Abstract We present new distributional and prey records from the United States and Mexico for two of the largest robber flies in North America, Microstylum galactodes Loew and M. morosum Loew, based on field collections, published literature, museum specimens, and vetted photographic observations. A total of 107 predator-prey records (51 for M. galactodes , 56 for M. morosum ) were obtained. In addition, 122 specimen records lacking prey data (70 M. galactodes , 52 M. morosum ) were examined. Together, these records substantially expand the documented geographic distributions of both species in the United States and Mexico. Both species were associated with open grassland habitats characterized by scattered vertical perches, including mesquite, cholla, and yucca. Prey records reveal a broader taxonomic spectrum than previously documented. Whereas earlier literature emphasized Orthoptera and Hemiptera as principal prey, our data demonstrate that both species exploit a wider range of insect orders, including Coleoptera, Diptera, and Hymenoptera. Nevertheless, clear differences in prey use were evident between the species. Microstylum galactodes preyed predominantly on Orthoptera and Hemiptera, whereas M. morosum showed a marked preference for Diptera, particularly other asilids. Notably, M. morosum frequently preyed upon other asilids, including conspecifics, indicating substantial intraguild predation. These findings substantially improve knowledge of the distribution, habitat associations, trophic ecology, and intraguild predation of these two species and demonstrate the value of integrating specimen-based and photographic data to document species distributions and predator-prey interactions.
Abstract Platybelodon barnumbrowni is a rather enigmatic North American shovel-tusked gomphothere known on the basis of a single specimen, a well-preserved mandible with lower tusks found in a late Miocene (Clarendonian) locality in Nebraska. It was originally and erroneously placed in the genus Torynobelodon and was later referred to Platybelodon on the basis of a passing resemblance between its lower tusks and those of Asian Platybelodon grangeri . However, detailed examination of this specimen shows that this resemblance to P. grangeri is superficial, and that it differs in key features of its lower tusks, mandible, and dentition. Platybelodon barnumbrowni clearly shares diagnostic features with only one shovel-tusked gomphothere genus, Protanancus , previously known only from the Old World, and it is here accordingly placed in this genus. It is shown that one species of the North American shovel-tusked gomphothere Serbelodon, S. burnhami , clearly does not belong to its original genus but rather shows affinities to Protanancus , though it is not formally referred to it. Additionally, an undescribed late Miocene shovel-tusked gomphothere from the Bone Valley of Florida is shown to similarly have strong affinities to Protanancus . Biochronological data indicate that Protanancus most likely immigrated to North America from Asia during the middle Miocene and survived until at least the late Miocene. The evidence indicates that Protanancus and Protanancus -like gomphotheres were a geographically widespread component of the North American mammal fauna during this time, though whether they were common is unclear.
Abstract The Runningwater Conservancy, Hale County, TX is a 29 ha grassland remnant with native, unplowed upland prairie and a playa lake basin. Here we present a list of all vascular plants occurring in the study area and compare those findings to other floristic records for Hale County. Floristic surveys were carried out between 2017 and 2019. Voucher specimens were collected for all unique species and deposited in the E. L. Reed Herbarium at Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX. We identified 103 different plant species from 83 genera and 30 families. After comparisons with other floristic records from the region, we believe that 25 of the species listed here are new records for Hale County.
Abstract Armadillidium vulgare , the common pillbug, is found nearly worldwide where they break down organic matter and hasten decomposition. We studied pillbugs in the Texas Coastal Prairie, which has been invaded by another exotic species, Chinese tallow trees ( Triadica sebifera ). We monitored annual leaf fall and isopod demography in the field and in the lab and tested for food preference and assimilation by pillbugs. We found that exotic tallow litter was a principal food source for pillbugs rather than native willow ( Salix nigra ) or hackberry ( Celtis occidentalis ). Density of pillbugs are low in winter, and higher in spring and summer when ephemeral ponds have dried leaving leached tallow leaves, which are preferred by and become an important resource for pillbugs. Our study illustrates a connection linkage between two exotic species, common pillbugs and Chinese tallow trees along the Texas Gulf Coast.
Xylene is an aromatic hydrocarbon commonly used in histological staining protocols as a deparaffinizing and clearing agent. Despite its efficacy, xylene poses significant environmental and health risks, particularly problematic for teaching institutions and small research laboratories. This study investigated pine oil and lemon oil as cost-effective, safer alternatives to xylene through a Course-Based Undergraduate Research Experience (CURE) in histology education. From 2021 to 2023, students systematically prescreened eleven potential xylene alternatives including mineral oil, vegetable oils, and essential oils. Pine oil and lemon oil emerged as the most promising candidates based on deparaffinization efficiency, ease of use, and cost-effectiveness. Formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded murine mammary gland tissue blocks were sectioned and stained using three protocols: control with xylene, and experimental groups substituting xylene with either pine oil or lemon oil during deparaffinization and clearing. Blinded slides were assessed using a five-dimensional rubric evaluating nuclear staining, cytoplasmic staining, clarity, color balance, and uniformity. Statistical analysis revealed pine oil and lemon oil performed comparably to xylene across all parameters, with no significant differences between control and experimental groups. Long-term evaluation confirmed preserved staining quality over extended storage periods. Additional staining using Masson's trichrome stain demonstrated pine oil's effectiveness in specialized procedures. These oils represent viable alternatives to xylene for histological staining, particularly valuable for teaching institutions and laboratories where safe handling and disposal of xylene may be cost-prohibitive or logistically challenging. This CURE-based approach demonstrates how undergraduate research can simultaneously address laboratory safety concerns while providing authentic research experiences to many students.
Jingbo Louise Liu is a Professor of Chemistry at Texas A&M University-Kingsville, Faculty Affiliate at the Texas A&M Energy Institute, and Director of Louise Nanoinnovation North American. Her research spans sustainable energy, advanced materials, and forensic science, with a strong commitment to mentoring the next generation of innovators. Her HYDROGENISE initiative exemplifies this mission, developing non-precious catalysts and composite electrolytes that accelerate water splitting, improve fuel mileage, and reduce hydrogen production costs. Her research integrates solid-state batteries, microbial fuel cells, and carbon capture technologies, all guided by a four-phase R&D4 framework: Research, Design, Demonstration, and Deployment. She pioneered halide ceramic electrolytes synthesized via green nano-emulsion methods, achieving superionic conductivity and stable cycling. In microbial fuel cells, she engineered nanocatalyst-enhanced systems with red-light stimulation to boost power density. Her carbon management work uses clay-based sorbents for low-cost CO 2 capture. Dr. Liu's forensic innovations include β-POLICE nanocomposites for fingerprint detection and BEST simulants for crime scene reconstruction, both of which align with DHS priorities. Her LouiseSix metabolic boosters support mitochondrial health, bridging nanoscience with human wellness. She has taught over 14,500 students, supervised 285 researchers, and produced more than 380 scholarly outputs, including patents, peer-reviewed journal publications, books/book chapters, and invited and contributed presentations at professional conferences. She has led and participated in projects funded by NSF, DOE, DHS, NSERC, and faculty fellowships sponsored by the AFOSR and ONR. Her leadership and contributions to energy, materials and public service have earned her nomination for the Presidential Award for Excellence in Science, Mathematics, and Engineering Mentoring, and recognition from the National Small Business Association, the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry, the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science and elected fellow distinctions by the American Chemical Society, the Royal Society of Chemistry, and the Linnean Society.
The North American porcupine ( Erethizon dorsatum ) has been expanding its range east and southward in the United States since the 1980's. Limited records exist from south-central Texas of this species resting in trees during the day. Within the upper section of Leon Creek Greenway from September 2022 to August 2023, porcupines were observed resting in six large plateau live oaks (dbh>60 cm, height>13.9 m) during the day that were significantly larger and contained more main branches than nearby random oaks. The mean height in which porcupines were observed resting in trees was 8.2 m ( SE = 0.6). Trees used for diurnal sites had a greater number of main branches ( P = 0.012) and larger dbh ( P = 0.049) than random trees, and were located ≤ 26.4 m from the ephemeral creek bed. No differences were found for tree height ( P = 0.601), crown width ( P = 0.086), and crown height ( P = 0.087) between rest and nearby random trees. As porcupines continue to expand into areas of south-central Texas with limited subterranean refugia, oak mott habitat with larger trees and a greater number of limbs may be the preferred habitat for diurnal resting sites.
Sabine Lake is a shallow, estuarine water body situated between Texas and Louisiana with outflow to the Gulf of Mexico. The Louisiana side of the lake is a protected natural area while the Texas side has several commercial industries that likely contribute to trace element contamination. This study determined the concentrations of 15 trace elements in four recreationally and ecologically important sciaenid fishes from Sabine Lake: Atlantic croaker ( Micropogonias undulatus ), red drum ( Sciaenops ocellatus ), black drum ( Pogonias cromis ), and spotted seatrout ( Cynoscion nebulosus ). Axial muscle and liver tissues were tested using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICPMS). Liver tissue had greater concentrations of trace elements compared to muscle tissue within each species. There were significant differences in liver tissue among the four species for As, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Pb, Se, V, and Zn. Significant difference in only Hg concentration was exhibited in muscle tissue among the fish species. Fish caught on the Texas side of the lake were also found to have significantly higher concentrations of Cu than on the Louisiana side. Fish belonging to the benthic foraging guild had significantly higher concentrations in the liver for the majority of metals compared to pelagic and generalist foragers. Due to the economically important recreational fishery in Sabine Lake, these data establish important baselines for future contaminant and trophic studies. Supplemental material is available for this article online.
There is a direct and observable connection between wind direction and atmospheric conditions; however, the exact relationship depends on location and the physical characteristics of surrounding geographic features. In this study, attempts have been made to better quantify relationships between wind direction and resulting atmospheric conditions on the Southern High Plains of North America. A 48-year record (1973-2020) of hourly observations of climate variables paired with observations of wind direction provided the raw data from which directional distributions of climate variables were computed. Results of these analyses suggest that north-northeast winds tend to be associated with the highest precipitation and the highest relative humidity; however, north-northeast winds were not associated with exceptionally high absolute humidity, as indicted by fairly moderate dew point values. South-southeast winds tended to have the highest absolute humidity or the highest dew point temperatures. Directional distributions of precipitation were found to vary only marginally with the seasons. Although one would assume that directional distributions of precipitation would vary with geographic location, a comparison of distributions computed from data collected at three meteorological stations on the Southern High Plains proved inconclusive. Results suggest that the Lubbock and Midland stations follow nearly identical patterns whereas the Amarillo distribution appears to deviate somewhat from the other two sites.
Groundwater-obligate organisms are nearly always small range endemic species with a high-degree of imperilment because of a combination of anthropogenic threats and inherent ecological traits such as low reproductive potential. Accurate assessments of conservation status are foundational for development of species-specific research and conservation priorities. Fourteen species of endemic ostracods are restricted to groundwater habitats in Texas. We used NatureServe methodology to evaluate the conservation status of all 14 species. All evaluated taxa were identified as warranting G1S1 (critically imperiled) or G2S2 (imperiled) designation, primarily due to small-range endemism (particularly small area of occupancy and few known occurrences). Most species are recorded from five or fewer locations and occupy 4-km2 grid cells. Threat levels varied by site type, with all springs and one surface water site facing the most severe threats and highest number of threats. Deeper, phreatic groundwater sites were typically more secure. Most ostracod sites harbor only a single groundwater species, but two sites, Comal Springs and the San Marcos Artesian Well, harbor six and seven species, respectively. Based on this status assessment, we recommend that all 14 ostracod species be designated as species of greatest conservation need (SGCN). Additionally, we propose that the top priorities for these taxa are 1) identification of existing lots in museum holdings, 2) molecular analyses of populations to better delimit species boundaries, 3) additional field work to fully delineate range sizes and area of occupancy, and 4) long-term sampling at diverse sites to track population trends. Supplemental material is available for this article online.
Niche partitioning, or differential resource use, is a possible explanation for the coexistence of multiple species that would otherwise be in competition. In this study, we examined two sympatric desert snakes, the eastern black-tailed rattlesnake (Crotalus ornatus) and western diamondback rattlesnake (Crotalus atrox) on Indio Mountain Research Station (IMRS) in Hudspeth County, Texas, for evidence of partitioning along the spatial dimension of the niche. We tracked the movements of the two species using radiotelemetry and analyzed macrohabitat and microhabitat data using a combination of multinomial logit models and chi-square tests. Evidence of niche partitioning along the spatial dimension of the niche exists between the two species, with C. ornatus showing a higher affinity for southwest facing, rocky slopes and C. atrox showing a relatively diverse use of all habitats with a slight preference for northeastern slopes. Our results largely compare to previous studies at both IMRS and throughout the range of each species.
Daniel Romo is Schotts Professor of Chemistry at Baylor University and co-Director of the Baylor Synthesis and Drug-Lead Discovery Laboratory. He began his independent research career at Texas A&M University (as a proud Aggie ‘86) and rose through the ranks to Professor in 1993-2003. In 2014, he became the Gradipore Chair at Texas A&M before moving to Baylor in Fall 2015. The chemistry and biology of bioactive natural products is at the heart of Romo's research interests and this interest drives all of his group's research projects described in >175 manuscripts to date. The field of natural products is an exciting and enduring inter-disciplinary area for discoveries in basic cell biology and human health. Natural products are unique and often structurally complex molecules that have evolved to interact in highly specific ways with cellular receptors found in various organisms, and due to protein homology, also receptors found in humans.
Abstract This study examined the invertebrate fauna from three deep wells located at the Uvalde National Fish Hatchery in south-central Texas. These wells provide a water source from geological strata of the southern boundary of the Edwards Aquifer ranging in age from Lower Cretaceous to Recent. Forty-seven collections, sampled on a continuous basis from November 2020 to January 2022, produced a total of 738 specimens comprising 15 different species. These collections reveal a diverse crustacean assemblage along with dominant numbers of the stygobiotic snail Balconorbis uvaldensis. This study provides a preliminary survey for future investigations of unidentified crustacean species as well as revealing seasonal variations in the reproductive life cycle of Balconorbis uvaldensis.
Abstract Odocoileus virginianus (white-tailed deer) is one of the most recognizable and economically significant keystone herbivores in the United States. To understand the biological repercussions of management activities, and because prescribed fire is one of the most commonly used silvicultural methods in the southeast, we used white-tailed deer harvest records provided by Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, in combination with United States Forest Service prescribed fire history information, to investigate the direct relationship between time since burning and deer body weight and antler size in East Texas. We hypothesized there would be discernable differences in deer body weight and antler dimensions based on prescribed fire history. Data collected by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department from 549 harvested white-tailed deer from four sites (three Wildlife Management Areas (WMAs), and one National Forest) were cross-referenced with prescribed fire intervals within the WMAs. Demographic data was compared and body weight and antler parameters correlated to years since last prescribed burn. The results suggest that fire is important for white-tailed deer physiology. ANOVA showed a peak in all measurements two-years post fire, indicating the adaptivity of white-tailed deer to fire-dependent ecosystems, and illustrating the benefits of fire for improving deer body weight and antler dimensions. A mosaic of four- to five-year prescribed burning intervals should provide adequate areas of two-years post fire areas on the landscape to provide the level the diversity of habitat requirements for not only optimum white-tailed deer size and antler measurements and harvesting success, but for other wildlife that utilize these habitats.
Abstract The alligator snapping turtle (Macrochelys temminckii), the largest freshwater turtle in North America, faces numerous threats, with population declines and range contractions suspected to have occurred across its historic range. Previous research studying movement patterns and microhabitat use of M. temminckii has mostly been conducted in large, open, lentic environments and few studies have been conducted in small, lotic habitats. We investigated the movement and microhabitat use of adult female and juvenile M. temminckii within Bonaldo Creek, a small tributary of the Angelina River in eastern Texas. Six M. temminckii were monitored (two or three relocations per week) via radiotelemetry from July 2008 to September 2009. We found that the linear home range for adult females (405.1–1395.5 m) was longer than that of the unsexed juveniles (439.7–996.9 m), although movement frequency was similar between groups. Juveniles utilized a smaller subset of microhabitats compared to adult females. Adult females utilized microhabitats with abundant submerged structure, while overhanging vegetation was an important microhabitat feature for juveniles. The broader microhabitat use we observed in adult females may have been influenced by seasonal factors, highlighting the need for more long-term, seasonal assessments of M. temminckii movement and microhabitat. Such investigations will bolster our understanding of the spatial and temporal factors that influence M. temminckii populations in different systems.
Robert F. McMahon is a Professor Emeritus in the Department of Biology at the University of Texas at Arlington where he also served as Associate Dean of Science and Dean of the Honors College. Since joining the Department in 1972, Dr. McMahon has studied the population dynamics and physiological ecology of invasive marine and freshwater molluscs, including the freshwater golden clam, Corbicula fluminea, the zebra mussel, Dreissena polymorpha, the giant apple snail Pomacea maculata and the marine brown mussel, Perna perna. His studies of these invasive species included their growth rates, physiological adaptations, environmental limits, and methods for control. He has served as a member of national and regional invasive species panels including the National Invasive Species Advisory Committee, the Western Regional Panel on Aquatic Invasive Species and presently serves on the Gulf and South Atlantic Regional Panel on Aquatic Invasive Species. For his research contributions to the biology and control of invasive species, he received the National Invasive Species Council's Invasive Species Lifetime Achievement Award in 2015. Dr. McMahon has a worldwide reputation for his research on the biology and control of invasive molluscs. He has published over 100 articles, technical reports and book chapters on aquatic invasive molluscs and continues to conduct research with colleagues on the biology and control of invasive zebra mussels in Texas. He was awarded a Fulbright Research Fellowship to Trinity College, Dublin Ireland in 1979-80, a Certificate of Achievement by The Western Regional Panel on Aquatic Invasive Species in 2016, the Award for Distinguished Record of Research from the University of Texas at Arlington in 1990, and was named the Texas Academy of Science Texas Distinguished Scientist in 2023.
Abstract Predator-prey relationships are a driving force when examining community ecology. One question in predator-prey interactions is how a predator may respond to novel prey phenotypes, a form of frequency dependent prey selection. A predator may selectively target or avoid the novel prey, a behavior referred to as anti-apostatic or apostatic selection respectively. We examined apostatic prey selection by observing feeding behavior in two species of assassin bugs (Hemiptera: Reduviidae), the white-spotted assassin bug (Platymeris biguttatus) and the red-spotted assassin bug (Platymeris rhadamanthus) which were fed unmodified and modified (novel) phenotypes of Turkistan cockroaches, Blatta lateralis (Blattodea: Blattidae). The two species of assassin bugs represent either generalist (P. biguttatus) or specific feeders (P. rhadamanthus). We hypothesized that the generalist feeder would engage in anti-apostatic feeding while the specific feeder would engage in apostatic feeding. Our results indicated that there was no difference in feeding behavior between the two species, however an overall trend of apostatic feeding was observed in response to two of the four novel prey phenotypes. Factors beyond prey phenotype may also be influencing feeding choice in these insects. While the two predator species did not exhibit different feeding behaviors, the observation of apostatic feeding in this genus suggest an overall trend of utilizing specific prey images in feeding.
Dr. Ping Yang is University Distinguished Professor and holds the David Bullock Harris Chair in geosciences at Texas A&M University (TAMU), where he currently serves as the Senior Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Studies in the College of Arts and Sciences. He previously served as Department Head of Atmospheric Sciences (2012-2018) and Associate Dean for Research (2019-2022) in the College of Geosciences at TAMU. Dr. Yang has supervised/co-supervised 30 doctoral dissertations and 20 master’s degree theses. He has published 366 peer-reviewed journal papers, thirteen invited book chapters, and four books. His publications have been cited 24,144 times (Google Scholar)/15,974 times (Web of Science) with an H-index of 79 (Google Scholar)/62 (Web of Science), as of 26 Sept 2023. His research focuses on light scattering, radiative transfer, and remote sensing. Since joining TAMU, Yang has been extramurally funded for 83 research projects. Yang is a Fellow of the American Physical Society (APS), the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), OPTICA (formerly the Optical Society of America), The Electromagnetics Academy, the American Geophysical Union (AGU), the American Meteorological Society (AMS), and the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). Yang received a number of awards/honors, including the NASA Exceptional Scientific Achievement Medal (2017), the Ascent Award by the AGU Atmospheric Science Section (2013), the David and Lucille Atlas Remote Sensing Prize by AMS (2020), and the van de Hulst Light-Scattering Award by Elsevier (2022), and a university-level faculty research award (2017) bestowed by The TAMU Association of Former Students (AFS). Dr. Yang was an elected member of the International Radiation Commission (IRC) under the International Association of Meteorology and Atmospheric Sciences (2012-2020) and was appointed as one of the 16 members of the U.S. National Research Council-Space Studies Board's Committee on Earth Science and Applications from Space (October 2018- June 2022). He has served as an editor of the Journal of the Atmospheric Sciences (2015-2020) and currently serves as an Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Quantitative Spectroscopy & Radiative Transfer and an editor of the Journal of Geophysical Research-Atmospheres. Dr. George W. Kattawar is a Professor Emeritus in the Department of Physics & Astronomy and the Institute of Quantum Science & Engineering at Texas A&M University. He is an internationally renowned expert in radiative transfer and light scattering dealing with full Mueller matrix/Stokes vector processes. He has made significant contributions in using radiative transfer in such diverse areas as biomedical optics, planetary atmospheres, cloud and aerosol property studies related to climate studies, invisibility cloaking, ultrashort laser propagation in water, and anthrax detection. To list just a few among his seminal contributions, he was the first to show that the clouds of Venus were not water, which was the view held by two eminent scientists Carl Sagan and Richard Goody. It was this seminal work which led to the ultimate determination of the Venus cloud composition. He is one of the first researchers to apply Monte Carlo techniques to radiative transfer in planetary atmospheres. This technique is now being used by researchers all over the world and is also now being used in medical physics. He gave the first correct explanation of the “Ring effect” which had remained an enigma for over twenty years. This paper was designated by a world-renowned scientist at NASA to be the best paper of the decade in atmospheric science. Dr. Kattawar and his collaborators developed one of the most powerful time dependent, three-dimensional Monte Carlo codes capable of handling full Mueller matrix solutions for a coupled atmosphere-ocean system with a fully stochastic interface. This code will become the “Gold Standard” for all future researchers in biomedical, atmospheric, and oceanic optics. He is one of the first to show that nonspherical objects can be made totally invisible if the optical properties are selected in the right way. Dr. Kattawar received many awards and recognitions, including Fellow of the Optical Society of America (1976); Amoco Foundation Teaching Excellence Award (1981); Teacher/Scholar Award (1990), Nils Gunnar Jerlov Award (2014), and van de Hulst Light Scattering Award (2015); He was also elected for two, three-year terms on the Committee on Recommendations for U.S. Army Basic Scientific Research under the National Research Council. He is a former Associate Editor of the Journal of Geophysical Research-Oceans and a former Associate Editor of the Journal of Transport Theory and Statistical Physics. He was selected to be editor of the Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers (SPIE) Milestone Series on “Multiple Scattering in Plane Parallel Atmospheres and Oceans: Techniques”. He was selected (2009) to serve on the External Advisory Board of the Stevens Institute of Technology to assess their engineering and science programs. He was appointed as Academic Advisor of the Board of Directors of the Texas Academy of Science. He was selected by Applied Optics as one of the 50 most prolific authors in the last 50 years.
Metamorphic xenoliths in the Town Mountain Granite are exposed at “The Slab,” a low-water crossing in Kingsland, Texas, that is popular both for recreation and as a stop on regional geology field trips to the Llano uplift. Difficulty in sampling the pavement-style outcrops limits observation and analysis to that which can be completed at the outcrop. We use structural orientation measurements and a handheld X-ray fluorescence spectrometer (hXRF) to study xenolith orientation in context of regional fabrics, assess evidence of xenolith assimilation into the Town Mountain Granite, and investigate the origin of the xenoliths based on bulk composition. A nearly 1:1 correlation between the orientations of the xenoliths’ long axes and their internal foliation suggests that granite intrusion along foliation strongly controlled the xenoliths’ shapes. The orientation of the xenoliths’ foliation is consistent with dominant regional foliations. The hXRF analyses are able to discriminate between the compositions of the granite and the xenoliths. Xenolith compositions are consistent with a mafic protolith and suggest they have the same or similar sources; different analytical techniques for previously published bulk compositional analyses prevent direct comparison with our data or confident identification of a source unit. Limited assimilation of the xenoliths into the granite is suggested by magma injections into xenoliths, mafic residue from partial melting, chemical gradations at contacts between the granite and xenoliths, and possible enrichment of xenoliths in FeO + MgO relative to bulk compositions of the metamorphic country rock. These results encourage future use of hXRF for outcrop-based geological studies.
This study uses hydraulic modeling to examine the impacts of two new fence sections at Eagle Pass, Texas: a container fence and a state-funded fence section south, and downstream, of the already modeled federal border fence. We used the model Nays2DFlood to compare fence and non-fence conditions at various recurrence intervals to determine how the fence is affecting flood extents, water depth, and water velocity. Water depth is deeper in the channel and the floodplain and shallower directly at the fence line when compared to non-fence conditions. Water velocity is faster within the channel and the floodplain and slower at the fence line during fence conditions. These impacts have the potential to adjust sediment regimes at this location and downstream of this area, altering water quality and channel morphology. Demographic analysis also show that particularly susceptible populations, including a majority Latino, low income individuals, those under 5, and those 65–74, are present in large numbers at these fence sections and are therefore vulnerable to flooding. Supplemental material is available for this article online.
