Science and Mathematics Education Commons^™

Modeling And Analysis Of Biological Populations, Joan Lubben

Department of Mathematics: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Asymptotic and transient dynamics are both important when considering the future population trajectory of a species. Asymptotic dynamics are often used to determine whether the long-term trend results in a stable, declining or increasing population and even provide possible directions for management actions. Transient dynamics are important for estimating invasion speed of non-indigenous species, population establishment after releasing biocontrol agents, or population management after a disturbance like fire. We briefly describe here the results in this thesis.

(1) We consider asymptotic dynamics using discrete time linear population models of the form n(t + 1) = An(t) where …

My 20-Year Research Journey For A New Species Of Spiders, Or How To Come To A New Discovery, Vladimir Ovtcharenko

Touchstone

From time to time students ask me whether it is difficult to discover new species of organisms on our planet. To answer this question, I have decided to tell my story of how I discovered a new species of spider that I have dedicated to Eugenio María de Hostos.

Iowa Academy Of Science: The New Bulletin, V05n1, Spring 2009, Iowa Academy Of Science

New Bulletin

Inside This Issue:

--Message from the Executive Director

--Corrections

--Keep in touch with the IAS Members Only Website

--Lakeside Laboratory Reunion is looking for Alumni

--The Iowa Academy of Science welcomes new Institutional Member

--Candidates for President-Elect

--Candidates for Board of Directors

--Election 2009

--Iowa Science Teachers’ Section Election Candidates

--2008 Donations

Iowa Academy Of Science: The New Bulletin, V05n4, Winter 2009, Iowa Academy Of Science

New Bulletin

Inside This Issue:

--Message from the Executive Director

--President's Message: Each One, Reach One

--122nd Annual Meeting

--Images from the 2009 ISTS Fall Conference

--Excellence in Science Teaching Awards (ESTA)

--Distinguished Science Awards

--IJAS Silent Auction

--Announcements, Events & Deadlines

--IAS Corporate Memberships

Keynote Address To The 2009 Designing An Effective Online Science Course Conference, Kristine M. Young

Vice President for Academic Services Scholarship

No abstract provided.

Front Matter

Journal of the Iowa Academy of Science: JIAS

No abstract provided.

Gully And Stream Bank Erosion In Three Pastures With Different Management In Southeast Iowa, George N. Zaimes, Richard C. Schultz, Mustafa Tufekcioglu

Journal of the Iowa Academy of Science: JIAS

Gully and stream banks can be major sources of sediment and nutrients to surface waters, both major water quality problems in the United States. Sediment may also carry phosphorus to surface waters, the primary limiting nutrient causing eutrophication. Overgrazing can induce gully and stream bank erosion by reducing vegetation cover that weakens bank soil resistance to stream water flow. This study examines stream and gully bank erosion adjacent to continuous (CP), rotational (RP) and intensive rotational (IP) pastures, grazed by beef cattle in southeast Iowa. Stream and gully bank erosion were measured by: a) surveying the extent of the severely …

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.

The Freshwater Mussels (Mollusca: Bivalvia: Unionidae) Of The Channelized Missouri River, Ellet Hoke

Journal of the Iowa Academy of Science: JIAS

The lower Missouri River has historically been viewed as a fauna! barrier for unionids due to high sediment load. However this survey of the lower (channelized) Missouri River documented the presence of 14 unionid species and the exotic Corbicula fluminea (Muller, 1774). Unionids are present in stable substrates sheltered from the effects of the river's strong currents. Analysis of early literature on the Missouri River suggests reports of an absence of unionids were not based upon thorough fieldwork, and the most commonly cited rationale for their reported absence, the high sediment load in the river, is not convincing. Pre-1938 unionid …

Dr. Lois Hattery Tiffany (1924-2009): In Memoriam, Deborah Q. Lewis

Journal of the Iowa Academy of Science: JIAS

Dr. Lois Hartery Tiffany, Distinguished Professor Emerita, Department of Ecology, Evolution and Organismal Biology, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa, died on 6 September 2009. Dr. Tiffany was an outstanding mycologist and teacher. Held in high regard by the public as "Iowa's Mushroom Lady" and known by many students, colleagues and friends as "Dr. T.," she was the matriarch of the Botany Department (now the Department of Ecology, Evolution and Organismal Biology) at Iowa State.

Table Of Contents (Back Cover)

Journal of the Iowa Academy of Science: JIAS

No abstract provided.

Som Loss And Soil Quality In The Clear Creek, Ia, A. N. Thanos Papanicolaou, Christopher G. Wilson, Ozan Abaci, Mohamed Elhakeem, Mary Skopec

Journal of the Iowa Academy of Science: JIAS

The Clear Creek, IA Experimental Watershed (CCEW), which drains to the Iowa River, experiences severe surface erosion due to a combination of high slopes, erodible soils, and extensive agriculture. Concurrent with soil loss is the removal of Soil Organic Matter (SOM). High values of SOM have been related to soil quality; therefore, excessive SOM loss corresponds to degrading soil health. Soil quality assessments are important tools for evaluating management practices in agricultural systems; however, it is difficult to measure soil quality directly at the watershed scale because it varies with a number of site-specific soil characteristics. The coupling of soil …

Aryl Ethers From Arenediazonium Tetrafluoroborate Salts: From Neat Reactions To Solvent-Mediated Effects, James A. Shriver, Daniel P. Flaherty, Cameron C. Herr

Journal of the Iowa Academy of Science: JIAS

A general procedure for the synthesis of various aryl ethers via the thermal decomposition of benzenediazonium tetrafluoroborate salts is described. Studies performed in neat alcohol at 60°C gave aryl ethers in yields ranging from 0-73%. Upon completion of a series of reactions, the effect of solvent was explored to expand the scope and relevance of this procedure. It was found that even solvents that are traditionally non-nucleophilic gave rise to products including bi-aryls and N-aryl acetamides. The utilization of an ionic liquid, l-butyl-4-methylpyridinium tetrafluoroborate, resulted in yields comparable to reactions performed in neat alcoholic solvents.

Iowa Academy Of Science 121st Annual Meeting [2009]: Advance Program, Iowa Academy Of Science

Iowa Academy of Science Documents

Contains information about the schedule and presentations for the 2009 annual meeting of the Iowa Academy of Science.

Proceedings Of The 121st Annual Meeting Of The Iowa Academy Of Science [Program, 2009], Iowa Academy Of Science

Iowa Academy of Science Documents

Contents:

Welcome from our Campus Host --- 3
Program Summary/Timeline --- 4
General Session Presentations --- 6
Symposia Presentations --- 9
Special Events --- 12
Awards Luncheon --- 13
President's Banquet --- 13
ESTA Awards Banquet --- 13
IAS Annual Business Meeting --- 14
Iowa Junior Academy of Science --- 16
Field Trips --- 17
Senior Poster Program --- 19
Section Meeting Programs and Oral Presentations (Alphabetical by Section) --- 24
Abstracts (by Section) --- 31
Author Index --- 65

Program And Proceedings: Nebraska Academy Of Sciences 1880–2009, 129th Anniversary Year, One Hundred-Nineteenth Annual Meeting

Nebraska Academy of Sciences: Programs and Proceedings

Program

Aeronautics and Space Science

Collegiate Academy: Biology

Earth Science

Collegiate Academy: Chemistry and Physics

Biological and Medical Sciences

Nebraska Wesleyan University Health and Sciences Graduate School Fair

Junior Academy: Senior High Competition

Aeronautics and Space Science, Poster Session

History and Philosophy of Science

Teaching of Science and Math

Maiben Memorial Lecture: Donald Frey, Department of Family Practice, Creighton University Medical Center

Anthropology

Chemistry and Physics

Junior Academy, Junior High Competition

Enhancing Iowa High School Students' Transition To College, K. E. Lassila, L. C. Rule, C. Lee, R. J. Driggs, G. Fulton, M. Skarda, J. Torres Y Torres

Journal of the Iowa Academy of Science: JIAS

We present our studies of the transitions of Iowa science students from high school to post-secondary colleges. Our report summarizes information and impressions from dealing with thousands of new students arriving at our six colleges, along with meetings and discussions with high school science teachers to add their viewpoints into our considerations. Feedback from community college, four year college, and high school science teachers highlighted the following five study issues and needs for improving student transitions from high school to college science: 1) Better math preparation is needed; 2) More work with inquiry-based learning rather than with facts and memorization …

Iowa Academy Of Science: The New Bulletin, V04n3, Autumn 2008, Iowa Academy Of Science

New Bulletin

Inside This Issue:

--Message from the Executive Director

--A Message from your President

--Comments from the IAS Leadership

--2008-2009 IAS Section Chairs

--One Donation To Help Two Great Causes

--Iowa Junior Academy of Science Celebrating 75 Years of Service

--You are invited to Wiki with IJAS

--Dr. Jay Labov to Speak at IAS Annual Meeting

--Recognizing Great Science

--2008 Iowa Academy of Science Speakers Series Visitor Center, Saylorville Reservoir

--Recognizing Great Science Teaching

Community-Based Inquiry Improves Critical Thinking In General Education Biology, Ian J. Quitadamo, Celia L. Faiola, James E. Johnson, Martha J. Kurtz

All Faculty Scholarship for the College of the Sciences

National stakeholders are becoming increasingly concerned about the inability of college graduates to think critically. Research shows that, while both faculty and students deem critical thinking essential, only a small fraction of graduates can demonstrate the thinking skills necessary for academic and professional success. Many faculty are considering nontraditional teaching methods that incorporate undergraduate research because they more closely align with the process of doing investigative science. This study compared a research-focused teaching method called community-based inquiry (CBI) with traditional lecture/laboratory in general education biology to discover which method would elicit greater gains in critical thinking. Results showed significant critical-thinking …

Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program, University Of Nevada Las Vegas

Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP)

No abstract provided.

Iowa Academy Of Science: The New Bulletin, V04n2, Summer 2008, Iowa Academy Of Science

New Bulletin

Inside This Issue:

--Message from the Executive Director

--REAP-CEP Funds Iowa Project WET

--Invitation to the 2008 Iowa Science Teachers’ Section Fall Conference

--Kaitlynn Hood Awarded ESTA for Elementary Science Education

--Scrapbook 2007-2008

Iowa Academy Of Science: The New Bulletin, V04n1, Spring 2008, Iowa Academy Of Science

New Bulletin

Inside This Issue:

--Message from the Executive Director

--NWR Audio Series Update

--Special Workshop at IAS Annual Meeting

--Teacher Seminar at IAS Annual Meeting

--Bringing Environmental Education and Practical Applications into Preservice Educator Programs

--2008 Iowa Academy of Science Speakers Series Visitor Center, Saylorville Reservoir

--Candidates for President-Elect

--Candidates for Board of Directors

--Election 2008 Ballot

--Iowa Science Teachers’ Section Election Candidates

--Candidate for ISTS Secretary

--Iowa Academy of Science Grant Awards for 2007

--2007 Donations & Grants

Education In The Environment: A Strategy For Continued Interagency Outdoor Programming: Quarterly Progress Report, Period Ending February 29, 2008, Environmental Education Strategy For Nevada

Reports (PLI Education)

Highlights of the university’s focused efforts during the past three months include the following:

• Progress was made on three projects to meet Southern Nevada Agency Partnership (SNAP) strategic messaging needs: an anti-litter exhibit, a volunteer restoration program with educational components, and activity stations to tell the story of Lee Meadows restoration efforts.
• Interpretive planning is underway for Mountain’s Edge Explorer’s Interpretive Trail.
• A Spanish class tailored to meet the communication needs of environmental educators and interpreters was held January 2008.
• Our Places Tell Stories conference, featuring sixty presenters, panelists, moderators, and facilitators, will be held March 4-6, 2008.
• The Nevada …

Back Cover

Journal of the Iowa Academy of Science: JIAS

No abstract provided.

Front Matter

Journal of the Iowa Academy of Science: JIAS

No abstract provided.

Using Landscape History And Baseline Data In The Restoration Of A Midwestern Savanna, Andrew P. Rayburn, Annabel L. Major

Journal of the Iowa Academy of Science: JIAS

Over one hundred and fifty years of Euro-American settlement has dramatically altered Midwestern landscapes, resulting in the widespread conversion of native habitat. Numerous opportunities to conduct ecological restoration exist within the Midwest, with the potential to increase habitat and landscape heterogeneity, secure critical ecosystem services, and provide opportunities for research and education. Site history is an important consideration for most restoration projects, and multiple sources of historical data may be required to unravel the complicated history of intensively used Midwestern landscapes. The collection of baseline data is another significant component of most restoration projects, allowing for an evaluation of community …

Measuring Knowledge Of Natural Selection: A Comparison Of The C.I.N.S., An Open-Response Instrument, And An Oral Interview, Ross Nehm, Irvin Sam Schonfeld

Publications and Research

Growing recognition of the central importance of fostering an in-depth understanding of natural selection has, surprisingly, failed to stimulate work on the development and rigorous evaluation of instruments that measure knowledge of it. We used three different methodological tools, the Conceptual Inventory of Natural Selection (CINS), a modified version of Bishop and Anderson's (Bishop and Anderson [1990] Journal of Research in Science Teaching 27: 415-427) open-response test that we call the Open Response Instrument (ORI), and an oral interview derived from both instruments, to measure biology majors' understanding of and alternative conceptions about natural selection. We explored how these instruments …

Proceedings Of The 120th Annual Meeting Of The Iowa Academy Of Science [Program, 2008], Iowa Academy Of Science

Iowa Academy of Science Documents

Contents:

Welcome from the President --- 3
Program Summary /Timeline --- 4
General Session Presentations --- 6
Symposia Presentations --- 9
Special Events --- 12
Iowa Junior Academy of Science --- 13
Senior Poster Program --- 14
Awards Luncheon --- 18
President's Banquet --- 18
IAS Annual Business Meeting --- 19
ESTA Awards Banquet --- 19
Field Trips --- 20
Section Meeting Programs and Oral Presentations (Alphabetical by Section) --- 22
Second Annual IAS Picnic Program --- 28
Abstracts (by Section) --- 29
Author Index --- 53

Obituary: Terry Lamon Yates, 1950-2007., Robert J. Baker, David J. Schmidly, Joseph A. Cook, Jorge Salazar-Bravo, Hugh H. Genoways

University of Nebraska State Museum: Mammalogy Papers

On December 11, 2007, the science of mammalogy lost one of its most valued and influential leaders. Terry Lamon Yates succumbed to complications of treatments for an aggressive form of brain cancer after a brief but courageous fight. He was born on March 17, 1950, in Mayfield, Kentucky, the older son of Ellen Wanda Byrd and William Hanley Yates. Terry’s only sibling was a brother, Johnny. He is survived by his wife Nancy Fennell Yates, his two sons, Brian Christopher and Michael Ryan, and daughter-in-law Laura Manchéno Macia.