U of M News Wire: March 29, 2007

Excess nutrients or water limit biodiversity, U of M study says
 
By Mark Cassutt
U of M News Wire

Too much of a good thing (nutrients or water) actually decreases the diversity of species in an ecosystem while it increases the productivity of a few species, according to a grassland experiment conducted by University of Minnesota researchers.
 
The reduction in species diversity occurs because increasing the amounts of limiting resources, such as nitrogen and water, makes an ecosystem more homogeneous and consequently reduces the number of opportunities for competing species to coexist. Put another way, it reduces the number of niches, allowing a few species to dominate.
 
The study, conducted by David Tilman, U of M Regents Professor of Ecology, and Stanley Harpole was published March 25 in the online version of the journal Nature. Harpole, who is now a postdoctoral associate at the University of California, Irvine, was a graduate student at the University of Minnesota when the research was conducted.
 
“In essence, the data in the article strongly supports a new explanation for why the world contains so many species,” Tilman said. “It shows that plant diversity is directly related to the number of limiting factors (such as soil moisture, nitrogen, phosphorous, potassium and water).”
 
It also helps explain why grasslands, lakes and rivers that are polluted with nitrogen and phosphorous (usually from agriculture) have fewer species. The reduction of species where the Mississippi River empties into the Gulf of Mexico is one of the best known examples of this phenomenon.
 
The findings are based on experiments carried out at the University of California’s Sedgwick Reserve in the Santa Ynez Valley, where the researchers applied combinations of nutrients and water to plots of grassland. Plots that received all of the resources had the fewest species and highest productivity. They combined this with analysis of the 150 year old Rothamsted Park Grass Experiment. Both supported their hypothesis.
 
 “Our results show that the loss of plant species from a habitat due to nutrient pollution can persist for more than 100 years,” Harpole said.  “Thus human actions that simplify habitats can lead to long-term loss of biodiversity.”
 
 
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New U of M men’s basketball coach Tubby Smith to hit the ground running in Minnesota

By Rick Moore
U of M News Wire
 
The wait for a new University of Minnesota men's basketball coach is over and fans are praising the hire of Tubby Smith as the new head coach of the Gophers. He takes over for interim coach Jim Molinari, who has served since Dan Monson stepped down early this past season.
 
Smith has spent the past 10 seasons as the head coach at the University of Kentucky. During his tenure at Kentucky, Smith, 55, led the Wildcats to the 1998 national championship, six Sweet Sixteen appearances, four Elite Eight finishes, five Southeastern Conference titles, and five SEC Tournament titles. His Wildcat team was eliminated in the second round of the NCAA tournament in March by No. 1 seed Kansas.
 
"It's an honor, it's a real privilege to be joining the Golden Gopher family," Smith said to the crowd of about 2,000 fans at Williams Arena who joined the media at the open press conference. "I feel the love already."
 
Smith thanked his coaching predecessors at the U, and said he will hit the ground running at Minnesota. "We will guard this program, protect this program, and do everything in our power to accomplish the goals and the dreams that you have and that we have for Gopher basketball--and that's to win championships."

His head coaching career began at Tulsa, where he led the Golden Hurricane from 1991-95 before taking over as head coach at Georgia for two seasons (1995-97). Over his 16 seasons as a head coach, Smith has a record of 387-145 (a .727 winning percentage) and has posted 14 consecutive 20-win seasons and 14 straight appearances in the NCAA tournament.
 
U of M Athletics director Joel Maturi, in announcing Smith, said that the U was looking to "hire a proven and successful and high-profile coach. There are few coaches in America who are more proven, successful, and high profile than Tubby Smith."
 
Maturi noted that Smith's teams have played in twice as many NCAA tournament games as the Gophers have in their history--and have won 29 of those.
 
"Folks," Maturi said, "this guy can flat-out coach."
 
Judging by the enthusiasm of the fans gathered at the Barn and the early buzz on campus, there's plenty of optimism for the near future of Gopher basketball. After the Rouser was played at the end of the press conference, a group of students started the first Williams Arena chant in the Smith era: "Tub-by! Tub-by! Tub-by!..."
 
Smith and his wife, Donna, have three sons: G.G., Saul, and Brian.
 
 
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Growing Concerns
A parenting question-and-answer column with Dr. Martha Erickson of the University of Minnesota

Editor’s note: Dr. Erickson was not available to complete her column this week. The column below is from the Growing Concerns archive.

Question: A 12-year-old neighbor has expressed interest in baby-sitting for our two young children, and she strikes me as someone who would do a great job. But my husband says a 12-year-old is too young. What are your thoughts?
 
Answer: There's no magic age at which a person is mature enough to baby-sit. Some 12-year-olds are up to the task and others are not. The best babysitter we ever had for our children was 12 when she began, and over the years she became like a big sister or favorite aunt for our children. You obviously are seeing qualities in this girl that lead you to think she would care well for your children, and you may well be right. But so that both you and your husband will feel comfortable with this decision, I suggest you and your husband look thoroughly into her skills and experience -- something parents should do when choosing a babysitter of any age.
 
To do that, arrange an interview with the girl and, if possible, one of her parents. Here are some questions to ask:
 
• What experience has she had caring for children? Has she cared for younger brothers and sisters, children in her church nursery, other neighbors' children? If so, would she mind if you called for a reference?
 
• Has she taken any classes that would help prepare her to baby-sit? For example, many communities offer baby-sitting classes, first aid for children, or other relevant courses.
 
• What does she know about how children behave at different ages, basic childcare approaches, and appropriate discipline strategies? You could test her knowledge by describing some typical challenging situations with your children and asking her how she would respond.
 
• How does she handle responsibilities at home, such as taking telephone messages or carrying out simple food preparation?
 
• Is she able to find resources when she needs them? For example, looking up phone numbers and making businesslike calls, finding information in a reference book, reading and following directions on a prescription label?
 
• How would she deal with an emergency situation? I'd suggest you pose several hypothetical situations and ask her what she would do.
 
• If, after the interview, you think the girl has potential as a baby-sitter, I'd suggest you ask her to take care of your children once or twice while you do other work in the house or the yard. This will give her and your children a chance to become comfortable with each other and will allow you to help her learn more about how you prefer things to be handled in your home. Then, if all goes well, she'll probably be ready for a "solo flight." When that time comes, just be sure to make your expectations clear -- and be sure she has the number of a nearby adults who will be available in an emergency.