text:
�The Commonwealth of
Massachusetts, A Manual For The Use Of The General
Court For 1967 - 1968�. Boston, Wright
& Potter, 1967. Signed for the
collector by the then Secretary of the Commonwealth, John F. X. Davoren. Black cloth covered boards with gilt
and spine titles; 820 pages with index; 6 ½ x 4 ¼. Note that Kevin White is listed as the
Secretary of the
Commonwealth in this book, but he resigned his position December 20,
1967. The Office was filled by election by
Legislature of John F.X. Davoren on December 20, 1967; and on November
3, 1970,
Mr. Davoren was elected to a four-year term.
Condition: very good, owner�s
name on front free paste down along with the inscription.
Price: SOLD!
�Historic Storms Of New England.
Its Gales, Hurricanes, Tornadoes, Great Snow Storms, Rains, Freshets,
Floods, Droughts, Cold Winters, Hot Summers, Avalanches, Earthquakes,
Days, Comets, Aurora-Borealis, Phenomena In The Heavens, Wrecks Along
Coast, With Incidents and Anecdotes, Amusing and Pathetic� by
Perley. Salem, The Salem Press,
1891. First edition. Two-tone
green cloth covered boards with
gilt stamping on spine; x, 341pages; 8 ¾ x 6 3/8 inches. Condition: Cover worn, hinges
binding shaken, owner�s name on front free pastedown.
Chapter I starts on page 3 , there is no page 1-2 so it must be
missing. A great gift for the weather buff.
Price: SOLD!
�Atlantic Highway� by
Warren Armstrong, with twenty plates in
half-tone. London, George G. Harrap,
1961. First edition. Red
cloth covered boards with black stamping
on spine, 239 pages plus 20 plates, 8 ½ x 5 ¾ inches. No dj.
The author brings to life the huge
ships that have plied the Atlantic for trade, defense, and passenger
travel. It
also considers the role of air travel in the 1960�s. The story is
dramatic and factual, charting the history of this sea route from the
Sirius to Cunard's Britannia to the S. S. France. The
last 11 pages are an index of ships. Condition:
Cover slightly worn,
interior fine.
Price: $5
�The Book Nobody Knows�
by Bruce Barton. Indianapolis,
Bobbs-Merrill, 1926. Brown cloth
covered boards with gilt stamping on front, 306
pages, 8 ¼ x 5 ½ inches. This
book is
about the Bible. It has eight chapters,
and each is prefaced by a list of questions, ranging from 9 to 15,
testing the
readers knowledge of the Bible.
Condition: Cover worn and stained, corners bumped, owner�s
signature on
front free paste down.
Price: SOLD!
�Calvanism, An Address
Delivered At St. Andrews, March 17, 1871 By James
Anthony Froude, M. A.� New York,
Charles Scribner, 1871. Unstated
edition. Brick cloth covered boards
with gilt stamping on front, 47 pages, 7 7/8 x 6 inches.
Condition: Cover worn and stained, corners
bumped, interior show some water stain along spine bottom, some foxing,
signatures and notary public embossed stamp on tp, pencil mark on the
bottom of
page 5, 3 sheets (pages 43 � 47) each have one tear that just touches
the text.
Price: $5
�The Great Cathedrals And Most Celebrated Churches Of The World. Giving Their Founders, Patrons, Builders, And Architects, With A Complete History Of Each Up To Our Times; Also, A Description Of Their Different Styles Of Architecture, And The Sculptures, Paintings, Ornaments, and Ceremonies Of These Wonderful Temples Of Christendom. Beautifully Illustrated By The Most Eminent Artists.� Adapted by Rev. Jas. L. Meagher. New York, Russell Brothers, 17,19, 21 & 23 Rose Street, 1883. I believe this is the 1st edition. Green pictorial peppled cloth covered boards with embossed design on front and back, gilt stamping on front and spine; 475 pages plus 2 pages of ads; 10 x 6 � inches. Frontis is St. Peter�s, Rome. Most of the cathedrals discussed are pictured.
Condition: Covers shelf worn, corners bumped. Interior stained and slight browning. Front pastedown is split at bottom, but binding is tight.
Price: $35.


text:
Hotels in Lisbon
399 Accommodations in Lisbon
Hotel MundialLisbon 871 m from city centre 3054 reviews
Hotel Mundial is a friendly 4-star property offering comfortable accommodation in the heart of Lisbon. Highlights include fine dining,...
Hotel Altis GrandLisbon 1.9 km from city centre 689 reviews
With 18 meeting and banquet rooms, the Altis Grand provides excellent conditions as well as flexibility for carrying out all types of...
Lutecia Smart Design HotelLisbon 4.3 km from city centre 871 reviews
Renovated in 2014, this city hotel lies along a main road and comprises a total of 175 double rooms spread over 11 floors. Guests may...
Residencial HorizonteLisbon 2.8 km from city centre 260 reviews
The air-conditioned hotel offers 53 recently renovated rooms as well as a lobby with 24-hour reception and check-out service, a hotel...
Hotel Czar LisbonLisbon 2.5 km from city centre 427 reviews
The hotel offers elegantly decorated rooms with wooden furniture and carpeted floors. All stylish rooms include a flat-screen TV ith...
Hotel Alif Campo PequenoLisbon 3.9 km from city centre 511 reviews
The rooms are mostly medium in size and kept in good condition. The bathrooms are in fair condition. The rooms are neat, basic and...
Hotel AmericanoLisbon 838 m from city centre 506 reviews
Located in the Plaza of the restorers, the cultural and financial center of Lisbon, this hotel Americano is the only one in the city,...
Hotel RomaLisbon 4.3 km from city centre 1345 reviews
The Hotel Roma, totally refurbished in 1998, has 263 soundproofed rooms, including standard, executive (sitting room and desk) and family...
VIP Executive Eden AparthotelLisbon 1 km from city centre 1020 reviews
In 1996, the VIP Executive Eden Aparthotel was awarded the prize for best urban reform bill and for his achievement at the level of...
Vip Executive Entrecampos Hotel & ConferenceLisbon 4.6 km from city centre 438 reviews
This modern building, built in 2002, located in the center of Lisbon, next to Entrecampos, new business area of the city and 150 m. of...
VIP Grand Lisboa Hotel & SPALisbon 4.1 km from city centre 798 reviews
Located in Lisbon (Entrecampos), VIP Grand Lisboa Hotel and Spa is minutes from Campo Pequeno Bullring and Hospital Curry Cabral. This...
Hotel Dom Carlos ParkLisbon 2.3 km from city centre 441 reviews
With a stay at Hotel Dom Carlos Park, you'll be centrally located in Lisbon, steps from Marquis of Pombal Square and minutes from Edward...
Hotel HF Fénix UrbanLisbon 2.7 km from city centre 1212 reviews
This charming new building is in good light and you will feel right at home. The hotel has a modern restaurant at all times...
Hotel VIP Inn BernaLisbon 4.1 km from city centre 537 reviews
With a stay at Hotel VIP Inn Berna in Lisbon (Campo Pequeno), you'll be minutes from Campo Pequeno Bullring and Hospital Curry Cabral....
Hotel MiraparqueLisbon 2.7 km from city centre 1336 reviews
The hotel was renovated in 2002 and offers a total of 96 rooms over 6 floors, with a total of 6 singles, 85 doubles and 5 suites. The...
Hotel LisboaLisbon 1.9 km from city centre 713 reviews
The hotel has been totally refurbisheshed in the spring 2008. All the rooms are decorated to the highest standard , fully-equipped...
Accommodations in LisbonLisbon possesses a special enchantment that must be discovered step by step. Its seven hills and its location at the mouth of the Tagus River attracted the Phoenicians in 900 BC, although the true golden age of this city came with the Era of the Discoveries in the 14th and 15th centuries. Despite the terrible earthquake of 1755 that destroyed nearly all of Lisbon, necessitating the reconstruction of the area of Baixa, the city soon recovered its joyful spirit, and today offers a dynamic combination of history and modernity.
In Baixa sits the monumental Plaça do Comercio, whose front door opens upon the Tagus River, as well as the Arc of the Triumph of 1875 under which passes the commercial thoroughfare of Rua Augusta. From Rua dos Sapateiros, ascend to the animated Barrio Alto (High District) and the elegant district of Chiado in the famous Neo-Gothic style elevator of Santa Justa , constructed entirely from iron - at the top it offers wonderful views of Lisbon. At the end of the street is Plaça de Rossio or Plaça de Dom Pedro IV in which lie the Palace of Independence; the Doña Maria II National Theater; the Rossio Train Station Neo-Manueline façade; and the Nicola Café. Further north is Plaça de los Restauradores, which is surrounded by emblematic buildings, such as the Foz Palace, the Éden Cinema with its Art-Decó façade, and the modernist style Counts Cinema. In Avenida de la Libertad, and Marquês de Pombal Square, distinguished buildings follow one after the other, forming an elegant commercial and enterprise zone.
We come now to Alfama, the oldest district of Lisbon. Among its narrow and winding streets reside the Castle of San Jorge; the imposing Monastery of San Vicente de Fora; the Church of Santa Engracia with its showy cupola; the medieval Cathedral of Lisbon known as La Sé; and the particular Casa dos Bicos with its diamond-pointed stones and irregular distribution of doors and windows.
Finally, do not leave Lisbon without taking in Belem and sparing a thought for the journeys that embarked from there towards other worlds. The harbors defensive manuelino-style Tower of Belem, the Monument to the Discoverers, and the majestic Monastery of the Hieronymites are the main attractions here.
Hotels near Lisbon
You may be interested in
Hotels by theme
- Hotels with spa in Lisbon
- Hotels with hot tubs in Lisbon
- Hotels with pool in Lisbon
- Luxury hotels in Lisbon
- Hotels in the centre of Lisbon
In Lisbon we will have broken clouds, nice temperatures probable throught the day.
- Wednesday
- Thursday
Hotels by category
- 1 star hotels in Lisbon
- 2 star hotels in Lisbon
- 3 star hotels in Lisbon
- 4 star hotels in Lisbon
- 5 star hotels in Lisbon
Points of Interest in Lisbon
- Airport - Lisboa-Humberto Delgado
- Train station - Lisboa-Santa Apolonia
- Port - Lisbon
- Train station - Lisbon-Oriente
- Train station - Sete Rios
- 25 de Abril Bridge
- Avenida Almirante Reis
- Belém National Palace
- Belém Tower
- Belém Tower

subset: commoncrawl


text:
- Please read the manual/documentation – this will help you to understand the structure of Yii2 framework – how files are stored/organized, and how the framework hangs together. I made a mistake trying to jump in without having the basic knowledge of what Yii2 is about.
- The concept of MVC (Model View Controller) has to be understood as well. The video tutorial in the previous post should give you an idea. Any MVC tutorial on Youtube would suffice as well.
- Gii is a very important tool – if you want to use Yii with Database. Make sure Gii is working – else you will have to create lots of code from scratch. Gii is already pre-installed with Yii2 basic.
- Some issues when trying to access Gii:
A. Database Exception
This issue is actually caused by the config in the file db.php
(C:\Users\<Yii Path>\basic\config\db.php)
return [
'class' => 'yii\db\Connection',
// 'dsn' => 'mysql:host=localhost;dbname=yii2basic',
// 'username' => 'root',
// 'password' => ",
'dsn' => 'mysql:host=localhost;dbname=uXXXXX_yyyyy1',
'username' => 'uXXXXXX_aYYYYY',
'password' => 'XXXXXXyyyyyyyy',
'charset' => 'utf8',
B. Forbidden 403
This is caused by Gii config that only allows certain IPs to access it (security purpose). To fix this issue, check your external IP (how internet sees your machine – either using sites like whatismyip.com ) and then add it to Gii config.
C:\Users\<Yii Path> \basic\vendor\yiisoft\yii2-gii\Module.php
class Module extends \yii\base\Module implements BootstrapInterface
* @inheritdoc
public $controllerNamespace = 'yii\gii\controllers';
* @var array the list of IPs that are allowed to access this module.
* Each array element represents a single IP filter which can be either an IP address
* or an address with wildcard (e.g. 192.168.0.*) to represent a network segment.
* The default value is `['127.0.0.1', '::1']`, which means the module can only be accessed
* by localhost.
public $allowedIPs = ['127.0.0.1', '::1', '1XX.1XX.1X.1XX','6X.XX.1XX.1XX','6X.XX.1XX.2XX'];


text:
Launceston Tornadoes coach Derrick Washington keen to continue with the SEABL club
Derrick Washington has signalled his intentions to stay for another year to coach Launceston Tornadoes.
The contract of the two-time WNBA assistant expires at the end of November.
But after a remarkable turnaround in fortunes from a shaky start to the season, Washington was keen to end speculation over his future.
"The plan is to stay," he told The Examiner moments after the SEABL grand final loss.
"We'll obviously talk about it now that the season is over.
"But my intention is to definitely coach on."
Tornadoes general manager Corey Ackerly confirmed the club planned to enter discussions over extending Washington's tenure past his debut season.
But the club was in no rush to negotiate terms to re-sign its fourth coach since 2016.
After starting out with a 1-4 win/loss record, Washington's charges won 14 of the next 17 games to reach the championship decider.
Launceston fell at the last hurdle on Saturday night in a bittersweet 119-96 defeat to Bendigo at Melbourne's State Basketball Centre.
Washington was pragmatic after facing the undisputed best women's side all year that lost just once in 24 games – against the Tornadoes.
But the 28-year-old has a burning ambition to complete unfinished business.
"That's certainly the goal," Washington said.
"At the end, the result wasn't what we wanted.
"But it doesn't matter because we all grew as a team.
"That's all I could've asked.
"I know that I want them to continue to be better."
Washington admitted the Torns has enthused his love further for the game.
But he added that bringing a championship back to Launceston for the first time since 1995 was paramount.
"I have so enjoyed being able to coach at the Elphin Sports Centre – to be able to coach my first-ever head coaching job has been tremendous," he said.
"To bring back a championship is what you dream of.
"I had dreamed of this day even before I got here, so to coach this side and be in the game has been great."
While you're with us, did you know that you can now sign up to receive breaking news updates direct to your inbox. Sign up here.


text:
Prahlad & Bindu Pant Scholarship Award 2018
$2,500 Awarded on the basis of student's financial need
Managed by
Nepalese Association in Southeast America (NASeA)
This scholarship was established by Dr. Prahlad and Mrs. Bindu Pant in 2013. It is awarded annually to "one" student on the basis of the financial needs of the student and not on the basis of merit. The award is managed and coordinated by Nepalese Association in Southeast America (NASeA). NASeA's Academic and Professional committee will make the selection on the basis of the financial needs of the applicant, and its decision will be final. The award this year will be presented at the Nepali National Convention 2018 (https://nepalinationalconvention.org/); Aug 31 – Sept 2, Chicago, Illinois. The amount of the award for 2018 is $2,500.
Eligibility Criteria:
- Full-time undergraduate student (freshman or sophomore only)
- Currently residing anywhere in U.S. (no requirement of U.S. Resident or Citizen)
- Nepalese origin (one or both parents from Nepal)
- S. high school graduate
- Scholarship winner must be present at the Convention to receive the award
Required Documents (submit ONE pdf file inclusive of all required documents listed below):
- Application form (see next page)
- Certificate of graduation from high school in U.S.
- Letter of admission from a US college or university
- Copy of financial aid, if any, received from the college or university
- Parent's or Guardian's Federal Tax return (1040 or 1040EZ) [Note: erase SS #]
- 1-page essay on "why you should be awarded this need-based scholarship" (1" margin, single space, 12 size fonts, Times New Roman)
The scholarship award winner will receive:
- Scholarship amount of $2,500
- Free convention registration (a $135 value!)
Application Deadline: August 11, 2018
Award Decision: August 18, 2018
Email your application packet to Dr. Manoj K. Jha at email@example.com
Download the Scholarship Form


text:
|Way better than 'wet'n'wild': Tubing down river Palomino
And floating is what we did today. Not only in time but on a long and windig river here in Palomino where we arrived this morning.
Palomino is a slightly shabby village between a road and a nice stretch of beach, frequented mainly by the hippieish backpacker crowd. Thus there are many, many hostels - and if this is still too bourgeois for you, you can rent only a hammock for a handful of dollars.
|Colombian "Natty Dreadlocks" selling jewelry on the beach.
You can hear the late Bob Marley at every corner. Rasta culture rules. It's amazing how the relatively small island of Jamaica enriched hippiebackpackertourism all over the world. Even in Bali and Thailand I saw beach boys imitating the half asleep, "philosophical" (rather confusion than confucius) attitude. Although supposedly Jamaican at heart, their bodies remained Asian and they have straight hair and cannot grow dread locks. So they wear their hair long - problem solved, chick magnet just the same.
So anyway, we didn't come here to listen to the "rivers of babylon", we came here to float down river Palomino. Because since yesterday it was drizzling and the sky was covered, we decided to do it right away. Floating two hours in the glistening sun might be hard for us Northerners, anyway.
Everybody in Palomino seems to be in the tubing business, there is a pile of lorry inner tubes in front of basically every house.
For a couple of pesos the owner hands you a tube and hires a young man on a motorbike for you and off you go.
It's not very handy to carry a huge tube while riding a bike. Therefore they invented the technique of sliding the tube over both riders.
|What an air bag!
You get into the river somewhere in the jungle, the bike gets you there approximately half way - more interesting in the rain: a roiling river of mud, deep puddles, slippery rocks. Our protective suits consisted of no hard hats but shorts and a tank top; we were going to get wet after all. I wonder in how far the tube would absorb a fall. Would we just bounce off the rock'n'roll downhill tubed to our driver?
Anyway, faith and the drivers were kind and we arrived safely at the pretty tight jungle trail and were from here on our own.
Marching half an hour on a very narrow, very steep and very slippery mud trail carrying a huge tube in the pouring rain does not sound that great, I guess. But besides the fact that I ruined my flip flops from all the flipping and flopping in the mud, I actually enjoyed the beauty of the sumptuous forest a lot.
|First we had to carry the tube all the way up...
|...and then all the way down.
Once at the river shore, you make yourself comfortable in the tube, you wiggle and giggle and shriek - that's not the official, necessary part of the program, but everybody does - and off you float.
|Hang in there! Floating down rio Palomino.
It's great fun, but don't think that you can just hang in there and let the mighty river do all the work! If you do that, you end up against rocks and in the bushes. There were co-tubers floating from bush to bush, but that's only fun for others, and while the water has a suspicious appearance, at the shores it's plain disgusting. I know that because I got there twice.
So what you have to do is to observe the course of the river and the rapids and navigate with your arms as quick and frantic as you can.
But there are also long smooth parts where you can relax and appreciate the mighty jungle with its numberless species of majestic trees. You can watch colorful birds sitting on branches above your head, from time to time diving to get something out of the water (so there is something in the water, that's attractive to birds?!? My butt is hanging in this water...). It's just so, so beautiful!
If you worry about safety: The danger, that you capsize because your bottom touches ground is in many parts bigger than drowning.
After approximately two hours - depending on your navigation skills - the fun is over and you reach the beach, i. e. a sandbank separating the river from the ocean.
|Tubing was wet, the ocean is wild.
Slowly we're aproaching the end of our trip. And today's tubing was one of its highlights.
Did I inspire you? Planning on going to Colombia?
Get detailed information on the most interesting destinations that I've travelled bye:myself.


text:
- About Us
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- How to maintain your air conditioning system
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- How to spot worn brakes
- How to wash your car the right way
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Trusted Protection for your car.
Enjoy savings 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, when you insure your car under SD Contego.
Why insure under SD Contego?
1. Save on parallel import car insurance
While it is cheaper to purchase a parallel import car, it costs more to insure one. Enjoy attractive discounts when you insure your parallel import car with us.
2. Save on repair costs
In the event of a motor accident, enjoy 24/7* towing and transportation with us. In addition, all repairs carried out are guaranteed against workmanship defects for the next 12 months.
3. Save with our No-Claim Discount (NCD) Protector
Enjoy protection for your NCD (30% and above) against unexpected events at no extra cost.


text:
Improving the memory of your brain
One of the powerful tips as a way to improve memory is to live a healthy lifestyle. Here are some good habits to do so that memory can be maintained, and we'd like to share with you this time. Meanwhile, you can also find a recommended brain supplement if you visit the Nootropics Blog.
Here are the tips that you need to know:
Pay attention to your nutritional intake
The brain would need a good intake of food so that its ability to stay awake. Eat foods such as green vegetables, fish that contain omega-3 fatty acids, green tea, and nuts, so that brain function is more awake. In addition, reduce or limit alcoholic beverages. Research shows that the habit of consuming alcoholic beverages in excessive amounts can adversely affect cognitive function (thought process) and memory.
Take your time to exercise
Regular exercise is also assessed as a way to maintain effective memory. Regular exercise can facilitate blood circulation in the body, increase blood supply to the brain, encourage the development of new nerve cells, reduce insulin resistance, reduce inflammation, and stimulate the release of biochemical substances that affect the health of the brain. At least you are advised to do sports, such as walking, for 45 minutes three times a week.
Brain exercise
The brain also needs to be trained so that its ability to stay awake. The proverb says, that "the more sharpened, the knife will be sharper". This applies also to the brain. Some ways to do brain gymnastics are to fill in crossword puzzles, play puzzles, diligently read, play chess, test memories by memorizing pictures, learning to play musical instruments, and other strategy games.
Organize your activity
Very often someone forgets the stuff he put because it is placed in any place. Remember how many times you should buy a pencil, pen, or other stationery because you carelessly put it. For that, try to tidy up life from trivial things, like putting things in place, writing a daily agenda, and throwing things that are not used. This will make your brain more focused so that memory is maintained.


text:
Our website is a comprehensive tool to use in tandem with our V&N team. Here, you can search our exclusive listings in the Teaneck, Bergenfield, New Milford, Englewood and Fort Lee areas. You can also use our Bergen County directory to search all homes currently listed on the market through the Multiple Listing Service (MLS)
1160 Emerson Avenue – Teaneck
$439,000 - Residential, Single Family Home
Lovely home in a beautiful neighborhood with a first floor bedroom and…More Details
1286 Pennington Road – Teaneck
$4,800 per month - Colonial, Residential
Very unique Tudor Colonial on premiere West Englewood street. Open floor plan…More Details
699 Carroll Place – Teaneck
$799,000 - Ranch, Residential
One floor living at its best. Beautiful sprawling ranch on 140 ft…More Details
80 Harriet Avenue – Bergenfield
$725,000 - Colonial, Residential
Totally renovated home in a most desirable location! Formal living room with…More Details
87 Lindbergh Boulevard – Teaneck
$395,000 - Residential, Single Family Home
Well maintained Bi-Level in lovely country club area. Main living area has…More Details
885 Garrison Avenue – Teaneck
$3,100 Per Month - Colonial, Residential
Nicely updated 3 bedroom, 2 bath home. Renovated eat-in kitchen, dining room,…More Details
246 Pine Street – Teaneck
$389,000 - Residential, Single Family Home
Location, location! 3 BR 2 Bath multi-Level Home with spacious entry foyer,…More Details
304 Winthrop Road – Teaneck
$545,000 - Residential, Tudor
Fabulous brick home on beautiful tree lined street on prestigious block in…More Details
733 Rutland Avenue – Teaneck
$1,600,000 - Colonial, Residential
New Construction! 5,600 sq ft of luxury living space on first, second…More Details
680 Forest Avenue – Teaneck
$555,000 - Colonial
Perfectly maintained four bedroom home on beautiful, tranquil block. Updated kitchen with…More Details
368 Briarcliff Road – Teaneck
$519,000 - Colonial, Residential
Three bedroom Tudor Colonial on pretty tree lined block in Teaneck. First…More Details
240 Pine Street – Teaneck
$448,000 - Residential, Single Family Home
Great 3 bedroom brick home on pretty tree lined street with fully…More Details
433 Ogden Avenue – Teaneck
$599,000 - Colonial, Residential
Classic Center Hall Colonial located in Prime West Englewood area, featuring crown…More Details
299 Glen Court – Teaneck
$699,000 - Single Family Home
Beautifully renovated 5 bed, 3.5 bath bi-level on a very large corner…More Details
885 Garrison Avenue – Teaneck
$405,000 - Colonial, Residential
Nicely updated 3 bedroom, 2 bath home. Renovated eat-in kitchen, dining room,…More Details
269 Rutland Avenue – Teaneck
$1,299,000 - New Construction, Residential
New construction finds the perfect balance of modern and classic styling in…More Details
1286 Pennington Road – Teaneck
$889,000 - Colonial, Residential
Very unique Tudor Colonial on premiere West Englewood street. Open floor plan…More Details
641 Howard Street – Teaneck
$305,000 - Residential, Single Family Home
4BR 1.5 bath CC needs work and updating. Short Sale All offers…More Details
127 Westminster Avenue – Bergenfield
$799,000 - Residential
Bright and welcoming four-bedroom split level home in prime Bergenfield/border of Teaneck…More Details
271 Churchill Road – Teaneck
$719,000 - Colonial, Residential
Excellent Tudor Colonial in excellent location. Elegant living room/fireplace, Formal Dining room,…More Details
11 Dover Court – Bergenfield
$1,150,000 - Multi-Level, Residential
One of a kind multi level home on 80 ftx140 ft property.…More Details
616 S Prospect Avenue – Bergenfield
$414,000 - Ranch, Residential
1st Floor: Entry Hall, Living Room, Dining Room, Kitchen, 3 Bedrooms, Full…More Details
158 Merrison Street – Teaneck
$849,000 - Colonial, Residential
Stunning 12 year young new construction colonial on tree-lined street. Bright, two…More Details
36 Wilbur Road – Bergenfield
$1,075,000 - Colonial, Residential
Quality Crafted New Construction in great location. 5 Bedrooms on second level…More Details
292 S Prospect Avenue – Bergenfield
$325,000 - Residential, Single Family Home
Great Opportunity to make this a great home. Large lot with lots…More Details
693 Downing Street – Teaneck
$1,750,000 - Colonial, Residential
***Stunning custom newly built home with 6 Bedroom and 5.5 baths on…More Details
734 Wendel Place – Teaneck
$685,000 - Colonial, Residential
Newly renovated home on existing foundation. Open floor plan with lots of…More Details
91 Sussex Road – Bergenfield
$759,000 - Colonial, Residential
Beautiful colonial in prime Bergenfield location, Gorgeous double appliance granite kitchen with…More Details
602 Maitland Ave – Teaneck
$1,250,000 - Colonial, Residential
New construction in 2017 by premier builder. 7 bedrooms, 5.5 baths with…More Details
107 Greenwich Drive – Bergenfield
$529,000 - Colonial, Residential
Step into this updated Center Hall Colonial on a quiet block. Entrance…More Details
1382 Hudson Road – Teaneck
$449,900 - Residential, Single Family Home
Expanded cape with beautifully finished first floor, including master bedroom, full bath,…More Details
215 Johnson Avenue – Teaneck
$545,000 - Colonial, Residential
Beautifully renovated, very spacious home in a fabulous neighborhood! Newly renovated eat-in…More Details
1617 River Road – Teaneck
$4,100 Per Month - Colonial, Residential
Historic house circa 1860 Italianate, totally renovated. Truly one of a kind!…More Details
474 Ogden Avenue – Teaneck
$459,000 - Colonial, Residential
Side Hall Colonial on 60 x 120 ft property in central location.…More Details
318 Warwick Avenue – Teaneck
$1,500,000 - Colonial, Residential
This grand custom-built Center Hall Colonial is beautifully situated on a large…More Details
532 Winthrop Road – Teaneck
$7,900,000 - Colonial, Residential
Signature Home by architect Lynne Breslin set on 1 acre. Magnificent Chef's…More Details
1346 Sussex Road – Teaneck
$889,000 - Colonial, Residential
Beautifully renovated 5-bedroom center hall colonial set on parklike 236 ft deep…More Details
110 Edgemont Place – Teaneck
$719,000 1831534 - Colonial
Elegant Center Hall Colonial on generous 122 x 142 landscaped property. Excellent…More Details


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Begin the evening with dinner at the Hyatt Grand Cypress. The menu consists of the following: mixed greens salad, with choice of entrée: brioche and parsley chicken with tomato shallot vinaigrette; or fresh fillet of grilled salmon with lemon tomato relish; or linguine pasta with fall vegetables in a roasted garlic pesto sauce. All entrees served with parmesan roasted potatoes and fresh asparagus. Plus for dessert: pumpkin cheesecake or holiday yule log. Iced tea, regular and decaffeinated coffee, and Tazo tea selection included. Please make dinner & dessert selection at time of reservation.
First stop on the holiday tour - Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge which stands over six stories tall with authentic African- inspired architecture and the kraal African-village landscape design (a semi-circle design popular in Africa offering expansive views of the surrounding savanna and its many animal inhabitants). Then off to the Wilderness Lodge, nestled among towering pine trees. View its soaring eight-story lobby complete with totem poles and floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking rock formations and winding streams. Holiday decorations at the lodge are rustic in nature, keeping with the wilderness theme. End the evening at The Grand Floridian, Disney's flagship hotel, featuring the graciousness of a bygone era in a stunning world of Victorian charm.
Trip price includes transportation, dinner, tour and driver gratuity. Based on a minimum of 35 people.
For pricing & reservations, please call 407-855-9732 or email us.
Payment is due at time of reservation. Make checks payable to Life's a Trip Tours and mail to P.O. Box 590066 Orlando, FL 32859. Deadline for cancellation with a refund is November 10, 2014.
Copyright 2019 Life's a Trip Tours. All Rights Reserved.


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The experiment
Project timeline
Act now
The experiment
Project timeline
Act now
How to improve air quality where you live.
Things you can do
Avoid using your car
Walk, bike, e-bike or use public transport
Choose wisely when buying a new car: avoid diesel, go for frugal and eco-efficient models.
Find better ways to heat your home than with stoves or fireplaces.
Use centralized pickup points or bike couriers when internet shopping.
Greenery in your front yard or building facade helps.
Ventilate after cooking with gas, or during vacuuming.
Ventilate outside of peak traffic hours.
Keep the streetside windows closed.
Join organisations who press the issue of air quality.
Things you and your neighbours can do
Talk to your neighbours and family about the CurieuzeNeuzen experiment.
Consider sharing a car with your neighbours.
Go green with your street. Add greenery to improve air quality.
Push sustainable mobility: organize a bike bus, support traffic education.
Address cut-through traffic problems with your local council.
Consider converting your street to a low-traffic or even car-free living street.
Things your city can do
Clean air is a basic human right; claim it.
Enlist schools, sport clubs and other organisations to deal with the air quality problem.
Be creative in drawing attention to air quality issues.
Exert pressure on governing powers to focus on structural solutions.


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Exclusive Video Interview: The Vampire Diaries' Nina Dobrev Speaks to TV Fanatic!Gabrielle Compolongo at . Comments
TV Fanatic was fortunate enough to visit The Vampire Diaries set in Atlanta, Ga., earlier this spring, and while there, we sat down for exclusive talks with the cast.
Check out our previous interviews with TVD stars Ian Somerhalder, Kat Graham, Paul Wesley, Steven R. McQueen, Sara Canning, Matt Davis and Candice Accola.
Our Vampire Diaries interview series concludes today with the show's leading lady herself, Nina Dobrev. Watch our three-part discussion with the actress below ...


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Basic AJAX Question: Download Questions PDF
When do I use a synchronous versus a asynchronous request?
Good question. They don't call it AJAX for nothing! A synchronous request would block in page event processing and I don't see many use cases where a synchronous request is preferable.
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Are wedding bells in the future for these celebs?
Photography: Sonia Recchia1 of 12
Celebrity engagement rumors are usually just that—rumors. But these famous couples seem to be in it for the long haul. Is 2016 the year they get engaged? We hope so.
Eva Mendes and Ryan Gosling
The pair has been dating since 2011 and celebrated their daughter Esmeralda's first birthday this last September. Is a proposal in the future for them? "I know that I'm with the person I'm supposed to be with," Gosling recently told HELLO! He added that the only quality he looks for in a woman is "that she's Eva Mendes. There's nothing else I'm looking for." That sounds like a yes.
Photography: Courtesy of @karliekloss/Instagram2 of 12
Karlie Kloss and Joshua Kushner
The 23-year-old model and 30-year-old venture capitalist have been dating since 2012 when they met at a Victoria Secret Fashion Show after party. While the couple is plenty busy with various businesses and other projects (Kloss just enrolled at NYU this year), we definitely see marriage in their future. When asked if she believed in love at first site, Kloss told Metro, "I was definitely not planning on falling in love [with Kushner]. But I think that's the thing about it, you can't anticipate or plan it."
Photography: Courtesy of @lenadunham/Instagram3 of 12
Lena Dunham and Jack Antonoff
The Girls creator and actress has been with her musician boyfriend since 2012 and they live together in Brooklyn with their dog. While she famously said that they wouldn't get married until gay marriage was legal in the United States, they didn't rush to the altar when the Supreme Court passed down their ruling in June 2015. A few weeks later, Dunham published a piece in the New Yorker about why they're still waiting to get engaged and wondered if their "perfectly earnest moral and political stance actually been a convenient stalling tactic?" While 2015 wasn't the year for them to say "I do," we think with a little more time the two might warm up to the idea of making it legal.
Photography: Courtesy of @ddlovato/Instagram4 of 12
Demi Lovato and Wilmer Valderrama
The singer and actor have kept their relationship pretty private since they began dating in 2010, but Lovato recently opened up about her longtime boyfriend in an interview with Cosmopolitan earlier this year. "Right after [we started dating], I went to rehab. People told him, 'You should probably leave. She's on a spiral, and you're going to be sucked down with it,'" she said. "But he was like, 'I'm not leaving. This is somebody I really care about.'" She also recently said she would say yes if he proposed. "I think we'll probably wait a bit longer, but if he asked tomorrow, I'd say yes," she admitted on the radio show ZM in New Zealand.
Photography: Ciara via Instagram5 of 12
Ciara and Russell Wilson
Reports from E! News have only stirred our suspicions that the R&B singer and NFL player, dating since April, will announce an engagement soon. "Ciara and Wilson are not engaged," a source said. "They will be getting engaged one day soon though, as they both openly talk about their future with each other." Just think of how cute Ciara's 1-year-old son, Future, would be as a ring bearer!
Swipe here for next slide
Photography: Rosie Huntington-Whiteley via Instagram6 of 12
Rosie Huntington-Whiteley and Jason Statham
This super private (and super adorable) duo has been going steady for five years, but we're betting 2016 is the year they put a ring on it. "We're best mates," Huntington-Whiteley said to Self. "He makes me laugh every day. I almost feel like I never had a proper boyfriend before!"
Photography: David M. Benett/Dave Benett/Getty Images for Burberry7 of 12
Cara Delevingne and Annie Clark
Together since December 2014, the model and musician make the ultimate cool-girl couple. "I think that being in love with my girlfriend is a big part of why I'm feeling so happy with who I am these days," Delevingne revealed to Vogue in June. "And for those words to come out of my mouth is actually a miracle." If that isn't enough to convince us that these two are meant to be, this sweet Instagram is.
Photography: Kris Jenner via Instagram8 of 12
Kris Jenner and Corey Gamble
Almost two years have passed since Kimye tied the knot, and we're wondering: Who will be the next Kardashian to walk down the aisle? Our money's on momager Kris Jenner and her boyfriend Corey Gamble. The pair began publicly dating a year ago, and with engagement rumors constantly circling, they don't appear to be slowing down.
"It's been so much fun just to see my mom happy," Kim Kardashian West told People. "My mom has had such a hard year and I think it's been refreshing to see her have a good time."
Photography: Lea Michele via Instagram9 of 12
Lea Michele and Matthew Paetz
Following the tragic death of Michele's former boyfriend, Cory Monteith, the Glee and Scream Queens star said to Flare, "I worked very, very, very hard and I got back to that place where I was genuinely happy and strong and ready to live again and see the world and, you know, bring in more beautiful experiences … And that's when someone miraculously came into my life." That someone? Model Matthew Paetz, who Michele met while filming her "On My Way" video. Since then, the two have gotten tattoos together (not matching, but still!), moved in together, and attended a wedding together, and we wouldn't be surprised at all if they announced an engagement this year.
Photography: Olivia Munn via Instagram10 of 12
Olivia Munn and Aaron Rodgers
Last May, the NFL star and The Newsroom actress began dating, and by November 2014, Rodgers had given Munn a ring. "It's not that kind of ring, by the way," Munn was quick to clarify to E! News. "It's not the special ring. I mean, it's a very special ring, but it is not the special ring." Hint, hint: This year seems like the perfect time for that special ring, Rodgers!
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Photography: Taylor Swift via Instagram11 of 12
Taylor Swift and Calvin Harris
We can think of one blank space where Taylor Swift could write Calvin Harris's name—on a marriage license! With her 1989 tour wrapped, the superstar will have some time off to spend with her Scottish DJ boyfriend of nine months, who has said he is "insanely happy with her."
Photography: Gwen Stefani via Twitter12 of 12
Blake Shelton and Gwen Stefani
The singers and The Voice costars have been hot and heavy for a few months now, and while it may be a bit soon after both of their divorces, we don't think a spontaneous 2016 proposal is out of the question.


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Saturday, February 04, 2012
The end of Reflecting Light
8 comments:
- Sandy said...
Hi Rick,
I'm looking forward to the return to posts about psychical research and experiences. Sometimes I wonder if the key to getting past the mess the world is in has a lot to do with understanding our own spiritual nature. So maybe you've just gotten tired of stating what the problems are and need to start exploring the important issue of who we truly are because understanding that is what will hopefully save us.
- February 04, 2012
- Rick Darby said...
You're right. I am tired of writing negative posts about national and world problems, most of which I have no solutions for (other than theoretical ones unlikely to be adopted).
It is time to rewind and re-start, with subjects both deeper and lighter, which may give this blog a new life. Thank you for the encouragement.
- February 04, 2012
- zazie said...
I'll be delighted to read posts both lighter and deeper ; I am sure I'll enjoy everything about art and music.
something light now : a few days ago, I was lucky to attend Verdi's Requiem conducted by Riccardo Muti ; while waiting for the opening of the doors, I heard a young girl asking her boyfiend :"A quelle heure crois-tu qu'on aura un entracte?".
I could not help imagining a priest addressing the congregation with a lively "and now a five minutes break...."
- February 04, 2012
- Stogie said...
Rick, we have a lot of common interests, including psychical research and the paranormal. Do get back to your original blog goals, but I truly hope you remain online and active. I would miss you if you go.
- February 05, 2012
- Marcus said...
As someone who has left a few negative comments about disagreements over Israel, a foreign country, I will not strike this blog from my list unless you stop writing altogether because I so enjoy your CD reviews, essays on music, spiritual commentary and the general vibe of the blog. I also think you're a much better writer than most "bloggers" - a term I hate. You write, not "blog."
Personally, I went through a very dark period when The Critique consumed me: the social disintegration, the police state and TSA (that's what I find worst), the general folly or evil around us; the sleep of reason. I then turned my mind and efforts to positive reconstruction; to trying to build a new, better civilization instead of endlessly micro-analyzing everything that is wrong. One good novel and two good paintings that stand the test of time do more for us than all the hand-wringing and analysis. And you know what, I'm much happier, creative and in control. The Critique makes one feel helpless - how can it not: it's like taking on Stalin or the full weight of the US state. It's insurmountable. But the individual can save himself, and then his family, friends, so on. That's how it starts. I now spend most of time planning for personal freedom and prosperity, not saving a world and country that don't want to be saved and which I am powerless to change.
The people's desires are in control. This is what Americans want at a collective unconscious level. They chose equality over freedom long ago.
Best of luck whatever you do!
- February 05, 2012
- Rick Darby said...
Wow, I'll bet that was quite an experience.
For non-French-speaking readers: the woman's question to her boyfriend was, "What time do you think they'll have an intermission?"
I don't know how seriously Verdi took the Christian service, but a requiem is a mass for someone who has recently departed this life. Not the kind of event where you stop in the middle and say, "That's the end of the first set, thank you, thank you. We'll take a break, the bar is open, start up again in 15 minutes with the Sanctus."
I'm glad you'll be sticking around. Thanks!
- February 06, 2012
- Dennis Mangan said...
Rick, I understand the feeling of being repetitious, having been there a few times myself. Take a little time off, and I'm sure the divine afflatus will make itself known again.
- February 06, 2012
- dan g. said...
Yours is such a fine and unique blog, it's a pity you don't have more readers and commenters. But those who do come here value your point of view and the forceful elegance with which you express it a great deal.
I think focusing more on psychical and aesthetic matters, rather than agonizing about politics, is a good direction to take.
- February 17, 2012


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Original Research ARTICLE
Increased Precipitation and Nitrogen Alter Shrub Architecture in a Desert Shrubland: Implications for Primary Production
- 1Yanchi Research Station, School of Soil and Water Conservation, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing, China
- 2Key Laboratory of State Forestry Administration on Soil and Water Conservation, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing, China
- 3Engineering Research Center of Forestry Ecological Engineering, Ministry of Education, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing, China
Shrublands are one of the major types of ecosystems in the desert regions of northern China, which is expected to be substantially more sensitive to global environmental changes, such as widespread nitrogen enrichment and precipitation changes, than other ecosystem types. However, the interactive effects of nitrogen and precipitation on them remain poorly understood. We conducted a fully factorial field experiment simulating three levels of precipitation (ambient, +20%, +40%) and with two levels of nitrogen deposition (ambient, 60 kg N ha-1 yr-1) in a desert shrubland in the Mu Us Desert of northern China. We used plant architectural traits (plant cover, volume, twig size and number) as proxies to predict aboveground net primary productivity (ANPP) of the dominant shrub (Artemisia ordosica Krasch), and assessed the responses of plant productivity and architectural traits to water and nitrogen addition. We found significant differences in twig size and number of A. ordosica under water and nitrogen treatments but not in shrub cover/volume, which suggest that twig size and number of the shrub species were more sensitive to environmental changes. The productivity of the overall community was sensitive to increased precipitation and nitrogen, and shrubs played a more important role than herbaceous plants in driving productivity in this ecosystem. Precipitation- and nitrogen-induced increases in vegetation production were positively associated with increases in twig size and number of the dominant shrub. Water addition enhanced the twig length of A. ordosica, while nitrogen addition resulted in increased twig density (the number of twigs per square meter). Water and nitrogen interacted to affect twig length, but not twig number and shrub ANPP. The trade-off, defined as negative covariance between twig size and number, was likely the mechanism underlying the responses of twig length and shrub ANPP to water and nitrogen interactions. Our results highlight the sensitivity of twig size and number as indicators to estimate shrub production and the mechanism underpinning desert shrub ANPP response to global environmental changes.
Global environmental changes project widespread nitrogen enrichment and precipitation changes in the future (Galloway et al., 2008; IPCC, 2013). These changes are expected to profoundly impact the structure and function of terrestrial ecosystems, especially in water- and nutrient-limited drylands (Bobbink et al., 2010; Maestre et al., 2016). Drylands in China are expected to see an increase in both precipitation (IPCC, 2013) and atmospheric nitrogen deposition (Liu et al., 2013) in the coming decades. Shrublands are one of the major types of dryland ecosystems, especially in desert regions of northern China, yet the interactive effects of global change factors remain poorly understood. Therefore, knowledge of how global changes will affect dryland shrublands in the future is crucial for their adaptive management (Nicholson, 2011).
Plant functional traits are the attributes (morphological, physiological and phenological) that represent plant ecological strategies (growth, reproduction and survival) (Violle et al., 2007; Gotmark et al., 2016). These attributes are closely related to ecosystem functions and have been widely used as predictors of plant responses to environmental changes (Gornish et al., 2014; Lv et al., 2016). Plant architectural traits (e.g., plant cover, volume, twig size and number) correlate with water-use efficiency (Westoby et al., 2002; Valencia et al., 2015) and are usually used as proxies to evaluate biomass and primary production (Jobbágy and Sala, 2000; Flombaum and Sala, 2007). Plant cover is a good predictor of aboveground biomass in arid systems (Flombaum and Sala, 2007), and thus it can be a suitable proxy for aboveground net primary production (ANPP) in herb-dominated systems. However, shrub aboveground biomass consists of current-year branch biomass and old branch biomass which accounts for a large fraction of the total plant biomass (Castro and Freitas, 2009). Shrub current-year branch biomass is most commonly used as a proxy for ANPP (Jobbágy and Sala, 2000) since plant cover/volume is more related to vegetation biomass rather than ANPP in shrub-dominated ecosystems. To avoid clipping effects in multiyear manipulation experiments, non-destructive methods that use plant cover/volume as a proxy for ANPP are commonly used to estimate ecosystem ANPP (Gherardi and Sala, 2015). Many field studies showed that herbaceous cover/production significantly increased with water and/or nitrogen addition (Hall et al., 2011; Peters et al., 2012), while shrub cover/volume showed limited (Peters et al., 2012; Vourlitis, 2012; Baez et al., 2013) or non-significant (Snyder et al., 2004; Reichmann et al., 2013) responses to water and nitrogen addition. However, few studies have tested the interactive effects of water and nitrogen on shrub cover/volume. Results from previous studies that used plant cover/volume as a proxy to estimate ANPP suggest that precipitation- or nitrogen-induced changes in dryland ANPP are primarily associated with herbaceous plants (Peters et al., 2012; Reichmann et al., 2013).
Alternatively, twig size and number are also useful indicators of shrub production. In other words, twig size and number are good surrogates of twig biomass, a good proxy of shrub ANPP (Jobbágy and Sala, 2000). Results from many studies that tested enhanced precipitation or nutrient effects on the growth of shrub twigs/branches were inconsistent, and the interactive effects of water and nitrogen addition on twig size are seriously scarce. Many field experiments found that shrub twig/branch elongation was unresponsive (Lajtha and Whitford, 1989; Yahdjian and Sala, 2006) or responded positively (Fisher et al., 1988; Sponseller et al., 2012; Zhang et al., 2015) to increased precipitation. Similarly, nutrient enrichment resulted in either non-significant effects (Lajtha and Whitford, 1989; Hall et al., 2011) or positive effects (Fisher et al., 1988; Drenovsky and Richards, 2005) on shrub twig/branch elongation. Twig elongation is an important aspect of shrub growth but not a complete surrogate of ANPP (Sponseller et al., 2012). However, few studies examined twig number response to precipitation and nitrogen addition. Compared to using architectural traits to predict shrub production indirectly, Jobbágy and Sala (2000) harvested twig biomass and found that shrub ANPP was associated with precipitation in Patagonian steppe.
In this study, we explored two main hypotheses regarding the shrub architectural traits and ANPP responses to precipitation and nitrogen enrichment. First, we hypothesized that shrub cover/volume would have limited sensitivity in response to environmental changes resulting in a failure to capture the variation in shrub production. Shrub cover/volume is more related to plant biomass and likely underestimates the small biomass increases annually due to the large fraction of old branch systems in the plant architecture. Second, we hypothesized that twig size and number would be linked to the response of shrub production to enhanced precipitation and nitrogen. We expected that increased precipitation would enhance the length and number of shrub twigs, and nitrogen enrichment affect twig length and number depending on water availability. The twig growth of desert shrubs is expected to be primarily nitrogen limited when soil moisture is sufficient (Hall et al., 2011). To test these hypotheses, we conducted a field experiment with increased precipitation and nitrogen in a desert shrubland in the Mu Us Desert of northern China. We assessed the effects of water and nitrogen addition on ANPP and plant cover, volume, twig size and number in Artemisia ordosica Krasch, the dominant shrub in the study area.
Materials and Methods
Study Area and Species
The field experiment was conducted at Yanchi Research Station (37°04′–38°10′N, 106°30′–107°41′E, 1530 m a.s.l), which is situated on the southwestern edge of the Mu Us Desert, Ningxia, China. There is little variation in the topographic relief here with ∼50 m difference in elevation from the lowland to upland sites. The climate in this area is a mid-temperate and semiarid continental monsoon climate with a mean annual temperature of 8.1°C. The average annual precipitation is 284.8 mm (1955–2013), of which 83.3% falls from May to September (Supplementary Table S1). Soil type is quartisamment according to the US Soil Taxonomy (Gao et al., 2014). The landscape is characterized by patchy vegetation and bare soils with biological soil crusts. The dominant plant species in this region is A. ordosica, with sparse shrubs Hedysarum mongolicum, Salix psammophila, Caragana korshinskii, and grass Agropyron cristatum. Grazing in this area has been prohibited since the late 1990s and vegetation has been recovered for over a decade (Jia et al., 2014).
Artemisia ordosica is a xeric, deciduous, multi-stemmed, dwarf shrub with plumose, linearly lobate leaves and a height ranging from 50 to 100 cm. Its lateral roots are primarily distributed to depths of 0–30 cm, and its tap roots can reach 1–3 m deep. The branch system consists of old branches (brown) and current-year twigs (CYT, purple, Supplementary Figure S1A). The CYT sprout from old branches and stems and consist of vegetative and reproductive twigs. Most vegetative twigs survive the winter and bear new vegetative or reproductive twigs the following spring, while reproductive twigs die in winter (Li et al., 2011).
Experimental Design
The precipitation and nitrogen manipulation experiment was established at a lowland site in October 2014 using a two-factor experiment. There were three precipitation levels (W0: ambient, W20: ambient + 20%, and W40: ambient + 40%) and two nitrogen levels (N0: no additional nitrogen and N60: 60 kg N ha-1 yr-1) resulting in a total of six treatments (including all permutations of the two factors), each with four replications. Plots (each 5 m × 5 m with a 1 m wide buffer zone) were laid out in a randomized block design (four blocks with six treatment plots within each block).
The magnitude of precipitation enhancement was based on long-term mean annual precipitation (1955-2013: 284.8 mm). Specifically, the W20 and W40 treatments received approximately 56 and 112 mm supplementary precipitation, respectively. According to the amount and distribution of long-term mean monthly precipitation in this area (Supplementary Table S1), water was added with a sprinkler irrigation system nine times in equal amount during the growing season (May-September) with three times occurring in July and August and one time each in May, June, and September (Supplementary Figure S1B). In order to not alter the patterns of current year precipitation, water was added following a natural rainfall event. Detailed information on the dates of water addition are shown in Supplementary Figure S2. In this study, we defined annual precipitation as the water-year precipitation received between October 1 and the following September 30. Ambient water-year precipitation was 288 mm in 2014-2015.
Ammonium nitrate solution was applied evenly over the plots using a sprayer as five equal applications at the beginning of each month during the growing season. During each application, 85.71 g NH4NO3 (an analytical reagent) was weighted and dissolved in 10 L tap water (equivalent to concentration of 0.21 mol N L-1). The nitrogen control plots received the same amount of water, equivalent to a 2 mm precipitation, without added nitrogen. Background nitrogen deposition in study site was about 12 kg N ha-1 yr-1 according to our monitoring data (She, unpublished data). The mean nitrogen deposition rate in northern China was 56.2 kg N ha-1 yr-1 (Xu et al., 2015). Nitrogen addition plots received nitrogen at rate of 60 kg N ha-1 yr-1, an amount selected to simulate areas that have received high deposition.
Field Sampling and Measurements
We classified all plants into two functional groups according to their life forms, including shrubs and herbaceous plants (see Supplementary Table S2). In the middle of September 2015, shrubs were counted and measured [height (H), maximum crown width (CW1), and minimum crown width (CW2)] in each 5 m × 5 m plot. With these measurements, individual cover (C) and volume (V) of the shrubs were calculated as C = π ×CW1/2 ×CW2/2 and V = C ×H, respectively. Shrub cover and volume were calculated as the sum of the individual values in each plot and expressed as m2 m-2 and m3 m-2, respectively. Herbaceous plants were harvested at the soil surface using a 1 m × 1 m quadrat randomly placed in each plot. All plants were sorted by species and oven-dried at 75°C for 48 h and weighed. We used biomass measurements at the peak growth period as estimation of herbaceous ANPP (Sala and Austin, 2000).
For the purpose of this study, we used two methods for shrub (A. ordosica) ANPP estimation. One was the traditional method in which plant volume was used as a proxy for individual shrub ANPP, and the other was an improved, non-destructive method based on twig size and number. For the traditional method, we used an allometric equation (ANPPtraditional = 193.433 ×V0.906, R2 = 0.79, n = 31, P < 0.01) developed in a similar habitat adjacent to our experimental field (She et al., 2015). Shrub ANPP (g m-2) was the sum of the individual values at the plot level. For the improved method, we considered the dry mass of CYT (twig biomass) as a proxy for shrub ANPP, which could be easily recognized by their color and structure (Jobbágy and Sala, 2000). This estimation method may slightly underestimate shrub ANPP due to not accounting for the growth of old branches, but it has been successful for shrub ANPP prediction in the Patagonian steppe (Jobbágy and Sala, 2000) and Mediterranean rangeland (Castro and Freitas, 2009). We estimated twig biomass by measuring the average size and number of twigs. Specifically, we established allometric relationships between twig length and biomass to predict single twig biomass, and then the total twig plant biomass was estimated by the number of twigs and mean twig length. In this study, we randomly sampled ∼20 vegetative twigs and ∼10 reproductive twigs of A. ordosica in each plot. These twigs were measured and their dry mass was obtained after oven-drying at 75°C for 48 h. We found that water and nitrogen treatments had no effects on the allometric relationships between twig length and biomass by using the standardized major axis (SMA) regression method [for vegetative twigs: Likelihood ratio statistic (LRS) = 5.666, P = 0.340, Supplementary Figure S3A; for reproductive twigs: LRS = 7.413, P = 0.192, Supplementary Figure S3B]. Thus, we combined data from all treatments to develop the allometric equations for estimating twig biomass using twig length as an independent variable (see Supplementary Figures S3C,D).
In the middle of September 2015, vegetative and reproductive twigs were counted manually within permanent 1 m × 1 m quadrats located in an A. ordosica patch representative of the plot. Then, we randomly measured the length of ∼20 vegetative twigs and ∼10 reproductive twigs. Using the developed allometric equations, the average biomass of vegetative and reproductive twigs in the plant patch was estimated. Combining data of the average biomass and number of the two types of twigs, we obtained shrub ANPP (g m-2) in the plant patch. We measured shrub coverage (%) with three parallel lines in each plot, each of 5 m length. Shrub ANPP (g m-2) in each plot was the product of the shrub ANPP in the plant patch and the shrub coverage in the plot.
Soil moisture and temperature were monitored in all treatments in one single block at 10 cm below the soil surface using ECH2O-5TE sensors (Decagon Devices, USA). Probes were calibrated for soils at the study site following the oven drying method (calibration R2 = 0.94, n = 21, P < 0.01).
Statistical Analyses
We used ANOVAs (type I effect computations) to test the main and interactive effects of nitrogen and water addition on shrub cover and volume, shrub ANPP estimated from the traditional and improved methods, the density (twigs m-2) and length of shrub CYT, herbaceous and community ANPP. Community ANPP was the sum of shrub ANPP estimated from the improved method and herbaceous ANPP. One-way ANOVAs with Duncan's multiple range tests were performed to compare the watering effects on CYT length at each nitrogen addition rate and the nitrogen effects at each water-treatment level. We used linear models to test the relationship between twig size (twig length, cm) and number (twigs m-2) of A. ordosica. Standardized major axis (SMA) regression was used to determine the slopes and intercepts of allometric relationships between twig lengths and biomasses, and all values were ln-transformed prior to analysis. We compared the difference in allometric slopes among different treatments. Linear models for predicting the biomass of the two type twigs were developed with twig length as an independent variable using untransformed data of vegetative twigs and ln-transformed data of reproductive twigs. For all analyses, statistical significance was determined at a level of P ≤ 0.05. The data of herbaceous ANPP were ln-transformed to meet the assumption of normality. All analyses and figures were performed with R version 3.3.1 (R Core Team, 2016). We used the package SMATR 3 (Warton et al., 2012) for SMA regressions and ggplot2 (Wickham, 2009) for graphs.
Water and nitrogen addition had non-significant effects on shrub cover, volume, or ANPP estimated from the traditional method, but had remarkable effects on the density and length of CYT and shrub ANPP estimated from the improved method (Figure 1, Supplementary Table S3). Artemisia ordosica CYT density significantly increased only in plots with added nitrogen, from 149.20 ± 16.83 (N0 treatments) to 216.87 ± 20.08 twigs m-2 (N60), a dramatic increase rate of 45.36% on average (F = 7.616, P = 0.015, Figure 1D). Water addition significantly enhanced the CYT length of A. ordosica (F = 4.933, P = 0.023) and nitrogen had no impacts on its length (F = 0.402, P = 0.535). Water and nitrogen interacted to affect the CYT length (F = 4.117, P = 0.038), to the effect that water-induced changes in CYT length were more significant in the unfertilized (Duncan's test, P < 0.05) than in fertilized plots (Duncan's test, P > 0.05). Unexpectedly, nitrogen-induced increases in the CYT length were found in the ambient plots (W0, Duncan's test, P < 0.05), but not in watering plots (W20 and W40, Duncan's test, P > 0.05). Both water (F = 9.764, P = 0.002) and nitrogen (F = 5.323, P = 0.036) treatments increased shrub ANPP estimated from the improved method, but no interactive effects were found (F = 1.672, P = 0.221). Watering enhanced shrub ANPP from 93.50 ± 26.92 (W0) to 149.67 ± 15.35 (W20) and 207.60 ± 15.41 g m-2 (W40), a remarkable increase rate of 60.07 and 122.03% on average, respectively. Nitrogen-induced increases in shrub ANPP in the fertilized plots (N60, 174.58 ± 17.50 g m-2) were 38.62% higher than that in unfertilized plots (N0, 125.94 ± 22.11 g m-2) on average.
FIGURE 1. Effects of water and nitrogen addition on shrub cover (A), shrub volume (B), shrub ANPP estimated from the traditional (C) and improved methods (F), and twig density (D) and length (E) of A. ordosica (∗P < 0.05, ∗∗P < 0.01; ns, not significant).
Water and nitrogen enrichment had different effects on functional group ANPP (Figure 2, Supplementary Table S3). Water addition increased the ANPP of herbaceous plants (F = 12.728, P < 0.001), shrubs (F = 9.764, P = 0.002), and communities (F = 13.320, P < 0.001). Nitrogen enrichment resulted in an increase in shrub (F = 5.323, P = 0.036) and community ANPP (F = 4.716, P = 0.046), but did not affect herbaceous plants (F = 0.056, P = 0.816). No significant interactive effects of water and nitrogen addition were found in any case (Supplementary Table S3). The average herbaceous ANPP in W20 (23.96 ± 9.23 g m-2) and W40 (54.59 ± 15.61 g m-2) treatments were 81.65 and 313.87% higher than that in the ambient treatments (W0, 13.19 ± 4.97 g m-2), respectively. Shrub ANPP accounted for 83.7% of community productivity in all treatments on average. Moreover, we found twig size was significantly negatively correlated with twig number, suggesting the existence of a trade-off between these two traits (R2 = 0.204, P = 0.040, Figure 3).
FIGURE 2. Effects of water and nitrogen addition on functional group ANPP (∗P < 0.05, ∗∗P < 0.01, ∗∗∗P < 0.001; ns, not significant).
FIGURE 3. Relationship between twig size and number of A. ordosica. The gray region indicates the 95% confidence interval around the regression. Three abnormal observations were removed prior to regression analysis.
Our results support the hypothesis that plant cover/volume would be not a sensitive indicator of shrub ANPP under environmental changes. We found significant differences in twig size and number of A. ordosica under water and nitrogen addition but not in plant cover/volume, which suggest that twig size and number were more sensitive to environmental changes and using plant cover/volume as a predictor for shrub performance was likely to underestimate the effects of environmental changes on desert shrub ANPP as in previous studies. Since shrub canopy architecture accumulates over the course of several years, shrub cover/volume is more related to plant biomass rather than ANPP. Shrub cover/volume is expected to capture the variation of plant ANPP when plant canopy experiences significant growth in wetter years or with sufficient resource availability (Vourlitis, 2012). However, it is not to say that shrub cover/volume can not be used as an indicator for individual performance. The suitable plant traits as the predictors for individual performance will depend on the characteristics of the ecosystem and the objectives of the study. For example, shrub cover responses dramatically to the disturbance of grazing and fire, suggesting that it is suitable as an indicator for shrub performance in grazing and postfire systems (Eldridge et al., 2013; Kimball et al., 2014). When in an undisturbed ecosystem, shrub cover may not be a good predictor of individual performance due to its weak response to environmental changes. Twig size and number may be more suitable indicators of shrub performance in response to environmental changes. However, they have two disadvantages. Firstly, they may perform well in dwarf shrubs such as A. ordosica, but not in tall shrubs with large branching architecture. Dwarf shrubs accumulate most of their annual production through growth of CYTs, but tall shrubs through increases in branch or stem diameter. Secondly, twig size and number are not easy-to-measure traits compared to plant cover.
Our results are also in line with the second hypothesis that enhanced precipitation and nitrogen would increase desert shrubland productivity through altering shrub twig size and number. Our results support previous findings that water addition promotes shrub branch elongation (Fisher et al., 1988; Sponseller et al., 2012; Zhang et al., 2015). Unexpectedly, it was nitrogen addition that had significant effects on twig number, instead of water addition (Figure 1D). Nitrogen-induced increases in shrub twig number were likely due to an increase in soil nitrogen availability, which could activate sprouting from buds through stimulating cytokinin production from root (Takei et al., 2001; Tomlinson and O'Connor, 2004). Many studies in grasslands also found that nitrogen addition results in increased tiller density (Tomlinson and O'Connor, 2004; Dalgleish et al., 2008). Previous studies suggested that nitrogen primarily limits the branch elongation of desert shrubs when water limitation is alleviated (Fisher et al., 1988; Hall et al., 2011). However, the data from our study showed that water addition suppressed nitrogen-induced elongation in shrub twigs (Figure 1E). The possible interpretation was that the nitrogen-treatment effects on twig elongation might be diluted following excessive water addition. The mechanism of interactive effects of water and nitrogen on twig length was more likely due to the trade-off, defined as negative covariance between twig size and number (Figure 3). Trade-off represents the balancing of energy allocation to different traits based on an organism's limited resources when a beneficial change in one trait is linked to a detrimental change in another (Stearns, 1989). Previous studies showed that twig size-number trade-off correlates tightly with the biomass allocation strategies of woody species under varying environmental conditions (Sun et al., 2010; Xu et al., 2012). In our study, because of increased twig number with nitrogen addition, the twig size-number trade-off could limit precipitation-induced increases in twig length, which explained the interactive effects of water and nitrogen on twig length. This trade-off also constrained shrub ANPP increases under high resource availability by limiting twig number and length from attaining simultaneously high growth. They explained why no interactive effects of water and nitrogen on shrub ANPP were found in our study.
The data collected in this study show that different plant functional groups respond in different ways to environmental changes. Water and nitrogen addition increased shrub ANPP via enhancing the twig length and number of A. ordosica. The increased herbaceous production with water addition was more related to plant cover (data not shown). Since the shrubs occupied a large fraction of community ANPP, their role was more important than herbaceous plants in controlling primary production in this ecosystem. Our results agree with the findings that shrub ANPP correlates tightly with precipitation (Jobbágy and Sala, 2000; Sponseller et al., 2012), but are not in line with that precipitation- or nitrogen-induced changes in herbaceous productivity accounts for the majority of total ANPP variation in arid shrublands (Hall et al., 2011; Peters et al., 2012). The inconsistent results from different studies were likely due to the different methods for estimation of shrub ANPP. Our findings are the first results and based on only one site. Further study using different methods for estimating shrub ANPP is needed to assess the contribution of shrubs, relative to that of herbaceous plants to dryland productivity in response to global environmental changes.
Conclusions and Implications
Although, in our short-term experiment, we found that A. ordosica-dominated shrubland productivity was sensitive to increased precipitation and nitrogen. Shrubs were more crucial than herbaceous plants in driving ecosystem productivity because of their dominant role in the community. Precipitation- and nitrogen-induced increases in community productivity were positively associated with increases in twig size and number of the dominant shrub. Twig size-number trade-off was likely the mechanism regulating the effects of water and nitrogen addition on A. ordosica ANPP. Our results highlight the sensitivity of twig size and number as indicators to estimate shrub ANPP under environmental changes. We firstly found that twig size and number played a crucial role in mediating A. ordosica ANPP response to water and nitrogen addition. Our research contributes to understand the mechanism underlying desert shrub ANPP response to global environmental changes. However, further research is needed to test the validity of this mechanism in other xeric shrub species in arid systems.
Author Contributions
WS and YZ designed the experiment; WS and YB carried out the field work; WS analyzed the data; WS and YZ wrote the manuscript; YZ, SQ, and BW assisted with revising the draft manuscript.
This study was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 31470711) and the National Key Research and Development Program of China (No. 2016YFC0500905).
Conflict of Interest Statement
The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.
We thank Shijun Liu, Zhen Liu, Luming Yang, Yanfei Sun, Li Wang, and the staff of the research station for their assistance in the field and laboratory. We are grateful to Xin Jia and the reviewers for their valuable comments that helped improve this paper.
Supplementary Material
The Supplementary Material for this article can be found online at: https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fpls.2016.01908/full#supplementary-material
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Keywords: Artemisia ordosica, dryland, architectural traits, twig size and number, trade-off, nitrogen deposition, global environmental changes
Citation: She W, Zhang Y, Qin S, Wu B and Bai Y (2016) Increased Precipitation and Nitrogen Alter Shrub Architecture in a Desert Shrubland: Implications for Primary Production. Front. Plant Sci. 7:1908. doi: 10.3389/fpls.2016.01908
Received: 11 September 2016; Accepted: 01 December 2016;
Published: 20 December 2016.
Edited by:Francisco I. Pugnaire, Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), Spain
Reviewed by:Iván Prieto, Centro de Edafología y Biología Aplicada del Segura (CSIC), Spain
Hongxiao Yang, Qingdao Agricultural University, China
Copyright © 2016 She, Zhang, Qin, Wu and Bai. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
*Correspondence: Yuqing Zhang, email@example.com


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• If you have given someone medical power of attorney or if someone is your legal guardian, that person can exercise your rights and make choices about your health information.
• We will make sure the person has this authority and can act for you before we take any action.
File a complaint if you feel your rights are violated
• You can complain if you feel we have violated your rights by contacting us using the information on the final page of this document.
• We will not retaliate against you for filing a complaint.
Your Choices
You have some choices in the way that we use and share information as we:
• Tell family and friends about your condition
For certain health information, you can tell us your choices about what we share. You have the right and choice to tell us to share information with your family, close friends, or others involved in your care. If you have a clear preference for how we share your information, talk to us. Tell us what you want us to do, and we will follow your instructions.
If you are not able to tell us your preference, for example if you are unconscious, we may go ahead and share your information if we believe it is in your best interest. We may also share your information when needed to lessen a serious and imminent threat to health or safety.
Our Uses and Disclosures
How do we typically use or share your health information? We typically use or share your health information in the following ways:
Treat you
We can use your health information and share it with other professionals who are treating you.
Run our organization
We can use and share your health information to run our practice, improve your care, and contact you when necessary.
Bill for your services
We can use and share your health information to create documents that you can submit to your insurance company for reimbursement. We can use and share your health information to bill and get payment from health plans or other entities when applicable.
How else can we use or share your health information?
We are allowed or required to share your information in other ways – usually in ways that contribute to the public good, such as public health and research.
Help with public health and safety issues
We can share health information about you for certain situations such as:
• Preventing disease
• Helping with product recalls
• Reporting adverse reactions to medications
• Reporting suspected abuse, neglect, or domestic violence
• Preventing or reducing a serious threat to anyone's health or safety
Do research
We can use or share your information for health research.
Comply with the law
We will share information about you if state or federal laws require it, including with the Department of Health and Human Services if it wants to see that we're complying with federal privacy law.
Address law enforcement and other government requests
We can use or share health information about you:
• For law enforcement purposes or with a law enforcement official
• With health oversight agencies for activities authorized by law
• For special government functions such as military, national security, and presidential protective services
Respond to lawsuits and legal actions
We can share health information about you in response to a court or administrative order, or in response to a subpoena.
We are required by law to maintain the privacy and security of your protected health information.
• We will let you know promptly if a breach occurs that may have compromised the privacy or security of your information.
• We must follow the duties and privacy practices described in this notice and give you a copy of it.
• We will not use or share your information other than as described here unless you tell us we can in writing. If you tell us we can, you may change your mind at any time. Let us know in writing if you change your mind.
Changes to the Terms of this Notice
We can change the terms of this notice at any time, and the changes will apply to all information we have about you. The new notice will be available upon request and on our web site.
If you have questions about this notice, or would like to discuss this Notice of Privacy Practices, please contact the Privacy Officer listed below. If you believe your privacy rights have been violated, you can file a complaint with the Privacy Officer listed below or with the Secretary of the US Department of Health and Human Services.
Holistic Lactation LLC
Privacy Officer: Jacqueline Kincer
4203 E. Indian School Rd., Suite 210, Phoenix, AZ 85018
(602) 842-2863
US Department of Health and Human Services
Office of the Secretary
200 Independence Avenue SW
Washington, DC 20201
Phone: 202.619.0257 or 1.877.696.6775