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The Mount Washington Observatory Regional Mesonet (MWRM) is a network of 18 remote meteorological monitoring stations (as of 2022), including the Auto Road Vertical Profile (ARVP), located across the White Mountains of northern New Hampshire. Each station measures temperature and relative humidity, with additional variables at many locations. All stations need to withstand the frequent combination of intense cold, high precipitation amounts, icing, and hurricane-force winds in a mountain environment. Due to these challenges, the MWRM employs rugged instrumentation, an innovative radio-communications relay approach, and carefully selected sites that balance ideal measuring environments with station survivability. Data collected from the MWRM are used operationally by forecasters (including Mount Washington Observatory and National Weather Service staff) to validate model guidance, by alpine and climate scientists, by recreationalists accessing conditions in the backcountry, by groups operating on the mountain (Cog Railway, toll Auto Road), and by search and rescue organizations. This paper provides a detailed description of the network, with emphasis on how the challenging climate and terrain of this mountain region impacts sensor selection, site maintenance, and overall operation. Significance Statement: The mountain environment is a heterogeneous landscape, and interactions between the atmosphere and terrain can cause a wide variety of conditions across time and space. Our network of remote stations at different elevations across the White Mountains allows data users to understand how the weather varies spatially across the mountain range where conditions on higher peaks can be drastically, and dangerously, different. Sharing information about the MWRM can help other groups establish networks in similar challenging environments, and broaden our understanding of weather and climate in mountainous regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Large-scale performance assessment programs are a longstanding reform tool. However, standard setting can be a challenge for assessment programs that use primarily non-standardized assessments. The purpose of this paper is to extend this field of research by explaining the standard setting methodology applied to one more recent instantiation of a state performance assessment program. The second purpose of this paper is to discuss the data quality control and quality assurance challenges experienced after five years of applying the standard setting method. Recognizing the burgeoning interest again in large-scale performance assessment programs, the goal and intended contribution of this paper is to inform future decisions about selecting appropriate standard setting methods and dealing with unanticipated challenges that may arise during implementation based upon the lessons learned from one program. It is likely that other large-scale performance assessment programs may face similar operational challenges, especially those that do not rely on standardized tests or standardized administration procedures to produce annual determinations of student proficiency or other scores used for accountability purposes. Assessment system designers can use the insights in this paper to consider standard setting methods and how those methods may need to be adapted to promote technical quality.

The COVID-19 pandemic forced institutions of higher education to transition and work in ways that were new and innovative. Even though most colleges and universities transitioned to a virtual platform, the issues that students face continued, including sexual violence (SV). For many campus prevention and response professionals, reaching students during the pandemic posed unique challenges. The COVID-19 pandemic began when the project team was 18-months into a 4-year grant to administer and evaluate the efficacy of a SV prevention and response app, uSafeUS®, at 15 4-year colleges. In this paper, we describe the transition of engaging students with the app in traditional inperson settings to remote and hybrid learning settings. The project team, in collaboration with the campus partners, devised new ways to use the app to support victims of SV and their allies, along with campus professionals in their efforts to support students. These efforts included changes to collaboration (e.g., virtual platforms) and student engagement strategies. We describe how the lessons learned from this transition are important for continuing to engage campus communities in SV prevention and response, even as campuses slowly transitioned back to hybrid and in-person activities. The knowledge gained from this transition are attributable to an ongoing and open collaboration between campus practitioners and the project team. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the specific vulnerability of New Hampshire's War on Marijuana to scrutiny under the so-called rational basis review standard. Among other things, it examines the relationship between rational basis review and the concept of rationality. It argues that rational basis review, if applied in its traditional form to marijuana prohibition by criminal law in New Hampshire, would not, in fact, be a rationality test. Rather, it would be a test that defaults to judicial deference in the face oflaws that are irrational and cause great harm to people. It supports this argument by demonstrating that New Hampshire's claim to care about the goal of citizen health and safety as its justification for marijuana prohibition is undermined by the ways in which New Hampshire has adopted policies in other domains that are at least as harmful to citizens as harms posed by marijuana. It also does so by relying upon substantial evidence that the means of achieving the goal of public health and safety through criminal prohibition are demonstrably ineffective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Political institutions in the United States have become increasingly polarized. This paper asks how gender has been part of party polarization's institutionalization and what consequences gender has on relations of power in increasingly divisive legislative work. Drawing on interviews with 21 New Hampshire state representatives and archival legislative and committee leadership records, I analyze the process and changing meanings of partisanship in the everyday work of the legislature. As this state's moderate conservative caucus disbanded and the Republican Party lost its long‐standing control, more divisive Republican alliances masculinized legislative politics as combative. Meanwhile, the newly competitive Democratic Party began to actively showcase women as party and committee leaders. State representatives' accounts demonstrate the gendered meanings and consequences of party polarization in the legislative workplace beyond what is captured by traditional measures of ideological polarization. These findings show how gender polarization produces new forms of institutionalized political inequalities in the hierarchical legislative workplace. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Increased emphasis on forest complexity, resilience, and biodiversity has renewed interest in northern hardwood forests. In parallel, there is concern of impacts of traditional, timber-oriented regeneration methods on successional trajectories and tree communities. To ensure compatibility of emerging goals with site biological capacity, assessment of common silvicultural methods across forest conditions is imperative. This work utilizes a long-term dataset of 407 sampling plots from the Bartlett Experimental Forest in New Hampshire, USA, over 70 years. Topographic and meteorological variables were utilized to test the effects of site conditions and silviculture on tree species diversity and composition. Results show a decline in diversity over time that reflects a shift toward dominance of late successional species, which vary with site-specific conditions. The effect of silviculture was not detectable, and differences in tree communities were attributed to pre-existing conditions of site variables prior to installation of experimental treatments. Tree diversity and composition for both 1932 and 2003 measurements were correlated with solar insolation, local wind speed, and hydrological catchment area. The collective findings highlight the long-term stability of species under past silvicultural regimes, that some areas are more facilitative/limiting to goals of enhancing tree biodiversity and emerging technologies can capture species–site interactions in northern hardwoods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Historic harvesting and mortality from air pollution drastically reduced the abundance of red spruce (Picea rubens), a late-successional dominant of cool-temperate forests of the northeastern U.S. and southeastern Canada, leaving few opportunities to understand the natural growth and disturbance responses of this species. Timbers salvaged from the Moosilauke Ravine Lodge, a structure built from trees harvested in the late 1930s, provided an opportunity to reconstruct radial growth patterns and dynamics of a former old-growth red spruce stand located in Jobildunc Ravine on Mount Moosilauke in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. Ravine Lodge tree-ring series were compared with data from a 255-year-old red spruce found living in Jobildunc Ravine, from the Nancy Brook site in the White Mountains, and from other dendroecological studies across the region. Ring counts provide minimum tree ages of 187-286 years for timbers from Jobildunc Ravine, suggesting they established between the mid-Seventeenth and mid-Eighteenth Centuries. Dendroecological analyses identified early decades of suppression in the understory followed by 2-5 growth releases and 2-4 growth declines for each sample, indicating occasional, small-scale disturbances of the canopy before the 1930s. A growth decline in 1834-1835 coincides with an outbreak of spruce budworm (Choristoneura fumiferana) in eastern Canada, perhaps reflecting a regional defoliation event that occurred as far south as Mount Moosilauke. This study illustrates the insights that can be gained from wood from historic structures on the dynamics of now-scarce old-growth red spruce forests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Numerous modelling techniques exist to estimate abundance of plant and animal populations. The most accurate methods account for multiple complexities found in ecological data, such as observational biases, spatial autocorrelation, and species correlations. There is, however, a lack of user‐friendly and computationally efficient software to implement the various models, particularly for large data sets.We developed the spAbundance R package for fitting spatially explicit Bayesian single‐species and multi‐species hierarchical distance sampling models, N‐mixture models, and generalized linear mixed models. The models within the package can account for spatial autocorrelation using Nearest Neighbour Gaussian Processes and accommodate species correlations in multi‐species models using a latent factor approach, which enables model fitting for data sets with large numbers of sites and/or species.We provide three vignettes and three case studies that highlight spAbundance functionality. We used spatially explicit multi‐species distance sampling models to estimate density of 16 bird species in Florida, USA, an N‐mixture model to estimate black‐throated blue warbler (Setophaga caerulescens) abundance in New Hampshire, USA, and a spatial linear mixed model to estimate forest above‐ground biomass across the continental USA.spAbundance provides a user‐friendly, formula‐based interface to fit a variety of univariate and multivariate spatially explicit abundance models. The package serves as a useful tool for ecologists and conservation practitioners to generate improved inference and predictions on the spatial drivers of abundance in populations and communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study describes the implementation and effectiveness of an instructional coaching program for kindergarten teachers in the State of New Hampshire that was implemented in response to the State's play-based kindergarten mandate. Coaching was provided to 20 teachers from across the State. It focused on guided play, principles of how children learn, and the breadth of skills needed to achieve in the classroom and beyond. A novel adaptation of a classroom observation protocol measured classroom-, teacher-, and student-level behaviors predicted to change with coaching. Classroom-level results revealed a significant decrease in teacher-led direct instruction with a significant shift towards playful instruction, a possible precursor to guided play. Teachers did not change how students were organized in the classroom to promote this instruction, nor did they individually provide more inferential instruction or change their affect with this pedagogical shift. Yet, changes in student behaviors aligned with the coaching program. Students became more engaged with their learning, more active in their use of learning tools, and more communicative. These results offer valuable insights on the initial impacts of an instructional coaching program focused on guided play, how children learn, and what children learn. This study presents a feasible and effective model for professional development on play-based learning that is rooted in the science of learning and measurable in the classroom. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using street view data, in replace of remotely sensed (RS) data, to study the health impact of greenspace has become popular. However, direct comparisons of these two methods of measuring greenspace are still limited, and their findings are inconsistent. On the other hand, almost all studies of greenspace focus on urban areas. The effectiveness of greenspace in rural areas remains to be investigated. In this study, we compared measures of greenspace based on the Google Street View data with those based on RS data by calculating the correlation between the two and evaluating their associations with birth outcomes. Besides the direct measures of greenness, we also compared the measures of environmental diversity, calculated with the two types of data. Our study area consists of the States of New Hampshire and Vermont, USA, which are largely rural. Our results show that the correlations between the two types of greenness measures were weak to moderate, and the greenness at an eye‐level view largely reflects the immediate surroundings. Neither the street view data‐ nor the RS data‐based measures identify the influence of greenspace on birth outcomes in our rural study area. Interestingly, the environmental diversity was largely negatively associated with birth outcomes, particularly gestational age. Our study revealed that in rural areas, the effectiveness of greenspace and environmental diversity may be considerably different from that in urban areas. Plain Language Summary: Few studies directly compare the health impact of greenspace measured by two different methods in rural areas, one based on Google Street View data and the other based on remotely sensed data. To fill in the blank, we conducted the comparison in this study by calculating the correlation between the measurements of greenness and environmental diversity based on these two different data and evaluating the associations between these variables and birth outcomes in New Hampshire and Vermont, which are mostly rural areas of the United States. As a result, (a) the difference between the two types of greenspace was weak to moderate; (b) neither of the greenness measurements by two different data were significantly associated with birth outcomes, whereas environmental diversity measurements by two different data were largely negatively associated with gestation; (c) the effectiveness of greenspace and environmental diversity measured in rural areas may differ significantly from that in urban areas. Key Points: We compared two methods for measuring greenspace in rural areas based on Google Street View data and remote sensing data, respectivelyThe comparison was conducted by calculating the correlation between the two and their associations with birth outcomes in NH and VT, USAThere is a considerable difference between the two types of greenspace measures, and neither significantly impacts birth outcomes [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sterilizations sponsored and coerced by the state occurred at the Laconia State School in New Hampshire for decades as part of the American eugenics movement in the early twentieth century. The context of that movement is summarized, the case of the Laconia State School is presented, and arguments are offered to explain the immorality of the affair. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding variation in species occupancy is an important task for conservation. When assessing occupancy patterns over multiple temporal seasons, it is recommended to visit at least a subset of sites multiple times within a season during a period of closure to account for observation biases. However, logistical constraints can inhibit re‐visitation of sites within a season, resulting in the use of single‐visit multi‐season occupancy models. Some have suggested that autocorrelation in space and/or time can provide "fractional replication" to separately estimate occupancy probability from detection probability, but the reliability of such approaches is not well understood.We perform an extensive simulation study to assess the reliability of estimates from single‐visit multi‐season occupancy models under differing amounts of spatial and temporal autocorrelation ("fractional replication"). We assess model performance under both correctly specified models and multiple forms of model mis‐specification, and compare estimates from single‐visit models to models with varying amounts of within‐season replication. We also assess the reliability of single‐visit models to estimate occupancy probability of ovenbirds (Seiurus aurocapilla) in New Hampshire, USA.We found less bias in estimates from single‐visit occupancy models with long‐range spatial autocorrelation in occupancy probability compared to short‐range spatial autocorrelation when the model is correctly specified. However, under certain forms of model mis‐specification, estimates from single‐visit multi‐season occupancy models were biased and had low coverage rates regardless of the characteristics of the "fractional replication". In contrast, models with varying amounts of additional replication were robust to model mis‐specification.Our findings suggest that "fractional replication" cannot replace true replication in terms of occupancy probability identifiability and that researchers should consider the potential inaccuracies when using single‐visit multi‐season occupancy models. We show that a little true replication can go a long way with even 10% of sites being revisited within a season leading to reasonably robust estimates even in the presence of extreme model mis‐specifications. When possible, we recommend performing multiple within‐season visits to at least a subset of spatial locations or integrating single‐visit data with other data sources to mitigate reliance on parametric assumptions required for reliable inference in single‐visit multi‐season occupancy models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Montane birds experience a range of challenges that may limit their breeding success, including nest predation and severe climactic conditions. The continuing effects of climate change are causing shifts in biotic and abiotic factors that may compound these threats to montane bird species. In northeastern montane forests, many bird species are shifting downslope, potentially as the result of increased precipitation and temperature at higher elevations. Although lower elevations might be more favorable in terms of climactic conditions, nest predation is higher at lower elevations. Thus, montane birds might be faced with the opposing pressures of adverse climactic conditions at higher elevations and increased predation at lower elevations. We monitored nests of Swainson's Thrush (Catharus ustulatus) along an elevation gradient in the White Mountain National Forest in New Hampshire in 2016, 2018, 2019, and 2021 to examine the effect of biotic and abiotic factors on daily nest survival rate (DSR). Linear time explained the most variation of DSR in AICc model comparison, indicating that DSR decreases across the breeding season. Rain intensity (mm/h) had a weak negative effect on DSR, indicating that heavier rain per hour decreases Swainson's Thrush DSR. Moreover, we found some support for a negative interaction effect of elevation in conjunction with minimum daily temperature: DSR of Swainson's Thrush nests at low elevations (281 m) increased with increasing minimum daily temperatures and decreased at high elevations with increasing minimum daily temperatures. Our results suggest nesting survival of montane breeding birds may be at risk as heavier precipitation events become more frequent and intense due to the changing climate and raises the possibility that other passerine species could be at risk in this system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Natural resources provide a high quality of life for residents and are often one of a community's greatest advantages for workforce attraction, youth retention, recreation, climate resilience, tourism, and broader economic development. A better understanding of how nature and local economies function together is critical to fostering synergies between interconnected community needs, such as economic development and climate resilience. This paper first draws on literature to define the nature economy, which is similar to the outdoor economy but with a more holistic and interdisciplinary focus on the roles of nature in the economic, social, and ecological resilience of communities. Then, we applied the nature economy lens across three different initiatives in New Hampshire to identify transferable lessons at the intersections between the outdoor economy, community development, and environmental conservation. Finally, we discuss two common themes: the co-benefits of outdoor recreation as a community and development strategy and the challenges and opportunities of partnerships. Engaged scholars and practitioners, such as planners and community development/recreation directors in rural communities, should benefit from this approach.

As northeastern forests experience increased temperatures and fluctuations in precipitation patterns, montane soils will lose forest floor (Oi, Oe, Oa horizons) formation and their associated ecosystem services. Here, we conducted comparative laboratory soil column experiments to examine the effects of forest floor on sourcing and weathering of macroelements (Al, Si), macronutrients (Ca, Mg, P), and micronutrients (Cu and Zn) from two contrasting soils: a supraglacial‐till Inceptisol (Mt. Moosilauke, NH) and colluvium Ultisol (Lesesne State Forest, VA). Forest floor addition caused a significant increase in the leaching of Ca, Mg, and Mn in the two soils. The forest floor only control leachate indicates the two mineral soils were net accumulators of Al, Si, P, Cu, and Zn from the forest floor. Using partition coefficient, Kd, values, leachate Ca and Mg could be sourced directly from the forest floor traversing the soil column. We aimed to assess the biotic influence on element release from soil using a Na azide treatment to suppress microbial activities. Under Na azide treatments, Al, Ca, Mg, Mn, and Cu leachate decreased significantly for both soils, but Na azide also did not affect or increased leachate Si, P, Cu, and Zn for the Lesesne soil. We attribute the effects from Na azide to changes in pH, dissolved organic carbon, and oxidation‐reduction potential as opposed to suppression of microbes. Thus, our results suggest that the loss of the forest floor will reduce the storage of nutrients in the mineral soil, even across varying parent materials. Core Ideas: Forest floor increased Ca, Mg, and Mn in leachate but soils retained Al, Si, and P added by the forest floor.Leachate Ca and Mg were likely sourced from desorption or the forest floor, as partition coefficient, Kd, values indicate.Na azide decreased elements release from the soil but through abiotic processes, not microbial suppression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Deliberative methods elicit social values and provide a framework for explicit representation of value dimensions that go beyond narrow self-interest; these dimensions are obscured by methods that focus on monetary value. The primary objective of this paper is to explore the reasoning behind people's assessments of the value of ecosystem services in a deliberative context. To do so, we collected quantitative and qualitative data from four workshops of residents in New Hampshire's Great Bay watershed in the Northeastern United States. Quantitative data come from participant surveys and expressed group preferences, while qualitative data were derived from transcripts of the group deliberations. This paper aims to understand the process of social value construction by identifying themes of discussion that affected participants' preferences changes over the course of deliberation. We visualized the dynamic process by which participants develop their preferences over time and developed two metrics using applied thematic analysis to better understand how people talk about themes related to ecosystem service tradeoffs. Our results suggest that preferences were formed mainly from ecological and common good considerations. Policymakers could use this insight to support environmental protection strategies and policies, improve environmental decisions, and better allocate resources among competing objectives. • Deliberative valuation of ecosystem services promotes social learning. • We run four experiments with residents in the Great Bay Estuary in the US state of New Hampshire. • We combined quantitative and qualitative data to understand the deliberative process. • Preferences were formed mainly from ecological and common good considerations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Demand response (DR) modifies the pattern from a straightforward to an interactive one, allowing for the investigation of consumer participation in the power market and progress. The most important technique for evaluating the status of DR program implementation among those discussed in the earlier literature is consumer baseline load (CBL). Without using the DR program, CBL depicts the consumer consumption pattern that might emerge. There hasn't been much study done on CBL computation for residential consumers, and most of it ignores the influence of weather on these estimates. This study describes a novel method for computing CBL for residential consumers in the context of a smart grid. The findings show how weather affects CBL estimations and consumer desire to upgrade home insulation. The proposed method is examined in four test cases. The day-wise load data for the first test case has been collected from the NO1 region of Nord Pool and the remaining three test case data have been collected from the Connecticut and New Hampshire region of New England ISO. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Increasingly, cover crops are being adopted for the purpose of improving soil health, yet the timescale and magnitude by which living annual cover crops might modify soil chemical and biological aspects of soil health is not well understood. At the same time, there is growing interest among farmers in cover crop mixtures due to perceptions that species‐rich cover crop communities will enhance soil health relative to monocultures. In a field experiment in southeast New Hampshire, we investigated how groups of cover crops grown as monocultures and mixtures for specific seasonal niches (winter/spring, summer, and fall) influenced levels of soil nitrogen (N) and carbon (C), microbial biomass carbon (MBC), and nitrogen (MBN). Soils were sampled at cover crop maturity (winter/spring group), and at seeding, mid‐season, and maturity (summer and fall groups). In the winter/spring group, average total soil N ranged from 0.192 to 0.215 mg g−1 dry soil; highest total soil C content was 2.66 mg g−1 dry soil; and average MBC ranged from 304.8 to 387.3 μg C g−1 dry soil. In the summer group soil MBC decreased from 909.5 μg C g−1 dry soil at mid‐season to 644.9 μg C g−1 dry soil at the end of the growth cycle. In the fall group MBC fell and rose over the season in the range of 236.0–808.3 μg C g−1 dry soil. We found little evidence that cover crops influenced soil C and N parameters during the cover crop growth period relative to a weedy control or that mixtures differed from monocultures. MBC and MBN were more influenced by seasonality than the composition or diversity of the cover crop stand. Core Ideas: There is little evidence that cover crops or weedy fallow differentially affected soil parameters during cover crop growth periods.Cover crop mixtures did not differ from monocultures.There is strong temporal variation in soil variables within cover crop growth periods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stream fluxes are commonly reported without a complete accounting for uncertainty in the estimates, which makes it difficult to evaluate the significance of findings or to identify where to direct efforts to improve monitoring programs. At the Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest in the White Mountains of New Hampshire, USA, stream flow has been monitored continuously and solute concentrations have been sampled approximately weekly in small, gaged headwater streams since 1963, yet comprehensive uncertainty analyses have not been reported. We propagated uncertainty in the stage height–discharge relationship, watershed area, analytical chemistry, the concentration–discharge relationship used to interpolate solute concentrations, and the streamflow gap‐filling procedure to estimate uncertainty for both streamflow and solute fluxes for a recent 6‐year period (2013–2018) using a Monte Carlo approach. As a percentage of solute fluxes, uncertainty was highest for NH4+ (34%), total dissolved nitrogen (8.8%), NO3− (8.1%), and K+ (7.4%), and lowest for dissolved organic carbon (3.7%), SO42− (4.0%), and Mg2+ (4.4%). In units of flux, uncertainties were highest for solutes in highest concentration (Si, DOC, SO42−, and Na+) and lowest for those lowest in concentration (H+ and NH4+). Laboratory analysis of solute concentration was a greater source of uncertainty than streamflow for solute flux, with the exception of DOC. Our results suggest that uncertainty in solute fluxes could be reduced with more precise measurements of solute concentrations. Additionally, more discharge measurements during high flows are needed to better characterize the stage‐discharge relationship. Quantifying uncertainty in streamflow and element export is important because it allows for determination of significance of differences in fluxes, which can be used to assess watershed response to disturbance and environmental change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accessing mental health treatment in rural locations is a unique challenge for families with youth experiencing adverse mental health conditions. Families often experience a variety of difficulties accessing and negotiating changes within the system of care. This study aimed to understand the experiences of families and their youth in navigating the mental health system in a rural community. Interpretative phenomenological analysis was used to examine how participants interpret their experiences within the local system of care. Qualitative interviews were conducted with eight families. Results included five main themes: youth experience, family experience, access to a system of care, relationships between stakeholders, and larger societal beliefs. Families highlighted their experiences accessing the local care system and their hope for strengthening community access and partnerships. Findings indicate that prioritizing family voices should be encouraged by local systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Few previous studies have described the patterns of leaf characteristics in response to nutrient availability and depth in the crown. Sugar maple has been studied for both sensitivity to light, as a shade-tolerant species, and sensitivity to soil nutrient availability, as a species in decline due to acid rain. To explore leaf characteristics from the top to bottom of the canopy, we collected leaves along a vertical gradient within mature sugar maple crowns in a full-factorial nitrogen (N) by phosphorus (P) addition experiment in three forest stands in central New Hampshire, USA. Thirty-two of the 44 leaf characteristics had significant relationships with depth in the crown, with the effect of depth in the crown strongest for leaf area, photosynthetic pigments and polyamines. Nitrogen addition had a strong impact on the concentration of foliar N, chlorophyll, carotenoids, alanine and glutamate. For several other elements and amino acids, N addition changed patterns with depth in the crown. Phosphorus addition increased foliar P and boron (B); it also caused a steeper increase of P and B with depth in the crown. Since most of these leaf characteristics play a direct or indirect role in photosynthesis, metabolic regulation or cell division, studies that ignore the vertical gradient may not accurately represent whole-canopy performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the increasing occurrence of cyanobacteria blooms, it is crucial to improve our ability to monitor impacted lakes accurately, efficiently, and safely. Cyanobacteria are naturally occurring in many waters globally. Some species can release neurotoxins which cause skin irritations, gastrointestinal illness, pet/livestock fatalities, and possibly additional complications after long-term exposure. Using a DJI M300 RTK Unmanned Aerial Vehicle equipped with a MicaSense 10-band dual camera system, six New Hampshire lakes were monitored from May to September 2022. Using the image spectral data coupled with in situ water quality data, a random forest classification algorithm was used to predict water quality categories. The analysis yielded very high overall classification accuracies for cyanobacteria cell (93%), chlorophyll-a (87%), and phycocyanin concentrations (92%). The 475 nm wavelength, normalized green-blue difference index—version 4 (NGBDI_4), and normalized green-red difference index—version 4 (NGRDI_4) indices were the most important features for these classifications. Logarithmic regressions illuminated relationships between single bands/indices with water quality data but did not perform as well as the classification algorithm approach. Ultimately, the UAS multispectral data collected in this study successfully classified cyanobacteria cell, chlorophyll-a, and phycocyanin concentrations in the studied NH lakes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mesocarnivores play important ecological roles and are valued by diverse stakeholders. These species are often the focus of conservation efforts or are managed for sustainable harvest. Management actions require accurate population monitoring, but such monitoring is challenging because mesocarnivores are elusive and persist at low densities. We addressed this challenge by evaluating 2 monitoring methods (scent stations and motion‐sensitive cameras) using multi‐method modeling. We estimated occurrence probabilities and habitat relationships for 8 mesocarnivore species by fitting occupancy models to data collected at 75 sites from October to December 2021 across a 3,200‐km2 system in New Hampshire, USA. We assessed the relative estimated precision of the methodological approaches and their costs. We also evaluated tradeoffs in occurrence estimation and uncertainty among study designs by analyzing simulations run across various numbers of study sites and 2 study durations. Cameras cost roughly 10 times more than scent stations but strongly outperformed them in terms of species' detectability and parameter estimate precision. Multi‐method models yielded the most precise estimates of occurrence probability and habitat relationships. Parameter estimates were on average twice as precise for camera and multi‐method models compared to scent stations. Additionally, the estimated precision and direction (positive or negative) of habitat relationships varied with the method employed. Longer camera deployments, additional study sites, and multi‐method approaches nearly always reduced uncertainty, but these reductions were species‐specific and generally most pronounced for more rarely detected species. Overall, our results demonstrate the utility of motion‐sensitive cameras traps for monitoring mesocarnivores while revealing the additional benefits of multi‐method modeling. Our results also provide guidance for designing monitoring programs for mesocarnivores while navigating tradeoffs between study design, cost, and uncertainty. Despite its benefits, multi‐method modeling remains uncommon as a general monitoring approach. We suggest managers consider this approach in light of existing datasets and design monitoring programs that integrate traditional methods with emergent technologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Artificial light at night (ALAN) is a globally widespread and expanding form of anthropogenic change that impacts arthropod biodiversity. ALAN alters interspecific interactions between arthropods, including predation and parasitism. Despite their ecological importance as prey and hosts, the impact of ALAN on larval arthropod stages, such as caterpillars, is poorly understood. We examined the hypothesis that ALAN increases top-down pressure on caterpillars from arthropod predators and parasitoids. We experimentally illuminated study plots with moderate levels (10–15 lux) of LED lighting at light-naive Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest, New Hampshire. We measured and compared between experimental and control plots: (i) predation on clay caterpillars, and (ii) abundance of arthropod predators and parasitoids. We found that predation rates on clay caterpillars and abundance of arthropod predators and parasitoids were significantly higher on ALAN treatment plots relative to control plots. These results suggest that moderate levels of ALAN increase top-down pressure on caterpillars. We did not test mechanisms, but sampling data indicates that increased abundance of predators near lights may play a role. This study highlights the importance of examining the effects of ALAN on both adult and larval life stages and suggests potential consequences of ALAN on arthropod populations and communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Continuous records of sediment yield spanning from the late glacial through the Holocene to the present day provide an important opportunity to investigate landscape evolution over various timescales in response to a variety of natural and anthropogenic forcing mechanisms. This study investigates variations in sediment yield and landscape evolution in the 768 km2 watershed of Ossipee Lake, New Hampshire, USA. We pair subbottom sonar observations with analyses of lacustrine sediment cores to interpret a 12,000+ yr record of lake sedimentation in terms of changes in sediment yield and landscape evolution. Our results indicate high rates of sediment redistribution following deglaciation at ∼14,500 to ∼12,000 cal yr BP, followed by a period of gradually decreasing sediment yield until ∼9000 cal yr BP, marking the termination of the most intense period of paraglacial landscape adjustment. From 9000 cal yr BP to 1850 CE, sediment yield is highly variable and reveals a slightly increasing trend that we attribute to a dominant hydroclimatic control on erosion driven by increasing effective precipitation in the region throughout the Holocene. Despite evidence for a highly dynamic landscape and an abundance of unconsolidated glacigenic surface deposits throughout the watershed, we interpret a modest erosional impact from anthropogenic land use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dairy farmers face persistent market shocks that force creative diversifications to enhance their resilience. In the summer of 2021, corporate dairy companies canceled over 100 contracts with organic dairy farmers in New England, a market shock to the industry across the Northeast. To better understand how farmers cope with market shocks in small dairy production, we studied small-scale dairy farms from the perspective of social ecological resilience, exploring the role of diversification in small dairies in Vermont and New Hampshire: which strategies are most effective, what factors influence diversification, and the barriers to diversification. Data came from interviews with dairy farmers and advocates from multiple sectors involving ecological, economic, institutional, cultural, and personal domains. We highlight why, how, and with what support small-scale New England dairy farmers have adapted, supplemented, or transformed their dairy operations. Dairy farms exhibited high levels of diversification, motivated by a range of economic, ecological, and personal incentives. Predominant diversification pathways include (1) higher premiums from organic or directly marketed liquid milk, (2) value-added dairy products, (3) nondairy farm products, and (4) efficient and sustainable land management practices. Our findings suggest that what supports diversification is the transparent and open sharing of knowledge among a network of farmers, based on strong interpersonal relationships. Institutions such as government programs and dairy cooperatives frame diversification, which is best supported by funding flexibility and accessibility of information. Diversification has enabled greater resilience for dairy farmers, despite continued dairy market volatility in the Northeast. Without structural and institutional changes, dairy viability will continue to be in jeopardy, and the need for diversification will remain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this article is to explore the possibility of people living in manufactured housing parks in Australia to collectively buy the property at fair market value and convert it into a resident owned community co-operative. Design/methodology/approach: The methodological approach is based on 20 interviews with occupants of resident owned communities (ROCs) and key informants in the USA state of New Hampshire. Residents' interviews provide an understanding of the motivations to want to own and self-manage the property. Findings: The findings suggest that, based on USA experience and the availability of enabling financial structures, Australian residential park residents could be keen buyers of manufactured housing park properties. Research limitations/implications: A limitation of this research was the small number of interviewees who were mainly people in ROC leadership positions and advocates. Another limitation was that no specific investigation was made to gauge manufactured housing park (MHP) residents' level of demand for ROCs in Australia. Although there was some evidence of support, further Australia-wide enquiry is needed. Practical implications: The sale of MHPs to resident co-operatives could become a new component of the property market in Australia and residents entering the market as buyers may cause a shift in market forces. Social implications: ROCs would offer greater diversity of housing choice and might further inform decision-makers of seniors and retirees' future intentions. Downsizers moving to ROCs could potentially increase the savings nest egg through the sale of the family home which will also free-up conventional housing for better utilisation by younger cohorts. Originality/value: Owners of residential parks are unlikely to have considered the tenants as potential buyers of the property, but, envisaging, ROCs could become a new type of tenure for Australians aged over 50 years. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two radioactive elements, uranium (U) and radon (Rn), which are of potential concern in New Hampshire (NH) groundwater, are investigated. Exceedance probability maps are tools to highlight locations where the concentrations of undesirable substances in the groundwater may be elevated. Two forms of statistical analysis are used to create exceedance probability maps for U and Rn in NH groundwater. The first, Boosted Regression Tree (BRT), was selected for estimating U exceedance values. It computes exceedance values directly using the Bernoulli distribution function. The second method of statistical analysis used for Rn to determine exceedance probabilities is ordinary least squares (OLS) regression. In the process of determining exceedance probabilities for U and Rn, the utility of a new dataset is investigated. That new predictor dataset is the Multi‐Order Hydrologic Position (MOHP) dataset. MOHP raster datasets have been produced nationally for the conterminous United States at a 30‐m resolution. The concept behind MOHP is that, for any given point on the earth's surface, there is the potential for a longer groundwater flow path as one goes deeper beneath the land surface. MOHP predictors were tested in both models. Three MOHP predictors were found useful in the BRT model and two in the OLS model. MOHP data were found useful as predictors along with other site characteristics in predicting U and Rn exceedance probabilities in New Hampshire groundwater. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Elevated salt concentrations in streams draining developed watersheds are well documented, but the effects of hydrologic variability and the role of groundwater in surface water salinization are poorly understood. To characterize these effects, we use long‐term data (12–19 yr) and high‐frequency specific conductance (SPC) data collected from 13 streams across New Hampshire, USA. Concentration–discharge (C–Q) relationships for chloride (Cl−) derived from high‐frequency SPC showed distinct seasonal variability. Diluting behavior was common, but flushing behavior occurred in autumn and winter, suggesting that both groundwater and surface runoff contribute salts to streams. Long‐term data show that although extreme flood events initially reduced salt concentrations in groundwater and rural streams, concentrations recovered to preflood conditions in about a decade. Chronic Cl− exceedances occurred in urban streams during all seasons. This research suggests that variation in stream flow, extreme events and application of deicing agents play a role in freshwater salinization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Overdose is a leading cause of death among people who use drugs (PWUDs), but policies to reduce fatal overdose have had mixed results. Summaries of naloxone access and Good Samaritan Laws (GSLs) in prior studies provide limited information about local context. Witnessing overdoses may also be an important consideration in providing services to PWUDs, as it contributes to post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms, which complicate substance use disorder treatment. Methods: We aim to estimate the prevalence and correlates of witnessing and responding to an overdose, while exploring overdose context among rural PWUD. The Drug Injection Surveillance and Care Enhancement for Rural Northern New England (DISCERNNE) mixed‐methods study characterized substance use and risk behaviors in 11 rural Massachusetts, Vermont, and New Hampshire counties between 2018 and 2019. PWUD completed surveys (n = 589) and in‐depth interviews (n = 22). Findings: Among the survey participants, 84% had ever witnessed an overdose, which was associated with probable PTSD symptoms. Overall, 51% had ever called 911 for an overdose, though some experienced criminal legal system consequences despite GSL. Although naloxone access varied, 43% had ever used naloxone to reverse an overdose. Conclusions: PWUD in Northern New England commonly witnessed an overdose, which they experienced as traumatic. Participants were willing to respond to overdoses, but faced barriers to effective overdose response, including limited naloxone access and criminal legal system consequences. Equipping PWUDs with effective overdose response tools (education and naloxone) and enacting policies that further protect PWUDs from criminal legal system consequences could reduce overdose mortality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article discusses the under-collection and under-documentation of bryophytes (mosses, liverworts, and hornworts) in New England. The author highlights the historical bias in bryophyte surveys and the need for modern collections and investigations to better understand the distribution and diversity of these plants. The article reports on the liverworts and hornworts collected during two forays organized by the New England Botanical Society in Cheshire County, New Hampshire, and Bristol County, Rhode Island. Several new records were added to the bryophyte flora of these counties, emphasizing the importance of continued research and documentation of these fascinating plants. [Extracted from the article]

Detrital geochronology and thermochronology are widely used to study erosion and the exhumation of rocks. In glaciated landscapes, these studies have shown exhumation to be highly heterogeneous; however, these studies have typically only applied apatite low‐temperature thermochronology, a mineral prone to mechanical and chemical breakdown, and a method with lower precision or data dispersion. As such, it is unclear if the detrital apatite signal represents derivation from the entire catchment. In this study, we present both zircon and apatite U‐Pb dates from a modern detrital sample of the Saco River, New Hampshire, USA. The river flows through a catchment that was highly modified during the last glacial maximum. The underlying geology is characterized by two contrasting groups from different eras; Palaeozoic metasediments and granites, and Mesozoic granitoids. Zircon U‐Pb dates are consistent with near‐uniform erosion of the catchment, encompassing both Proterozoic–Palaeozoic and Jurassic–Cretaceous grains consistent with the catchment's geology. However, detrital apatite U‐Pb dates are predominantly Palaeozoic. Detrital U‐Pb modeling shows that zircon grains are indeed derived from erosion of the entire catchment, while apatites likely originate from areas at high elevation. This stark contrast in ages likely indicates apatite's fragility. Dissolution resulting from acidic soils in the river's catchment is a likely cause, though mechanical breakdown during transport is also possible. As such, the detrital apatite signal appears to only record erosion from the modern fluvial system, while zircon represents a combination of uniform erosion during glaciation and the modern fluvial system. These findings imply the detrital apatite signal is prone to significant modification in areas of sediment storage and acidic soils with implications for sediment generation in other formerly glaciated landscapes worldwide. Plain Language Summary: We use river sands to study the origins of sediment and whether erosion across a river catchment is uniform. Should this be the case, dates from these detrital minerals should be consistent with the exposed bedrock of a river's catchment. However, the properties of minerals can vary, leading some to break down during river transport, while others remain unaffected. In this study we test if two commonly used minerals with contrasting physical and chemical properties, zircon and apatite, produce dates consistent with the bedrock geology of the Saco River, New Hampshire, USA. The catchment of the SR contains two major bedrock groups that differ in age. Two‐thirds are made up of 200–150 million‐year‐old granites, while the remaining third consists of metamorphic rocks and granites older than 300 million years. We found that zircon dates from river sands are highly consistent with the geology of the river's catchment. In contrast, apatite dates are highly inconsistent, and notably lack dates between 200 and 150 million years old. Computer modeling shows that zircon is likely sourced from all areas of the catchment, while apatite is only derived from rocks exposed at high elevations. Collectively, these results imply a large portion of apatite grains have been broken up during transport or dissolved by acidic soils present in the low elevation regions of the catchment. This work is important for future studies dating river sands and has implications for how we study sediment in formerly glaciated areas. Key Points: Detrital U‐Pb dates for zircon and apatite differ unexpectedly in the previously glaciated Saco River, USAModeling shows zircon is consistent with uniform erosion, while apatite represents elevation dependant erosionResults suggest acidic soils and sediment transport have removed large portions of apatite from detrital population [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In headwater catchments, surface groundwater discharge areas have unique soil biogeochemistry and can be hot spots for solute contribution to streams. Across the northeastern United States, headwater hillslopes with surface groundwater discharge were enriched in soil Mn, including Watershed 3 of Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest, New Hampshire. Soils of this site were investigated along a grid to determine extent of Mn‐rich zone(s) and relationships to explanatory variables using ordinary kriging. The O and B horizons were analyzed for total secondary Mn and Fe, Cr oxidation potential, total organic C, moisture content, wetness ratio, and pH. Two Mn hot spots were found: a poorly drained, flowing spring (Location A); and a moderately well‐drained swale (Location B). Both had ∼6,000–9,000 mg Mn kg–1 soil. However, Location A had high Cr oxidation potential (a measure of Mn reactivity), whereas Location B did not. Location C, a poorly drained seep with slow‐moving water, had lower Mn content and Cr oxidation potential. Manganese‐rich soil particles were analyzed using X‐ray absorption near‐edge structure and micro‐X‐ray diffraction; the dominant oxidation state was Mn(IV), and the dominant Mn oxide species was a layer‐type Mn oxide (L‐MnO2). We propose input of Mn(II) with groundwater, which is oxidized by soil microbes. Studies of catchment structure and response could benefit from identifying hot spots of trace metals, sourced mainly from parent material but which accumulate according to hydropedologic conditions. Small‐scale variation in Mn enrichment due to groundwater and microtopography appears to be more important than regional‐scale variation due to air pollution. Core Ideas: Hot spots of soil Mn accumulate according to hydropedologic conditions and may influence surface water chemistry.Small‐scale variation in soil Mn is more important than regional‐scale variation from air pollution.Variation in Mn oxide reactivity may occur over short distances due to changes in hydropedologic conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines short-run economic and business impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic as a global disruption event. The purpose is to build propositions about specific subnational FDI (Foreign Direct Investment) developments in the short-term of global disturbance. We approach the investigation by reviewing FDI outcomes in the year prior and in the first year of the pandemic, at the U.S. national and subnational levels, and through the lens of local characteristics and FDI outcomes in the state of New Hampshire. Our methods include distribution and frequency analyses on two sets of data: secondary data on FDI and trade at the state level, and primary data as direct observations on firm activities in New Hampshire. Our leading method is the evaluation of data aimed at triangulating and consequently generating a set of propositions that explain phenomena observed in relation to short-term effects of disruption. Our methodological tools consist of an in-focus instance of the phenomena in one state, as a particular case for verifying the validity of our propositions, and comparisons with available data across states to establish the reliability of the proposed consequences. Our analysis provides evidence for subnational heterogeneity of global disruption impact. Our interstate trend analysis and unique data on FDI-related activities in New Hampshire reveal how foreign businesses respond to the external shock of global disruption in the short-run. We use our insights to propose that established regional supply chains and differences in local advantages determine varying FDI outcomes across subnational locations. As a result, we set forth three calls-to-action for regional policymakers: the development of initiatives to support strong trade and FDI-outcomes at all times and in preparation for global disruption; the promotion and facilitation of firms' access to markets; and the implementation of actions that encourage the establishment of regional supply chains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the associations between statewide affirmative action bans and the racial composition of undergraduate students at public 4-year colleges and universities in five states, that is, Arizona, Michigan, Nebraska, New Hampshire, and Oklahoma. I use the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System data from 1999 to 2017, and find that despite having few selective postsecondary institutions, public four-year institutions in these five states experienced an average decline of 0.42 percentage points in the enrollment of underrepresented racial-ethnic minority students following bans on affirmative action. Further, the bans also decreased the enrollment of underrepresented racial-ethnic minority students at four state public flagship universities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Insectivorous bats consume a diverse array of arthropod prey, with diets varying by bat species, sampling location, and season. North American bat diets remain incompletely described, which is concerning at a time when many bat and insect populations appear to be declining. Understanding the variability in foraging is thus an essential component for effective bat conservation. To comprehensively evaluate local foraging, we assessed the spatial and temporal variability in prey consumed by the little brown bat, Myotis lucifugus, in New Hampshire, USA. We collected bat guano samples from 20 sites over 2 years and analyzed sequence data for 899 of these samples using a molecular metabarcoding approach targeting the cytochrome oxidase I subunit (COI) gene. Some prey items were broadly shared across locations and sampling dates, with the most frequently detected arthropod orders broadly similar to previous morphological and molecular analyses; at least one representative sequence variant was assigned to Coleoptera in 92% of samples, with other frequently detected orders including Diptera (73%), Lepidoptera (65%), Trichoptera (38%), and Ephemeroptera (32%). More specifically, two turf and forest pests were routinely detected: white grubs in the genus Phyllophaga (50%), and the Asiatic Garden beetle, Maladera castanea (36%). Despite the prevalence of a few taxa shared among many samples and distinct seasonal peaks in consumption of specific arthropods, diet composition varied both temporally and spatially. However, species richness did not strongly vary indicating consumption of a broad diversity of taxa throughout the summer. These data characterize little brown bats as flexible foragers adept at consuming a broad array of locally available prey resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We have now added many previously unreported species to the Keyes mineral list and recorded a phosphate suite with mineral associations like those at the Palermo, Fletcher, and several other Grafton County pegmatites. Vuggy albite with muscovite and fluorapatite crystals was so common at Keyes No. 1 that this mine might be expected to have provided all the mica crystals. The Keyes specimens most seen in collections are blue-green, green, purple, and bicolored fluorapatite crystals; groups of freestanding muscovite crystals; and fine albite crystals. The work by Cameron et al. ([7]) shows that the dominant rock-forming minerals in all the Keyes pegmatites are quartz, plagioclase (presumably albite), and muscovite in varying proportions. The granite pegmatites of Grafton County, New Hampshire, were important sources of industrial minerals from the early 1800s through the 1960s. [Extracted from the article]

• Litterfall sampling in a deciduous forest indicated disturbance effects on leaf abundance. • Decline of sugar maple in this forest preceded the initiation of sampling in 1993. • Decline of canopy American beech was compensated by expansion of understory beech. • Calcium addition probably caused an increase in leaf abundance of sugar maple. Leaf abundance of trees plays a dominant role in energy, water and nutrient flux of forest ecosystems, in defining the habitat structure of entrained biota and in mediating interspecific competition among tree species. We quantified leaf abundance of three dominant tree species (Acer saccharum Marsh.; Fagus grandifolia Ehrh.; Betula alleghaniensis Britt.) for 27 years in mature northern hardwood forest at the Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest, New Hampshire, USA using annual counts of leaves of each species collected in 117 litter traps (0.1 m2, each). We hypothesized that variation in leaf abundance would reflect known disturbance events and canopy dieback episodes. No significant trend in leaf abundance of the three species over 27 years (1993–2019) was observed in seven reference stands despite known canopy dieback of sugar maple and American beech in these stands, indicating that 1) maple decline preceded our sampling interval and 2) expansion of beech understory compensated for canopy dieback caused by beech bark disease. Leaf abundance temporarily declined significantly in response to known disturbances (ice storm, 34 to 47%; late-spring frost, 13 to 16%). Increased leaf abundance, especially for sugar maple (30%), on a watershed where calcium addition restored acidified soils, was probably associated with increased soil pH, Ca availability and decreased Al. The temporal sequence of decline of paper birch at higher elevations following a severe drought in 2002 also was apparent. Leaf abundance based on leaf litterfall in deciduous forests provides a useful indicator of forest ecosystem function and forest health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Higher latitudes regions will witness a high soil NO 3 – production. • Frequent freeze–thaw process may accelerate the soil NO 3 – production. • Soil NO 3 – may reach 18 mg/l concentration during winter only in future. Winter season is characterized by lowering of air temperature and soil temperature, and deceleration of soil nitrogen cycle. Despite low soil temperature, soil NO 3 – is found on the soil surface and in the streams of temperate and higher latitude regions towards the end of winter season. With the rise in global air temperature, the soil temperature is expected to warm up accordingly. Plausible effects of future soil temperature changes in affecting the production and movement of soil NO 3 – within a vertical profile were studied in the present paper. Four Representative Concentration Pathways (RCP) scenarios were considered to estimate the effects of change in air temperature on soil temperature at different depths within a vertical profile and on the soil nitrate status. Since winter season is known to have low to no soil nitrate utilization (due to microbial inactivity and low utilization by biomass), plausible effects of winter warming in the future decades were studied. The occurrence and movement of soil NO 3 – during winter, raises a concern regarding the future warming climate's response. Long-term records from Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest, New Hampshire, USA, were used for observation, calibration, and validation purposes. Non-linear relationship between air temperature, soil moisture, soil temperature, and soil NO 3 – status at different soil depths, were assessed using support vector regression (SVR) models. Soil temperature and soil NO 3 – status at different soil depths were predicted using SVR models, under the four different RCP scenarios. The projections under different RCP scenarios suggested - significant production of soil NO 3 – during winter (approx. 18 mg/l by the year 2095 under a "business as usual" scenario), and movement of soil NO 3 – towards soil surface before the beginning of plant-growing season. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We study the labor supply and consumption responses to cash assistance delivered through the Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) program in the United States. Exploiting a sharp increase in cash benefit generosity for low‐income single‐parent families in New Hampshire due to a legislative revision to payment calculations, we implement difference‐in‐differences and triple‐differences to estimate the impacts of greater benefits on work behavior as well as on food expenditures and food security. Our results suggest that more generous cash assistance reduces labor supply among likely TANF‐eligible individuals. At the same time, greater cash benefits increase household food spending and reduce the incidence of food insecurity. Our findings speak to individual and family responses to expanded cash assistance in an era in which cash welfare is at historically low levels, is time limited, and imposes work requirements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]