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This research study took an in-depth look at the role of Chief Diversity Officers (CDOs) within the National Basketball Association (NBA). This study investigated the expansion of CDOs in the NBA and analyzed the number of NBA franchises with a designated CDO. This study reviewed the titles, roles, and demographics of CDOs within the NBA. A case study methodology used a content analysis and semi-structured interview protocol and assisted in compiling and coding information about the role of the CDO within an NBA franchise (Merriam & Tisdell, 2015). In addition, two CDOs in the NBA were interviewed to understand how the 2020 Black Lives Matter demonstrations and the murder of George Floyd put a spotlight on how organizations addressed issues around diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). The study found that 16 NBA teams have a CDO role, and most were spearheaded by Black professionals. The titles and reporting structures of the roles varied greatly, as did the educational degrees held by employees in the positions. Findings indicate that organizations must provide the CDO with sufficient authority and support to ensure that employees in the role can accomplish the range of responsibilities required for transformative DEI work.

The purpose of this study was to analyze Black male collegiate coaches' understandings and perspectives about building a coaching career in NCAA Division I athletics and the function of the Black Coaches and Administrators (BCA) as a mechanism to help facilitate more coaching opportunities. The participants were seven Black male assistant coaches from a flagship doctorate-granting university in the Midwest region of the United States. The research method was descriptive-qualitative. The primary data sources were face-to-face semistructured taped interviews and e-mail follow-ups. The data were analyzed using a descriptive coding strategy, which exposed the dominant theme of networking mechanism. The major findings in this study indicate that because they lack social capital resources, minority candidates are at a disadvantage compared to their White counterparts for attaining jobs and career advancement in NCAA Division I athletics. Implications from the findings of this study are that networking is critical to career advancement in athletics and that Black coaches should better understand the function of the BCA and how the association might support their career and advancement.

The maize W22 inbred has served as a platform for maize genetics since the mid twentieth century. To streamline maize genome analyses, we have sequenced and de novo assembled a W22 reference genome using short-read sequencing technologies. We show that significant structural heterogeneity exists in comparison to the B73 reference genome at multiple scales, from transposon composition and copy number variation to single-nucleotide polymorphisms. The generation of this reference genome enables accurate placement of thousands of Mutator ( Mu ) and Dissociation ( Ds ) transposable element insertions for reverse and forward genetics studies. Annotation of the genome has been achieved using RNA-seq analysis, differential nuclease sensitivity profiling and bisulfite sequencing to map open reading frames, open chromatin sites and DNA methylation profiles, respectively. Collectively, the resources developed here integrate W22 as a community reference genome for functional genomics and provide a foundation for the maize pan-genome. Sequencing and de novo assembly of the maize W22 reference genome enable accurate placement of Mutator ( Mu ) and Dissociation ( Ds ) transposable element insertions, providing a foundation for maize functional genomics and transposon biology.

Significance People are fascinated by the amazing diversity of tropical forests and will be surprised to learn that robust estimates of the number of tropical tree species are lacking. We show that there are at least 40,000, but possibly more than 53,000, tree species in the tropics, in contrast to only 124 across temperate Europe. Almost all tropical tree species are restricted to their respective continents, and the Indo-Pacific region appears to be as species-rich as tropical America, with each of these two regions being almost five times as rich in tree species as African tropical forests. Our study shows that most tree species are extremely rare, meaning that they may be under serious risk of extinction at current deforestation rates. The high species richness of tropical forests has long been recognized, yet there remains substantial uncertainty regarding the actual number of tropical tree species. Using a pantropical tree inventory database from closed canopy forests, consisting of 657,630 trees belonging to 11,371 species, we use a fitted value of Fisher’s alpha and an approximate pantropical stem total to estimate the minimum number of tropical forest tree species to fall between ∼40,000 and ∼53,000, i.e., at the high end of previous estimates. Contrary to common assumption, the Indo-Pacific region was found to be as species-rich as the Neotropics, with both regions having a minimum of ∼19,000–25,000 tree species. Continental Africa is relatively depauperate with a minimum of ∼4,500–6,000 tree species. Very few species are shared among the African, American, and the Indo-Pacific regions. We provide a methodological framework for estimating species richness in trees that may help refine species richness estimates of tree-dependent taxa.

Objective. To characterize shared governance in US schools and colleges of pharmacy and recommend best practices to promote faculty engagement and satisfaction. Findings. The literature review revealed only one study on governance in a pharmacy school and some data from an AACP Faculty Survey. Of the 926 faculty members who responded to the survey, the majority were satisfied or very satisfied with faculty governance (64%) and the level of input into faculty governance (63%) at their school. Faculty members in administrative positions and those at public institutions were more satisfied with governance. The forum resulted in the development of five themes: establish a clear vision of governance in all areas; ensure that faculty members are aware of their roles and responsibilities within the governance structure; ensure faculty members are able to join committees of interest; recognize and reward faculty contributions to governance; and involve all full-time faculty members in governance, regardless of their tenure status. Summary. Establishing shared governance within a school or college of pharmacy impacts overall faculty satisfaction and potentially faculty retention.

Interactions between predator and prey act to shape the structure of ecological communities, and these interactions can differ across space. California sheepheadSemicossyphus pulcherare common predators of benthic invertebrates in kelp beds and rocky reefs in southern California, USA. Through gut content and stable isotope (δ13C and δ15N) analyses, we investigated geographic and ontogenetic variation in trophic ecology across 9 populations located at island and mainland sites throughout southern California. We found extensive geographic variation in California sheephead diet composition over small spatial scales. Populations differed in the proportion of sessile filter/suspension feeders or mobile invertebrates in the diet. Spatial variation in diet was highly correlated with other life history and demographic traits (e.g. growth, survivorship, reproductive condition, and energy storage), in addition to proxies of prey availability from community surveys. Multivariate descriptions of the diet from gut contents roughly agreed with the spatial groupings of sites based on stable isotope analysis of both California sheephead and their prey. Ontogenetic changes in diet occurred consistently across populations, despite spatial differences in size structure. As California sheephead increase in size, diets shift from small filter feeders, like bivalves, to larger mobile invertebrates, such as sea urchins. Our results indicate that locations with large California sheephead present, such as many marine reserves, may experience increased predation pressure on sea urchins, which could ultimately affect kelp persistence.

Urban riparian plant communities exist at the interface between terrestrial and aquatic habitats, and they are rich sources of species biodiversity and ecosystem services. The periodic floods that promote species diversity in riparian plant communities also increase their vulnerability to nonnative plant invasions. Plant invasions are constrained by seed and suitable habitat availability. However, how seed dispersal and establishment limitations interact to shape nonnative plant invasions in riparian communities is poorly understood. We use Stream Visual Assessment Protocol data to evaluate the hydrological and geomorphological parameters that influence the seeding and establishment of six common nonnative species in urban riparian habitats: garlic mustard, purple loosestrife, reed canarygrass, common reed, Japanese knotweed, and multiflora rose. To address this objective, we analyzed stream reach data collected during a basin-wide environmental assessment of the extensively urbanized upper Niagara River watershed. We found limited support for our prediction that propagule limitation constrains the distribution of nonnative riparian species, likely because these species are well established in the study area. Instead, we found that opportune stream reach characteristics better predict the distribution of the common invasive riparian species—most notably open tree canopy. Given that there is widespread investment in urban riparian forest restoration to improve water quality, increase stream-bank stability, enhance wildlife habitat and promote recreation, our data suggest that riparian forests may provide the additional benefit of reducing the abundance of some, but not all, invasive plants. Nomenclature: Garlic mustard, Alliaria petiolata (Bieb.) Cavara & Grande; purple loosestrife, Lythrum salicaria L.; reed canarygrass, Phalaris arundinacea L.; common reed, Phragmites australis (Cav.) Trin. ex Steud.; Japanese knotweed, Polygonum cuspidatum Sieb. & Zucc.; multiflora rose, Rosa multiflora Thunb. ex Murr. Management Implications: The progression from individual plant invasions to the establishment of widespread exotic communities requires that potential invaders are available and that there is suitable habitat in which they can establish. Nonnative riparian plant communities are widespread, particularly in urban areas, and often share common species. We evaluated the hydrologic and geomorphologic parameters that might influence the urban riparian distributions of six common nonnative riparian species in the urbanized upper Niagara River watershed: garlic mustard, purple loosestrife, reed canarygrass, common reed, Japanese knotweed, and multiflora rose. We found that four of these species are well established in the region so that seed availability did not appear limiting; instead, we found riparian canopy cover the strongest limiting factor on the invasive riparian communities. These data suggest that limiting the distribution of invasive species in urban riparian habitats requires a straightforward approach: restore riparian forests. Forest restoration in urban/riparian habitats is a widespread management goal expected to create many ecological benefits, including improved habitat and water quality. Still, the stream–forest interface is inherently edge habitat, and invasive species thrive along forest edges. Increasing forest canopy may reduce invasive species communities, but the widespread presence of well-established riparian invaders and the mitigating effects of stream-bank edge habitat suggest that full eradication is unlikely. Moreover, we also found conflicting species-specific associations and habitat responses, suggesting that managing individual invasive species may require specific interventions.