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• 31. [Article] Testing the Ecological and Physiological Factors Influencing Reproductive Success in Mosses

  As non-vascular, early land plants with an aquatic ancestry, mosses do not regulate internal water conditions separate from that of their environment and as a result, evolved mechanisms to survive in a ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Testing the Ecological and Physiological Factors Influencing Reproductive Success in Mosses Author: Shortlidge, Erin Elizabeth Year: 2014 As non-vascular, early land plants with an aquatic ancestry, mosses do not regulate internal water conditions separate from that of their environment and as a result, evolved mechanisms to survive in a terrestrial world out of water. Yet, there is a widely accepted dogma that moss reproductive success is solely dependent on rainfall events carrying swimming, bi-flagellate sperm across the landscape to reproductively mature and receptive female mosses--but this classic view of moss reproduction may be too simplistic. In this dissertation I test the assumptions of reproductive limitation in mosses and present novel findings in a basal, yet understudied terrestrial plant mating system. I find evidence of environmental desiccation tolerance in moss sperm, thus offering the potential for stress-tolerant gametes on the landscape possibly suited for various transport vectors, reminiscent of a pollen grain. To investigate the broad evolutionary implications of this newfound complexity in moss sexual reproduction, I tested classic tenets of plant-pollinator theory on the ancient mosses and their ubiquitous microarthropod inhabitants. Experimental results show that mosses and microarthropods are engaged in a "pollination-like" syndrome guided by sex-specific volatile cues that differentially affect microarthropod behavior. These data indicate an existing complex mutualistic relationship and provides new evidence of sexually dimorphic investment by male and female mosses into reproductive success. Further, these data put forth the idea that female mosses challenge an inherent mate limitation by investing into reproductive assurance via maintaining a relationship with microarthropods. Experimental work further confirms a role for invertebrates in moss reproductive success and tests mutualism theory through ongoing experiments. Such experiments include an assessment of moss genetic diversity, paternity, and male fitness traits as it relates to mosses with or without the presence of microarthropods, thereby testing for fitness benefits gained by mosses possibly engaged in a transport mutualism with microarthropods. I further tested mutualism, community ecology and moss sexual reproduction concepts in extreme geothermal moss populations living at the edges of inhabitable Earth, and results show that even geothermal moss canopies are diverse and host differential and abundant life. In a first field test of mutualism I found that although extreme heat stress may constrain sexual reproduction in mosses, a correlation between within-population moss genetic diversity and microarthropod abundances exists. To further examine mosses in extreme environments, and how these environments may constrain sexual reproductive success, I evaluated the effects of simulated warming on Antarctic moss physiology and reproductive biology. Data indicates that simulated warming relieves mosses of physiological stress, and results in a greater investment into primary productivity and sexual reproduction. These data support the hypothesis that with less stress, sexual reproduction is increased. Mosses are an ideal system by which to understand organisms that exist in environments ranging from the mesic to the extreme, in the laboratory and the field and even in the classroom, where the small functioning ecosystem of mosses can be used for discovery-based biology education as described in the Mosscosms curriculum. This work contributes significantly to the field of bryophyte and plant biology by revealing novel insights into the biotic and abiotic drivers of sexual reproduction in mosses. Title: Testing the Ecological and Physiological Factors Influencing Reproductive Success in Mosses Author: Shortlidge, Erin Elizabeth Year: 2014 As non-vascular, early land plants with an aquatic ancestry, mosses do not regulate internal water conditions separate from that of their environment and as a result, evolved mechanisms to survive in a terrestrial world out of water. Yet, there is a widely accepted dogma that moss reproductive success is solely dependent on rainfall events carrying swimming, bi-flagellate sperm across the landscape to reproductively mature and receptive female mosses--but this classic view of moss reproduction may be too simplistic. In this dissertation I test the assumptions of reproductive limitation in mosses and present novel findings in a basal, yet understudied terrestrial plant mating system. I find evidence of environmental desiccation tolerance in moss sperm, thus offering the potential for stress-tolerant gametes on the landscape possibly suited for various transport vectors, reminiscent of a pollen grain. To investigate the broad evolutionary implications of this newfound complexity in moss sexual reproduction, I tested classic tenets of plant-pollinator theory on the ancient mosses and their ubiquitous microarthropod inhabitants. Experimental results show that mosses and microarthropods are engaged in a "pollination-like" syndrome guided by sex-specific volatile cues that differentially affect microarthropod behavior. These data indicate an existing complex mutualistic relationship and provides new evidence of sexually dimorphic investment by male and female mosses into reproductive success. Further, these data put forth the idea that female mosses challenge an inherent mate limitation by investing into reproductive assurance via maintaining a relationship with microarthropods. Experimental work further confirms a role for invertebrates in moss reproductive success and tests mutualism theory through ongoing experiments. Such experiments include an assessment of moss genetic diversity, paternity, and male fitness traits as it relates to mosses with or without the presence of microarthropods, thereby testing for fitness benefits gained by mosses possibly engaged in a transport mutualism with microarthropods. I further tested mutualism, community ecology and moss sexual reproduction concepts in extreme geothermal moss populations living at the edges of inhabitable Earth, and results show that even geothermal moss canopies are diverse and host differential and abundant life. In a first field test of mutualism I found that although extreme heat stress may constrain sexual reproduction in mosses, a correlation between within-population moss genetic diversity and microarthropod abundances exists. To further examine mosses in extreme environments, and how these environments may constrain sexual reproductive success, I evaluated the effects of simulated warming on Antarctic moss physiology and reproductive biology. Data indicates that simulated warming relieves mosses of physiological stress, and results in a greater investment into primary productivity and sexual reproduction. These data support the hypothesis that with less stress, sexual reproduction is increased. Mosses are an ideal system by which to understand organisms that exist in environments ranging from the mesic to the extreme, in the laboratory and the field and even in the classroom, where the small functioning ecosystem of mosses can be used for discovery-based biology education as described in the Mosscosms curriculum. This work contributes significantly to the field of bryophyte and plant biology by revealing novel insights into the biotic and abiotic drivers of sexual reproduction in mosses. Close

• 32. [Article] Drainage Reversals Due to Tectonic Uplift: an Investigation through Modeling

  In mountainous landscapes throughout the world bedrock dominated river channels record a history of the tectonic and climatic evolution of the drainage basins that contain them. In traditional analysis ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Drainage Reversals Due to Tectonic Uplift: an Investigation through Modeling Author: Bordal, Max Gregory Year: 2014 In mountainous landscapes throughout the world bedrock dominated river channels record a history of the tectonic and climatic evolution of the drainage basins that contain them. In traditional analysis of river profiles, uplift and erosion are considered to be in balance in a steady state. In this study the transient state of a drainage basin is explored and numerically modeled, where a Gaussian shaped pulse of tectonic uplift overwhelms the river's incision and forces a diversion of the drainage network. I review the derivation of and use the detachment limited stream power equation to execute a model to find the physical condition that produce these dramatic drainage response. The Eel River and the unique tectonics of the nearby Mendocino Triple Junction, a well-researched case study in this phenomenon, provide context and parameters. The results of my models suggest that a rapid increase in uplift and a low erosion factor are the two most important conditions for a diversion response. Title: Drainage Reversals Due to Tectonic Uplift: an Investigation through Modeling Author: Bordal, Max Gregory Year: 2014 In mountainous landscapes throughout the world bedrock dominated river channels record a history of the tectonic and climatic evolution of the drainage basins that contain them. In traditional analysis of river profiles, uplift and erosion are considered to be in balance in a steady state. In this study the transient state of a drainage basin is explored and numerically modeled, where a Gaussian shaped pulse of tectonic uplift overwhelms the river's incision and forces a diversion of the drainage network. I review the derivation of and use the detachment limited stream power equation to execute a model to find the physical condition that produce these dramatic drainage response. The Eel River and the unique tectonics of the nearby Mendocino Triple Junction, a well-researched case study in this phenomenon, provide context and parameters. The results of my models suggest that a rapid increase in uplift and a low erosion factor are the two most important conditions for a diversion response. Close

• 33. [Article] Relative Sea-Level Trends in New York City During the Past 1500 Years

  New York City (NYC) is threatened by 21st-century relative sea-level (RSL) rise because it will experience a trend that exceeds the global mean and has high concentrations of low-lying infrastructure and ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Relative Sea-Level Trends in New York City During the Past 1500 Years Author: Kemp, Andrew C., Hill, Troy D., Vane, Christopher H., Cahill, Niamh, Orton, Philip M., Talke, Stefan A., Parnell, Andrew C., Sanborn, Kelsey, Hartig, Ellen K. Year: 2017 New York City (NYC) is threatened by 21st-century relative sea-level (RSL) rise because it will experience a trend that exceeds the global mean and has high concentrations of low-lying infrastructure and socioeconomic activity. To provide a long-term context for anticipated trends, we reconstructed RSL change during the past ~1500 years using a core of salt-marsh sediment from Pelham Bay in The Bronx. Foraminifera and bulk-sediment δ13C values were used as sea-level indicators. The history of sediment accumulation was established by radiocarbon dating and recognition of pollution and land-use trends of known age in down-core elemental, isotopic, and pollen profiles. The reconstruction was generated within a Bayesian hierarchical model to accommodate multiple proxies and to provide a unified statistical framework for quantifying uncertainty. We show that RSL in NYC rose by ~1.70 m since ~575 CE (including ~0.38 m since 1850 CE). The rate of RSL rise increased markedly at 1812–1913 CE from ~1.0 to ~2.5 mm/yr, which coincides with other reconstructions along the US Atlantic coast. We investigated the possible influence of tidal-range change in Long Island Sound on our reconstruction using a regional tidal model, and we demonstrate that this effect was likely small. However, future tidal-range change could exacerbate the impacts of RSL rise in communities bordering Long Island Sound. The current rate of RSL rise is the fastest that NYC has experienced for >1500 years, and its ongoing acceleration suggests that projections of 21st-century local RSL rise will be realized. Title: Relative Sea-Level Trends in New York City During the Past 1500 Years Author: Kemp, Andrew C., Hill, Troy D., Vane, Christopher H., Cahill, Niamh, Orton, Philip M., Talke, Stefan A., Parnell, Andrew C., Sanborn, Kelsey, Hartig, Ellen K. Year: 2017 New York City (NYC) is threatened by 21st-century relative sea-level (RSL) rise because it will experience a trend that exceeds the global mean and has high concentrations of low-lying infrastructure and socioeconomic activity. To provide a long-term context for anticipated trends, we reconstructed RSL change during the past ~1500 years using a core of salt-marsh sediment from Pelham Bay in The Bronx. Foraminifera and bulk-sediment δ13C values were used as sea-level indicators. The history of sediment accumulation was established by radiocarbon dating and recognition of pollution and land-use trends of known age in down-core elemental, isotopic, and pollen profiles. The reconstruction was generated within a Bayesian hierarchical model to accommodate multiple proxies and to provide a unified statistical framework for quantifying uncertainty. We show that RSL in NYC rose by ~1.70 m since ~575 CE (including ~0.38 m since 1850 CE). The rate of RSL rise increased markedly at 1812–1913 CE from ~1.0 to ~2.5 mm/yr, which coincides with other reconstructions along the US Atlantic coast. We investigated the possible influence of tidal-range change in Long Island Sound on our reconstruction using a regional tidal model, and we demonstrate that this effect was likely small. However, future tidal-range change could exacerbate the impacts of RSL rise in communities bordering Long Island Sound. The current rate of RSL rise is the fastest that NYC has experienced for >1500 years, and its ongoing acceleration suggests that projections of 21st-century local RSL rise will be realized. Close

• 34. [Article] Assessing the Potential of Land Use Modification to Mitigate Ambient NO2 and Its Consequences for Respiratory Health

  Understanding how local land use and land cover (LULC) shapes intra-urban concentrations of atmospheric pollutants—and thus human health—is a key component in designing healthier cities. Here, NO2 is modeled ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Assessing the Potential of Land Use Modification to Mitigate Ambient NO2 and Its Consequences for Respiratory Health Author: Rao, Meenakshi, George, Linda A., Shandas, Vivek, Rosenstiel, Todd N. Year: 2017 Understanding how local land use and land cover (LULC) shapes intra-urban concentrations of atmospheric pollutants—and thus human health—is a key component in designing healthier cities. Here, NO2 is modeled based on spatially dense summer and winter NO2 observations in Portland-Hillsboro-Vancouver (USA), and the spatial variation of NO2 with LULC investigated using random forest, an ensemble data learning technique. The NO2 random forest model, together with BenMAP, is further used to develop a better understanding of the relationship among LULC, ambient NO2 and respiratory health. The impact of land use modifications on ambient NO2, and consequently on respiratory health, is also investigated using a sensitivity analysis. We find that NO2 associated with roadways and tree-canopied areas may be affecting annual incidence rates of asthma exacerbation in 4–12 year olds by +3000 per 100,000 and -1400 per 100,000, respectively. Our model shows that increasing local tree canopy by 5% may reduce local incidences rates of asthma exacerbation by 6%, indicating that targeted local tree-planting efforts may have a substantial impact on reducing city-wide incidence of respiratory distress. Our findings demonstrate the utility of random forest modeling in evaluating LULC modifications for enhanced respiratory health. Title: Assessing the Potential of Land Use Modification to Mitigate Ambient NO2 and Its Consequences for Respiratory Health Author: Rao, Meenakshi, George, Linda A., Shandas, Vivek, Rosenstiel, Todd N. Year: 2017 Understanding how local land use and land cover (LULC) shapes intra-urban concentrations of atmospheric pollutants—and thus human health—is a key component in designing healthier cities. Here, NO2 is modeled based on spatially dense summer and winter NO2 observations in Portland-Hillsboro-Vancouver (USA), and the spatial variation of NO2 with LULC investigated using random forest, an ensemble data learning technique. The NO2 random forest model, together with BenMAP, is further used to develop a better understanding of the relationship among LULC, ambient NO2 and respiratory health. The impact of land use modifications on ambient NO2, and consequently on respiratory health, is also investigated using a sensitivity analysis. We find that NO2 associated with roadways and tree-canopied areas may be affecting annual incidence rates of asthma exacerbation in 4–12 year olds by +3000 per 100,000 and -1400 per 100,000, respectively. Our model shows that increasing local tree canopy by 5% may reduce local incidences rates of asthma exacerbation by 6%, indicating that targeted local tree-planting efforts may have a substantial impact on reducing city-wide incidence of respiratory distress. Our findings demonstrate the utility of random forest modeling in evaluating LULC modifications for enhanced respiratory health. Close

• 35. [Article] Close Enough: Adventures in Fact-Checking

  These days, fact-checking is a fashionable term in the worlds of both politics and the media. On broadcast news, tickers run below the speeches of politicians, with claims annotated in real-time and occasionally ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Close Enough: Adventures in Fact-Checking Author: DeNies, Ramona Wynne Year: 2017 These days, fact-checking is a fashionable term in the worlds of both politics and the media. On broadcast news, tickers run below the speeches of politicians, with claims annotated in real-time and occasionally labeled as false. In newspapers like the Washington Post and online information hubs like Politifact.com, writers invoke the term to flag reporting that aims to correct or clarify the public record. At times, "fact-checking" efforts are themselves called out for partisan bias or personal gain. The term is now practically mainstream, used in everyday conversation to indicate disbelief. ("I'm going to have to fact-check you," CNN anchor Jake Tapper said to former Baltimore mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake in August 2016, expressing surprise that she was the mother of a 12-year-old.) Given the proliferating parties of interest that now claim to be engaged in some sort of fact-checking endeavor--from policy think tanks to Facebook--it's no wonder that a term originally reserved for the pursuit of journalistic accuracy now suffers from muddied public understanding. This study focuses on fact-checking in the context of print magazines: the media genre that innovated a formal version of the practice nearly a century ago. Magazine fact-checking, unlike the "fact-checking" tickers of broadcast news and newspaper postmortems, focuses not on setting the record straight after the fact, but rather on getting the story right before it goes to print. If a magazine fact-checker does her work well, she'll remain invisible to the reader. And that's because the published story, after her fact-checking, will afford the reader an experience uninterrupted by questionable logic, unreliable sources, or suspect data. Magazine fact-checkers aim for this level of perfection by employing a rigorous process that goes far beyond the verification of names, dates, and numerical figures. To illustrate this process, and explain my personal investment in this craft, I share my own experience working as the head of a city magazine's fact-checking department. To gain perspective on magazine fact-checking as practiced elsewhere in the nation, I interview other fact-checkers, writers, and academics. I also draw on case studies, media history, and personal anecdotes to examine some of the fundamental questions that inform the practice. (Among them: what is a fact? When does information become true? And what are the limits of a fact-checker's pursuit of truth?) In the world of fact-checking, there are best practices in the craft, and nuances to consider. Fact-checking also wades into deeper waters: those of philosophy, ethics, and social bias. But at its core, fact-checking is quite simply an application of critical thinking skills: skills that can be honed, and used for good. At a time when the media has lost the faith of many Americans, the magazine fact-checker can play a critical role in building that trust, one scrupulously vetted story at a time. Title: Close Enough: Adventures in Fact-Checking Author: DeNies, Ramona Wynne Year: 2017 These days, fact-checking is a fashionable term in the worlds of both politics and the media. On broadcast news, tickers run below the speeches of politicians, with claims annotated in real-time and occasionally labeled as false. In newspapers like the Washington Post and online information hubs like Politifact.com, writers invoke the term to flag reporting that aims to correct or clarify the public record. At times, "fact-checking" efforts are themselves called out for partisan bias or personal gain. The term is now practically mainstream, used in everyday conversation to indicate disbelief. ("I'm going to have to fact-check you," CNN anchor Jake Tapper said to former Baltimore mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake in August 2016, expressing surprise that she was the mother of a 12-year-old.) Given the proliferating parties of interest that now claim to be engaged in some sort of fact-checking endeavor--from policy think tanks to Facebook--it's no wonder that a term originally reserved for the pursuit of journalistic accuracy now suffers from muddied public understanding. This study focuses on fact-checking in the context of print magazines: the media genre that innovated a formal version of the practice nearly a century ago. Magazine fact-checking, unlike the "fact-checking" tickers of broadcast news and newspaper postmortems, focuses not on setting the record straight after the fact, but rather on getting the story right before it goes to print. If a magazine fact-checker does her work well, she'll remain invisible to the reader. And that's because the published story, after her fact-checking, will afford the reader an experience uninterrupted by questionable logic, unreliable sources, or suspect data. Magazine fact-checkers aim for this level of perfection by employing a rigorous process that goes far beyond the verification of names, dates, and numerical figures. To illustrate this process, and explain my personal investment in this craft, I share my own experience working as the head of a city magazine's fact-checking department. To gain perspective on magazine fact-checking as practiced elsewhere in the nation, I interview other fact-checkers, writers, and academics. I also draw on case studies, media history, and personal anecdotes to examine some of the fundamental questions that inform the practice. (Among them: what is a fact? When does information become true? And what are the limits of a fact-checker's pursuit of truth?) In the world of fact-checking, there are best practices in the craft, and nuances to consider. Fact-checking also wades into deeper waters: those of philosophy, ethics, and social bias. But at its core, fact-checking is quite simply an application of critical thinking skills: skills that can be honed, and used for good. At a time when the media has lost the faith of many Americans, the magazine fact-checker can play a critical role in building that trust, one scrupulously vetted story at a time. Close

• 36. [Article] Issues in Urban Trip Generation

  In the 1976, the Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE) compiled their first Handbook of guidelines and methods for evaluating development-level transportation impacts, specifically vehicular impacts ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Issues in Urban Trip Generation Author: Currans, Kristina Marie Year: 2017 In the 1976, the Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE) compiled their first Handbook of guidelines and methods for evaluating development-level transportation impacts, specifically vehicular impacts (Institute of Transportation Engineers 1976). Decades later, these methods—essentially the same as when they were originally conceived—are used ubiquitously across the US and Canada. Only recently, with the guidelines in its third edition of the ITE's Trip Generation Handbook (Institute of Transportation Engineers 2014) new data and approaches been adopted--despite substantial evidence that questions the accuracy of older data (Clifton, Currans, and Muhs 2012; Shafizadeh et al. 2012; Weinberger et al. 2015), automobile bias (Clifton et al. 2012; Millard-Ball 2015; Manville 2017), and lack of sensitivity to urban contexts (Currans and Clifton 2015; Ewing et al. 2011; Schneider, Shafizadeh, and Handy 2015; Weinberger et al. 2015). This dissertation contributes to this literature by focusing on the data, methods, and assumptions so commonly included in development- or site-level evaluation of transportation impacts. These methods are omnipresent in development-level review—used in transportation impact analyses or studies (TIAs/TISs) of vehicular or mode-based impacts, vehicle miles traveled (VMT) and estimates of emissions, scaling or scoping development size, and evaluating transportation system development, impact or utility fees or charges. However, few have evaluated the underlying characteristics of these foundational data--with few exceptions (Shoup 2003)--this manuscript takes aim at understanding inherent issues in the collection and application of ITE's data and methods in various urban contexts. This manuscript includes a compiled dissertation, four papers written consecutively. The first, evaluates state-of-the-art methods in Chapter 2--identifying gaps in the literature. Two such gaps are explored in Chapter 3 and Chapter 4. In Chapter 3, a larger implicit assumption present in ITE's methods--that the existing land-use taxonomy is an optimal and accurate way to describe land use and segment data. Results indicate a simplified taxonomy would provide substantial reductions in cost corresponding with a minor loss in the model's explanation of variance. Following, Chapter 4 explores a common assumption that requires ITE's vehicle trips be converted into person trips and applied across contexts. The results point to the need to consider demographics in site-level transportation impact analysis, particularly to estimate overall demand (person trips, transaction activity) at retail and service development. In Chapter 5, the findings from this research and previous studies are extrapolated to evaluate and quantify the potential bias when temporal, special, and social contexts are ignored. The results indicate the compounding overestimation of automobile demand may inflate estimation by more than 100% in contexts where ITE should be applicable (suburban areas with moderate incomes). In the conclusions (Chapter 6), the implications of this work are explored, followed by recommendations for practice and a discussion of the limitations of this research and future work. Title: Issues in Urban Trip Generation Author: Currans, Kristina Marie Year: 2017 In the 1976, the Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE) compiled their first Handbook of guidelines and methods for evaluating development-level transportation impacts, specifically vehicular impacts (Institute of Transportation Engineers 1976). Decades later, these methods—essentially the same as when they were originally conceived—are used ubiquitously across the US and Canada. Only recently, with the guidelines in its third edition of the ITE's Trip Generation Handbook (Institute of Transportation Engineers 2014) new data and approaches been adopted--despite substantial evidence that questions the accuracy of older data (Clifton, Currans, and Muhs 2012; Shafizadeh et al. 2012; Weinberger et al. 2015), automobile bias (Clifton et al. 2012; Millard-Ball 2015; Manville 2017), and lack of sensitivity to urban contexts (Currans and Clifton 2015; Ewing et al. 2011; Schneider, Shafizadeh, and Handy 2015; Weinberger et al. 2015). This dissertation contributes to this literature by focusing on the data, methods, and assumptions so commonly included in development- or site-level evaluation of transportation impacts. These methods are omnipresent in development-level review—used in transportation impact analyses or studies (TIAs/TISs) of vehicular or mode-based impacts, vehicle miles traveled (VMT) and estimates of emissions, scaling or scoping development size, and evaluating transportation system development, impact or utility fees or charges. However, few have evaluated the underlying characteristics of these foundational data--with few exceptions (Shoup 2003)--this manuscript takes aim at understanding inherent issues in the collection and application of ITE's data and methods in various urban contexts. This manuscript includes a compiled dissertation, four papers written consecutively. The first, evaluates state-of-the-art methods in Chapter 2--identifying gaps in the literature. Two such gaps are explored in Chapter 3 and Chapter 4. In Chapter 3, a larger implicit assumption present in ITE's methods--that the existing land-use taxonomy is an optimal and accurate way to describe land use and segment data. Results indicate a simplified taxonomy would provide substantial reductions in cost corresponding with a minor loss in the model's explanation of variance. Following, Chapter 4 explores a common assumption that requires ITE's vehicle trips be converted into person trips and applied across contexts. The results point to the need to consider demographics in site-level transportation impact analysis, particularly to estimate overall demand (person trips, transaction activity) at retail and service development. In Chapter 5, the findings from this research and previous studies are extrapolated to evaluate and quantify the potential bias when temporal, special, and social contexts are ignored. The results indicate the compounding overestimation of automobile demand may inflate estimation by more than 100% in contexts where ITE should be applicable (suburban areas with moderate incomes). In the conclusions (Chapter 6), the implications of this work are explored, followed by recommendations for practice and a discussion of the limitations of this research and future work. Close

• 37. [Article] What Color Is the Threshold? An Exploration of the Materiality of Racial Descriptions in Marketing Paratext in Adult Fiction

  The conversation in book publishing has established that the industry is remarkably, well, white. We abstractly understand that minority groups have not been represented well, if at all, in our literary ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: What Color Is the Threshold? An Exploration of the Materiality of Racial Descriptions in Marketing Paratext in Adult Fiction Author: Wathey, Jordana Beh Year: 2017 The conversation in book publishing has established that the industry is remarkably, well, white. We abstractly understand that minority groups have not been represented well, if at all, in our literary history; and, I would add, most publishers including the tenor-setting Big Five, want to change this heternormative face of the book industry. In fact, the question in all American media today is how do we make our fictional worlds better reflect our lived existence? But, as we talk about improving the inclusivity of our chosen medium, there is a conversation that is being missed as we canvas the landscape of the publishing industry: first, how are these books being marketed and sold; and second, have we considered what we’re saying to the audience. This paper will not point to a silver bullet to cure the woefully monochromatic book industry, but it will ask us to pause and more carefully consider the material effects of the words we use as markings of race and ethnicity, particularly in consumer-facing language. First we will look at why we should take this measured look at marketing language, and then discuss examples where the materiality of the marketing language predisposes the audience to stereotypical racial assumptions. Title: What Color Is the Threshold? An Exploration of the Materiality of Racial Descriptions in Marketing Paratext in Adult Fiction Author: Wathey, Jordana Beh Year: 2017 The conversation in book publishing has established that the industry is remarkably, well, white. We abstractly understand that minority groups have not been represented well, if at all, in our literary history; and, I would add, most publishers including the tenor-setting Big Five, want to change this heternormative face of the book industry. In fact, the question in all American media today is how do we make our fictional worlds better reflect our lived existence? But, as we talk about improving the inclusivity of our chosen medium, there is a conversation that is being missed as we canvas the landscape of the publishing industry: first, how are these books being marketed and sold; and second, have we considered what we’re saying to the audience. This paper will not point to a silver bullet to cure the woefully monochromatic book industry, but it will ask us to pause and more carefully consider the material effects of the words we use as markings of race and ethnicity, particularly in consumer-facing language. First we will look at why we should take this measured look at marketing language, and then discuss examples where the materiality of the marketing language predisposes the audience to stereotypical racial assumptions. Close

• 38. [Article] Issues in Trip Generation Methods for Transportation Impact Estimation of Land Use Development: A Review and Discussion of the State-of-the-Art Approaches

  As agencies develop more robust planning objectives for creating sustainable and livable communities, the research community has continued developing supportive tools and methods to provide more accurate ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Issues in Trip Generation Methods for Transportation Impact Estimation of Land Use Development: A Review and Discussion of the State-of-the-Art Approaches Author: Currans, Kristina Marie Year: 2017 As agencies develop more robust planning objectives for creating sustainable and livable communities, the research community has continued developing supportive tools and methods to provide more accurate and robust means for estimating transportation impacts for site-level development review. This paper is a review of the state-of-the-art trip generation methods for land use transportation impact estimation. First, it provides an overview of the more recent available and peer-reviewed estimation methods. Second, the authors offer a discussion of the successes of state-of-the-art approaches using common themes of research to identify corresponding consistency with theories of travel behavior and urban economics. These themes include: (a) the ability to estimate overall amounts of activity; (b) built environment and multimodal estimation; (c) socio-and economic demographics; (d) mixed and/or multiuse methods; and (e) land use (dis)aggregation. The main objective of this paper is to, throughout the discussion and conclusions, identify the largest and potentially problematic gaps in the state-of-the-art methods available for practice in order to allow researchers, agencies, and practitioners to both be aware of these limitations and forge forward new innovations to solve these on-going problems Title: Issues in Trip Generation Methods for Transportation Impact Estimation of Land Use Development: A Review and Discussion of the State-of-the-Art Approaches Author: Currans, Kristina Marie Year: 2017 As agencies develop more robust planning objectives for creating sustainable and livable communities, the research community has continued developing supportive tools and methods to provide more accurate and robust means for estimating transportation impacts for site-level development review. This paper is a review of the state-of-the-art trip generation methods for land use transportation impact estimation. First, it provides an overview of the more recent available and peer-reviewed estimation methods. Second, the authors offer a discussion of the successes of state-of-the-art approaches using common themes of research to identify corresponding consistency with theories of travel behavior and urban economics. These themes include: (a) the ability to estimate overall amounts of activity; (b) built environment and multimodal estimation; (c) socio-and economic demographics; (d) mixed and/or multiuse methods; and (e) land use (dis)aggregation. The main objective of this paper is to, throughout the discussion and conclusions, identify the largest and potentially problematic gaps in the state-of-the-art methods available for practice in order to allow researchers, agencies, and practitioners to both be aware of these limitations and forge forward new innovations to solve these on-going problems Close

• 39. [Article] Accessibility, Income, and Person Trip Generation: Multilevel Model of Activity at Food Retail Establishments in Portland, Oregon

  In the past decade, the methods for estimating multimodal transportation impacts of urban land use development have improved substantially. One assumption commonly made in these new methods is that overall ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Accessibility, Income, and Person Trip Generation: Multilevel Model of Activity at Food Retail Establishments in Portland, Oregon Author: Currans, Kristina Marie, Clifton, Kelly Year: 2017 In the past decade, the methods for estimating multimodal transportation impacts of urban land use development have improved substantially. One assumption commonly made in these new methods is that overall person-trip rates at similarly-sized establishments of the same land use do not vary across a region. This is an assumption of convenience to permit the adjustment of ITE Trip Generation vehicle trip rates for use in different urban environments. However, this assumption is inconsistent with theories of urban economics, which recognize that businesses pay a premium to locate in areas with high levels of accessibility to attract more customers. In addition, most transportation impact analyses have ignored income effects, even though socio-economics are a proven driver of travel behavior. To test this assumption and understand the effects of accessibility and income on levels of activity at the establishment level, we examine transaction counts for 97 grocery and convenience markets in Portland, Oregon. In a multilevel negative binomial regression, we test the relationship of regional accessibility, local accessibility, and income on weekly and daily transaction rates. While there was not enough evidence to suggest a significant relationship between accessibility and transaction rates, the results indicated a significant relationship with median income of the surrounding area. The implications point to the need to consider area-wide socio-demographics in site-level transportation impact analysis. The study also provides some important discussion about the use of transaction as a proxy for person-trip rates. Title: Accessibility, Income, and Person Trip Generation: Multilevel Model of Activity at Food Retail Establishments in Portland, Oregon Author: Currans, Kristina Marie, Clifton, Kelly Year: 2017 In the past decade, the methods for estimating multimodal transportation impacts of urban land use development have improved substantially. One assumption commonly made in these new methods is that overall person-trip rates at similarly-sized establishments of the same land use do not vary across a region. This is an assumption of convenience to permit the adjustment of ITE Trip Generation vehicle trip rates for use in different urban environments. However, this assumption is inconsistent with theories of urban economics, which recognize that businesses pay a premium to locate in areas with high levels of accessibility to attract more customers. In addition, most transportation impact analyses have ignored income effects, even though socio-economics are a proven driver of travel behavior. To test this assumption and understand the effects of accessibility and income on levels of activity at the establishment level, we examine transaction counts for 97 grocery and convenience markets in Portland, Oregon. In a multilevel negative binomial regression, we test the relationship of regional accessibility, local accessibility, and income on weekly and daily transaction rates. While there was not enough evidence to suggest a significant relationship between accessibility and transaction rates, the results indicated a significant relationship with median income of the surrounding area. The implications point to the need to consider area-wide socio-demographics in site-level transportation impact analysis. The study also provides some important discussion about the use of transaction as a proxy for person-trip rates. Close

• 40. [Article] Hohenzollern Prussia: Claiming a Legacy of Legitimacy

  Prussia has been seen since the Second World War as a militaristic pariah and because of its scattered and desperate nature it has been vilified as the root cause of Nazism. Modern authors like Christopher ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Hohenzollern Prussia: Claiming a Legacy of Legitimacy Author: Weed, Jeremy Brooks Year: 2015 Prussia has been seen since the Second World War as a militaristic pariah and because of its scattered and desperate nature it has been vilified as the root cause of Nazism. Modern authors like Christopher Clark, Philip Dwyer, and others have helped to perpetuate these ideas in contemporary literature. These ideas contradict works by older historians who wrote and asserted that Prussian expansion was based on dynastic claims. These earlier historians asserted that Prussian actions followed a series of dynastic claims that gave credibility to Prussian expansion without upsetting the political norms of the time. By examining the actions and written accounts of Prussia's monarchs I will show that in contrast to the accepted Anglo-America theory of Prussian militarism as expressed by authors like Dwyer, that Prussia was in fact, a legally expanding state growing through the legitimate and internationally recognized means of dynastic claims. To validate my thesis I will use archival evidence such as the written testaments of Prussia's rules and the historic actions these rules took through 150 years of history, from 1640 to 1786. This research will prove that the current historiography on the subject is badly tainted by post Nazi views on expansion, freedom of action, and other international norms. The application of modern norms on international affairs regarding events occurring in the 17th and 18th century fails to view Prussian actions as it was seen by Prussia's peers during that time. Instead of viewing Prussia as aggressive and expansionistic, other states saw its growth as legitimate expansion via a series of dynastic claims that Prussia held. These claims were recognized as a legitimate international form of expansion. This thesis will thus prove that Prussian expansion from 1640-1786 was only based on dynastic claims. Title: Hohenzollern Prussia: Claiming a Legacy of Legitimacy Author: Weed, Jeremy Brooks Year: 2015 Prussia has been seen since the Second World War as a militaristic pariah and because of its scattered and desperate nature it has been vilified as the root cause of Nazism. Modern authors like Christopher Clark, Philip Dwyer, and others have helped to perpetuate these ideas in contemporary literature. These ideas contradict works by older historians who wrote and asserted that Prussian expansion was based on dynastic claims. These earlier historians asserted that Prussian actions followed a series of dynastic claims that gave credibility to Prussian expansion without upsetting the political norms of the time. By examining the actions and written accounts of Prussia's monarchs I will show that in contrast to the accepted Anglo-America theory of Prussian militarism as expressed by authors like Dwyer, that Prussia was in fact, a legally expanding state growing through the legitimate and internationally recognized means of dynastic claims. To validate my thesis I will use archival evidence such as the written testaments of Prussia's rules and the historic actions these rules took through 150 years of history, from 1640 to 1786. This research will prove that the current historiography on the subject is badly tainted by post Nazi views on expansion, freedom of action, and other international norms. The application of modern norms on international affairs regarding events occurring in the 17th and 18th century fails to view Prussian actions as it was seen by Prussia's peers during that time. Instead of viewing Prussia as aggressive and expansionistic, other states saw its growth as legitimate expansion via a series of dynastic claims that Prussia held. These claims were recognized as a legitimate international form of expansion. This thesis will thus prove that Prussian expansion from 1640-1786 was only based on dynastic claims. Close