct past grassland cover is the relative abundance of distinct fossil pollen types preserved in sediment. However, the interpretation of grassland pollen assemblages as grassland vegetation types needs to be refined to improve these reconstructions. Using pollen found in the surface sediments from 24 artificially-constructed ponds in the Flint Hills ecoregion of Kansas, USA, I examined relationships between pollen and vegetation in the tallgrass prairie biome, which includes woody components. By comparing the pollen data to field-surveyed vegetation data and land cover classifications taken from Kansas Gap Analysis Program data, I correlated pollen and vegetation in this ecoregion. Pollen productivity estimates for Artemisia, Ambrosia, Asteraceae, Chenopodiaceae, Cornus, Fabaceae, Juniperus, Maclura, Poaceae, Populus, Quercus, and Salix were calculated via the Extended R-Value Model. Common pollen types identified in sediments are mostly herbaceous grassland plant species such as Poaceae, Artemisia, and Ambrosia, but woody plants such as Populus, Quercus, and Juniperus are also represented. PPEs have been calculated for four of these taxa in Europe, and values from the Flint Hills are higher. These are the first PPEs reported for eight of these taxa. This research will further advance quantitative vegetation reconstructions in the Great Plains of North America and refine interpretations of how climate change affects grasslands.

No description available.

Poster / Soc 397a / 2017 Poverty in Tucson Field Workshop

Master of Science / Department of Agricultural Economics / Glynn Tonsor / The purpose of our analysis was to examine production strategies in the backgrounder and stocker segments of the beef industry within the Flint Hills region of Kansas. The time period analyzed encompassed 1996-2015. September and November placements of steers in the backgrounding sector of the industry were analyzed with an intended March sale date. Placements considered included 425, 500, and 575 pound steers. April and May placements of steers were analyzed for the industry’s stocking sector with an intended July sale date. Placements considered included 450, 600, and 750 pound steers. Within our analysis historical ex-post net incomes were analyzed, prediction errors were calculated (net income, revenue, and cost of gain), and market incentives/signals were analyzed. While for our historical ex-post net income analysis we did not identify one of the four placement strategies as superior in all 20 years of our analysis, we did find scenarios that were typically superior to others. In terms of backgrounding, November placements were typically superior to September placements, in terms of stocking April placements were typically superior to May placements, and when comparing backgrounding and stocking scenarios stocking scenarios were typically superior. In terms of prediction errors, we found that revenue errors are the main drivers of net income error. In general, within the backgrounding scenarios typical producers who are representative of our model assumptions generally overestimate net incomes which is detrimental to them (make lower profits than they anticipate making), while in stocking scenarios producers underestimate net incomes which is generally beneficial to them (make larger profits than they anticipate making). Market signal/incentive and ex-post net income analysis both indicated that steer weight at time of sale was a large factor influencing backgrounder profitability and decision making, and that pasture rents were a large factor influencing stocker profitability and decision making. In all four scenarios it proved economically beneficial to place lighter steer rather than heavy steers. Further research may include, but is not limited to; adding bulls and heifers to our model, analyzing different placement weights within our model, and allowing for animal performance variability within our model.

Call number: LD2668 .T4 1954 H4 / Master of Science

A formação do perfil de velocidades do vento é influenciada pela rugosidade e topografia do terreno; em um terreno plano, por exemplo, as velocidades são diminuídas conforme a sua proximidade com a superfície terrestre, determinando a constituição da camada limite atmosférica (C.L.A.). O escoamento do vento em terrenos complexos, ou seja, terrenos que possuem morros e taludes, sejam isolados ou múltiplos, possui o perfil de velocidades modificado, fazendo com que para cotas mais próximas da superfície se observe um aumento das velocidades. A este incremento de velocidades dá-se o nome de speed-up. Esta pesquisa tem como foco a investigação da estrutura do escoamento do vento, analisando minuciosamente o perfil de velocidades em um escoamento turbulento, para topografias isoladas e complexas. Para tanto, foram utilizados dois métodos para obtenção do perfil de velocidades: ensaios experimentais em túnel de vento e aplicação de normas e modelos analítcos de carregamento do vento. O plano experimental engloba nove topografias dentre as quais estão: quatro morros bidimensionais (2D) isolados, quatro morros tridimensionais (3D) isolados e um morro 3D de uma topografia complexa. Os modelos foram ensaiados para duas categorias de terreno, conforme a Norma Brasileira NBR 6123 (ABNT, 1988): I – superfícies lisas de grandes dimensões e III-IV – terreno coberto por obstáculos, no túnel de vento Prof° Joaquim Blessmann. Após a execução do plano experimental aplicou-se modelos analíticos com as mesmas parametrizações do modelo experimental e por fim foram comparados entre si. Os modelos analíticos estudados foram: Jackson e Hunt (1975, Lemelin, Surry e Davenport (1988) e as normas estudadas são: NBR 6123 (ABNT, 1988), Eurocode 1 (CEN-TC, 2010), AIJ (AIJ, 2004), NBCC (NRCC, 2010), AS/NZS (AS/NZS, 2011), ASCE (ASCE, 2010). O estudo comparativo entre os modelos analíticos e normas revela a inexistência de uma homogeneidade entre os modelos, visto que a formulação de cálculo é distinta, quando temos uma topografia em análise. Além disso, os modelos analíticos, quando comparados com os ensaios experimentais, tendem a ser mais conservadores tanto para modelos 2D ou 3D, para pontos à barlavento, no cume e à sotavento do morro. A NBR 6123 apresentou os maiores incrementos de velocidades em comparação com os demais modelos e com os dados experimentais. / The formation of the wind speed profile is influenced by the roughness and topography of the ground; on a flat ground, for example, the speeds are reduced according to their proximity to the earth’s surface, determining the constitution of the atmospheric boundary layer (C.L.A.). The wind flow in complex terrain, in other words, whether single or multiples, has the modified wind speed profile, causing closest to the surface dimensions is observed increased speeds. To this increase speeds gives the name of speed-up. This research focuses on the investigation of the wind flow structure, thoroughly analyzing the speeds profile in turbulent flow, for isolated and complex topographies. For this purpose, two methods for obtaining the speed profile were used: experimental tests in a wind tunnel and application standards or wind loading codes. The experimental plan includes nine topographies among which are: four 2D hills (2D) isolates, four 3D hills (3D) isolates and a complex topography hill. The models were tested for two roughness according to the Brazilian standard NBR 6123 (ABNT, 1988): I – smooth surfaces large dimensions and III-IV – ground covered by obstacles, in the wind tunnel Prof° Joaquim Blessmann. After the execution of the experimental tests were applied analytical models with the same parametrization of the experimental model and finally were compared. The analytical models studied were: Jackson e Hunt (1975, Lemelin, Surry e Davenport (1988), NBR 6123 (ABNT, 1988), Eurocode 1 (CEN-TC, 2010), AIJ (AIJ, 2004), NBCC (NRCC, 2010), AS/NZS (AS/NZS, 2011), ASCE (ASCE, 2010. The compararative study between the analytical models and standards reveals the lack of homogeneity between the models, since the calculation formulation is different when we have a topography analysis. Furthermore, analytical models, compared with the experimental tests tend to be more conservative for both 2D and 3D models, points to the windward, top of the hill and leeward. The NBR 6123 showed the largest increases in speed compared to the other models and experimental data.

No description available.

Seismogenically active faults (those that produce earthquakes) are very complex systems that constantly change through time. When an earthquake occurs, the rocks surrounding a fault (the “fault rocks”) become altered or damaged. Studying these fault rocks directly can inform what processes operated in the fault and how the fault evolved in space and time. Examining these key aspects of faults helps us understand the earthquake hazards of active fault systems. The Mecca Hills, southern California, consist of a set of hills adjacent to the southernmost San Andreas Fault. The topography is related to motion on the San Andreas fault, which poses the largest seismic hazard in the lower forty-eight United States. The southernmost San Andreas fault, and the Mecca Hills study location may be reaching the end of its earthquake cycle and is due for a major, potentially catastrophic earthquake. The seismic hazards of the region, coupled with its proximity to major populated areas (Coachella Valley, Los Angeles Basin) make it a critical research area to understand fault zone evolution and the protracted history of fault development. The goal of this thesis was to directly examine the fault rocks in the Mecca Hills to understand how San Andreas-related faults in this area have evolved and behaved through time. This study integrates a variety of field and laboratory techniques to characterize the structural, geochemical, and thermal properties of the Mecca Hills fault rocks. The results herein document two distinct phases of deformation in the rocks exposed in the Mecca Hills, one around 24 million years ago and the other in the last one million years. This more recent phase of deformation is characterized by fault block exhumation and fluid flow in the fault zones, likely related to changing dynamics of the southernmost San Andreas Fault system. The older event informs how and when these rocks came close to Earth’s surface before the San Andreas Fault initiated.

This survey study examines the type and frequency of books borrowed by students according to age, sex and reading ability. It seeks to redress the sparsity of information available on the types and style of books borrowed by children. This survey study is based on data gathered over 14 weeks at Wanniassa Hills Primary School. Weekly library borrowings were recorded for Years 2. 3/4 and 5/6. A sample of 90 children, 30 from each year level was selected and individual borrowings were coded for analysis according to the type of book borrowed. The SAS System was used to tabulate the data and conclusions were drawn from the results thus obtained. The survey study revealed that females borrow more books generally than males. A general pattern of book borrowing is evident. Females tend to progress more quickly man males through this pattern of borrowing. Males tend to prefer Non- Fiction books, progressing to Choose Your Own Adventure books and Fantasy Game books. Recommendations are based on these findings and other outcomes of the survey study. This survey study has implications for classroom practice, libraries, basic readers and further study.

<p>Denna uppsats syftar till att kvalitativt undersöka hur kvinnor porträtteras i fem</p><p>utvalda avsnitt av The Hills (MTV), med fokus på deras beteende och uppträdande i</p><p>frågor som karriär, utseende och relationer till män. Detta undersöks med hjälp av ett</p><p>analysschema som har utformats utifrån Keith Selbys och Ron Cowderys</p><p>analysmodell för att studera television.</p><p> </p><p>Undersökningen vilar på en genusteoretisk grund och teorier som används är bland</p><p>annat R.W. Connells hegemoniska maskulinitet, Yvonne Hirdmans genuskontrakt,</p><p>Laura Mulveys ”the male gaze” och en vidare utveckling av Foucaults teori om ”the</p><p>panopticon”. Detta kompletteras med forskning av bland annat Rosalind Gill, Angela</p><p>McRobbie och Hillevi Ganetz.</p><p> </p><p>I min analys framkommer att det förekommer väldigt få skildringar av kvinnor vars</p><p>beteende utmanar en traditionell syn på kvinnligt uppförande. Vidare betonas</p><p>kvinnors utseende starkt och karaktärerna visar ett flertal gånger fokus på äktenskap.</p><p>Sammantaget leder analysen fram till en slutsats att kvinnor i The Hills inom samtliga</p><p>undersökta områden till stor del skildras på ett sätt som befäster en stereotyp</p><p>genusstruktur.</p>