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Over 50 years ago, a marine estuary was converted to a wastewater stabilization basin for treatment of primarily pulp and paper effluent. As a result, the basin was immediately converted to a 'freshwater' environment and subsequently accumulated a thin layer of black, organic-rich sediment containing varying amounts of dioxins and furans, metals, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, and petroleum hydrocarbons. Previous studies on the site have shown that the majority of this contamination in the basin appears to have been contained within this black sediment layer and not migrated to any significant extent into the original underlying marine sediments. The purpose of this study is to examine sediment porewater chemistry changes that have occurred over 51 years of operation of the stabilization basin with the intent of better understanding why contamination has been minimal into the underlying natural marine sediments. Field and laboratory testing is presented to characterize the physical, chemical, and mineralogical sediments in the basin. Porewater chemistry profiles obtained from this work are then used in combination with a one-dimensional contaminant transport model to examine the role of diffusion, sorption, and upward groundwater flux in the porewater profiles found for the sediments. Key words: contaminant migration, diffusion, sorption, barrier, pulp and paper Il y a plus de 50 ans, un estuaire marin a ete converti en bassin de stabilisation des eaux usees pour le traitement d'effluents principalement issus du secteur de la pate a papier. En consequence, le bassin a ete immediatement converti en un environnement << d'eau douce >> et a ensuite accumule une fine couche de sediments noirs, riches en matieres organiques, contenant des quantites variables de dioxines et de furanes, de metaux, d'hydrocarbures aromatiques polycycliques et d'hydrocarbures petroliers. Des etudes anterieures sur le site ont montre que la majorite de cette contamination dans le bassin semble avoir ete contenue dans cette couche de sediments noirs et n'a pas migre de maniere significative dans les sediments marins sousjacents originaux. Le but de cette etude est d'examiner les changements de la chimie de l'eau interstitielle des sediments qui se sont produits au cours des 51 annees d'exploitation du bassin de stabilisation dans l'intention de mieux comprendre pourquoi la contamination a ete minimale dans les sediments marins naturels sous-jacents. Des essais sur le terrain et en laboratoire sont presentes pour caracteriser les sediments physiques, chimiques et mineralogiques du bassin. Les profils chimiques des eaux interstitielles obtenus a partir de ce travail sont ensuite utilises en combinaison avec un modele unidimensionnel de transport des contaminants pour examiner le role de la diffusion, de la sorption et du flux ascendant des eaux souterraines dans les profils des eaux interstitielles trouves pour les sediments. [Traduit par la Redaction] Mots-cles : migration des contaminants, diffusion, sorption, barriere, pate et papier, 1. Introduction Boat Harbour (BH) is the stabilization basin, which until 2020, comprised part of a wastewater treatment facility located near Pictou, Nova Scotia, Canada. A tidal estuary until 1967, [...]

Wood discoloration was investigated in 721 paper birch (Betula papyrifera Marsh.) trees from 146 sites across the managed forest of Quebec, Canada. Discoloration was present at breast height in 85% of trees, but its impact was limited in terms of tree basal area and volume, with proportions of 6.4% and 3.6%, respectively. These two measures were strongly correlated. Discoloration changed wood appearance but had no effect on microfibril angle and modulus of elasticity. Discolored wood was nevertheless denser, probably due to the accumulation of colored extractives. Predictive models were also developed and applied to 415 711 paper birch trees from 51689 inventory plots across the province to study regional variation. Higher proportions of discolored basal area were obtained in the southwestern areas of the province where the climate is warmer and drier. In these areas, paper birch trees are larger and, likely, support bigger branches which can cause larger columns of discoloration when broken. Lower proportions were found in eastern regions where snowfall is more abundant. Smaller, more flexible branches in trees growing in these areas could explain this result. This study confirms the feasibility of large-scale mapping of wood discoloration in standing trees based on forest inventory and climate data. Key words: paper birch, wood discoloration, wood properties, regional variation, climate. La coloration du bois a ete etudiee chez 721 tiges de bouleau blanc (Betula papyrifera Marsh.) provenant de 146 sites repartis a travers la foret amenagee du Quebec, au Canada. La coloration etait presente chez 85 % des arbres mais son impact etait faible : elle occupait seulement 6,4 % de la surface terriere et 3,6 % du volume des tiges. Ces deux variables etaient etroitement correlees. La coloration a modifie l'apparence du bois mais n'a eu aucun effet sur l'angle des microfibrilles ni sur le module d'elasticite. Le bois colore est neanmoins plus dense, vraisemblablement a cause de l'accumulation de matieres extractibles colorees. Des modeles de prediction ont egalement ete elabores et appliques a 415 711 tiges de bouleau blanc provenant de 51689 parcelles d'inventaire reparties a travers la province pour etudier la variation regionale. De plus grandes proportions de surface terriere de bois colore ont ete obtenues dans les regions du sud-ouest de la province oU le climat est plus chaud et plus sec. Dans ces regions, les tiges de bouleau blanc sont plus grosses et supportent probablement de plus grosses branches qui peuvent causer de plus grandes colonnes de coloration lorsqu'elles cassent. De plus faibles proportions de coloration ont ete trouvees dans les regions de l'est oU les chutes de neige sont plus abondantes. Le fait que les arbres croissant dans ces regions aient des branches plus petites et plus flexibles pourrait expliquer ce resultat. Cette etude confirme que la cartographie de la coloration a grande echelle dans les arbres sur pied est realisable a partir de donnees d'inventaire forestier et du climat. [Traduit par la Redaction] Mots-cles: bouleau blanc, coloration du bois, proprietes du bois, variation regionale, climat., Introduction Paper birch (Betula papyrifera Marsh.) is one of the most abundant hardwood species in Canada with a natural range from eastern to western coast (Safford et al. 1990). In [...]

Palynomorphs are one of the few groups of fossils that provide biostratigraphic control in marine to nonmarine rocks and can be applied as proxies for paleoenvironmental and paleoclimatic interpretations. Their utility is enhanced by their microscopic size, which is usually less than 200 micrometres; they are thus easily recovered from small rock samples. They occur throughout the Phanerozoic and are therefore invaluable in refining biostratigraphic control of Arctic successions in Alaska, Arctic Canada, Greenland, northern Europe, and northern Russia. The objective of the Circum-Arctic Palynological Event (CAPE) Stratigraphy series of papers is to integrate data published on Arctic palynomorphs to delineate palynological events (palynoevents) across the Arctic for the Silurian to Cenozoic. Once the series of papers is complete, the data will also be used to compile a TimeScale Creator datapack that can be updated and calibrated on an ongoing basis. Palynoevents include taxon originations (first occurrences or FOs) and extinctions (last occurrences, or I.Os) and some abundance events. The palynoevents are correlated with established chronostratigraphic horizons such as bases of ammonoid zones or stages, and hence their chronostratigraphy is independent of the absolute time scale in millions of years. In addition to the palynostratigraphic papers, the series includes a paper detailing the paleogeography of the circum-Arctic regions, including informative maps, as well as a paper providing a palynological perspective of the Cenozoic shift from greenhouse to icehouse conditions. Les palynomorphes sont l'un des rares groupes de fossiles qui permettent un controle biostratigraphique dans les roches marines et non marines et qui peuvent servir de temoins pour les interpretations paleoenvironnementales et paleoclimatiques. Leur utilite se trouve amelioree par leur taille microscopique, qui est habituellement de moins de 200 micrometres; ils sont ainsi facilement recuperes des petits echantillons de roches. Ils sont presents durant tout le Phanerozoique et sont par consequent d'une valeur inestimable pour le raffinement du controle biostratigraphique des successions arctiques en Alaska, dans l'Arctique canadien, au Groenland, dans le nord de l'Europe et dans le nord de la Russie. La serie d'articles sur la stratigraphie des phenomenes palynologiques circumarctiques (PPC) vise l'integration des donnees publiees sur les palynomorphes arctiques afin de degager les phenomenes palynologiques (palynophenomenes) dans l'Arctique durant la periode du Silurien au Cenozoique. Une fois la serie d'articles terminee, les donnees serviront a la compilation d'un dossier de donnees TimeScale Creator pouvant etre mis a jour et etalonne de facon continue. Les palynophenomenes englobent les apparitions (premieres manifestations ou PM) et les extinctions (dernieres manifestations ou DM) de taxons, et certains phenomenes d'abondance. Les palynophenomenes sont correles avec des horizons chronostratigraphiques etablis comme les bases de zones ou d'etages d'ammonites, et leur chronostratigraphie est done independante de l'echelle chronologique absolue en millions d'annees. Outre les articles palynostratigraphiques, la serie comprend un article detaillant la paleogeographie des regions circumarctiques, y compris des cartes informatives, ainsi qu'un article fournissant une perspective palynologique du passage d'une periode a effet de serre a des conditions a faible effet de serre durant le Cenozoique. [Traduit par la redaction], INTRODUCTION In the Circum-Arctic Palynological Event Stratigraphy project (CAPE), specialists were asked to document selected palynological events (for example taxon originations and extinctions) with correlation potential from the Silurian to [...]

We use a dynamic, global computable general equilibrium (CGE) model to capture the economic impacts of internet adoption, modeled through reduced demand in the newsprint and printing and writing paper (pulp and paper) industries. Global newsprint consumption is estimated to fall dramatically by 2030. We rely on estimates from another study that captures the change in global pulp and paper consumption using the global forest products model (GFPM), based on two scenarios: (i) full per capita internet adoption by 2100 and (ii) more rapid full internet adoption by 2050. We incorporate reductions in pulpwood consumption into a global multiregional dynamic CGE model to estimate economy- wide impacts in Canadian provinces, the United States, and the rest of the world. Results indicated that the year 2050 internet adoption scenario would result in a reduction in cumulative discounted gross domestic product (GDP) by as much as 17% in some regions of Canada, reduce GDP by 5.8% in the United States, and increase GDP by 3.3% in the rest of the world from 2006 to 2030. These findings highlight the costs of internet adoption, leaving net benefit analysis of adoption to future work. Key words: internet adoption, pulp and paper, computable general equilibrium, global impacts. Nous avons utilise un modele d'equilibre general calculable (EGC) dynamique et mondial pour saisir les repercussions economiques de l'adoption de l'Internet, modelisees selon la reduction de la demande dans l'industrie du papier journal et des papiers d'impression et d'ecriture (pates et papiers). On estime que la consommation mondiale de papier journal chutera dramatiquement d'ici 2030. Nous nous appuyons sur les estimations d'une autre etude qui saisit le changement de la consommation mondiale des pates et papiers en utilisant le modele mondial des produits forestiers sur la base de deux scenarios : l'adoption de l'Internet par tous les habitants (i) d'ici 2100 et (ii) plus rapidement, soit d'ici 2050. Nous avons inclus les reductions de consommation de bois de pate dans un modele mondial et multiregional d'EGC dynamique pour estimer les impacts sur l'ensemble de l'economie dans les provinces canadiennes, les Etats-Unis et le reste du monde. Les resultats demontrent que le scenario d'adoption de l'Internet d'ici 2050 aurait pour consequence une reduction du PIB cumule actualise de pres de 17 % dans certaines regions du Canada et de 5,8 % aux Etats-Unis ainsi qu'une augmentation de 3,3 % du PIB dans le reste du monde entre 2006 et 2030. Ces conclusions mettent en evidence les couts de l'adoption de l'Internet laissant l'analyse des benefices nets de l'adoption a des recherches ulterieures. [Traduit par la Redaction] Mots-cles: adoption de l'Internet, pates et papier, equilibre general calculable, impacts mondiaux., 1. Introduction The demand for newspaper and other print media has begun to decline worldwide after decades of growth (see Fig. 1). This reduction can potentially be attributed to a [...]

We analyze the total factor productivity (TFP) of the pulp and paper industry in three Canadian provinces (British Columbia, Ontario, and Quebec) and in three United States (US) states that are contiguously located south of the border (Washington, Illinois, and Maine) over the period of 1971 to 2005. We find that the industry in the three Canadian provinces had much higher TFP growth rates in the era following the Free-Trade Agreement (FTA) signed in 1988. In terms of productivity level, this relative TFP surge allowed the industry in Ontario and British Columbia to move ahead of Illinois and Washington, respectively; however, Quebec trailed further Maine, which is the overall leader in the sample. Our results in this particular case reveal that the Canadian pulp and paper industry did not contribute to the overall Canada-US productivity gap. Key words: total factor productivity, income convergence, pulp and paper industry, Free-Trade Agreement (FTA), productivity puzzle. Nous avons analyse la productivity totale des facteurs (PTF) de l'industrie des pates et papiers dans trois provinces canadiennes (Colombie-Britannique, Ontario et Quebec) et trois etats americains situes immediatement au sud de la frontiere (Washington, Illinois et Maine) pour la periode de 1971 a 2005. Nous avons remarque que l'industrie dans les trois provinces canadiennes avait un taux de croissance de la PTF bien plus elevee pour la periode suivant l'Accord de libre -echange signe en 1988. En ce concerne le niveau de productivite, l'augmentation relative de la PTF a permis a l'industrie de l'Ontario et de la Colombie-Britannique de devancer respectivement l'lllinois et Washington; cependant le Quebec accuse toujours un certain retard sur le Maine qui est le chef de file dans notre echantillon. Dans ce cas particulier, nos resultats revelent que l'industrie canadienne des pates et papiers ne contribue pas a l'ecart global de productivite entre le Canada et les Etats -Unis. [Traduit par la Redaction] Mots-cles : productivite totale des facteurs, convergence des revenus, industrie des pates et papier, Accord de libre-echange, casse-tete de la productivite., 1. Introduction 'Canada has a serious productivity growth problem. The statistical evidence is unambiguous and of long standing.' (1) Real gross domestic product (GDP) per capita increased at a slightly [...]

A summer course developed at Purdue University leverages students' intrinsic desire to observe tornadoes as a motivator for learning severe storms forecasting. Relative to previous 'storm chasing' courses, the Students [...]

ABSTRACT Several important developments in the 1960s showed the way to using spectral analysis to identify and describe atmospheric waves predicted by theory. Among these waves were normal-mode Rossby-Haurwitz waves [...]

Schetselaar, A., Andersen, T., and Burn, C.R. Performance of Climate Projections for Yukon and Adjacent Northwest Territories, 1991-2020. Jarstad, E., Felberg, H.A., and Mamen, A. A Case of the Short-term [...]

En aquest article es presenten les activitats i experiències impulsades des de la Cartoteca de Catalunya amb l'objectiu de visibilitzar i reconèixer els treballs de les dones en un camp tradicionalment amb una gran presència d'homes, com són les ciències de la terra. Les dues activitats principals se centren en la celebració d'exposicions per donar difusió al fons propi de la Cartoteca, i a intentar desenvolupar col·leccions més equilibrades des del punt de vista de gènere. This article describes the activities designed by the Map Library of Catalonia to draw attention to the contributions of women to Earth sciences, a field traditionally dominated by men. The Library’s two main lines of action are the organization of exhibitions to bring its holdings to a wider public, and its project to develop more gender-balanced collections.

Strongman, A. The Influence of Butterflies and Bees on the Old Bering Sea Visual Art. Mills, S., Simmons, D., and Williamson, K.J. In Pursuit of 'a Good Life': Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit [...]

ABSTRACTS The 2016/17 wildfire season in Chile was the worst on record, burning more than 600,000 ha. While wildfires are an important natural process in some areas of Chile, supporting [...]

The Madden-Julian oscillation (MJO) identified by Madden and Julian in the early 1970s has been well recognized as the most prominent intraseasonal signal in the tropics. Its discovery and its [...]

R.M. QUIGLEY AWARDThe R.M. Quigley Award is given out each year to the best paper published in Canadian Geotechnical Journal (CGJ) in the previous year. Bob Quigley was one of [...]

Crawford, A., and Mueller, D. Assessing Ice Island Drift Patterns, Ice Island Grounding Locations, and Gridded Bathymetry Products between Nares Strait and the North Atlantic. Parrett, J.P., Prichard, A.K., Johnson, [...]

New York City College of Technology has created a year-round geoscience workforce preparation and geoscience career mentoring program for nongeoscience, minority science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) students beginning at [...]

Background: Paper mulberry (Broussonetia papyrifera (L.) L'Hér. ex Vent) is a dioecious tree native to East Asia and mainland Southeast-Asia, introduced prehistorically to Polynesia as a source of bark fiber by Austronesian-speaking voyagers. In Oceania, trees are coppiced and harvested for production of bark-cloth, so flowering is generally unknown. A survey of botanical records of paper mulberry revealed a distributional disjunction: the tree is apparently absent in Borneo and the Philippines. A subsequent study of chloroplast haplotypes linked paper mulberry of Remote Oceania directly to a population in southern Taiwan, distinct from known populations in mainland Southeast-Asia. Methodology: We describe the optimization and use of a DNA marker designed to identify sex in paper mulberry. We used this marker to determine the sex distribution in selected localities across Asia, Near and Remote Oceania. We also characterized all samples using the ribosomal internal transcribed spacer sequence (ITS) in order to relate results to a previous survey of ITS diversity. Results: In Near and Remote Oceania, contemporary paper mulberry plants are all female with the exception of Hawaii, where plants of both sexes are found. In its natural range in Asia, male and female plants are found, as expected. Male plants in Hawaii display an East Asian ITS genotype, consistent with modern introduction, while females in Remote Oceania share a distinctive variant. Conclusions: Most paper mulberry plants now present in the Pacific appear to be descended from female clones introduced prehistorically. In Hawaii, the presence of male and female plants is thought to reflect a dual origin, one a prehistoric female introduction and the other a modern male introduction by Japanese/Chinese immigrants. If only female clones were dispersed from a source-region in Taiwan, this may explain the absence of botanical records and breeding populations in the Philippines and Borneo, and Remote Oceania. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stirling, I., Regehr, E.V., Spencer, C., Burns, L.E., and Laidre, K.L. Using Visual Observations to Compare the Behavior of Previously Immobilized and Non-Immobilized Wild Polar Bear. Dawson, J., Cook, A., [...]

Glass, T.W., Breed, G.A., Laird, C.R., Magoun, A.J., Robards, M.D., Williams, C.T., and Kielland, K. Terrain Features and Architecture of Wolverine (Gulo gulo) Resting Burrows and Reproductive Dens on Arctic [...]

Kvern, M., Fitzpatrick, P., and Fishback, L.A. Empowering Churchill: Exploring Energy Security in Northern Manitoba. Pigford, A.-A.E., Hickey, G.M., and Klerkx, L. Networked Relationships for Science-Informed Innovation in the Arctic: [...]

The shift to online learning in Nova Scotia during the 2020-2021 academic year forced faculty to digitize activities that would traditionally be done using paper and pen. This included geology [...]

Prichard, A.K., Welch, J.H., and Lawhead, B.E. The Effect of Traffic Levels on the Distribution and Behavior of Calving Caribou in an Arctic Oilfield. Seguin, R., Lefsrud, M.G., Delormier, T., [...]

Aagard, Troels Aitken, Alec Akoglu, Ahmet Allard, Michel Ansdell, Kevin Archibald, Donnelly Arnaud, Emmanuelle Atkinson, Gail Averianov, Alexander Azizi, Hossain Baird, Graham Barendregt, Rene Barr, Sandra Bauer, Bernard Bedard, Jean [...]

Organizers International Union of Forest Research Organizations (IUFRO) Working Group 8.01.06 (Boreal and Alpine Forest Ecosystem Unit), co-sponsored by Working Groups 7.03.07 (Population Dynamics of Forest Insects) and 7.03.05 (Ecology [...]

Quantifying the impact of a scholarly paper is of great significance, yet the effect of geographical distance of cited papers has not been explored. In this paper, we examine 30,596 papers published in Physical Review C, and identify the relationship between citations and geographical distances between author affiliations. Subsequently, a relative citation weight is applied to assess the impact of a scholarly paper. A higher-order weighted quantum PageRank algorithm is also developed to address the behavior of multiple step citation flow. Capturing the citation dynamics with higher-order dependencies reveals the actual impact of papers, including necessary self-citations that are sometimes excluded in prior studies. Quantum PageRank is utilized in this paper to help differentiating nodes whose PageRank values are identical. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

PHOTO (COLOR): RMS Program Cover by Susan Robinson THE THIRTY-SEVENTH TECHNICAL SESSION of the Rochester Mineralogical Symposium was cancelled this year due to the COVID-19 virus. By experimenting with the addition of mica of varying thickness to the optical path when viewing a flattened gahnite and garnet in crossed polars, we found that the observed interference figure was the result of the mica even when exceedingly thin. Multiple flattened almandine crystals have also been extracted from muscovite books from Avondale, Pennsylvania. White included the results of optical analyses performed by our research group on a flattened gahnite, which showed that the crystal exhibited a distinctly biaxial interference figure despite being an isometric mineral. [Extracted from the article]

R.M. QUIGLEY AWARD The R.M. Quigley Award is given out each year to the best paper published in Canadian Geotechnical Journal (CGJ) in the previous year. Bob Quigley was one [...]

Paper mulberry, Broussonetia papyrifera (L.) L’Hér. ex Vent. (Moraceae), a dioecious species, was transported by humans from Taiwan to the islands of Remote Oceania. Its introduction and cultivation in Remote Oceania was intentional due to its cultural importance as a fiber source for barkcloth textiles. The aim of this study was to explore the genetic diversity and structure of paper mulberry populations within Remote Oceania in order to infer dispersal patterns that may reflect past human interaction among island groups. We present the integrated analysis of 380 samples (313 contemporary and 67 herbarium specimens) collected in Near and Remote Oceania. Genetic characterization was based on a set of ten microsatellites developed for B. papyrifera and complemented with the analysis of the ribosomal internal transcribed spacer ITS-1 sequence, a sex marker and the chloroplast ndhF–rpl32 intergenic spacer. Microsatellite data identify a total of 64 genotypes, despite this being a clonally propagated crop, and show three major dispersal hubs within Remote Oceania, centered on the islands of Fiji, Tonga, and Pitcairn. Of 64 genotypes identified, 55 correspond to genotypes associated to female-sexed plants that probably descend from plants introduced by the prehistoric Austronesian-speaking voyagers. The ratio of accessions to genotypes between herbarium and contemporary samples, suggests recent loss of genetic diversity. In addition to the chloroplast haplotypes described previously, we detected two new haplotypes within Remote Oceania both originating in Taiwan. This is the first study of a commensal species to show genetic structuring within Remote Oceania. In spite of the genetic bottleneck, the presence of only one sex, a timespan of less than 5000 years, and asexual propagation of this crop in Remote Oceania, we detect genetic diversity and regional structuring. These observations suggest specific migration routes between island groups within Remote Oceania. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reproducibility is a cornerstone of science and thus for geographic research as well. However, studies in other disciplines such as biology have shown that published work is rarely reproducible. To assess the state of reproducibility, specifically computational reproducibility (i.e. rerunning the analysis of a paper using the original code), in geographic research, we asked geoscientists about this topic using three methods: a survey (n = 146), interviews (n = 9), and a focus group (n = 5). We asked participants about their understanding of open reproducible research (ORR), how much it is practiced, and what obstacles hinder ORR. We found that participants had different understandings of ORR and that there are several obstacles for authors and readers (e.g. effort, lack of openness). Then, in order to complement the subjective feedback from the participants, we tried to reproduce the results of papers that use spatial statistics to address problems in the geosciences. We selected 41 open access papers from Copernicus and Journal of Statistical Software and executed the R code. In doing so, we identified several technical issues and specific issues with the reproduced figures depicting the results. Based on these findings, we propose guidelines for authors to overcome the issues around reproducibility in the computational geosciences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Insley, S.J., Tauzer, L.M., Halliday, W.D., Illasiak, J., Green, R., Kudlak, A., and Kuptana, J. Ringed Seal Diet and Body Condition in the Amundsen Gulf Region, Eastern Beaufort Sea. Kaltenborn, [...]

His current research focuses on emerging neural network methods for performing implicit 3D modeling of geological structures. He has significant experience with algorithm development and the application of mathematical techniques for solving difficult earth science problems. His expertise in 3D geological analysis is coupled with a strong background in the integration of geoscience data using geographic information systems (GIS) and remote sensing technologies. [Extracted from the article]

When the ginseng collector is also a mineral collector, new exposures of interesting minerals occasionally turn up. This has led to a long and fruitful collaboration between amateur collectors and professional mineralogists who have described more than four hundred different mineral species and sixty-six new or type-locality minerals from this small quarry in Quebec. The minerals found at this exposure are distinct from those found a mere 90 meters south at the Wollastonite Skarn (WSK), the classic mineral occurrence at Rose Road. The mineral specimens recovered in the years that followed the discovery of the PDM have conveyed a fascinating and complex paragenesis involving numerous different types of pseudomorphs and mineral textures. [Extracted from the article]

10-15 January 2021, Virtual Meeting The 2021 AMS Annual Meeting theme is 'Strengthening Engagement with Communities through our Science and Services'. For the full description of the theme, please visit [...]

Olnes, J., Citta, J.J., Quakenbush, L., George, C., Harwood, L., Lea, E., and Heide-Jorgensen, M.P. Use of the Alaskan Beaufort Sea by Bowhead Whales (Balaena mysticetus) Tagged with Satellite Transmitters, [...]

Rathwell, K.J. 'She is Transforming ...': Inuit Artworks Reflect a Cultural Response to Arctic Sea Ice and Climate Change. Melnikov, V.V. Observations of Annual Walrus (Odobenus rosmarus divergens) Migrations in [...]

R.M. QUIGLEY AWARD The R.M. Quigley Award is given out each year to the best paper published in Canadian Geotechnical Journal (CGJ) in the previous year. Bob Quigley was one [...]

Swarm-founding wasps are endemic and common representatives of neotropical fauna and compose an interesting social tribe of vespids, presenting both complex social characteristics and uncommon traits for a eusocial group, such as the absence of castes with distinct morphology. The paper wasp Protonectarina sylveirae (Saussure) presents a broad distribution from Brazil, Argentina and Paraguay, occurring widespread in the Atlantic rainforest and arboreal Caatinga, being absent in the Amazon region. Given the peculiar distribution among swarm-founding wasps, an integrative approach to reconstruct the evolutionary history of P. sylveirae in a spatial-temporal framework was performed to investigate: the presence of genetic structure and its relationship with the geography, the evolution of distinct morphologic lineages and the possible historical event(s) in Neotropical region, which could explain the observed phylogeographic pattern. Individuals of P. sylveirae were obtained from populations of 16 areas throughout its distribution for DNA extraction and amplification of mitochondrial genes 12S, 16S and COI. Analysis of genetic diversity, construction of haplotype net, analysis of population structure and dating analysis of divergence time were performed. A morphometric analysis was also performed using 8 measures of the body of the adult (workers) to test if there are morphological distinction among populations. Thirty-five haplotypes were identified, most of them exclusively of a group and a high population structure was found. The possibility of genetic divergence because of isolation by distance was rejected. Morphological analysis pointed to a great uniformity in phenotypes, with only a small degree of differentiation between populations of south and the remaining. Divergence time analysis showed a Middle/Late Miocene origin, a period where an extensive marine ingression occurred in South America. Divergence of haplogroups began from the Plio/Pleistocene boundary and the last glacial maximum most likely modeled the current distribution of species, even though it was not the cause of genetic breaks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cooperation among kin is common in animal societies. Kin groups may form by individuals directly discriminating relatives based on kin recognition cues, or form passively through natal philopatry and limited dispersal. We describe the genetic landscape for a primitively eusocial wasp, Polistes dominula, and ask whether individuals choose cooperative partners that are nearby and/or that are genetic relatives. Firstly, we genotyped an entire sub-population of 1361 wasps and found genetic structuring on an extremely fine scale: the probability of finding genetic relatives decreases exponentially within just a few meters of an individual’s nest. At the same time, however, we found a lack of genetic structuring between natural nest aggregations within the population. Secondly, in a separate dataset where ~2000 wasps were genotyped, we show that wasps forced experimentally to make a new nest choice tended to choose new nests near to their original nests, and that these nests tended to contain some full sisters. However, a significant fraction of wasps chose nests that did not contain sisters, despite sisters being present in nearby nests. Although we cannot rule out a role for direct kin recognition or natal nest-mate recognition, our data suggest that kin groups may form via a philopatric rule-of-thumb, whereby wasps simply select groups and nesting sites that are nearby. The result is that most subordinate helpers obtain indirect fitness benefits by breeding cooperatively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Digital photogrammetry has experienced rapid development regarding the technology involved and its ease of use over the past two decades. We revisit the work of Jim Chandler who in 1999 published a technical communication seeking to familiarise novice users of photogrammetric methods with important theoretical concepts and practical considerations. In doing so, we assess considerations such as camera calibration and the need for photo-control and check points, as they apply to modern software and workflows, in particular for structure-from-motion (SfM) photogrammetry. We also highlight the implications of lightweight drones being the new platform of choice for many photogrammetry-based studies in the geosciences. Finally, we present three examples based on our own work, showing the opportunities that SfM photogrammetry offers at different scales and systems: at the micro-scale for monitoring geomorphological change, and at the meso-scale for hydrological modelling and the reconstruction of vegetation canopies. Our examples showcase developments and applications of photogrammetry which go beyond what was considered feasible 20 years ago and indicate future directions that applications may take. Nevertheless, we demonstrate that, in-line with Chandler's recommendations, the pre-calibration of consumer-grade cameras, instead of relying entirely on self-calibration by software, can yield palpable benefits in micro-scale applications and that measurements of sufficient control points are still central to generating reproducible, high-accuracy products. With the unprecedented ease of use and wide areas of application, scientists applying photogrammetric methods would do well to remember basic considerations and seek methods for the validation of generated products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences 'Best Paper Award' is an annual award given jointly by Canadian Science Publishing (CSP) and the Geological Association of Canada (GAC). It reflects the [...]

Climate change is an ongoing topic in nearly all areas of society since many years. A discussion of climate change without referring to scientific results is not imaginable. This is especially the case for policies since action on the macro scale is required to avoid costly consequences for society. In this study, we deal with the question of how research on climate change and policy are connected. In 2019, the new Overton database of policy documents was released including links to research papers that are cited by policy documents. The use of results and recommendations from research on climate change might be reflected in citations of scientific papers in policy documents. Although we suspect a lot of uncertainty related to the coverage of policy documents in Overton, there seems to be an impact of international climate policy cycles on policy document publication. We observe local peaks in climate policy documents around major decisions in international climate diplomacy. Our results point out that IGOs and think tanks–with a focus on climate change–have published more climate change policy documents than expected. We found that climate change papers that are cited in climate change policy documents received significantly more citations on average than climate change papers that are not cited in these documents. Both areas of society (science and policy) focus on similar climate change research fields: biology, earth sciences, engineering, and disease sciences. Based on these and other empirical results in this study, we propose a simple model of policy impact considering a chain of different document types: The chain starts with scientific assessment reports (systematic reviews) that lead via science communication documents (policy briefs, policy reports or plain language summaries) and government reports to legislative documents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We have developed a new litmus paper test (DipTest) for detecting Escherichia coli (E. coli) in water samples by performing enzymatic reactions directly on the porous paper substrate. The paper strip consists of a long narrow piece of cellulose blotting paper coated with chemoattractant (at bottom edge), wax hydrophobic barrier (at the top edge), and custom formulated chemical reagents (at reaction zone immediately below the wax hydrophobic barrier). When the paper strip is dipped in water, E. coli in the water sample is attracted toward the paper strip due to a chemotaxic mechanism followed by the ascent along the paper strip toward the reaction zone due to a capillary wicking mechanism, and finally the capillary motion is arrested at the top edge of the paper strip by the hydrophobic barrier. The E. coli concentrated at the reaction zone of the paper strip will react with custom formulated chemical reagents to produce a pinkish-red color. Such a color change on the paper strip when dipped into water samples indicates the presence of E. coli contamination in potable water. The performance of the DipTest device has been checked with different known concentrations of E. coli contaminated water samples using different dip and wait times. The DipTest device has also been tested with different interfering bacteria and chemical contaminants. It has been observed that the different interfering contaminants do not have any impact on the DipTest, and it can become a potential solution for screening water samples for E. coli contamination at the point of source. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The International Symposium on Andean Geodynamics (ISAG) is an international conference that was held, on average, every 3–4 years in different European cities between 1990 (Grenoble) and 2008 (Nice). These symposia usually offer an opportunity for researchers from Latin American countries and Europe as well as other countries to review the state of knowledge in geosciences on the Andes. After a long period without an edition, the 8th ISAG was organized for the first time in a Latin American country, Ecuador, from 24th to 26th September 2019. The organizing committee led by Pablo Samaniego relied heavily on the Instituto Geofísico of the Escuela Politécnica Nacional (IG-EPN) and the Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD), in particular through its office in Quito, and through the Laboratoire Mixte International in France and Ecuador: "Seismes et Volcans dans les Andes du Nord" (LMI-SVAN); and the French Embassy in Ecuador. Field trips in tectonics, seismotectonics and volcanology at emblematic sites in Ecuador were organized by researchers from the IRD (Isterre and LMV), the Institut de Radio Protection Nucléaire (IRSN), IG-EPN and the University of Geneva. Four invited speakers gave presentations: Peter Molnar (University of Boulder) on the mechanisms of the Andes uplift, Suzanne Kay (Cornell University) on its magmatism, Victor Ramos (University of Buenos Aires) on the scientific approaches developed through time for the Andean orogeny and Eric Calais (Ecole Normale Supérieure de Paris) on the difficulty of dialog between seismic risk specialists and the authorities in Haiti. The symposium also provided an opportunity for more than 250 participants to meet, with more than 80 oral presentations and over 150 posters. As a result of this conference, the Editor of the Journal of South American Earth Sciences proposed to the organizing committee to publish a special issue on the contours of these presentations. Following the peer review process, 19 papers are published in this special issue. These manuscripts reflect the various disciplinary fields, geophysics and deep imaging, tectonics, volcanism, geomorphology and seismic hazard, from the local scale to the Andes as a whole. Not surprisingly, a higher density of works is found in Ecuador and the northern Andes (Figure 1). As this collection of articles reflects the outlines of a symposium and not a specific scientific question, our aim here is not to develop a synthesis of current knowledge on the Andes. We therefore present these articles in sequence, by discipline, although this categorization may appear subjective since some articles are multidisciplinary. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

R.M. QUIGLEY AWARD The R.M. Quigley Award is given out each year to the best paper published in Canadian Geotechnical Journal (CGJ) in the previous year. Bob Quigley was one [...]

Lillie, K.M., Gese, E.M., Atwood, T.C., and Connor, M.M. Use of Subsistence-harvested Whale Carcasses by Polar Bears in the Southern Beaufort Sea. Zhu, L., Gunter, R., Ruhland, K.M., Pisaric, M.F.J., [...]

Bonamy, M, Harbicht, A.B, and Herrmann, T.M. Children's Perception of Wolverine in the North Slave Region of the Northwest Territories, Canada. Carothers, C, Sformo, T.L, Cotton, S, George, J.C, and [...]

Kupferschmidt, C., Noddin, F., Zhu, D.Z., and Tonn, W.M. Using Video to Evaluate Depth and Velocity Selection by Arctic Grayling (Thymallus arcticus) in Pools of an Engineered Tundra Stream. Eerkes-Medrano, [...]

Frigault, J.S., and Giles, A.R. Understanding Fall Risk Factors for Inuvialuit Elders in Inuvik, Northwest Territories, Canada. Gallagher, C.P., and Lea, E.V. Overwintering Habitat of American Dipper, Cinclus mexicanus, in [...]