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This article presents information on several conferences on geography, held in 1985. It is reported that the "National Speleological Society Annual Meeting" was held during June 23-29 in Frankfort, Kentucky. The Society is involved in the exploration and mapping of caves and furthering research in cave and karst science. This convention was attended by nearly 1,000 people who participated in five days of papers, nine mini-courses, sixteen workshops, and several field trips. The "Ninth World Forestry Congress," reportedly, was held during July 1-10 in Mexico City. The Congress was organized under the auspices of the Mexican Covernment through its Ministry of Agriculture and Hydraulic Resources and with collaboration of United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization. Delegates representing forestry and agricultural government agencies, private industry, research and teaching, and international organizations participated in paper sessions and field trips. The topic of this convention was "Forestry Resources in the Integral Development of Society." The article further reports that the "Twenty-first Annual American Water Resources Association Conference and Symposium" was held during August 11-16 in Tucson, Arizona. The conference theme was "Water Demand: Sharing a Limited Resource" and the symposium theme "Groundwater Contamination and Reclamation."

Area studies emerged as the leading tradition in American geography during the second decade of this century, supplanting the earth science tradition. The man-land tradition, reaching its peak during the second and third decades, never became as dominant as did the area studies tradition, based on a classification of the number of articles published, papers presented at annual AAG meetings, doctoral dissertations, and philosophical and methodological pronouncements by noted figures in American geography. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Focuses on the status of geomorphology with respect to number, professional affiliation, publications and locations of geomorphologists and Quaternary geologists in the U.S. Emergence of geomorphology as a science in the late 1980s when the disciplines of geology and geography were closely interrelated; Growth of geomorphology to a strong position in geography; Reflection of program reorientation toward exploration geology, sedimentology and environmental geology.

Modem urban transportation systems continuously challenge, and are challenged by, the changing nature of 21st-century travel demand. Today, congestion is the norm in cities of the United States, and researchers and practitioners are seeking solutions to these problems. Urban commuting is identified as contributing to the suboptimal performance of transportation systems. This paper offers a review and critique of recent research on urban commuting, emphasizing geographical dimensions of this topic. Three broad areas of research related to urban commuting are discussed. These include (1) urban sustainability, (2) land use, and (3) geographic information systems (GIS). Major themes are examined in an effort to elicit thought on future geographic research. At the conclusion of the paper, summary remarks are provided and avenues for research are outlined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights the annual meeting organized by the Society for the North American Cultural Survey in Lexington, Kentucky. Activities made during the event; Range of topics of the paper presented; Other planned meetings of the society.

The question of what lies ahead is of particular concern for Latin Americanists. The last decade has witnessed a serious erosion of both the popularity of their specialty, and an equally troublesome reduction in employment opportunities. This paper uses Association of American Geographers (AAG) data bases to document the age-gender structure of contemporary Latin Americanist geographers, and projects likely compositional changes through the end of the century. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Fifth Annual Georgia-Florida Conference was held in Athens, Georgia, on February 16 and 17, 1990. The conference provided a forum for students to present their research in preparation for larger conferences and to receive critiques from their colleagues. The atmosphere was informal and noncompetitive. The first paper in one session focused on the plans to preserve the landscape of the second battle of Antietam in Washington County. The other session emphasized on physical geography. The conference concluded with a well-attended party and enthusiastic plans for next year.

Highlights the conference on Appalachian geography that was held in Pipestern, West Virginia. Attendees of the event; Topics of the papers presented; Sponsor of the held conference.

Geography is again becoming an integral part of the premier natural-science agency of the federal government. Geographic research emphasizes the surface of the earth, a portion of the earth system that the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) defines as the “critical zone.” Although geography was part of the USGS from the creation of the agency, in recent years geography in the agency has largely been limited to topographic mapping. Recently, the USGS and an advisory committee of the National Research Council (NRC) reviewed the role of geography at the Survey. The committee's report, along with ongoing decision-making in the federal government, is likely to reshape geography in the USGS. The newly defined USGS has a regional structure and four disciplines: geology, hydrology, biology, and geography. The NRC report emphasizes the need for the creation of a spatial database called the National Map to replace the existing series of paper topographic maps. The report also outlines the need for geographic research in geographic information science (GIScience), nature-society connections, and bridging of science to decision-making. The NRC report has been briefed throughout the USGS, in the federal executive branch, and in Congress. The changing role for geography in the USGS requires change in the agency culture, revised budgetary decisions, and the establishment of a long-term core agenda for research. Academic geographers will need to prepare a new generation of geographers for participation in the USGS and similar agencies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Comments on the economic geography of the U.S. Contribution of geographers to the discussions on urban, regional, resource, and environmental policy; Emergence of a process of direct and deliberate contrivance of change; Consequences of the shifts in geographical thinking.

This essay introduces a collection of "think pieces"--conceptual, theoretical, editorial, normative essays on geography and race/racism. The collected essays follow from a National Science Foundation and Canadian Embassy-funded workshop on race and geography held in 1998. This introduction provides a brief background summary of the social and disciplinary context for the workshop and for scholarly work on race and geography, and a brief summary and thematic categorization of the individual essays gathered here. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a method to measure two types of tempos: 1) the tempo of elderly age concentration, the rate of change in the elderly proportion in a region; and 2) the tempo of elderly geographical concentration, the rate of change in a region's share of the national elderly population. The two measurements are applied to historical data for the United States. The results reveal that both tempos vary spatially and temporally. Relative tempos are also introduced to compare the indices between different age groups and regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Current inventories of hazardous waste sites seldom include older, unreported sites, thereby creating a serious shortcoming in attempts to assess risks posed by one type of technological hazard. Based upon a review of urban morphogenesis, hazardous material use in industry, and past waste management practices, this paper presents a model of historical hazards accumulations. Reviews of past industrial waste disposal practices in three Illinois urban settings illustrate the model's effectiveness.

How useful are county soil surveys for estimating floodplain storage in fluvial sediment budgets? This paper compares data about accelerated sedimentation collected from field corings with information derived from three county soil surveys in southeastern Minnesota. Two soil surveys proved to be unsatisfactory data sources about historical alluvium, but another survey was a more accurate source for one drainage basin. Even tins third soil survey would require calibration for use in a geographic information system, because it was only the survey's maximum estimate that agreed with the field data.

This paper analyzes the changes that are transforming intermodal transportation in the United States and Canada. Traffic is being concentreated at a relatively small number of inland load centers that serve as regional truck distribution points, and are linked by high volume dedicated train services. Both theoretical and practical implications of the changes are examined, and a range of research questions are presents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper analyzes the surprisingly great variation in demographic character across the states, utilizing data on fertility, mortality, age, sex, mobility, household character, abortion, race and ethnicity. A fairly simple regional pattern is revealed that is less related to levels of economic development than to long-standing historical cultural differences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study reveals some disturbing facts about the status of minorities in geography in the United Stales. The three underrepresented minority groups comprise only about 3% of the total geography population in the sample. This does not reflect well on geography, a discipline whose cultural and regional roots are as diverse as its subjects of study. It is important to increase minority participation in geography in order to diversity the discipline as well as allow minority students to enhance their spatial skills such as an understanding of the earth, cultural patterns, and political issues at the local, national, and global levels. If the discipline continues to neglect the need to provide a quality geographic education to minority students, it will forsake not only one of its major missions of spreading global knowledge to all, but will lose its market share of the growing minority student population. This paper describes the extent of minority underrepresentation in geography and provides a set of general recommendations, including a call for a national conference and formation of a high-level committee to deal with the issue of increased minority participation in geography. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A region's elderly population has two sources of growth, net migration and the net aging-in-place of its resident population. This paper outlines a method for identifying the projected relative contribution of these two sources of elderly population growth over time, and illustrates it with data for the states of Arizona, California, Florida, Illinois, and New York. The sources of elderly population growth differ between regions and over time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reports on several major conferences on geography in the U.S. in 1983. Range of issues and subject matter discussed during the conferences; Keynote speakers; Trade and professional associations that organized the events.

This paper describes the characteristics of accessory apartments (rented housing units within owner-occupied single family homes) and the circumstances which give rise to them. Survey data from a New York suburb indicate that these apartments provide inexpensive housing for entry level workers many of whom are related to the home owners. Analyses suggest that ‘empty nest’ households who anticipate a decline in income and live in a house whose structure facilitates a conversion are likely to create accessory apartments in their homes. Some implications of these findings for residential succession in suburban areas are explored. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Agricultural College Act of 1862 provided land grants to states for the establishment of A &amp: M colleges. It is widely held that this measure was primarily used by speculators to acquire vast tracts of public domain lands. An examination of the influence of the Act on land alienation in California only partially supports this notion. Regional variations in the pattern of land entries over time reflect changes in the provisions of the original land act allowing thousands of small holders also to make use of this land measure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Presents the conference report of graduate students discussing issues on the geographical studies about Megalopolis hosted by the Rutgers Association of Geography Students in New Brunswick, New Jersey. Presentation of the study; Commendation of the efforts of the geography graduate students; Debate on the methodologies of the study.

Highlights the annual meeting of the Society for Phenomenology and the Human Sciences in Saint Louis, Missouri. Theme of the event; Overviews on the phenomenological and hermeneutical work on environment; Participants of the held meeting.

Copyright of Professional Geographer is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Comments on the decline of the use of foreign languages by American geographers. Dilution of requirements within the American educational system; Outcome of the decline in linguistic skills; Association of geographers with foreign institutions.

Copyright of Professional Geographer is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The article focuses on the eleventh Karst Research Conference that was held in Decorah, Iowa during April 5-7, 1990. The periodic meetings explore different karst regions through an intensive field trip led by local researchers, followed by paper presentations by geographers, geologists, chemists, environmentalists, engineers. The meeting showcased the karst area of southern Minnesota and northeastern Iowa where much recent work has been done on the impact of pesticides and agricultural practices on karst terranes.

Highlights the conference organized by the W. K. Kellogg Foundation and the University of Florida that was held in Gainesville. Florida. Purpose of the event in strengthening the treatment of agriculture topics in liberal arts and agricultural scholars; Participants of the event; Sponsorship plans of the foundation on several projects for agriculture in the liberal arts.

Reports on the involvement of geography in university cooperative extension services in the U.S. Employment opportunities granted to geographers through the Community Resource Development (CRD) programs; Role of CRD on the improvement of economic, physical and social factors that affect the quality of life; Recommendation of coursework in related disciplines to complement preparation in geography.

Copyright of Professional Geographer is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Early career geography faculty in colleges and universities in the United States are positioned at the leading edge of a challenging period of change in higher education. Demands brought on by new technologies, new administrative and research pressures, and an increasingly competitive campus climate, may make it difficult to balance teaching, research, and service while also trying to maintain a personal life. This article argues that many geographers could benefit from the support of mentoring. Using ideas generated by participants in the Association of American Geographers' recent project, the Geography Faculty Development Alliance, I provide both pragmatic and personal suggestions for establishing these all-important mentoring relationships to help cope with the pressures facing early career faculty. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Expands the human capital model to compare the migration propensities of Cubans, Mexicans and Puerto Ricans within the United States between 1985 and 1990. Examination of effects of personal factors, the economic environment and the presence of fellow nationals; Immigration history of each nationality; Influence of culture on migration behavior.

Copyright of Professional Geographer is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Explores obstacles in education reforms in the United States. Issues related to professional development component of the National Science Foundation-funded National Council for Geographic Education Finding A Way project; Teachers responses and cognitive dissonance to the issues of equity in the classrooms; Role of teachers in educational reform.

Assesses public capital investment trends in Ohio to illustrate the correspondence between the distributions of infrastructure investment and the social/economic distress the investments are intended to alleviate. Definitions of equity and efficiency; Results indicating that equity and efficiency rates are highest in areas of greatest distresss.

Proposes the use of the migration drift measure to summarize the net directionality and distance moved by migrants in any country's population system. Net direction of interstate migration in the United States from 1992 to 1995; Slowdown in the southward tendency of population movement from 1980-1981 to 1994-1995; Concept of a center of population or a population centroid.

This paper documents the spatial activity of elderly SRO hotel tenants in the service-dependent ghetto. Exploratory fieldwork was conducted in a neighborhood of Chicago during 1985 and 1986. At four of the identified hotels, 53 activity spaces were recorded by first-hand involvement in the geographical activity of the participants. The fear of both street crime and social-service agencies imposes isolation upon this population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

States that despite the increased interest of geographers in the changing territorial concentration of migration flows in the United States, there is still not an accepted index of spatial focus. Perception that index used for migration is inadequate; Information on the suggested replacement for the index; What does the findings of the use of the replacement indexes reveal.

Focuses on the Antelope Valley, California, situated in the Mojave Desert which normally supports sufficient vegetative cover to impede wind erosion. Information on the erosion during 1990, and 1991; Information on the wind conditions; What the erosion led to.

Argues that intra-metropolitan residential location, conditions the effects of metropolitan labor market structure on black and white male youths' employment probabilities in the United States. Information on youth behavior; Details on the labor market problems of youth in the late 1990s; Explanation of the method used to support this argument.

Presents information on a study which focused on geographers in Washington, D.C., during World War II, and looks at the agencies with which they were affiliated. Information on the five agencies that employed the largest number of geographers during this period; Discussion on the impact of this period on geographers; Indepth look at other finding of the study.

The decline of fieldwork in human geography in the United States is reflected in place name studies of the last 30 years, which have been founded on maps alone. Research in Barbuda, Lesser Antilles, demonstrates the importance of human informants and observations in the field for gathering toponymic information, and shows the axiom that place names alone are evidence of past landscapes and land uses to he unreliable. The study tests some accepted principles of naming against field observations and proposes the significance of creole language and diglossia in the place names of creole speech communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accounts of the paradigmatic history of twentieth century American geomorphology traditionally describe Gilbert and Davis in antithetical terms. That characterization partially misrepresents Gilbert, who was a geographer and an educator as well as a geologist and an investigator. Viewing the Gilbertian paradigm as the antithesis of the outmoded Davisian paradigm may have facilitated the acceptance of Gilbert's approach, but extending the dichotomous generalization to other aspects of Gilbert and Davis impedes full appreciation of Gilbert's contributions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BITNET is a telecommunications network for higher education. The network's general characteristics, services, the availability of BITNET to academic geographers , and their use of the system are examined. Although more than 80% of geography faculty in the United States and Canada are at BITNET supported institutions, a survey of AAG Specially Group chairs suggests that geographers' actual use of BITNET is relatively low. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nonemployment income from investments, pensions, welfare benefits, and so forth provides one third of total personal income in the United States. Spatial concentrations of this income occur in places such as Florida, Michigan, Arkansas and the Great Plains. These concentrations result largely from the presence of older persons who are the principal recipients of nonemployment income. In turn, spatial concentrations of older persons result from ‘aging in place,’ which typifies the Great Plains, or from amenity-bound immigration by older persons, which characterizes Florida. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Support for a Freeze on nuclear weapons is greatest in the East with pockets of support in the Middle West and Pacific Coast States. Factors influencing the spatial pattern are Walker's innovativeness rankings, the number of peace/Freeze activist groups and the pattern of defense employment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Discusses the feedback effects of migration on the future age structure and population growth of regions during the period 1975-2000. Metropolitan regions; Non-metropolitan regions; Implications on geography.

A significantly less expensive but comparatively accurate means of estimating solar radiation from satellite imagery is demonstrated. Opaque cloud cover is visually extracted from nondigitized, photographic forms of GOES satellite imagery and solar radiation is estimated using this information as input into a relatively simple solar model. Daily root mean square, mean absolute and mean bias errors were 132.86 and 11 percent, respectively Maps of the spatial distribution of solar radiation for Arizona are included. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Professional Geographer is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Professional Geographer is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)