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Why Is Maize A Sacred Plant? Social History And Agrarian Change On Sumba, Cynthia Twyford Fowler

Faculty Scholarship

Why has maize, a plant with origins in the New World, become ritually important in an indigenous Southeast Asian religion? While environmental conditions and agricultural economics are key determinants of everyday resource management practices in insular Southeast Asia, it is necessary to consider ethnic identity, political economy, and social structure in order to understand the religious significance of natural resources in contemporary society. Linguistic, cosmological, and horticultural data are combined with an analysis of local perceptions of culture and environment. This information is used to explain the transformation of an introduced plant into an indigenous sacrament. Ethnographic data, including a …

Nebraska's Endangered Species, Part 6: Threatened And Endangered Mammals, Patricia W. Freeman

University of Nebraska State Museum: Mammalogy Papers

Species discussed include:
black-footed ferrets (Mustela nigripes)
Black-tailed prairie dog
Southern flying squirrels (Glaucomys volans)
Eastern plains pocket mouse
Eastern plains harvest mouse
Long-legged myotis (Myotis volans)
Fringed myotis (Myotis thysanodes pahasapesis)
Townsend's big-eared bats (Corynorhinus townsendi)
swift fox (Vulpes velox)
nine-banded armadillo (Dasypus novemcinctus)
Black-tailed (Lepus californicus) and white-tailed jackrabbits (Lepus townsendi)
long-tailed weasels (Mustela frenata)
Richardson's ground squirrel (Spermophilus elegans)
northern pocket gopher (Thomomys talpoides chyennensis)
silky pocket mouse (Perognathus flavus)
bushy-tailed woodrat (Neotoma cinerea)
mountain lion (Puma concolor)
Merriam's shrew (Sorex merriami)
hispid cotton rat (Sigmodon hispidus)
Osage woodrat (Neotoma floridana osagensis)
spotted skunk (Spilogale putorius)
olive-backed …

Comparison Of Aquatic Life Depicted In Illustrations And Plaster Casts Of The Punt Relief From The Temple Of Hatshepsut At Deir El-Bahari, Emily Lord, Eugene G. Maurakis

Virginia Journal of Science

The primary objective of this study is to document differences between image characteristics of two sources (illustrations in Naville, 1898; and images in the cast of the relief at Virginia Museum of Fine Arts (VMFA) of the Punt relief from the temple of Hatshepsut at Deir El-Bahri. Our second is to compare cast images to photographs of the original relief. Characteristics of 30 species in the illustrations were described and compared to descriptions of the corresponding 30 species photographed from the cast at VMFA. The number of differences and similarities were recorded for each pair of corresponding icons and used …

Chapter 2: Navigating The Mentoring Process In A Research-Based Teacher Development Project: A Situated Learning Perspective, K. Patton, L. L. Griffin, Deborah Sheehy, R. Arnold, A. M. Gallo, Karen Richardson, P. Dodds, M. L. Henninger, A. James

Movement Arts, Health Promotion and Leisure Studies Faculty Publications

In this article, the authors investigate key aspects of a 2-year study of mentoring within a reform-based teacher development project, explore the various mentor relationships, and theorize about key events, tensions, and dynamics that resulted in an unexpected sense of community among project stakeholders as a direct result of mentoring. Data for this article describe the impact of teacher mentoring within the Assessment Initiative for Middle School Physical Education (AIMS-PE) project. AIMS-PE was a multi-year Center for Disease Control grant funded project with goals including assisting in-service teachers to examine and reframe their assessment practices and to increase their students. …

The 19th Century Excavation Of Kent's Cavern, England, Donald A. Mcfarlane, Joyce Lundberg

WM Keck Science Faculty Papers

Between 1858 and 1880, William Pengelly developed revolutionary new techniques for the archeological and paleontological excavation of cave deposits. His work at Brixham Cave and Kent’s Cavern, England, yielded tens of thousands of specimens from the mid-Pleistocene to the Holocene, settled the intellectual debate over the co-existence of humans and extinct mammals, and accumulated an unparalleled resource for continued study. Although the Brixham Cave work was thoroughly summarized in print, Pengelly never published the plans of his much more thorough and extensive excavations at Kent’s Cavern. Here we present a reconstructed plan of the Pengelly excavations that we hope will …

Cover - Table Of Contents

Journal of the Iowa Academy of Science: JIAS

No abstract provided.

Front Matter

Journal of the Iowa Academy of Science: JIAS

No abstract provided.

The Moths Of Neal Smith National Wildlife Refuge: A Preliminary Assessment, Michelle N. Lewis, Renae M. Steichen, Keith S. Summerville

Journal of the Iowa Academy of Science: JIAS

North American prairie systems are believed to have supported substantial insect biodiversity. Loss of prairie and oak savanna habitats, however, has been severe in many Midwestern states, including Iowa. An unanswered question facing land managers interested in restoring tallgrass prairies to the Iowan landscape is the degree to which restored habitats contain native insect species that are dependent upon prairie habitat. This study reports data from a preliminary survey of the moths of Neal Smith National Wildlife Refuge, a 2,292-ha prairie and oak savanna restoration site in central Iowa. We identified and cataloged a total of 426 species of moths …

Iowa's Sand Prairie State Preserves: Anomalous Grain-Size Distributions And Optically Stimulated Luminescence (Osl) Dates, Steven H. Emerman, Brian R. Depew, Lisa K. Anderson

Journal of the Iowa Academy of Science: JIAS

Grain-size distributions and optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) dates were obtained for the sand from Iowa's five sand prairie state preserves, which are Behren's Ponds and Woodland, Cedar Hills Sand Prairie, Kish-Ke-Kosh Prairie, Marietta Sand Prairie and Rock Island. OSL dates ranged from the late Pleistocene (15,560 years B.P.) to the very late Holocene (as recent as 590 years B.P.), indicating that the late Pleistocene and Holocene Epochs in Iowa have seen multiple episodes of aridity, which is consistent with results from the Nebraska Sand Hills and eolian sand stringers in southeastern Minnesota. The grain-size distributions were anomalous in that, compared …

Letter To The Editor - Conservation Of Freshwater Mussels In Iowa, K. Elizabeth Poole

Journal of the Iowa Academy of Science: JIAS

Freshwater mussels occur in a variety of aquatic ecosystems worldwide but nowhere is mussel species richness as high as is reported in North America. With nearly 300 recorded species in the U.S., mussels are key components of freshwater biodiversity playing a vital role in benthic communities. Ecologically important in biological processing and nutrient cycling, mussels are also an important food item for a variety of mammals including mink, otter, and raccoon. In addition to ecological importance, freshwater mussels have been economically important in the production of cultured pearls.

Back Cover

Journal of the Iowa Academy of Science: JIAS

No abstract provided.

Editorial Board & Iowa Academy Of Science Officers And Directors

Journal of the Iowa Academy of Science: JIAS

No abstract provided.

Aspects Of An Interior Stream Clam Midden From 1915 At Quasqueton, Buchanan County Iowa, Dennis W. Schlicht

Journal of the Iowa Academy of Science: JIAS

During clam surveys on the Wapsipinicon River in 1991 buried clams were observed in a bank of the river at Quasqueton, Buchanan County, Iowa. An interview with the landowner revealed that the clams were from a 1915 local clamming operation. Excavation and examination of many of the clams reveal interesting differences in species composition and size, when compared to more recent specimens from the river. Observations on the midden were recorded, species determinations were made and measurements were taken. Comparisons are made to two other modern surface surveys on the river. Differences were observed in both species composition and shell …

The Unionid Mussels (Mollusca: Bivalvia: Unionidae) Of Missouri River Floodplain Ditches In Fremont County Southwestern Iowa And Atchison And Holt Counties Northwestern Missouri, Ellet Hoke

Journal of the Iowa Academy of Science: JIAS

A survey of ditches in the Missouri River floodplain in southwestern Iowa and northwestern Missouri resulted in the recovery of nine unionid mollusk species. The floodplain ditches may provide valuable habitat for mussels in a region that has suffered a tremendous decrease in productive aquatic habitats over the past sixty-eight years. Additional survey activity is needed to determine the complete inventory of unionid mollusks in the area.

Summer Soil Temperatures On Algific Talus Slopes In Northeast Iowa, Tom R. Cottrell, Kyle S. Strode

Journal of the Iowa Academy of Science: JIAS

Soil temperatures at 15 cm depth were recorded on a single occasion at multiple grid points on two algific talus slopes during the summer of 1999. To represent and compare soil temperatures over a wider area, soil temperatures were measured (less intensively) at five other algific slopes and three non-algific forested slopes. Algific slopes appear to have greater variation in soil temperatures than non-algific sites. Spatial variation in algific slope soil temperatures ranged from 4-25°C. During the 10 day sample period temporal variation in air temperature at a nearby weather station had a similar range. Isotherm plots reveal a heterogeneous …

Cover - Table Of Contents

Journal of the Iowa Academy of Science: JIAS

No abstract provided.

Front Matter

Journal of the Iowa Academy of Science: JIAS

No abstract provided.

Index For The Journal Of The Iowa Academy Of Science Volume 112

Journal of the Iowa Academy of Science: JIAS

No abstract provided.

Discordant Harmonies In Fingernail Clam Populations (Musculium Transversum) Of Mississippi River Backwater Lakes, Jim Eckblad

Journal of the Iowa Academy of Science: JIAS

The populations of Musculium transversum from 8 backwater lakes have been studied over a 29-year period based upon over 440 grab samples. These lakes in Navigation Pool 9 of the Upper Mississippi River (UMR) range in size from 2 to 255 hectare surface area, mean depths from 0.2 to 0.9 meters, with mean water exchange times from 0.5 to almost 57 hours. Samples from the 1989-91 period suggested summer Muscu!ium populations had declined to about 9 percent of their mid-1970 levels. Deterministic models have attempted to explain this decline. More recent sampling suggests a substantial recovery of Musculium populations (mid-summer …

Threatened By Industry, Saved By Science: Mussel Propagation At The Fairport Biological Laboratory, James Pritchard

Journal of the Iowa Academy of Science: JIAS

During the 1890s, people on the Mississippi River exploited mussel populations to support a thriving button industry. Within a brief time, they noticed significant declines in mussel populations, and called on the U.S. Bureau of Fisheries to save the resource. This paper discusses mussel propagation studies, techniques, and activities carried on in association with the Fairport Biological Laboratory (Iowa) from about 1908 to 1932. While scientists developed sophisticated techniques and had success in mussel propagation, changing habitat conditions in the river (caused mainly by pollution and dam construction) meant limited success in rescuing mussel stocks, while the introduction of plastic …

Regional Open Space & Trails Workgroup Presentation, Public Lands Institute

Presentations (PLI)

The Public Lands Institute is dedicated to strengthening the national fabric that is essential for the protection, conservation, and management of public lands.

Unlv Magazine, Lori Bachand, Regina Barcolas, Barbara Cloud, Holly Ivy De Vore, Gian Galassi, Cayrn Key, Jennifer Robison, Gillian Silver, Jason Vaughan, John F. Gallagher, Cate Weeks, Diane Russell

UNLV Magazine

No abstract provided.

Nuclear Genome Diversity And Relationships Among Naturally Occurring Buffalograss Genotypes Determined By Sequence-Related Amplified Polymorphism Markers, O. Gulsen, Robert C. Shearman, Kenneth P. Vogel, Donald J. Lee, P. Stephen Baenziger, Tiffany M. Heng-Moss, Hikmet Budak

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

Buffalograss [Buchloe dactyloides (Nutt.) Engelm.] has the potential for increased use as a turfgrass species due to its low maintenance and water conservation characteristics. This study was conducted to estimate diversity and relationships among naturally occurring buffalograss genotypes based on the nuclear genome, using sequence-related amplified polymorphism (SRAP) markers. The 56 genotypes studied represented five ploidy levels collected from diverse geographic locations in the North American Great Plains. In addition, blue grama [Bouteloua gracilis (H.B.K.) Lag. Ex Steud.] and perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.) were included as outgroups. Twenty-five combinations of forward and reverse primers were used. …

El Niño Causes Dramatic Outbreak Of Paederus Dermatitis In East Africa, Ingeborg M.C.J. Van Schayk, Ruben O. Agwanda, John I. Githure, John C. Beier, Bart G.J. Knols

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

An outbreak of Paederus sabaeus rove beetles in Kenya during the 1997-1998 El Niño resulted in a dramatic increase of vesicular dermatitis in its capital Nairobi. The beetle, popularly called ‘Nairobi Fly’, contains a potent toxic fluid that causes epidermolysis and acute conjunctivitis. A cross-sectional epidemiological study involving 1,208 Nairobi residents was conducted to determine the health impact of this outbreak. The results showed that one-third of the Nairobi population were infected during this period. The majority of the respondents reported lesions on exposed body parts above the shoulders. Disfiguring, painful blisters and skin rashes in and around the facial …

Confocal Laser Scanning Microscopy As A Tool For The Investigation Of Tetracycline Fluorescence In Archaeologicalhuman Bone, Corey Maggiano

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Fluorochromes such as tetracycline have been used to label bone for histomorphometric analysis, measuring bone formation, growth, maintenance, and pathology. More recently, similar fluorescence has been observed in ancient human bone. Attributed to tetracycline (TC) exposure, this phenomenon could affect various aspects of health during life and/or preservation of remains postmortem. Standard epifluorescence microscopy is the most common tool employed in the analysis of these labels. Though valuable, this technique is limited by its inability to penetrate bone three-dimensionally and its inclusion of out-of-focus light, possibly disrupting accurate analysis. Confocal Laser Scanning Microscopy (CLSM) has been demonstrated as a valuable …

The Degree Of Chlmpanzee Theory Of Mind And The Evolution Of Modularity, Benjamin Grant Purzycki

Transactions of the Nebraska Academy of Sciences and Affiliated Societies

Whether or not chimpanzees have the ability to mentally represent others' mental states or theory of mind (ToM) has yet to be definitively established. This results from three problems. First, modular theory of mind accounts lead researchers to adopt an either/or approach to psychological faculties which obfuscates both within- and across-species variability. Second, present research continues to rely on the continued trend to polarize nature and nurture. Third, the bulk of the work compares humans with chimpanzees rather than looking at the entire range of primate species. I propose "degree approach" by way of the Integrated Causal Model which particularizes …

Transactions Ofthe Nebraska Academy Of Sciences: Volume 30, 2005 Table Of Contents

Transactions of the Nebraska Academy of Sciences and Affiliated Societies

EDITORIAL CONTENTS

Nebraska Executive Committee, Policy Committee ................. ii

Editorial Board ................. iv

Membership Objectives and Friends of the Academy ................. inside front cover

Nebraska Association of Teachers of Science ................. inside front cover

Preparation of manuscripts ................. inside front cover

PAPERS

Predicting student performance in a statistics course using the mathematics and statistics perception scale (MPSP) (Isabelle D. Cherney and Ramie R. Cooney) ................. 1

Nuclear physics problem solving: a case study of expert-novice differences (Isabelle D. Cherney, Jordan Winter, and Michael G. Cherney) ................. 9

Plant composition of mixed-grass prairie of Cedar Point Biological Research Station, Keith County, …

Terrestrial Behavior Of Ateles Spp., Christina J. Campbell, Filippo Aureli, Colin A. Chapman, Gabriel Ramos-Fernández, Kim Matthews, Sabrina E. Russo, Scott Suarez, Laura Vick

School of Biological Sciences: Faculty Publications

Spider monkeys (Ateles spp.) are well known for their highly arboreal lifestyle, spending much of their time in the highest levels of the canopy and rarely venturing to the ground. To investigate terrestriality by Ateles and to illuminate the conditions under which spider monkeys venture to the ground, we analyzed ad libitum data from 5 study sites, covering 2 species and 5 subspecies. Three of the sites are in Central/North America: Barro Colorado Island (BCI), Panama (Ateles geoffroyi panamensis), Santa Rosa National Park, Costa Rica (A. g. frontatus), and Punta Laguna, Mexico (A. g. yucatanensis). The 2 remaining sites are …

God's Two Books, Randall Younker

Perspective Digest

No abstract provided.

Wendell Berry's Sociological Imagination: Agrarian Values And Good Leadership In A Postmodern Culture, Paul Alan Kaak

Dissertations

Problem. The question guiding my dissertation research was: In what ways do the writings of Wendell Berry, reflecting his sociological imagination, address and advance leadership theory with specific regard for the issue of agrarian values?

Method. I used the writings of Wendell Berry as a modified case study for my inductive, theoretical, exploratory research in a qualitative vein. As I reviewed his writings, I identified his moral ideology and extracted his value-set. Along the way, I observed Berry's use of a method promoted by C. Wright Mills in his book The Sociological Imagination (1959). Since sociological imagination finds …