Central Wisconsin Research Articles

Can Joint Training Increase Union Knowledge and Power?

Globalization has been accompanied by a decline in unionization; however, while globalization presents extremely serious challenges to unions, globalization does not necessarily result in weakened unions. It is important for unions to identify and utilize ways to increase and leverage union power that are responsive to the pressures of globalization. Companies frequently introduce training during restructuring efforts aimed at remaining competitive in a global environment. This paper describes a joint union-management training program which offers an example of a pro-active union approach to joint training initiatives. The training took place in early 2004 in a typical paper mill in central Wisconsin. While the training was designed and undertaken in response to various competitive pressures, the content of the training was primarily determined by employee focus groups. The training design is examined against criteria for successful union involvement in joint ventures. The paper argues that, while joint ventures typically address management's production concerns at the expense of labor, a pro-active union can work to ensure that benefits also accrue to the union. Recent literature on union power in a globalized economy suggests that this training model could be used in other industries to enhance union knowledge and power.

Psychosocial Work Characteristics Predict Cardiovascular Disease Risk Factors and Health Functioning in Rural Women: The Wisconsin Rural Women's Health Study

The aim of the present study is to investigate the association between psychosocial work characteristics and health functioning and cardiovascular disease risk factors among rural women of central Wisconsin and compare psychosocial work characteristics between farm and nonfarm women. Stratified sampling was used to select a random sample (n = 1500) of farm and nonfarm women aged 25 to 71 years from the Central Marshfield Epidemiologic Study Area. The baseline examination included measurements of blood pressure, height, weight, and fasting blood lipids, glucose, and insulin. Psychosocial job condition was measured with the Karasek Job Content Questionnaires (JCQ). Health functioning was assessed by the Short Form-36 Health Survey. The analysis of JCQ showed that nonfarm residents were more likely to have jobs with high demand and high decision latitude compared to farm residents. Also, the farm residents (40.3%) were more likely to be occupied in passive jobs (jobs with low levels of demand and control) than the nonfarm residents (26.9%). Among farm residents, psychological job demand was associated with HDL level (beta = 0.17), triglycerides (beta = 0.0), their ratio (beta = 0.005), and blood insulin level (beta = 0.014), and among nonfarm residents, psychological job demand was associated with diastolic blood pressure (beta = 0.17) and total cholesterol level (beta = 0.002). Our results showed that rural farm residents had a higher prevalence of CVD risk factors and were more likely to be occupied in jobs with low levels of demand and control. Job stress predicted more CVD risk factors among farm residents compared to nonfarm residents. Therefore, interventions reducing job strain among rural farm residents are timely and necessary.

Detection of ApoE E2, E3 and E4 alleles using MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry and the homogeneous mass-extend technology

Apolipoprotein (Apo) E is one of the five main types of blood lipoproteins (A–E). It is synthesized primarily in the liver and brain and helps in transporting lipids from one place to another as well as facilitates the clearing of dietary fats, such as triglycerides, from the blood. The ApoE gene exists in three different forms: E2, E3 and E4. E3 is considered to be the normal form. Variants of the ApoE gene have been associated with various diseases. Developing an assay for the genotyping of ApoE variants for use both in clinical and large cohort based association settings would be extremely valuable and would require the use of a platform that has high-throughput capabilities and is highly accurate. Here we describe an assay for the simultaneous genotyping of the ApoE variants in a single bi-plex reaction and a single well using the matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight (MALDI-TOF) mass spectrometry and the homogeneous mass-extend (hME) technology. The assay is robust, highly accurate and suitable for both clinical applications and for the genotyping of large disease cohorts. Moreover, the prevalence of ApoE variants in a cohort of Caucasians from the central Wisconsin area is outlined.

Comparison of light- and temperature-based index models for potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) growth and development

Robust and simple methods of normalizing for the weather of particular growing seasons enable improved in-season decisions, such as supplemental fertilizer timing. Common methods involve expressing the progress of the season in terms of degree-days or cumulative incident solar radiation, in contrast to days after planting or emergence. This study compared a newly introduced temperature-derived variable, “relative thermal index” (RTI) based on a modified beta distribution model, with growing degree day (GDD), physiological day (Pday), and cumulative photosynthetically active radiation (PAR), for their ability in normalizing for seasonal differences in growth and development of well-managed commercial potato fields of cvs Russet Burbank and Russet Norkotah in humid, temperate central Wisconsin. The proposed RTI was superior to all other investigated variables in reducing the standard deviation of crop mass among field-years through full canopy development, after which PAR became the more powerful normalization. Values of 15, 27, and 30 RTI corresponded to tuber initiation onset, canopy full interception of light, and tuber-bulking onset, respectively, for both varieties; RTI values were more consistent across the two varieties for these stages than were other variables. Presumably RTI was superior to other thermal time indices because it more appropriately reflected the dependence of potato growth rate on relatively cool temperatures.

Vegetation changes in a central Wisconsin floodplain from pre-settlement to the mid-21st Century1

Abstract Cook, J. (College of Natural Resources, University of Wisconsin Stevens Point, Stevens Point, WI 54481). Vegetation changes in a central Wisconsin floodplain from pre-settlement to mid-21st century. J. Torrey Bot. Soc. 132:492–504. 2005.—The vegetation changes of a central Wisconsin floodplain from the mid-1800's to 2000 were documented, and the probable changes to 2050 projected. This was accomplished by use of survey witness trees in 1851, an extensive survey in 2000, and projection to ∼2050 using probable gap replacement frequencies and forest development theory. Between 1851 and 2000 extensive changes in relative abundance of tree species occurred. Silver maple (Acer saccharinum L.) exhibited the largest increase, and river birch (Betula nigra L.) and eastern white pine (Pinus strobus L.) the greatest decline; bur oak (Quercus macropcara Michx.) and yellow birch (Betula alleghaniensis Britton (B. lutea Michx. f.) were noted by the surveyor but not found in 2000. Conversely, two species [hornb...

Relative impact of CYP3A genotype and concomitant medication on the severity of atorvastatin-induced muscle damage

Atorvastatin is metabolized through enzymes encoded by members of the cytochrome P-450 (CYP) 3A gene family. Some patients who take atorvastatin along with concomitant medications known to inhibit CYP3A enzyme activity (e.g. itraconazole) develop rhabdomyolysis secondary to a severe drug-induced myopathy. The present study aimed to characterize the relationship between CYP3A gene polymorphisms and atorvastatin-induced muscle damage in the context of concomitant medication. The study employed a retrospective case--control (n=137) design. Study subjects were recruited from the general patient population served by Marshfield Clinic, a large horizontally integrated multispecialty group practice located in central Wisconsin, and case assignment was based upon both subjective (myalgia) and objective inclusion criteria [elevated serum creatine kinase (CK) levels]. The primary outcome was the relationship between serum CK level and CYP3A genotype. CYP3A genotype was not associated with an increased risk for the development of atorvastatin-induced muscle damage. CYP3A4*1B and CYP3A5*3 allele frequencies were similar in cases (n=68) and controls (n=69). Conversely, CYP3A genotype was associated with an increased severity of atorvastatin-induced muscle damage. An association was identified between the non-functional CYP3A5*3 allele and the magnitude of serum CK elevation in case patients experiencing myalgia. Patients who were homozygous for CYP3A5*3 demonstrated greater serum CK levels than patients who were heterozygous for CYP3A5*3, when concomitant lipid-lowering agents were sequentially removed from the analysis (P=0.025 without gemfibrozil, P=0.010 without gemfibrozil and niacin). The study demonstrates that patients who develop myalgia while taking atorvastatin are more likely to experience a greater degree of muscle damage if they express two copies of CYP3A5*3.

Understanding Long‐Term Baseflow Water Quality Trends Using a Synoptic Survey of the Ground Water–Surface Water Interface, Central Wisconsin

The relationship between stream water quality and landscape activities is difficult to evaluate where the principal source of stream flow is ground water seepage because the average travel time from ground water recharge areas to stream discharge positions can be on the order of decades. We tested the idea that past and future baseflow water quality can be predicted based on a synoptic survey of ground water recharge age-dates (based on chlorofluorocarbon [CFC] measurements) and water quality measurements obtained at the ground water-surface water interface. In this study we (i) characterize the discharge-weighted age distribution and water quality of ground water seepage into the Little Plover River (LPR); (ii) use this information to backcast and forecast baseflow NO(3)(-) concentrations; and (iii) evaluate NO(3)(-) backcasts against historical baseflow data (1960 to 2000). The discharge-weighted apparent CFC age of ground water seepage into the LPR was 23.7 (+/-7) yr. Baseflow backcasts matched the four decade rise of baseflow NO(3)(-) from 2 to 8 mg L(-1). Baseflow forecasts included three scenarios. Scenario A projects the historical rise of NO(3)(-) in the LPR basin's ground water recharge through 2050. Scenario B projects a leveling off of NO(3)(-) in ground water recharge in the year 2000. Scenario C projects a leveling off in the year 1985. Under Scenario A, LPR baseflow NO(3)(-) will increase steadily from 8 to 19 mg L(-1) between 2000 and 2050. Under scenarios B and C baseflow NO(3)(-) will plateau at 13 mg L(-1) in 2030 and at 10 mg L(-1) in 2010, respectively. The approach developed in this study can be used to (i) reconstruct historical baseflow water quality patterns in the absence of long-term monitoring data and (ii) project the effects of potential management decision on future water quality.

Ethnography and Experiments: Cultural Models and Expertise Effects Elicited with Experimental Research Techniques

This article reports the results of two independent studies dealing with saliency effects within the domain of folkbiological knowledge. In study 1, the authors present data from a free-listing task that explored tree-name generation among Tzotzil Maya of Zinacantán (Chiapas). Study 2 compares Menominee Native Americans with majority culture (nonprofessional) fish experts in central Wisconsin. The studies explore patterns of informant agreement and disagreement, looking at the accessibility of certain kinds of biological knowledge, both within and across cultural groups. The authors show that differences in levels of expertise and practice, as well as habitual patterns of knowledge organization (spontaneous categorization), can lead to significant differences in the salience or accessibility of certain types of knowledge.

Detrital Zircon Ages from Early Proterozoic Quartzites, Wisconsin, Support Rapid Weathering and Deposition of Mature Quartz Arenites: A Reply

Abstract The ages of more than 200 detrital zircons from two Proterozoic quartzites (the Baraboo and Hamilton Mounds Quartzites) from central Wisconsin have been measured utilizing a laser ablation ICPMS technique. Both quartzites contain Penokean (1.83–1.89 Ga) and Archean components as well as a younger (post‐Penokean) component. The 69 detrital zircons from Hamilton Mounds contain major pre‐Penokean age populations at 3.2, 2.9, and 2.55 Ga; Penokean ages at 1895, 1853, and 1811 Ma; and a post‐Penokean population at 1772 Ma. Most detrital zircon ages are similar to previously measured ages of locally underlying gneisses and intrusive rocks of the Marshfield terrane. The 147 detrital zircons from two samples of the Baraboo Quartzite show a grossly similar age distribution, with populations at 1754 and 1850 Ma and 2.55 Ga. However, the zircon populations in the Baraboo Quartzite differ from those of Hamilton Mounds in having a large population at 1920 Ma, a broad distribution of ages from 2.0 to 2.4 Ga, a...

Surveillance of Above- and Below-Ground Mosquito Breeding Habitats in a Rural Midwestern Community: Baseline Data for Larvicidal Control Measures Against West Nile Virus Vectors

Mosquitoes in the genus Culex are thought to play a major role as vectors in the transmission cycle of West Nile virus (WNV) and other arboviruses in the United States. Effective control of mosquitoes through larviciding and adulticiding is expensive for communities and should be guided by reliable surveillance data on the distribution of mosquito breeding habitats. However, few small to medium sized cities in rural areas of the midwestern United States have this type of baseline information available. During the summer of 2004, we investigated the characteristics of Culex and other mosquito-breeding habitats in a rural central Wisconsin community with a population of approximately 19,000. Such baseline information will aid in the development of rational strategies to control mosquito populations and prevent human exposure to WNV and other mosquito-transmitted viruses. Mosquito larvae were collected and identified weekly from 14 below-ground storm water catch basins and 10 above-ground standing water sites distributed throughout the community. Collection began June 4, 2004 and continued through September 24, 2004. For each collection site the primary and adjacent land use patterns were determined. Over the study period, 1,244 larvae were collected from catch basins; 94% were Culex species. Breeding activity was first detected in early July. Peak breeding was observed during a period of several weeks when average daily temperatures were at the maximum observed and rainfall had declined. Organically enriched catch basins in low intensity urban sites adjacent to forests and wetlands were found to be more productive breeding habitats compared to catch basins having little organic debris located in isolated high intensity urban sites. Above-ground standing water sites produced 1,504 larvae; 66% of which were Culex species. Flood control ditches and permanent wetlands with stagnant water were most productive, while ditches with moving water were least productive habitats. Larvae were produced earlier in the season by above-ground sites than were produced by catch basins. However, larvae production was more variable in above-ground sites since half the sites became dry at some point during the study period. The observed differences in Culex larvae production based on the variables of habitat-type, temperature, and precipitation support the need for ongoing surveillance in communities to guide public health officials in planning for and prioritizing mosquito control efforts.

Three times the injuries among occasional wood cutters compared to professional loggers: sample of emergency rooms in central and northern Wisconsin

No reliable statistics exist for injury rates among occasional woodcutters as opposed to professional loggers. Study objectives were to assess woodcutting injuries seen in emergency rooms and identify risk factors. Individuals with woodcutting related injuries were identified in 14 emergency and urgent care departments in central and northern Wisconsin. A telephone survey was conducted within 3 weeks of presentation to determine number and types of injuries, causes, and characteristics of the injured. Three times as many woodcutting-related injuries occurred in non-logger survey participants (54 vs. 17). There was no significant difference in age or type of injury. Loggers were more likely to wear personal protective equipment. Younger individuals attributed their accidents to human errors, whereas older individuals felt their injuries were unavoidable. Occasional woodcutting activities result in comparable, but more frequent injuries than professional logging activities. Further data are needed to assess impact on public safety.

Celebrating the Indian Way of Life

The day of opening ceremonies at the National Museum of the American Indian in Washington DC dawned beautiful and cloudless. Little did I know that it would also turn out to be a life-changing experience. My friend Joan Staples (White Earth Chippewa) and I boarded the DC Metro system in our jingle dresses around 7 A.M. to head down to the Smithsonian Castle, which was near the staging area for the Native Nations Procession. We made quite a commotion with our dresses in the subway, where we had our first experience being photographed by someone's cell phone. We made even more of an impression when we later entered the Fine Art Museum in search of a restroom. We didn't realize we would have to first get past the metal detectors, which created quite a spectacle, given that we were each wearing about four hundred pieces of metal on our dresses. The primary mood surrounding opening ceremonies was that of celebration. Never before had so many people representing so many different Indigenous nations come together in the nation's capital. Indigenous peoples from North and South America exchanged smiles, photographic moments, and cultural acknowledgement of one another's beauty, pride, and the strength that lifted up our people, despite centuries of colonization and oppression. Many of us can rejoice in the fact that today we can still identify tribal people by their particular regalia, dances, and songs, proving that many survived the assimilation policies of governments. The spirit of the people had not been vanquished. There was something to be celebrated in understanding that today's surviving Indigenous people are the descendants of the strongest of the strong and that they have not only survived [End Page 505] but in many instances have learned how to adapt and thrive while continuing to maintain the essence of what it is to be an Indigenous person in this world. As renowned Maori artist Darcy Nicholas says, "I can never be my ancestor, and at the same time, he could never be me. Yet, ironically, I am he and he is me." I wondered with amusement how the procession organizers planned to get twenty-five thousand Indians in alphabetical order by tribe in time for the 9:30 A.M. grand entry, but despite a few exasperated "Tighten the lines!" coming over the pa system, it seemed that almost all the participants found a place and were reasonably in order by the time it began. I encountered my first tribal member from Lac du Flambeau while exiting the port-a-potty line. My cousin Bagwajikwe called out my name, and we were pleased to have family to walk with during the procession. Next I saw my high school friend Nils "Buster" Landin. His family, representing three generations, always danced in unison at our annual homecoming pow wow. Today, his children would carry in the Lac du Flambeau Ojibwe Nation flag, leading our contingent of about a dozen tribal members from Flambeau. There can be no dancing without a song, and our brothers from Flambeau were one of the few groups to carry in a big drum, drawing a flurry of cameras and video footage wherever they sounded the heartbeat. Our band of Ojibwes came in right behind the band from Lac Courte Oreilles, also from northern Wisconsin. If all of the bands of Ojibwes from Wisconsin, Minnesota, Michigan, North Dakota, and Canada had come in as one group, we would have made quite a contingent of Anishinaabegs. As the Lac du Flambeau band joined the procession, our men began to drum. The crowd on both sides began to cheer, and it was such an odd feeling; later on I would recall how it contrasted with what many of our tribal members experienced back in the early 1990s, as our men and women exercised our treaty right to spear fish in the ceded territories in northern and central Wisconsin. At that time the angry...

Emergence and Spread of Community-Associated Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus in Rural Wisconsin, 1989 to 1999

We investigated the emergence and spread of community-associated strains of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (CA-MRSA) in central and northern Wisconsin by determining the temporal and clonal relationships and geographic expansion among 581 of 956 clinical isolates of MRSA collected between 1989 and 1999. Based on EcoRI plasmid profiles (PP), two types, PP-11 and PP-13, were highly stable over time and were consistently associated with multidrug-sensitive strains recovered from outpatients treated at Native American community clinics. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) yielded six major clonal groups (MCGs) and 19 minor clonal groups. The six MCGs represented 82% of the isolates. All strains with either PP-11 or -13 were present in MCG-2. Eighty-nine percent of the isolates in MCG-2 originated from Native American clinics, and 90% belonged to two PFGE types (19 and 20), the types associated with an outbreak of MRSA in a Native American community in 1992. MCG-2 isolates were multidrug sensitive, harbored type IVa staphylococcal cassette chromosome mec, and were very closely related by PFGE to the Midwestern CA-MRSA strain MW2. MCG-2 strains were mostly obtained from skin infections and affected patients with a mean age of 24 (+/-18.0) years. MCG-2 strains spread to four additional Native American communities and 20 other communities. Our findings suggest that CA-MRSA in Wisconsin likely originated in Native American communities in the early 1990s and since has become widespread throughout the state. Two early CA-MRSA strains (WI-33 and WI-34) in Wisconsin represent progenitors of the MW2 strain, based on their almost indistinguishable genotypic characteristics.

Carbon exchange and venting anomalies in an upland deciduous forest in northern Wisconsin, USA

Turbulent fluxes of carbon, water vapor, and temperature were continuously measured above an upland forest in north central Wisconsin during 1999 and 2000 using the eddy covariance method. Maple ( Acer saccharum), basswood ( Tilia americana), and green ash ( Fraxinus pennsylvanica) species found in this forest also comprise a substantial portion of the landscape in the northern Great Lakes region and area, and it has been hypothesized that forests of this age (60–80 years) are responsible for net uptake of atmospheric CO 2 over North America. Mean CO 2, water vapor, and temperature profile measurements were used to improve flux estimates during periods of low turbulence, and were effective for friction velocities ( u *) >0.3 m s −1. Unique observations at this site included nighttime and early morning venting anomalies that seemed to originate from a seemingly homogenous area within the forest. These elevated NEE measurements, some as high as 80 mol m −2 s −1, appeared in valid turbulent flux observations for hours at a time, and provided circumstantial evidence for preferential venting and/or existence of pooled CO 2 in low-lying areas. We observed that the forest was a moderate sink for atmospheric carbon, and cumulative NEE of CO 2 was estimated to be −334 g C m −2 year −1 during 2000. Sensitivity to low-turbulence flux corrections was very small (21 g C m −2 year −1), and discrepancies between annual estimates of NEE and NEP were similar to other sites. A normalized measure of ecosystem respiration, the free energy of activation, was presented and its seasonal variations were analyzed. Gross ecosystem production (GEP) was high (1165 g C m −2 year −1) and ecosystem respiration (ER) was low (817 g C m −2 year −1) in comparison to spatially integrated, landscape-scale observations from WLEF (914 and 1005 g C m −2 year −1, respectively), a 477 m tower located 22 km to the northeast [Glob. Change Biol. 9 (2003) 1278]. Forest transpiration was responsible for most of the water released to the atmosphere. Stomata closed under intense sunlight and high vapor pressure deficits (VPD > 1.5 kPa). Effect of stomotal closure on annual CO 2 uptake was minimal due to adequate soil moisture and moderate VPD during the growing season.

The Regional Construction of Identity and Scale in Wisconsin's Holyland

Through an examination of a regional construct, this study reveals the relationships between the processes that shape the construction of identity and scale. This paper examines the political, social, cultural, and institutional forces that were most significant in the construction of identity and scale in a region known as the Holyland in east central Wisconsin. This study provides a glimpse into how particular geographic scales are constructed and how identity is significant at various scales. To understand how and why certain scales gain or lose importance, I consider the evolving network of power structures and social relations for this case study. An examination of community life can reveal the ways in which a regional consciousness and identity emerged over time. The people and institutions in Wisconsin's Holyland played a significant role in shaping its identity. Social, cultural, and political forces served to crystallize the region's identity during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. These forces occurred at a variety of scales and ultimately contributed to the regional construction of scale of the Holyland. Regional geographies such as this provide ample opportunities for exploring the relationships between place and identity as well as the construction of scale.

Molecular characteristics of nosocomial and Native American community-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus clones from rural Wisconsin.

In central and northern Wisconsin methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) was first detected in 1989. Over the next 10-year period, 581 MRSA isolates were collected, 17.2% of which came from patients who were treated at five Native American clinics. These isolates were typed by SmaI-macrorestricted pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE). The PFGE patterns clustered the isolates into six major clonal groups (MCGs), i.e., MCGs 1 to 6, and 19 minor clonal groups (mCGs). The 25 clonal groups were represented by 109 unique PFGE types. Sixty-five percent of the MCG-2 isolates were recovered from patients who were treated at Native American clinics. Ninety-four percent of the MCG-2 isolates harbored the staphylococcal cassette chromosome mec (SCCmec) IVa. These isolates also had PFGE profiles that were clonally related to the midwestern community-associated MRSA (CA-MRSA) strain, MW2. The representative isolates from MCG-2 had the multilocus sequence type allelic profile 1-1-1-1-1-1-1 and contained pvl genes. They were also susceptible to various antibiotics, a finding consistent with the CA-MRSA phenotype. SCCmec IV was also present in other mCGs. Unlike MCG-2, isolates from the remaining five MCGs harbored SCCmec II and were resistant to multiple antibiotics, suggesting their nosocomial origin. The 19 mCGs were represented by diverse SCCmec types and three putative new variants referred to as SCCmec Ib, IIa, and IIb.

Sphaeropsis shoot blight and altered nutrition in red pine plantations treated with paper mill waste sludge

SummaryDuring 1993 progressive, severe shoot blight and canker disease in crowns of mature, merchantable red pines (Pinus resinosa) in central Wisconsin was noted in plantations in which paper mill waste sludge previously had been applied. For eight treated plantations and six non‐treated plantations, incidence of shoot blight attributed to the pathogenic fungus Sphaeropsis sapinea (syn. Diplodia pinea) was quantified during 1993 or 1994. Foliage and soil samples also were collected for analyses. Sphaeropsis shoot blight was more frequent in treated plantations than in the non‐treated stands (means of 81% of trees and 10.2% of shoots compared with 7% of trees and 0.1% of shoots, respectively). Consistent with other reports of damage caused by some diseases of conifers in situations of altered host nutrition, mean foliar N concentrations were higher in treated plantations (1.61%) than non‐treated plantations (1.31%) (p < 0.001). Mean foliar Zn, Mn, Cu, and Al concentrations were lower in treated plantations than non‐treated plantations, and mean soil P, Ca, and Mg concentrations were higher in treated plantations than non‐treated plantations.

Adjusting Management Practices Using Glyphosate‐Resistant Soybean Cultivars

Glyphosate [N‐(phosphonomethyl)glycine]‐resistant soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] cultivars have increased drastically in usage and acceptance. Little information exists to see how glyphosate‐resistant soybean cultivars should be managed. The objective of this study was to evaluate different row‐spacing and plant population systems using three weed management systems. A field study was conducted from 1997 through 1999 at six locations in Wisconsin. Soybean was planted in 19‐, 38‐, and 76‐cm rows at a recommended (optimum), low, and high plant population for each row‐spacing system with three weed management systems [glyphosate‐resistant soybean cultivars with glyphosate (GRS/G), glyphosate‐resistant soybean cultivars with conventional herbicides (GRS/CN), and conventional soybean cultivars with conventional herbicides (CN/CN)]. In northern Wisconsin, soybean yield in a GRS/G system did not respond to plant population while GRS/CN and CN/CN systems yielded 6% more in high than in low plant population. Additionally, soybean yield responded positively to plant population in 76‐cm row CN/CN and GRS/CN systems in northern Wisconsin. In southern Wisconsin, GRS/G and GRS/CN systems yielded 6% less than the CN/CN system. No differences were observed among weed management systems in central and northern Wisconsin. Averaged across weed management systems and plant population, 19‐ and 38‐cm rows yielded 7, 9, and 10% more than 76‐cm rows in southern, central, and northern Wisconsin, respectively. No yield differences were observed between optimum and high plant population across Wisconsin, averaging 4% greater yield than the low plant population. The results demonstrated that it might be beneficial to alter management practices when using glyphosate‐resistant soybean in some production environments in Wisconsin.

Spatial heterogeneity of crenarchaeal assemblages within mesophilic soil ecosystems as revealed by PCR-single-stranded conformation polymorphism profiling.

Microbial ecologists have discovered novel rRNA genes (rDNA) in mesophilic soil habitats worldwide, including sequences that affiliate phylogenetically within the division Crenarchaeota (domain Archaea). To characterize the spatial distribution of crenarchaeal assemblages in mesophilic soil habitats, we profiled amplified crenarchaeal 16S rDNA sequences from diverse soil ecosystems by using PCR-single-stranded-conformation polymorphism (PCR-SSCP) analysis. PCR-SSCP profiles provide a measure of relative microbial diversity in terms of richness (number of different phylotypes as estimated from the number of unique PCR-SSCP peaks) and evenness (abundance of each phylotype as estimated from the relative area under a peak). Crenarchaeal assemblages inhabiting prairie, forest, turf, and agricultural soils were characterized at six sampling locations in southern and central Wisconsin. Phylotype richness was found to be more stable than evenness among triplicate samples collected within 30 cm at each sampling location. Transformation of the PCR-SSCP data by principal-component analysis, followed by statistical testing (analysis of variance [P < 0.0001] and least-significant-difference analysis [alpha = 0.5]), supported the conclusion that each location exhibited a unique profile. To further characterize the spatial distribution of crenarchaeal assemblages at one location, additional soil samples (a total of 30) were collected from agricultural field plots at the Hancock Agricultural Research Station. PCR-SSCP revealed a patchy spatial distribution of crenarchaeal assemblages within and between these plots. This mosaic of crenarchaeal assemblages was characterized by differences in phylotype evenness that could not be correlated with horizontal distance (15 to 30 m) or with depth (0 to 20 cm below the surface). Crenarchaeal 16S rDNA clone libraries were produced and screened for unique SSCP peaks. Clones representing the dominant phylotypes at each location were identified, sequenced, and found to group phylogenetically with sequences in crenarchaeal clade C1b.

THE ATROCITY PARADIGM APPLIED TO ENVIRONMENTAL EVILS

Environmental ethicists have been remarkably reticent to use the word in describing ecological ills. This is not to say that we are somehow behind the curve in the wider world of philosophy. Claudia Card has rightly noted (2000, 9), Until the past two decades, surprisingly few secular moral philosophers have attended specifically to the concept of evil. Shortly thereafter she notes that her own list of atrocities includes evils done to animals who are raised on factory farms and butchered in mass-production slaughterhouses, and elsewhere she mentions that some might consider the widespread use of pesticides and nuclear power as evils (8,14). I take it as uncontroversial that we can identify ecological evils, at least on an intuitive level. I remember my shock at learning of the near-decimation of the buffalo of the American West, my creeping horror at being told every person on the earth stores trace amounts of DDT in their bodies, and the depression from reading a quote by someone who said merrily, in the nineteenth century, that hundreds of years of logging could not begin to deforest south central Wisconsin.1 While I am persuaded both by the theory of evil advanced by Claudia Card in The Atrocity Paradigm and by the idea that there are evils done to the environment, I argue that the theory of evil she describes has difficulty