A new species of zorapteran (Zorotypidae: Zorotypus) is described and figured from alates and apterous individuals captured in Reserva Cientifica Ferreira Pena (Caxiuanã), Pará State, eastern Amazonia, Brazil. Zorotypus caxiuana Rafael, Godoi, and Engel, new species, belongs to the shannoni species-group that also includes Z. amazonensis Rafael and Engel and can be recognized by the cluster of proclinate setae on the male vertex, a similar metafemoral ornamentation, and a membranous endophallus. A key to the species of the shannoni species-group and a summary of Brazilian zorapteran species is provided.

A partial pliosaur skull reveals anatomical features poorly known for Plesiosauria. The specimen lacks recorded contextual information, however preservational character and nannofossil analysis (earliest Turonian) suggests origination from the upper Greenhorn Limestone. The vomers bifurcate near their posterior termination, and are overlapped by long, slender extensions of the anterior pterygoids. The latter character has only recently been noted and may be variously developed in many if not all plesiosaurs. Large foramina commonly referred to as the ‘internal nares’ are formed at the juncture of the palatines, vomers, and maxillae. Configuration of the palatal elements differs in several ways from the only well established pliosaurid taxon of the North American Cretaceous, Brachauchenius. Particular differences include a more visibly elongate and lanceolate shape of the vomers, palatines which do not project as far anteriorly (similarly for the ‘internal nares’), and a squared posterior termination of the palatines. A relatively elongate muzzle and homodont dentition differ from the shorter muzzles and caniniform teeth of Kronosaurus and Plesiopleurodon. The specimen is also not referable to the poorly founded taxon Polyptychodon. With no clearly similar material for reference, the specimen may expand the definition of Brachauchenius as currently known or could represent an undescribed taxon. Although perhaps not of taxonomic significance, the specimen is impressively large with an estimated total skull length of 1.75 m, the largest known for a North American plesiosaur.

Obsidian is an excellent material for the manufacture of stone tools. While there are no tool-quality obsidian sources in Kansas, obsidian is recovered from Kansas archaeological sites. Our recent chemical analysis of 189 samples of obsidian from Kansas archaeological sites demonstrates that obsidian was most commonly used after about 1000 BP, and that sources in New Mexico were used most frequently, but not exclusively. Obsidian sources in Wyoming, Idaho, and Utah also were used, particularly by populations in the northern half of the Kansas, and three samples matched a source area in Hidalgo, Mexico. Finally, there is evidence that specific obsidian source use was a function not only of proximity, but of social relationships as well.

Field experiments were conducted near Manhattan, KS in 2005 and 2006 and Sabetha, KS in 2005 to determine the efficacy of S-metolachlor tank-mixed with fomesafen or metribuzin as an element in the control of common waterhemp in soybean. Preemergence treatments included S-metolachlor fomesafen at 0.91 0.22, 1.21 0.28, 1.52 0.36, and 1.82 0.43 kg ai ha⁻¹ (kg active ingredients per hectare) and S-metolachlor metribuzin at 2.42 0.59 kg ai ha⁻¹. These treatments were applied alone or followed by a postemergence glyphosate application at 0.88 kg ha⁻¹. Common waterhemp control with S-metolachlor fomesafen was greater than 88 and 60% at 2 and 8 WAT (Weeks After Treatment), respectively at Manhattan in 2005. However, S-metolachlor fomesafen, regardless of the rate, gave complete common waterhemp control 2 WAT and greater than 95% common waterhemp control through 8 WAT at Sabetha. In 2005, S-metolachlor metribuzin controlled 59 and 91% of common waterhemp 8 WAT at Manhattan and Sabetha, respectively. By 8 WAT, glyphosate applied after preemergence treatments improved common waterhemp control; however, no additional control was achieved with the postemergence glyphosate applications at Manhattan in 2006 and Sabetha in 2005. This research showed that early season control of common waterhemp can be achieved with preemergence application of S-metolachlor fomesafen at 1.52 0.36 kg ha⁻¹ with or without a postemergence application of glyphosate.

Previously published seismic refraction data, and unpublished shallow-core lithology logs, paleocurrent data, chemical analyses, and vertical succession of bedforms of a volcanic ash deposit in Ellis County, Kansas indicate that an airfall ash was reworked and fluvially re-deposited within a meandering fluvial system. Paleocurrent data indicate a south to southeastward transport direction. The paleocurrent transport direction is similar to the present day tributary of the Saline River known as Tomcat Creek, located approximately 500 feet to the east of the ash deposit, suggesting the ash paleochannel underwent avulsion and represents the old position of Tomcat Creek. X-ray diffraction and chemical analyses of the ash indicate a silica-enriched, glassy ash; while petrographic and scanning electron microscopy comparisons indicate that the ash may be “Pearlette” (Pleistocene) type.

Aside from large sharks such as Cretoxyrhina mantelli, there are no other marine species known from the Late Cretaceous which could challenge the role of mosasaurs as apex predators. From the evidence of the injuries observed on mosasaur remains, however, it is likely that they occasionally fought with or were attacked by other mosasaurs. Sometimes the injuries incurred in this combat were non-fatal and show evidence of healing prior to the death of the mosasaur, while in other instances, the injuries were apparently fatal. The well-preserved skull and lower jaws of the holotype specimen of Tylosaurus kansasensis (FHSM VP-2295) in the collection of the Stemberg Museum of Natural History exhibit readily visible punctures and gouges on the frontal, left prefrontal, right dentary and right articular that are attributable to the bite of a larger mosasaur. These deep and unhealed bite marks on the skull, as well as a possible broken neck, suggest that this individual died from injuries received when its skull was bitten and possibly crushed by another mosasaur.

Various synthetic mulches were tested on an alluvial site in three studies to examine survival and growth of cottonwood and hybrid poplar seedlings. Blue, clear, and yellow waste plastics; black, brown, and gray/black polyethylene; and polypropylene fabric weed barrier were compared with cultivation; sod; or isoxaben orazalin (Gallery Surflan) or sulfometron methyl (Oust) herbicide weed control treatments. After five years, cottonwood seedling survival was moderately high (50 to 91%) for all synthetic mulch types, whereas seedling survival with cultivation and Oust treatments ranged from 60 to 76%. Seedling growth was best with Oust herbicide, slightly less for cultivation, and nearly the same for all plastics. Planting in sod or use of Gallery Surflan is not advisable, as these treatments yielded the poorest results. Oust provided the best environmental conditions for growth. Synthetic mulches seem to be practical for use in tree establishment under environmental conditions found in the central Great Plains, although three-year maintenance costs were least with Oust herbicide

Hillshade maps based on digitized topography and capable of detecting subtle changes in slope that are otherwise imperceptible, reveal two large and heretofore unrecognized topographic ellipses in Kansas here designated the Garden City ellipse (10 by 14 km dimensions) in Finney County and the Goddard ellipse (11 by 13 km) in Sedgwick County. Cheyenne Bottoms in Barton County, although long known, is a larger ellipse (22 by 32 km). All three are bounded by outlines that are remarkably elliptical, suggesting that they may represent the surface expressions of deeply buried bodies in the Precambrian basement perhaps the result of meteorite impact. Cheyenne Bottoms is controversial because it has been ascribed to subsidence caused by solution of the underlying Permian Hutchinson Salt. The Garden City and Goddard ellipses are not known to involve faulting, but it is hypothesized that fractures that bound deeply buried elliptical bodies that lie beneath them are propagated to the surface and perceptibly affect the topography. Support for the hypothesis that deep-seated fractures affect the landscape in the region also is provided by the pervasive influence of a “fine-scale fracture system” that may extend through the crust and influence the development of reticulate linear drainage patterns. Recurrent small up and down movements, perhaps in response to tectonic movements elsewhere and maintained by earth tides, may be responsible for the fine-scale fracture system. Paradoxically the fractures of the fine-scale system seem to be distinct from those that bound the ellipses, but they strengthen the hypothesis that deep-seated fractures of various configurations are basic aspects of the crust and are capable of revealing deep-seated features heretofore unrecognized.

Only a few studies have examined the effects of haying on species of small mammals in grasslands. We assessed this effect by trapping small mammals in autumn each year in 5 experimental (hayed) and 6 control (not hayed) sites in mixed grass prairie on the Smoky Hills Army National Guard Training Facility in Saline County, Kansas during 1998–2000. Only 1 species, the deer mouse (Peromyscus maniculatus), did not respond negatively to the change in habitat structure that resulted from haying. The remaining 8 species either occurred in lower numbers on the hayed sites or avoided them completely. Species richness was higher on the control sites (2.2 species per site) than on the experimental sites (0.87). Likewise, species diversity also tended to be higher on the control sites than on the experimental sites. Our results not only suggest the negative impact that summer-autumn haying has on small mammal species and communities in native and planted grasslands, but also has implications for the practice of mowing and baling of roadside ditches, which serve as refuges for many species of small mammals in landscapes dominated by croplands and rangelands.

Common waterhemp resistance to protoporphyrinogen oxidase (protox)-inhibiting herbicides was first reported in northeast Kansas in 2001. The objective of this research was to determine the inheritance characteristics of the protox-resistance trait. Resistant and susceptible common waterhemp were screened for resistance and inbred lines were developed using full-sib mating for three generations in the greenhouse. After the third generation, resistant and susceptible plants were crossed in a male and female reciprocal manner creating 57 F₁ (first generation) lines. A proportion of the F₁ progeny was screened for resistance and the remaining progeny were used to create F₂ (second generation) and backcross (BC) lines. Approximately 500, 400, and 1400 F₁, BC, and F₂ progeny, respectively, were treated with 105 g ha⁻¹ of lactofen when plants reached the 8-node growth stage. Visual injury ratings were determined at 14 days after treatment and based on a scale of 0 = no injury and 100 = mortality. A plant was considered to be resistant when visible injury was less than 50%. Approximately 91 and 93% of F₁ progeny from susceptible female × resistant male and resistant female × susceptible male crosses, respectively, were scored as being resistant. There was no evidence of reciprocal differences or segregation in the F₁ indicating the resistance trait is dominant and contained in the nucleus. F₂ progenies supported a 3:1 genetic ratio and BC progenies supported a 1:1 ratio using a Chi-squared goodness-of-fit test. These results indicate resistance to protox-inhibiting herbicides is determined by a major dominant nuclear gene.

We examine relationships between landscape scale measurements of rangeland complexity and cattle stocking rates in Kansas. Rangeland complexity was characterized using Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR) satellite imagery and the USGS National Land Cover Dataset (NLCD). Satellite Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) values were summed over the 2002 growing-season and then summarized by county. FRAGSTATS spatial pattern analysis software was used to derive 43 metrics of landscape complexity for each county. The metrics used were of two types: spatial pattern metrics, which quantify the shape and distribution of rangeland patches in each county; and spectral diversity metrics, which take advantage of variation in NDVI values to quantify complexity within each rangeland patch. A principle components analysis step-wise regression model revealed a strong correlation between rangeland complexity and cattle stocking rates (r² = 0.53, p =0.000). This suggests that, from a rangeland grazing perspective, intact blocks of rangeland are more desirable than fragmented rangelands. The model indicates that spatial pattern metrics are better predictors of rangeland stocking rates than spectral diversity metrics. This study also demonstrates the utility of satellite remote sensing for monitoring rangeland condition at a landscape scale.