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History Of The Life Science Museum Movement At Brigham Young University 1900–2008, Wilmer W. Tanner

Books by Faculty of the Monte L. Bean Life Science Museum

Abstract

This work details the century-long journey of the BYU Life Science Museum. The museum's early days began at Brigham Young Academy, where it was established by President Benjamin Cluff Jr., with collections gathered by Chester Van Buren. It then moved to the Brimhall Building and then the Grant Building, under the direction of Dr. Kent McKnight and Vera McKnight. The museum passed through the directorship of Dr. C. Lynn Hayward and then began a new phase when Monte L. Bean and his wife Birdie Bean committed to build a museum to house their collection along with the collections BYU …

Review Essay: Bringing The Middle Ages Into The World History Survey Course: Some Suggestions, Tiffany A. Trimmer

Quidditas

Too often World Historians neglect coverage of the European Middle Ages, and medieval history courses tend to lose sight of the ways in which medieval Europe played a part in the wider world to which it belonged. Part of this results from the artificial pre/post 1500 CE split that dominates the organization of the typical world history survey, and part from the reluctance of World Historians to realize the potential of a global history approach to the era before the age of exploration and colonization. The works included in this essay attempt to rectify the absence of earlier European historical …

Not Another Grim(M) Tale: The Rights Of Passage In Marie Von Olfers’ “Little Princess”, Bernadette H. Hyner

Resources

If we accept, as Edward Said suggests, that the terms authorship and authority both emphasize a writer’s capacity to establish an alternative discourse, control, and preserve it, then Marie von Olfers is best remembered as a tale spinner who redrafts conventional gender designations in her fairy tales. Specifically, her narrative “Little Princess,” published in 1862, presents alternative interpretations of female agency and sisterhood, while it also debases traditional concepts of family. Von Olfers’ unusual reading of these topics suggests that she construes family and rites of passage in response, perhaps even in opposition, to her male predecessors’ more traditional approach …

Child–Adult Differences In Second-Language Phonological Learning: The Role Of Cross-Language Similarity, Wendy Baker-Smemoe, Pavel Trofimovich, James E. Flege, Molly Mack, Randall Halter

Faculty Publications

This study evaluated whether age effects on second language (L2) speech learning derive from changes in how the native language (L1) and L2 sound systems interact. According to the “interaction hypothesis” (IH), the older the L2 learner, the less likely the learner is able to establish new vowel categories needed for accurate L2 vowel production and perception because, with age, L1 vowel categories become more likely to perceptually encompass neighboring L2 vowels. These IH predictions were evaluated in two experiments involving 64 native Korean- and English-speaking children and adults. Experiment 1 determined, as predicted, that the Korean children were less …

Ecological Factors Determining Nesting Habitat For American Avocets, Landon R. Jones

Student Works

The American Avocet (Recurvirostra americana) is a large shorebird that breeds and congregates in open, shallow, saline wetlands (Robinson et al. 1997). Its long, curved bill is well adapted for stirring up and feeding on invertebrates from the benthos. Because they fill such a narrow habitat niche, the majority of avocets concentrate in the thousands to breed in a few hot spots such as Mono Lake in California, and the Great Salt Lake in Utah (Robinson et al. 1997). Avocets arrive at the Great Salt Lake in late March and nest from mid-April to mid-July (Sordahl 1981). They require 15-20 …

Sacred Sound: Experiencing Music In World Religions. By Guy L. Beck, Editor, Greg Hansen

BYU Studies

Guy L. Beck, editor. Sacred Sound: Experiencing Music in World Religions. Waterloo, Ontario, Canada: Wilfrid Laurier University Press, 2006.

Peter Severinus: From Humours To Chemistry In The Sixteenth Century, Michael T. Walton, Robert M. Fineman

Quidditas

The re-discovery of the works of Mendel and others has added greatly to our understanding of genetics. Such is now the case of Peter Severinus, with the recent recovery (or re-discovery) of his seminal work, Idea Medicinae Philosophicae (1571). Severinus concurred with Paracelsus’s (1493-1541) concept of seeds (little chemical factories) that worked on matter to form living things; but he was also aware of transplantation (grafting and cross-pollination) that changed phenotypes and genotypes in plants. Severinus applied this understanding to hereditary diseases in humans and extended Paracelsian theory. He believed that certain diseases in one’s offspring were caused by a …

The Forging Of Races: Race And Scripture In The Protestant Atlantic World, 1600-2000. By Colin Kidd, Armand L. Mauss

BYU Studies

Colin Kidd. The Forging of Races: Race and Scripture in the Protestant Atlantic World, 1600–2000. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press, 2006.

Assessing Clinical Trial Eligibility With Logic Expression Queries, Deryle W. Lonsdale, C. Tutison, Craig G. Parker, David W. Embley

Faculty Publications

This paper introduces a system that processes clinical trials using a combination of natural language processing and database techniques. We process web-based clinical trial recruitment pages to extract semantic information reflecting eligibility criteria for potential participants. From this information we then formulate a query that can match criteria against medical data in patient records. The resulting system reflects a tight coupling of web-based information extraction, natural language processing, medical informatic approaches to clinical knowledge representation, and large-scale database technologies. We present an evaluation of the system and future directions for further system development.

Time Reversal, Brian E. Anderson, Michele Griffa, Paul A. Johnson, Carene Larmat, Timothy J. Ulrich

Faculty Publications

This article provides an historical overview of Time Reversal (TR), introduces its basic physics, addresses advantages and limitations, and describes some applications of this very active research area of acoustics. In the Geophysics Group at the Los Alamos National Laboratory, we conduct studies of TR of elastic waves in solids. Our work includes application of TR to nondestructive evaluation of materials, as well as to earthquake source characterization, and ground-based nuclear explosion monitoring. We emphasize the term elastic waves here to underscore that we include both compression and shear waves, in contrast to purely acoustic waves that are only compressional.

Is There Something Unique About Marriage? The Relative Impact Of Marital Status, Relationship Quality, And Network Social Support On Ambulatory Blood Pressure And Mental Health, Wendy C. Birmingham, Julianne Holt-Lunstad, Brandon Q. Jones

Faculty Publications

Background Having close social relationships and being married specifically have been reliably associated with health benefits including lower morbidity and mortality. Purpose The purpose of this study was to examine the influence of marital status, relationship quality, and network support on measures of psychological and cardiovascular health. Method We examined ambulatory blood pressure (ABP) among 204 married and 99 single males and females (N=303). Results We found that both marital status and marital quality were important. Married individuals had greater satisfaction with life (SWL) and blood pressure dipping than single individuals. High marital quality was associated with lower ABP, lower …

Donald Harman Akenson. Some Family: The Mormons And How Humanity Keeps Track Of Itself, J. Michael Hunter

Faculty Publications

Review by J. Michael Hunter of Donald Harman Akenson’s Some Family: The Mormons and How Humanity Keeps Track of Itself (Montreal: McGill University / Kingston, Ontario: Queen’s University Press, 2007).

Regional Body Composition In College-Aged Caucasians From Anthropometric Measures, Robert T. Davidson, Cameron B. Ritchie

Faculty Publications

Quantitating fat and lean tissue in isolated body regions may be helpful or required in obesity and health-outcomes research. However, current methods of regional body composition measurement require specialized, expensive equipment such as that used in computed tomography or dual energy x-ray absorptiometry (DEXA). Simple body size or circumference measurement relationships to body composition have been developed but are limited to whole-body applications. We investigated relationships between body size measurements and regional body composition. Methods Using DEXA technology we determined the fat and lean tissue composition for six regions of the body in predominantly Caucasian, college-aged men (n = 32) …

Long-Term Vegetation Dynamics In A Cut Western Juniper Woodland, Jonathan D. Bates, Richard F. Miller, Tony Svejcar

Western North American Naturalist

Western juniper (Juniperus occidentalis spp. occidentalis Hook.) expansion in the northern Great Basin has reduced shrubsteppe productivity and diversity. Chainsaw cutting of western juniper woodlands is commonly applied to remove tree interference and restore sagebrush plant communities. Studies assessing understory response following cutting have been limited to early successional stages and have not evaluated the effects of western juniper debris on plant succession. Cutting western juniper produces a large amount of debris which is commonly left on site, occupying a significant portion of treated areas. This study evaluated successional dynamics spanning 13 years after western juniper cutting. Four 0.45-ha …

Growth And Demography Of One Population Of The Lizard Sceloporus Mucronatus Mucronatus, Angela M. Ortega-León, Emily R. Smith, J. Jaime Zúñiga-Vega, Fausto R. Méndez–De La Cruz

Western North American Naturalist

We report on growth and demography of Sceloporus mucronatus mucronatus, a lizard subspecies endemic to central Mexico. We characterize the life history of this subspecies, provide quantitative information relevant to conservation, and add to the growing literature on the diversity of life histories in the genus Sceloporus. We calculated body growth rates and fitted them to the Von Bertalanffy, the logistic-by-length, and the logistic-by-weight growth models. The Von Bertalanffy model provided the best fit, and we used it to analyze the growth pattern. Growth rates were similar during the 1st year of life in both sexes, but after …

Modeling Aboveground Biomass Of Tamarix Ramosissima In The Arkansas River Basin Of Southeastern Colorado, Usa, Paul Evangelista, Sunil Kumar, Thomas J. Stohlgren, Alycia W. Crall, Gregory J. Newman

Western North American Naturalist

Predictive models of aboveground biomass of nonnative Tamarix ramosissima of various sizes were developed using destructive sampling techniques on 50 individuals and four 100- m² plots. Each sample was measured for average height (m) of stems and canopy area (m²) prior to cutting, drying, and weighing. Five competing regression models (P < 0.05) were developed to estimate aboveground biomass of T. ramosissima using average height and/or canopy area measurements and were evaluated using Akaike's Information Criterion corrected for small sample size (AIC_c). Our best model (AIC_c = −148.69, ΔAIC_c = 0) successfully predicted T. ramosissima aboveground biomass (R² = 0.97) …

Large Mixed-Species Dispersal Flights For Predatory And Scavenging Aquatic Heteroptera And Coleoptera, Northern Arizona, Usa, Lawrence E. Stevens, John T. Polhemus, Richard S. Durfee, Carl A. Olson

Western North American Naturalist

We report 4 incidents of large (hundreds to hundreds of thousands of individuals) mixed-species flights of predatory and scavenging aquatic Heteroptera and Coleoptera. The events occurred on normal (mostly clear, calm) autumn 2005 and spring 2006 late afternoons near Flagstaff, Arizona. Flight days were either near the full moon or in advanced waning lunar periods. At least 18 species were involved in the flights, with as many as 16 species (7 species of Heteroptera in 3 families, 9 species of Coleoptera in 2 families) in a single flight. Heteroptera (especially from the family Corixidae) were 2–4 orders of magnitude more …

Home Range Size Of Black-Backed Woodpeckers In Burned Forests Of Southwestern Idaho, Jonathan G. Dudley, Victoria A. Saab

Western North American Naturalist

We examined home range size of Black-backed Woodpeckers (Picoides arcticus) in burned ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa) / Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) forests of southwestern Idaho during 2000 and 2002 (6 and 8 years following fire). Home range size for 4 adult males during the post-fledging period was 115.6–420.9 ha using the 95% fixed-kernel method, and 150.4–766.1 ha using the 100% minimum convex polygon method. Smoothed bootstrap estimates (95%) were 130.0–521.9 ha. Home range sizes were significantly smaller 6 years after fire than 8 years after fire. Each male had from 2 to 8 areas of …

Discovery Of A Large Population Of The Rare Winter Stonefly Isocapnia Mogila Ricker In The Mad River, California (Plecoptera, Capniidae), Richard W. Baumann, Jonathan J. Lee

Western North American Naturalist

Isocapnia mogila, a rare winter stonefly, is found in good numbers in Humboldt County, California. In the 50 years since this species was described, very few specimens were recorded from only 4 sites in California and Oregon. Emergence seems to be higher in the fall and early winter than in the late winter and spring.

Increased Willow Heights Along Northern Yellowstone's Blacktail Deer Creek Following Wolf Reintroduction, Robert L. Beschta, William J. Ripple

Western North American Naturalist

Gray wolves (Canis lupus) were reintroduced into Yellowstone National Park in 1995–1996. In August 2004 we measured plant architecture of Geyer willow (Salix geyeriana) stems along three 100-m reaches of Blacktail Deer Creek in Yellowstone's northern elk (Cervus elaphus) winter range to evaluate changes in patterns of browsing and height growth following wolf reintroduction. Average browsing intensities (n = 3 stream reaches) of 100% in 1997 decreased to 0%–55% by 2003, whereas average stem heights of 25–74 cm in 1997 increased to 149–268 cm by 2003, indicating that willow height growth was inversely …

Observations On An Association Between The Weevil Scaphomorphus Trivittatus (Say) And Two Astragalus Species On Selenium-Rich Soils In Carbon County, Utah, Gary R. Hooper, Boyd F. Holdaway

Western North American Naturalist

The weevil Scaphomorphus trivittatus (Say) was found in close association with Astragalus praelongus var. elliseae (Rydb.) and Astragalus asclepiadoides (Jones) in selenium-containing soils in Carbon County, Utah. The weevils fed on roots of the Astragalus species and formed soil cocoons, which were attached to the tap roots. The weevils pupated and developed into adults in these cocoons over the fall and winter and then emerged in the spring. The plants and soil cocoons contained highly elevated levels of selenium compared to the soils. The weevils, in contrast, differed little from the soils in selenium content.

Diatom Species Composition And Ecology Of The Animas River Watershed, Colorado, Usa, Gerald V. Sgro, John B. Poole, Jeffery R. Johansen

Western North American Naturalist

The diatom flora of selected sites in the Animas River Watershed, San Juan County, Colorado, was studied. Eighty diatom taxa were identified from 10 sites: 8 sites on the Animas River and 1 site each on the Cement and Cascade tributaries. The sample diatom abundance was dominated by Achnanthidium minutissimum, Encyonema silesiacum, Aulacoseira distans, Hannaea arcus, and Diatoma mesodon. The presence of teratologic specimens of Fragilaria and Achnanthidium in the samples indicated the possibility of metals contamination. Diatom diversity was low and Lange-Bertalot pollution index scores indicated little organic pollution evidenced from diatom composition. There …

Moistened Seeds Increase Rodent Trap Success, John C. Tull, Michael W. Sears

Western North American Naturalist

Seed moisture has been shown to influence the rates of seed cache removal by rodents. Although the precise mechanism is not known, this knowledge might prove useful in field applications. We examined whether moistened bait would increase trap success in desert rodent populations. We placed traps 15 m apart in grids within a 500-ha study area and randomly baited traps with either dry or moistened seeds. We found that traps baited with moistened seeds had 34.9% higher success than traps baited with dry seeds (n = 190, χ² = 5.389, df = 1, P = 0.020). Our results …

New Distribution Records For The Querétero Dusky Rattlesnake Crotalus Aquilus (Viperidae), With Comments On Morphology And Habitat Use, Jesse M. Meik, Estrella Mociño Deloya, Kirk Setser

Western North American Naturalist

We provide the 1st documented accounts of the Mexican endemic rattlesnake Crotalus aquilus from the state of México. The new records extend the known distribution of the species into a region where it may be sympatric with the superficially similar C. triseriatus. Because these taxa have previously been subject to some taxonomic confusion, we performed a preliminary morphological comparison using individuals of both species obtained from proximal localities. Our analyses support the supposition that these taxa are morphologically distinct. The new localities for C. aquilus are situated in high valleys that have been extensively modified by human settlement and …

Censusing Bobcats Using Remote Cameras, Eveline S. Larrucea, Gianluca Serra, Michael M. Jaeger, Reginald H. Barrett

Western North American Naturalist

We estimated bobcat (Lynx rufus) density for 3 different locations in northern California using active infrared-triggered cameras. Using differences in pelage pattern as well as other physical characteristics, we identified individual bobcats from photographs, and used mark-recapture techniques to estimate population density. Camera density affected the precision of population estimates. The same population was estimated using camera densities of 0.5, 1, 2, 4, 6, and 8 cameras · km⁻². Higher camera densities resulted in more captures and recaptures of bobcats and, consequently, in more precise density estimates. Similarly, the number of photo-captures and recaptures increased with …

Variation In Ant Populations With Elevation, Tree Cover, And Fire In A Pinyon-Juniper–Dominated Watershed, Eugénie M. Montblanc, Jeanne C. Chambers, Peter F. Brussard

Western North American Naturalist

Climate change and fire suppression have facilitated expansion of pinyon-juniper woodlands into sagebrush-steppe ecosystems of the Great Basin, USA, resulting in a loss of biological diversity. To assess the effects of using prescribed fire in restoration efforts, ant abundance, species richness, and composition were examined pre- and post-burn along the elevation and tree cover gradients encompassed by a pinyon-juniper woodland in a central Nevada watershed. Ants were sampled using pitfall traps in 6 sites for the elevation study and in 2 sites for the tree cover study, representing paired burn and control sites in a randomized block design. Vegetation and …

The Scotopic Visual Sensitivity Of Four Species Of Trout: A Comparative Study, Russell B. Rader, Timberley Belish, Michael K. Young, John Rothlisberger

Western North American Naturalist

We compared the maximum scotopic visual sensitivity of 4 species of trout from twilight (mesotopic) to fully dark-adapted vision. Scotopic vision is the minimum number of photons to which a fully dark-adapted animal will show a behavioral response. A comparison of visual sensitivity under controlled laboratory conditions showed that brown trout (Salmo trutta) and brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) had maximum scotopic thresholds (1.1 × 10⁻⁴ µmol · m⁻²s⁻¹, ~0.005 lux) 2 times lower than rainbow trout (Oncorhyncus mykiss) and Snake River cutthroat trout (Oncorhynchus clarki bouvieri), which …

Population Density, Biomass, And Age-Class Structure Of An Invasive Clam Corbicula Fluminea In Rivers Of The Lower San Joaquin River Watershed, California, Larry R. Brown, Janet K. Thompson, Karen Higgins, Lisa V. Lucas

Western North American Naturalist

Corbicula fluminea is well known as an invasive filter-feeding freshwater bivalve with a variety of effects on ecosystem processes. However, C. fluminea has been relatively unstudied in the rivers of the western United States. In June 2003, we sampled C. fluminea at 16 sites in the San Joaquin River watershed of California, which was invaded by C. fluminea in the 1940s. Corbicula fluminea was common in 2 tributaries to the San Joaquin River, reaching densities of 200 clams · m⁻², but was rare in the San Joaquin River. Biomass followed a similar pattern. Clams of the same age …

There Is No Valid Record Of Cliff Chipmunk (Tamias Dorsalis) In The Sandia Mountains, New Mexico, Jennifer K. Frey

Western North American Naturalist

A report of the cliff chipmunk (Tamias dorsalis) from the Sandia Mountains, New Mexico, was erroneous. The capture location of the specimen was actually the Rio Puerco drainage in Sandoval County. There are no records of the cliff chipmunk from the Sandia Mountains or elsewhere east of the Rio Grande.

Extending The Information Partition Function: Modeling Interaction Effects In Highly Multivariate, Discrete Data, Paul C. Cannon

Theses and Dissertations

Because of the huge amounts of data made available by the technology boom in the late twentieth century, new methods are required to turn data into usable information. Much of this data is categorical in nature, which makes estimation difficult in highly multivariate settings. In this thesis we review various multivariate statistical methods, discuss various statistical methods of natural language processing (NLP), and discuss a general class of models described by Erosheva (2002) called generalized mixed membership models. We then propose extensions of the information partition function (IPF) derived by Engler (2002), Oliphant (2003), and Tolley (2006) that will allow …