Residential Yards Research Articles

Environmental Arsenic Exposure of Children around a Former Copper Smelter Site

Arsenic residues in the communities surrounding former smelters remain a public health concern, especially for infants and children. To evaluate environmental exposure among these children, a population-based cross-sectional study was conducted in the vicinity of a former copper smelter in Anaconda, Montana. A total of 414 children less than 72 months old were recruited. First morning voided urine samples and environmental samples were collected for arsenic measurements. The geometric mean of speciated urinary arsenic was 8.6 μg/liter (GSD = 1.7,N= 289). Average arsenic levels of different types of soil ranged from 121 to 236 μg/g, and were significantly related to proximity and wind direction to the smelter site. The same significant relationship was observed for interior dust arsenic. Speciated urinary arsenic was found to be significantly related to soil arsenic in bare areas in residential yards (P < 0.0005). In general, elevated excretion of arsenic was demonstrable and warranted parents' attention to reduce exposure of their children to environmental arsenic.

A case-control study to determine risk factors for elevated blood lead levels in children, Idaho.

A pair-matched, case-control study was conducted to identify if risk factors or behaviors suspected to affect childhood blood lead levels, were more prevalent among children with elevated blood lead levels living in the vicinity of a defunct mining and smelting facility. Study individuals were recruited from the 1992 Silver Valley blood lead screening participants. The cases were children with a blood lead level > 10 micrograms per deciliter (microgram/dL). The controls were children with a blood lead level < 10 micrograms/dL, who were matched to cases by age and sex. Data on risk factors were obtained through personal interviews. Of the variables examined, yard soil remediation showed the strongest association with changes in blood lead levels. This variable was found to be a protective factor for elevated blood lead levels in children (odds ratio, 0.28; confidence interval, 0.08-0.92). The results suggest that removal of lead contaminated soil from residential yards was effective in reducing blood lead levels in children.

Japanese Garden Plants in Residential Yards in Honolulu, Hawaii: A Transported Landscape

This study explores the relationship between humans and plant communities in residential yards in urbanized neighborhoods on the island of Oahu, Hawaii by examining how Japanese ornamental garden plants and style have been transported by Japanese immigrants and their descendants to Hawaii, and what has happened to the plants and style in the multicultural society of Hawaii. The history of immigrants to Hawaii and the characteristics of Japanese gardens are summarized as background. The study, comparing the frequency of Japanese garden plants found in literature on Japanese ornamental gardens and gardening and 150 randomly selected residential front yards in Honolulu, shows that the Japanese plants and style were not transported as a whole, most likely because many popular Japanese garden plants do not thrive in the Hawaiian climate, and also possibly because of the difference in the framework and underlying philosophy of a garden between Japanese and American traditions. The part transported comprises some hardy plant species which thrive in the tropical climate, including sacred bamboo ( Nandina domestica Thunb.), cycad ( Cycas revoluta Thunb.), and Oriental hawthorn ( Rhaphiolepis umbellata (Thunb.) Mak.); and a few ideas such as grouped rocks, a stone lantern, and neatly trimmed shrubs. The maintenance and diffusion of the transported Japanese garden traditions were evident in the multicultural society of Hawaii. Although the transported Japanese garden elements make up a rather small portion of the entire garden, they do lend a distinctive Japanese flavor to the front yards of some of the Japanese residents, possibly as a display of group identity.

Floral history by the back door: A test of phytolith analysis in residential yards at Harpers Ferry

Phytolith analysis was used to reconstruct two centuries of floral history for the yards of two structures at Harpers Ferry, West Virginia: the first master armorer’s residence and an armory worker’s house. The decay-in-place tendency of phytolith deposition provided insight into both general conditions of floral assemblages and specific floristic patterns in the adjacent lots of the respective residences. Contrasts between prehistoric flora and that resulting from impact of European arrival was evident in the phytolith record. Phytolith analysis also revealed specific aspects of landscaping—or the lack of it—as effected by the sequence of occupants in the houses.

Lacerations in Urban Children

We prospectively investigated the epidemiologic characteristics of all lacerations (N = 2834) repaired at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (Pa) during 1987 and identified common hazards and possible avenues of intervention. Two-year-old children incurred most injuries; males outnumbered females 2:1. Almost two thirds (61.8%) of all lacerations occurred from May through September, and 62.2% between 3 and 9 PM. Most injuries occurred indoors (47.0%), on the sidewalk or street (22.5%), or in the residential yard (13.0%). Injuries usually occurred during play (42.3%) or daily activity (32.1%); 1247 (44.0%) involved some sort of fall. Vectors most frequently causing injury were broken glass bottles (15.0%), wooden furniture (12.0%), and asphalt or concrete (11.0%). Broken glass bottles also most frequently inflicted injuries resulting in functional impairment (0.2%), hospitalization (0.9%), or both. Complications were seen in 8% of all lacerations. Our data confirm the importance of injury-prevention strategies aimed at reduction of discarded glass objects (ie, recycling legislation), improved furniture design, and improved municipal services (ie, street repair).

Reproductive Patterns and Relative Abundance of Two Microteiid Lizard Species in Panama

During two years observation the lizard fauna of a residential yard in the City of Panama, Republic of Panama consisted of five common species: Gymnopthalmus speciosus and Gonatodes albogularis fuscus were most abundant, comprising 39% and 32% of the total sample (N = 229); less common were Leposoma rugiceps (13%), Anolis tropidogaster (12%) and Anolis auratus (4%). Only Gymnopthalmus and Gonatodes showed marked seasonal differences in abundance; Gymnopthalmus was most common from late October to early May, Gonatodes from June to September.