Tectonic controls on basement exhumation in the southern Rocky Mountains (United States): The power of combined zircon (U-Th)/He and K-feldspar 40Ar/39Ar thermochronology

The Great Unconformity of the Rocky Mountain region (western North America), where Precambrian crystalline basement is nonconformably overlain by Phanerozoic strata, represents the removal of as much as 1.5 b.y. of rock record during 10-km-scale basement exhumation. We evaluate the timing of exhumation of basement rocks at five locations by combining geologic data with multiple thermochronometers. 40Ar/39Ar K-feldspar multi-diffusion domain (MDD) modeling indicates regional multi-stage basement cooling from 275 to 150 °C occurred at 1250–1100 Ma and/or 1000–700 Ma. Zircon (U-Th)/He (ZHe) dates from the Rocky Mountains range from 20 to 864 Ma, and independent forward modeling of ZHe data is also most consistent with multi-stage cooling. ZHe inverse models at five locations, combined with K-feldspar MDD and sample-specific geochronologic and/or thermochronologic constraints, document multiple pulses of basement cooling from 250 °C to surface temperatures with a major regional basement exhumation event 1300–900 Ma, limited cooling in some samples during the 770–570 Ma breakup of Rodinia and/or the 717–635 Ma snowball Earth, and ca. 300 Ma Ancestral Rocky Mountains cooling. These data argue for a tectonic control on basement exhumation leading up to formation of the Precambrian-Cambrian Great Unconformity and document the formation of composite erosional surfaces developed by faulting and differential uplift.

A Process Evaluation on the Implementation of Cross-Organizational Intergenerational Partnerships

A collaborative group of organizations in the rocky mountain region of the U.S. implemented sixteen intergenerational programs with varying themes (i.e. mentorship, music and art therapy, baking, life stories, etc.). This two-year study used survey data and a focus group to understand successful approaches and challenges to implementing cross-organizational partnerships between adult-serving and youth-serving organizations. We utilized qualitative data through open-ended comments on program evaluations and a focus group discussion with leaders of seven community organizations. Questions in the focus group prompted participants to describe the process of initiating, developing, and sustaining partnerships. The three main themes were: the benefits of shared organizational values, outlining programmatic roles and expectations, and an ability to cope with negative partnership experiences. Insights about successful approaches to implementing cross-organizational partnerships, as well as the challenges of developing and sustaining such partnerships may be beneficial in similar settings.

The Irvingtonian Avifauna of Cumberland Bone Cave, Maryland

The early and mid-Pleistocene avian communities of North America are best known from the Rocky Mountain region and peninsular Florida. In the Appalachian Mountain region, only a small number of avian bones from mid-latitude cave deposits have been attributed to this time period. Here, I enlarge this record by reporting on bird bones from Cumberland Bone Cave in western Maryland, a well-known locality for large and small Irvingtonian mammals and other vertebrates. The taxa identified encompass ground birds, waterfowl, a hawk, two eagles, a vulture, an owl, a jay, a flycatcher, a junco or sparrow, and a finch. No purely boreal elements are confirmed as part of the avian assemblage, and all of the extant species that are positively or tentatively identified in the assemblage still occur in the region today. An immature bone referred to the Black Vulture (Coragyps atratus (Bechstein)) represents an Irvingtonian breeding record for the species in Maryland. This record occurs at the northern limit of the current breeding range for the genus. Extinct species in the assemblage include the Passenger Pigeon (Ectopistes migratorius (Linnaeus)), a large screech owl (Megascops guildayi (Brodkorb & Mourer-Chauviré 1984)), and the large goose, Branta dickeyi Miller 1924. It can be argued that none of these represent the extinction of a phyletic lineage during the Irvingtonian. Based on the broad habitat preferences of modern counterparts of the birds in the assemblage, we can expect that Irvingtonian habitats near the site included mixed forest with mast-producing hardwoods and both early and later successional stages represented. There must have been fluvial, wetland, or lacustrine habitat suitable for waterbirds nearby, and probably also open woodland or grassy savannah areas, suitable for vulture foraging, turkey nesting, and booming by Ruffed Grouse.

International Migrants, Family Literacy and Pact

The purpose of this study is to examine the components of a family literacy program that brought international migrants into Primary Classrooms in the Rocky Mountain Region in the US. The literacy program included four components: 1) Children's Education of direct child instruction of literacy and language skills; 2) Adult Education of parent instruction of English as Second Language (ESL); 3) Parent Time of parent education and support group; and 4) Parent and Child Together Time (PACTT), where the parents get to be an interactive part of their child’s classroom with the teacher present. PACTT is a unique opportunity in facilitating cultural integration and parental engagement, while providing participants opportunity to observe first-hand the reality of education in the United States as well as being active ELLs. Drawing on multiple social and educational theories and research, data from interviews, observation, and focus group yielded data that contributes a more inclusive discourse and new knowledge to the educational community regarding international migrants and their dreams and hopes for the success of their children.

Bee species checklist of the San Francisco Peaks, Arizona

Here we present a checklist of the bee species found on the C. Hart Merriam elevation gradient along the San Francisco Peaks in northern Arizona. Elevational gradients can serve as natural proxies for climate change, replacing time with space as they span multiple vegetation zones over a short geographic distance. Describing the distribution of bee species along this elevation gradient will help predict how bee communities might respond to changing climate. To address this, we initiated an inventory associated with ecological studies on pollinators that documented bees on the San Francisco Peaks. Sample sites spanned six life zones (vegetation zones) on the San Francisco Peaks from 2009 to 2019. We also include occurrence data from other studies, gathered by querying the Symbiota Collection of Arthropods Network (SCAN) portal covering the San Francisco Peaks region (hereafter referred to as “the Peaks”). Our checklist reports 359 bee species and morphospecies spanning five families and 46 genera that have been collected in the Peaks region. Prior to our concerted sampling effort there were records for 155 bee species, yet there has not been a complete list of bee species inhabiting the Peaks published to date. Over a 10-year period, we documented an additional 204 bee species inhabiting the Peaks. Our study documents range expansions to northern Arizona for 15 species. The majority of these are range expansions from either southern Arizona, southern Utah, or the Rocky Mountain region of Colorado. Nine species are new records for Arizona, four of which are the southernmost record for that species. An additional 15 species are likely undescribed.

Timber Use, Processing Capacity, and Capability within the USDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Region Timber-Processing Area

Over the past two decades, more than half a million acres of forested land has experienced extensive insect- and disease-caused tree mortality within the USDA Forest Service Rocky Mountain Region 2 (R2) of the National Forest System. To plan for timber harvest treatments needed to restore forest health, managers need information on forest product facility capacity and capability to profitably process timber of various size classes. To answer this need, the authors summarized timber harvest volumes by state and county group, identified facilities in the R2 area, quantified timber-processing capacities and size class capabilities, and analyzed the geographic variability of timber flows from county of harvest to mill. Results showed that nearly 285.5 million board feet Scribner of timber flowed from the study area to 101 processors throughout the R2 timber-processing area. Approximately 70 percent of annual milling capacity can profitably process trees ≧10 in. dbh, whereas just 8 percent can process timber <7 in. dbh. When planning forest-management activities, land managers should balance the need to remove small and/or dead trees with the local industry’s ability to profitably use that material.

Human Resources Professionals' Perspectives on the Use of a Community of Practice to Improve Employment Practices for Individuals With Disabilities

BackgroundThe hiring of persons with disabilities continues to lag relative to the employment outcomes of persons without disabilities.ObjectiveThe goal of this descriptive study was to examine human resources (HR) professionals' perceived needs and development considerations related to the use of a community of practice (CoP) to improve the hiring and retention of people with disabilities within the context of the technology acceptance model (TAM).MethodsParticipants were 190 HR professionals who were recruited through email invitations distributed by HR professional organizations in the Rocky Mountain region. The survey was comprised of items assessing beliefs regarding the usefulness, ease of use, and barriers to engaging in a CoP. Survey data were analyzed using descriptive and t-test analyses.FindingsFindings supported that 43.6% of HR professionals were unfamiliar with the term CoP, while 40.6% were familiar with the term CoP. A series paired-samples t-test revealed that LinkedIn was rated as the preferred social media platform. Moreover, resource libraries were identified as the most valuable feature, followed by frequently asked questions and answers, external links, webinar/live chat, continuing education credits, electronic newsletter, just in time information access, and virtual conferences.ConclusionsThe findings from this study indicate CoPs could be a viable option as a knowledge translation mechanism and useful in disseminating information and providing a network that allows the exchange of information between practitioners and researchers.