Few studies have evaluated fecal indices for monitoring diet quality and intake of North American deer. We conducted 11 digestion trials with black-tailed (Odocoileus hemionus columbianus Richardson) and mule deer (0. h. hemionus Rafmesque) to examine relationships between several chemical constituents of deer feces (i.e., fecal nitrogen, fecal 2,6diaminopimelic acid (DAPA), fecal neutral detergent fiber (NDF), fecal acid detergent fiber, and fecal acid detergent lignin) and dry matter intake, digestible energy, digestible energy intake, diet crude protein content, crude protein digestibility, and digestible crude protein intake. We developed regression equations to predict diet quality and intake and also evaluated 2 alternative methods (organic matter basis and neutral detergent fiber (ndt) basis) for quantifying fecal indices. Concentrations of DAPA, fecal NDF, and fecal N were the most precise for estimating diet quality and intake. Extracts from 5 of 11 diets precipitated only small amounts of protein and influence of tannins on protein digestion probably was slight. Quantifying fecal indices per unit organic matter and neutral detergent fiber in the feces was comparable to the standard dry matter basis and under some field conditions should improve their predictive ability. We believe our best equations are suitable for management purposes where diets are similar and intake and quality are believed to be within the ranges we documented.

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The influences of seed—nursery environment upon genecological characteristics of 20 medusahead strains was studied. Environmentally induced variation was observed in germination, early height development, and winter survival. Small, but significant, variation in dates of spike emergence and anthesis, caused by differences in seed—nursery environment, were observed. Results suggest that the common practice of attaching genecological significance to wild—grown seed may be subject to error, especially in germination and early phenological stages following germination.

Increasingly, students with learning disabilities are attending community colleges and traditional 4-year colleges and universities. This article presents the results of a review of the literature on services available or recommended for students with learning disabilities. The results suggest that postsecondary institutions have begun to provide a wide array of services to these students. There is little empirical evidence, however, on the effectiveness of those services. An agenda for future research is also discussed.

Highlight Seeds of crested wheatgrass (Agropyron desertorum [Fisch. ex Link] Schult.), planted at a depth of 1 inch, germinated well because of relatively constant and favorable moisture conditions. These seeds rapidly synthesized hexose phosphate, uridine diphosphate hexose, nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide, adenosine diphosphate, adenosine triphosphate, and other phosphate esters. Synthesis began 2 to 4 weeks before germination was observed. In contrast, seeds on the soil surface failed to germinate because of generally unfavorable and rapidly fluctuating moisture conditions. Adenosine triphosphate, the principal phosphate ester formed in these seeds during brief periods of precipitation, was broken down during periods of drought. Although these measurements include only a few of the biochemical reactions that occur in seeds, they contribute to an understanding of the environmental conditions that promote or retard germination processes and help explain the reasons for success or failure of seedjngs on semiarid rangelands.

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