Eastern Oregon Research Articles

Evaluating floodplain vegetation after valley‐scale restoration with unsupervised classification of National Agriculture Imagery Program data in semi‐arid environments

AbstractMonitoring vegetation response to valley‐scale floodplain restoration to evaluate effectiveness can be costly and time‐consuming. We used publicly available National Agriculture Imagery Program (NAIP) data and commonly used ArcGIS software to assess land cover change over time at five study sites located in semi‐arid environments of eastern Oregon and north‐central California. Accuracy assessments of our unsupervised classifications were used to evaluate effectiveness. Overall accuracy across sites and years ranged from 64.2% to 89.2% with mean and median accuracy of 79.1% and 80.6%, respectively. Further, we compared our classifications with high‐resolution uncrewed aerial systems (UAS)‐based data collected in the same timeframe. Restored areas classified as dense vegetation were within 4% of the UAS study, water was within 6%, and post‐restoration classifications of sparse vegetation and bare ground classes were within 6% and 4% of the UAS study, respectively. This comparison demonstrates that our unsupervised NAIP data classification of land cover change across entire valley‐scale restoration projects can be used to monitor riparian vegetation change over time as accurately as UAS‐based methods, but at lower cost. Additionally, our methods leverage existing fine‐resolution, pre‐restoration vegetation density data that were not collected as part of project planning.

Importance and satisfaction of motivation and setting factors among elk and deer hunters

AbstractHunting has important social, cultural, economic, and conservation benefits. Information on hunters’ motivations and expectations for a hunting experience can help support decision‐making by state and federal wildlife managers. We surveyed deer (Odocoileus spp.) and elk (Cervus canadensis) hunters participating in controlled hunts in eastern Oregon to describe hunter characteristics and experiences, including the importance of hunting motivational factors and specific setting attributes (2017–2019; n = 501). We compared differences between hunters’ ratings of importance and satisfaction and identified factors of particular importance for hunters with different characteristics. Survey response rates were high, ranging from 97% in 2017 to 81% in 2019. We found that the intangible benefits of hunting were most important to hunters, with enjoyment and spending time with friends and family emerging as the top‐ranked hunting motivations by importance. Motivations differed by gender, age and hunting avidity. Women rated getting meat for themselves and family higher than did men ( = 4.67 vs. 4.26). Frequent hunters ranked many experiential elements of a hunt higher in importance than less frequent hunters (e.g., Seeing animals in the wild, = 4.52 vs. 4.19; Fun and enjoyment, = 4.50 vs. 4.21; Thrill of the chase, = 4.34 vs. 3.97). Older hunters considered learning experiences less important than younger hunters (New experience, developing new skills, = 2.72 vs. 3.52; Gaining knowledge about the outdoors, = 3.14 vs. 3.83). We also found that the attributes of the specific hunt setting were less important than the broad factors that motivate hunting participation. Our results provide context for hunting retention and reactivation efforts and can be used to identify opportunities to recruit new hunters whose diversity reflects that of background populations in the U.S.

Escherichia coli Survival on Dry Bulb Onions Treated with Crop Protection Sprays Prepared using Contaminated Water in the Treasure Valley Growing Region

Contaminated agricultural water has been implicated in produce-associated outbreaks, including dry bulb onions (Allium cepa). This study was designed to quantify risks associated with contaminated water used to prepare crop protection sprays applied immediately before the onset of field curing of dry bulb onions. Laboratory experiments determining the behavior of Salmonella and Escherichia coli in crop protection chemical solutions were performed to guide selection for field use. Field trials were conducted (2022, 2023) in eastern Oregon (Treasure Valley) using two onion cultivars (‘Red Wing’ and ‘Cometa’) inoculated with a rifampicin-resistant E. coli cocktail (3–4 log CFU/100 mL) suspended in fungicide solution or clay suspension, and applied with a backpack sprayer at the end of the growing season. Onions were sampled through the next 4 weeks of field curing and after 1 and 4–5 mos of postharvest storage. In 2022, onions were initially contaminated at a maximum cell density of 48 MPN/onion (Geometric mean (GM): 3.7 MPN/onion). At the end of curing, a single onion (out of 320) tested positive at 2 MPN/onion. In 2022, E. coli was not detected during postharvest storage (n = 160). In 2023, the application of contaminated sprays resulted in a maximum contamination of 275 MPN/onion (GM: 8.6 MPN/onion). At the end of the 2023 curing period, three out of 320 onions (0.9%) had detectable levels of E. coli (1–2 MPN/onion). Three ‘Cometa’ onions from the same plot that were treated with fungicide were positive for E. coli after 5 months of postharvest storage (2, 11, and 83 MPN/onion). These field trials indicate field curing conditions in the Treasure Valley help mitigate risks associated with contaminated water used for applying crop protection sprays. E. coli was detected on a small percentage of onions at low cell density after curing. The single onion with elevated E. coli populations after postharvest storage had internal damage characteristic of bacterial rot.

363 Effects of supplementation of vitamin B complex on the performance of beef calves during a 42-d preconditioning program

Abstract The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of supplementation of vitamin B complex on post-weaning performance of beef calves. The study was conducted during fall of 2023 at Eastern Oregon Agriculture Research Center (EOARC; Burns, OR). At weaning (d 0), 63 calves [Angus × Hereford; body weight (BW) = 252 ± 3.6 kg] were randomly assigned to 1 of 3 treatments: 1) Control, 2) VitB1, or 3) VitB2. Calves assigned to Control treatment served as a negative control and were not supplemented with vitamin B complex. Calves assigned to treatment VitB1 were supplemented at 1g/calf daily, while calves assigned to VitB2 treatment were supplemented at 2g/calf daily of vitamin B complex during the 42 d of preconditioning. Upon weaning processing, calves were allocated to 21 pens (3 calves/pen) and treatments were allocated to each pen (7 pens/treatment). Vitamin B complex [Vivalto, pantothenic acid (B5; 40,000 mg/kg), pyridoxine (B6; 20,000 mg/kg), folic acid (B9; 3,200 mg/kg), biotin (B7; 3,200,000 mcg/kg), cobalamin (B12; 320,000 mcg/kg); Selko USA, Indianapolis, IN] supplementation was offered at pen level beginning on d 1 and until the end of the preconditioning phase (d 42). Vitamin B complex was offered to calves assigned to vitamin B complex treatment mixed with 1.3 kg of dried distiller’s grains. Additionally, calves had free access to chopped alfalfa-grass hay mix and whole corn. Pen intake was recorded daily. On d 0, BW and blood samples were collected from all calves. Additional blood and BW were collected on d 1, 3, 7, 14, 21, 42 post-weaning. Body weights were used to calculate calf average daily gain (ADG) and blood samples were assayed for acute phase proteins (ceruloplasmin and haptoglobin). Additional blood samples will be analyzed for cortisol and vitamin B concentrations. Variables were analyzed considering pen as the experimental unit and pen(treatment) as a random effect. Blood variables were evaluated as repeated measures and effects of treatment, day, and treatment the interactions were analyzed with the MIXED procedure of SAS (SAS Inst. Inc., Cary, NC). Significance was set at P ≤ 0.05. No treatment effects (P = 0.98) were observed for final BW (283, 283, and 284 kg respectively for Control, Vit1, and Vit2) or for ADG (P = 0.53; 0.735, 0.795, and 0.747 kg/d respectively for Control, Vit1, and Vit2). Similarly, no treatment effects were observed for the acute phase proteins analyzed, ceruloplasmin (P = 0.66; 27, 30, and 33 µg/dL respectively for Control, Vit1, and Vit2) and haptoglobin (P = 0.41; 0.55, 0.62, and 0.59 mg/mL, respectively for Control, Vit1, and Vit2). Supplementation of vitamin B complex to beef calves post-weaning does not seem to affect calf performance, regardless of the level of supplementation.

Fluid sources and formation environment of Late Triassic seep carbonatein eastern Oregon, United States

Fluid sources and formation environment of Late Triassic seep carbonatein eastern Oregon, United States

Prevalence and Diversity of Aphid-Vectored Yellow Dwarf Viruses in Oregon Perennial Grass Seed Crops

Oregon produces 70% of the world's cool-season grass seed, many species of which are susceptible to yellow dwarf viruses (YDVs). This virus complex has numerous defined virus species vectored by multiple aphid species. The diversity of YDVs associated with Oregon grass seed production has not been determined and is needed to provide insight to develop a risk prediction framework and improve management guidelines to mitigate disease severity. Commercial grass seed fields ( n = 57) across the Willamette Valley and central and eastern Oregon were surveyed across 2021 and 2022 to determine the incidence and diversity of YDVs associated with crop species (perennial ryegrass, tall fescue, and Kentucky bluegrass) and the abundance and incidence of YDVs associated with aphid vectors. Virus incidence and diversity were determined using multiple previously published endpoint reverse-transcriptase multiplexes specific for YDV genera and species. Across commercial grass seed crop hosts and growing seasons, 82% of fields had at least one plant sample detection of a luteovirus-type YDV, and 65% had at least one detection of a polerovirus-type YDV. Both perennial ryegrass and tall fescue crops hosted diverse YDV populations, which was especially apparent during the spring sampling season, when similarly diverse YDV communities were found associated with alate aphids. Only polerovirus-type YDVs were detected in Kentucky bluegrass, reflecting a variable landscape compared to Oregon's western Willamette Valley. This study provides a current understanding of the spatial composition and diversity of the aphid–YDV virus–vector system in grasses grown for seed in Oregon. [Formula: see text] The author(s) have dedicated the work to the public domain under the Creative Commons CC0 “No Rights Reserved” license by waiving all of his or her rights to the work worldwide under copyright law, including all related and neighboring rights, to the extent allowed by law, 2024.

Volcanic Glass as a Proxy for Paleotopography Suggests New Features in Late-Miocene Oregon

Volcanic glass has been used extensively as a paleoaltimeter. Deuterium (2H) concentrations in glass have been found to be stable over geologic timescales, making δ2H (also known as δD) a reliable proxy for ancient water chemistry. However, continued work revolves around better understanding how different factors affect preserved water in volcanic ash. Here, we analyze δD in the Rattlesnake Tuff (RST), a widespread ca. 7 Ma ash-flow tuff, and create a paleoisoscape to assess variations in δD across Oregon during that time. To this end, 16 ash samples were collected across central and eastern Oregon from various flow units within the RST. Samples were analyzed for δD using a temperature conversion elemental analyzer (TC/EA) connected to a mass spectrometer and elemental composition using a scanning electron microscope (SEM). We compared the isotopic results to modern water and published ancient water proxy data to better constrain changes in climate and topography across Oregon throughout the Neogene. We also estimated wt. % H2O by calculating excess (non-stoichiometric) oxygen from SEM elemental data. We did not observe significant variations in δD among the flow units from single locations, nor was there a significant relationship between the prepared glass shard composition and wt. % H2O or δD, supporting the use of volcanic glass as a reliable paleoenvironmental indicator. Our results show significant spatial variation in δDwater values of RST, ranging from −107‰ to −154‰. δD values of ancient glass were similar to modern water near the Cascade Mountains but became relatively negative to the east near the inferred eruptive center of the RST, suggesting that a significant topographic feature existed in the vicinity of the RST eruptive center that has since subsided.

Fruits of Sabia (Sabiaceae) from the Miocene of western North America and their biogeographic significance

Distinctive, reticulately sculptured ellipsoidal endocarp impressions have been discovered in Middle Miocene lake deposits of Idaho and eastern Oregon in the northwestern USA. We describe a new species based on these endocarp impressions and compare them morphologically with previously described extinct and extant species of Sabia (Sabiaceae) using light microscopy and micro-CT scanning. Sabia megacarpa sp. nov. endocarps are distinguished by their large size but resemble other species of Sabia in their asymmetric elliptical shape, reticulate surface ribs, unilocular morphology and gland-dotted endocarp surface. Although Sabia is now native to Southeast Asia and Malesia, the fossil record indicates this genus was formerly present in Europe and North America. The new species indicates that Sabia survived until at least 16 million years ago in western North America.

Grazing intensity effects on herbaceous community composition in burned sagebrush steppe

AbstractThere is limited knowledge of grazing impacts on longer term plant community dynamics following fire in sagebrush steppe. This study evaluated vegetation response to different intensities of deferred rotation cattle grazing over 16 years (2007–2022) on burned Wyoming big sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata ssp. wyomingensis (Beetle & Young) Welsh) steppe in eastern Oregon. Treatments were applied in a randomized complete block, which included no grazing on burned (nonuse, n = 5) and unburned (control, n = 5) steppe; and cattle grazing at low (low, n = 4), moderate (moderate, n = 4), and high (high, n = 4) intensities on burned steppe. Vegetation dynamics were evaluated by repeated measures analysis of canopy cover and density of shrub and herbaceous species and functional groups. Herbaceous functional groups were an early‐season bunchgrass (one species, Sandberg bluegrass [Poa secunda J. Presl]), tall perennial bunchgrasses, perennial forbs, annual grass (one species, cheatgrass [Bromus tectorum L.]), and annual forbs. Tall perennial bunchgrass, Sandberg bluegrass, and perennial forb cover and density did not differ among the treatments but did decrease over time in all treatments. The cover of several tall bunchgrass species was generally less in the high treatment, mainly, Idaho fescue (Festuca idahoensis Elmer) and Thurber's needlegrass (Achnatherum thurberianum (Piper) Barkworth). The cover of cheatgrass and annual forbs varied among years but was greater in the burned‐grazed and nonuse treatments than in the control. Native plant cover in the burned treatments (grazed and nonuse) represented 77%–85% of total herbaceous cover versus the control where native plants comprised 91% of the total. Annual weather variability appears to account for most of the compositional dynamics measured in the various grazed and ungrazed treatments.

Testing the feasibility of fiber identification for fine cordage artifacts from the Paisley Caves, Oregon

This study tests the feasibility of previously established fiber identification methods, including polarized light microscopy and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, and their suitability for analysis of archaeological cordage from the Paisley Caves in Eastern Oregon. The methods were applied to herbarium reference samples for four key plants: Apocynum (dogbane), Urtica dioica (stinging nettle), Ascelpias (milkweed), and Linum lewisii (blue flax). These plants are known historically and archaeologically as the primary sources of fibers used in fine cord-making throughout the Northern Great Basin. Results from the control study were then applied to samples from 180 fine cordage artifacts from the Paisley Caves. The Paisley Caves have one of the largest and most continuous assemblages of fine cordage made from plants, spanning the last 11,000 years. Results of fiber identification for archaeological cordage reveal continuous use of stinging nettle and dogbane throughout the Holocene, with flax and milkweed occurring within the last 3000 years. Fiber identification has broad application in archaeology, and informs research in landscape use, textile technology, the paleoenvironment, and a diachronic perspective of traditional ecological knowledge.

Does large area burned mean a bad fire year? Comparing contemporary wildfire years to historical fire regimes informs the restoration task in fire-dependent forests

Wildfires and fire seasons are commonly rated largely on the simple metric of area burned (more hectares: bad). A seemingly paradoxical narrative frames large fire seasons as a symptom of a forest health problem (too much fire), while simultaneously stating that fire-dependent forests lack sufficient fire to maintain system resilience (too little fire). One key to resolving this paradox is placing contemporary fire years in the context of historical fire regimes, considering not only total fire area but also burn severity distributions. Historical regimes can also inform forest restoration efforts by illuminating the pace and scale at which fires historically maintained (i.e., ‘treated’) fire-resilient landscapes. Here we ask, for a broad extent of the inland Pacific Northwest (eastern Oregon and Washington, USA), a region predominated by drier forest types and recently experiencing record-breaking fire years: 1) How much annual fire area would have been needed to support historical fire regimes?; and 2) How do contemporary fire years (1985–2020) compare to historical fire amounts and severities?To meet historical fire frequencies for each forest type, annual area burned would have averaged at least 224,000–291,000 ha per year regionally prior to the 20th century (notwithstanding interannual variability) – presumably arising from both indigenous-cultural and lightning-ignited fires. Drier forests would account for 82–88% of annual burn area. In contrast, despite the seemingly fiery contemporary era, contemporary fire years average just ∼49,100 ha·yr−1 (∼17–22% of historical), with only one year approximating historical area burned. Contemporary years average well under historical rates for virtually all severity classes across dry and moist (but not cold) forests. Annualized fire deficits relative to historical rates are especially conspicuous for low-severity area in dry forests (on average missing 127,000–161,000 ha·yr−1 regionally) and moderate-severity area in both dry (missing 34,000–44,000 ha·yr−1) and moist (missing 9000–12,000 ha·yr−1) forests. Ten-year moving averages in burn area are increasing in recent years, but remain below historical levels. Trends are similar across states and major land ownerships.With current forest restoration efforts occurring at a fraction of historical fire rates, our findings highlight that successful restoration and maintenance will require a) increasing active treatment rates, and b) incorporating managed wildfire to attain substantially more treated area. As such, beneficial fire years may be those not with less, but rather more, area burned – with characteristic severity and patch distributions, minimal clearly-negative impacts (e.g. loss of life and property), and contribution to restoration/maintenance objectives.

Mechanical thinning restores ecological functions in a seasonally dry ponderosa pine forest in the inland Pacific Northwest, USA

An increasingly important goal of federal land managers in seasonally dry forests of the western US is restoring forest resilience. In this study, we quantified the degree to which a thinning treatment in a dry forest of eastern Oregon restored aspects of forest resilience by focusing on key functional attributes of our study system. First, we measured several physiological responses of overstory trees that are associated with resilience, including radial growth, resin production, abundance of non-structural carbohydrates (NSC), and leaf area. Second, we investigated understory vegetation responses including species diversity, composition, and cover by growth form that influence fire behavior and resilience to disturbance. We found that tree radial growth was greater in trees in thinned stands beginning three years post-treatment. The abundance of key chemical compounds found in trees, including resin, starch, total NSC and sucrose did not differ between treatments; however, abundance of glucose plus fructose was lower in treated stands, suggesting mobilization and use of carbon reserves for foliar and wood production following thinning. We observed an increase in species richness and diversity within thinned stands three to four years after thinning, primarily due to the release of forbs and reestablishment of graminoids following ground disturbance. Here, we demonstrate that elements of forest resilience can be restored in dry forest systems via selective thinning to promote historical forest structure. In forests where thinning reduces stand density, vigorous overstory trees and increased herbaceous cover can help facilitate the re-establishment of low intensity surface fire regimes that maintain stable and persistent vegetative states. Understanding the ecological effects of fuel reduction treatments allows land managers to assess potential forest resiliency and adapt future treatments based on the observed results of previous activities.

Long-term agro-management strategies shape soil bacterial community structure in dryland wheat systems

Soil microbes play a crucial role in soil organic matter decomposition and nutrient cycling and are influenced by management practices. Therefore, quantifying the impacts of various agricultural management practices on soil microbiomes and their activity is crucial for making informed management decisions. This study aimed to assess the impact of various management systems on soil bacterial abundance and diversity, soil enzyme activities and carbon mineralization potential in wheat-based systems. To accomplish this, soil samples from 0 to 15 cm depth were collected from ongoing long-term field trials in eastern Oregon region under wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)-fallow (WF), WF with different tillage (WT), wheat-pea (Pisum sativum L.) (WP), WF under different crop residue management (CR) and natural undisturbed/unmanaged grassland pasture (GP). These trials consisted of an array of treatments like tillage intensities, nitrogen rates, organic amendments, and seasonal residue burning. This study was a part of the Soil Health Institute’s North American Project to Evaluate Soil Health measurements (NAPESHM). Bacterial community structure was determined using amplicon sequencing of the V4 region of 16SrRNA genes and followed the protocols of the Earth Microbiome Project. In addition, extracellular enzyme activities, and carbon mineralization potential (1d-CO2) were measured. Among different trials, 1d-CO2 in WT, WP, and CR studies averaged 53%, 51% and 87% lower than GP systems, respectively. Enzyme activities were significantly greater in GP compared to the other managements and followed similar trend as respiration. We observed higher evenness in GP and higher richness in spring residue burning treatment of CR study. Our results indicated that species evenness is perhaps a better indicator of soil health in comparison to other indices in dryland wheat systems.

U.S. Civil War Redux? A Prevue

The thought that the United States could engage in a second civil war is disturbing, as it represents a significant threat to the stability not only of one nation, but also of the world. Harbouring the idea of such a conflict is not as outlandish as it might seem at first glance: Several movements that have gained attention in recent years seem to be preparing for such a scenario. The two that are most interesting, essentially because they come with territorial claims, are the Greater Idaho Movement, which advocates for the secession of rural counties in eastern Oregon and northern California to join the state of Idaho and create a super-state, and the American Redoubt, which supports the establishment of a territorial entity that would include most of Greater Idaho plus Montana and Wyoming. Significantly, northern Colorado, along with North and South Dakota, while ideologically in tune with American Redoubt political and cultural philosophies, are specifically excluded in the territorial plan for this super state, as they are mainly flat and therefore difficult to defend against a modern mechanised military. It is obvious that the American Redoubt’s hypothetical defensive operations are being calculated to thwart United States Army advances in case of conflict. I will argue here that these movements’ ideology is secessionist, and that they may cause armed conflict in the United States, the likelihood and scale of which is difficult to determine.

Registration of ‘Successor’ barley: A two‐row, spring‐habit, feed cultivar with tolerance to imidazolinone herbicides and adaptation to dryland production

Abstract‘Successor’ (Reg. no. CV‐377, PI 702593), experimental designation DH190481, is a two‐row spring barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) released by Oregon Agricultural Experiment Station in 2023. It is notable for tolerance to imidazolinone herbicides and can be planted in a rotation with crops that are treated with these chemicals. Successor is well adapted to dryland production in the Pacific Northwest and is being released as a feed cultivar. This assessment evaluated the cultivar in a multi‐environment cultivar trial in eastern Oregon and Washington and in an on‐farm trial at a commercial partner. It showed strong performance and matched or exceeded expectations set by the only other currently available imidazolinone‐tolerant cultivar adapted to the target growing region, Survivor.

Range-wide population assessments for subalpine fir indicate widespread disturbance-driven decline

Subalpine forests in western North America are threatened by rapid climate change, increased activity by endemic and exotic insects and diseases, and changing wildfire regimes. The interactive effects of these stressors have resulted in pronounced population declines in many subalpine tree species; however, a systematic assessment of the status and trends of subalpine forests is lacking. Subalpine fir (Abies lasiocarpa) is a widespread species across the western United States, with documented population declines in many parts of its distribution. Here we use subalpine fir as an initial leverage point to build a more complete understanding of subalpine forest baseline conditions and responses to environmental change. Specifically, we leverage the USDA Forest Service Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) database to (1) ask how subalpine fir populations are changing across the species’ distribution in the western US, (2) assess the drivers of recent subalpine fir population trends, and (3) explore whether those changes imply generalized species-wide and/or system-wide decline. We found that subalpine fir abundance and basal area are declining concurrently across ∼ 62% of the species’ distribution, and increasing across ∼ 19%. Range-wide, we estimated 25.02 ± 2.74 % subalpine fir mortality between 2000 and 2009 and 2010–2019 FIA inventory periods, with higher mortality concentrated in the eastern Oregon Cascades, central Idaho, and parts of southern Colorado. High regeneration density did not predict positive population trajectories, which were instead associated with higher rates of adult recruitment. While the importance of different mortality agents varied substantially between ecoregions, 83.4% of total range-wide mortality was related to fire or biological disturbance. Declining subalpine fir basal area coincided with declines in the basal area of other co-occurring tree species in 39% of subalpine forest area, and with increases in conspecific basal area in 22% of forest area. Fire disturbance was the single largest cause of subalpine fir mortality; however, even where subalpine fir fire mortality was high, mortality among other species was primarily caused by insects. Our results suggest that subalpine fir declines across large portions of the western United States are driven by forest disturbance, and that declines in subalpine fir populations may be indicative of negative change in subalpine forest systems broadly.

Syntrichia lithophila, a fantastic new amphitropical disjunct from Oregon, United States

Syntrichia lithophila (Dusén) Ochyra & R.H.Zander is reported for the first time from the northern hemisphere from Oregon, U.S.A., based on specimens collected during a project to better understand the bryoflora of eastern Oregon. This species represents a new amphitropical disjunct moss species to the Americas. We provide a full description of the species, photographs, and location map of the new Oregon specimen.

Accumulation of radiocarbon in ancient landscapes: A small but significant input of unknown origin

The persistence of organic carbon (C) in soil is most often considered at timescales ranging from tens to thousands of years, but the study of organic C in paleosols (i.e., ancient, buried soils) suggests that paleosols may have the capacity to preserve organic compounds for tens of millions of years. However, a quantitative assessment of C sources and sinks from these ancient terrestrial landscapes is complicated by additions of geologically modern (~ 10 Ka) C, primarily due to the infiltration of dissolved organic carbon. In this study, we quantified total organic C and radiocarbon activity in samples collected from 28- to 33-million-year-old paleosols that are naturally exposed as unvegetated badlands near eastern Oregon’s “Painted Hills”. We also used thermal and evolved gas analysis to examine the thermodynamic stability of different pools of C in bulk samples. The study site is part of a ~ 400-m-thick sequence of Eocene–Oligocene (45–28 Ma) paleosols, and thus we expected to find radiocarbon-free samples preserved in deep layers of the lithified, brick-like exposed outcrops. Total organic C, measured in three individual profiles spanning depth transects from the outcrop surface to a 1-m depth, ranged from 0.01 to 0.2 wt% with no clear C-concentration or age-depth profile. Ten radiocarbon dates from the same profiles reveal radiocarbon ages of ~ 11,000–30,000 years BP that unexpectedly indicate additions of potentially modern organic C. A two-endmember mixing model for radiocarbon activity suggests that modern C may compose ~ 0.5–2.4% of the total organic C pool. Thermal and evolved gas analysis showed the presence of two distinct pools of organic C, but there was no direct evidence that C compounds were associated with clay minerals. These results challenge the assumption that ancient badland landscapes are inert and “frozen in time” and instead suggest they readily interact with the modern C cycle.

Protect large trees for climate mitigation, biodiversity, and forest resilience

AbstractProtecting the climate system requires urgently reducing carbon emissions to the atmosphere and increasing cumulative carbon stocks in natural systems. Recent studies confirm that large trees accumulate and store a disproportionate share of aboveground forest carbon. In the temperate forests of the western United States, a century of intensive logging drastically reduced large‐trees and older forest, but some large trees remain. However, recent changes to large tree management policy on National Forest lands east of the Cascade Mountains crest in Oregon and southeastern Washington allows increased harvesting of large‐diameter trees (≥53 cm or 21 inches) that account for just 3% of all stems, but hold 42% of total aboveground carbon. In this article, we describe synergies with protecting large trees for climate mitigation, biodiversity, and forest resilience goals to shift species composition, reduce fuel loads and stem density, and adapt to climatically driven increases in fire activity in eastern Oregon.

The Lady Makes Boots: Enid Justin & the Nocona Boot Company by Carol A. Lipscomb

Reviewed by: The Lady Makes Boots: Enid Justin & the Nocona Boot Company by Carol A. Lipscomb Tracey Hanshew The Lady Makes Boots: Enid Justin & the Nocona Boot Company. By Carol A. Lipscomb. (Lubbock: Texas Tech University Press, 2021. Pp. 252. Illustrations, notes, bibliography, index.) Boots are among the most recognized icons of Texas—in company with the lone star and the longhorn. Carol A. Lipscomb's biography of Enid Justin places one of the more instrumental leaders in the boot industry into the historical record. Justin was heavily influenced by her father, "Daddy Joe," who began his boot making business in Spanish Fort, Texas, under the name "H. J. Justin, Boot Maker" (4, 9). In 1889, he moved his family to Nocona, Texas, which began a close relationship between the Justin boot business and the town of Nocona; more importantly, it deeply established Enid's roots there in both the town and the business. This relationship would become the bedrock that saw Enid through heartbreak and contributed to her success. In 1925, when she began her own boot company, Nocona, she was an anomaly in a world of companies owned by men. Through her success, however, she "set an example for women entrepreneurs who came after her" (159). Lipscomb explains both Enid Justin's connection and commitment to her childhood community and her important contributions to Texas history, revealing her determination through the hardships of losing a child, divorcing twice, and maintaining dedication to the business in the face of such loss. At a time when women rarely worked around hypermasculine [End Page 602] cowboys and oil field workers, and knowing that some "would not do business with a company run by a woman," Enid did not let this stop her (36). When asked about her participation in the women's liberation movement, she replied "I was a libber before the word and the definition were invented" (159). Enid Justin's contentious relationship with her siblings, who managed the Justin Boot company they had inherited from their father, promoted to some degree both the Justin and the Nocona company through a series of misprints in various newspapers. But it also increased her resolve to succeed with her own company, which she built from the ground up to be competitive with big-name companies like Justin, Lucchese, Tony Lama and others. That the 80th Texas Legislature designated the cowboy boot as the "official State Footwear of Texas" in the early 2000s is due in part to the presence of these nationally known companies, including hers (201). Among the ample use of Enid's own words, like the personal quotations that begin each chapter, the one that most encapsulates Enid is, "I've been blessed to have been in this business with these people right here in Nocona, Texas. What more could I have asked for?" (179) Carol Lipscomb's account of Enid Justin's life reveals how one woman made history and earned her place among the "greats" in Texas. That her name, Justin, is synonymous with Fort Worth, and that Nocona boots maintained the label of the "best boots in the world" for years, speaks not only to her commercial success but also to her leadership and business management. This biography is long overdue and is a significant contributor to the history of the economic and cultural development of Texas. Lipscomb successfully weaves Enid Justin's life through its historical context so that even those unfamiliar with it can appreciate the importance of women's history as much as Texas history. Tracey Hanshew Eastern Oregon University Copyright © 2022 The Texas State Historical Association