The upper Tennessee River Basin contains the highest density of our nation’s caves; yet, little is known regarding speleogenesis or Fe and Mn biomineralization in these predominantly epigenic systems. Mn:Fe ratios of Mn and Fe oxide-rich biofilms, coatings, and mineral crusts that were abundant in several different caves ranged from ca. 0.1 to 1.0 as measured using ICP-OES. At sites where the M...

Crises and natural disasters are always existed in human history, and continue to exist in the future; therefore, people are always affected by these natural disasters. Hence, evacuation planning after natural disasters (e.g., earthquakes, floods, tsunamis, fire, storms, warfare and nuclear explosions) is vital. Given that natural disasters cause irreparable financial loss and the loss of life ...

he use of tree shelters with naturally established red oak seedlings was studied in southern New England mixedhardwood stands where deer browsing limited regeneration height growth. Seedlings of three size classes (basal diameters of 5 mm, 8 mm, and 15 mm) were cut off just above ground level during the dormant season to induce sprouting. Plastic tree shelters were placed over one group in each...

The growth rate and composition of cave calcite deposits (speleothems) are often used as proxies for past environmental change. There is, however, the potential for bias in the speleothem record due to seasonal fluctuations in calcite growth and dripwater chemistry. It has been proposed that the growth rate of speleothem calcite in Texas caves varies seasonally in response to density-driven flu...

Partial life histories of 24 Hesperiinae incertae sedis that feed on Dicotyledons are described and illustrated. The genera dealt with are: Acada, Acleros, Andronymus, Fresna, Gorgyra, Melphinyet, Meza, Paronymus, Parosmodes, Platylesches, and Teniorhinus. The food plants of Gorgyra (mainly Connaraceae), Melphinyet (Euphorbiaceae) and Platylesches (Chrysobalanaceae) stand out as clearly distinc...

In a littoral cave system, abiotic environmental properties, such as the intensity and spectral distribution of light, often change going from the exterior to the interior part of the cave, filtering the light and thus creating a deep-sea irradiance setting for marine flora. In this mini-review, we suggest that the supralittoral zone in littoral caves might provide a sanctuary for mesophotic ca...

The increase of domestic animals kept in shelters highlights the need to ensure animal welfare. Environmental enrichment can improve animal welfare in many ways, such as encouraging captive animals to use all the space available to them. The effects of physical environmental enrichment on the spatial distribution and behavioral repertoire of 35 neutered domestic cats housed communally were anal...