tr it* the bright cr>ltcfir rtaderU of tomorrow r* he may end up wkh tencher* lew talented than himself. Floyd W. Beeves, a long time fxjert in higher educwtioo and rorwultant to .MSU Preridcnt John Hannah, made the anal»i* recently at the Midweotern Kefioml Confererne on Education Beyond High School Reevw firat darted teachtnj en ted youth (the upper 20 per cent) fit high arhool age is Ibey *1...

A large-scale re-vegetation supported by the Grain for Green Project (GGP) has greatly changed local eco-hydrological systems, with an impact on soil moisture conditions for the Chinese Loess Plateau. It is important to know how, exactly, re-vegetation influences soil moisture conditions, which not only crucially constrain growth and distribution of vegetation, and hence, further re-vegetation,...

The utilisation preference of glazed facades in the hot regions is accompanied by serious environmental and economic impacts. Attempts are continuing to fulfil an optimum balance between minimising heat gains and maximising daylighting benefits; in an economical approach. This study was conducted in Egypt, where a real case study was investigated to evaluate the thermo-visual performance of a b...

To optimize our livetrapping of low-density populations of lemmings (Dicrostonyx kilangmiutak) and voles (Microtus oeconomus) (0.2-0.4 animals/ha) in the Arctic tundra, we developed a powdered-slide tracking technique to determine if burrows were occupied. Painted microscope slides covered with talcum powder on a thin oil base were placed at all burrows on trapping grids, and only those burrows...

Interest in arid ecosystems as a source of food supply for rapidly increasing population of the world, on the one hand, and the problems pertaining to the climatic characteristics, water shortages and soil sensitivity for the inhabitants in such areas, on the other have prompted efforts at both national and international levels to develop a better understanding of these problems as well as to f...

Arid ecosystems are characterized by high spatial heterogeneity, and the variation among vegetation patches is a clear example. Soil biotic and abiotic factors associated with these patches have also been well documented as highly heterogeneous in space. Given the low vegetation cover and little precipitation in arid ecosystems, soil microorganisms are the main drivers of nutrient cycling. None...

Soil carbonate (SIC) exceeds organic carbon (SOC) greatly in arid lands, thus may be important for carbon sequestration. However, field data for quantifying carbonate accumulation have been lacking. This study aims to improve our understanding of SIC dynamics and its role in carbon sequestration. We analyzed two datasets of SOC and SIC and their (13)C compositions , one with over 100 soil sampl...

Taylor, P.J., Kumirai, A., Contrafatto, G.-C. 2004. Geometric morphometric analysis of adaptive cranial evolution in southern African laminate-toothed rats (Family: Muridae, Tribe: Otomyini). Durban Museum Novitates 29: 110-122. Geometric morphometric analysis of cranial shape and size variation was carried out on laminate-toothed rats (Rodentia: Muridae: Otomyini) from southern Africa, to inve...

Regression equations were developed to estimate above ground biomass and carbon and nitrogen mass of foliage and stem size fractions from plant size dimensions (basal diameter, canopy area, height, canopy volume) for a tall shrub species (Prosopis velutina) that has increased in abundance in arid and semi-arid grasslands in the southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico. Regression equa...

BACKGROUND Agave, which is well known for tequila and other liquor production in Mexico, has recently gained attention because of its attractive potential to launch sustainable bioenergy feedstock solutions for semi-arid and arid lands. It was previously found that agave cell walls contain low lignin and relatively diverse non-cellulosic polysaccharides, suggesting unique recalcitrant features ...