This paper describes a microcomputer software package, IO/EAM: An Input-Output Economic Assessment Model, which was developed at the University of Georgia through a joint extension-research effort. The package is a menudriven, user friendly program that is designed to be used by county extension agents, researchers, and other extension personnel to estimate the economic impact of changes in county economies. The program employs an input-output model that provides users with a locally based, easily updated source of economic intelligence. Use of input-output techniques allows users to estimate the impact of changes in county economies on an industry-by-industry basis and to account for the interdependencies among these industries in a county.

The Dalradian terrane of Connemara was thrust southsoutheastwards about 460 Ma ago (Rb–Sr and K–Ar ages). It rides on a major thrust of post-D age over mylonitised acidic volcanic rocks of putative lower Ordovician age and contains a number of thrusts of similar age. Several major S- to SE-directed thrusts also limit the southeastern margin of the Dalradian rocks in Mayo and Tyrone. It is suggested by analogy with Ireland that during mid-Ordovician times the Highland Boundary fault in Scotland could have been a thrust zone which carried the Scottish Dalradian rocks over a lower Ordovician basement now represented only as fragments in the Highland Border Complex.

The lichens growing on gravestones in 142 Scottish graveyards have been examined. Measurements were restricted to Section Rhizocarpon thalii. These data permit the development of lichenometric growth curves on acidic igneous, basic igneous, sandstone and slate substrates in most areas of Highland Scotland. The colonisation of gravestones, which is extremely erratic, takes place after a minimum of eight years. The ‘great period’ of growth lasts for approximately 20 years after the erection of the gravestone. The lichen factor (growth after 100 years) is correlated with the growth after 25 and 250 years indicating that it is a representative index of the growth rates. Growth rates are non-linear, decreasing with time. Calculated lichen factors for acidic igneous substrates range from 33 to 104 mm. The distributions of different types of gravestones are non-uniform in both time and space, making the comparison of growth rates on different rock types impractical. The results indicate that there may be a gradual decrease in the growth rates from W to E, reflecting the decreasing maritime influence towards the E.