Measuring effective leaf area index, foliage profile, and stand height in New England forest stands using a full-waveform ground-based lidar

Effective leaf area index (LAI) retrievals from a scanning, ground-based, near-infrared (1064 nm) lidar that digitizes the full return waveform, the Echidna Validation Instrument (EVI), are in good agreement with those obtained from both hemispherical photography and the Li-Cor LAI-2000 Plant Canopy Analyzer. We conducted trials at 28 plots within six stands of hardwoods and conifers of varying height and stocking densities at Harvard Forest, Massachusetts, Bartlett Experimental Forest, New Hampshire, and Howland Experimental Forest, Maine, in July 2007. Effective LAI values retrieved by four methods, which ranged from 3.42 to 5.25 depending on the site and method, were not significantly different (β < 0.1 among four methods). The LAI values also matched published values well. Foliage profiles (leaf area with height) retrieved from the lidar scans, although not independently validated, were consistent with stand structure as observed and as measured by conventional methods. Canopy mean top height, as determined from the foliage profiles, deviated from mean RH100 values obtained from the Lidar Vegetation Imaging Sensor (LVIS) airborne large-footprint lidar system at 27 plots by − 0.91 m with RMSE = 2.04 m, documenting the ability of the EVI to retrieve stand height. The Echidna Validation Instrument is the first realization of the Echidna® lidar concept, devised by Australia's Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO), for measuring forest structure using full-waveform, ground-based, scanning lidar.     

Understanding opportunities and challenges for collaborative greenway planning in New England

Protection of natural, cultural, and recreational resources requires a regional approach to greenway planning that transcends political boundaries. Previous research on greenway planning has shown there are four main challenges in multi-jurisdictional greenway implementation: inter-governmental coordination, the lack of regional governance, funding, and public perceptions about greenways. The focus of this study was to understand successful strategies for collaborative greenway planning in the fragmented political landscape of New England (USA). To understand these issues, in-depth interviews were conducted with key greenway planners in New England from federal and state agencies and non-governmental organizations. The results of the study revealed four key strategies that are essential to multi-jurisdictional greenway planning in New England: partnerships, clearly defined goals, public involvement, and regional coordination. This study provides lessons for greenway planners who are implementing regional greenways across state, provincial, and international boundaries.     

中英城市社区照顾体系比较研究

通过中英社区照顾体系在发展背景和管理体制上的比较,借鉴英国社区照顾的成功经验,提出相关思考与建议．探索一条符合中国国情的社区照顾模式。     

Low carbon housing refurbishment challenges and incentives: Architects’ perspectives

The UK has a legally binding commitment to reduce CO₂ levels by 80% by 2050 relative to the 1990 emissions baseline. The existing housing stock, which accounts for approximately 30% of total UK energy demand, has the potential to provide significant opportunities for this reduction; however, currently there are no legislative measures driving widespread low carbon housing refurbishment (LCHR) design and construction. Architects have a decisive role to move forward the LCHR agenda owing to their leadership and significant involvement in the initial briefing, conceptual and design development phases of a project, regardless of project procurement types and project sizes. Hence, the aim of this research is to investigate the key challenges and incentives for achieving LCHR in England from architects’ perspectives.     

Interactions of heavy metals with bacteria

The toxicity of heavy metals to bacteria, with particular reference to metal forms and species, has been reviewed. Factors which influence metal forms and thus their potential toxicity, such as pH, chelation and competitive interactions have been discussed. The mechanisms whereby bacteria may influence the forms of heavy metals to which they are exposed have been discussed with reference to the importance of the role of bacteria in immobilisation and environmental cycling of metals. Bacterial resistance to metal toxicity is an environmentally important phenomenon. It may occur from non-specific mechanisms, such as impermeability of the cell, or it may be due to specific resistance transfer factors. The coincidence and co-selection of resistance factors for antibiotics and heavy metals in bacterial populations and the clinical implications of this have been described.     

Rebuilding Networks of Forest Habitats in Lowland England

Forest habitats in England have remained fragmented for centuries, and this has isolated populations of woodland species. Now, however, there may be opportunities to increase woodlands and restore the connections between habitats and populations. An ecological basis is provided for reconstructing a forest habitat network.     

Short communication: turbidity as an indicator of Escherichia coli presence in water troughs on cattle farms

Studies have shown that water-drinking troughs are an important source of Escherichia coli infection on cattle farms, and a study was designed to provide farmers with an easy-to-use tool to monitor trough contamination and help determine when to empty and clean water troughs. A total of 164 water troughs were sampled on 33 cattle farms, and the on-farm turbidity tester results were found to be significantly correlated with laboratory turbidity results. Turbidity was associated with E. coli concentration, although the association was not linear. Emptying the troughs within a week of sampling was shown to reduce the turbidity score, but no linear association between time of emptying and E. coli concentration was discovered. A turbidity score of 4 was set as a cutoff point for when to clean a trough, yielding a sensitivity of 0.94 and a specificity of 0.03 for identifying a level of E. coli concentration that was more likely to contain E. coli O157 (>5,800 cfu/100 mL).     

New England Psychological Association: Proceedings of the Twelfth Annual Meeting.

The Twelfth Annual Meeting of the New England Psychological Association was held November 3-4, 1972, at the Statler-Hilton Hotel, Boston, Massachusetts. There were 377 registrants. The Steering Committee planned the program and selected the topics. Chairs organized their respective sessions. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The assessment of IT capability

Abstract  The 1988 Educational Reform Act established in England and Wales a National Curriculum which sets out in statute assessment objectives and teaching programmes for a range of subjects. IT plays an important part in this Curriculum, and is intended to permeate it in a natural way. Since IT has its own objectives-relating to what is termed IT capability-this raises particular problems of cross-curricular, context-led assessment, which this paper explores. In doing so, the paper sets up a model of pupil progression for IT capability development, which provides a theoretical basis to the practical problems of assessment.