On the role of inherited rock fabric in critical zone porosity development: Insights from seismic anisotropy measurements using surface waves

Abstract Within Earth's critical zone, weathering processes influence landscape evolution and hillslope hydrology by creating porosity in bedrock, transforming it into saprolite and eventually soil. In situ weathering processes drive much of this transformation while preserving the rock fabric of the parent material. Inherited rock fabric in regolith makes the critical zone anisotropic, affecting its mechanical and hydrological properties. Therefore, quantifying and studying anisotropy is an important part of characterising the critical zone, yet doing so remains challenging. Seismic methods can be used to detect rock fabric and infer mechanical and hydrologic conductivity anisotropy across landscapes. We present a novel way of measuring seismic anisotropy in the critical zone using Rayleigh and Love surface waves. This method leverages multi‐component surface seismic data to create a high‐resolution model of seismic anisotropy, which we compare with a nuclear magnetic resonance log measured in a nearby borehole. The two geophysical data sets show that seismic anisotropy and porosity develop at similar depths in weathered bedrock and both reach their maximum values in saprolite, implying that in situ weathering enhances anisotropy while concurrently generating porosity in the critical zone. We bolster our findings with in situ measurements of seismic and hydrologic conductivity anisotropy made in a 3 m deep soil excavation. Our study offers a fresh perspective on the importance of rock fabric in the development and function of the critical zone and sheds new insights into how weathering processes operate.

Influence of catchment lithology on debris‐flow fan morphology, sedimentology and evolution—Field evidence from the White Mountains, southern California, USA

Abstract Debris‐flow fans form by repeated deposition of debris‐flow sediments. Catchment lithology affects debris‐flow grain‐size distribution, and thereby rheology, erosive potential and depositional morphology. We can therefore expect that lithology also influences debris‐flow fan characteristics. Here, we determine how catchment lithology affects the surface morphology and sedimentology of debris‐flow fans and by extension their spatiotemporal evolution. We study nine fans along the eastern margin of northern Owens Valley, California, USA, originating from catchments with contrasting lithologies, and similar climate, tectonics and geological history. Results show that debris flows originating from catchments comprising magmatic rocks are rich in cobble‐ to boulder‐sized grains. The coarse sediment along the flow fronts and margins minimizes lateral spreading of debris‐flow lobes, forming distinct levees and thick depositional mounds. In contrast, debris flows originating from catchments dominated by sedimentary rocks are rich in relatively fine gravel. Their fine‐grained levees and lobes lack strongly frictional margins, spread more easily and form distinctly thinner and wider deposits. Debris flows originating from catchments with metamorphic lithologies show intermediate grain size and depositional morphology. These contrasts in debris‐flow characteristics guide the morphology and spatiotemporal development of debris‐flow fans. Fine‐grained debris flows spread laterally and tend to fill topographical lows, whereas lateral spreading of coarser‐grained flows is hampered, instigating a low tendency to fill topographic lows. The more efficient topographic compensation on fans formed by fine‐grained debris flows causes smaller elevation differences across a less rugged surface and is likely to lead to higher avulsion frequencies. The limited mobility and spreading of coarse‐grained debris flows promote frequent deposition on top of and directly adjacent to channel margins, forming well‐defined channels bordered by thick composite levees and raised fan sectors. These results illustrate how catchment lithology can affect the morphology, sedimentology and evolution of debris‐flow fans, providing guidelines for reading their depositional archives and avulsion hazard assessment.

Rethinking Hominin Air Sac Loss in Light of Phylogenetically Meaningful Evidence

ABSTRACT The evolution of laryngeal air sacs in hominins has been a subject of considerable debate, with particular attention given to the inferred presence of air sacs in Australopithecus afarensis and inferred absence in Middle and Upper Pleistocene hominins. We challenge several assumptions prevalent in relevant discourse and assert that (1) while exhibiting morphological similarity, it cannot be ruled out that relationships between hyoid morphology and air sac morphology in extant African great apes may reflect convergence; (2) while the only known A. afarensis hyoid exhibits “ape‐like” bulla, this feature may have persisted following the loss of air sacs, and not be indicative of their presence per se; (3) because there are currently only five known hominin hyoid bones represented in the fossil record (with a single specimen predating the Middle Pleistocene) the evidential basis for interpreting air sac presence or absence is minimal; and (4) inferences toward a role of sexual selection and communicative behavior in explicating the loss of air sacs in the hominin lineage are undermined by the atypical sexual dimorphism patterns in early hominins. We advocate for a cautious approach to interpreting hominin behavior and evolution which prioritizes data over speculation, and underscore the need for rigorous evidence when constructing evolutionary narratives about early hominin vocal anatomy and its evolution.

Managing ecosystem damage from extreme events

Use of virtual reality to engage undergraduate students in environmental field experiences

Abstract Field‐based experiences enhance cognitive and affective skill sets of undergraduate students. Although field‐based learning is a highly effective pedagogical modality, it is not accessible to all students, necessitating the development and evaluation of alternate modalities that convey equivalent benefits. Virtual reality (VR) may allow students to engage in experiences without requiring them to be physically present within a field environment. Although VR is gaining popularity, there are limited examples of using it to simulate field experiences and of its efficacy in influencing student learning gains and attitudes toward environmental content. Therefore, we created immersive 360° cinematic VR (CVR) experiences focused on coastal marine ecosystems and compared them to traditional modalities: a field course and 2D videos focused on the same content. Students ( n  = 86) across science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) and non‐STEM majors from three institutions—Bentley University, Florida International University, and Louisiana Universities Marine Consortium—were given a preassessment/postassessment to understand learning gains and attitude changes related to each modality. Although significant learning gains happened across all modalities, CVR students experienced the greatest learning gains, though postscores were correlated with prescores and CVR students had lower prescores than field course students. There were no cross‐institutional or major‐related differences in learning gains for field course students. Students across all modalities experienced shifts in attitudes, with consistent increases in the use of keywords related to coastal marine ecosystems in postassessments. Ultimately, CVR is an effective supplement or alternative for undergraduate students who cannot access in‐person field‐based experiences and may be particularly impactful for non‐STEM majors.

The Scenario Quality Assessment Method: A New Technique for Verifying the Quality of Scenarios

ABSTRACT In a modern world faced by increasing uncertainty and crises, the importance of scenarios to inform the strategic decision‐making processes of governments and corporations has become paramount. This necessitates that those scenarios are rigorous and of high quality. A challenge is that research articulating how to classify and ensure the quality of a scenario is not prolific. This paper addresses this challenge by developing a framework of criteria for assessing scenario quality based on the futures and foresight literature and then using this to offer a new method for specifically assessing the quality of scenarios in the context of crisis management. The Scenario Quality Assessment Method infuses both the critical thinking and creativity required to develop quality scenarios. The method was empirically verified with scholars and practitioners in the industry to determine inter‐rater reliability before its intended use in the analysis of a data set for a scenario planning research project in the context of crisis management. This paper contributes theoretically to future and foresight research by including the concept of creativity when assessing the quality of scenarios and offers practitioners in crisis management an effective technique to assess the quality of their own scenarios.

Bayesian Semiparametric Multivariate Realized GARCH Modeling

ABSTRACT This paper introduces a novel Bayesian semiparametric multivariate GARCH framework for modeling returns and realized covariance, as well as approximating their joint unknown conditional density. We extend existing parametric multivariate realized GARCH models by incorporating a Dirichlet process mixture of countably infinite normal distributions for returns and (inverse‐)Wishart distributions for realized covariance. This approach captures time‐varying dynamics in higher order conditional moments of both returns and realized covariance. Our new class of models demonstrates superior out‐of‐sample forecasting performance, providing significantly improved multiperiod density forecasts for returns and realized covariance, as well as competitive covariance point forecasts.

Impact of Organic and Conventional Vegetable‐Based Curing Ingredients on Frankfurter Quality and Sensory Attributes

ABSTRACT Frankfurters, a widely consumed cured meat product in the United States, provide an ideal model for assessing the effects of conventional and organic plant‐based curing ingredients. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of commercially available conventional and organic plant‐based curing ingredients on the quality and sensory characteristics of frankfurters. Five nitrite source treatments (TRT)s were analyzed: preconverted celery (CEL), organic celery (OCEL), Swiss chard (SW), organic Swiss chard (OSW), and sodium nitrite (SN). Consumer sensory panel scores revealed a subtle variation in the perception of non‐meat aftertaste among alternative cured frankfurter TRTs. No difference ( p  > 0.05) was observed in overall liking and purchase intent among all TRTs. Furthermore, the consumer sensory panel indicated that OSW had a marginally higher ( p  = 0.077) non‐meat aftertaste compared to SW. Analysis of volatile compounds offered detailed insights into the interactions and effects of sodium nitrite and plant‐based curing powders on finished products. Esters and terpenoids were strongly positively correlated ( r  > 0.75) with non‐meat aftertaste, whereas alcohols, amino acids, and aldehydes were strongly negatively correlated ( r  < −0.75) with non‐meat aftertaste. This study found that some commercially available organic curing ingredients may go through a deodorization process, resulting in an undetectable non‐meat aftertaste. The combined findings indicated that even though non‐meat aftertaste is discernible in organic versus conventional cured meat products, it does not affect consumers' overall liking or purchase intent for vegetable‐based curing ingredients.

Recovery of Daily Water Levels in the Sacramento‐San Joaquin Delta, 1915–2023

ABSTRACT This manuscript documents the data rescue, digitization, and quality assurance of archival daily maximum and minimum water levels at twenty‐five sites within the Sacramento‐San Joaquin Delta. The records encompass 1846 total unique years, where 915 years are newly digitized from the 1915–1985 era. The period of record for each gauge location varies from 40 to 109 years (median = 80 years). Quality assurance procedures and datum corrections were applied to both archival and digital records to generate a time series referenced to a common geocentric datum. Both riverine and coastal influences on mean sea level and great diurnal range are evident in the time series. During the winter months, when river discharge is large, mean sea‐level increase and great diurnal ranges decrease. The strongest river influence is observed at more landward sites, where daily mean sea levels can increase by 1–10 m. The data also include spatially and interannually varying extreme water levels and show evidence of the influence of seasonal tidal barrier construction/dismantling, which began in the late 1980s. The data records thus enable future analysis of multiple intertwined issues, including sea‐level rise, subsidence, tides, climate patterns, atmospheric conditions, shoreline/habitat changes, bathymetric modifications, water resource management, and flood hazards.

WebSEQ : A New Tool for Democratizing Omics Data Sharing

ABSTRACT The relative ease of generation and proliferation of omics datasets has moved considerably faster than the effective dissemination of these data to the scientific community. Despite advancements in making raw data publicly available, many researchers struggle with data analysis and integration. We propose sharing analyzed data through user‐friendly platforms to enhance accessibility. Here, we present a free, online tool, for sharing basic omics data in a searchable and user‐friendly format. Importantly, it requires no coding or prior computational knowledge to build—only a data spreadsheet. Overall, this tool facilitates the exploration of transcriptomic, proteomic, and metabolomics data, which is crucial for understanding glial diversity and function. This initiative underscores the importance of accessible molecular data in advancing neuroscience research.