Discus and Biomechanics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Discus and Biomechanics - Essay Example The knees should be moved forward but with flexion in order to provide support for the hands with the discus. The ankles should also be a bit up and with flexion in order to put the hips in position and to provide support to the knees. The hops are help in the front position with no rotation so as to provide the base for the discuss weight on hands. The hands are also placed in a relaxed position on the sides in order not to destabilize the stability. The center of gravity is maintained at the center, in discus throw, one should try to maintain the center of gravity as low as possible in order to provide them with stability as they try to increase the momentum required just before the throw. The left hand that has no discus should always be maintained in the same position with the right hand that holds the discus so that there can be adequate weight distribution across the body. Being with the neck at no rotation helps to keep one’s gaze in front where the discus is to be thro wn. Base Support: standing with the left foot in front of the right foot, the right arm with the discus is put to swing in a forward motion while the left arm remains in a backward swing. The waist in a leftward rotation 33 degree and legs are also spread. Description of Movements: the discus thrower has his right arm with the discus in front while keeping his stance stable. His legs apart with the left leg in front of the right leg and his eyes fixed on the throwing direction as he begins to rotate. This is the second phase where getting a good stance is important. Proper Techniques and Flaws in this Performance: the right arm in front with the left leg, is to spread the body weight so as to increase stability of the discus thrower. The shoulders are allowed to rotate at certain degrees as they should allow the load in the hand to move freely, and by the time the right

Leadership - leadership versus followership Essay

Leadership - leadership versus followership - Essay Example Bad Leader believes that employees working under him are basically lazy and the work, assigned to them, is distasteful to them. They assume that people are motivated by money. Leaders with bad leadership traits normally or wrongly assume that there must be very detailed work routines and enforced milestones to ensure that every work gets done. According to Allio, a bad leader apart from failing both professionally as well as personally, would destruct the organizations and regrettably the employees and the shareholders A good leader must be tough enough to win a fight, but not tough enough to kick a man when he is down. They find strategies to increase the owners fund, encourage change in the wrong direction rather than resisting it. Further they influence their subordinate in a negative rather than coerce them into a positive path. The Bad leaders are corrupt, misguided and have disregard for the stakeholders. They bring disrepute to the organization and are painful to the employees. Dean B McFarlin & Paul D Sweeney in their book â€Å"Where EGOS Dare-The Untold Truth about Narcissistic Leaders & how to Survive them† defines Narcissistic Leaders as the ones who are fundamentally, insecure individuals who will crave adoration and will act in a negative way to get adoration, eventually only getting negative adoratio n. They compensate by projecting an inflated sense of self worth & competence to those around them. The next important point raised by Allio in the article is that, most leaders start as visionaries having great ideals to lead the organization into high growth. They exhibit high integrity and they take the right path to retain the idealism for what they had dreamt of in the beginning. However, the environmental and resource constraints influences idealism and they become practical and think of alternative ideas. They start of in a big way but when their plans fail to deliver, they take wrong decisions

Winter the worst season of the year Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Winter the worst season of the year - Essay Example I imagine cold weather, blizzards, and total lack of pleasant outdoor activities. Winter in New York can be really challenging with snow storms and severe weather conditions. Not to mention that very often snow can block traffic, create havoc, and even cut communication utilities In this cases winter can be indeed the worse season of the year. For me, I can say that this is so, because I can not stay outdoors for a long time and do my regular activities due to the incredibly cold atmospheric conditions. Then I find it extremely depressing to see grey colors all around, occasionally some while spots of snow here and there. Finally, to add to the lower spirits is the extreme weather which makes me worry about family and friends, who might be stuck and in trouble in unreachable places.Scientists always recommend prolonged outdoor activities, in order to keep one's body and spirit in good shape. There are numberless winter sports practiced in the open air, however, for me exposing my bod y to harsh temperatures and having numb limbs is not the ideal situation. Going to the gym is also acceptable, but then you have to walk back home exposed to the cold wind, after you have taken a shower, so one can catch cold or flu. Winter can be very unexpected and bring unconditional weather, which can lock you at home for days. In such cases I become languid and my mood is down. I am not able to go outside and enjoy the terrific sunshine and fresh smell of grass. I once read an article about the effects of colors and how they can influence people's moods and emotions. Although, the white color - I may say the symbol of winter, speaks about purity, I associate it also with paleness and death. Besides the white, the predominant color of winter is grey. This leads to down spirits and lack to motivation either to work or to study. The greyness carries with it depression and uncomfortable emotions. That is why for me winter is the worst season. Finally, the extreme weather conditions that we witness in New York make me anxious about my family, relatives and friends, who in occasions might get stuck in snow-drifts and get into trouble. In such harsh weather communication systems are also cut down, and we can not connect with them at all. Consequently, people panic and think that the worst has happened. Winter is unpredictable with its severity and forces me to see that sometimes nature is bigger than human actions and activities and even though we have skyscrapers and telecommunications, austere weather conditions can ruin them. For me winter is the worst season of the year, because it shows how unpleasant nature can be. It can form blizzards and leave people in hazardous situations. They are unable to practice their outdoor activities and have all reasons to worry about their families in a cold winter day. The grey surrounding dominates the color nuance and establishes a deep feeling of helplessness and anxiety. That is why winter is the worst season for me. Winter is also the worst season, because it causes many car accidents. Commuters who use the public transport do not need to worry much. However, people who work in New York and drive from New Jersey can encounter dangerous, slippery roads during the winter. Although the government spends a lot of money to secure the proper highway maintenance during the winter, weather conditions can be so severe that they can impede all efforts done. Another reason why I think that winter is the worst season is because people are exposed to freezing. Applying moisturizing creams helps us a little when handling the cold, however, if the temperatures drop really below the freezing point, people can experience serious limbs infections

Starbucks Coffee Company Diversity Audit Essay Example for Free

Starbucks Coffee Company Diversity Audit Essay In this paper, we will be discussing a diversity audit that took place with the Starbucks Coffee Company. The audit consists of the company’s background, what the team’s criteria for a diverse organization should be and the findings on what the organization diversity practices truly consist of based on research provided from interviews, company statements and news articles. The remaining of the paper will focus on the organization in terms of Thomas and Ely’s paradigms, building an inclusion breakthrough and a business case for diversity in the organization. Finally, recommendations for improvements will be discussed for the company. â€Å"Our mission: to inspire and nurture the human spirit – one person, one cup and one neighborhood at a time. † This is the opening mission statement for Starbucks Coffee Company. Since Howard Schultz, CEO, took over the company in 1982, this has been the words that have helped make Starbucks the most successful gourmet coffee company in the world. The first Store opened in 1971 in the Pike Place Market in Seattle Washington. It was a small store only catering to whole bean sales. However, one trip to Italy by Howard Schultz would change everything. In 1983, Schultz goes to Italy where he discovers the idea of a coffee house and believes it is a marketable concept that could take hold in the US. In 1984 the Pike Place Store serves its first latte, and in 1987 Starbucks starts to open stores in Vancouver and Chicago as well as other cities nationwide. As of Dec of 2009 Starbucks has 16,706 stores serving handcrafted beverages and creating an entire cultures with coffee being in the epicenter. From the first barista ever hired, Starbucks has been committed to its partners and has prided itself on being a company based on diversity and acceptance of all cultures; not only from the partners but from the coffee farmers they do business with. Diversity has become a part of the mission and culture at Starbucks and it is something that Starbucks values greatly. It is so much a part of who they are that they have received many awards including an award from the Human rights campaign in 2010 for being one of the best places to work for the LGBT community. An organization is a group of people intentionally organized to accomplish an overall, common goal or set of goals. For a company, an organization is a means to an end to achieve its goals, which are to create value for its stockholders, employees, customers, suppliers, and community. Members of the organization often have some image in their minds about how the organization should be working. When members of an organization have different images or different approaches of how the organization should be, is where diversity becomes a factor within an organization. According to the explanation in Gladstone, diversity means understanding that each individual is unique and recognizing our individual differences. These can be along the dimensions of race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, age, physical abilities, religious beliefs, political beliefs, or other ideologies. Diversity is about understanding each other and moving beyond acceptance to implementation and celebrating the dimensions of diversity contained within each individual. All of this sounds ideal and easy to apply; then again, the worlds increasing globalization requires more interaction among people from diverse cultures, beliefs, and backgrounds than ever before and it is not always easy. As a result, managing diversity has become an organizational challenge. People no longer live and work in a guarded organization; they are now part of a worldwide economy with competition coming from practically every continent. As a result, maximizing and capitalizing on workplace diversity has become an important matter for management. An organizations success and competitiveness depends upon its ability to embrace diversity and realize the benefits. When organizations actively evaluate their handling of workplace diversity issues, develop and implement diversity plans, several benefits are reported. For example, increased adaptability, variety of viewpoints, and a diverse collection of skills and experiences that allows a company to provide service to customers on a global basis. For this reason, organizations need diversity to become more proactive and welcomed within an organization and its employees. Managers must learn the managerial skills needed in a multicultural work environment. Managers must be prepared to teach themselves and others within their organizations to value multicultural differences in both employees and customers so that everyone is treated with respect. The organizations that manage diversity well will come out ahead in the competitive environment. Based on these key ideas and concepts, these will be the factors used to determine the level of diversity that Starbucks has reached as a company and how that plays into the everyday operations of each store. Steve Ogo has been with Starbucks for fourteen years originally from Portland Oregon. He migrated from Portland to Chicago a few years back and has been one of the district managers for Chicago ever since. Mr. Ogo has been a part of the organization for over a decade and has been a part of many changes including changes in diversity. Unlike Chicago, Portland has a very different population which made it very hard to create a diverse work environment. In trying to keep with the ideas and philosophies of Starbucks, Mr.  Ogo was the leader of a special diversity team committed to the idea on inclusion in not just places like Portland, but the entire Starbucks communities. â€Å"We believe in the idea of inclusion. Instead of focusing on a hard number, we need to create an environment that has a spirit of inclusion. That’s more important. It’s not just color, age, gender or sexual orientation. It’s about what you identify yourself as and having an environment that you feel comfortable in†. As the former VP of Diversity and inclusion, it was their mission to create this exact type of environment where everyone feels comfortable and welcome. Mr. Ogo believes if there is any challenge that Starbucks has faced in trying to make the idea of inclusion a part of their culture it is recognizing what that looks like outside of major cities. It is easy in major cities to incorporate the idea of inclusion because there is a more diverse atmosphere, however, Mr. Ogo is not sure that Starbucks as a whole has given a face to inclusion in rural areas such as Portland where mathematically it may not be easy to balance the scales because there just are not enough people of different backgrounds. As District manager for approximately 10 loop stores in Chicago, Mr. Ogo has a diverse management staff. Although his managers are mostly women, they do range in different ethnicities as well as gender and sexual orientation. He however is looking to even the playing field with hiring a few more men. Starbucks has always been committed to providing a place where everyone can feel comfortable working and expressing who they are. Starbucks was one of the first companies in the late 1980’s to offer benefits to same sex couples when it became public knowledge that an mployee was infected with the HIV virus. Starbucks has been recognized many times by the human rights campaign in their efforts to create a comfortable and accepting work environment for the LGBT community. In order to create awareness and diversity within the African American communities, Starbucks paired with basketball great Magic Johnson to develop UCO (Urban Community Outreach) stores which would open Starbucks locations in underdeveloped areas and provide the residents with benefits and jobs to help support the neighborhood and families. Mr.  Ogo is proud to announce that Starbucks has also changed their hiring practices. All applications must now be filled out online, eliminating the â€Å"Halo or Horn† effect. A lot of times when applications are handed in, there are ones that are pushed to the back solely based on the appearance of the applicant. Since the applicant could be handing the application to the first person behind the counter, depending on how the barista feels about the individual would determine whether or not they received a call back. With the new hiring practice, it is solely based on qualifications first. Mr. Ogo believes that Starbucks has made a continuing effort in supporting diversity among their communities and believes that the majority of the success is based on the fact that the ideas and beliefs are imbedded in not just the partners but the leadership. It is an idea that is practiced every day and will continue to be at the forefront of success for Starbucks. Three different Stores in different parts of town were visited to understand more about how Starbucks builds its diversity particularly in Chicago. The loop store (202 N Michigan) was the more diverse store. Being in the center of the city, partners of all different walks of life call the store home. There was an equal balance of men and women, older and younger, different sexual orientations all coinciding and working together as one. The second and third stores are conducive to their environments. The Store on 38th and State is a UCO store in a predominately black neighborhood. The majority of the employees are African American and range in all genders however there does not appear to be as many sexually diverse individuals or older individuals. The baristas are in their mid twenties and are from the surrounding neighborhood. The artwork as well as music resembles what one would think of African American culture; however it still has the feel of a Starbucks. The third Store is situated in Lincoln Park, a predominately-white neighborhood. There are only two men and two African American women working in this store. The Store fits a very suburban life style. The employees are college or graduate students and are looking to supplement their income. Each store seems to be a representation of their environment which keeps in line with the idea of the â€Å"third place† atmosphere Starbucks would like to achieve. Although Starbucks tries hard to cater to their environment surrounding their store, it can arguably create more segregation than acceptance if the only other baristas that surround a barista are ones that look like him/her. It may create more of a divide rather than acceptance. According to the textbook, Thomas and Ely recognize that organizations can be in different stages in terms of managing diversity. Some are still operating in the discrimination and fairness paradigm. Others are in an access and legitimacy paradigm, where diversity is considered a competitive advantage in terms of understanding changing customer markets. On the other hand, to make managing diversity really work, organizations need to be operating in a learning and effectiveness paradigm, where an organization internalizes diversity as part of its mission, connects the needs of diverse workers to the way that work is done, and makes workers feel valued an included. Using this paradigm Starbucks has reached the learning and effectiveness paradigm. They are a company that has made diversity part of their culture. It comes to everyone from the CEO to the baristas as easy as pouring a cup of coffee. Former Senior Executive of Starbucks Howard Behar said it best when he said, â€Å"We are in the people business serving coffee, not the coffee business serving coffee. † Behar, like the rest of Starbucks, believes it’s about the people and the importance they play in helping to create the culture of a company and through that helps to sustain its life line. Starbucks employees are motivated and loyal because Starbucks answers the question, â€Å"What’s in it for me? † They give employees a reason to stay and that mainly has to do with the equality that one feels while working for Starbucks. Thomas and Ely suggest that the best way to build a business case is to link diversity to the specific needs of an organization, such as increasing market opportunities, developing creative solutions to problems, or decreasing the turnover of talented diverse employees. Then make a plan to achieve these goals and track and measure the long-term results. Since its conception in 1982, Starbucks has done all of the above. It has created market opportunities by opening in communities that would otherwise not be inhabited by big businesses and it employs the people of the community which puts revenue within that community. It adheres to the needs of its employees by creating partner contact centers for the main purpose of the partners and giving them a place to go for whatever reason and creating outside avenues. Starbucks listens and answers questions when asked by partners, making them feel as though they have a voice. Programs such as tuition reimbursement, health care for part time employees and same sex partners has pushed Starbucks to the forefront and decreases turnovers within the company. These are business practices that have made Starbucks one of the top ten companies to work for on Forbes 100 list multiples times. According to the inclusion breakthrough, there are four phases that a company can be in. It is a cycle of elements that are built upon to raise the standards of an organization. In theory, it should increase job satisfaction, develop communities, attract and retain its employees and in the end create the idea of inclusion within its culture. Starbucks would be in the fourth phase of the inclusion breakthrough; currently trying to sustain and challenging new change. Howard Schultz completed phase one by setting the groundwork for what he wanted the company to be and placing people in specific roles that shared in his vision. It literally trickled from the top down, and everyone shares the same ideas and beliefs that Schultz envisioned. Mobilizing change was a huge issue for Starbucks within the past few years, particularly due to the collapse in the economy. With the idea of always trying to protect its people, Starbucks initiated change and kept in constant contact and emails, some personally from Howard that informed all employees of the change and why they were happening. It was a hard road for Starbucks for some time, however because the belief, culture and sense of inclusion had already been established, change was able to take place. In order to keep with changing times, Starbucks adapted to the culture of society and took ideas that may have appeared radical at the time and made them apart of who they were. The idea of giving health benefits to partners who work twenty hours was not practiced amongst big businesses, yet Starbucks dared to venture outside of the box because their people come first. The last and final stage is where Starbucks stands today. Through reviews of all partners and partner surveys Starbucks is able to create new ideas and values based on the needs of their employees. Starbucks is continually evolving. The idea that there is no end is what keeps Starbucks in the running. The company believes that there is no end to inclusion and this key idea is what keeps them chasing more ideas and making a conscientious effort to create change and growth. As the world evolves, so does this company and with evolution comes new ideas and new concepts that can change and shape not just Starbucks but the way everyone does business. The business case for diversity, states that in a global marketplace, an organization that employs a diverse workforce is better able to understand the demographics of the marketplace it serves and is therefore better prepared to succeed in that marketplace than an organization that has a more limited range of employee demographics. Consequently, an organization that supports the diversity of its workforce can also improve employee satisfaction, productivity and retention. Starbucks turns this idea into an equation: Diversity = Inclusion + Equality + Accessibility. The way we have built our company by including the success of the company with everyone in it and not leaving our people behind is a great example of building a business the right way,† says Schultz. â€Å"We’re not ever going to turn our backs on our [employees]. † (http://www. evancarmichael. com/Famous-Entrepreneurs) Although Starbucks would not share the exact numbers, if any, on how the idea and implementation of inclusion has affected the business it can still be seen by the average consumer and employee. Three stores in Seattle in 2009 were opened up by Starbucks under a surname. The â€Å"15th avenue coffee and tea shop† on Capitol Hill is slated to have a neighborhood feel and reflect the style and culture of the people and employees of the neighborhood. Although Seattle is a test market, if the concept fares well, it will become a trend for Starbucks to create and add new identities to existing neighborhood stores. In 1998, a company-supplier diversity program was implemented in the US. It was estimated in 2005 that Starbucks would spend 95 million dollars on women and minority run businesses. This helps create jobs and revenue to communities that might otherwise not have any. It builds a sense of community and partnership. The list and awards for Starbuck can go on for days. Like all companies, they are not perfect and have been the subjects of much scrutiny and criticism. There is no such thing as a perfect employee or employer and there is no way that a mogul giant like Starbucks will be able to create a utopian society. There are many ways however, for Starbucks to continue to have success and growth within the company. Steve Ogo, a District manager for the loop stores thought that one of the biggest issues Starbucks faces in bringing the idea of inclusion to every market they are in. It is easy to create a diverse work force in a metropolis like Chicago. It is hard to create a diverse work force in a city like Chattanooga, TN. Starbucks has not mastered that idea and would be better for it if they created new ways to tap into the market in smaller rural areas and create an atmosphere of inclusion and diversity. The company has made many efforts to promote gender equality and LGBT rights on a company wide scale yet it does not fair so well in creating small acknowledgments within the stores. Small details such as recognizing black history month or women’s history month, helps to also create an environment where partners feel they are being recognized personally. Through its efforts to create a diverse work environment, it is clear to see when walking into a store that the idea of diversity may not include the older population. Mr. Ogo believes that this may not entirely be the fault of Starbucks alone. One would be correct in assuming that there is no one over forty behind the counter of a Starbucks, but there never seem to be any applications from the older generations. Mr.  Ogo believes that this may have to do with intimidation upon walking in to drop off an application just to see a lot of young people behind the counter, including the manager. However, he believes that the new application process being entirely online will allow for a different kind of candidate, including those who would not normally apply. Throughout the years, Starbucks has made great strides and innovations that have helped change the way business is done. They have made a conscientious effort to willingly include all walks of life and create inclusion, just not with their employees, but customers and communities alike. If given a letter grade based on this diversity audit Starbucks would pass with an A effort. Inclusion is a word embedded into the heart and soul of this company. They have expanded this idea not just nationally but globally and continue to create and promote change wherever they break ground. After analyzing Starbucks’ audit, some of the recommendations we would provide the company with would help the company to continue to strive to be the best gourmet coffee company in the world with a diverse group of employees, suppliers, and consumers. Establish a consistent review of diversity in the workplace. Top management need to make assessing and evaluating their diversity process an integral part of their management system. An employee satisfaction survey can accomplish this assessment for your company efficiently and conveniently. It can help the management team determine which challenges and obstacles to diversity are present in the workplace and which policies need to be added or eliminated. That report will be the beginning structure of the organization’s diversity in the workplace plan. The plan must be comprehensive, attainable and measurable. An organization must decide what changes need to be made and a timeline for that change to be accomplished. The personal commitment of executive and managerial teams is necessary. Leaders and managers within organizations must incorporate diversity policies into every aspect of the organizations function and purpose. Involve every employee possible in preparing and performing diversity initiatives in the workplace. Promote an attitude of openness in the organization. Encourage employees to express their ideas and opinions and attribute a sense of equal value to all. Promote diversity in leadership positions. This practice provides visibility and realizes the benefits of diversity in the workplace. Utilize diversity training. Use it as a tool to shape the diversity policy. Use the results to build and implement successful diversity in the workplace policies. According to Azine, as the economy becomes ever more global, our workforce becomes gradually more diverse. Organizational success and competitiveness will depend on the ability to manage diversity in the workplace successfully. Starbuck’s needs to continue to evaluate the organizations diversity policies and plan for the future if they want to continue to be successful. References http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/hr022 http://ucsfhr.ucsf.edu/index.php/pubs/hrguidearticle/chapter-12-managing-diversity-in-the-workplace/

Formicidae Biodiversity in Texas Vegetation

Formicidae Biodiversity in Texas Vegetation A COMPARISON OF FORMICIDAE BIODIVERSITY IN NATIVE AND NON-NATIVE VEGETATION IN SOUTH TEXAS A study to determine how ant communities in non-native vegetation, specifically in Cenchrus ciliaris, differ from native vegetation in south Texas. ABSTRACT When non-native grasses become invasive, they can alter plant communities and can therefore, potentially affect arthropods due to their relationships with the vegetation they reside on. Cenchrus ciliaris is a non-native grass to the United States and is commonly known as buffel grass. Its drought resistance and quick propagation has made buffel grass invasive and has changed the ecosystems they now reside. Ants will be sampled from patches in native vegetation and buffel grass in San Ygnacio for 12 months. This study seeks to determine how ant communities in predominantly Cenchrus ciliaris, differs from relatively undisturbed native vegetation in south Texas. I pursue to compare ant richness between native vegetation and buffel grass as well as compare richness and abundance between native ant species and non-native ant species. I expect the results to demonstrate lower ant richness and abundance in the locations with buffel grass and higher abundance of invasive species in buffel gr ass. Introduction The introduction and spread of invasive plants is a cause of concern worldwide (Blossey 1999; Didham 2005). The ability of humans to travel between different countries around the world has facilitated the introduction of non-native plants to new locations. These new environments usually lack the natural predators and other natural biological control factors, thus causing these plants to become invasive. (Keane Crawley 2002; Tallamy 2004). Invasive plants can also have characteristics that aid their establishment and survival. For example, some of these plants can have a higher tolerance to drought or can propagate more quickly. They can also create unfavorable conditions for native plants by altering soil litter and nutrients (Bakker Wilson 2001). Therefore, invasive plants can often out-compete native plants, resulting in lower vegetation diversity and abundance (Pimentel 1999; Bakker Wilson 2001). Many species of plants have been introduced into the United States, and although a relatively small percentage of these species negatively impact the ecosystems they invade, studies should be done on specific invasive plants to determine the negative impacts they may be causing to the environment. Buffel Grass Cenchrus ciliaris is a non-native grass to the United States and is commonly known as buffel grass. It is native to most of Africa, southern and southwestern Asia, and Italy, Sicily. Buffel grass was originally introduced to Texas (U.S.A.) and northern Mexico in the 1930s and 1940s to improve pasture in overgrazed habitats and to develop new rangelands (Cox et al. 1988). Its drought tolerance and high biomass productivity made it the most popular grass to use in these countries (Arriaga et al. 2004). Due to its commercial value and impact as a weed it is considered a contentious species. Although the agricultural benefit of buffel grass is controversial, buffel grasslands can be a threat to biodiversity because they are created by invading and removing native plants (Arriaga et al. 2004; Cox et al. 1988). The threat that buffel grass poses to the native vegetation and alteration of the ecosystem, can have an effect from birds to arthropods. Buffle grass appears to provide a less suit able habitat for breeding birds, especially bird species that forage on or near the ground (Bingham et al. 2006). While changes in plant litter can alter arthropod abundance (Wolkovich 2009).   Buffel grass is also associated with increased severity of fires by a buffel grass-initiated fire invasion feedback (Miller et.al 2010). Despite the serious environmental effects buffel grass may cause, there are no national strategies to manage it (Marshal et al. 2011).   Understanding the effects buffel grass has on biodiversity in south Texas can bring insights on whether there is a serious threat to other native vegetation and ecosystem functions. Arthropods: Formicidae Arthropods have many ecological roles within an ecosystem, functioning as prey resources for many taxa, as important predators, and as pollinators and seed dispersers (Isaacs et al. 2009). Recent studies document how plant invasions contribute to arthropod abundance (Wolkovich 2009). Changes in the vegetation cover can have an effect on arthropod diversity and are therefore used as indicators of negative effects on an environment. An important arthropod that is very diverse, does not fall into a single functional group, and can be classified as herbivores, predators, and detrivores, are ants (Triplehorn Johnson 2005). Ants (order Hymenoptera, family Formicidae) are relatively well-studied and easy to identify to the species level (Wolkovich et al. 2009). Structure and composition of ant communities can reflect the nature of the environments in which they reside on. Ants are also commonly used as bio-indicators in studies for fire management, pesticide contamination, and habitat dist urbance (Burbidge 1992).   Reduction in ant species abundance, diversity, and richness has been documented when alterations of ecosystems occur, for example, an increase of invasive plants (Burbidge 1992; Wolkovich et al. 2009). Therefore, this study will be measuring ant richness and abundance to determine how ant communities in non-native vegetation, specifically in Cenchrus ciliaris, differ from native vegetation in south, TX. This will further our understanding of the effects that buffel grass has on the ecosystem. METHODS Study Sites Study plot areas were selected in San Ygnacio, TX. The study area was comprised of a mixture of grasses and shrubs. Native grasses included knotroot bristle grass (Setaria parviflora), Texas Grama (Bouteloua rigidiseta), Common Curly Mesquite (Hilaria belangeri) and tanglehead (Heteropogon contortus). Predominant native shrubs included honey mesquite (Prosopis glandulosa), guajillo (Acacia berlandieri), and blackbrush (Acacia rigidula). The non-native grass was predominantly buffel grass. The soil in the study site was mostly sandy and dry. The native areas where traps will be placed were selected based on the abundance of native vegetation and lack of buffel grass, while the areas for the non-native traps will be placed where buffel grass is the most predominant plant. Sampling It was determined that surveying arthropods was a more cost-effective and accurate design for assessment of biodiversity (Oliver Beattie 1996) Direct sampling with pitfall traps seems to be the optimal collection method for surveying ants so it will be the method of collection that will be used in this study (Jaffe Romero 1989). There will be six pitfall traps placed in predominantly native vegetation and six pitfall traps in areas that are predominantly invaded with buffel grass. The pitfall traps will contain either propylene glycol or alcohol glycol for trapping and conservation of the arthropods. These traps will be place at ground level and will each be labeled accordingly; N for native and B for buffel grass. Each of these traps will have their GPS coordinates and the nearest vegetation to the traps recorded. They will be left out for a week and they will be collected by hand for a year. Ant Sorting and Identification After the traps are collected ants will be sorted into separate vials labeled with their respective trap number and date. All the other arthropods collected in the traps will be sorted to order. Ants will be identified down to species in Dr. Motts lab following a set of identification keys. The data collected will be recorded and data analysis will be performed. Species richness, abundance, and evenness will also be calculated. RESULTS DISCUSSION With this study, I expect to see a difference in biodiversity, richness and abundance between native vegetation and buffel grass. I expect a decrease of these in buffel grass. I also would like to analyze and compare the abundance and richness between native and non-native ants between native vegetation and buffel grass. This could bring insight on the effect buffel grass has on non-native species of ants and determine if it facilitates their settlement. If there is a difference in diversity more studies should be made on the impacts buffel grass has in the ecosystem to further understand the negative effects and determine management techniques. CONCLUSION Cenchrus ciliaris, buffel grass, is an invasive grass that can alter and cause negative effects to the ecosystems they invade. This study will provide insight to the effects this grass truly has on the environment and determine the ecological impact of buffel grass. This will be achieved by comparing ant biodiversity, richness and abundance in native vegetation and, buffel grass.   I expect the results of this study demonstrate a difference in ant diversity between native and non-native vegetation and that further studies can be made to determine buffel grass management. REFERENCES Arriaga, L., Castellanos, A. E., Moreno, E. and Alarcà ³n, J. (2004). Potential ecological distribution of alien invasive species and risk assessment: A case study of buffel grass in arid regions of Mexico. Conservation Biology 18:1504-1514. Bakker, J., and S. Wilson. 2001. Competitive abilities of introduced and native grasses. Plant Ecology 157:117-125. Bernays, E. M., and M. Graham. 1988. On the evolution of host specificity in phytophagous arthropods. Ecology 69:886-892. Bingham, R., Brennan, L., Flanders A. A., Fulbright, T., Kuvlesky, W., Ruthven, D., and R. Zaiglin, 2006. Effects of Invasive Exotic Grasses on South Texas Rangeland Breeding Birds (Efectos de Pastos Invasores Exà ³ticos en las Aves que Nidifican en los Campos de Pastoreo del Sur de Texas). The Auk 123: 171-182. Blossey, B. 1999. Before, during, and after: the need for long-term monitoring in invasive plant species management. Biological Invasions 1:301-311. Burbidge A. H., K. Leicester, S. McDavitt, J. D. Majer. 1992. Ants as indicators of disturbance at Yanchep National Park, Western Australia. Journal of the Royal Society of Western Australia 75: 89-95. Cord E.C. Changes in Arthropod Abundance and Diversity with Invasive Grasses. Texas AM Kingsville. Cox, J. R., M. H. Martin , F. A. Ibarra , J. H. Fourie , N. F. G. Rethman , and D. G. Wilcox . 1988. The influence of climates and soils in the distribution of four African grasses. Journal of Range Management 41: 127-139. Didham, R. K., J. M. Tylianakis, M. A. Hutchinson, R. M. Ewers, and N.J. Gemmel. 2005. Are invasive species drivers of ecological change? Trends in Ecology and Evolution 20:470-473. Isaacs, R., J. Tuell, A. Fiedler, M. Gardiner, and D. Landis. 2009. Maximizing arthropod mediated ecosystem services in agricultural landscapes: the role of native plants. Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment 7:196-203 Jaffe, K., and H. Romero. 1989. A Comparison of Methods of Sampling Ants (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) in Savannas. Biotropica 21:314-352 Keane, R. M., and M. J. Crawley. 2002. Exotic plant invasions and the enemy release hypothesis. Trends in Ecology and Evolution 17:164-170. Marshall N.A., M. Friedel, R.D. van Klinken, and A.C. Grice. 2011. Considering the social dimension of invasive species: the case of buffel grass. Environmental Science Policy 14: 327-338. Miller G., Friedel M., Adam P., and V. Chewings. 2010. Ecological impacts of buffel grass (Cenchrus ciliaris L.) invasion in central Australia does field evidence support a fire-invasion feedback?. The Rangeland Journal 32: 353-365. Oliver, I., A. Beattie. 1996. Designing a Cost-Effective Invertebrate Survey: A Test of Methods for Rapid Assessment of Biodiversity. Ecological Applications 6: 594-607. Pimental, D., L. Lach, R. Zuniga, and D. Morrison. 1999. Environmental and economic costs of nonindigenous species in the United States. BioScience 53:53-65. Steinberg, P. 2001. Prosopis glandulosa. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory. Stromberg, J.C. 1993. Riparian mesquite forests: A review of their ecology, threats, and recovery potential. Journal of the Arizona-Nevada Academy of Science 27:111-124. Tallamy, D. W. 2004. Do alien plants reduce insect biomass? Conservation Biology 18:1689-1692. Tallamy, D. W., and K. J. Shropshire. 2009. Ranking lepidopteran use of native versus introduced plants. Conservation Biology 23:941-947. Triplehorn, C. A., and N. F. Johnson. 2005. Borror and DeLongà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã… ¸s introduction to the study of insects: 7 th edition. Brooks/Cole, Belmont, California. Ueckert, D.N. 1974. Influence of Defoliation by the Cutworm Melipotis indomita on Control of Honey Mesquite with 2,4,5-T in West Texas. Journal of Range Management 27:153-155. Van Auken, O.W. 2000. Shrub invasions of North American semiarid grasslands. Annual Review of Ecology and Systematics 31:197-215. Ward, C.R., OBrein, C.W., OBrien, L.B., D. E. Foster, D.E. Huddleston E.W. 1977. Annotated checklist of New World insects associated with Prosopis (mesquite): Technical bulletin no. 1557. Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture, Washington, D.C. Field Manual.

Symbolism in Hawthornes Young Goodman Brown Essay -- Young Goodman Br

In Nathaniel Hawthorne's "Young Goodman Brown" the use of symbols contributes to the development of the story's plot. Symbolism is used as a means to uncover the truth about the characters. The author, in an attempt to manifest the moral aspects of his society, uses many kinds of symbols to support his points. When analyzing an allegory like "Young Goodman Brown", the reader must realize that the story is in its entirety, a symbol. Hawthorne, through his writing is trying to convey the contradicting aspects of the Puritan ideology. This is made evident after discovering that Goodman's father burned an Indian Village and his grandfather lashed a Quaker woman. By Hawthorne including these acts of violence, he is revealing that the perfection thought to exist in a Puritan society is not so real. Not only past but present characters contribute to this belief. In the confinements of the forest, one sees how all those who are part of Goodman's present also have a dark side to haunt them. Many argue that it was a dream. However, Hawthorne was trying to demonstrate a larger picture. Whether through a dream or reality, it is clear that he wanted to challenge the so call Utopia of the Puritan society. In many parts of the story the reader comes across symbols. Although some may be more lucid than others, one must focus on details in order to find more than the obvious. For example, the title "Young Goodman Brown" in itself holds major significance. It gives the reader a pretty good definition of who the protagonist is. Young Goodman Brown is young and therefore inexperienced, impressionable, and easily influenced. As the story continues, the reader realizes all these to be true. For one thing, Young Goodman Brown and his wife Faith,... ...6. 5: 2737-40. Fogle, Richard, H. Hawthorn's Fiction: The Light and the Dark. Oklahoma. University of Oklahoma Press, 1964. Hawthorne, Nathaniel. "Young Goodman Brown" An Introduction to Reading and Writing. Ed. Alison Reeves. New Jersey: Prentice Hall, 1995. Shear, Walter. "Cultural fate and social freedom in three American short stories." Studies in Short Fiction, fall 92, Vol. 29 Issue 4, p543, 7p. Swisher, Clarice., ed. "Color and Images in The Scarlet Letter." Readings on Nathaniel Hawthorne. Greenhaven Press, Inc., 1996. VonFrank, Albert J. "Pretty in Pink: Young Goodman Brown and New-World." Critical Essay on Hawthorn's Short Stories, Boston: G.K. Hall & Co., 1991. Zanger, Jules. "Young Goodman Brown" and "A White Heron":Correspondences And illuminations. Papers on Language & Literature. Summer 90, Vol. 26 Issue 3, p346, 12p. Â  

Compare and contrast teachers and administrator Essay

During my interviews I realized that being a teacher or an administrator has its ups and downs to it. The teacher answered her questions as someone who deals and interacts with children every day. The administrator answered his questions as someone who deals with more what’s best for the children with little interaction with them. Knowing what I found out about the two professions I would lean more towards as being a teacher because an administrator has too many responbilieties. There are many things that the teacher and the administrator have in common. First off they both are in education and want to help children grow into adults as the graduate. They both try to help educate the children without offending any religion or beliefs that the children may have. The teacher and the administrator both went to college to get a bachelor and master’s degree in education. They both have the similar reasoning for being in education field. Finally both of them share the love of being around children to help them be the best they can. Teachers and administrator have many things that are different from each other as well. They both have different degrees in education. An administrator has a master’s in business and a teacher has bachelors in science childhood education. The administrator went to college longer than the teacher. The teacher is there to have one on one time with the students if they need to stay for help. The administrator does not really have one on one time with the students they are to help keep students in school and any other problems that might occur. When I interviewed the administrator he was calm and very well spoken and knew a lot about running a school. He did not have any teachers in his family. He got his influence from his college English professor named Body†¦ The greatest benefit he has as an administrator is having the joy of knowing that he is helping educate and keeping children safe. The administrator does live in the same community has the children do? Yes, he believes that living around them will help to understand where the children come from and what kind of students they want to become. When I asked the administrator if he would recommend the education profession to others he said it is not for everyone. But the ones who do have what it takes to be teacher or work with children will have compassion towards them and understand what they want. So I asked myself is becoming a teacher still what I want and â€Å"yes† it is. To teach early childhood education is what I am called to do. I also learned during this interviewing process is that this job takes a lot patience, courage, and strength to help reach and teach students. I want to get to know each child as individual and what kind of goals they want for themselves. I want to help them reach it. I get closer to reaching my goal even though it has not been an easy road. I have had tons of support to do this. I would say being in administrator or a teacher is a great career a lot of responsibilities go with each one but at the end of the day it is worth it all.