Southern West Virginia Research Articles

Senses of Place

Senses of Place. Edited by Steven Feld and Keith H. Basso. (Santa Fe: New Mexico: School of American Research Press, 1996. Pp. xi + 293, introduction by Steven Feld and Keith H. Basso, afterword by Clifford Geertz, illustrations, references, index. $40.00 cloth, $18.00 paper) One of the extraordinary shifts in value in the United States, since the 1960s, is from space to place. Space once meant something glamorous. It evoked images of the open range, the beckoning horizon, the big sky-freedom and endless opportunity. Place, by contrast, suggested limitation-social and geographical constraint. Now, in both popular and academic esteem, the reverse is true. Space is somehow bad: it evokes the abstract and the impersonal, and is even tainted by the odor of imperialism. Place, by contrast, is embodied virtue-modest, in touch with one's roots, deeply personal, communal, and human. Space is elitist, for not everyone is equipped for the stress and strain (and exhilaration) of mobility and conquest. Place, by contrast, is populist, for we all-no matter how humble-can make a home for ourselves. Space is history-the old political history of change and movement; place is folklore. History now strives to be more static, more like ethnography and folklore. Folklore? It is the king of the heap! Senses of Place is an example of the present love affair with place-the triumph of folklore. It is made up of papers delivered at a seminar held in 1993 in Santa Fe. All contributors are anthropologists, except Edward S. Casey, who is a philosopher. Folklore and its cousin ethnography eschew abstraction. Their story-telling and descriptive methods are eminently suited to their subjectplace. The most rewarding part of the book is the rich ethnography. Still, since the contributors are academics, abstraction of some kind remains de rigueur. Heidegger and Merleau-Ponty figure prominently in Casey's paper, where they may be expected. But elsewhere, too, they make an appearance serving no clear purpose other than that of establishing one's scholarly credentials. Disturbing to me is an uncertainty of tone in a couple of papers. How should the scholar present him or herself? As a sophisticated person, which nowadays means a postmodernist person, or as just a storyteller like the storytellers in one's study group? Trying to have a footing in both worlds often makes painful reading. Discourses are altogether too obtrusive, overshadowing talk and conversation that, in this kind of study, ought to have the stage all to themselves. It appears that no matter how fond one is of an alien culture, how one wishes to be non-Eurocentric, one is still bound unnecessarily to the method and vocabulary of currently fashionable, European salons. The places studied in the book are: an Apache landscape in east-central Arizona, a rainforest landscape in Papua New Guinea, a despoiled landscape of hills in southern West Virginia, sunny and dry Wamira in Papua New Guinea, Lumbee (Indian) places in North Carolina, and flattish East Anglia, England. Very different they are, yet also similar in their dependence on narrative, and, to a lesser degree, on other aesthetic-emotional means of construction, such as song and dance, ceremony. Storytelling seems to be the universal means of place-making. Stories are of events-something significant or important has happened here-that have the power to transform object and area into place and landscape. …

Late Mississippian Prodeltaic Rhythmites in the Appalachian Basin: A Hierarchical Record of Tidal and Climatic Periodicities

ABSTRACT The Pride Shale is a 60-m-thick succession of thinly interlaminated dark shales, siltstones, and fine-grained sandstones within the Bluestone Formation (Upper Mississippian) of southern West Virginia. A hierarchy of submillimeter- to meter-scale cycles in this succession preserves a spectrum of tidal and climatic periodicities. Submillimeter-thick, fine-grained sandstone/shale or siltstone/shale couplets are interpreted as the product of suspension settling associated with individual ebb-tidal flows. Up to 17 couplets systematically thicken and thin within millimeter- to centimeter-scale bundles interpreted as neap-spring tidal cycles. Successive neap-spring cycles display a thick-thin relationship interpreted to reflect unequal perigean and apogean tides. The fine scale and abbreviat d character of these microlaminated rhythmites is suggestive of a distal, subtidal setting wherein subordinate daily and neap and apogean ebb flows were generally of insufficient strength to transport sand and silt. Decimeter-scale cycles in the Pride Shale are manifested by the progressive upward thickening and thinning of up to 18 millimeter- to centimeter-thick (neap-spring) cycles. This bundling is interpreted to reflect a climatic (monsoonal) signal which defines that part of the year when adequate fluvial-tidal discharge forced suspended sediment into the basin. Lastly, a multi-year cyclicity is recognized in thick exposures where 17-22 annual beds display a crude upward thickening and thinning within meter-scale bundles. This bundling is interpreted to reflect the 18.6-year lunar odal cycle, with the thick annual beds representing years during which the inclination of the lunar orbital plane favored increased tidal amplitudes. Decompacted thicknesses of cycles indicate that accumulation rates for the Pride Shale typically ranged between 3 and 20 cm per year, but reached over 60 cm per year where sandy rhythmites developed as the marginal infill of large slump scars. The stratigraphic relationships and sedimentation rates for the Pride Shale are consistent with paleontological evidence of rapid sedimentation in turbid waters seaward of multiple points of fluvial discharge. The Pride Shale is interpreted as an extensive prodeltaic deposit which, in places, records hundreds of years of nearly continuous tidal sedimentation along the eastern margin of the Appalachian Basin.

Stratigraphy and depositional environments of the Kanawha Formation (Middle Pennsylvanian), southern West Virginia, U.S.A.

The Kanawha Formation of southern West Virginia consists of up to 620 m of lithic sandstone and mudrocks with subordinate coal and impure limestone that accumulated in a subsiding foreland basin. The formation contains 26 of the state's 62 minable coal seams. It accounts for about 43% of the coal currently produced in West Virginia. Component sedimentary facies from 46 outcrop localities reflect alluvial, paludal, lacustrine, paralic and shallow marine environments. Internal and architectural facies attributes indicate more evidence for coastal and tidal-estuarine deposition than traditional deltaic models. Evidence for tidal processes includes bipolar paleocurrents, rhythmic textures and structures, and associated biogenic structures. A new, two-part model is presented that relates facies to changing coastal morphology during transgressive-regressive cycles. Eustatic sea level changes played a major role in basin-wide development of major coal zones and marine units. Lowstandss of sea level caused incisement of fluvial channels whereas rising sea level led to expansion of tidal plains and estuaries. Shoreface retreat produced ravinement surfaces and transgressive lags that now separate coastal plain and marginal marine facies from shallow subtidal facies. Coastal progradation began during highstands after estuarine sediment sinks had filled, and may have been intensified during falling sea level.

Parenting Practices and Interventions among Marginalized Families in Appalachia: Building on Family Strengths

Using an ecological framework, the various contexts for parenting among marginalized families in Appalachia are discussed. Appalachian parenting styles are thought to be functional adaptations to a rural and often socioeconomically depressed environment within this geographical region. Characteristics of parenting styles, parents themselves, and their children are reviewed. Further, attention is paid to how family life professionals respond to these characteristics. Finally, suggestions are made for how professionals may cooperate with parents through the offering of support, information, and skills that are culturally responsive. In order to understand more comprehensively the parenting practices of low-income families who originate from rural areas of Central Appalachia, the larger historic, economic, cultural, and social heritage of this region must be considered. The broader ecological context experienced by Appalachian families is thought to involve the interaction of two major factors: (a) the socialcultural influences of urban America and (b) the lingering aspects of a rural folk culture. Recent ecological models of human development provide a basis for understanding how the parent-child socialization process within Appalachian families should be conceptualized in terms of complex social environments with diverse expectations (Bronfenbrenner, 1979). Much of the recent scholarship on parent-child socialization focuses on the parent-child dyad as an intimate social system that is embedded in the surrounding social environment as opposed to the traditional preoccupation with the individual (Belsky, 1981, 1984; Elder, 1991; Ford & Lerner, 1995; Lerner, 1991). Parent-child socialization, according to this viewpoint, involves relationships with both near and more distant environments such as the physical surroundings, immediate social contexts (e.g., the family), economic conditions, educational institutions, socioeconomic circumstances, and elements of the cultural context. This larger social environment encompasses the parent-child relationship and is organized into multiple levels that (a) are interconnected, (b) are hierarchically organized, (c) vary in terms of proximity to the parent-child relationship, and (d) function to directly or indirectly shape the lives of children and their elders. Added to this complicated ecological model are the elements of time and history, with the result being that parent-child relations and the larger social context are subject simultaneously to forces that are unique to a given time period, yet are also products of previous eras. Therefore, from an ecological perspective, the parent-child dyad is seen as a subsystem or component of larger social systems (Henry, 1994; Whitechurch & Constantine, 1993), and socialization within the parent-child relationship of Central Appalachia is thought to occur within the context of extended family systems that include grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, and other relatives. Members of these extended family systems often have their residential roots in common geographic areas of rural Appalachia that may be thought of as kinship communities. Moreover, these complicated family systems are best viewed in terms of Appalachia's distinctive ecological context that includes aspects of the local community, the schools, the workplace, religious institu tions, unique cultural patterns, economic circumstances, the media, and influences from urban America. Using this ecological approach, we consider how the circumstances of marginalization are reflected in the childrearing practices and socialization patterns of Appalachian families. More specifically, we consider the effects of marginalization on parenting practices of those lower income families from rural areas of southern West Virginia, eastern Kentucky, eastern Tennessee, western North Carolina, and western South Carolina. Additional attention is devoted to Appalachians who have migrated outside the Appalachian region and currently reside in urban areas. …

The Parents as Educational Partners Program at Atenville Elementary School

Atenville Elementary School is located on the banks of the Guyandotte River in the small southern West Virginia community of Harts. The school and community share a strong aspiration to provide children with the opportunity to obtain a comprehensive education. Most community members are descendants of people who have lived in the Appalachian Mountains for generations.

SOIL SPATIAL VARIABILITY RELATIONSHIPS IN A STEEPLY SLOPING ACID SOIL ENVIRONMENT

Management of pastures in steep terrain can be expensive in terms of time, chemical inputs, and equipment requirements. Management of those portions of pasture that will yield the most for minimum inputs requires a knowledge of the spatial patterns of the soil and atmospheric environments. A steep 2.4-ha unimproved pasture in southern West Virginia was studied to determine the spatial dependency of aboveground biomass production on soil characteristics. The predominant soil of the study site was Gilpin silt loam (fine-loamy, mixed, mesic, Typic Hapludults) with an average A-horizon pH (1:1 H2O) of 4.5 (range 3.8 to 6.1). The study site was broadcast seeded with red fescue (Festuca rubra L.) in 1982, making it the major plant species. However, several other plant species, including orchardgrass (Dactylis glomerata L.), red clover (Trifolium pratense L.), white clover (Trifolium repens L.), broomsedge (Adropogon virginicus L.), velvet grass (Holcus lanatus L.), yarrow (Achillea millegolium L.), and wild strawberry (Fragaria virginiana L.), and others were common. Transects were laid out up and down the north-facing, south-facing, and west-facing slopes and one transect was established on the contour for measurement of soil characteristics at a 1-m spacing. Plant aboveground biomass was measured at a 2-m spacing on three of the slope transects and on the contour transect. Although correlation analysis failed to find many statistically significant relationships between biomass production and soil characteristics, cross-semivariogram analyses of biomass production and surface soil pH and extractable Al, Mn, and P indicated that a strong spatial dependency exists. Those relationships were used for identifying homogeneous areas of biomass production and associated soil characteristics by ordinary kriging.

INFLUENCE OF GRADING INTENSITY ON HERBACEOUS GROUND COVER, EROSION, AND TREE ESTABLISHMENT IN THE SOUTHERN APPALACHIANS

In the southern Appalachian coalfields of Virginia, southern West Virginia and eastern Kentucky, the opportunity exists to create productive forests capable of providing good timber management opportunities on surface mined land. Unfortunately, this opportunity is seldom realized, in part because minesoil compaction caused by excessive surface grading hinders tree establishment and long-term tree growth. This five-year study was established in eastern Kentucky to evaluate the effect of several surface grading treatments on minesoil erosion, herbaceous ground cover development, and tree survival and growth. Three grading treatments were each replicated three times on a 40% slope. The treatments were (1) the operational {open_quotes}intensive{close_quotes} grading practice used by the operator, (2) a more {open_quotes}moderate{close_quotes} grading, and (3) a {open_quotes}ripped{close_quotes} treatment that created a rough surface. During the course of the study, the intensive graded treatment had the greatest erosion and the poorest ground cover development and tree growth. This traditional practice of intensive surface grading to create a smooth surface is not only unnecessarily expensive but, as this study clearly indicates, compaction caused by grading can have detrimental effects for environmental quality (erosion) and forest productivity. When forestry is the post-mining land use, grading practices should be minimized to leave minesoil inmore » a loose condition to reduce erosion and increase tree growth.« less

An Evaluation of the Minimum Required Sampling Density of Middle Pennsylvanian Interburdens at a Typical Southern West Virginia Surface Mine; A Preliminary Study: ABSTRACT

The goal of this project is to establish the minimum sampling density required to accurately characterize a volume of Middle Pennsylvanian interburden. This project is significant to the coal industry of West Virginia in that it will allow mining operators to more precisely predict acid mine drainage (AMD) potential of interburdens and overburdens. The field area for this project is located at an active surface mine in southern West Virginia. Samples were collected from air rotary drill cuttings during the drilling of shot holes. Representative samples were taken of continuous 1.2 m (4 ft.) intervals down each drill hole. Three analyses were performed on all samples: Total percent sulfur by total combustion, X-ray diffractometry, and elemental analysis by X-ray fluorescence. The known elements and minerals that have the greatest effect on AMD were used in the interpretations. Those elements and minerals are total percents.

Evaluation of Techniques to Improve White Pine Establishment on an Appalachian Minesoil

AbstractSeveral reclamation‐reforestation techniques were studied on a reclaimed surface mine in southern West Virginia to develop practical guidelines for the establishment of eastern white pine (Pinus strobus L.) forests interplanted with black locust (Robinia psuedoacacia L.). The study was designed to investigate (i) two herbaceous ground cover mixes (a conventional erosion control cover and a tree‐compatible reforestation cover); (ii) the effectiveness of establishing white pine and black locust by direct seeding versus hand‐planting; and (iii) the effect of fertilizing white pine with a fertilizer tablet. The study was established on a 40% slope with a minesoil derived primarily from an acidic (pH 4.8), oxidized sandstone. With an experimental variance from the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection, final surface grading was minimized to avoid compaction. The reforestation ground cover was sparser than the conventional cover during the first year and denser after 5 yr, but the difference was not statistically significant and did not affect tree establishment. Although some white pines were established by direct seeding (2 kg/ha), their distribution was irregular. Black locusts were readily established by direct seeding (0.5 kg/ha), but the number of trees established was excessive and interfered with the growth of planted pine. Overall, growth of planted pine was very good, and fertilizer tablets did not result in significantly larger pines after 5 yr. Based on results from this study, the most practical way to establish a productive white pine‐black locust plantation is to plant pine seedlings and interplant or spot‐seed locusts between pines.

Dendroecological Analysis of Successional Dynamics for a Presettlement- Origin White-Pine-Mixed-Oak Forest in the Southern Appalachians, USA

1 Prior to European settlement, Quercus alba, Castanea dentata, Carya spp. and Pinus strobus dominated Ridge and Valley forests in southern West Virginia. Dendroecological techniques were used to study the disturbance history and successional dynamics of one of the few remaining valley-floor remnants of this primary forest type. 2 The uneven-aged forest is presently dominated by P. strobus, Acer rubrum, Q. alba, Q. rubra and Q. velutina. Quercus alba and P. strobus represented most of the oldest and largest trees in the forest, while Acer, Fagus and Tsuga were the youngest and smallest. Maximum age was 295 years for Q. alba and 231 years for P. strobus. 3 There was continuous recruitment of Q. alba trees from 1700 to 1900. The abundance of P. strobus increased between 1830 and 1900, with a peak in the 1870s associated with releases in radial growth. The subsequent peak recruitment of Q. rubra and Q. velutina from 1880 to 1900 is suggestive of possible facilitation of these species by P. strobus. Following the cessation of Pinus and Quercus recruitment in 1900, Acer, Fagus and Tsuga abundance increased, particularly A. rubrum. 4 Radial growth chronologies across all species and age classes exhibited a series of major or moderate releases at regular intervals (typically every 20-30 years). However, the asynchronous nature of these releases suggests that they were caused by a series of small-scale disturbances, such as fire and wind-throw, each of which had localized impacts within the stand. 5 We believe that Pinus and Quercus were maintained in this stand during the 18th and 19th centuries by periodic disturbance, in particular fire, which would have eliminated later successional species. The lack of Pinus and Quercus recruitment after 1900 and the subsequent increase in Acer, Fagus and Tsuga indicates the transitional nature of this forest in the absence of fire. 6 Coupling of tree-ring chronologies and species establishment dates greatly increased our understanding of the disturbance history and dynamics of this old-growth forest, and we believe this represents an important approach to the study of species lifehistory attributes and ecological history in general.

Identification of Thermally Homogeneous Subunits in a Steep Appalachian Pasture

Abstract Pasture improvement in the central Appalachian region is facilitated by knowledge of spatial relationships in microclimate attributable to complex topography. A small, steep horseshoe-shaped pasture watershed, with aspects encompassing 210°, in southern West Virginia was instrumented to measure microclimatic variability under low-maintenance pasture conditions and to identify thermally homogeneous subunits. Temperature measurements were made at 32 sites on a 30-m grid in the 3-ha pasture. Average two-week temperatures were measured using chemical temperature integrators located 35 cm above the ground and at 25- and 35-cm soil depths. Temperatures were measured during the growing seasons (May–September) of 1985 through 1988. Principal components analyses (PCA) were performed on the combined growing season data as well as on each year individually. The first two components delineated homogeneous areas related to topographic-induced conditions and soil water status. Topographic-induced conditions we...

The geometry of natural selection in cave and spring populations of the amphipod Gammarus minus Say (Crustacea: Amphipoda)

The shape of the fitness function was investigated in a spring population (Davis Spring) and a cave population (Organ Cave) of the amphipod Gammarus minus in southern West Virginia. The first three principal components of a series of size, antennal and eye measurements and two fitness components (amplexus and number of eggs) were investigated. Smoothing splines using generalized cross-validation scores were found as were least-squares quadratic regression equations. Confidence intervals on shape, as determined by a smoothing parameter, were calculated using a bootstrap approach. Out of 18 cases, there were six cases of no selection, six cases of directional (monotonic) selection, one case of stabilizing selection, one case of disruptive selection, and four cases of selection with multiple internal maxima and minima. Selection on the cave population was frequently directional (5), resulting from strong directional selection for increased size, larger antennae, and smaller eyes. Selection on the spring population, the ancestral habitat for the species, was frequently non-monotonic (five cases) and rarely directional (one case). In both populations, stabilizing selection was rare and no more common than disruptive selection.

The geometry of natural selection in cave and spring populations of the amphipod Gammarus minus Say (Crustacea: Amphipoda)

The shape of the fitness function was investigated in a spring population (Davis Spring) and a cave population (Organ Cave) of the amphipod Gammarus minus in southern West Virginia. The first three principal components of a series of size, antennal and eye measurements and two fitness components (amplexus and number of eggs) were investigated. Smoothing splines using generalized cross-validation scores were found as were least-squares quadratic regression equations. Confidence intervals on shape, as determined by a smoothing parameter, were calculated using a bootstrap approach. Out of 18 cases, there were six cases of no selection, six cases of directional (monotonic) selection, one case of stabilizing selection, one case of disruptive selection, and four cases of selection with multiple internal maxima and minima. Selection on the cave population was frequently directional (5), resulting from strong directional selection for increased size, larger antennae, and smaller eyes. Selection on the spring population, the ancestral habitat for the species, was frequently non-monotonic (five cases) and rarely directional (one case). In both populations, stabilizing selection was rare and no more common than disruptive selection.

Hill-Pasture Renovation Using Phosphate Rock and Stocking with Sheep and Goats

The introduction of legumes to hill-pasture may be complicated by plant competition and soil chemical and physical limitations. The existing undesirable plant community must be modified before enhanced productivity can be realized. In many cases, soil phosphorus is limiting to legume growth. A study was conducted to determine the effect of phosphate rock, over-seeding birdsfoot trefoil (Lotus corniculatus L.) and stocking with goats (Capra hircus hircus) and sheep (Ovis spp.) upon the floristic composition and productivity of hill-pasture. Treatments included: stocked only, stocking with overseeding with 0, 45, 90, or 180 lb P as phosphate rocklacre, and an untreated (not stocked or fertilized with phosphate rock) control. Treatments were replicated three times in a randomized block design on a steep (30% slope) site with a Dekalb series soil (loamy-skeletal, mixed, mesic Typic Dystrochrept). Goats and sheep were effective in controlling most tall-growing forbs and brush on abandoned hill-pasture. The presence of yellow crownbeard (Verbesina Occidentalis L.), a toxic weed species, increased since neither goats nor sheep consumed the plant. Control of this weed is essential if hill-pasture improvement is to succeed. Birdsfoot trefoil alone improved dry matter production by 34% and, in combination with phosphate rock, improved production by 78% over stocked controls. Phosphate rock application increased surface strata plant-available P and the presence and dry matter yield of birdsfoot trefoil in oversown plots. Birdsfoot trefoil and phosphate rock significantly improved the productivity of hill-pastureand appear to be a viable low-input option for hill-land pasture improvement. Research Question Phosphate rock was used in the past in row crop production situations with limited success. Phosphate rock may be more appropriate for use in perennial plant production situations since P release is a function of solubility and is dependent upon acid soil environments for enhanced solubility. Our objective was to determine if stocking with goats (used to control weeds), phosphate rock application, and overseeding birds-foot trefoil could bring about a change in the floristic composition of hill-pasture with acidic soil, leading to improved productivity. Literature Summary Unmanaged hill-pastures abound in the Appalachian Region of the eastern USA. The floristic community becomes dominated by non-pastoral species of low productivity or quality. The plant community must be improved before enhanced production efficiency can be realized. In many cases, topographic or economic constraints limit mechanized or chemical renovation options. Livestock such as goats can be effective brush and weed control agents. Once the canopy competition is reduced, desirable plants, including legumes, can flourish. Legumes can then theoretically supply the N which limits hill-pasture productivity. Furthermore, successful production of legumes in Appalachian soils depends upon an adequate supply of phosphorus. Study Description The experiment was conducted from 1989 through 1992 in southern West Virginia (2800 ft elevation). Replicated (3) plots were established on a northeast facing slope (30%) on Dekalb soil (eroded, loamy skeletal, mixed, mesic Typic Dystrochrept). A wide range of plants including grasses, forbs, and brush occurred across the site. Four rates of phosphate rock (0, 45, 90, and 180 lb/acre) were applied to plots oversown with birdsfoot trefoil. Controls received no phosphate rock and were: a) excluded from stocking, b) stocked only, or c) stocked and oversown. No other chemical fertilizer or herbicides were used. Applied Question Can stocking with goats and sheep, application of phosphate rock and overseeding birdsfoot trefoil be used as a hill-pasture renovation technique in the Appalachian region? Goats effectively controlled tall-growing weeds allowing light to reach the base of the canopy. Grasses became the primary component of the flora making the pasture suitable for sheep and cattle grazing. Animals refused to consume a known toxic weed, yellow crownbeard, and enabled it to flourish. Effective methods must be developed to control yellow crownbeard if pasture renovation in the region is to succeed. Application to phosphate rock contributed to increased herbage productivity and supported an increased legume component in the sward. Surface application of less than 180 lb/acre phosphate rock is unlikely to have a significant influence on soil P availability. Birdsfoot trefoil over-seeding resulted in a 34% increase in herbage dry matter yield, and overseeding in combination with phosphate rock resulted in a 78% increase in yield over controls. Regular defoliation (through grazing) is required to maintain a desirable floristic composition.

Growth of prairie grass (Bromus willdenowii) and tall fescue × perennial ryegrass (Festuca arundinacea×Lolium perenne) on the Appalachian Plateau of southern West Virginia, USA

AbstractThe productivity and persistence of prairie grass (Bromus willdenowii Kunth) cv. Grasslands Matua were compared with a similarly managed endophyte‐free tall fescue × perennial ryegrass hybrid (Festuca arundinacea Schreb. ×Lolium perenne L.) cv. Johnstone. A field study was conducted on the Appalachian Plateau of southern West Virginia, USA (81°W, longitude; 38°N, latitude; 850m above sea level) for three consecutive years. Nitrogen totalling 0, 168, and 336 kg N ha−1 year−1 was applied to stands managed as hay. Annual herbage yields were similar for both species in year 1 (1989), but by year 3 (1991) Matua sown‐grass yield was about 35% of first‐year yields. Total herbage yield for Matua plots in the third year was similar to first‐year yields owing to encroachment by non‐seeded grasses and white clover (Trifolium repens L.). Matua was susceptible to powdery mildew [Blumeria graminis (DC) E. O. Speer] in this environment, and was similar in productivity (first year only) and nutritive quality to tall fescue × perennial ryegrass hybrid. Matua use may be limited to areas where low‐temperature stress and resultant winter damage is unlikely to occur.

Coal resources, production, and quality in the Eastern kentucky coal field: Perspectives on the future of steam coal production

The Eastern Kentucky coal field, along with adjacent portions of Virginia and southern West Virginia, is part of the greatest production concentration of high-heating-value, low-sulfur coal in the United States, accounting for over 27% of the 1993 U.S. production of coal of all ranks. Eastern Kentucky's production is spread among many coal beds but is particularly concentrated in a limited number of highquality coals, notably the Pond Creek coal bed and its correlatives, and the Fire Clay coal bed and its correlatives. Both coals are relatively low ash and low sulfur through the areas of the heaviest concentration of mining activity. We discuss production trends, resources, and the quality of in-place and clean coal for those and other major coals in the region.

Mine level analysis of planar and raised peat deposition in a wave- and tide-influenced deltaic shoreline setting; Beckley bed (Westphalian A), southern West Virginia

The Beckley bed of the New River Formation is known for difficult mining conditions. In the area examined the bed is composed of four coal benches separated by siliciclastic partings. Each bench represents a different episode of swamp development on a wave- and tide-influenced deltaic platform that had prograded to the northwest. Both planar swamps and raised mires developed in tidally influenced estuarine settings through time on this platform. These differing types of swamp morphology are superimposed, one upon the other, at the same geographic locations. These swamp environments were terminated by drowning, represented by a coarsening-upward sequence that overlies the bed. This sequence is tidally influenced and it represents the continuation of estuarine conditions. Most of this sequence is removed by an episode of incision by fluvial channels. This episode was followed by a return to sediment deposition in tidally influenced conditions. The distribution of all sediment types is influenced by faulting that was concurrent with sediment deposition. This faulting caused the localization and stacking of thick sandstones, thick coal areas, and the preservation of tidally influenced sediments that overlie the bed, all of which impact on the mineability of the bed.

Coal, Class and Color: Blacks in Southern West Virginia, 1915-32. By Joe William Trotter (Champaign, Illinois: University of Illinois Press, 1990. xvi plus 290 pp. $44.95/cloth $14.95/paper)

Coal, Class and Color: Blacks in Southern West Virginia, 1915-32. By Joe William Trotter (Champaign, Illinois: University of Illinois Press, 1990. xvi plus 290 pp. $44.95/cloth $14.95/paper)

Mississippian (Chesterian) bivalves from the Pennsylvanian stratotype area in West Virginia and Virginia

Diverse bivalve faunules in the Upper Mississippian (Chesterian) Bluestone and Hinton Formations in southern West Virginia and southwestern Virginia contain 49 species representing 29 genera. Of these, six new species are proposed: Ptychopteria pusilla, Streblochondria mutata, Streblopteria girtyi, Ectogrammysia inaffecta, E. prolata, and Cardiomorpha obovata. The Hinton and Bluestone Formations fall into Mamet's Foraminiferal Zones 18 and 19, respectively.

Helping the helpers: The development of a critical incident stress management team through university/community cooperation

Prehospital emergency services personnel often are exposed to high levels of occupational stress. Besides chronic stress, they can be involved in critical incidents, which cause a well-recognized set of overwhelming emotional reactions. If these reactions are not addressed promptly, emergency responders and their families can suffer further emotional trauma, and this can impair the ability of responders to care for patients in the field. A critical incident stress management team has been established through cooperation between the Charleston Division of the West Virginia University Health Sciences Center and emergency personnel in Charleston, as well as the rural countries in southern West Virginia. This team provides preincident education and postincident interventions for firefighters, police, emergency medical services, and on occasion, hospital emergency department personnel. This team can serve as a model for other such teams to organize to deal with this growing problem in the health care delivery field.