Hacked Landscapes: Tensions,Borders, and Positionality in Spatial Literacy

By focusing on critical geographies, landscape, and spatial literacy, this article evaluates a semester-long spatial justice project conducted in a preservice teacher education program. The analysis recognizes the limitations of reading the products literally as a means of comprehending spatial representation. It expands the analysis by hacking the products and producing new landscapes to read against or up against the products as sociospatial texts. It considers the deployment of landscape concepts—borders, the representation of tension, and the gaze and subjectivity of the reader-authors—as central elements of spatial literacy that is of consequence.     

Tintinnids and Other Microplankton from the Greenland Sea: Abundance and Distribution in the Marginal Ice Zone (MayJune 1989)

Abstract. Microplankton (silicoflagellates, dinoflagellates, tintinnids, pteropods, crustaceans, and fecal pellets) was analysed in 71 0–95 m samples from the Greenland Sea collected from May to June 1989. Abundances were clearly associated with the ice edge, highest concentrations occurring in ice-free waters. The 15 to 30 m stratum was generally richer in microplankton than deeper waters, with the exception of microcrustaceans, which often peaked below 30 m. Six tintinnid species were identified. The mean size of the tintinnid Parafavella denticulata from the Greenland Sea was consistently greater than that of Barents Sea specimens. It is suggested that colder waters and scarcer food are responsible for these morphometric differences.     

Late Quaternary tectonics,northern end of Juan de Fuca Ridge (northeast Pacific)

Seismic reflection profiles from the northern end of Juan de Fuca Ridge reveal three axial valleys having a basement relief of as much as 2 sec (two-way travel time). A thick sequence, presumably of turbidites, mainly less than 0.7 m.y. old, covers much of the area. The oldest turbidites form the upper part of the fill of a possible Tertiary trench between the ridge and North America. The second turbidite unit extends beyond the trench and once formed an abyssal plain over most of northern Juan de Fuca Ridge and the area west to Explorer Ridge. Following formation of the plain, vertical movements began that broadly uplifted the crest of Juan de Fuca Ridge, block-faulted its northern end, produced faulting along Sovanco Fracture Zone, and upwarped the basement north of the ridge. Younger turbidites have filled the lowlands created by the vertical movements. The present sea floor topography and seismic activity show evidence of continued movements.     

Quantifying the impact of no-till on runoff in southern Brazil at hillslope and catchment scales

No-till (NT) is a conservation system that improves the hydrological regime of agricultural slopes by providing greater surface protection and benefits to the physical and hydrological properties of soils. However, the isolated use of NT is not enough to control runoff and its associated degradation processes. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the runoff of agricultural slopes under NT under different runoff control conditions by monitoring 63 rainfall events in two 2.4-ha zero-order catchments and 27 rainfall events in four 0.6-ha macroplots. The catchments are paired and similar in terms of the type of soil and relief, but different regarding the presence of terraces. The macroplots have different soil and crop management systems. By using monitoring techniques, the hyetographs and hydrographs revealed the influence of the different types of management on the catchments and macroplots and allowed rainfall characteristics, runoff volume, runoff coefficients, water infiltration, peak runoff, response times, and curve number to be analysed. The terraces positively affected the NT and controlled runoff and related variables, in addition to infiltration significantly increasing and runoff reducing in the terraced catchment. All the hydrological information assessed pointed to the positive effects provided by the presence of the terraces. The results in the macroplots showed that high amounts of phytomass and/or chiselling do not control runoff and its correlated variables in medium and high magnitude events. The study concludes by underlining the need for additional measures to control runoff (terraces), even in areas under NT and with high phytomass production. Additionally, the study emphasizes the importance of monitoring at the catchment scale to better understand the hydrological behaviour of agricultural areas and provide the necessary parameters to effectively control runoff.     

Environmental controls of wood entrapment in upper Midwestern streams

Wood deposited in streams provides a wide variety of ecosystem functions, including enhancing habitat for key species in stream food webs, increasing geomorphic and hydraulic heterogeneity and retaining organic matter. Given the strong role that wood plays in streams, factors that influence wood inputs, retention and transport are critical to stream ecology. Wood entrapment, the process of wood coming to rest after being swept downstream at least 10 m, is poorly understood, yet important for predicting stream function and success of restoration efforts. Data on entrapment were collected for a wide range of natural wood pieces (n = 344), stream geomorphology and hydraulic conditions in nine streams along the north shore of Lake Superior in Minnesota. Locations of pieces were determined in summer 2007 and again following an overbank stormflow event in fall 2007. The ratio of piece length to effective stream width (length ratio) and the weight of the piece were important in a multiple logistic regression model that explained 25% of the variance in wood entrapment. Entrapment remains difficult to predict in natural streams, and often may simply occur wherever wood pieces are located when high water recedes. However, this study can inform stream modifications to discourage entrapment at road crossings or other infrastructure by applying the model formula to estimate the effective width required to pass particular wood pieces. Conversely, these results could also be used to determine conditions (e.g. pre‐existing large, stable pieces) that encourage entrapment where wood is valued for ecological functions. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Short-term effects of changes in water management on the limnological characteristics and zooplankton of a eutrophic Mediterranean coastal lagoon (NE Iberian Peninsula)

The Ter Vell (NE Iberian Peninsula) is a eutrophic coastal lagoon which has been flooded by the excess irrigation water and the agricultural runoff during the last decades. Between 1999 and 2003, restoration measures were applied to improve its water quality. At the same time, but independently, agricultural water management drastically reduced the freshwater inflow. The short-term effects of these management actions on the limnological characteristics of the lagoon were analysed by comparing two hydrological cycles, one before (1999/2000) and the other one after (2002/2003) the actions. The two cycles are illustrative of opposite situations in the hydrological functioning of coastal wetlands. In the first, the lagoon was exorheic, with prolonged flooding periods and a low residence time; in the second, it had a more endorheic character, with scarce water inputs and prolonged periods of confinement. Consequently, nitrogen inputs diminished and organic load and salinity increased as the internal loading and the accumulation effects became more relevant. These effects were actually caused by the drastic reduction in the freshwater inflow which prevented, in turn, the success of the restoration measures. The zooplankton community of the Ter Vell lagoon was not significantly altered by the hydrological change, at least in the short-term, and rotifers and cladocerans, mainly those species indicative of eutrophy, dominated the community.     

Genetic Structure and Diversity of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Zostera marina</Emphasis> (Eelgrass) in the San Juan Archipelago,Washington, USA

Using data from eight autosomal microsatellite loci, we investigated levels of within- and between-site variation in the seagrass Zostera marina L. (eelgrass) from eight locations in the San Juan Archipelago, located in the northwest corner of Washington, USA. Only 117 of the 365 samples collected were unique individuals, and there were large differences in the estimates of clonality among sites. Site-specific genotypic richness ranged from 0.082 to 0.688, and the distribution of ramets and genets varied widely within sites. No multilocus genotypes were shared between sites. We found significant differences in distribution of alleles and variance in allele frequencies among sites, suggesting substantial genetic population substructuring. We detected low levels of genetic diversity in two sites known to have undergone recent declines and a genetic signature of population expansion in a site known to be increasing. Thus, like elsewhere, we find that genetic studies add an important component to monitoring programs in this region.