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The decreasing availability of freshwater means that fish culturists must seek ways to increase production efficiency, that is, the number of fish produced from a given volume of water. This paper summarizes a comparison of the performance of yearling spring Chinook salmon Oncorhynchus tshawytscha reared in standard raceways and those reared at higher densities in Michigan-style raceways with oxygen supplementation (to conserve water). During rearing at the Umatilla Fish Hatchery in northeastern Oregon, water temperatures and pH were similar between the two raceway types, but dissolved oxygen was higher and un-ionized ammonia levels were lower in the Michigan raceways. No disease outbreaks requiring medicine occurred in either raceway type. Before transfer to acclimation facilities on the Umatilla River, the average fish size differed by more than 3% between raceway groups and average Fulton's condition factor never differed by more than 3%. After fish were released into the river, we monitored out-migration travel times and survival to John Day Dam on the Columbia River using implanted passive integrated transponder tags in a randomly subsampled group from each raceway. No significant difference in travel time was detected between the two raceway types; however, average survival probabilities to the dam favored the standard rearing strategy. We used recoveries of coded wire tags implanted into juvenile fish before river release to estimate smolt-to-adult survival rates, the numbers of adults produced annually, and adult production efficiency (adults produced · L-1 · h-1 between the two raceway types. Although survival rates were significantly higher for Chinook salmon reared in standard raceways, there was no significant difference in the average number of adults produced per raceway series, and production efficiency significantly favored the Michigan raceway group. These results indicate that limited water supplies can be used more efficiently by rearing spring Chinook salmon in Michigan raceways with oxygen supplementation rather than in standard raceways. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A description of the course "The Role of Law and Lawyers in Society," being offered at the Michigan State University in East Lansing, Michigan is presented.

Some local governments face fiscal challenges due to mismanagement and declining economies. In particular, manufacturing states like Michigan and Ohio have been hard hit by the effects of international competition. To prevent fiscal distress from becoming a crisis, states exercise oversight over local government fiscal management. The three bond rating agencies consider the North Carolina oversight system a model. This paper discusses the North Carolina oversight system, including audit review, technical assistance, debt issuance, and power to take over the financial operations of distressed local units. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Canadian Journal of Economics is the property of Wiley-Blackwell 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.)

Yes we can! is a community-building initiative funded by the W. K. Kellogg Foundation that aims to improve educational and economic outcomes in Battle Creek, Michigan by mobilizing low-income communities and resident leaders and building their capacity to influence the decisions and policies that impact their lives. This paper describes the strategies pursued during the first phase of this initiative to foster resident mobilization by building small wins within the neighborhood. Primarily through a neighborhood-based mini-grant program and staff supports to encourage collective action, Yes we can! has started to increase levels of resident mobilization within the seven economically distressed neighborhoods that initially partnered with the W. K. Kellogg Foundation on this effort. The specific programming components and how they were implemented as well as the initial successes experienced are described. Lessons learned are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we sought to evaluate a modification of the Michigan Alcohol Screening Test designed to include problems associated with other drug abuse/dependence besides alcohol. Scores of the lifetime Michigan Assessment-Screening Test/Alcohol-Drug (MAST/AD) were compared to other lifetime measures of substance abuse and dependence and to psychiatric scales reflecting current or recent symptoms. Two university medical centers with alcohol-drug programs located within departments of psychiatry hosted 520 patients with alcohol-drug-related diagnoses. Patients completed their own MAST/AD using a paper-and-pencil format. Based on interviews with the patient, a research associate rated the patients' substance-related problems on the Minnesota Substance Abuse Problem Scale (M-SAPS) and obtained information on lifetime treatment for substance abuse. An addictions psychiatrist determined abuse or dependence and made a current diagnosis of alcohol abuse/dependence only, drug abuse/dependence only, and alcohol plus drug abuse/dependence. The MAST/AD was highly correlated with the M-SAPS and several other measures of substance abuse morbidity. Patients with alcohol-only and drug-only diagnoses did not differ from one another on the MAST/AD, although both groups had lower scores than those with alcohol plus drug diagnoses. Current psychosocial morbidity as assessed by the patient and the psychiatrist was associated with the MAST/AD, although less strongly than with lifetime substance abuse measures. The lifetime MAST/AD demonstrates reliability as a severity measure for alcohol and/or drug abuse. With minor modification, this standard measure can be expanded from alcohol diagnoses to all substance diagnoses. This study in a clinical population did not demonstrate its utility as a screening instrument; additional work is needed to reveal its utility for this purpose. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In their junior or senior year, biochemistry majors at the University of Detroit Mercy are required to take a two-credit biochemistry laboratory course. Five years ago, the format of this course was changed from structured experiments to a more project-based approach. Several structured experiments were included at the beginning of the course because not all students were familiar with computer-based statistics and graphics programs or fundamental biochemical techniques. Finally, students were given an enzyme purification assignment and a test/control project. In the latter project, students were provided with tissue from test and control animals and were expected to propose and test a parameter that they hypothesized might be different between the two tissues. For both projects, student teams were required to search the literature, submit and orally defend their proposals, perform the experiments, and submit a report. For all experiments except the test/control project, students submitted a written report in the style of a journal paper. A poster presentation was required for the test/control project. In course evaluations, the students cited a high degree of satisfaction with the project-based approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In January 1993, we received NSF funding to develop a pre-graphics course for freshman engineering majors who are weak in 3-D spatial visualization skills. A text and computer lab exercises utilizing I-DEAS software were written specifically for this course. The course is 3-credits (quarter system) with two hours of lecture and two hours of computer lab each week. It was offered at Michigan Technological University (MTU) for the first time during the 1993 Fall term and has been offered each fall since that time. The objective of the course is to provide the prerequisite spatial skills needed by students to succeed in their subsequent engineering graphics courses. Assessment for the course has been continuous. Recently, a six-year longitudinal study was conducted to determine the overall success of this project. This paper will describe the project and the assessment findings from the longitudinal study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Michigan Children's Trust Fund (MCTF) funds child abuse and neglect prevention programs and consults with community and clinical psychologists to oversee its research efforts. This paper highlights the role of community psychologists in this capacity and documents the effectiveness of this relationship through an example of the work they are asked to perform. The primary source of funding for MCTF is a voluntary donation line on Michigan's state income tax form. Because even modest changes in the percentage donating have bearing on funding, MCTF sought a greater understanding of forces affecting donations. Given that one half of all tax forms in Michigan are prepared professionally, an exploratory survey of preparers was undertaken. Results found preparers approved of raising money via the check off and were aware of MCTF, although they confused it with other social programs. Differences were found in knowledge and practices toward MCTF based on degree of approval of use of the tax check off, and the age, parental status, and gender of the preparer. These findings were important to MCTF in directing efforts to educate a segment of the population that has influence over the major source of their funding, and may be relevant to other organizations that depend on tax check offs for their income. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper assesses the risk from sugar consumption in a population of schoolchildren with low caries experience. It relates eight different measures of sugar consumption to the occurrence of any DMFS increment, and, separately, to approximal and pit-and-fissure DMFS. The data are from a 3-yr longitudinal study of 429 children, initially aged 11-15, residing in non-fluoridated rural communities in Michigan, USA. All children completed at least three dietary interviews, were present for baseline and final dental examinations, and had a parent or guardian provide questionnaire information on residence history, use of fluoride and dental services, and family history. Results indicated that a higher proportion of total energy intake From sugars increased the probability of caries on all surfaces, and a higher total intake of sugars was also associated with total caries increment. No relationship, however, was found between DMFS increment and the frequency of eating high sugar Foods. Each additional 5 g of daily sugars intake was associated with a 1% increase in the probability of developing caries, and those whose energy intake from sugars was 1 SD above the mean had 2.0 times the risk of developing approximal caries than did children whose energy intake from sugars was 1 SD below the mean. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reports the results of a field study of 15 street-level heroin dealers in Detroit, Michigan. The techniques used by these heroin dealers are different from those described in most previous literature. The Detroit dealers do not conform to the traditional "hustling" model. They operate within a bureaucracy, do not generally sell heroin to fund their own habit, are relatively young, and largely lack an approval ideology for their activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite opposition from professional groups such as the American Psychiatric Association and the American Bar Association, "Guilty Rut Mentally Ill" (OBMI) statutes now exist in at frost 12 states and are being considered in others. This paper reviews the development of the OBMI alternative to the insanity defense from a historical perspective, focusing especially on the reasons for its development in Michigan, the firs! state to pass GRMI legislation over 9 years ago. Using the Michigan experience, the GBMJ statute is reviewed in terms of its perceived purpose and its success in accomplishing that purpose. Then recommendations for future changes are made. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article examines the effects of time-of-day demand and energy charges on a firm's pattern of electricity use in Michigan. Time-of-day demand and energy charges can have differing effects. The peak energy charge encourages, within the peak hours, a reduction in the area beneath the load curve, that is, a reduction in peak energy (kilowatthour) use. It does not explicitly encourage a rearrangement of the load pattern within this interval, and so may not reduce the maximum intrapeak demand. The peak demand charge encourages a reduction in the maximum demand; this can be accomplished directly by flattening peak period use, or less directly by reducing use at each instant within the peak. Hence, the peak demand charge has its primary effect on the pattern of use, while the energy charge primarily affects the level of use. The peak energy charge is likely to reduce utility system coincident demand and peak energy use, since its effects on each sector should be the same as for the industrial sector. The empirical evidence for the Michigan sample found a reduction in coincident demand, but not peak energy use; this suggests caution in accepting the theoretical expectation. Perhaps the energy charge differential was too small to have an effect. It is clear that there is need for additional work to discern the effects of peak demand and energy charges on the utility system as well as separate customer classes.

This paper explores the structural effects of the migration turnaround on the small towns and communities of rural America. It is hypothesized that the rapid immigration of urbanites may give rise to structural disturbances in the rural communities in which it occurs; institutional overland and cultural clash are the principal forms of community disturbance discussed. Perceptions of fundamental community problems were ascertained via questionnaires mailed to a sample of 21,792 Michigan households, randomly selected by counties. Findings form an ecological, county-level analysis show that the migration turnaround is linked to community problems, particularly in the areas of education, community solidarity, health care, social welfare, crime and Public safety, and other municipal services. Concerning the employment situation, the postulate that job opportunities would he fewer in high growth areas is not supported. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper uses data at the school district level for 257 Michigan school districts to estimate the Bowen equilibrium level of expenditures in each district. The estimation uses a theoretical model of millage referenda that is developed in the paper. Then, the estimated Bowen equilibrium level of expenditures in each district is compared with the actual level. In the average district, the actual level of expenditures is less than 3 percent away from the estimated Bowen equilibrium. This evidence strongly suggests that, for educational expenditures at least, the theoretical median voter model provides a good explanation of empirical reality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a study, which investigates the causes for a significant increase in mutual fire insurance companies' market in New York and Michigan from 1901 to 1950. An analysis of the fire insurance industry as it has gone through a succession of stages from competitive structure, to collusive oligopoly, under ineffective public regulation and on to a re-activation of competition, is presented. It is claimed that the latter has been brought about chiefly, but not exclusively, by the vertical integration of groups of carriers of fire insurance into the insurance business by the establishment and growth of mutual insurance companies. The analysis in this paper has taken place in the framework of four time periods: time period one starts when rating bureaus first began to function and ends when state regulation of fire insurance rates began. Time period two begins with this state regulation and ends when mutual fire insurance companies had made a substantial inroad on the market share of the stock companies. Time period three commences where time period two terminates and ends when stock company rate deviations from bureau rates became a strong factor in the market.

A major reason for the sociological importance of Negro-white intermarriage is the possibility of a link between the low status of Negroes in the United States and the infrequency of such intermarriage. This paper analyzes trends in Negro-white marriage in the four states -- California, Hawaii, Michigan, and Nebraska -- which have recent data. For these states an upward trend in Negro-white marriage is shown which cannot be accounted for merely on the basis of changing racial composition. Negro-white intermarriage rates are relatively high in those areas where residential segregation by race is low and where there are minimal status differences between the white and Negro populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article examines the percentage rating of science students in each basic course associated with eight curriculum areas at Michigan State University in East Lansing, Michigan. In 1950 studies were completed showing accelerated students in biological science make higher grades in advanced biology courses than do non-accelerated students. This paper aims to present statistical investigation designed to gather evidence concerning the relationship of basic college students to the various basic courses at the university. As a summary, curricular groups vary significantly in the amount of related acceleration in basic courses. In addition, the data indicate that in most of the basic courses there are substantial differences in the performance of students from different curricular groups. Moreover, forty-seven per cent of the enrolled students in the eight curricula accelerate in one or more basics.

The article discusses the acetylene reduction in relaxation to levels of phosphate and fixed nitrogen in Green Bay. This paper reports data collected during the summer of 1971 in the southern part of Green Bay of Lake Michigan. This study undertook to characterize acetylene reduction and nutrient levels throughout the summer. Water samples were collected. Phytoplankton characteristically increase rapidly in the spring. A high soluble phosphate concentration in the water preceded all major increases in the population of heterocystous, nitrogen-fixing blue-green algae.

The article presents the author's insights regarding the journal "Personnel Psychology," considering its previous issues. The author states that in the first issue of "Personnel Psychology," the journal's prospects were discussed. The author also mentions that in the first volume of the journal, there is a report regarding the intelligence of policemen in Detroit, Michigan who scored higher compared to the sergeants. The author adds that "Personnel Psychology" will not anymore publish reports on personnel psychology research without deeply advancing on space needed to keep readers informed on modern thinking.

This article presents information about various developments related to sociology. Plans for the 1968 meeting of the Rural Sociological Society at the Somerset Hotel in Boston during August 23-26, 1968 are well under way. This year the Program Committee has divided the contributed papers section into six major areas. These are: Social Structure, which includes Small Groups, Community Structure and Development, Power Structure, Rural Organizations, and Stratification. The Social Processes area includes: Innovation and Social Change, Cooperation and Conflict, and Communication. The Population and Ecology are includes: Fertility, Mortality, Demographic Characteristics, and Locality. Authors of papers for possible inclusion in the Medical Care Section Program of the next annual meeting of the American Public Health Association to be held during November 10-15, 1968 at Detroit, Michigan, may obtain standard abstract forms from Donald C. Riedel, Associate Professor of Public Health, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut.

Quantifying effects of individual attributes and population demographic characteristics that affect inter‐ and intrasexual interactions and adult reproductive success, and the spatial and temporal contexts in which they are expressed is important to effective species management. Multi‐year individual‐based analyses using genetically determined parentage allowed the examination of variables associated with the reproductive success of male and female lake sturgeon (Acipenser fulvescens) in the well‐studied population in Black Lake, Michigan, USA. Spawning lake sturgeon (a total of 599 individuals where many were captured more than once based on 1024 total captures) and larvae (N = 3436) were genotyped during each of seven consecutive years (2001–2007). Factors associated with individual reproductive success differed between sexes and varied among spawning groups within a year and among years depending on spawning date (higher reproductive success earlier in the season for females) and spawning locations (higher reproductive success in upstream spawning zones for females). Female reproductive success increased nonlinearly with increasing body size. Male reproductive success increased with increasing residence time in spawning areas and, to a modest degree, with increasing body size in a nonlinear fashion. Fixed effects of repeatability in spawn timing and location across years led to consistently higher or lower reproductive success for females. Results identified factors, including time spent at spawning areas by males and intersexual encounters and mate number, that contributed to higher interindividual variance in reproductive success and affected population levels of recruitment, the degree of subpopulation genetic structure (lack of isolation by time), and effective population size. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Declining temperate forest biodiversity is a global challenge to future sustainability and resilience. Canopy tree diversity has declined in northern hardwood forests (NHFs) of the Great Lakes region since European colonization, with current tree regeneration patterns suggesting this trend may continue. However, regional (106 ha) patterns and drivers are underexplored. We used data from 141 managed NHF stands, Michigan, USA, to examine diversity indices across tree size classes (seedling, sapling, and canopy); stand‐level drivers of regeneration (seedling and sapling) diversity and individual species density; and patterns among species in relative abundances across size classes. Diversity was similar across size classes (mean asymptotic species richness of 6–7 species and <3 effective common species); however, some species contributing to sapling diversity are unlikely to contribute to future canopy diversity (Fraxinus americana and Fagus grandifolia, insect/pathogen limited; Ostrya virginiana, small maximum size). For the 11 most common species, conspecific canopy density (+, seedlings, significant for 10 species) and stand basal area (−, saplings, 3 species) most consistently associated with density; deer use, site quality, and substrate were less predictive. Patterns of relative density by size class among 18 species present on >10% of sites were consistent with species life history strategy and/or establishment/recruitment barriers. For seven species (including Tsuga canadensis, Betula alleghaniensis), relative density was lowest in the seedling layer, suggesting seedling establishment substrate and/or early shade mortality limitations. For two species (Acer saccharum, Quercus rubra), reduced sapling relative density compared with seedling or canopy strata suggests a sapling recruitment bottleneck from deer browsing/shade, whereas six species (e.g., F. grandifolia, O. virginiana, Pinus strobus) had highest relative density for saplings, suggesting sapling to canopy recruitment limitations. Lastly, seedlings were relatively most dense for Acer rubrum and Prunus spp., indicating disproportionally high seedling establishment, if not sapling or canopy recruitment, and for F. americana, consistent with recent pest‐related canopy mortality. Collectively our analyses suggest sustained low diversity and shifting composition are driven by limited local seed availability, limited seedling establishment substrate, deep shading, and abundant deer. Management aimed at overcoming these limitations may be necessary to promote future NHF resilience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Global observations of solar‐induced chlorophyll fluorescence (SIF) are available from multiple satellite platforms, and SIF is increasingly used as a proxy for photosynthetic activity and ecosystem productivity. Because the relationship between SIF and gross primary productivity (GPP) depends on a variety of factors including ecosystem type and environmental conditions, it is necessary to study SIF observations across various spatiotemporal scales and ecosystems. To explore how SIF signals relate to productivity over a temperate deciduous forest, we deployed a PhotoSpec spectrometer system at the University of Michigan Biological Station AmeriFlux site (US‐UMB) in the northern Lower Peninsula of Michigan during the 2018 and 2019 growing seasons. We found that SIF correlated with GPP across diurnal and seasonal cycles (R2 = 0.61 and 0.64 for 90‐min‐ and daily‐averaged data), but that SIF signals were more strongly related to downwelling radiation than GPP (R2 = 0.91 for daily‐averaged data). The dependence of SIF on radiation obscured the impact of intraseasonal drought in the SIF timeseries, but drought stress was apparent as a decrease in relative SIF, which exhibited a stronger correlation with GPP (R2 = 0.56) than other remotely sensed data over the drought period. These results highlight the potential of SIF for detecting stress‐induced losses in forest productivity. Additionally, we found that the red:far‐red SIF ratio did not exhibit a response to water stress‐induced losses in productivity, but was largely driven by seasonal and interannual changes in canopy structure, as well as by synoptic changes in downwelling radiation. Plain Language Summary: Satellite measurements of solar‐induced chlorophyll fluorescence (SIF), a faint light signal emitted from vegetation during photosynthesis, are increasingly being used to estimate ecosystem productivity and carbon uptake. To accurately do so requires a robust understanding of how the relationship between SIF and plant productivity changes over time, in response to environmental stressors, and across different ecosystems. To better understand SIF signals and how they relate to carbon uptake over a temperate deciduous forest, we used a high‐precision spectrometer system to observe SIF signals at an AmeriFlux site (US‐UMB) in the northern Lower Peninsula of Michigan. While the shared dependence of SIF and ecosystem productivity on sunlight lead to strong daily and seasonal correlations, we found that SIF signals were more closely tied to the amount of incoming sunlight than to ecosystem productivity. Despite the stronger dependence of SIF on sunlight, we show that drought conditions lead to a lower SIF relative to the total light signal. Lastly, we show that the observation of SIF at multiple wavelengths may provide additional information on seasonal and interannual changes in canopy structure. Our results demonstrate the value and limitations in using SIF to assess carbon dynamics over temperate deciduous forest ecosystems. Key Points: Solar‐induced chlorophyll fluorescence above a temperate deciduous forest is more strongly tied to radiation than to productivityRelative solar‐induced fluorescence signals track water stress‐induced summer losses in productivity better than absolute fluorescenceThe ratio of red to far‐red solar‐induced fluorescence is sensitive to phenological changes in canopy structure and downwelling radiation [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate change and habitat loss are recognized as important drivers of shifts in wildlife species' geographic distributions. While often considered independently, there is considerable overlap between these drivers, and understanding how they contribute to range shifts can predict future species assemblages and inform effective management. Our objective was to evaluate the impacts of habitat, climatic, and anthropogenic effects on the distributions of climate‐sensitive vertebrates along a southern range boundary in Northern Michigan, USA. We combined multiple sources of occurrence data, including harvest and citizen‐science data, then used hierarchical Bayesian spatial models to determine habitat and climatic associations for four climate‐sensitive vertebrate species (American marten [Martes americana], snowshoe hare [Lepus americanus], ruffed grouse [Bonasa umbellus] and moose [Alces alces]). We used total basal area of at‐risk forest types to represent habitat, and temperature and winter habitat indices to represent climate. Marten associated with upland spruce‐fir and lowland riparian forest types, hares with lowland conifer and aspen‐birch, grouse with lowland riparian hardwoods, and moose with upland spruce‐fir. Species differed in climatic drivers with hares positively associated with cooler annual temperatures, moose with cooler summer temperatures and grouse with colder winter temperatures. Contrary to expectations, temperature variables outperformed winter habitat indices. Model performance varied greatly among species, as did predicted distributions along the southern edge of the Northwoods region. As multiple species were associated with lowland riparian and upland spruce‐fir habitats, these results provide potential for efficient prioritization of habitat management. Both direct and indirect effects from climate change are likely to impact the distribution of climate‐sensitive species in the future and the use of multiple data types and sources in the modelling of species distributions can result in more accurate predictions resulting in improved management at policy‐relevant scales. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The king rail (Rallus elegans) is a secretive marsh bird that is threatened or endangered in eight of nine states and provinces in the Laurentian Great Lakes (Great Lakes) region. Available survey data suggests that this species has undergone population declines across this region and these are believed to have been driven by habitat loss and degradation. An improved understanding of the amount and type of habitat king rails require during the breeding season at sites within the Great Lakes region would inform and improve progress toward conservation goals. During 2019–2021, we caught and radio‐tagged 14 king rails in northwestern Ohio and southeastern Michigan within impounded coastal wetlands of western Lake Erie. We used radio telemetry to identify breeding season (May–August) home‐range characteristics and third order habitat selection within home ranges (hereafter microhabitat). For the birds whose home range stabilized (N = 10), we found a mean home‐range size of 8.8 ha (±1.63 [SE]; range = 1.9 to 15.8). We generated a classification tree to determine which habitat characteristics were associated with king rail presence within home ranges in our study. We found that vegetative density within home ranges was particularly associated with king rail presence. Phragmites australis was also associated with king rail presence, despite its invasiveness and negative ecological impacts in the region, and could be selectively maintained to benefit king rails. Our results suggest that managers may be able to provide microhabitat for king rails by maintaining water depths of 6 to 17 cm and by promoting native, robust vegetation in the genera Carex and Juncus. Our findings could help inform wetland managers and conservation planners in the Great Lakes region, particularly in western Lake Erie coastal marshes, of patch sizes, water depths, plant communities, and vegetative structure preferred by king rails. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biological invasions are usually examined in the context of their impacts on native species. However, few studies have examined the dynamics between invaders when multiple exotic species successfully coexist in a novel environment. Yet, long‐term coexistence of now established exotic species has been observed in North American lady beetle communities. Exotic lady beetles Harmonia axyridis and Coccinella septempunctata were introduced for biological control in agricultural systems and have since become dominant species within these communities. In this study, we investigated coexistence via spatial and temporal niche partitioning among H. axyridis and C. septempunctata using a 31‐year data set from southwestern Michigan, USA. We found evidence of long‐term coexistence through a combination of small‐scale environmental, habitat, and seasonal mechanisms. Across years, H. axyridis and C. septempunctata experienced patterns of cyclical dominance likely related to yearly variation in temperature and precipitation. Within years, populations of C. septempunctata peaked early in the growing season at 550 degree days, while H. axyridis populations grew in the season until 1250 degree days and continued to have high activity after this point. C. septempunctata was generally most abundant in herbaceous crops, whereas H. axyridis did not display strong habitat preferences. These findings suggest that within this region H. axyridis has broader habitat and abiotic environmental preferences, whereas C. septempunctata thrives under more specific ecological conditions. These ecological differences have contributed to the continued coexistence of these two invaders. Understanding the mechanisms that allow for the coexistence of dominant exotic species contributes to native biodiversity conservation management of invaded ecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Taxonomic analysis of pollen collected by bees can provide insights into their host plant use, providing information about the plant species selected for targeted conservation strategies. The two main identification approaches used are morphological analysis of pollen samples affixed to microscope slides (i.e., microscopic palynology) and molecular analysis of samples. Both methods are widely used for freshly collected materials and have been compared in multiple studies, yet their application to archived samples remains to be explored. Archived samples may be particularly useful for the study of rare or protected species, particularly when historical foraging patterns are uncertain.We used both methods to analyse pollen collected by the endangered rusty patched bumble bee species, Bombus affinis Cresson, applied to museum‐archived specimens. Pollen samples were removed from the corbiculae of bumble bees originally collected in Michigan between 1914 and 1974. Samples included 24 rusty patched bumble bees each with large pollen loads on both corbiculae, allowing for pollen from the same bee to be analysed using both methods.DNA metabarcoding detected more plant taxa than light microscopy, and DNA barcoding also had higher taxonomic resolution when compared to taxa determined using light microscopy. In many instances, pollen could only be confidently identified to tribe or family with light microscopy. Discrepancy between methods decreased when taxa identified via DNA metabarcoding were binned into ecologically relevant groups corresponding to those identified using light microscopy.Although binning demonstrated smaller within‐method variance, there was still minimal correspondence between the two methods. Results indicate there are benefits and biases unique to each method and highlight the utility of binning taxonomic results to morphological or ecological groupings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper chronicles the first four years of offering courses in a manufacturing engineering bachelor's degree program and the first group of students graduating from this program. The program was designed to meet the specific needs of manufacturers in the western Michigan area where it is offered. The program--a joint effort of Western Michigan University, Muskegon Community College, and local industry--was offered exclusively at one of the university's regional centers located on a community college campus. Some lessons learned are presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Shallow trichloroethene (TCE) groundwater and soil contamination associated with a Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA) Superfund Site in Michigan resulted in a vapor intrusion (VI) investigation of overlying condominium units. Units with data suggesting a complete VI pathway received subslab depressurization systems (SSDs). Performance monitoring following the installation of an SSD at one unit indicated that the indoor air TCE concentrations remained elevated, despite pressure field extension tests that showed the system should effectively reduce VI from soil gas. Therefore, a cost‐efficient and incremental investigation was launched to identify other potential source(s) of TCE using a field‐portable gas chromatograph/mass spectrometer (GS/MS). The combination of room‐by‐room air sampling, potential VI entry point sampling, and emission tests of potential sources were used, which resulted in successfully identifying a bedroom furniture set as an indoor source of TCE for the unit. Although many common household products are recognized as indoor sources of TCE, emissions from finished furniture products have not been widely discussed in the VI literature. The findings of this study indicate that off gassing from furniture can lead to TCE concentrations in indoor air that exceed regulatory guidelines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are an important part of chemical legacies in the Laurentian Great Lakes basin. Used in industrial products worldwide, PCBs are now extensively monitored because of their potential toxicity to humans. Fish consumption is a major pathway for exposure. Edible portion (i.e., fish fillet) data from Michigan's fish tissue PCB monitoring program were evaluated using regression statistics, principal component analysis, and t‐tests to answer three questions: (1) How do fish tissue total PCB concentrations vary across Michigan's rivers? (2) Are the PCB congener patterns uniformly distributed among tested sites and species? (3) Do monitoring methods limit our ability to discern trends in fish tissue PCB concentrations? Our results indicate that although contaminated sites have been successfully identified, based on higher PCB concentrations in samples from Areas of Concern (AOCs) compared to non‐AOC sites, 77% of fish samples from 2010 to 2015 exceeded the safe fish tissue PCB concentration for unrestricted consumption (97 g/day) by sensitive populations. The PCB congener profiles vary among species and locations. Results demonstrate that these data are not useful for supplementing ongoing spatial and temporal trend analysis. Only 15 of the 83 species + waterbody pairs had adequate data for evaluating temporal trends with more than three data points. In general, the trends at each location varied based on the analytical method. Conclusions from this work can inform revisions to existing monitoring programs and improve our ability to protect human health. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2023;19:152–162. © 2022 SETAC KEY POINTS: By filling data gaps, monitoring programs can provide evidence about the need to accelerate the decrease in fish tissue polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) concentrations to more equitably protect human health and the environment.Total PCB concentrations varied across Michigan's rivers; the majority of recent samples (77%) exceeded the threshold, which is safe for unrestricted fish consumption.Congener profiles vary among sample locations.Despite decreases in fish tissue concentrations at Areas of Concern, we still have not reached our goal of eliminating fish consumption guidelines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stream temperature is an important determinant of fish growth, migration, and survival and can thus impact the structure and function of stream ecosystems. Many streams in Michigan and elsewhere in North America receive groundwater inputs that help regulate instream conditions by stabilizing discharge as well as stream temperature. However, groundwater withdrawal can cause reductions in streamflow which typically results in increased summer stream temperatures. Other atmospheric and hydrologic variables (i.e., overland discharge) also impact the rate at which stream temperature changes as it flows downstream. We deployed paired up‐ and downstream water pressure and temperature loggers within 21 stream reaches throughout the state of Michigan to quantify and model relationships between stream discharge, air temperature, and longitudinal change in stream temperature (i.e., temperature gradient). Using multimodel selection criteria, we evaluated the performance of a hierarchical suite of models that predict temperature gradient as a function of potential driving variables. The multimodel selection criteria identified a best‐fitting model that was able to model the diurnal, seasonal, and annual variations in rates of longitudinal temperature fluctuations across most sample streams. Partial regression analysis indicated that proxy variables representing solar radiation at the stream surface were generally the most influential predictors of longitudinal changes in stream temperature, but air temperature and components of streamflow including groundwater input were significant predictors and important in many streams. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Fragmented industry and occupation surveillance data throughout the COVID‐19 pandemic has left public health practitioners and organizations with an insufficient understanding of high‐risk worker groups and the role of work in SARS‐CoV‐2 transmission. Methods: We drew sequential probability samples of noninstitutionalized adults (18+) in the Michigan Disease Surveillance System with COVID‐19 onset before November 16, 2020 (N = 237,468). Among the 6000 selected, 1839 completed a survey between June 23, 2020, and April 23, 2021. We compared in‐person work status, source of self‐reported SARS‐CoV‐2 exposure, and availability of adequate personal protective equipment (PPE) by industry and occupation using weighted descriptive statistics and Rao‐Scott χ2 tests. We identified industries with a disproportionate share of COVID‐19 infections by comparing our sample with the total share of employment by industry in Michigan using 2020 data from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics. Results: Employed respondents (n = 1244) were predominantly female (53.1%), aged 44 and under (54.4%), and non‐Hispanic White (64.0%). 30.4% of all employed respondents reported work as the source of their SARS‐CoV‐2 exposure and 78.8% were in‐person workers. Work‐related exposure was prevalent in Nursing and Residential Care Facilities (65.2%); Justice, Public Order, and Safety Activities (63.3%); and Food Manufacturing (57.5%). By occupation, work‐related exposure was highest among Protective Services (57.9%), Healthcare Support (56.5%), and Healthcare Practitioners (51.9%). Food Manufacturing; Nursing and Residential Care; and Justice, Public Order, and Safety Activities were most likely to report having adequate PPE "never" or "rarely" (36.4%, 27.9%, and 26.7%, respectively). Conclusions: Workplaces were a key source of self‐reported SARS‐CoV‐2 exposure among employed Michigan residents during the first year of the pandemic. To prevent transmission, there is an urgent need in public health surveillance for the collection of industry and occupation data of people infected with COVID‐19, as well as for future airborne infectious diseases for which we have little understanding of risk factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Some corbiculids (bivalve clams in the genus Corbicula) are invasive, having spread nearly worldwide and are thought to impact native unionid mussels. To determine the density and distributional associations of invasive corbiculids co‐occurring with native unionids, corbiculid clam and unionid mussel surveys were conducted at 122 sites in the Kalamazoo River catchment, Michigan, U.S.A.Unionid densities ranged from 0 to 97 (x̅ = 7.45 ± 15.38 SD) live unionids found per person hour while corbiculid densities varied from 0 to 0.24 (0.012 ± 0.037) g/cm3. Corbiculid distributions were clumped (Moran's I test: Index = 0.281, Z = 2.228, p = 0.026) and highest along the main branch of the river. Unionid distributions, both individual species and at family level, were found to be randomly distributed throughout the catchment (Moran's I test: Index = 0.343 to −0.022, Z = 1.913 to −0.118, p value = 0.056 to 0.970).Overall, unionid species richness, as well as the distribution of 13 unionid species, were negatively associated with corbiculid density. Although corbiculids can inhabit the same river reaches with unionids, unionid species richness and densities may be negatively influenced by the presence of corbiculids.Although many species of unionids were negatively associated with corbiculid density, our research showed that they can co‐exist in the same river reaches. Overall, unionids were positively correlated with corbiculids throughout the catchment, probably because the two groups have similar habitat requirements. It is therefore important to consider unionids and corbiculids concurrently in conservation planning and the management of invasive corbiculids. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Responds to comments by economist William D. Walsh on a paper concerning the adjustment coefficient of construction apprenticeship in the Detroit, Michigan labor market. Alteration of the magnitudes by reducing the single period rate of adjustment; Sensitivity of training to construction demand factors; Evidence of partial adjustment by unions and contractors to changing market conditions.

Introduction: Transgender (trans) and nonbinary people (TNB) are disproportionately impacted by HIV. HIV testing is critical to engage TNB people in HIV prevention and care. Yet, scant literature has examined social and structural factors associated with HIV testing among TNB people of diverse genders and in geographies with potentially lower trans acceptance. We: (1) characterized the prevalence of never having been tested for HIV; and (2) identified associated factors, among TNB people in Michigan, United States. Methods: Data were from a community‐based participatory cross‐sectional survey (n = 539 sexually experienced TNB people). The prevalence of never having had an HIV test was reported overall and compared across socio‐demographic, clinical, social and structural factors using bivariable and multivariable logistic regression analyses. Results and discussion: Approximately one‐quarter (26.2%) of participants had never had an HIV test (20.8% transfeminine; 30.0% transmasculine; 17.8% nonbinary assigned male at‐birth; and 32.0% nonbinary assigned female at‐birth). In a multivariable socio‐demographic model, older age (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] for 1‐year increase: 0.93, 95% CI: 0.90, 0.96, p<0.001) and Black/African American race (vs. White) (aOR: 0.28, 95% CI: 0.09, 0.86, p<0.05) were associated with increased odds of HIV testing (aORs for never testing). In separate multivariable models controlling for socio‐demographics, ever experiencing sexual violence (aOR: 0.38, 95% CI: 0.21, 0.67, p<0.001), not accessed sexual/reproductive healthcare in the past 12 months (aOR: 4.46, 95% CI: 2.68, 7.43, p<0.001) and reporting a very/somewhat inclusive primary care provider (PCP) (aOR: 0.29, 95% CI: 0.17, 0.49, p<0.001) were associated with HIV testing (aORs for never testing). Conclusions: Findings contribute to scant literature about gender‐based differences in HIV testing inclusive of transmasculine and nonbinary people. Lack of statistically significant gender differences suggests that broad TNB interventions may be warranted. These could include training healthcare providers in trans‐inclusive practices with sexual violence survivors and PCPs in trans‐inclusive HIV prevention and care. Findings showing Black participants were less likely to have never had an HIV test suggest the promise of culturally tailored services, though further investigation is needed. Findings identify social and structural factors associated with HIV testing and can inform multi‐level interventions to increase TNB person's HIV testing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Conservation programs have been slow to integrate socio‐economic indicators into decision making despite growing recognition that addressing social‐ecological systems improves outcomes for nature and people. Our goal was to identify small, comprehensive sets of socio‐economic indicators for conservation programs designed to (1) improve agricultural soil health and reduce sediment and nutrient loading to freshwater systems, (2) restore Great Lakes coastal wetlands, and (3) implement green stormwater infrastructure in cities. We piloted a structured decision‐making process to select indicators more objectively and transparently. Important elements of our process were (a) using a human quality‐of‐life framework to identify potential indicators and (b) evaluating indicators' relevance to conservation, resonance with communities, and data‐availability. The programs identified 278 potential indicators across seven quality‐of‐life domains, of which 78 were evaluated against six selection criteria. For each program, we developed intended use scenarios, assigned relative weights to selection criteria, and used these weights to calculate a weighted sum of the indicator's criteria scores and rank indicators. Across programs and intended uses, 21 indicators achieved top‐five rankings; indicators for flood risk and damage were common across all three programs. Our collaborative approach provided opportunities to evaluate indicator selections across quality‐of‐life domain, conservation program, and intended uses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, a North American Regional Reanalysis (NARR)‐based climate dataset of wind and Pasquill stability class is developed for the North American Great Lakes region. Motivated by the need to update the limited wind and Pasquill stability class climatology previously incorporated into a livestock odour nuisance‐mitigation application used in Michigan, this study is motivated more generally by the lack of a long‐term climate dataset suitable for studies of atmospheric dispersion in the Great Lakes region. As a preliminary step, NARR 10‐m wind speed, 10‐m wind direction, and 2‐m temperature are evaluated at eight weather stations in Michigan and northern Indiana, and the wind speed variable is subsequently bias‐corrected. To derive a Pasquill stability class dataset from the NARR variables, an existing empirical relationship between Pasquill stability class and Richardson number is applied to a previously developed NARR‐derived Richardson number dataset covering the period 1979–2008. Pasquill stability class frequency in NARR is subsequently evaluated using observations at two flux towers in Illinois. Although a tendency is noted for the NARR‐derived Pasquill stability class dataset to underestimate the frequency of stable and unstable conditions, and overestimate the frequency of neutral conditions, the analysis shows that the 10‐m wind speed bias‐correction procedure yields a frequency distribution that is in better agreement with the observations than the non‐bias‐corrected dataset. Finally, an analysis of the spatial and temporal variability of livestock odour dispersion potential in Michigan is provided as an example application of the NARR‐based wind and Pasquill stability class climate dataset. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We propose a procedure that jointly estimates expectation, uncertainty, and disagreement using a flexible hierarchical ordered response model and individual‐level qualitative data. Based on the Michigan survey of US consumers, our results reveal how their inflation expectations and the associated uncertainty are affected by various factors, including their perceptions of economic conditions, recollections of relevant news reports, and sociodemographic characteristics. An examination of the dynamics of inflation uncertainty and disagreement produces evidence in support of using the latter as a proxy of the former. However, our results also highlight important episodes (such as the start of the COVID pandemic) in which the two series diverge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Billions of people around the world rely on forests to filter and provide clean drinking water. The immense value of drinking water can be a strong rationale for conserving and sustainably managing forests, however, people are often unaware of this forest ecosystem service of providing clean drinking water which can lead to the service's degradation. Using a qualitative case‐study approach we conducted semi‐structured interviews in three watersheds in Michigan, USA to investigate the values and perceptions stakeholders have for forests and drinking water. Our results show that (1) stakeholders value forest's role enhancing water quality but do not connect this forest role to providing drinking water, (2) no stakeholder groups interviewed engage in actions or behavior that explicitly address the connection between forests and drinking water, and (3) that policy makers have a large influence on the functioning of the forest provision of drinking water while nonprofit organizations are best positioned to influence conservation strategies that include this forest role. While stakeholders may not explicitly value forests for the provision of clean drinking water, there is untapped potential for incorporating this ecosystem service in future conservation strategies. Research Impact Statement: Stakeholders do not recognize the role of forests in providing clean drinking water, thus improving awareness of this ecosystem service has untapped potential for forest conservation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of the most rational and successful ways to mitigate the effects of wildlife disease is to perform proactive management efforts that can either prevent disease prior to first exposure or detect and eradicate disease prior to its establishment. However, estimating the risk of wildlife disease in new locations is often challenged by a lack of tractable linkages between known or presumed disease hazards and comprehensive risk of introduction and spread. In this study, we present a low‐cost approach that estimated comprehensive risk of chronic wasting disease (CWD) in Michigan, United States, based on the localized knowledge of experts and the use of existing datasets. We controlled for sources of expert bias, avoided group conflict that may challenge qualitative risk assessments, and generated estimates of risk that aligned with known positives and can be used in targeted surveillance and mitigation efforts. We found that 97% of CWD detections fell within high risk counties, with only 3 out of 117 cases (3%) falling in counties at low risk. Furthermore, we found coherence between indirect expert‐elicited risk estimates and direct hazard rankings, suggesting that an indirect approach maximized expert knowledge sharing while controlling for sources of potential bias. Lastly, our approach required limited time commitment from group participants and thus, represented a low‐cost decision‐making approach. Taken together, our study may provide an opportunity to mount proactive wildlife disease management in a way that has often been promoted but rarely accomplished. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on the fourth annual meeting of the National Association for Research in Science Teaching which was held from February 23-24, 1931 in Detroit, Michigan. The first day session of the meeting was held in Room A of the Masonic Temple at 9:30 A.M., and a program of ten papers, as given in the official program, was presented. The second day session of the meeting was in the form of a symposium. The general theme of the symposium was "An Integrated Program of Science Teaching for the Grades of the Elementary and Secondary Schools."

Twenty‐eight University of Michigan students (12 first‐generation/low‐income and 16 from more educated, affluent families) were invited online to provide open‐ended responses and photographs representative of their experiences during COVID‐19, in a modified Photovoice approach. Given the literature, we expected that cultural mismatch, class stereotypes, and relative deprivation would be relevant features of the accounts of self‐identified first‐generation/lower‐income students' experience, in contrast to their peers. Using thematic analysis, three themes differentiated the written accounts of the experiences of the two groups of students: changed environmental demands, comparison to similar or different other students, and change or continuity in the availability of institutional support. Both groups of students shared concerns about issues with mental health, and concern for family. While first‐generation/lower‐income students reported that they experienced less access to space and quiet for their schoolwork, their counterparts reported that their conditions for studying were better. Additionally, when comparing themselves to others, first‐generation students mentioned their best guesses about the experiences of more affluent students, while nonfirst‐generation students tended to compare themselves to those like themselves. Finally, while nonfirst‐generation students wrote of continued institutional support and dedication to schoolwork, first‐generation students reported having fewer resources for academic success. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explores toxic stress and youth disconnection from work and school using data from the Detroit Jobs for Michigan's Graduates (JMG) program. A secondary cross‐sectional analysis was conducted using a program census of 1934 youth participating in JMG between 2014 and 2019. Youth with criminal justice contact, parenting responsibilities, and toxic stress barriers showed the greatest disparity in graduating or become employed following participation in the JMG program. Youth without toxic stress‐aligned barriers were 1.87 times the odds more likely of successful program outcomes when controlling for program enrollment year, program type, Detroit residency, gender, and age. Toxic stress is associated with disconnection from education and employment before and after participation in the JMG program. This indicates that expanding trauma‐informed systems and community approaches in youth‐serving programs can play a role in mitigating the impact of toxic stress exposure on connection to opportunity for Detroit youth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using a long‐term data set (1875–2019), we investigate whether the month having peak tornado frequency changes over time in southern Ontario, Canada. Using only F/EF2+ tornadoes and 10‐year rolling periods having modes at 5‐year intervals, we find a statistically significant (99% confidence interval) moderate positive trend. However, we identify no statistically significant trend (positive or negative) using the same methods with tornado data from neighboring US states Michigan and New York. Though we do not investigate causes here, the study is the first to identify a robust long‐term trend in the frequency of significant tornadoes for any region of Canada. Such a shift also has implications for public safety, with the occurrence of such tornadoes later in the year having the potential for greater impacts. Plain Language Summary: We use statistical analysis of a long‐term tornado record to show strong to violent tornadoes now occur later in the year in southern Ontario, Canada. Such a trend presents a greater risk of tornado impacts, especially in the fall months. We find no long‐term trend for the neighboring US states of Michigan and New York. Key Points: The study finds a statistically significant positive long‐term trend for the month of maximum F/EF2+ tornado occurrence in southern OntarioThe study identifies no statistically significant trend for neighboring US states Michigan and New York [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The parallel niche release hypothesis (PNR) indicates that reduced competition with dominant competitors results in greater density and niche breadth of subordinate competitors and which may support an adaptive advantage.We assessed support for the PNR by evaluating relationships between variation in niche breadth and intra‐ and interspecific density (an index of competition) of wolves (Canis lupus) coyotes (C. latrans), and bobcats (Lynx rufus).We estimated population density (wolf track surveys, coyote howl surveys, and bobcat hair snare surveys) and variability in space use (50% core autocorrelated kernel density home range estimators), temporal activity (hourly and overnight speed), and dietary (isotopic δ13C and δ15N) niche breadth of each species across three areas of varying wolf density in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, USA, 2010–2019.Densities of wolves and coyotes were inversely related, and increased variability in space use, temporal activity, and dietary niche breadth of coyotes was associated with increased coyote density and decreased wolf density supporting the PNR. Variability in space use and temporal activity of wolves and dietary niche breadth of bobcats also increased with increased intraspecific density supporting the PNR.Through demonstrating decreased competition between wolves and coyotes and increased coyote niche breadth and density, our study provides multidimensional support for the PNR. Knowledge of the relationship between niche breadth and population density can inform our understanding of the role of competition in shaping the realized niche of species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hughes and Madden's binary power law was used to analyse sample data of three life stages of gypsy moth (Lymantria dispar) and adult emerald ash borer (Agrilus planipennis), both important invasive forest pests in North America.Tally thresholds were used to convert quantitative gypsy moth data to binomial, presence–absence data for binary power law analysis.Presence–absence data from two emerald ash borer surveys were analysed, an initial highly intensive and expensive survey expanding out from the point of introduction in Michigan and a second extensive survey designed to detect and track the leading edge of the beetle's expanding range.Emerald ash borer was found to be moderately aggregated in the initial survey data, but very near to random in the leading edge survey. The latter result is consistent with other findings that spatial distribution is less aggregated at range edges than near the centre of the range.Estimates of the proportion of positive observations in the initial intensive survey were found to be more precise than those obtained in the leading edge survey.Comparisons of binomial power law estimates and Taylor's power law estimates of the gypsy moth data suggest the possibility of a fundamental connection between the two power laws. A possible connection, the effect of tally thresholds and their relationship with sampling efficiency are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The role of fathers among African-American men, particularly related to oral health, has received relatively little scholarly attention. This paper describes the characteristics of African-American men who self-identified as primary caregiver to an index child participating in the Detroit Dental Health Project. Of 1,021 caregiver-child pairs recruited to this oral health study, 52 were male. Data were collected at a central site in Detroit on: 1) demographics; 2) social support; 3) oral health beliefs, behaviors, and knowledge; 4) caregivers' and child's oral health. Participants reported good availability of social support and high perceived self-efficacy to take care of their child's teeth, yet, they possessed limited knowledge on preventing oral health problems. Moreover, male caregivers had high levels of caries, missing teeth, and poor hygiene. Findings may inform the development of effective interventions aimed at male caregivers to improve knowledge and understanding of the caries process, particularly concerning their children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Eggs, nestlings, and adults of the eastern bluebird (Sialia sialis) and house wren (Troglodytes aedon) were collected at a polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB)--contaminated site and a reference location on the Kalamazoo River (MI, USA). Eggs and nestlings of eastern bluebirds at the more contaminated location contained concentrations of 8.3 and 1.3 mg/kg, respectively, of total PCBs and 77 and 6.3 ng/kg, respectively, of 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin equivalents (TEQs). Eggs, nestlings, and adults of house wrens from the contaminated location contained 6.3, 0.77, and 3.2 mg/kg, respectively, of PCBs and 400, 63, and 110 ng/kg, respectively, of TEQs. Concentrations of total PCBs and TEQs in tissues at the more contaminated location were significantly greater than concentrations in tissues at the reference site for all tissue types of both species. Exposures of the two species studied were different, which suggests that terrestrial-based insectivorous passerine species, foraging in the same area, may have differential exposure to PCBs depending on specific foraging techniques and the insect orders that are targeted. Despite the greater accumulation of PCBs at the more contaminated location, the risk of exposure to PCBs did not exceed the threshold for adverse effects at either location. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

What are typical values and dynamic status of live‐tree biomass pools in old‐growth, mesic, cool temperate forests? A handful of biomass density estimates in eastern North American temperate forests show large biomass/carbon reserves on a per‐area basis. However, it is less clear whether these ecosystems are, over multi‐decade scales, typically steady‐state or non‐equilibrial carbon pools. Previous studies have suggested both possibilities, but claims are based on inferences from short‐term studies or proxy data sets. An unusually long‐term and extensive data set from repeatedly sampled permanent plots (84 yr, ca. 10 ha sample area, 6–8 measurements), from old‐growth conifer‐hardwood forest in northern Michigan, USA, allows direct estimation of multi‐decade trends in aboveground live‐tree biomass. Results confirm prior suggestions of high‐biomass density for old‐growth temperate forests (averaging >300 Mg/ha), but, despite significant decade‐scale variation, show no overall, long‐term directional change. Study plots typically show multi‐decade trends of gradually increasing biomass density, interrupted by sharp declines attributed to intermediate‐severity disturbances, with recovery of pre‐disturbance biomass density requiring upwards of a half‐century. At the stand scale, biomass dynamics are strongly historically contingent, and short‐term studies may yield biased or misleading results. Disturbance legacies, through demographic and structural effects, can have multi‐decade effects on vulnerability to further disturbance. While this study shows no general trend in aboveground biomass pools, it suggests that changes in disturbance regime may drive important feedbacks in biomass pool dynamics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]