Northeastern Sites Research Articles

Characterization of ozone at high elevation in the eastern United States: Trends, seasonal variations, and exposure

Ozone measurements at five high‐elevation (≳ 1000 m msl) Mountain Cloud Chemistry Program (MCCP) sites in the eastern United States for the period from May to October 1986–1988 have been analyzed. In order to characterize and compare the exposure to ozone at these sites, several ozone exposure indices are used. The sum of all hourly mean ozone concentrations equal to or greater than 0.07 ppm (SUM07) for 1988 indicates a north‐south gradient in ozone exposure: Southeastern sites (Mount Mitchell, North Carolina, 105 parts per million‐hours (ppm‐h), Whitetop Mountain, Virginia, 85.7 ppm‐h, Shenandoah Park, Virginia, 51.6 ppm‐h); Northeastern sites (Whiteface Mountain, New York, 49.2 ppm‐h, Mount Moosilauke, New Hampshire, 34.2 ppm‐h). This shows that forest areas in the southeastern high‐elevation sites experienced higher ozone exposure than their northeastern counterparts during the hot and dry 1988 measurement season. Ozone episodes (concentrations greater than 70 ppbv lasting 8 hours or more) were more frequent during the summer months at all sites. This suggests a correlation with the seasonal photochemical cycle and perhaps with local biogenic hydrocarbon emissions. Seasonal analysis suggests that ozone maximum occurs during spring coincident with spring maximum at Mauna Loa, Hawaii and at Alpine stations in Europe, suggestive of an underlying hemispheric phenomena. A reversed diurnal cycle (nighttime maximum) pattern was also observed from May to October at all the five high‐elevation sites. Back trajectory analysis, during high‐ozone episodes, indicates that most MCCP sites were influenced by urban and industrial sources from the midwestern region of the United States, suggesting large‐scale transport patterns.

Soil Chemistry and Nutrition of North American Spruce‐Fir Stands: Evidence for Recent Change

AbstractOne set of hypotheses offered to explain the decline of red spruce (Picea rubens Sarg.) in eastern North America focuses on the effect of acidic deposition on soil chemistry changes that may affect nutrient availability and root function. Long‐term soils data suggest that soil acidification has occurred in some spruce stands over the past 50 yr, with plant uptake and cation leaching both contributing to the loss of cations. Studies of tree ring chemistry also have indicated changes in Ca/Al and Mg/Al ratios in red spruce wood, suggesting increases in the ionic strength of soil solution. Irrigation studies using strong acid inputs have demonstrated accelerated displacement of base cations from upper horizons. Spruce‐fir (Abies spp.) nutrient budgets indicate that current net Ca and Mg leaching loss rates are of the same order of magnitude as losses to whole tree harvest removals, spread out over a 50‐yr rotation. For most cations, red spruce foliar nutrient levels decline with elevation, but it is difficult to assess the contribution of the elevational gradient in atmospheric deposition to this pattern. Compared to northeastern sites, spruce‐fir soil solutions in the southern Appalachians have higher nitrate levels and higher Al concentrations, which at times approach the Al toxicity threshold for red spruce seedlings and frequently are at levels known to interfere with cation uptake. There is little evidence that either nutrient deficiencies or Al toxicity are primary causes of red spruce decline in the Northeast, though both may play a role in the Southeast. Major factors that could affect soil chemistry in spruce‐fir stands in the future are (i) changes in S and N deposition, (ii) climate changes affecting soil organic matter decomposition and nutrient uptake, and (iii) tree mortality and physical disturbances to soils resulting in soil nitrate release.

The characteristics and distribution of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in sea sediments in Kitakyushu area.

Fourteen polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) in sea and seashore sediments in the Kitakyushu district were determined by GC-MS. The similarity and characteristics among the sea areas or sampling sites were defined by the multivariate analysis of PAH composition. The concentration of total PAH (T·PAH) in the sediments of Dokai Bay, Kanmon Strait, Sea of Suo and the seashore along Sea of Suo were 5.57-36.6, 6.00, 0.522-1.80 and 0.083-0.796 μg/g·dry weight, respectively. Fourteen PAH were detected at every sites and the level of benzo [b] fluoranthene was the highest of all PAH at every sites except a site of the seashore. The level of benzo [a] pyrene+benzo [e] pyrene concentration in the 3 sea areas was higher than that in Tokyo Bay. The fact would be characteristic of the industrial city which had developed with coal and petroleum. In the mouth of Dokai Bay, the value of T·PAH was the highest. This cause was assumed to be an inflow of coke oven effluent by the cluster analysis. The level of T·PAH concentration in the sea of Suo was the lowest. The ratio of lower molecular weight (178-228) PAH in the northeastern site were relatively higher than that of the other site. The value of T·PAH in the seashore was lower than that in the sea of Suo. By considering these characteristics, it would be assumed that the influence from Kitakyushu side was less than that from the other sides in this sea area. This was confirmed by the principal component analysis. The interpretation of the results obtained from the multivariate analysis of PAH patterns made it possible to define the characteristics of PAH accumulated in the sea sediments.

An analysis of climate and competition as contributors to decline of red spruce in high elevation Appalachian forests of the Eastern United states.

Long-term growth patterns of red spruce (Picea rubens Sarg.) were analyzed from increment cores collected from over 1000 trees at 48 sites in the eastern United States. Principal objectives were the evaluation of the distribution, timing, and uniqueness of observed patterns of decreasing radial growth during the past 25 years and the examination of stand competition and climate as factors contributing to observed changes.Our analyses focused on historical records of spruce mortality and approximately 200 years of radial growth data to search for historical precedents for current trends. In this work we have used time series analysis to detect the temporal frequency of significant negative or positive shifts in radial growth rates, an analysis of relationships between a stand competition index and observed changes in growth and mortality, and modeling of past growth-climate relationships to determine whether recent growth changes could be predicted based on climate.Collectively, these analyses indicate that the observed growth decreases of surviving red spruce trees at northeastern sites with high mortality have been anomalous during the past 20 to 25 years with respect to both historical annual growth patterns and past relationships to climate or stand development at these sites. In general, reductions in radial increment that have also been noted at southern high elevation sites but not at low elevations occurred 5 to 10 years later than at northern sites and represent less substantive departures from growth trends predicted by linear climate models.These results suggest that regional and not local stresses have triggered the observed decline in radial growth of red spruce at these sites. While climatic change may have contributed to observed changes, the degree of radial growth suppression observed is greater than would be expected based on past growth-climate relationships. This unique relationship of growth to climate suggests the influences of either recent, unique combinations of climatic stresses or the possibly interactive intervention of other regional-scale stresses, such as atmospheric pollution.

Analysis of Faunal Remains from Queen Anne Square, Newport, Rhode Island

Queen Anne Square, Newport, Rhode Island, is a northeastern coastal site. This report presents the results of the analysis of faunal remains from three features representing different 18th-century households. The data show a heavy dependence on domestic animals. All three features contain over 90% domestic animals by biomass. The site closely resembles southeastern sites in percentages of cow and pig MNI. It also resembles other northeastern sites, however, in its high percentage of caprine MNI. This is probably indicative of an intermediate dietary pattern. There are also differences among the features; these can be attributed either to the economic status of the site's occupants or to Newport's economic deterioration after the Revolutionary War.

THE CATTAILS (TYPHA): INTERSPECIFIC ECOLOGICAL DIFFERENCES AND PROBLEMS OF IDENTIFICATION

ABSTRACT Accurately identifying the North American cattails (Typha) is important in lake management because Typha is ecologically important and the species differ in ecologically significant ways. Known ecological differences in geographical and ecological range, competitiveness, water-level tolerance, structure and density of shoots, sexual reproduction, and damage by insect parasites are reviewed. Narrow-leaved cattail (T. angustifolia) and hybrid cattail (T. X glauca = T. angustifolia X latifolia) are apparently spreading, often replacing T. latifolia in many disturbed, eutrophic sites in northeastern and north central regions. T. angustifolia and southern cattail (T. domingensis) indicate unstable habitat and nutrient-rich or brackish soil and have more vegetative and flowering shoots per unit area; hybrids suggest habitat disturbance; mixtures of species or seedlings from hybrids may improve success of stands in temporally or spacially variable environments. Ecotypic variation should be considered in...

A Shift in the Morph Ratio Cline in the Bananaquit on Grenada, West Indies

A Shift in the Morph Ratio Cline in the Bananaquit on Grenada, West Indies

Enchytraeidae (Oligochaeta) from taiga and tundra habitats of northeastern U.S.S.R.

The terrestrial Enchytraeidae were studied at two sites in northeastern U.S.S.R., one in taiga forest (Magadan) and one in tundra (Chaun Bay). Twenty-two taxa are reported, 13 at Magadan and 17 at Chaun Bay. Following review of the original descriptions and specimens, we designate Mesenchytraeus primaeuus Eisen, 1878 as type species for the genus. Five new species of Mesenchytraeus are described: M. diverticulatus from Magadan and M. chaunus, M. tundrus, M. kontrimavichusi, and M. svetae from Chaun Bay. Mesenchytraeus diverticulatus has an esophageal expansion and intestinal diverticula that are unique within this genus. Another new species with complex nephridia in segment II is described, but left in uncertain generic position. Henlea diverticulata Cejka, 1912, known previously only from the New Siberian Islands, occurred at Chaun Bay. Bryodrilus arctica (Bell, 1962), known only from St. Lawrence Island, was found at both Magadan and Chaun Bay. The other species are circumboreal in distribution. The Enchytraeid fauna of northeastern U.S.S.R. is similar to that of arctic and subarctic Alaska. The rich complement of species of Mesenchytraeus is a unique feature of the Beringeal region. Both abundance and species richness were higher in tundra than in taiga forest.

Studies in the Vegetational History of the Northern Pennines: II. An Atypical Pollen Diagram from Pow Hill, Co. Durham

SUMMARY (1) A Flandrian pollen diagram from Pow Hill, Co. Durham, is presented. Its radiocarbon-dated pollen assemblage zones differ from those of other English sites and more closely resemble those of north-eastern Scottish sites. (2) Diagrams from three neighbouring sites show some of the same features. (3) Forest history at Pow Hill is characterized by a long pioneer phase, dominant pine woods from 7210 yr B.P., and a much delayed and limited expansion of oak and alder. (4) Pine remained a major species locally until the forests were felled in late prehistoric times. (5) Factors which may have affected the local forest history include slow weathering of the local sandstone to produce shallow soils, and the prevalence of cold north-east winds and low stratus cloud in spring and early summer.

The Eastern Archaic: Some Problems and Hypotheses

Unraveling an archaeological problem has often been compared to the solution of a crime, differing from the latter in the coldness of the trail. The “whodunit” detective approaches omniscience; the archaeologist can only hope for a small degree of information about the material clues to his case. It might be more apt to compare the archaeologic process in the Northeast to an attempt to find out what went into the hash, for scraps of leftovers are all too frequently the only remains of many obliterated northeastern sites.