Virginia journal of science最新文献

{"title":"High Resolution Dune Complex Mapping for the Monitoring of Coastal Landform Change, First Landing State Park, Virginia","authors":"G. McLeod, Joe Daigneau, J. Collins, Norma Swan, T. Allen","doi":"10.25778/8GP6-WC66","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.25778/8GP6-WC66","url":null,"abstract":"First Landing State Park is located on the southern shore of the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay. The park contains a prograding shoreline and dune complex that has been steadily growing northward. Accurate three dimensional mapping of the resident coastal dune features is challenging due to the dynamic nature of the dunescape. Precise mapping within First Landing was accomplished through careful planning, employ of advanced Global Positioning System ( GPS) technology, and intensive data analysis. Mapping ensued during a period of optimal satellite signal availability and strength. Data points were collected at manual intervals with a Leica GS50+ GPS receiver, utilizing real-time kinematic (R TK) corrections from ground control stations. Vertical data accuracies of less than 5cm were achieved. Horizontal accuracies were near 1 cm. The resultant data was interpolated to create realistic contour maps, triangulated irregular networks (TINS), and raster elevation models of the study area. The methods employed may be replicated at standard time intervals for the purpose of establishing a database to maintain an inventory of dune features within First Landing. Temporal changes in this inventory may be monitored to illustrate rates of change and illuminate conditions that may require management intervention. INTRODUCTION First Landing State Park is located on the southern shore of the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay. It was bought by the Commonwealth ofVirginia in 1933, dedicated to the citizens of the Commonwealth in 1936, and added to the National Register of Natural Landmarks in 1975. It is the most northern point on the United States East Coast where temperate and subtropical plants grow together. The park consists of cabin rentals, campgrounds, an environmental educational center, nature, hiking and biking trails. This park is one of Virginia's most popular and attracts tens of thousands of tourists per year. Virginia Journal of Science, Vol. 58, No. 1, 2007 http://digitalcommons.odu.edu/vjs/vol58/iss1 18 VIRGINIA JOURNAL OF SCIENCE Since the end of the last major glacial event, relative sea level has been rising. The term \"relative\" is used to indicate sea level when compared to land surface elevation. Land subsidence can result in increases in relative sea level that are much higher than the rate at which the sea itself is rising (Poag, 1999). The increase in relative sea level _has inundated and eroded a significant portion of the Virginia coast. However, eroded sediments do not vanish. They are transported and deposited elsewhere. The Cape Henry coast is essentially a left-handed spit built up from sediment eroded from the beaches further south by a process called longshore drift. This current of moving sand runs into the Chesapeake Bay and is disrupted by east-west trending tidal currents. These tidal currents then redistribute the sand onto the shoreline of the Chesapeake Bay and into shoals in the Bay mouth (Figure 1 ). This influx of sand builds up","PeriodicalId":23516,"journal":{"name":"Virginia journal of science","volume":"42 1","pages":"3"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2007-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"90460116","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Efficiency of Mechanical Harvest for Immature Vegetable Soybean Pods","authors":"T. Mebrahtu, C. Mullins","doi":"10.25778/QEJ4-5K62","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.25778/QEJ4-5K62","url":null,"abstract":"Since soybean (Glycine max [L.] Merr.) is low in saturated fat and active in reducing blood cholesterol, it is gaining interest as a healthy snack food. Direct consumption of vegetable soybeans is very popular in the Orient. However, the cultivars used in Asia are not adapted to U.S. production systems. The objectives of this study were to determine the efficiency of mechanical harvest and to identify vegetable soybean cultivars adapted for a mechanical harvest system. To implement the objectives, four vegetable soybean cultivars were planted in a randomized complete block design at Randolph Research Farm, Virginia State University. The cultivars were hand harvested and mechanically harvested at the green pod stage and evaluated for green pod yield (kg ha), one hundred pod weight (g), plant height ( cm), and pod dimensions oflength ( cm), width ( cm), and thickness ( cm). A significant difference (P < 0.01) was observed among the two methods of harvesting. The hand harvested beans yielded twice as many more pods as the mechanical harvested beans. However, the pods harvested mechanically were cleaner and required no further cleaning as compared to hand harvested pods. There was also significant cultivar x method harvest interaction. The common bean picker was effective in harvesting the vegetable soybean cultivars with plant height of 55 to 66 cm and pod size that ranged from 128 to 144 g 100pods This type of operation could be easily adapted by farmers using appropriate cultivars.","PeriodicalId":23516,"journal":{"name":"Virginia journal of science","volume":"40 1","pages":"2"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2007-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"81775327","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Depauperate Small Mammal Communities in Managed Pine Plantations in Eastern Virginia","authors":"J. D. Dolan, R. K. Rose","doi":"10.25778/2MX5-Q917","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.25778/2MX5-Q917","url":null,"abstract":"Loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) plantations of four different ages were examined to identify changes in the small mammal community in relation to changes in the vegetational community. Small mammals were evaluated during five seasons using two methods of trapping. Live traps accounted for 65% of captures and seven of nine species, whereas pitfall traps yielded eight species, of which two were not taken with live traps. For both trap types, catch rates averaged less than two per 100 trap-nights, very low even for pine forests. Both abundance and biomass of small mammals declined with increasing stand age, whereas species diversity increased with increasing stand age. The relative proportions of trophic groups changed after crown closure from mostly granivores and omnivores to mostly insectivores. However, after mechanical thinning of late-age stands, small mammals of forested habitats and of early successional habitats were found together. The numbers of trapped small mammals decreased progressively throughout the study. We speculate that weather events might have contributed to this pattern but the reasons are unknown. INTRODUCTION Small mammals of forests often show preferences for habitats differing in age and structure (Linzey and Linzey 1973, Kirkland and Griffin 1974, Dueser and Shugart 1978). Thus, the abundance and species of small mammals inhabiting recent clearcuts often differ greatly from those found in maturing forests. Furthermore, secondary succession sometimes is governed by attributes of the initial disturbance (Boring et al. 1981 ). For example, timber management practices such as site preparation and the use of herbicides, pesticides, fertilizers, and selective cutting can directly affect the composition of the plant community, and in tum indirectly affect small mammal communities. Much research has evaluated changes in small mammal communities in relation Present address: USATC, 1407 Washington Blvd, Fort Eustis, Virginia 23604, James.d.dolan@us.army.mil. Corresponding author: Dr. Robert K. Rose, Department of Biological Sciences, Old Dominion University, Norfolk, Virginia 23529-0266, Email : brose@odu.edu Virginia Journal of Science, Vol. 58, No. 3, 2007 http://di it commons.odu.edu/vjs/vol58/iss3 148 VIRGINIA JOURNAL OF SCIENCE to vegetation changes in hardwood forest systems in eastern North America (e.g. , Kirkland 1977, McComb and Rumsey 1982, Martell 1983, Buckner and Shure 1985). However, fewer studies have been conducted on small mammals in pine plantations in the Southeast. Atkeson and Johnson (1979) and Mengak et al. (1989) studied small mammals in pine plantations in the piedmont regions of Georgia and South Carolina, respectively, and Mitchell et al. (1995) studied small mammals in pine plantations on cleared pocosins in coastal North Carolina. In contrast, our study examined small mammal communities in managed loblolly pine plantations on upland sites in the coastal plain of Virginia, a region in which commercial st","PeriodicalId":23516,"journal":{"name":"Virginia journal of science","volume":"22 1","pages":"1"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2007-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"80559846","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Correlation of Eastern Wild Turkey Poult:hen Ratios with Population Indices to Detect Reproductive Density Dependence","authors":"J. D. McGhee, J. Berkson","doi":"10.25778/TFTZ-2W67","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.25778/TFTZ-2W67","url":null,"abstract":"Knowledge of how density affects population growth is important for the harvest management of wild turkey. Unfortunately, available time-series are often too short for statistical detection of density dependence. The correlation between wild turkey recruitment and population size was assessed using data from 7 state wildlife agencies, circumventing the problem of short time-series by using multiple datasets. Correlation coefficients were calculated between surveyed poult:hen ratios and harvest-based population indices for 31 geographic or harvest management regions. Estimated correlation coefficients were tested for homogeneity to determine if an average correlation could be calculated. Correlation coefficients for the 29 regions ranged from -0.82 to 0.70. A Q-test for homogeneity indicated that correlation coefficients were similar enough to warrant averaging [Q=25.45, df = 28, P = 0.603]. The weighted average correlation coefficient (± standard error) was r = -0.30 ± 0.45. Population size accounted for little of the variation associated with production (r = 0.09). Graphical analysis indicated that a negative correlation between poult:hen ratios and population size tended to occur when the range of population sizes was large. Density dependence appears to have little effect on production. Density-independent models should have better success modeling wild turkey production, while density-dependent effects may have stronger influence on survival or immigration at low population sizes.","PeriodicalId":23516,"journal":{"name":"Virginia journal of science","volume":"88 1","pages":"3"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2007-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"79716126","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Trees on K-12 School Campuses in Virginia","authors":"J. Kirwan, P. Wiseman, J. Seiler","doi":"10.25778/10.25778/9AQ6-CZ64","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.25778/10.25778/9AQ6-CZ64","url":null,"abstract":"Trees and saplings growing on K-12 school campuses were investigated in 105 school districts across Virginia. There were 2812 trees (>12.5 cm stem diameter at 1.4 m above ground level) inventoried across all campuses. The mean and median campus tree population was 27 and 18, respectively. Lob lolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) was the most abundant species, accounting for 11 % of all inventoried trees. Red maple (Acer rubrum L.) was the most frequently inventoried species, present on 44% of the campuses. Sapling (trees with 2.5-12.5 cm stem diameter at 1.4 m above ground level) populations were similar to tree populations. The mean and median campus sapling population was 23 and 13, respectively. Flowering dogwood (Cornus florid a L.) and red maple were the most abundant sapling species, each accounting for about 10% of all inventoried saplings. Flowering dogwood, red maple, Bradford pear (Pyrus calleryana Decne. 'Bradford'), willow oak (Quercus phellos L.), and ornamental cherry (Prunus spp.) were the most frequently inventoried sapling species, each present on more than 25% of the campuses. Across all campuses, species diversity was relatively low: less than 10 species accounted for over 50% of the inventoried trees and saplings. Prominent Virginia natives, in particular Carya and Quercus species, were under represented in the inventory. INTRODUCTION Urban forests are increasingly recognized for their ecological and societal benefits (Kane and Kirwan 2005). Trees in the urban forest improve air quality, protect watersheds, sequester carbon, and reduce energy consumption for heating and cooling buildings. In addition, properly designed and maintained urban vegetation has been linked to reduced crime (Kuo and Sullivan 2001), enhance cognitive development of children (Wells 2000), and job satisfaction (Kaplan et al. 1988). As the U.S. population grows and becomes more urbanized, urban forests will play an increasingly important role in environmental sustainability and quality of life. From 1910 to 2000, the urban segment of the U.S. population increased from 28% to 80% (Hobbs and Stoops 2002). By 2030, 87% of the U.S. population (projected to exceed 370 million) will live in urbanized areas (UNESA 2004) . The population of Virginia (currently about 7.5 million) is projected to reach 9.8 million by 2030 (U.S. Census Bureau 2005). In the Chesapeake Bay watershed alone, residential development is projected to consume 800,000 acres of land between 2003 and 2030 (Boesch and Greer 2003). This pattern and rate of population growth will place unprecedented strain on natural resources. Healthy, well-managed urban forests may be a key component of sustainable community growth. In 1998, the Virginia Tech Department of Forestry began an outreach program to teach dendrology, forest biology, and forest management concepts to K-12 students and Virginia Journal of Science, Vol. 58, No. 1, 2007 https://digitalcommons.odu.edu/vjs/vol58/iss1 4 VIRGINIA JOURNAL OF SCIENCE o","PeriodicalId":23516,"journal":{"name":"Virginia journal of science","volume":"1 1","pages":"2"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2007-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"83683661","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Distribution and Status of the Southern Bog Lemming, Synaptomys cooperi, in Southeastern Virginia","authors":"R. K. Rose","doi":"10.25778/BB6T-KM14","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.25778/BB6T-KM14","url":null,"abstract":"The Dismal Swamp subspecies of the southern bog lemming, Synaptomys cooperi helaletes, was named based on specimens collected during the 18951898 biological surveys conducted in the Dismal Swamp by the US Department of Agriculture. Unknown in the 20 th Century until re-discovered in 1980, this small boreal rodent was believed to be restricted to the Great Dismal Swamp ofV irginia and North Carolina where the cool damp conditions had permitted it to survive during the Holocene. However, field studies conducted since 1980 have revealed southern bog lemmings to be widespread throughout southeastern Virginia, with populations encompassing an area of more than 3300 km 2, including the cities of Virginia Beach, Chesapeake, and Suffolk, and Isle of Wight County. Lemmings were present on 38 of 165 (23%) pitfall-trapping sites; their frequency was much greater in prime habitats dominated by grasses and sedges on damp organic soils. Thus, southern bog lemmings are distributed widely in southeastern Virginia and, where present, they often are among the most numerous species of small mammal. INTRODUCTION The southern bog lemming, Synaptomys cooperi, distributed from Kansas and Nebraska northward through Minnesota and Manitoba, eastward through Canada, and southward into the Appalachian Mountains of North Carolina and Tennessee (Hall 1981 ), is one of the most enigmatic small mammals in North America. In some Midwestern states, highly trappable and high-density populations coexist with prairie voles in me sic or xeric grassland habitats (Kansas: Gaines et al. 1977; Illinois: Beasley and Getz 1986; Indiana: Krebs et al. 1969). In other permanently wet sites where herbivorous potential competitors often are absent, however, southern bog lemmings are difficult to trap. For example, isolated relic populations associated with permanently flowing springs (now incorporated into state-run fish hatcheries) are known from Meade County in southwestern Kansas and Dundy County in southwestern Nebraska. Other relic populations are believed to be restricted to the Pine Barrens of southern New Jersey and to the Dismal Swamp of southeastern Virginia and adjacent North Carolina. Thus, populations of this small stocky rodent with short tail and. tiny ears are highly patchy in both space and time. For example, in Douglas County in eastern Kansas, where generations of mammalogists have been trained at the University of Kansas since the 1920s, grassland populations existed for about four years starting in the middle 1920s (Lindale 1927, Burt 1928), then disappeared, reappeared in the middle 1940s, disappeared, and then reappeared in the mid-l 960s, since when they have persisted (Rose et al. 1977, Norman A. Slade, University of Kansas, pers. comm., October 2005). Understanding its ·spatial distribution is made difficult because 154 VIRGINIA JOURNAL OF SCIENCE Synaptomys cooperi often is reluctant to enter live traps. For example, Connor (1 959) caught only 38 bog lemmings during f","PeriodicalId":23516,"journal":{"name":"Virginia journal of science","volume":"1 1","pages":"3"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2006-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"84684423","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"GIS and 3D Analysis Applied to Sea Turtle Mortalities and Navigation Channel Dredging","authors":"B. Shellito, Keith Lockwood","doi":"10.25778/HXQK-K674","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.25778/HXQK-K674","url":null,"abstract":"Between 2000 and 2003 there were an increased number of documented sea turtle mortalities related to hopper dredging in the channels of the Chesapeake Bay. A pilot study was undertaken to create a bathymetric surface and three-dimensional model of the Cape Henry Channel using Geographic Information Systems (GIS) as a visualization tool to examine sea turtle mortalities in relation to the dredging. In Fall 2003, the US Army Corps of Engineers dredged the Thimble Shoals Federal Navigation Channel, and a more refined model was developed using this data. This project examines the growing concerns over sea turtle mortality rates and dredging operations, as well as a description of the usage of GIS analysis, interpolation, and visualization methods as tools for examining turtle habitat and mortality issues. Future directions for incorporating G IS into attempts to reduce sea turtle mortality in dredging operations are then outlined. INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND The section of the Chesapeake Bay off the Virginia coast contains a series of Federal Navigation Channels that are periodically dredged by self-propelled hopper dredges. These dredges are suitable for all but hard materials and are, by far , the best suited dredges for offshore work (Herbich 2000). There are four main navigation channels in the lower Chesapeake Bay: York Spit, York River Entrance, Cape Henry Channel, and Thimble Shoals Channel. Cape Henry Channel and Thimble Shoals Channel mark the entrance to the Bay from the Atlantic Ocean. The Thimble Shoals and Cape Henry channels are congressionally authorized Federal projects located in the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay between Hampton Roads and the Atlantic Ocean. Thimble Shoals Channel is approximately 18288 meters long, 304.8 meters wide, with an original depth of 13.7 meters at mean low water (CENAO 1973) . The channel was constructed in 1914 and requires maintenance dredging once every 2-3 years. Cape Henry Channel is approximately 328 meters wide and 3.7 kilometers long, with an original depth of 12.8 meters at mean low water (CENAO 1980). Figure 1 shows the locations of the Thimble Shoals channel and a portion of the Cape Henry channel as they relate to the Chesapeake Bay coastline region. 1 Corresponding author, Department of Geography, 1 University Plaza, Youngstown State University, Youngstown, OH 44555. Phone: 330-941-3317. Fax: 330-941-1802. b.ashellito@ysu.edu 2 Phone: 757-201-7418 , keith.b.lockwood@usace.army.mil","PeriodicalId":23516,"journal":{"name":"Virginia journal of science","volume":"55 1","pages":"4"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2006-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"83314614","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Year-round Diet of the Marsh Rice Rat, Oryzomys palustris, in Virginia Tidal Marshes","authors":"R. K. Rose, S. Mcgurk","doi":"10.25778/4X69-4313","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.25778/4X69-4313","url":null,"abstract":"The marsh rice rat, Oryzomys palustris, is the dominant semi-aquatic rodent living in tidal marshes of the Virginia coastal plain. Described as highly carnivorous, this species is known to consume a range of animal foods , including crustaceans, mollusks, fish, and arthropods, as well as some plant foods . Analysis of stomach contents from rice rats collected from Eastern Shore tidal marshes throughout an annual cycle revealed that all 103 stomachs contained di cots, 82 percent had monocots, 61 percent had crabs and insects, and 38 percent had snails. Thirty-eight percent of stomachs contained foods in all five categories, no stomach was empty or contained fish , and 84 percent of stomachs had amounts of hair, probably ingested during self-grooming. In sum, Virginia rice rats are carnivorous but consume greater amounts of plant foods compared to populations that have been studied in Georgia and Louisiana. INTRODUCTION The marsh rice rat, Oryzomys palustris, is a semi-aquatic rodent with its highest abundances in wet fields and marshes, mostly of the southeastern US (Wolfe 1982). Distributed along the eastern seaboard southward from coastal Pennsylvania to the tip of Florida and westward to Corpus Christi, Texas, its range extends northward along the Mississippi River basin into southern Missouri and Illinois. In Virginia, it is common in tidal marshes of the coast and Chesapeake Bay and is present in some grassland habitats as far west as the fall line (ca.Interstate Highway 95; Linzey 1998). The marsh rice rat readily takes to water to forage and escape from predators, and can be caught in floating live traps (personal observation, RKR). Its swimming ability has been studied by Esher et al. (1978) in Mississippi and Carter and Merritt (1981) in Virginia, and inter-island movements of marked rice rats have been documented for the Virginia barrier islands (Forys and Dueser 1993). Medium in size among rodents (up to 80 g), Oryzomys is considered to be highly carnivorous, second to North America's most carnivorous rodent, the grasshopper mouse, Onychomys, a desert grassland mouse of the western states. The meat-eating proclivities of marsh rice rats were observed by Schantz (1943), who reported them eating the bodies of trapped muskrats, a behavior also observed by RKR (unpublished) on trapped small mammals on Fisherman Island, Virginia. The natural history of the marsh rice rat is summarized in Wolfe (1982). 1 Corresponding author: Robert K. Rose, Department ofBiological Sciences, Old Dominion University, Norfolk, Virginia, Phone: 757-683-4202, Email: brose@odu.edu 116 VIRGINIA JOURNAL OF SCIENCE The objectives of our year-long study were to learn the kinds and proportions of foods eaten by marsh rice rats taken from tidal marshes of the Eastern Shore of Virginia and their seasonality of food selection. Oryzomys palustris is codominant in these tidal marshes with the meadow vole, Microtus pennsylvanicus (March 1995 Bloch and Rose 2005), with the la","PeriodicalId":23516,"journal":{"name":"Virginia journal of science","volume":"51 1","pages":"2"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2006-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"84647608","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Prospects of Kenaf as an Alternative Field Crop in Virginia","authors":"H. Bhardwaj, C. Webber","doi":"10.25778/HNPE-2S27","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.25778/HNPE-2S27","url":null,"abstract":"Kenaf (Hibiscus cannabinus L. ), a warm-season annual plant, has shown potential as an alternate source of fiber in the United States. Although preliminary research has indicated feasibility ofkenaf production in Virginia, production details are lacking. Field experiments were conducted during 1995 and 1996 to determine optimal row spacing and fertilizer needs, and to compare available kenaf cul ti vars. Although results indicated that differences in dry matter yields from four row spacings (30, 60, 90, and 120 cm) and four rates each ofN, P, and K fertilizers (50, 100, 150, and 200 kg·ha) were not statistically different, the yields were adequate ranging from 8.8 to 16.0 t·hawith an average yield of 12.5 t·ha-• Dry matter yields for narrow-leaf cultivars proved superior to broad-leaf, and the overall results demonstrate that kenaf can be easily produced in Virginia. INTRODUCTION Kenaf (Hibiscus cannabinus L. ), a relative of cotton ( Gossypium hirsutum L.) and okra (Abelmoschus esculentus L. ), is a warm-season annual plant that originated in northern Africa and has been used as a cordage crop for many years in India, Russia, and China (Dempsey, 1975). Kenafresearch in the USA began during World War II to supply cordage material for the war effort (Wilson et al, 1965). During the 1950s and early I 960s, it was determined that kenaf was an excellent cellulose fiber source for a large range of paper products ( newsprint, bond paper, corrugated liner board, etc.). It was also determined that pulping kenaf required less energy and chemical inputs for processing than standard wood sources (Nelson et al., 1962). More recent research and development work indicates that kenaf is also suitable for use in building materials (particle boards of various densities, thicknesses, with fire and insect resistance), absorbents, textiles, livestock feed, and fibers in new and recycled plastics (Webber and Bledsoe, 1993). These observations indicate that kenaf could be potentially grown in Virginia to diversify cropping systems, to provide alternative materials for paper mills, and to meet varied industrial needs. Virginia State University's New Crops Program, established in 1991, initiated a kenaf research project in 1992. The objectives of this project were 1 Contribution ofVirginia State University, Agricultural Research Station Journal Article Series No. 247. The use of trade names or vendors does not imply approval to the exclusion of other products or vendors that may also be suitable. 2 Corresponding Author, E-mail: hbhardwi @vsu.edu Virginia Journal of Science, Vol. 56, No. 3, 2005 http://digitalcommons.odu.edu/vjs/vol56/iss3 116 VIRGINIA JOURNAL OF SCIENCE to conduct preliminary production research and to determine the feasjbility of kenaf production in Virginia. Research conducted in Virginia during 1992-1994 indicated that kenaf has significant potential as an alternate crop in Virginia (Bhardwaj and Webber, 1994; Bhardwaj et al., 1995). However, informa","PeriodicalId":23516,"journal":{"name":"Virginia journal of science","volume":"40 1","pages":"1"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2005-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"73726609","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The Small Mammals of Isle of Wight County, Virginia, as Revealed by Pitfall Trapping","authors":"R. K. Rose","doi":"10.25778/rhxa-7277","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.25778/rhxa-7277","url":null,"abstract":"In a study conducted in mid-winter, pitfall traps were used to assess the small mammal communities on 14 grids set in open habitats in Isle of Wight County in eastern Virginia. In all, 136 shrews of three species and 103 rodents of five species were trapped. Least shrews (n= 110) comprised 46 percent of small mammals and 80 percent of shrews. Eastern harvest mice (n=62) were the most common rodents. Reproduction was detected only in pine voles and southern bog lemmings. The majority of small mammals of the region were trapped during this month-long study. INTRODUCTION As part of a study to determine the western extent of populations of the then federally threatened Dismal Swamp southeastern shrew, Sorex longirostris fisheri, I conducted a survey of small mammals in Isle of Wight County, located just west of the City of Suffolk and lying approximately 40 km west of the Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge in eastern Virginia. Using a standard protocol to study the Dismal Swamp southeastern shrew, an assistant and I established 14 study grids at different locations throughout the county. Trapping between 6 January and 6 February 1992, we collected 239 small mammals of eight species. This report relates the details of the types of small mammals, and their associations, in a coastal plain county in eastern Virginia. MATERIALS AND METHODS The southeastern shrew, the species of particular interest, is known to achieve greatest numbers in early successional habitats, such as oldfields, recently clearcut forests, and sites that are infrequently mowed (Rose et al. 1990). Powerline rights of way provide excellent habitat for such small mammals because they are mowed at 3-5 year intervals to prevent excessive growth of shrubs and trees, thereby continually setting back biological succession and promoting the persistence of perennial grasses and other herbaceous plants. Furthermore, because powerlines cross roadways, these habitats are easily reached, an additional benefit. Several high-voltage powerlines form a network across Isle of Wight County (Figure 1 ), many radiating from the Surry Nuclear power plant located on the south side of the James River. Thus, wherever county roads crossed the 30 m wide powerlines, I examined the vegetative stage of the habitat and usually was able to establish one or two study grids nearby. The trapping grids were placed on sites with vegetation that is typical of early succession in the region. Grasses, mostly in the genera Andropogon, Panicum, and Uniola, dominated the vegetation of most grids, but sedges (Carex spp.) and even softrushes (Juncus spp.) were present on wetter places. Many grids had American cane (Arundinaria gigantea) and other woody elements, such as brambles (Rubus spp.), Jananese honevsuckle {f,onicera ianonicat and tree seedlings_ esneci::illvofsweet P-11m Virginia Journal of Science, Vol. 56, No. 2, 2005 http://digitalcommons.odu.edu/vjs/vol56/iss2 1111 84 VIRGINIA JOURNAL OF SCIENCE","PeriodicalId":23516,"journal":{"name":"Virginia journal of science","volume":"76 1","pages":"2"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2005-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"83834278","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}