An examination of leaf beetle specimens (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) in the largest beetle collections in Kentucky, recent inventory work in state nature preserves and other protected areas, and a review of the literature revealed forty-six species of the subfamily Eumolpinae present in Kentucky, twenty of which previously were unreported for the state. Distribution maps and label data are presented for the forty-six Kentucky species, including spatial (state and Kentucky county records), temporal (years and months of collection in Kentucky), and plant association information. The following species are reported from Kentucky for the first time: Metachroma carolinense Blake, Metachroma laterale Crotch, Metachroma orientale Blake, Graphops curtipennis curtipennis (F. E. Melsheimer), Graphops marcassita marcassita (Crotch), Graphops simplex J. L. LeConte, Graphops varians J. L. LeConte, Paria fragariae Wilcox, Paria pratensis Balsbaugh, Paria sellata (Horn), Colaspis favosa Say, Colaspis suilla suilla F., Glyptoscelis pubescens (F.), Spintherophyta globosa (Olivier), Tymnes metasternalis (Crotch), Tymnes violaceus Horn, Demotina modesta Baly, Fidia longipes (F. E. Melsheimer), Xanthonia angulata Staines & Weisman, and Xanthonia serrata Staines & Weisman.

Eastern mistletoe [Phoradendron leucarpum (Raf.) Reveal & M.C. Johnston] was observed on 1104 host trees from 10 species and 8 families in Jessamine County, east-central Kentucky within the Inner Bluegrass and Hills of the Bluegrass Ecoregions. Juglans nigra was the major host tree (609 trees) followed by Prunus serotina (259 trees), Ulmus americana (116 trees), Robinia pseudoacacia (43 trees) and Celtis occidentalis (39 trees). The top three host species accounted for 89.1% of the infested trees. Eastern mistletoe exhibits an aggregated or clumped spatial distribution pattern among host trees characteristic of its life history and avian fruit and seed dispersal.

Nineteen locations were sampled in the Obion Creek drainage from July 2007 until May 2008 to determine species composition of fishes in the channelized drainage in western Kentucky and evaluate anthropogenic disturbances with the Kentucky Index of Biotic Integrity. The Kentucky Index of Biotic Integrity (KIBI) was used to evaluate 17 of the 19 locations. Survey results of the Obion Creek drainage lists18 families represented by 65 species. The Obion Creek drainage is in the Jackson Purchase area of western Kentucky; an area where a majority of the land is in heavy agricultural use.

Five species collected were considered rare by the Kentucky State Nature Preserves Commission: blacktail shiner (Cyprinella venusta), taillight shiner (Notropis maculatus), lake chubsucker (Erimyzon succeta), chain pickerel (Esox niger), and central mudminnow (Umbra limi). Three species collected were considered exotic and highly invasive: grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella), silver carp (Hypophthalmichthys molitrix), and the common carp (Cyprinus carpio). Species richness has increased over previous collections in a 40 year period. Kentucky Index of Biotic Integrity scores ranged from fair to poor in the Obion Creek drainage.

Heavy snowstorms in Kentucky, while uncommon, often shut down commerce and transportation networks while threatening public safety. An understanding of the teleconnection patterns associated with these storms could benefit many people in the state. In this study, we adapted a snowstorm ranking methodology originally developed for the northeastern United States and applied it to Kentucky. Transportation and population data were used along with snowfall data to rank 26 significant Kentucky snowstorms from 1960–2010. Our results showed that the snowstorm of 6 January 1996 barely edged out the storm of 9 March 1960 to rank as the worst storm in the past 51 winters. Heavy snowstorms in Kentucky tend to be clustered through time and often associated with the warm phase of the Pacific Decadal Oscillation and the negative phases of the North Atlantic Oscillation and Eastern Pacific Oscillation. However, analysis also suggests that several other teleconnection patterns can lead to heavy snowstorms in Kentucky.

Mössbauer spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction measurements were performed on commercial iron rich cereal and on an iron supplement at room temperature. X-ray diffraction patterns of the raw cereal showed it to be more of an amorphous compound while the iron supplement was found to be in a crystalline form. Mössbauer spectra of the raw cereal showed about 81% of the iron in the ferric phase (Fe ³), 18% in the metal form (Fe), and less than 1% in the ferrous phase (Fe ²). Mössbauer spectra of the extracted iron from the raw cereal showed about 29% in the ferric phase, 70% in the metal phase, and less than 1% in the ferrous phase. Mössbauer measurements of the iron supplement showed 100% of the iron to be in the ferrous phase. The bioavailability of iron is generally attributed to the solubility of iron that is dependent on the oxidation state of iron in food and iron supplements. This study suggested that iron-rich cereal might not be the optimum source of iron for humans.

Data were collected via a 2010 survey of Hispanic consumers in Kentucky regarding their willingness to purchase pigs from local growers. Focus was given on live animal sales because of the convenience of small-scale livestock producers. Results show that nearly 30% of respondents were willing to buy live pigs; however, only 13% of surveyed consumers were willing to process the live animals. The most popular size of pig was from 4.5 kg (10 lbs) to 18 kg (40 lbs). Hispanic consumers who lived with their families in Kentucky and/or were willing to travel to farms to purchase food products exhibited a significantly higher proclivity to buy pigs. Hence, the data indicated a strong potential for developing a direct-to-consumer market for pigs in Kentucky, particularly if farmers can cooperate with local butchers such that Hispanic consumers could conveniently buy live pigs and have them processed to their specifications.

Baby corn (Zea mays L.) consists of unfertilized young ears harvested 2 or 3 days after silk emergence. The present study, conducted in 2009, was the culmination of three successive years of production and evaluation of baby corn at Western Kentucky University Agriculture Research and Education Center (36.93 N, 86.47 E) in Bowling Green, Kentucky. The purpose of this study was to compare the effect of different schemes of harvests on baby corn (BC) yield, grain maize (GM) yield, and estimated economic return. Harvest treatments were 1) no BC harvest, only GM harvest, 2) first harvest as BC, final harvest as GM, 3) first and second harvests as BC, final harvest as GM, and 4) first, second, and third harvests as BC, final harvest as GM. Average BC yields (kg/ha) for Treatments 2, 3, and 4 were 1445.1, 2681.8, and 3437.5; Average GM yields (kg/ha) for Treatments 1, 2, and 3 were 12,522.2, 8226.5, and 1380.9; respectively. Since few grain kernels were found after three BC harvests (Treatment 4), no usable GM yield was produced. BC and GM yields were used for evaluating the economic returns. Results indicated that the descending sequence of treatments for economic returns were Treatments 4, 3, 2, and 1. Although the three BC harvest system (Treatment 4) was the most profitable, if required the most human labor and critical timing of harvests. In Kentucky, BC could be grown as an additional crop or to supplant a limited amount of traditional GM hectarage.

The Kentucky State Nature Preserves Commission has updated and revised the lists of rare and extinct or extirpated biota last published in 2000 and updated in 2001, 2004 and 2005 based on a standard methodology now utilized by NatureServe. Natural communities have been included in this update. The newly revised lists include one lichen, 387 vascular plant and lesser taxa, 346 animal taxa, and 36 natural communities considered rare. Nineteen plant and 47 animal taxa are considered extirpated or extinct from Kentucky.

To protect our nation's water resources, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) have declared a goal of “no net loss” of our nation's water and wetland resources to be a national priority for the past 20 years. To meet this objective, the EPA has encouraged states to develop state wetland conservation plans and incorporate stakeholders into the development of those plans. Recently, the Kentucky Division of Water initiated a streams and wetlands conservation planning process. As part of the process, we conducted surveys and interviews of Kentucky stakeholders in stream and wetlands issues. Results of the surveys emphasized three impacts of concern: sewer overflows and straight pipes, coal and energy development, and residential growth. Stakeholders had wide areas of agreement, although their perspectives were not entirely uniform. Perception of the relative importance of some types of impacts was dependent on job position, level of awareness, and watershed region. Kentucky's first phase planning process illustrates the importance of soliciting watershed-based multi-stakeholder input in conservation planning as mandated by the EPA. We conclude by recommending directions for a second phase of planning and a subsequent implementation stage for the streams and wetlands conservation planning process.

We conducted a survey of Kentucky colleges and universities to determine the number of field station sites available for research, educational, and outreach activities. As a first attempt, we were able to locate and provide basic data for 23. Sites range from thousands of acres to just a few. Some have full, year around research and education programs, while others are largely undeveloped. Existing sites are located primarily in the eastern half of the state with only 4 in the western portion, thus some ecoregions have several while others have none. Although not directly surveyed, website addresses are given that connect to more than 200 state and federal natural areas in Kentucky. It is our hope that the information presented here will stimulate the use of the State's field station sites and point out the needs for acquiring and developing others.