The Appalachian orogen in North America is currently considered to be a Paleozoic accretion-type orogenic belt,or a collage,formed by collision of many ancient blocks between Laurentian and Gondwanan margins(Williams,...The Appalachian orogen in North America is currently considered to be a Paleozoic accretion-type orogenic belt,or a collage,formed by collision of many ancient blocks between Laurentian and Gondwanan margins(Williams,1979;Williams et al.,1988;van Staal et al.,2007).Recently,major progress has been made in understanding the characteristics and tectonic evolution of the outboard peri-Laurentian and peri-Gondwanan terranes of the Iapetus Ocean(van Staal et al.,2009,2012).展开更多
The Changbai Mountains and the Appalachian Mountains have similar spatial contexts.The elevation,latitude,and moisture gradients of both mountain ranges offer regional insight for investigating the vegetation dynamics...The Changbai Mountains and the Appalachian Mountains have similar spatial contexts.The elevation,latitude,and moisture gradients of both mountain ranges offer regional insight for investigating the vegetation dynamics in eastern Eurasia and eastern North America.We determined and compared the spatial patterns and temporal trends in the normalized difference vegetation index(NDVI)in the Changbai Mountains and the Appalachian Mountains using time series data from the Global Inventory Modeling and Mapping Studies 3^(rd) generation dataset from 1982 to 2013.The spatial pattern of NDVI in the Changbai Mountains exhibited fragmentation,whereas NDVI in the Appalachian Mountains decreased from south to north.The vegetation dynamics in the Changbai Mountains had an insignificant trend at the regional scale,whereas the dynamics in the Appalachian Mountains had a significant increasing trend.NDVI increased in 55% of the area of the Changbai Mountains and in 95% of the area of the Appalachian Mountains.The peak NDVI occurred one month later in the Changbai Mountains than in the Appalachian Mountains.The results revealed a significant increase in NDVI in autumn in both mountain ranges.The climatic trend in the Changbai Mountains included warming and decreased precipitation,and whereas that in the Appalachian Mountains included significant warming and increased precipitation.Positive and negative correlations existed between NDVI and temperature and precipitation,respectively,in both mountain ranges.Particularly,the spring temperature and NDVI exhibited a significant positive correlation in both mountain ranges.The results of this study suggest that human actives caused the differences in the spatial patterns of NDVI and that various characteristics of climate change and intensity of human actives dominated the differences in the NDVI trends between the Changbai Mountains and the Appalachian Mountains.Additionally,the vegetation dynamics of both mountain ranges were not identical to those in previous broader-scale studies.展开更多
In eastern North America, white-tailed deer(Odocoileus virginianus) can have profound influences on forest biodiversity and forest successional processes.Moderate to high deer populations in the central Appalachians h...In eastern North America, white-tailed deer(Odocoileus virginianus) can have profound influences on forest biodiversity and forest successional processes.Moderate to high deer populations in the central Appalachians have resulted in lower forest biodiversity.Legacy effects in some areas persist even following deer population reductions or declines. This has prompted managers to consider deer population management goals in light of policies designed to support conservation of biodiversity and forest regeneration while continuing to support ample recreational hunting opportunities. However,despite known relationships between herbivory intensity and biodiversity impact, little information exists on the predictability of herbivory intensity across the varied and spatially diverse habitat conditions of the central Appalachians. We examined the predictability of browsing rates across central Appalachian landscapes at four environmental scales: vegetative community characteristics, physical environment, habitat configuration, and local human and deer population demographics. In an information-theoretic approach, we found that a model fitting the number of stems browsed relative to local vegetation characteristics received most(62%) of the overall support of all tested models assessing herbivory impact. Our data suggest that deer herbivory responded most predictably to differences in vegetation quantity and type. No other spatial factors or demographic factors consistently affected browsing intensity. Because herbivory, vegetation communities, and productivity vary spatially, we suggest that effective broad-scale herbivory impact assessment should include spatially-balanced vegetation monitoring that accounts for regional differences in deer forage preference.Effective monitoring is necessary to avoid biodiversity impacts and deleterious changes in vegetation community composition that are difficult to reverse and/or may not be detected using traditional deer-density based management goals.展开更多
The Kentucky Geological Survey(KGS)1 Hanson Aggregates stratigraphic research well,Carter County,Kentucky,USA,was drilled to a total depth of 1474 m as a field-scale test of potential CO2 storage reservoir properties ...The Kentucky Geological Survey(KGS)1 Hanson Aggregates stratigraphic research well,Carter County,Kentucky,USA,was drilled to a total depth of 1474 m as a field-scale test of potential CO2 storage reservoir properties in the Central Appalachian Basin.Geomechanical properties of the Rose Run sandstone(upper Ordovician Knox group)were tested for its suitability as a storage reservoir.A 9.8-m thick section of the Rose Run was penetrated at 1000 m drilled depth and a whole-diameter core and rotary sidewall cores were taken.Average porosity and permeability measured in core plugs were 9.1%and 44.6 mD,respectively.Maximum vertical stress gradient calculated in the wellbore was 26 MPa/km.Wellbore fractures in dolomites underlying and overlying the Rose Run follow the contemporary N53E Appalachian Basin stress field.The Rose Run elastic geomechanical properties were calibrated to values measured in core plugs to evaluate its fracturing risk as a CO2 storage reservoir.Mean Young’s modulus and Poisson’s ratio values of the Rose Run were 45 GPa and 0.23,respectively,whereas Young’s modulus and Poisson’s ratio values were 77.1 GPa and 0.28,respectively,in the overlying Beekmantown dolomite,suggesting the Rose Run may fracture if overpressured during CO2 injection but be confined by the Beekmantown.Triaxial compressive strength measured in core plugs found the Rose Run and Beekmantown fractured at mean axial stresses of 156.5 MPa and 282.2 MPa,respectively,confirming the Beekmantown as suitable for confining CO2 injected into the Rose Run.A step-rate test was conducted in a mechanically-isolated 18.6-m interval bracketing the Rose Run.Static Rose Run reservoir pressure was 9.3 MPa,and fracture gradient under injection was 13.6 MPa/km,suggesting step-rate testing before CO2 injection,and subsequent pressure monitoring to ensure confinement.As the region around the KGS 1 Hanson Aggregates well is underpressured and adjacent to faulted Precambrian basement,further research is needed to evaluate its induced seismicity risk during CO2 injection.展开更多
Eastern hemlock (Tsuga canadensis Carriére) and the Carolina hemlock (Tsuga caroliniana Engelmann) are ecologically important tree species in eastern North America forests that are currently threatened by the hem...Eastern hemlock (Tsuga canadensis Carriére) and the Carolina hemlock (Tsuga caroliniana Engelmann) are ecologically important tree species in eastern North America forests that are currently threatened by the hemlock woolly adelgid (HWA, Adelges tsugae Annand, Hemiptera: Adelgidae). HWA has spread rapidly from its original introduction site into new areas. Once present, HWA kills its hosts over a period of 4 to 10 years leading to a phenomenon that is known scientifically and colloquially as hemlock decline. To date, quarantine, chemical management, and biocontrol efforts have failed to curb the spread of the HWA. As such, forest management efforts are now being redirected towards developing an understanding of the effects of hemlock removal on vegetation dynamics, changes in forest composition, and changes in ecosystem function. In this study, we parameterize a spatially explicit landscape simulation model LANDIS II for a specific forested region of the southern Appalachians. Parameterization involves defining the life-history attributes of 37 tree species occupying 11 ecological zones and is based on knowledge of: current vegetation composition data, recent historic management and fire regimes, and life-history traits of each species. The parameterized model is used to explore a simple scenario of catastrophic hemlock mortality likely to occur as a result of HWA herbivory. Our results emphasize that hemlock is an important foundation species. When hemlock is removed from the system, forest composition changes considerably with a greater presence of shade intolerant pine and oak species. Additionally, hemlock removal leads to a period of transient, relatively unstable vegetation dynamics as the forest communities restructure.展开更多
This study analyzes storm-triggered landslides in the US Appalachians, in the current geological setting. Concave valleys that favor the convergence of surface runoff are the primary locales for landslides. If the slo...This study analyzes storm-triggered landslides in the US Appalachians, in the current geological setting. Concave valleys that favor the convergence of surface runoff are the primary locales for landslides. If the slopes are weathered to the same degree and have the same vegetation coverage, slope orientation (azimuthal) is not critical for slope stability. However, it is found that for the region south of the Black Mountains (North Carolina), north-facing slopes are more prone to slide, because, for the regions not limited by water availability (annual precipitation), the northern slopes usually are grass slopes. For the slopes of the Blue Ridge Mountains, south facing slopes are more prone to slide. Gravity measurements over the past decade reveal that geological conditions, the chute system and underground cracks over the region are stable. Future changes in storm-triggered landslide frequency are primarily controlled by changes in extreme precipitation. Thus, a series of ensemble climate model experiments is carried out to investigate possible changes in future extreme precipitation events, using a weather model forced by atmospheric perturbations from ensemble climate models. Over 50 locations are identified as prone to future landslides. Many of these locales are natural habitats to the Appalachian salamanders. In a future warmer climate, more severe extreme precipitation events are projected because of increased atmospheric water vapor and more frequent passages of tropical cyclone remnants. There is also a likely shift of tropical cyclone tracks and associated extreme precipitations, and the cluster center of Appalachians’s scarps is expected to move westward, with ecological consequences for the endemic salamanders.展开更多
This study analyzes storm-triggered landslides in the US Appalachians, in the current geological setting. Concave valleys that favor the convergence of surface runoff are the primary locales for landslides. If the slo...This study analyzes storm-triggered landslides in the US Appalachians, in the current geological setting. Concave valleys that favor the convergence of surface runoff are the primary locales for landslides. If the slopes are weathered to the same degree and have the same vegetation coverage, slope orientation (azimuthal) is not critical for slope stability. However, it is found that for the region south of the Black Mountains (North Carolina), north-facing slopes are more prone to slide, because, for the regions not limited by water availability (annual precipitation), the northern slopes usually are grass slopes. For the slopes of the Blue Ridge Mountains, south facing slopes are more prone to slide. Gravity measurements over the past decade reveal that geological conditions, the chute system and underground cracks over the region are stable. Future changes in storm-triggered landslide frequency are primarily controlled by changes in extreme precipitation. Thus, a series of ensemble climate model experiments is carried out to investigate possible changes in future extreme precipitation events, using a weather model forced by atmospheric perturbations from ensemble climate models. Over 50 locations are identified as prone to future landslides. Many of these locales are natural habitats to the Appalachian salamanders. In a future warmer climate, more severe extreme precipitation events are projected because of increased atmospheric water vapor and more frequent passages of tropical cyclone remnants. There is also a likely shift of tropical cyclone tracks and associated extreme precipitations, and the cluster center of Appalachians’s scarps is expected to move westward, with ecological consequences for the endemic salamanders.展开更多
Hemlock woolly adelgid (Adelges Tsugae Annand, HWA) outbreaks are posing a major threat to eastern hemlock (Tsuga canadensis L. Carr.) and Carolina hemlock (Tsuga caroliniana Engelm.) forest landscapes in the eastern ...Hemlock woolly adelgid (Adelges Tsugae Annand, HWA) outbreaks are posing a major threat to eastern hemlock (Tsuga canadensis L. Carr.) and Carolina hemlock (Tsuga caroliniana Engelm.) forest landscapes in the eastern USA. As foundation species, hemlocks play a variety of functional roles in forest landscapes. These species usually occur as isolated canopies and mixed species in landscapes where variation in topography is extreme. Spatially explicit inventory information on HWA induced hemlock mortality at landscape scale does not exist. High resolution aerial imageries enable landscape scale assessment even at the individual tree level. Accordingly, our goal was to investigate spatial pattern and distribution of HWA induced hemlock mortality using a high resolution aerial image mosaic in the Linville River Gorge, Southern Appalachians, western North Carolina. Our study objectives were: 1) to detect dead trees within the Lower Linville River watershed;2) to estimate the area occupied by dead trees in the forest canopy surface;3) to investigate the relationship of dead hemlocks and topography;and 4) to define the spatial pattern of the dead trees. We found ca. 10,000 dead trees within the study area, occupying over 7 ha of the canopy surface with an average area of 36 m2 per dead tree. The density of the dead trees was higher in proximity to the Linville River, at higher elevations, and on northern and northwestern aspects. Spatial pattern of the dead trees was generally clustered at all spatial scales. We suggest that although the reduction in plant biomass resulting from herbivory within the landscapes is modest, impact of the clustered distribution of hemlock mortality, especially in the riparian zones, is noteworthy. Our analysis of the pattern of hemlock decline provides new means for projecting future impacts of HWA on the range of hemlock distribution in eastern North America.展开更多
The organic-rich black shales in the Appalachian basin are a vital producer of natural gas.In this study,we present new multiproxy geochemical data from the Ordovician and Devonian black shales in New York(NY)and Penn...The organic-rich black shales in the Appalachian basin are a vital producer of natural gas.In this study,we present new multiproxy geochemical data from the Ordovician and Devonian black shales in New York(NY)and Pennsylvania(PA).The samples include outcrop samples collected in NY(Utica Group and Marcellus Formation)and core samples from PA(Marcellus Formation,Skaneateles Formation,and Genesee Group).We combined organic geochemical data(%total organic carbon or%TOC,δ^(13)C_(org),C/N ratio,and lipid n-alkane distribution)with trace element(TE)data to identify the organic matter(OM)sources and depositional conditions.The TE analysis data shows that water conditions were variable during the deposition of these black shales,fluctuating between oxic and dysoxic conditions with occasional anoxia.There was probably a change from an open water condition(Co∗Mn=0.2)during the deposition of the Flat Creek Formation to a more restricted exchange later during the deposition of the Indian Castle Formation(Co∗Mn=2.9)in the Ordovician.Basin circulation likely remained restricted during the deposition of the Devonian black shales(Co∗Mn ranges from 0.4 to 1.3).Based onδ^(13)C_(org)values(−32.9‰and−29.6‰)that are more depleted than marine OMδ^(13)C_(org),C/N ratios(11.2 and 9.2)higher than marine OM,and the presence of longer chain n-alkanes in the range of C25 to C33,we suggest that bryophytes were possibly a significant organic source to the Ordovician Utica Group in NY.The kerogen type in Utica Group samples is type III,mostly terrestrial OM.The Devonian NY and PA samples show mostly bimodal distributions.In some samples,a secondary,though sometimes dominant,shorter chain peak in the range of C14 to C20 is present,in addition to the long chain peak.We suggest the bimodal n-alkane distribution signifies a mixed OM source consisting of terrestrial and marine contributions with differing degrees of thermal maturation compared to the samples with a unimodal distribution.Our results suggest that samples from the NY Marcellus Group are composed of type III kerogen,while samples from the PA Marcellus Formation,Skaneateles Formation,and Genesee Group contain both type II and type III kerogens.展开更多
A new glacial history paradigm that describes huge and prolonged southwest-oriented meltwater floods flowing along the rising rim of a deep “hole” (which a large continental icesheet created and occupied) is used to...A new glacial history paradigm that describes huge and prolonged southwest-oriented meltwater floods flowing along the rising rim of a deep “hole” (which a large continental icesheet created and occupied) is used to explain previously unexplained or poorly explained central Pennsylvania Bald Eagle through valley region topographic map evidence. Pennsylvania’s Bald Eagle through valley as defined here extends in a northeast direction from near Altoona to near Williamsport along the Allegheny Front escarpment base and forms the boundary between the Appalachian Plateau to the northwest and the Ridge and Valley Province to the southeast. The Lycoming and Towanda Creek valleys follow a probable northeastern Bald Eagle through valley extension and a probable southern extension continues southward along the Allegheny Front base by crossing Juniata River tributary drainage basins to reach the Potomac River drainage basin. Landform features identified on topographic maps, which include through valleys (valleys crossing drainage divides), barbed tributaries, drainage route orientations, drainage route direction changes, water gaps, and gaps located along the Allegheny Front crest, are used to reconstruct how the Pennsylvania Susquehanna and Juniata River drainage systems developed. The resulting geomorphic history describes how massive southwest-oriented floods moving across what was probably a low relief and rising surface (now preserved if preserved at all by the region’s highest elevations) flowed to an actively eroding Potomac River drainage system before being captured and sometimes reversed first by Juniata River valley headward erosion, second by West Branch Susquehanna River valley headward erosion (to create northeast-oriented Bald Eagle Creek and the northeast-oriented West Branch Susquehanna River segment) and third by North Branch Susquehanna River valley headward erosion. This interpretation explains most if not all of the previously poorly explained and unexplained topographic map evidence.展开更多
Survival analysis is composed of a group of analytical approaches that can be used to predict the occurrence of harvest activities,which provides insightful information about the dynamics of natural resources utilizat...Survival analysis is composed of a group of analytical approaches that can be used to predict the occurrence of harvest activities,which provides insightful information about the dynamics of natural resources utilization in a region.Recently,random survival forest(RSF)has been proposed in survival analysis to capture the complex relationships among variables.The main objective of this study was to employ the RSF algorithm to examine the temporal evolution of tree harvest,accounting for stand and environmental variables.Specifically,the predictability of the RSF model was compared with the Cox proportional hazard(Cox)model,a popular model in survival analysis.Important variables in explaining the variation of harvest time were identified.Data collected by the USDA Forest Service,Forest Inventory and Analysis(FIA)program from permanent plots in the southern Appalachian region were utilized in the analysis.Results showed that the RSF model consistently outperformed the Cox model based on prediction accuracy.Among 14 variables examined,ownership,forest type,elevation,state,and slope emerged as most important.Utilizing only these five variables in a reduced model produced satisfactory prediction accuracy compared to the full model(i.e.,the models with all variables included).The findings of this work provide insights for forest managers and policy makers to utilize survival analysis methods in understanding harvest activities at the regional scale.展开更多
Vertical orthogonal joints are a common feature in shallow crustal rocks.There are several competing theories for their formation despite the ubiquity.We examined the exceptional exposures of orthogonal joints in flat...Vertical orthogonal joints are a common feature in shallow crustal rocks.There are several competing theories for their formation despite the ubiquity.We examined the exceptional exposures of orthogonal joints in flat-lying Ordovician limestone beds from the Havre-Saint-Pierre Region in Quebec,Canada(north shore of Saint-Lawrence River)to test conceptual models of joint formation in a natural setting.In the region,the spacing of cross-joints is consistently larger than the spacing of systematic joints by a factor of 1.5 approximately.The joint-spacing-to-bed-thickness ratios(s/t)are much larger in these beds(s/t=4.3 for systematic joints,and 6.4 for cross-joints)than those in higher strained strata along the south shore of the Saint-Lawrence River(s/t=1),highlighting the effect of tectonic strain in decreasing fracture spacing and block size.The high values of s/t indicate that cross-joint formation was unlikely caused by a switch from compression to tension once a critical s/t ratio for systematic joints was reached(as hypothesized in previous studies).We proposed a new model for the formation of orthogonal joint systems where the principal stress axes locally switch during the formation of systematic fractures.The presence of ladder-shaped orthogonal joints suggests a state of effective stress withσ_(1)^(∗)≫0>σ_(2)^(∗)>σ_(3)^(∗)and whereσ_(2)^(∗)-σ_(3)^(∗)is within the range of fracture strength variability at the time of fracture.This research provides a new mechanical model for the formation of orthogonal joint systems and cuboidal blocks.展开更多
Given the likelihood of regional extirpation of several once-common bat species in eastern North America from white-nose syndrome,it is critical that the impacts of forest management activities,such as prescribed fire...Given the likelihood of regional extirpation of several once-common bat species in eastern North America from white-nose syndrome,it is critical that the impacts of forest management activities,such as prescribed fire,are known in order to minimize potentially additive negative effects on bat populations.Historic wildfires may offer a suitable surrogate to assess long-term burn impacts on bats for planning,implementing and assessing burn programs.To examine the effects of historic fire on bats,we sampled bat activities at 24 transect locations in burned and unburned forest stands in the central Appalachian Mountains of Shenandoah National Park(SNP),Virginia,USA.There was limited evidence of positive fire effects over time on hoary bats(Lasiurus cinereus Beauvois)and big brown bats(Eptesicus fuscus Beauvois)occupancy.Overall,there were few or mostly equivocal relationships of bat occupancy relative to burn conditions or time since fire in SNP across species using a false-positive occupancy approach.Our results suggest that fire does not strongly affect bat site occupancy short-or long-term in the central Appalachians.展开更多
Wetlands are often created through wetland mitigation to replace lost natural wetlands, but further evaluation is needed to determine the ability of a created wetland to replace lost wetland functions, especially prov...Wetlands are often created through wetland mitigation to replace lost natural wetlands, but further evaluation is needed to determine the ability of a created wetland to replace lost wetland functions, especially providing wildlife habitat. We used a mesocosm design to compare the water quality between three created wetlands and three natural wetlands in West Virginia, USA and to evaluate how the water quality from the two wetland types were able to support metamorphosis in larval spring peepers (Pseudacris crucifer) and wood frogs (Lithobates sylvaticus) across two years (2014-2015). Responses in metamorphosis rates differed between species and between years. Spring peepers displayed similar metamorphosis rates in the created and natural wetlands in both years of the study. Wood frogs displayed similar metamorphosis rates in created and natural wetlands in 2015, but in 2014 wood frogs reached metamorphosis in less time and at a larger body size in the natural wetlands, suggesting that the wood frogs that developed in the natural wetlands may have higher fitness than those that developed in the created wetlands. Water quality was largely similar between created and natural wetlands, although dissolved oxygen, conductivity, and pH varied between mesocosms and wetlands. Our study suggests that created wetlands may be providing partial mitigation in terms of water quality for amphibian development. We recommend that future monitoring of created wetlands include measures of juvenile amphibian recruitment as well as additional habitat variables to better determine the ability of created wetlands to function as amphibian habitat.展开更多
Background:Recruiting research participants from primary care in rural Appalachia is a major challenge and can be influenced by cultural characteristics,making it critically important to incorporate strategies of cult...Background:Recruiting research participants from primary care in rural Appalachia is a major challenge and can be influenced by cultural characteristics,making it critically important to incorporate strategies of cultural competence in the overall design of clinical research.Objectives:The purpose of this paper is to describe culturally competent strategies used for recruitment and data collection with a sample of adults with type 2 diabetes from primary care settings in Appalachia.Design:The Purnell model of cultural competence and relevant literature served as a framework for study design.Four overarching approaches informed the organization of recruitment strategies and development of the data collection plan.Procedures:The approaches included selection of research sites,establishing collaborations,sustaining collaborative relationships,and enhancing understanding of benefits of participation.Four recruitment sites were selected based on potential to enhance diversification of participants;multiple steps were included in each of the three remaining approaches to build relationships and gain participation.A study log was maintained to provide evaluation data.Results:Recruitment took 14 months and a sample of 102 subjects provided consent with 101 participants providing complete data.Demographics were representative of the region except that African American participation was higher(6.9%)compared to current north central Appalachia(3%).Over 72%of participants indicated they would be interested in participating in future studies.Conclusions:These findings emphasize the importance of employing strategies for cultural competence in study design.Use of concepts from the Purnell model led to enhanced representativeness and potential for subsequent generalizability.展开更多
Black shales are usually interpreted to require anoxic bottom waters and deeper water sedimentation. There has long been a debate about whether the Devonian Cleveland Shale Member of the Ohio Shale (CSM) was deposited...Black shales are usually interpreted to require anoxic bottom waters and deeper water sedimentation. There has long been a debate about whether the Devonian Cleveland Shale Member of the Ohio Shale (CSM) was deposited in shallow- or deep-water depositional environments. This study looked at the CSM at 3 stratigraphic sections and 5 well cores in northeastern Ohio. The CSM mostly consists of sapropelite (interbedded carbonaceous black mudstones and gray calcareous claystones). The black and gray “shales” are rhythmically bedded at micro- (<1 cm thick), meso- (<10 cm thick) and macro-scales (10s of cm thick) and represent changes in organic matter content (ranging from 7% - 20% TOC). Three types of event layers are interbedded with the mudrocks: 1) tempestites, 2) proximal turbidites, and 3) hyperpycnites. Individual tempestites and turbidites are laterally continuous?≥35 km, while hyperpycnites are too thin (<1 cm) to trace laterally. Tempestites consist of hummocky stratified sandstones with groove casts and escape burrows overlain by planar laminated sandstones with wave ripples at the top. Tempestites average 13 cm thick, but can be amalgamated up to 45 cm thick, and are more common in the lower half of the unit. Turbidites are incomplete Bouma sequences that average 6 cm thick, show evidence of combined flow (“wave-modified turbidites”), and are more common toward the top of the unit. Hyperpycnites (density underflows from river discharge) consist of inverse-to-normal graded sandy or silty microlaminae that have been studied primarily by using petrography and SEM. Condensed sections in the CSM are probable firmgrounds with carbonate concretions, and indicate intervals of low sedimentation rates. The evidence shows that the CSM depositional environment was receiving siliciclastics from the northeast (e.g., Catskill delta), and that the coarser-grained clastic sediment was primarily transported as density underflows (turbidites and hyperpycnites). However, significant storm deposits (tempestites) within the CSM indicate erosion and redeposition occurred on a muddy clastic marine shelf at paleo-water depths less than storm-weather wave base (probably?≤50 m depth).展开更多
基金supported financially by the NSFC projects(Grant Nos.U1403291,41802074,41830216,41572052)projects of the China Geological Survey(Grant Nos.1212011120477,1212010611803,1212010811033,12120113096500,12120113094000 and DD20160123)+1 种基金the IGCP 662 project’Orogenic Architecture and Crustal Growth from Accretion to Collision’the IUGS Big Science Program’Deep-time Digital Earth(DDE)’.
文摘The Appalachian orogen in North America is currently considered to be a Paleozoic accretion-type orogenic belt,or a collage,formed by collision of many ancient blocks between Laurentian and Gondwanan margins(Williams,1979;Williams et al.,1988;van Staal et al.,2007).Recently,major progress has been made in understanding the characteristics and tectonic evolution of the outboard peri-Laurentian and peri-Gondwanan terranes of the Iapetus Ocean(van Staal et al.,2009,2012).
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 41601438 and 41571078)the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities (Grant No.2412016KJ026)the Foundation of the Education Department of Jilin Province in the 13~(th) Five-Year project (Grant No. JJKH20170916KJ)
文摘The Changbai Mountains and the Appalachian Mountains have similar spatial contexts.The elevation,latitude,and moisture gradients of both mountain ranges offer regional insight for investigating the vegetation dynamics in eastern Eurasia and eastern North America.We determined and compared the spatial patterns and temporal trends in the normalized difference vegetation index(NDVI)in the Changbai Mountains and the Appalachian Mountains using time series data from the Global Inventory Modeling and Mapping Studies 3^(rd) generation dataset from 1982 to 2013.The spatial pattern of NDVI in the Changbai Mountains exhibited fragmentation,whereas NDVI in the Appalachian Mountains decreased from south to north.The vegetation dynamics in the Changbai Mountains had an insignificant trend at the regional scale,whereas the dynamics in the Appalachian Mountains had a significant increasing trend.NDVI increased in 55% of the area of the Changbai Mountains and in 95% of the area of the Appalachian Mountains.The peak NDVI occurred one month later in the Changbai Mountains than in the Appalachian Mountains.The results revealed a significant increase in NDVI in autumn in both mountain ranges.The climatic trend in the Changbai Mountains included warming and decreased precipitation,and whereas that in the Appalachian Mountains included significant warming and increased precipitation.Positive and negative correlations existed between NDVI and temperature and precipitation,respectively,in both mountain ranges.Particularly,the spring temperature and NDVI exhibited a significant positive correlation in both mountain ranges.The results of this study suggest that human actives caused the differences in the spatial patterns of NDVI and that various characteristics of climate change and intensity of human actives dominated the differences in the NDVI trends between the Changbai Mountains and the Appalachian Mountains.Additionally,the vegetation dynamics of both mountain ranges were not identical to those in previous broader-scale studies.
基金financially supported by the Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration Program,Project WE99,Contract 2012-13694 to Virginia Tech
文摘In eastern North America, white-tailed deer(Odocoileus virginianus) can have profound influences on forest biodiversity and forest successional processes.Moderate to high deer populations in the central Appalachians have resulted in lower forest biodiversity.Legacy effects in some areas persist even following deer population reductions or declines. This has prompted managers to consider deer population management goals in light of policies designed to support conservation of biodiversity and forest regeneration while continuing to support ample recreational hunting opportunities. However,despite known relationships between herbivory intensity and biodiversity impact, little information exists on the predictability of herbivory intensity across the varied and spatially diverse habitat conditions of the central Appalachians. We examined the predictability of browsing rates across central Appalachian landscapes at four environmental scales: vegetative community characteristics, physical environment, habitat configuration, and local human and deer population demographics. In an information-theoretic approach, we found that a model fitting the number of stems browsed relative to local vegetation characteristics received most(62%) of the overall support of all tested models assessing herbivory impact. Our data suggest that deer herbivory responded most predictably to differences in vegetation quantity and type. No other spatial factors or demographic factors consistently affected browsing intensity. Because herbivory, vegetation communities, and productivity vary spatially, we suggest that effective broad-scale herbivory impact assessment should include spatially-balanced vegetation monitoring that accounts for regional differences in deer forage preference.Effective monitoring is necessary to avoid biodiversity impacts and deleterious changes in vegetation community composition that are difficult to reverse and/or may not be detected using traditional deer-density based management goals.
基金the Commonwealth of Kentucky,USA through the Energy Independence and Incentives Act of 2007the Open Research Fund of State Key Laboratory of Geomechanics and Geotechnical Engineering,Institute of Rock and Soil Mechanics,Chinese Academy of Sciences,Wuhan,China(Grant No.Z018004).
文摘The Kentucky Geological Survey(KGS)1 Hanson Aggregates stratigraphic research well,Carter County,Kentucky,USA,was drilled to a total depth of 1474 m as a field-scale test of potential CO2 storage reservoir properties in the Central Appalachian Basin.Geomechanical properties of the Rose Run sandstone(upper Ordovician Knox group)were tested for its suitability as a storage reservoir.A 9.8-m thick section of the Rose Run was penetrated at 1000 m drilled depth and a whole-diameter core and rotary sidewall cores were taken.Average porosity and permeability measured in core plugs were 9.1%and 44.6 mD,respectively.Maximum vertical stress gradient calculated in the wellbore was 26 MPa/km.Wellbore fractures in dolomites underlying and overlying the Rose Run follow the contemporary N53E Appalachian Basin stress field.The Rose Run elastic geomechanical properties were calibrated to values measured in core plugs to evaluate its fracturing risk as a CO2 storage reservoir.Mean Young’s modulus and Poisson’s ratio values of the Rose Run were 45 GPa and 0.23,respectively,whereas Young’s modulus and Poisson’s ratio values were 77.1 GPa and 0.28,respectively,in the overlying Beekmantown dolomite,suggesting the Rose Run may fracture if overpressured during CO2 injection but be confined by the Beekmantown.Triaxial compressive strength measured in core plugs found the Rose Run and Beekmantown fractured at mean axial stresses of 156.5 MPa and 282.2 MPa,respectively,confirming the Beekmantown as suitable for confining CO2 injected into the Rose Run.A step-rate test was conducted in a mechanically-isolated 18.6-m interval bracketing the Rose Run.Static Rose Run reservoir pressure was 9.3 MPa,and fracture gradient under injection was 13.6 MPa/km,suggesting step-rate testing before CO2 injection,and subsequent pressure monitoring to ensure confinement.As the region around the KGS 1 Hanson Aggregates well is underpressured and adjacent to faulted Precambrian basement,further research is needed to evaluate its induced seismicity risk during CO2 injection.
文摘Eastern hemlock (Tsuga canadensis Carriére) and the Carolina hemlock (Tsuga caroliniana Engelmann) are ecologically important tree species in eastern North America forests that are currently threatened by the hemlock woolly adelgid (HWA, Adelges tsugae Annand, Hemiptera: Adelgidae). HWA has spread rapidly from its original introduction site into new areas. Once present, HWA kills its hosts over a period of 4 to 10 years leading to a phenomenon that is known scientifically and colloquially as hemlock decline. To date, quarantine, chemical management, and biocontrol efforts have failed to curb the spread of the HWA. As such, forest management efforts are now being redirected towards developing an understanding of the effects of hemlock removal on vegetation dynamics, changes in forest composition, and changes in ecosystem function. In this study, we parameterize a spatially explicit landscape simulation model LANDIS II for a specific forested region of the southern Appalachians. Parameterization involves defining the life-history attributes of 37 tree species occupying 11 ecological zones and is based on knowledge of: current vegetation composition data, recent historic management and fire regimes, and life-history traits of each species. The parameterized model is used to explore a simple scenario of catastrophic hemlock mortality likely to occur as a result of HWA herbivory. Our results emphasize that hemlock is an important foundation species. When hemlock is removed from the system, forest composition changes considerably with a greater presence of shade intolerant pine and oak species. Additionally, hemlock removal leads to a period of transient, relatively unstable vegetation dynamics as the forest communities restructure.
文摘This study analyzes storm-triggered landslides in the US Appalachians, in the current geological setting. Concave valleys that favor the convergence of surface runoff are the primary locales for landslides. If the slopes are weathered to the same degree and have the same vegetation coverage, slope orientation (azimuthal) is not critical for slope stability. However, it is found that for the region south of the Black Mountains (North Carolina), north-facing slopes are more prone to slide, because, for the regions not limited by water availability (annual precipitation), the northern slopes usually are grass slopes. For the slopes of the Blue Ridge Mountains, south facing slopes are more prone to slide. Gravity measurements over the past decade reveal that geological conditions, the chute system and underground cracks over the region are stable. Future changes in storm-triggered landslide frequency are primarily controlled by changes in extreme precipitation. Thus, a series of ensemble climate model experiments is carried out to investigate possible changes in future extreme precipitation events, using a weather model forced by atmospheric perturbations from ensemble climate models. Over 50 locations are identified as prone to future landslides. Many of these locales are natural habitats to the Appalachian salamanders. In a future warmer climate, more severe extreme precipitation events are projected because of increased atmospheric water vapor and more frequent passages of tropical cyclone remnants. There is also a likely shift of tropical cyclone tracks and associated extreme precipitations, and the cluster center of Appalachians’s scarps is expected to move westward, with ecological consequences for the endemic salamanders.
文摘This study analyzes storm-triggered landslides in the US Appalachians, in the current geological setting. Concave valleys that favor the convergence of surface runoff are the primary locales for landslides. If the slopes are weathered to the same degree and have the same vegetation coverage, slope orientation (azimuthal) is not critical for slope stability. However, it is found that for the region south of the Black Mountains (North Carolina), north-facing slopes are more prone to slide, because, for the regions not limited by water availability (annual precipitation), the northern slopes usually are grass slopes. For the slopes of the Blue Ridge Mountains, south facing slopes are more prone to slide. Gravity measurements over the past decade reveal that geological conditions, the chute system and underground cracks over the region are stable. Future changes in storm-triggered landslide frequency are primarily controlled by changes in extreme precipitation. Thus, a series of ensemble climate model experiments is carried out to investigate possible changes in future extreme precipitation events, using a weather model forced by atmospheric perturbations from ensemble climate models. Over 50 locations are identified as prone to future landslides. Many of these locales are natural habitats to the Appalachian salamanders. In a future warmer climate, more severe extreme precipitation events are projected because of increased atmospheric water vapor and more frequent passages of tropical cyclone remnants. There is also a likely shift of tropical cyclone tracks and associated extreme precipitations, and the cluster center of Appalachians’s scarps is expected to move westward, with ecological consequences for the endemic salamanders.
基金possible by financial aid from Graduate School in Forest Sciences(GSForest),Finnish Academy project“Centre of Excellence in Laser Scanning Research”(CoE-LaSR,decision number 272195)by the US Forest Service through USDA Forest Service cooperative agreement SRS-12-CA-11330129-077.
文摘Hemlock woolly adelgid (Adelges Tsugae Annand, HWA) outbreaks are posing a major threat to eastern hemlock (Tsuga canadensis L. Carr.) and Carolina hemlock (Tsuga caroliniana Engelm.) forest landscapes in the eastern USA. As foundation species, hemlocks play a variety of functional roles in forest landscapes. These species usually occur as isolated canopies and mixed species in landscapes where variation in topography is extreme. Spatially explicit inventory information on HWA induced hemlock mortality at landscape scale does not exist. High resolution aerial imageries enable landscape scale assessment even at the individual tree level. Accordingly, our goal was to investigate spatial pattern and distribution of HWA induced hemlock mortality using a high resolution aerial image mosaic in the Linville River Gorge, Southern Appalachians, western North Carolina. Our study objectives were: 1) to detect dead trees within the Lower Linville River watershed;2) to estimate the area occupied by dead trees in the forest canopy surface;3) to investigate the relationship of dead hemlocks and topography;and 4) to define the spatial pattern of the dead trees. We found ca. 10,000 dead trees within the study area, occupying over 7 ha of the canopy surface with an average area of 36 m2 per dead tree. The density of the dead trees was higher in proximity to the Linville River, at higher elevations, and on northern and northwestern aspects. Spatial pattern of the dead trees was generally clustered at all spatial scales. We suggest that although the reduction in plant biomass resulting from herbivory within the landscapes is modest, impact of the clustered distribution of hemlock mortality, especially in the riparian zones, is noteworthy. Our analysis of the pattern of hemlock decline provides new means for projecting future impacts of HWA on the range of hemlock distribution in eastern North America.
基金funded by the American Chemical Society Petroleum Research Fund grant#59165-UNI8.
文摘The organic-rich black shales in the Appalachian basin are a vital producer of natural gas.In this study,we present new multiproxy geochemical data from the Ordovician and Devonian black shales in New York(NY)and Pennsylvania(PA).The samples include outcrop samples collected in NY(Utica Group and Marcellus Formation)and core samples from PA(Marcellus Formation,Skaneateles Formation,and Genesee Group).We combined organic geochemical data(%total organic carbon or%TOC,δ^(13)C_(org),C/N ratio,and lipid n-alkane distribution)with trace element(TE)data to identify the organic matter(OM)sources and depositional conditions.The TE analysis data shows that water conditions were variable during the deposition of these black shales,fluctuating between oxic and dysoxic conditions with occasional anoxia.There was probably a change from an open water condition(Co∗Mn=0.2)during the deposition of the Flat Creek Formation to a more restricted exchange later during the deposition of the Indian Castle Formation(Co∗Mn=2.9)in the Ordovician.Basin circulation likely remained restricted during the deposition of the Devonian black shales(Co∗Mn ranges from 0.4 to 1.3).Based onδ^(13)C_(org)values(−32.9‰and−29.6‰)that are more depleted than marine OMδ^(13)C_(org),C/N ratios(11.2 and 9.2)higher than marine OM,and the presence of longer chain n-alkanes in the range of C25 to C33,we suggest that bryophytes were possibly a significant organic source to the Ordovician Utica Group in NY.The kerogen type in Utica Group samples is type III,mostly terrestrial OM.The Devonian NY and PA samples show mostly bimodal distributions.In some samples,a secondary,though sometimes dominant,shorter chain peak in the range of C14 to C20 is present,in addition to the long chain peak.We suggest the bimodal n-alkane distribution signifies a mixed OM source consisting of terrestrial and marine contributions with differing degrees of thermal maturation compared to the samples with a unimodal distribution.Our results suggest that samples from the NY Marcellus Group are composed of type III kerogen,while samples from the PA Marcellus Formation,Skaneateles Formation,and Genesee Group contain both type II and type III kerogens.
文摘A new glacial history paradigm that describes huge and prolonged southwest-oriented meltwater floods flowing along the rising rim of a deep “hole” (which a large continental icesheet created and occupied) is used to explain previously unexplained or poorly explained central Pennsylvania Bald Eagle through valley region topographic map evidence. Pennsylvania’s Bald Eagle through valley as defined here extends in a northeast direction from near Altoona to near Williamsport along the Allegheny Front escarpment base and forms the boundary between the Appalachian Plateau to the northwest and the Ridge and Valley Province to the southeast. The Lycoming and Towanda Creek valleys follow a probable northeastern Bald Eagle through valley extension and a probable southern extension continues southward along the Allegheny Front base by crossing Juniata River tributary drainage basins to reach the Potomac River drainage basin. Landform features identified on topographic maps, which include through valleys (valleys crossing drainage divides), barbed tributaries, drainage route orientations, drainage route direction changes, water gaps, and gaps located along the Allegheny Front crest, are used to reconstruct how the Pennsylvania Susquehanna and Juniata River drainage systems developed. The resulting geomorphic history describes how massive southwest-oriented floods moving across what was probably a low relief and rising surface (now preserved if preserved at all by the region’s highest elevations) flowed to an actively eroding Potomac River drainage system before being captured and sometimes reversed first by Juniata River valley headward erosion, second by West Branch Susquehanna River valley headward erosion (to create northeast-oriented Bald Eagle Creek and the northeast-oriented West Branch Susquehanna River segment) and third by North Branch Susquehanna River valley headward erosion. This interpretation explains most if not all of the previously poorly explained and unexplained topographic map evidence.
基金Support from the USDA Forest Service(projects#21CR11330145063 and 21CR11330145069)The Nature Conservancy(project#030122-1)is greatly appreciated.
文摘Survival analysis is composed of a group of analytical approaches that can be used to predict the occurrence of harvest activities,which provides insightful information about the dynamics of natural resources utilization in a region.Recently,random survival forest(RSF)has been proposed in survival analysis to capture the complex relationships among variables.The main objective of this study was to employ the RSF algorithm to examine the temporal evolution of tree harvest,accounting for stand and environmental variables.Specifically,the predictability of the RSF model was compared with the Cox proportional hazard(Cox)model,a popular model in survival analysis.Important variables in explaining the variation of harvest time were identified.Data collected by the USDA Forest Service,Forest Inventory and Analysis(FIA)program from permanent plots in the southern Appalachian region were utilized in the analysis.Results showed that the RSF model consistently outperformed the Cox model based on prediction accuracy.Among 14 variables examined,ownership,forest type,elevation,state,and slope emerged as most important.Utilizing only these five variables in a reduced model produced satisfactory prediction accuracy compared to the full model(i.e.,the models with all variables included).The findings of this work provide insights for forest managers and policy makers to utilize survival analysis methods in understanding harvest activities at the regional scale.
基金The authors express their gratitude to the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada for financial support through a Discovery Grant(Grant No.06408).
文摘Vertical orthogonal joints are a common feature in shallow crustal rocks.There are several competing theories for their formation despite the ubiquity.We examined the exceptional exposures of orthogonal joints in flat-lying Ordovician limestone beds from the Havre-Saint-Pierre Region in Quebec,Canada(north shore of Saint-Lawrence River)to test conceptual models of joint formation in a natural setting.In the region,the spacing of cross-joints is consistently larger than the spacing of systematic joints by a factor of 1.5 approximately.The joint-spacing-to-bed-thickness ratios(s/t)are much larger in these beds(s/t=4.3 for systematic joints,and 6.4 for cross-joints)than those in higher strained strata along the south shore of the Saint-Lawrence River(s/t=1),highlighting the effect of tectonic strain in decreasing fracture spacing and block size.The high values of s/t indicate that cross-joint formation was unlikely caused by a switch from compression to tension once a critical s/t ratio for systematic joints was reached(as hypothesized in previous studies).We proposed a new model for the formation of orthogonal joint systems where the principal stress axes locally switch during the formation of systematic fractures.The presence of ladder-shaped orthogonal joints suggests a state of effective stress withσ_(1)^(∗)≫0>σ_(2)^(∗)>σ_(3)^(∗)and whereσ_(2)^(∗)-σ_(3)^(∗)is within the range of fracture strength variability at the time of fracture.This research provides a new mechanical model for the formation of orthogonal joint systems and cuboidal blocks.
基金This work was supported by the Joint Fire Science Program(Grant#G14AC00316)National Park Service Whitenose Syndrome Program(Grant#P14AC01042)through the Southern Appalachian Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit at Virginia Tech.
文摘Given the likelihood of regional extirpation of several once-common bat species in eastern North America from white-nose syndrome,it is critical that the impacts of forest management activities,such as prescribed fire,are known in order to minimize potentially additive negative effects on bat populations.Historic wildfires may offer a suitable surrogate to assess long-term burn impacts on bats for planning,implementing and assessing burn programs.To examine the effects of historic fire on bats,we sampled bat activities at 24 transect locations in burned and unburned forest stands in the central Appalachian Mountains of Shenandoah National Park(SNP),Virginia,USA.There was limited evidence of positive fire effects over time on hoary bats(Lasiurus cinereus Beauvois)and big brown bats(Eptesicus fuscus Beauvois)occupancy.Overall,there were few or mostly equivocal relationships of bat occupancy relative to burn conditions or time since fire in SNP across species using a false-positive occupancy approach.Our results suggest that fire does not strongly affect bat site occupancy short-or long-term in the central Appalachians.
文摘Wetlands are often created through wetland mitigation to replace lost natural wetlands, but further evaluation is needed to determine the ability of a created wetland to replace lost wetland functions, especially providing wildlife habitat. We used a mesocosm design to compare the water quality between three created wetlands and three natural wetlands in West Virginia, USA and to evaluate how the water quality from the two wetland types were able to support metamorphosis in larval spring peepers (Pseudacris crucifer) and wood frogs (Lithobates sylvaticus) across two years (2014-2015). Responses in metamorphosis rates differed between species and between years. Spring peepers displayed similar metamorphosis rates in the created and natural wetlands in both years of the study. Wood frogs displayed similar metamorphosis rates in created and natural wetlands in 2015, but in 2014 wood frogs reached metamorphosis in less time and at a larger body size in the natural wetlands, suggesting that the wood frogs that developed in the natural wetlands may have higher fitness than those that developed in the created wetlands. Water quality was largely similar between created and natural wetlands, although dissolved oxygen, conductivity, and pH varied between mesocosms and wetlands. Our study suggests that created wetlands may be providing partial mitigation in terms of water quality for amphibian development. We recommend that future monitoring of created wetlands include measures of juvenile amphibian recruitment as well as additional habitat variables to better determine the ability of created wetlands to function as amphibian habitat.
文摘Background:Recruiting research participants from primary care in rural Appalachia is a major challenge and can be influenced by cultural characteristics,making it critically important to incorporate strategies of cultural competence in the overall design of clinical research.Objectives:The purpose of this paper is to describe culturally competent strategies used for recruitment and data collection with a sample of adults with type 2 diabetes from primary care settings in Appalachia.Design:The Purnell model of cultural competence and relevant literature served as a framework for study design.Four overarching approaches informed the organization of recruitment strategies and development of the data collection plan.Procedures:The approaches included selection of research sites,establishing collaborations,sustaining collaborative relationships,and enhancing understanding of benefits of participation.Four recruitment sites were selected based on potential to enhance diversification of participants;multiple steps were included in each of the three remaining approaches to build relationships and gain participation.A study log was maintained to provide evaluation data.Results:Recruitment took 14 months and a sample of 102 subjects provided consent with 101 participants providing complete data.Demographics were representative of the region except that African American participation was higher(6.9%)compared to current north central Appalachia(3%).Over 72%of participants indicated they would be interested in participating in future studies.Conclusions:These findings emphasize the importance of employing strategies for cultural competence in study design.Use of concepts from the Purnell model led to enhanced representativeness and potential for subsequent generalizability.
文摘Black shales are usually interpreted to require anoxic bottom waters and deeper water sedimentation. There has long been a debate about whether the Devonian Cleveland Shale Member of the Ohio Shale (CSM) was deposited in shallow- or deep-water depositional environments. This study looked at the CSM at 3 stratigraphic sections and 5 well cores in northeastern Ohio. The CSM mostly consists of sapropelite (interbedded carbonaceous black mudstones and gray calcareous claystones). The black and gray “shales” are rhythmically bedded at micro- (<1 cm thick), meso- (<10 cm thick) and macro-scales (10s of cm thick) and represent changes in organic matter content (ranging from 7% - 20% TOC). Three types of event layers are interbedded with the mudrocks: 1) tempestites, 2) proximal turbidites, and 3) hyperpycnites. Individual tempestites and turbidites are laterally continuous?≥35 km, while hyperpycnites are too thin (<1 cm) to trace laterally. Tempestites consist of hummocky stratified sandstones with groove casts and escape burrows overlain by planar laminated sandstones with wave ripples at the top. Tempestites average 13 cm thick, but can be amalgamated up to 45 cm thick, and are more common in the lower half of the unit. Turbidites are incomplete Bouma sequences that average 6 cm thick, show evidence of combined flow (“wave-modified turbidites”), and are more common toward the top of the unit. Hyperpycnites (density underflows from river discharge) consist of inverse-to-normal graded sandy or silty microlaminae that have been studied primarily by using petrography and SEM. Condensed sections in the CSM are probable firmgrounds with carbonate concretions, and indicate intervals of low sedimentation rates. The evidence shows that the CSM depositional environment was receiving siliciclastics from the northeast (e.g., Catskill delta), and that the coarser-grained clastic sediment was primarily transported as density underflows (turbidites and hyperpycnites). However, significant storm deposits (tempestites) within the CSM indicate erosion and redeposition occurred on a muddy clastic marine shelf at paleo-water depths less than storm-weather wave base (probably?≤50 m depth).
