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This paper analyzes the perspectives of college students toward food insecurity and basic needs campus resources. We draw from interviews with 49 students at one university in California's Inland Empire conducted in 2019. We found that regardless of personal experience with food insecurity, participants were generally reluctant to access resources or disclose their experiences with the campus community. We propose that this food insecurity stigma operates individually, interactionally, and structurally. We also discuss it as a by-product of neoliberal discourses about students "abusing" the system and needing to pull themselves up by the bootstraps. A response from university stakeholders has been to normalize food insecurity and visibilize resource use. While an important strategy to counteract the impact of food insecurity, we argue that normalization has limits in regard to addressing the root causes of food insecurity. Finally, we also illustrate ways that students themselves resist food insecurity stigma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Renowned narratologists, especially those focusing on film studies, have little interest in the prologue as a narrative device. I argue that this film segment is crucial in postmodern narratives, usually characterized by their nonlinearity. In films that feature it, this introductory scene/sequence is part of the work’s complex embroidery and is formally produced in the same style of the overall film, alerting to its tone, nonlinearity, self-reflexive nature, theme, and metanarrative discourse. Like all prologues, it explains part of what is to follow and engages the viewer’s curiosity. I call these segments hermeneutic decoders. However, in complex narratives they also deliberately hide the film’s full story and/or real meaning in plain sight. They engage the viewer’s cognitive abilities but manage to be as enigmatic as the rest of the film (despite containing most of the clues to its understanding). I will provide examples from several established categories of complex films and will deal with a specific case study in more detail: David Lynch’s INLAND EMPIRE (2006), which belongs to an undecipherable category of narratives that Kiss and Willemsen call “impossible puzzle films.” After a detailed analysis of the hermeneutic decoder, I will explain how it provides all the clues for an account of the film as an allegory of spectatorship from two theoretical standpoints: Gilles Deleuze’s concept of the time-image and Jacques Lacan’s notion of the gaze. The aporetical enunciation and the duplicated gaze, in tandem, form the key to the film’s narrative enigma, open to an intense hermeneutic activity that is nevertheless, and necessarily, frustrated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, distance learning became popularized throughout the country as various schools were forced to transition to an online platform unexpectedly. This case study explored caregivers' digital literacy self-efficacy and its connection to their academic involvement to primary grade students during distance learning in a public elementary school in the California's Inland Empire. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with open-ended questions conducted either in person or through Zoom. This study revealed that digital literacy self-efficacy of caregivers did not negatively affect the involvement they had in their students' distance learning. There was also an increase in involvement no matter the computer comfortability of the caregiver and the challenges they faced throughout distance learning. The results of the study help inform district and school personnel on how to provide clear communication to caregivers and offer training for digital tools used throughout distance learning. Additionally, it guides districts on how taking the time to plan and create structure can provide caregivers a sense of comfortability knowing schools have a plan in place. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Men who have sex with men (MSM) have suboptimal uptake of human papillomavirus (HPV) and meningococcal vaccines. This study examines barriers and facilitators to HPV and meningococcal vaccination among MSM in a large, racially/ethnically diverse, and medically underserved U.S. region. Methods: In 2020, we conducted five focus groups with MSM living in the Inland Empire, California. Participants discussed (1) their knowledge about and attitudes toward HPV, meningococcal disease, and related vaccines; and (2) factors that would encourage or discourage vaccine uptake. Data were systematically analyzed to identify salient barriers and facilitators to vaccination. Results: Participants (N = 25) had a median age of 29. Most were Hispanic (68%), self-identified as gay (84%), and had college degrees (64%). Key barriers to vaccination included: (1) limited awareness and knowledge about HPV and meningococcal disease, (2) reliance on mainstream healthcare providers for vaccine information, (3) stigma and reluctance to disclose sexual orientation, (4) uncertainty about health insurance coverage and vaccine costs, and (5) distance and time required to access vaccines. Key facilitators to vaccination were: (1) vaccine confidence, (2) perceived severity of HPV and meningococcal disease, (3) bundling vaccination into routine healthcare, and (4) pharmacies as vaccination sites. Conclusions: Findings highlight opportunities for HPV and meningococcal vaccine promotion, including targeted education and awareness campaigns for MSM, LGBT inclusivity training for healthcare providers, and structural interventions to improve vaccine accessibility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) has been widely adopted for management of aortic stenosis. The purpose of this study was to examine regional access to and outcomes following TAVR in California. Patients undergoing TAVR or isolated surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR) from 2008 to 2019 in California were identified in the Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development database. California was divided into seven regions: Northern California, San Francisco Bay Area, Central California, Los Angeles, Inland Empire, Orange, and San Diego. Regional TAVR volumes were normalized to Medicare beneficiaries or isolated SAVR volume. Outcomes included risk-adjusted 30-day mortality and major adverse cardiovascular and cerebral events (MACCE). Trends were studied using non-parametric tests, and regional outcomes using logistic regression. TAVR volume increased annually since 2011, with 7148 cases performed in California in 2019. After normalization, variation in utilization of TAVR was evident, with the least performed in Central California. TAVR to SAVR ratios in 2019 were greatest in Northern California, Los Angeles, and San Diego, and least in the Inland Empire. After risk adjustment, there were no significant regional differences in 30-day mortality, but lower 30-day MACCE in the San Francisco Bay Area. Regional differences in TAVR utilization exist, with limited access in Central California and the Inland Empire, but risk-adjusted outcomes are similar. Efforts to reach underserved areas through existing program expansion or regional referrals may distribute transcatheter technology more equitably across California. There was significant growth of TAVR programs and volume in California, with a lesser decline in isolated SAVR caseload. Regional variation in access to TAVR exists in California, although regional outcomes were similar in 2017–2018. [Display omitted] • Adoption of TAVR across California is geographically disparate. • Non-metropolitan areas adopted TAVR later and remain underserved. • Outcomes following TAVR have improved over time and are similar across the state. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 2018, nine-valent human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine eligibility expanded to include adults aged 27 to 45. This study aimed to identify knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs (KABs) about HPV and HPV vaccination among newly eligible mid-adult men, for whom uptake in adolescence and younger adulthood remains suboptimal. We conducted six virtual focus groups (N = 34 participants) with unvaccinated men aged 27 to 45 living in Southern California's Inland Empire. Data were systematically analyzed to identify emergent themes using the rigorous and accelerated data reduction technique. The sample of men was diverse (79% Hispanic, non-Hispanic Black, Asian, or mixed race/ethnicity; 26% gay or bisexual) and captured participants from across the socioeconomic spectrum. Eighty-eight percent of participants had never received a provider recommendation to be vaccinated against HPV. Many had unanswered questions about HPV and HPV vaccination, could not recall any HPV-related cancers that affect men, and were unaware of their current eligibility for vaccination. Embarrassment and stigma surrounding vaccination against a sexually transmitted infection, concerns about vaccine side effects and safety, and preferences for preventing HPV via "safer sex" and monogamy were salient barriers to vaccination. Nevertheless, many men were eager to learn more about HPV vaccination and engage with health care providers around that topic. Interventions aimed at improving men's knowledge, changing social norms, and supporting health providers to identify HPV vaccine-eligible patients may be especially fruitful for facilitating shared clinical decision-making between mid-adult men and their health care providers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Families face substantial barriers to timely assessment and intervention services for their children, particularly in remote areas. This study reports results of a survey in an effort to promote better service options for underserved children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and their families in the Inland Empire region of California. Method: Parents, medical practitioners, and service providers (N = 90) completed surveys of unmet needs. Results were analyzed quantitatively and qualitatively. Results: Only 13% of participants felt that service/healthcare needs were currently met; specific needs included: (1) increased access to a variety of services, (2) overcoming barriers to treatment and/or evaluation services, and (3) additional training and/or education for medical practitioners and service providers. Conclusions: There is a critical need for increased access to comprehensive assessment and services. Recommendations include increased practitioner training and the development of comprehensive services such as an autism centre that focuses on research, education, and service in developmental disabilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: ANCA-associated vasculitis is a disease with high morbidity and mortality which has shown to have different phenotypes in different ethnic and racial groups. This disease has been most frequently studied in Caucasians. We studied a group in Southern California where the Hispanics make up half of the population. We believe there will be different phenotypes between the two. Methods: A retrospective study of 114 patients was conducted at two tertiary care centers between 2003 and 2019. Demographic data, ICU admission, ANCA antibody status, BVAS on presentation, VDI per the last clinic visit, the number of hospitalizations, the number of follow-up years, and treatment were recorded. We calculated odds ratios for the categorical data and ran independent sample T test for the continuous data with alpha equal to 0.05 for statistical significance. Results: Difference was found in antibody status, disease presentation, morbidity, and age at diagnosis. Hispanics had greater number of AAV flares despite BVAS and VDI being comparable. Caucasians had more frequent follow-up. Hispanics had a 4.39 increase in odds of being admitted to the ICU, a 1.33 increased odds of developing acute respiratory failure, and a 67% increased odds of developing hemoptysis or pulmonary alveolar hemorrhage. Further, Hispanics had a 1.22 increase in odds of having ESRD. Conclusions: Clinicians treating Hispanic patients with AAV should have a high index of suspicion for severe disease in this patient population. Further, epidemiologic and disparities research should be conducted to evaluate the discrepancy in outcomes in these groups. Key Points • This is the first study to examine the phenotype and severity of ANCA associated vasculitis in Southern California, a population which is comprised largely of Hispanics. • Hispanics in this population were found to be more likely to be admitted to the ICU, have more flares, reach end-stage renal disease, have severe pulmonary manifestations, and had fewer outpatient follow-up visits than their Caucasian counterparts. • Clinicians should have a high suspicion for more severe disease in Hispanics in this region when compared to Caucasians. • More research is needed to assess the degree social determinants of health contribute to these findings and if progress can be made with decreasing health disparities between these populations in this disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new species, Indigofera centralis Peter G. Wilson & Rowe (Fabaceae), is described and illustrated from Central Australia, west of the Finke Gorge National Park in the Northern Territory. It resembles some other inland species but differs most conspicuously by the relatively larger flowers. Relationships with other species are discussed and a key to pinnate species in the McDonnell Range Bioregion is provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • Maximum stand density index is not invariant to site climate and topographic position. • Presence of deep, surficial volcanic ash mantles (Andisols) significantly increases maximum stand density index. • Mixed species stands were shown to have higher maximum density frontiers relative to pure species stands. Abstract Density management is a key silvicultural tool for developing management prescriptions that maintain and enhance forest health and productivity, particularly in droughty, fire-prone ecosystems of the Inland Northwest, USA. Within this context, understanding the role of species mixing, climate, topography, and soil properties on maximum stand density is critical for predicting forest stand response to management given a suite of site characteristics and species composition. We assembled a dataset from public and private land management organizations that allowed us to test the role of ecological variables on modifying maximum stand density frontiers. Maximum stand density frontier models were built for selected conifer species using stochastic frontier regression. The influence of species mixing was assessed by including as a covariate basal area proportion of the three conifer species of interest in this study: Pinus ponderosa var. ponderosa , Pseudotsuga menziesii var. glauca , and Abies grandis var. idahoensis. A single, parsimonious model was found to fit each species, with variable coefficients reflecting species adaptation to varying abiotic site factors across the region. Site factors that increased maximum density included cool, moist conditions, soils containing volcanic ash over coarse-textured bedrock, and high tree-species diversity. These observations correspond to regional silvicultural guidance, thereby providing both a site-sensitive, quantitative maximum density measure for mixed species stands, and a tool for evaluating the effect of climate scenarios on future stand carrying capacity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Moist, mixed conifer (MMC) forests, which encompass more than 11 million ha in the Inland Northwest, USA and adjacent Canada, were extensively modified after Euro-american occupation by now-outdated forestry practices and wildfire suppression. Those activities homogenized tree composition and density, modified forest soils, increased risks to insect and disease epidemics, and, in combination with longer drought periods ultimately increased the prevalence of unusually severe wildfires to further homogenize landscapes. Recommendations for restoring structure and function include re-establishing natural fire regimes and disturbance-patch size distributions across landscapes, as well as restoring and maintaining large, old early-seral dominant trees (LOEST), large snags and coarse woody debris, while accounting for physiographic influences. Implementing such recommendations with sensitivity to wildlife conservation requires additional details to account for habitat needs at the planning levels of national forests and districts. We synthesized silviculture-specific literature for wildlife species of greatest conservation concern listed in the strategic wildlife conservation plans of Inland Northwest states (“strategy” species), others of social and economic importance (“focal” species), and some others that are either important in the ecologies of strategy species or otherwise offer literature having particular relevance to MMC silviculture (“facilitative” species). Evaluations of habitat selection behavior and comparisons of species-specific habitat values to tree-stocking guidelines used by silviculturists indicated that most species reviewed are likely to respond positively to restoration, and that a wide array of extant silvicultural methods can be used, provided that large snags and acceptable levels of coarse woody debris are recruited or retained. Thinning followed by routine prescribed burning will be problematic for some wildlife species. Knowledge of wildlife responses to variation in the size distribution of disturbance patches is limited, as is knowledge of wildlife population responses to intentional forestry. Coupling new wildlife research to forest modeling and manipulative experiments within adaptive management and monitoring frameworks will improve predictions of wildlife population responses over the long time frames and multiple spatial scales associated with strategic planning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The long-term sustainability of wheat-based dryland cropping systems in the Inland Pacific Northwest (IPNW) of the United States depends on how these systems adapt to climate change. Climate models project warming with slight increases in winter precipitation but drier summers for the IPNW. These conditions combined with elevated atmospheric CO2, which promote crop growth and improve transpiration-use efficiency, may be beneficial for cropping systems in the IPNW and may provide regional opportunities for agricultural diversification and intensification. Crop modeling simulation under future climatic conditions showed increased wheat productivity for the IPNW for most of the century. Water use by winter wheat was projected to decrease significantly in higher and intermediate precipitation zones and increase slightly in drier locations, but with winter crops utilizing significantly more water overall than spring crops. Crop diversification with inclusion of winter crops other than wheat is a possibility depending on agronomic and economic considerations, while substitution of winter for spring crops appeared feasible only in high precipitation areas. Increased weed pressure, higher pest populations, expanded ranges of biotic stressors, and agronomic, plant breeding, economic, technology, and other factors will influence what production systems eventually prevail under future climatic conditions in the region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite their recognized importance in promoting crop yields and soil health, little is known about earthworm species composition and density within the cereal production region of the Inland Pacific Northwest (IPNW). The overall goal of this work was to understand the influence of climatic factors and soil properties on the presence/absence and density of earthworm species found in the region. The IPNW cereal production region includes a steep climatic gradient and can be divided into four agroecological classes (annual cropping, transition crop-fallow, crop-fallow and irrigated) (AECs) according to the dominant cropping systems present. Replicate sites were selected within the annual cropping, transition and crop-fallow AECs and earthworm density, diversity and soil properties were measured. Earthworm diversity was extremely low. Only two of the sampled sites had more than a single species, and these sites were both in the wettest AEC. Aporrectodea trapezoides was the predominant species sampled, and this species was present at every site where earthworms were found. Earthworms were present at all sites within the annual cropping and transition classes, while only 13.3% of sites within the crop-fallow AEC had earthworms. When only sites with earthworms were considered, earthworm metrics were greater in the driest crop-fallow AEC (density = 151.2 individuals m −2 ) compared to 113.8 individuals m −2 in the transition and 86.4 individuals m −2 in annual cropping fields and a significant negative correlation was found with precipitation. The data suggest that while earthworms are largely absent from the driest sites, they can achieve relatively high density and biomass values when local conditions (soil properties and management) are favorable. A clear minimum threshold of mean annual precipitation (MAP) between 330 and 370 mm was observed, with earthworms absent from all fields with MAP values below 330. This value is lower than those previous reported for A. trapezoides and demonstrates the species’ ability to deal with warm, dry conditions. Biomass values (mean of 94.3 g m −2 ) for sites with earthworms were generally above those reported to be necessary to significantly influence crop yields, suggesting that further research focusing on quantification of the impact of earthworm on crop yields in this important agricultural region is warranted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study presents a stable isotope hydrology and geochemical analysis in the inland Pacific Northwest (PNW) of the USA. Isotope ratios were used to estimate mean transit times (MTTs) in natural and human-altered watersheds using the FLOWPC program. Isotope ratios in precipitation resulted in a regional meteoric water line ofδ2H = 7.42·δ18O + 0.88 (n = 316;r2 = 0.97). Isotope compositions exhibited a strong temperature-dependent seasonality. Despite this seasonal variation, the streamδ18O variation was small. A significant regression (τ = 0.11D−1.09;r2 = 0.83) between baseflow MTTs and the damping ratio was found. Baseflow MTTs ranged from 0.4 to 0.6 years (human-altered), 0.7 to 1.7 years (mining-altered), and 0.7 to 3.2 years (forested). Greater MTTs were represented by more homogenous aqueous chemistry whereas smaller MTTs resulted in more dynamic compositions. The isotope and geochemical data presented provide a baseline for future hydrological modelling in the inland PNW. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stream buffers increase the complexity of agroecosystems, providing wildlife habitat, sediment and nutrient sinks to improve water quality, and potentially lignocellulosic feedstock for biofuels. The establishment of stream buffers can be difficult, with weeds competing with desired species and increasing weed pressure in the production fields and contaminating feedstocks. Our objective was to evaluate the success of establishing two different feedstock alternatives, alfalfa (ALF; Medicago sativa L., cultivar Ladak) and tall wheatgrass (TWG; Agropyron elongatum Podp., cultivar Alkar), plus a mix of alfalfa and tall wheatgrass (MIX) at two sites within each of three precipitation zones in the Pacific Northwest (PNW). We evaluated productivity, stand establishment, and weed infestation using a split plot, randomized complete block design. Establishment of targeted species was most successful and productivity was highest in the intermediate precipitation zone. Lignocellulosic feedstock produced by TWG (7.52 ± 2.07 Mg ha-1 [3.35 ± 0.92 tn ac-1]) and MIX (7.45 ± 2.00 Mg ha-1 [3.32 ± 0.89 tn ac-1]) produced significantly more lignocellulosic feedstock than ALF (1.68 ± 0.79 Mg ha-1 [0.75 ± 0.35 tn ac-1]) and SG (2.62 ± 0.99 Mg ha-1 [1.17 ± 0.44 tn ac-1]). The best competition against invasive annual species was obtained in the TWG and MIX treatments, with tall wheatgrass providing the bulk of biomass in either treatment. Productivity was acceptable where naturally occurring subirrigation was present and contributed to crop germination and establishment in the low precipitation zone, but weed pressure was substantial and caused near to complete crop failure in the driest plots. A high level of weed management will be required to produce monocultures of lignocellulosic feedstocks in stream buffers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Background Recent findings suggest that individuals living near the coast are healthier than those living inland. Here we investigated whether this may be related to higher levels of physical activity among coastal dwellers in England, arising in part as a result of more visits to outdoor coastal settings. Method Participants (n = 183,755) were drawn from Natural England's Monitor of Engagement with the Natural Environment Survey (2009-2012). Analyses were based on self-reported physical activity for leisure and transport. Results A small, but significant coastal proximity gradient was seen for the likelihood of achieving recommended guidelines of physical activity a week after adjusting for relevant area and individual level controls. This effect was statistically mediated by the likelihood of having visited the coast in the last seven days. Stratification by region, however, suggested that while the main effect was relatively strong for west coast regions, it was not significant for those in the east. Conclusions In general, our findings replicate and extend work from Australia and New Zealand. Further work is needed to explain the marked regional differences in the relationship between coastal proximity and physical activity in England to better understand the coast's potential role as a public health resource. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study documents the importance of soil fertility in the dryland farming areas of Idaho, Oregon, and Washington. Mail-based surveys conducted in 1981, 1996, and 2011 were used to document the importance placed on soil fertility by farmers. The significant findings of the 2011 survey were (1) more than 62% of the growers attributed more than 50% of their annual crop yield to soil fertility; (2) soil samples were collected at least once in a crop rotation on 91.6% of farms; (3) 31.8% of growers took their own soil samples, whereas fertilizer dealers took 62.8% of the samples; and (4) 54% of growers made their own fertilizer recommendations. Compared to the 1981 survey results, in 2011 farmers were more likely to (1) attribute more of their yields to soil fertility; (2) have their fields soil sampled; (3) collect their own soil samples; and (4) make their own fertilizer recommendations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate change (CC) is an important issue students should understand to be productive members of society. The objectives were to evaluate the instruction and teacher perceptions relating to CC in the Inland Pacific Northwest (IPNW) secondary (7-12) classes across disciplines. The teacher perceptions, instructional frequency, perceived barriers to inclusion of CC issues, and professional development needs were assessed utilizing an electronic survey of 7th to 12th grade teachers across eight disciplines in the IPNW region. Instruction on CC issues occurs most frequently two or three times a year in most disciplines, with 18.6% of all teachers never including CC issues. The majority (85.6%) of all teachers agreed at some level that basic knowledge of CC issues is important for making socially responsible decisions. Time, available curriculum, and funding were the most frequently cited reasons for not including CC issues. Teachers were most likely to participate in a 1- or 2-day-long, on-site professional development experience; responses suggest that agricultural science and science teachers are more likely than teachers in other disciplines to incorporate CC issues into their curriculum. Climate change resources, tailored for subjects other than science fields and directly linked to national standards, need to be utilized to enhance the inclusion of CC in secondary classrooms beyond the traditional and applied sciences. Results of this study indicate agricultural science instructors may be an overlooked audience in terms of professional development related to CC science. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article offers information on the Inland Empire, a name called by property developers to mark the area as part of the Mexican empire. It says that the place has become a Democrat stronghold for several years and is inhabited by white, Hispanic, and middle class. It mentions that the Hispanic vote in the Inland Empire is important to Democratic and Republican Parties to get back into power.

Interior Douglas-fir [Pseudotsuga menziesii (Mirb.) Franco] is an economically and ecologically important forest tree species in the inland Northwest that is universally limited by nutrient availability. A variety of other site conditions also limit forest growth and vigor that complicate our understanding of Douglas-fir nutrition in the region. In this report, we summarize existing scientific information on nutrition of interior Douglas-fir and draw conclusions about best management practices. A general N deficiency was confirmed through universal increases in tree growth and nutrient uptake following N fertilization. However, water availability and other nutrients, such as K, S, and B, frequently limit the response to N fertilization. Increasing the probability of a strong fertilizer response within the region requires critical information on site moisture availability, parent material, and foliar K, sulfate-S, and B concentrations. Such stand and site characteristics should guide management prescriptions, including appropriate harvest operations, slash management, site preparation, fertilization, and stocking levels. Synthesis of the available information on interior Douglas-fir nutrition and site characteristics provides a set of management guidelines and recommendations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study discusses the perceptions and understandings of code-switching of bilingual English-Spanish speakers from the Inland Northwest. Earlier studies reported that speakers generally hold a negative view of code-switching; however, results of this study questions whether these conclusions remain true. Results from ten, hour-long semi-structured interviews including four musical selections as examples of code-switching demonstrate a shift away from traditional views towards code-switching. Rendering, older studies problematic this study calls for the continuation of code-switching research as well as new and inventive approaches for researching code-switching in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Trematode parasites have complex life cycles, requiring multiple hosts. If these parasites are present in an ecosystem, then one can infer that their respective hosts must also be present. Thus, these parasites may serve as reliable indicators of species diversity in an ecosystem. To test this, we sampled larval trematodes and aquatic insects from three freshwater lakes in Idaho that varied in heavy metal pollution and three lakes in Washington that varied in agricultural use. We hypothesized that if parasites do serve as reliable indicators of ecosystem health, then parasite diversity should be higher at the least disturbed sites and should positively correlate with insect diversity. We found that the Shannon diversity index for parasites was highest at the WA reference lake (1.36) compared to the two WA lakes (0.54 and 0) exposed to cattle grazing. The ID lake with the highest levels of heavy metals experienced the highest insect diversity, but a low trematode diversity. We conclude that parasite diversity indices work as well as insect diversity indices as indicators of ecosystem health, especially in instances of heavy metal pollution. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Volcanic ash mantles many landscapes of the Inland Pacific Northwest region of the United States. Because of the close link to forest productivity in the region, understanding processes that have affected the present-day distribution and characteristics of these ash mantles is important for forest soil management. Presence or absence, thickness, and degree of ash mantle mixing were evaluated at 84 randomly selected stratified sites in the Palouse Range of northern Idaho. A 1-m digital elevation model (DEM) was generated for the Palouse Range using light detection and ranging (LiDAR) data and resampled to 10-, 15-, 20-, and 30-m grid resolutions. Terrain attributes derived from these DEMs were used to model volcanic ash mantle presence or absence, thickness, and degree of mixing using classification and regression trees. Model accuracy for ash presence was assessed using 572 data points collected by the NRCS as part of a soil survey update. Overall, elevation was the single variable most related to the presence or absence, degree of mixing, and thickness of a volcanic ash mantle; other terrain attributes had less predictive value in modeling ash mantle characteristics. The 30-m grid resolution provided the best model of ash presence or absence, with 78% accuracy, indicating good promise for digitally mapping Andisols and related soils across the region. The various grid resolutions had little effect on the outcome and predictive ability of the models, and the overall accuracy of the models varied by only 2%. Moister, higher elevation plant communities provide a protective forest canopy and thick litter layer, which result in a relatively undisturbed ash mantle. At lower elevation where forest canopy is less dense, ash mantles are thinner, highly mixed, or absent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soil and plant tissue testing is routinely used by growers to assess the status of their crops to determine what, if any, supplemental fertilizers are needed to reach both quality and quantity production goals. In wine grape (Vitis vinifera L.) production, leaf tissue testing is often used as the primary assessment tool for in-season fertilizer adjustment. In this project, we conducted a 3-year survey to evaluate actual leaf nutrient concentrations for comparison with published tissue nutrient guidelines. Leaf petiole and blade samples were collected from six different wine grape cultivars (two white, four red) from eight different sites that geographically encompass Washington's Columbia Valley American Viticultural Area (AVA) (inclusively), the Milton–Freewater area in Oregon, and the Parma area in Idaho. These are all low-rainfall areas (<450 mm/year) in the Pacific Northwest (PNW). Leaf samples (petioles and blades) were collected at bloom and veraison and analyzed for nutrients by a commercial laboratory. Concurrently, replicated nitrogen (N) rate trials were conducted on two Riesling and two Merlot vineyards in the Columbia Valley AVA. The same tissue-sampling technique was employed on grapevines receiving from 0 to 67 kg ha–1 N for up to 4 consecutive years. Results from the vineyard survey and from the N-rate trials show that many of the nutrient concentrations in the sampled tissues fall outside of the ranges currently considered normal or adequate in published standards. However, grapes from the survey and trial sites were all of sufficiently high quality for production of premium wines. This suggests that currently published standards are not appropriate for use in regulated deficit-irrigated wine grapes in the low rainfall areas of the inland PNW. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Abstract: The Horse Heaven Hills in south-central Washington contains the world''s driest rainfed wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) region. The climate is Mediterranean with average annual precipitation as low as 150mm. The cropping system is winter wheat-summer fallow. Tillage is used in the spring of the 13-month fallow to establish a dry soil mulch to help retain seed-zone water to establish winter wheat planted deep into fallow in late August. However, the Horse Heaven Hills is often so dry that even tillage-based summer fallow (TF) cannot retain adequate seed-zone water, and farmers must then wait until the onset of rains in mid October or later for planting. In such dry years, farmers would be better off practicing no-till fallow (NTF) to protect the soil from wind erosion; but no predictive tools are available to assist in these decisions. The objectives of our study were (1) to predict seed-zone water contents and water potentials in late August or early September based on soil water content measured in early April and (2) to compare seed-zone water in TF and NTF. Experiments were conducted for 5 years at each of two sites. Soil water content was measured in both early April and late August. Soil properties and residue loads were characterized to calibrate the Simultaneous Heat and Water model (SHAW). Seed-zone water was simulated in late August based on measured soil water contents in early April and measured temperature and precipitation from April to August. The SHAW model correctly predicted seed-zone water content 80% of the time. The amount and timing of rainfall occurring in April, May, and June was the most important factor controlling the seed-zone water content in late August, suggesting that farmers should delay their decision on whether to practice TF or NTF until late in the spring. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

A common cropping system in the intermediate precipitation zone (300 to 450 mm [12 to 18 in]) of the inland Pacific Northweit is the two-year, winter wheat-fallow rotation typically practiced using multiple secondary tillage operations to control weeds and retain seed-zone soil moisture.This crop rotation has proven to be a stable system for producers in this region. However, even conservation tillage (CT) practices such as mulch tillage leave this system prone to substantial erosion where the soil surface is disturbed. Alternatives to this system include no-tillage (NT) practices, increasing the cropping intensity, or a combination of both. Our objective was to evaluate and compare soil and water conservation attributes between NT and a variation on CT, hereafter referred to as tillage practice (TP) under a four-year dryland crop rotation. We estabhshed a four-year rotation consisting of winter wheat (Triticuni aestivuin L.), spring peas (Pisurn sativurn L.), winter wheat, and fallow. No-tillage consisted of seeding and fertilizing in one pass, two applications of herbicide, and harvest. Conservation tillage consisted of seed bed preparation using a chisel plow, fertilization injection with a disk applicator for spring peas or at time of seeding with a shank drill for wheat, two to three passes with secondary tillage (sweep-rod and rodweeder), applications of herbicide as needed, and harvest. The experimental design was a complete randomized block with four blocks, two tillage treatment main plots per block and four subplots in each main plot for each phase of the four-year rotation. We nieasured groundcover, infiltration using ring infiltrometers, and runoff and soil erosion from natural weather events. Weather during the four years was relatively mild. Groundcover (81% and 59%) and infiltration rates (41 mm h-1 [1.63 in hr-1] and 14 mm h-1 [0.57 in hr-1]) were significantly greater in the NT treatment than in the TP treatment. Runoff (0.4 mm [0.02 in] and 0.5 mm [0.0.02 in]) and soil erosion (10 kg ha-1 [0.004 tn ac-1] and 21 kg ha1 [0.009 tn ac-1]] were both significantly less in the NT than the TP.The changes in infiltration, runoff, and soil erosion rates occurred more quickly and toa greater degree than we anticipated. Earlier studies in the inland Pacific Northwest have been ambiguous in their conclusions about the effectiveness of NT to significantly reduce runoff and soil erosion compared to TP This research found that NT provided a significant improvement in soil and water conservation over TP at this location under mild weather conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the low precipitation zone (<0.3 m [11.8 in] annual precipitation) of the Inland Pacific Northwest, no-tillage continuous spring cereal and no-tillage spring cereal-chemical fallow rotations are being examined as alternatives to the traditional winter wheat-summer fallow rotation for soil conservation. There is limited information, however, regarding the long-term effects of no-tillage cropping systems on soil hydraulic properties in this semiarid region. The objective of this study was therefore to characterize infiltration, water retention, saturated hydraulic conductivity and bulk density of a silt loam that had been subject to various tillage and crop rotations in east-central Washington. Treatments examined included no-tillage spring barley-spring wheat (NTSB-SW), no-tillage spring wheat-chemical fallow (NTSWChF), and traditional winter wheat-summer fallow (WW-SF). Soil properties were measured in spring and late summer 2006 due to the vulnerability of the soil to rapidly dry and erode during these seasons. Saturated hydraulic conductivity was determined by the falling-head method, infiltration was measured using a double-ring infiltrometer, and water retention characteristics was assessed by examining the temporal variation of in situ soil water content. NTSB-SW resulted in higher infiltration and saturated hydraulic conductivity, lower bulk density, and larger and/or more continuous pores in the upper soil profile (<0.1 m [<3.9 in] depth) than WW-SF and NTSW-ChF. Infiltration and saturated hydraulic conductivity were lower for chenmical fallow than for traditional fallow ,in spring whereas hydraulic conductivity was lower for summer fallow than chemical fallow in late summer. Soil hydrologic properties appeared more favorable for no-tillage continuous spring cereal rotations. These results are useful for soil and water management and conservation planning in the low precipitation zone of the Inland Pacific Northwest. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Patterns of amenity migration and recreational home development in much of the USA since the 1990s are changing the local sociodemographic make-up and the relationships formed among people and place. We use the psychological constructs of place attachment, place identity, and place dependence to assess differences in these relationships among new and long-time residents and absentee and local residents in three rural counties in the Inland Northwest. We measured place bonding using data from a mail survey of local (n =531) and absentee (n =239) property owners. We compared structural models suggested in the literature on the psychology of place, and found that a two-dimensional model representing place attachment and place identity was appropriate for both local and absentee property owners. Local owners exhibited stronger place attachment and place identity than absentee owners. Place bonding constructs were also substantially less impacted by the total number of years a property owner had resided on his or her property than by the number of months per year they lived on the property. The findings indicate that sociodemographic changes such as those manifested in second-home development may lead to a population that is less emotionally, behaviorally, and cognitively connected to the places in question, while sociodemographic changes from permanent in-migration may have a substantially smaller effect on place bonding. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: There is limited understanding of the carbon (C) storage capacity and overall ecological structure of old-growth forests of western Montana, leaving little ability to evaluate the role of old-growth forests in regional C cycles and ecosystem level C storage capacity. To investigate the difference in C storage between equivalent stands of contrasting age classes and management histories, we surveyed paired old-growth and second growth western larch (Larix occidentalis Nutt)–Douglas-fir (Pseudostuga menziesii var. glauca) stands in northwestern Montana. The specific objectives of this study were to: (1) estimate ecosystem C of old-growth and second growth western larch stands; (2) compare C storage of paired old-growth–second growth stands; and (3) assess differences in ecosystem function and structure between the two age classes, specifically measuring C associated with mineral soil, forest floor, coarse woody debris (CWD), understory, and overstory, as well as overall structure of vegetation. Stands were surveyed using a modified USFS FIA protocol, focusing on ecological components related to soil, forest floor, and overstory C. All downed wood, forest floor, and soil samples were then analyzed for total C and total nitrogen (N). Total ecosystem C in the old-growth forests was significantly greater than that in second growth forests, storing over 3 times the C. Average total mineral soil C was not significantly different in second growth stands compared to old-growth stands; however, total C of the forest floor was significantly greater in old-growth (23.8Mgha−1) compared to second growth stands (4.9Mgha−1). Overstory and coarse root biomass held the greatest differences in ecosystem C between the two stand types (old-growth, second growth), with nearly 7 times more C in old-growth trees than trees found on second growth stands (144.2Mgha−1 vs. 23.8Mgha−1). Total CWD on old-growth stands accounted for almost 19 times more C than CWD found in second growth stands. Soil bulk density was also significantly higher on second growth stands some 30+ years after harvest, demonstrating long-term impacts of harvest on soil. Results suggest ecological components specific to old-growth western larch forests, such as coarse root biomass, large amounts of CWD, and a thick forest floor layer are important contributors to long-term C storage within these ecosystems. This, combined with functional implications of contrasts in C distribution and dynamics, suggest that old-growth western larch/Douglas-fir forests are both functionally and structurally distinctive from their second growth counterparts. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Farmers within the Inland Pacific Northwest are gradually transitioning to direct seed (DS) practices that reduce soil disturbance and increase surface residue compared to conventional tillage (CT). Despite this transition the impacts of DS practices on soil properties and fauna in commercial fields has been little studied in the region. During the spring and summer of 2002 and 2003 we compared soil organic carbon (SOC), total nitrogen (TN), pH, and earthworm and cocoon densities in CT and DS fields planted to either spring wheat or pea in the Palouse region of northern Idaho. In 2002 mean SOC within the 0–10-cm depth was greater in DS fields (2.05%) than at the same depth in CT fields (1.79%), however SOC within the 30–40-cm depth was lower under DS compared to CT. Mean soil pH within the 0–10-cm depth was 5.35 under DS and 5.61 under CT indicating that pH stratification can occur when tillage is reduced. Tillage effects on SOC, TN, and pH were not found in 2003. Tillage also did not significantly influence earthworm densities, which averaged 39individualsm−2 in 2002 and 57individualsm−2 in 2003. Correlations were detected in 2003 DS fields between soil properties (SOC and TN) and earthworm and cocoon densities at depths above 30cm while in 2002 correlations in DS fields occurred with cocoon density, but not with earthworm density. Direct seed management can increase near-surface SOC and TN concentrations compared to CT practices, however, SOC concentrations deeper in the soil appear to remain the same or possibly decrease. Higher SOC and TN near the soil surface, as found in DS fields, appear to promote greater earthworm densities, which may improve long-term soil productivity. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Large-scale atmospheric circulation patterns determine the quantity and seasonality of precipitation, the major source of water in most terrestrial ecosystems. Oxygen isotope (δ18O) dynamics of the present-day hydrologic system in the Palouse region of the northwestern U.S.A. indicate a seasonal correlation between the δ18O values of precipitation and temperature, but no seasonal trends of δ18O records in soil water and shallow groundwater. Their isotope values are close to those of winter precipitation because the Palouse receives ∼75% of its precipitation during winter. Palouse Loess deposits contain late Pleistocene pedogenic carbonate having ca. 2 to 3‰ higher δ18O values and up to 5‰ higher carbon isotope (δ13C) values than Holocene and modern carbonates. The late Pleistocene δ18O values are best explained by a decrease in isotopically light winter precipitation relative to the modern winter-dominated infiltration. The δ13C values are attributed to a proportional increase of atmospheric CO2 in soil CO2 due to a decrease in soil respiration rate and 13C discrimination in plants under much drier paleoclimate conditions than today. The regional climate difference was likely related to anticyclonic circulation over the Pleistocene Laurentide and Ice Sheet. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Quantifying forest structure is important for sustainable forest management, as it relates to a wide variety of ecosystem processes and services. Lidar data have proven particularly useful for measuring or estimating a suite of forest structural attributes such as canopy height, basal area, and LAI. However, the potential of this technology to characterize forest succession remains largely untested. The objective of this study was to evaluate the use of lidar data for characterizing forest successional stages across a structurally diverse, mixed-species forest in Northern Idaho. We used a variety of lidar-derived metrics in conjunction with an algorithmic modeling procedure (Random Forests) to classify six stages of three-dimensional forest development and achieved an overall accuracy>95%. The algorithmic model presented herein developed ecologically meaningful classifications based upon lidar metrics quantifying mean vegetation height and canopy cover, among others. This study highlights the utility of lidar data for accurately classifying forest succession in complex, mixed coniferous forests; but further research should be conducted to classify forest successional stages across different forests types. The techniques presented herein can be easily applied to other areas. Furthermore, the final classification map represents a significant advancement for forest succession modeling and wildlife habitat assessment. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The occurrence and abundance of conifers along climate gradients in the Inland Northwest (USA) was assessed using data from 5082 field plots, 81% of which were forested. Analyses using the Random Forests classification tree revealed that the sequential distribution of species along an altitudinal gradient could be predicted with reasonable accuracy from a single climate variable, a growing-season dryness index, calculated from the ratio of degree- days >5°C that accumulate in the frost-free season to the summer precipitation. While the appearance and departure of species in an ascending altitudinal sequence were closely related to the dryness index, the departure was most easily visualized in relation to negative degree- days (degree-days <0°C). The results were in close agreement with the works of descriptive ecologists. A Weibull response function was used to predict from climate variables the abundance and occurrence probabilities of each species, using binned data. The fit of the models was excellent, generally accounting for >90% of the variance among 100 classes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In geostrategic terms, the Korean peninsula is the dependency of Manchuria, which has been the "cockpit of Asia" ever since the expanding Russian and Japanese empires started to clash there in the late nineteenth century. With the end of the Cold War, little has changed. Unresolved great power tensions still focus on the peninsula. With the US-South Korea alliance unraveling, the United States will expect Japan to do much more, including taking actions that will incur risk. Although alliance with Japan still serves American strategic needs, for America the alliance is now a matter of strategic choice rather than necessity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Forest ecosystems characterizing much of the Inland Western United States occupy precarious, changing environments that can be moisture, temperature, and/or nutrient limited. Rapid vegetative adaptations to inherent change are critical to both plant community stability and to the survival of individual species. Biological decomposition processes are often constrained and natural wildfires represent an important recycling agent Recycling of resources is critical. It is proposed that native insect, disease and other decomposer activities, plus natural wildfire, historically provided coordinated biological and physical processes that were integral to carbon, nitrogen, and other nutrient cycling, and to rapid evolution and adjustment of native conifers (and of their ecosystems) in this dynamic environment Current conditions, as imposed by traditional harvesting and fire control over the last 100 years, plus the introduction of white pine blister rust in the early 1930s, have changed many native vegetative and microbial systems. Endemic insects and diseases have responded to these changes by increasing activities. Their effects counter many of the destabilizing actions of site deterioration, fuel accumulation, changes in species and genetic compositions, increased stand densities and impairment of recycling processes. At least in the short term, many ecosystems are now highly vulnerable to potential damage from high fuel wildfire and perhaps to the momentum of alternative biological decomposition processes. Genetic resources and other diversity components may be at especially high risk. Many current trends place future values in increasing danger until the course is changed. Adjusting cycling processes, stand density and species composition will often be more important than controlling individual pests when managing forest health for this region in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper we present evidence supporting the premise that forest nutrition, nutrient cycling and nutrient management are critical factors for the health of Inland Western forests and for management of the ecosystems. The current state of knowledge suggests that inadequate tree nutrition, particularly potassium shortage, influences tree chemistry such that inadequate plant defensive compounds are produced. Pathogens and insects are unusually successful in attacking such trees. Forest managers have substantial influence on the forest nutritional environment through nearly all types of silvicultural treatments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Forest health is most appropriately based on the scientific paradigm of dynamic, constantly changing forest ecosystems. Many forests in the Inland West now support high levels of insect infestations, disease epidemics, fire susceptibilities, and imbalances in stand structures and habitats because of natural processes and past management practices. Impending, potentially catastrophic fires can be avoided or modified through proactive forest health management-protecting, creating, and maintaining stand structures, processes, and species populations at viable levels across substantial landscapes. Proactive management will be less costly than fire fighting and associated rehabilitation, especially if done jointly with environmentally sound production of commodities. Management to achieve a fluctuating balance of patterns, processes, and species can begin while better information-based tools and scientific knowledge are being developed. A wider array of silvicultural and other management tools will be required for forest health management than has traditionally been used for commodity management. Specific changes that will allow forest health management include: recognizing the extent and consequences of present imbalances, decentralizing management decisions, adopting management techniques, coordinating with various landowners through incentives, funding forest health management activities, and supporting appropriate research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Forests in the Inland West have been shaped by over a century of human migration and forest use. Relative forest health is still defined by human objectives in forest management. Economic analyses can help people understand the forest health implications of management choices between forest preservation, commodity production, or ecosystem management. Neo-classical microeconomics predictably casts the optimal forest health question as a cost-benefit trade-off even though valuation of forest health benefits must be inferred Alternative schools of thought, such as institutional economics, may reach different conclusions. Lack of public consensus on forest health objectives and acceptable remedies conflict with traditional deterministic analytic tools. An alternative planning approach that makes problem definition the focus of analysis may facilitate public forest health decisions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Euro-American settlement of the Inland West has altered forest and woodland landscapes, species composition, disturbance regimes, and resource conditions. Public concern over the loss of selected species and unique habitats (e.g., old-growth) has caused us to neglect the more pervasive problem of declining ecosystem health. Population explosions of trees, exotic weed species, insects, diseases, and humans are stressing natural systems. In particular, fire exclusion, grazing, and timber harvest have created anomalous ecosystem structures, landscape patterns, and disturbance regimes that are not consistent with the evolutionary history of the indigenous biota. Continuation of historical trends of climate change, modified atmospheric chemistry, tree density increases, and catastrophic disturbances seems certain. However, ecosystem management strategies including the initiation of management experiments can facilitate the adaptation of both social and ecological systems to these anticipated changes. A fairly narrow window of opportunity-perhaps 15-30 years-exists for land managers to implement ecological restoration treatments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]