The North American and Western Larch

The North American and Western Larch The native range of the Tamarack, or Larix laricina, occupies the coldest regions of Canada and the northern-most forests of central and northeastern United States. This conifer was named tamarack  by native American Algonquians and means wood used for snowshoes but has also been called eastern tamarack, American tamarack, and hackmatack. It  has one of the widest ranges of all North American conifers. Although thought to be a cold-loving  species, tamarack  grows under extremely varied climatic conditions. It can be found in isolated pockets in West Virginia and Maryland and in disjunct areas of interior Alaska and the Yukon. It can easily survive average January cold temperatures from -65 degrees F to warm July temperatures that exceed 70 degrees F. This toleration of climate extremes explains its wide distribution. The extreme cold of northernmost strands will affect its size where it will remain a small tree, attaining a height of about 15 feet. Larix laricina,  in the pine family  Pinaceae,  is a small to medium-size  boreal  conifer that  is uniquely  deciduous where needles annually turn a beautiful yellow color and drop in autumn. The  tree  can grow to 60 feet in height on certain sites with  trunk  growth that can exceed 20 inches in diameter.  Tamarack can tolerate a wide range of soil conditions but grows most commonly, and to its maximum potential, on wet to moist organic soils of  sphagnum and woody peat. Larix laricina is very intolerant of shade but is an early pioneer tree species that invades bare wet organic soils by seeding. The tree typically appears first in swamps, bogs, and muskeg where they start the long process of forest succession.   According to  one U.S Forest Service report, the principal commercial use of tamarack in the United States is for making pulp products, especially the transparent paper in window envelopes. Because of its rot resistance, tamarack is also used for posts, poles, mine timbers, and railroad ties. The key characteristics used for the identification of tamarack: This is the only eastern conifer with deciduous needles arranged in radiating clusters.Needles are growing from blunt spurs in groups of 10 to 20.Cones are small and egg-shaped with no visible  bracts between scales.Foliage turns yellow in autumn. The Western Larch or  Larix occidentalis Western larch or Larix occidentalis is in the pine family Pinaceae  and often called western tamarack. It  is the largest of the larches and most important timber species of the genus Larix. Other common names include  hackmatack, mountain larch, and Montana larch. This conifer, when compared to Larix laricina, has a range that is much reduced to just four U.S. states and one Canadian province- Montana, Idaho, Washington, Oregon, and British Columbia. Like the tamarack, western larch is a deciduous conifer whose needles turn yellow and drop in autumn. Unlike tamarack, western larch is very tall, being the largest of all the larches and reaching heights of over 200 feet on preferred soils. The habitat for  Larix occidentalis  is on mountain slopes and in valleys and can grow  on swampy ground. It is often seen growing with Douglas-fir and ponderosa pine. The tree does not do as well as tamarack when dealing with broad changes in climatic factors as a species. The tree  grows in a relatively moist-cool climatic zone, with low temperature limiting its upper elevational range and deficient moistures its lower extremes- it is basically limited to the Pacific northwest and to the states mentioned. Western larch forests are enjoyed for their multiple resource values including timber production and aesthetic beauty. The seasonal change in hue of larchs delicate foliage from light green in the spring and summer, to gold in the fall, enhances the beauty of these mountain forests. These forests provide the ecological niches needed for a wide variety of birds and animals. Hole-nesting birds comprise about one-fourth of the bird species in these forests. According to a U.S Forest Service report, western larch timber is used extensively for lumber, fine veneer, long-straight utility poles, railroad ties, mine timbers, and pulpwood. It is also valued for its  high water-yielding forest-areas where management can influence water yield through harvest cuttings and young stand culture. The key characteristics used for the identification of western larch: A larch trees color stands out in forests- pale grass green in summer, yellow in the fall.Needles grow from blunt spurs in groups like  L. laricina  but on hairless twigs.Cones are larger than L. laricina  with visible yellowish, pointed bracts between scales.

4 Things That Surprised me About Self-Publishing an Academic Book

4 Things That Surprised me About Self-Publishing an Academic Book 4 Things That Surprised me About Self-Publishing an Academic Book Joshua Gans is a Professor of Strategic Management  at the University of Toronto. He has been published  in the American Economic Review, Journal of Political Economy, RAND Journal of Economics, Journal of Economic Perspectives, and more. In this article, he talks about his recent book,  Scholarly Publishing and its Discontents, which looks at the market power of journal publishers. The critical nature of this  subject led him to explore  self-publishing for the first time - an experience which surprised him in more ways than one."This is the 21st Century. Please download the free PDF of this book at joshuagans.com and use the search function. Trust me, it will be easier."And that was that!Self-publishing has offered me unparalleled freedom, and allowed me to disseminate my work as never before. That being said, my sales are not as high as I have achieved before with traditional publishing. Then again, I haven’t commenced any marketing initiatives other than handing out copies and have broken a few â€Å"rules† - like designing my own book cover. But that’s part of the beauty of self-publishing, doing things your way. This time around I’m going to work at my leisure, update the book with new editions when I want, and do things by one set of rules: my own.Scholarly Publishing and its Discontents  is available in  paperback from Amazon!Head to Joshua's website for more.Joshua published his recent book  because he had an idea he wanted to get out there - not necessarily because he was looking to build a fan base of readers. Can you relate? Leave any thoughts, experiences, or any questions for  Joshua in the comments below.

No topics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

No topics - Essay Example Police crackdowns can target specific crimes, individuals, or geographic areas. They can involve an increased police presence, a commitment to more severe punishment, or other forms of legal sanctions. In Boston, Kennedy reported on how the local authorities would reach out to the gangs and communicate their intention to reduce violence by bringing every available legal tool to bear on them. This process of 'pulling levers' would dramatically increase the cost to a gang for committing acts of violence. Instead of just one member being arrested and prosecuted for a murder, the system would up the enforcement level of probation, outstanding warrants, and illegal street activities on all the gang members. Sherman reported that similar results were shown in regard to a variety of other settings and crimes. Sherman noted that increased enforcement and greater sanctions can reduce crime. However, the strategy needs to be flexible, because as the crackdown continues it may loose its effectiveness. It may be more effective to move geographical locations and targets on an ongoing basis. Reducing crime in New York City is a never-ending task, as officers put pressure on the streets and target selected criminals and criminal activities.

3 Speech Evaluation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

3 Speech Evaluation - Essay Example The failure to include statistics on other brands gives the impression that the problem may not be endemic after all, because only one chain appears to be responsible for the problem; avoiding that store, you avoid the problem, which I believe is not what the speaker intended. The display of money (a hundred dollars) is a good visual ploy to bring the point home about savings. The speaker also employed sufficient research, although the point about monitoring one’s fast food consumption was not sufficiently made. The closing, â€Å"I’m going to go grab my Big Mac,† was likely an attempt at humor, but it contradicts rather than reinforces the message. All in all, the speaker appears at ease, despite a few nervous pauses to glance at his notes, and in general maintained eye contact with his audience. His face was animated and shows he was connecting with his audience. His tone could have been more lively, but it was not monotonous and is on the whole satisfactory. O verall, the speech was entertaining, slightly humorous, and relatively informative. The opening was a first-person narrative of what turned out to be a Labrador pleading for its life, so it was compelling enough to capture audience attention, and the speaker effectively brings the focus squarely to the welfare of the animals. His research on the law and practice concerning animal experimentation is likewise forceful as it is informative, as it emphasized the gruesome aspects of the use of animals in scientific and medical research and personifies their pain in human terms. What it lacks, however, is balance. The speaker asks the audience to suspend their moral judgment, but at the same time presents information that directly appeals to this moral judgment. To be more objective, the speaker should also have presented alternatives to animal testing, as obviously products and

Determinants and Consequences of Early Marriage in Java Essay Example for Free

Determinants and Consequences of Early Marriage in Java Essay This study analyzes the determinants and patterns of early marriage and explores its consequences on marital dissolution, work status and occupation, migration, and contraceptive use in Java, Indonesia. Data from the 1991 Demographic and Health Survey are obtained on 5816 ever married women, 15-49 years old, living on Java. Early marriage occurs among women before age 20. Subjects are grouped as residing in Jakarta, Bandung, Semarang, Jogyakarta, and Surabaya; residing in townships and other urban areas; and residing in rural areas. Findings indicate that 70% of ever married women in Java married early. Almost 80% of women who were reared in villages married early. 81.2% who still live in rural areas married early. 20% had no formal education. 74% of Muslim women married early. 79% without work before marriage married early. Dissolution was more common among women living in rural areas. 31% of women in rural areas, 20% living in big cities, and 23% living in towns were no longer in their first marriages. Women who married early were 3 times more likely to experience dissolution than women who married later. The percentage of women whose first marriages ended was highest among women who were married the longest. The effect of marriage age on current working status and the pattern of working status between early and late marriage were not significant. 80% had ever used contraception. Women who married late were more mobile and were more likely to have a higher occupational status. Logistic findings indicate that womens education, work status before marriage, husbands education, and current residence were significant predictors of early marriage. Education was the strongest predictor. The probability of dissolution was highest among uneducated, early married, Muslim women living in big cities. The lowest probability was among later married women, living in small cities, and with a tertiary level of education.

Sympathy in Beowulf Essay -- Epic Poems, Grendel, Anglo-Saxon

While the classic battle between good and evil forces is a major theme of the medieval epic Beowulf, one may question whether these good and evil forces are as black and white as they appear. Scholars such as Herbert G. Wright claim that â€Å"the dragon, like the giant Grendel, is an enemy of mankind, and the audience of Beowulf can have entertained no sympathy for either the one or the other† (Wright, 4). However, other scholars such as Andy Orchard disagree with this claim, and believe that there is â€Å"something deeply human about the ‘monsters’† (Orchard, 29). While Grendel, Grendel’s mother, and the dragon are indeed portrayed as evil and violent foes, there are parts within Beowulf that can also lead a reader to believe that the â€Å"monsters† may not be so monstrous after all. In fact, the author of Beowulf represents the â€Å"monsters† within the poem with a degree of moral ambivalence. This ambivalence ultimately evokes tr aces of sympathy in the reader for the plight of these â€Å"monster† figures, and blurs the fine line between good and evil within the poem. The first opponent Beowulf must face in the land of the Danes is Grendel, textually described as â€Å"a fiend out of hell †¦ [a] grim demon / haunting the marches, / marauding round the heath / and the desolate fens† (Beowulf, line 100 – 104). The author also provides us with a moral description, explaining how Grendel is â€Å"merciless †¦ malignant by nature, he never showed remorse† (line 135-137). As we can see here, the author’s physical and moral portrayal of Grendel is rather unforgiving. We also resent Grendel further once we learn that he has wreaked havoc upon the Heorot hall for twelve years, â€Å"inflicting constant cruelties on the people / atrocious hurt† (line 165). One may wonder ... ...ts treasure, almost an obsession,† then can one really blame am animal acting through instinct and purpose? While destructive, it was indeed the greed and ignorance of man that brought the wrath of the dragon upon Geatland. â€Å"The intruder who broached the dragon’s treasure / and moved him to wrath had never meant to† (line 2215). â€Å"each antagonist struck terror in the other† (line 2565). While the monsters of the poem are the antagonists of the poem, the author still manages to make the reader feel traces of sympathy for them. Grendel’s human depiction, exile and misery tugs at the heart of readers and indeed shows a genuine side to the figure, while Grendel’s mother and the dragon are sympathetic mainly because they were provoked into being attacked over things they both had a deep affection for. Their actions make us question whether they are as evil as they seem.

Presenting information Essay

Present complex internal business information using 3 different methods appropriate to the users need. Easy Jets aims and objectives are to be Europe’s preferred short-haul airline, delivering market leading returns. Subject: Interim report From: Marketing manager The introduction of the Easy Jet app has boosted many aspects of the organisation as a whole. Overall, EasyJet have provided their customers with a very effective mobile app. Making a booking, checking on the flight status and reviewing existing bookings are very easy to do. Though checking in online and downloading a mobile boarding pass is not supported. These are things that a passenger on the move might well want to do.+ Last year, we made 17.4% profit before capital and corporate tax, the app being released early January. Meaning that in 2013, since the app launch, we’ve made a profit off  £647.4 million. Before the launch, last year, the changes in net profits was 6.1%, compared to this year’s profit. 6.1% is an explosive profit margin for an organisation with our scale, size and calibre & over such a short period of time. Analysts point that our profit margins have been rapidly expanding at such an explosive rate because of our application. Before the app, in 2010, our profit was only 121 million, which is not even half of what we’ve made in 2013. This is of course, not only enhancing our disposable income capacity but also reaching our annual financial aims and meeting our objectives. I and the department strongly recommend expanding our influence over the interweb to reach our customers through virtual means and mobiles.