Effect of Site Factors on Biodiversity of Forest Hymenoptera
Sylvio Codella
Daniella Shebitz
Winter Season Fog
Paul J. Croft
1. Occurrence and coverage of fog in the New Jersey region examined according to physiographic features and synoptic regime.
2. Fog prone region during the winter impacts surface, marine, and aviation transportation systems, particularly in large urban area.
3. Operational Forecasting method developed to improve prediction.
Winter Season (December through February) fog occurrence and coverage was considered across the New Jersey region. Daily data summaries were used to collect reports of fog or low clouds for three consecutive winter seasons. While fog occurrence was quite common across the region at many locations, distinct variations in occurrence and coverage were observed as related to synoptic patterns and their associated diagnostic fields; as well as certain physiographic features. There was also some variation of these for dense fog events. Null cases were investigated to distinguish non-fog synoptic events from those producing fog in the region. Composites of all data sets provided evidence for the role of specific synoptic features in fog occurrence and coverage, and their interactions with physiographic features. This helps forecasters avoid "false alarms", specify intensity, and note at least 24 hours in advance the potential extent of fog coverage as local, regional, or widespread. The methods and results of this investigation may be applied to other regions in order to develop a conceptual model and forecast approach for the prediction of fog occurrence and its extent of coverage according to synoptic regime.
Anthropogenic Expansion of Social Vespid Populations as a Suppressant of Parasitic Wasp Biodiversity
Sylvio Codella
Colonies of yellowjackets, hornets and paper wasps (Vespidae) are often at high densities in urban parks and recreational areas due to the accumulation of refuse and the suitability of human structures for nesting. I hypothesize that high vespid activity threatens parasite diversity through competition for insect herbivore prey/hosts. Currently, I am comparing parasite species richness with worker and colony density. Future work will examine behavioral interactions among parasites, workers and hosts.
Autism in Human Urban Ecosystems
Mara Cohen
A $20,000 Family Services grant application was submitted to Autism Speaks for an interdisciplinary intervention initiative, including a regional conference and symposium series.
Featured Speaker at the inaugural lecture of a community education lecture series, sponsored by Intensive Therapeutics, a not-for-profit organization providing occupational therapy services for children with autism spectrum disorders in Union County.
Autism is an emerging issue for the human urban ecosystems, particularly New Jersey. In fact, New Jersey has one of the highest rates of autism spectrum disorders (ASD) in this country. While neuroscientists are discovering information about the etiology and possible cures for autism, Kean is in a position to study the effects of therapeutic interventions for children with ASD. In collaboration with graduate students in the Department of Occupational Therapy, Dr. Cohen will be examining current assessments and interventions used with children with autism spectrum disorders and their families.
Dr. Cohen is the chair of a University-wide steering committee that is committed to developing a an interdisciplinary symposium series, conference, and professional certification that focus on addressing the needs of professionals and families who are affected by autism. Utilizing Kean University's resources, we will provide continuing education for students, professionals and families about current topics in autism, provide a comprehensive community resource relating to autism. Creation of a post-baccalaureate curriculum for professionals working with individuals with autism will be investigated.
Urban Ecology
Daniela Shebitz
Warianco Lake Restoration
Current projects include:
- Evaluating the effects of smoke and ash on seed germination of Xerophyllum species
- Forests Under Pressure: Effects of urbanization on plant diversity in Watchung Reservation
- Evaluating the ecological integrity of the Elizabeth River tributaries
- Investigating the effectiveness of restoration techniques in the Elizabeth River Greenway
Urban Environmental Assessment and Monitoring with Wireless Sensor Network
Patricia Morreale
Environmental assessment and monitoring requires new approaches to remote data collection and analysis. The Kean University Network Laboratory is currently working on several projects related to this.
Cool Season Severe Weather
Paul J. Croft
1. Cool Season severe storms, although rare, have significant and widespread impacts in major urban and metropolitan regions.
2. Cases examined to determine the underlying synoptic weather patterns leading to events to improve forecast and detection.
3. Operational Forecasting applications based upon identification of dynamic and thermodynamic fields associated with events versus null cases.
Using online storm reports from the Storm Prediction Center, severe weather reports were identified and studied for five cool seasons (October - March). While their occurrence was rare (one percent of the time) it occurred in all cool season months (except February) with maxima in October and March. The storm events were dominated by wind damage reports (80%) and occurred on average once each cool season. Hail was relatively rare (only 2 days) versus tornadoes (4 days, mostly in October) and there was little evidence of spatial preference in storm locations. Three synoptic patterns were identified that produce severe weather. Two of the types (NAT, CNT) illustrated the significance of dynamic forcing and the role of the large scale synoptic setting. The third synoptic type (GLT) was also a prolific producer of severe weather of all kinds but differed in its dependence on boundary layer instability and forcing. Null cases were also investigated to determine the frequency of the severe weather patterns so as to distinguish non-events from those producing severe weather. While the NAT, CNT, and GLT patterns were observed to occur 15% of the time during the cool season examined, only 14% of these occurrences were associated with severe weather in the study region. Composites of all data sets provided evidence of readily identified synoptic differences that would enable operational forecasters to distinguish between events and non-events in real-time (in order to avoid "false alarms"). The results of the investigation were tested on a sample season and found to provide a useful conceptual model and forecast approach.
Weather Hazards Research & Education
Paul J. Croft
1. Center for Earth System Education is designed to assist in outreach projects in research and education.
2. Urban ecosystems prone to hazards and interruptions with significant impact on economic, social, political, and other systems.
3. Operational Forecasting applications based upon research and observational studies in cooperation and collaboration with private, government, and school partners.
CESE provides important service to the community including and extending beyond K-12 communities. The emphasis is on urban ecosystem studies of the New Jersey metropolitan area where the majority of the state's residents and students are found on a daily basis. The Kean University: Weather Hazard Education & Research for Ecosystems of Urban Relevance in NJ (Kean University: WHERE - UR - in New Jersey!) program is multifaceted. It uses outreach activities including training sessions, workshops, and media (online and conventional). In combination with the Center, the "KU WE MAP IT" program (Kean University Weather and Ecosystems Monitoring, Assessment, and Prediction for Integration and Training) focuses on real-time weather monitoring, assessment, and research for the Kean University campus ecosystem for studies of weather extremes and hazards and provide class-related activities and learning experiences. This provides for the assessment of hazardous conditions in real-time and offers students opportunities to partner with faculty on research for in-situ observational experiences. Research topics may be wide ranging and include phenomena (e.g., ENSO, sea breeze flow, extreme temperatures and precipitation). Each is related directly to the urban ecosystem and its response. Molecular genetics and evolution of distyly and its associated self-incompatibility (SI)
Farshad Tamari
Use conventional and molecular genetic techniques to:
Investigate the genetics of distyly and SI
Map DNA regions of interest hypothesized to be involved in SI
Identify and study genes that influence SI
and more ......
Linaceae contains several commercially valuable species in the genus Linum (flax). For example, Linum ustitatissimum L. is used for the production of linen (a natural fiber). Others are commercially valuable for the production of omega-3-fatty acid sources and flax oil. There is also some limited research that suggests potential uses for flax in medicine. For example, at least one member has been shown to limit tumor growth in mice. The genes that control the reproductive biology of distyly in the Linaceae remain virtually unknown. Yet, it is likely that these genes are tightly linked to and regulate a gene complex that controls the morphological and biochemical features of this mating system. An understanding of these genes and their regulation could potentially result in strategies to overcome the genetic barriers that prevent self-fertilization. This might enhance the production of higher yields of commercially valuable seeds and plants, and is the focus of my research.
Thunderstorm Initiation
Paul J. Croft
1. Convective initiation and coverage in New Jersey-Metropolitan area during the summer.
2. Events compared to Contaminates and Null Cases for their initiation, coverage.
3. Operational Forecasting applications to improve specificity, skill, and forecast confidence.
General summer season thunderstorm activity is discontinuous in space (e.g., linear, isolated, clustered, scattered, widespread), sporadic in time (diurnal versus any time of day), and difficult to predict precisely in most areas of the United States (e.g., a forecast of a 30% chance across the state of New Jersey). Summer thunderstorms are of interests due to their panorama of effects including lightning, heavy rainfall, flash flooding, hail, gusty winds, and on occasion their severity (i.e. causing property damage or life threatening). Thunderstorm activity is a concern and hazard to recreational activities (e.g., boating, fishing, beach, public swimming), construction and maintenance operations (e.g., site preparation, clearing, road work, landscaping), emergency management (including police, fire, public works), and agricultural and commercial interests (e.g., growers, irrigation, nurseries, department stores, outdoor events). Each of these includes significant economic and safety impacts and is of concern to the state's well-being. The objective of this project is to develop an understanding of the convective morphology of the summer season activity in the New Jersey-Metropolitan region. This includes formation, movement, intensification, and evolution across the region. The intent is to determine fundamental differences in behavior for varying upper atmospheric flows and surface features as they are modulated by surface physiographic and urban features. When the results are used operationally they provide increased confidence, greater specificity, and skill in thunderstorm forecasting.
Structure-function relationship and computer design of bioactive materials
Frederick Lee
Developing and applying computational tools to study structure-function relationship of biological molecules.
Computer-aided design of novel biocatalysts and small molecule drugs.
A couple of specific research problems are:
(1) to understand the chemistry of ion selectivity of a class of cyclic antibiotics
(2) to engineer catalytic residues into protein scaffolds. The ion selectivity project is purely computational and may include force field development for bio-inorganics as well as code development. The protein design project has elements in computer-based design, gene cloning and expression, protein purification, as well as functional analysis of prototype biocatalysts.
Air Quality Index
Paul J. Croft
1. Air Quality in the New Jersey region examined using the EPA AQI.
2. Spring and early Summer season examined to determine relationships between value distributions and local features as well as synoptic regimes.
3. Operational Forecasting applications for the improved depiction and prediction of air quality hazards.
The objective of this project was to determine whether any easily recognized patterns of the AQI existed for individual counties in the New Jersey-Metropolitan region as a function of sources and to determine whether these had any dependence upon the prevailing weather regime or local features. The approach could also be used to identify patterns that may reflect monitoring site placement, equipment behaviors unique to each location. The study region encompassed counties in Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania and AQI values were obtained from the EPA website. Analyses indicated variations in the locus of higher (worse) air quality as a function of urban regions versus physiographic features and according to proximity to the coast. Further analysis focused on the behavior of the pattern of distribution of values as related to the prevailing weather pattern. The orientation, gradient, and characteristic patterns of AQI were clearly related to the weather patterns observed and were a function of the location of the weather feature (i.e. high or low pressure, and frontal type) relative to the study area. These variations suggest a general basis exists for both improved operational prediction and the assessment of AQI spatial distributions in real-time. This may be used to provide a better specification of values within the area.
GIS, visualization, and spatial data mining for urban environment modeling
Feng Qi
1. Visualizing Highway Air Quality along NJ Turnpike
2. Analysis and visualization of spatiotemporal changes of urban landscape pattern in Union County, NJ
The objective of the first project is to develop a geo-visualization environment for geographic knowledge discovery on the relationships between weather and traffic conditions and spatial-temporal variations of air quality along the NJTPK. The specific goals include: 1. Design and test an interactive visualization tool for displaying spatial-temporal patterns of highway air quality. 2. Use this visualization tool in the framework of a knowledge discovery procedure to facilitate the extraction of relationships between highway air quality and weather and traffic conditions.
GIS and geo-visualization will be used in the second project to display and quantify land use changes in response to urbanization. Furthermore, the dynamics of urban landscape change and the history of urbanization will be modeled by computing landscape metrics on historical land use data.
Last updated by Feng Qi, March 2008
