RAIN, MAN -- The parched wasteland that used to be your lawn isn't the only casualty of this summer's drought. Babbling brooks slow to a stop and lakes stand still, affecting what lives in and around them, according to Temple ecologist Stuart E. Neff. "During droughts, the streams pool," says Neff, a professor of biology. "You get various interrupted bodies of water that may be fairly large or fairly small. In general, life declines in the dear old stream." Fast-water insects that rely on a water current decline, he notes, as do fish that find their oxygen source has stopped moving. And lakes and reservoirs, usually cooled and protected by surface evaporation, also suffer. "In a drought, the intensity of the sun and lack of rain encourage surface algae and plankton to bloom, and that can foul things up," Neff observes. Alas, the hardships of drought are not universal. "The mosquitoes just love it once water starts to pool," says Neff. "Most mosquitoes feed on small particles, such as bacteria, so they ought to have a grand time." Reach Dr. Neff through the News Bureau, (215) 204-7476.
CLEAN AIR, DIRTY WATER -- This week a panel of the Environmental Protection Agency recommended a halt in the use of the gasoline additive MTBE, which has been widely credited with helping to reduce air pollution caused by internal combustion engines. The problem? MTBE is a suspected carcinogen that has begun to turn up in groundwater, which serves as a source for drinking water. Temple hydrogeologist Laura Toran has just begun to take groundwater samples from the Philadelphia region and test them for the presence of MTBE. She faults atmospheric and groundwater scientists for failing to adequately communicate to each other the benefits and dangers of the additive, and fears the full extent of the damage has yet to be discovered. "MTBE is turning up in places and concentrations that are not expected," adds Toran, who holds the Weeks Chair in Environmental Geology at Temple. "I'm afraid this is the tip of the iceberg. It's probably going to get worse before it gets better." Reach Dr. Toran at her office, 204-2352, or through the News Bureau.
TEEING OFF: GOLF CLUBS AND KIDS NOT ALWAYS A GOOD MATCH -- Children hoping to become the next golf sensation are getting hurt in the swing zone of a golf club and at home, according to Temple physical education professor Marcella Ridenour, a researcher in the University's Biokinetics Research Laboratory, who recently studied the hidden hazards of golf clubs. "Most injuries occurred when unsupervised children played with golf clubs at home," she stressed. "Golf clubs should not be used by children unsupervised given the potential for serious and permanent head injury and death." Ridenour explains the popularity of the sport makes golf clubs an attractive plaything for children. She found hospitals reported more than 2,000 head and neck injuries involving golf clubs to the Consumer Product Safety Commission between 1980 and 1997. "Most of these injuries were the result of a child being hit by a golf club swung by another child or adult," she adds. Reach Dr. Ridenour through the News Bureau.
WORKPLACE VIOLENCE: LESSONS TO BE LEARNED FROM SCHOOLS -- Following recent tragic school shootings in Colorado and elsewhere, efforts to implement preventive measures, such as peer mediation programs, have intensified--a step that business organizations might consider taking as well, according to Dr. Deanna Geddes, a professor of human resource administration at Temple's Fox School of Business and Management who has studied aggressive behavior in the workplace. While companies may have employee assistance programs in place, they generally target issues such as substance abuse, Geddes notes. "Organizations may need to add anger management training to these programs, and the peer mediation model may be a good idea," she says. Talking about one's anger and frustration with colleagues and giving people specific strategies for dealing with it could make for a healthier, safer workplace environment. Reach Dr. Geddes through the News Bureau.
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