Biodiversity is a term that has lately transcended discussion in purely scientific circles to become a household word, and moreover one that is invariably linked with public concern over the well being of the earth`s vital storehouse of genetic information.  Numerous efforts are underway by academics, federal agencies, and non-governmental organizations everywhere to quickly document the world`s so-called biodiversity `hotspots,` areas of inordinately high species richness, so that the requisite knowledge for planning conservation efforts is at least available.  Influential groups ranging from Conservation International to UNESCO have unanimously designated the forested areas flanking the Tropical Andes as just such a hotspot.  Though available data is still sparse, areas within this zone, such as Peru`s Tambopata-Candamo Reserved Zone (TCRZ), hold world records for both floral and faunal diversity per unit area ` a single hectare plot chosen at random may easily have more than 300 species of trees.  Contrast that with a similar slice of New England, where one is lucky to find more than a dozen such species.  However, within this treasure chest of species, there are areas that severely buck the trend, and studying the underlying ecology can reveal much about the dynamics of these important, yet little-known areas.

Huge swaths of rainforest all over this area, but especially in my study area, the aforementioned TCRZ, are covered by bamboo-dominated forest.  In areas such as this, the canopy is comprised solely of a single bamboo species, with a thick tangle of only a few understory species below.  Contrast this with adjacent plots that may be dominated by more familiar tropical hardwoods, and the differences are stark.  In a few steps` walk one can go from areas containing hundreds of plant species per hectare to areas containing less than ten.  Species such as bamboo are grouped in the early-successional category; plants that are quick to invade disturbed areas, but which also cannot compete with more robust and long-lived species such as hardwoods, which inevitably replace them.  It seems that the bamboo-rich zones, almost exclusively comprised of the species Guadua weberbaueri, somehow manage to stall succession and even expand into neighboring zones.  My project examined the physiological and site-related factors that may be able to explain this trend, concentrating on the differing light environments below bamboo and non-bamboo canopies.  The effect of canopy type on the makeup of the understory communities was also examined.  Several economically valuable understory palm species, including Geonoma deversa, which are used to thatch roofs were closely examined in this regard, and a sustainable harvest management regime for such non-timber forest products was formulated.  Analysis of remote sensing data was used to attempt an estimation of the ebb and flow of these varied plant communities over time, as using satellite-derived data is the only choice in regions where human history is short-lived.  If areas like the TCRZ are to be successfully managed for the benefit of future generations worldwide, while preserving access and economic benefits for local peoples, studies of this type provide valuable information.

This paper is an examination of the Palmerton Zinc Pile in Palmerton, Pennsylvania. From 1898 to 1985, the New Jersey Zinc Company operated two smelters that processed concentrated Lead and Zinc ores from many domestic mining regions. The smelter is located at the northern base of Blue Mountain and runs along the Aquashicola Creek, close to where it merges with the Lehigh River. During its century of operation, the New Jersey Zinc smelter deposited its residues in a cinder bank. The bank sits between the plant and the mountain, and it currently stands 2.3 miles long, covering 200 acres and averaging 100 feet in depth. The bank contains an estimated 30 million tons of materials, most of which are residues from pyrometallurgical processes. While depositing the residues in the bank, the company continually had future utilization in mind, and segregated the waste according to type and chemical composition, with the goal that some areas could eventually be reclaimed for their metal values. The cinder bank is divided into eight zones based on the process that produced the enclosed residues. The concentrations of materials vary greatly by zone, with zinc concentrations ranging from 2-10%. The first part of this paper is a historical investigation of the residues in each zone, the ores that were processed to make them, and how and where those ore bodies were formed. In addition, several of the zones with higher zinc concentrations will be presented, and a brief outline of their recovery past and potential future. There are currently no recovery methods that have proven economically feasible at this point, and while some newer technologies will be presented, a full feasibility study is well beyond the scope of this paper.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency began seriously investigating the plant in 1980, and eventually forced it to shut down in 1985. In addition to the cinder bank, the EPA also has operable units addressing deforestation of the northern slope of Blue Mountain, the local community soils, and groundwater contamination. The second part of this paper is a brief examination of the EPA`s involvement in the site. Although the EPA has discovered many potential threats to human health in the area, including water and soil contamination, a large portion of the community opposes its actions, deeming them pointless and a waste of valuable resources.