Science and Mathematics Education Commons^™

Book Review - Prairie Birds: Fragile Splendor In The Great Plains, Neil P. Bernstein

Journal of the Iowa Academy of Science: JIAS

Paul A. Johnsguard has established himself as one of the most prolific natural history writers in the recent past. Indeed, before I could finish reading Prairie Birds, the University of Kansas Press sent me The Nature of Nebraska, also by Johnsguard. These works follow closely after This Fragile Land, A Natural History of the Nebraska Sandhills (1995), which I favorably reviewed a few years ago, also about the Great Plains. It goes without saying, that there is a fair amount of overlap in these works, both in the subject matter and the illustrations. Rather than criticize the overlap among these …

Editorial Board & Iowa Academy Of Science Officers And Directors

Journal of the Iowa Academy of Science: JIAS

No abstract provided.

Back Cover

Journal of the Iowa Academy of Science: JIAS

No abstract provided.

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.

Effects Of Field Size And Landscape Composition On Grassland Birds In South-Central Iowa, David Joseph Horn, Rolf R. Koford, Malinda L. Braland

Journal of the Iowa Academy of Science: JIAS

Many species of grassland birds have been shown to avoid smaller fields. The avoidance of smaller fields, however, has not been consistently reported; avoidance may occur in one study, but not in another. To examine one possible reason for these inconsistencies, we examined how landscape composition influenced the relations between occurrence or abundance and field size. The study took place during the 1998 breeding season on 44 Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) fields located in Adair, Ringgold, and Union counties. The relations between occurrence, abundance, and field size were not influenced by landscape composition for any species.

Grasshopper Sparrow, Ammodramus savannarum, …

Factors Influencing The Occurrence Of Birds That Use Feeders In Iowa, David Joseph Horn, Steve E. Fairbairn, Richard J. Hollis

Journal of the Iowa Academy of Science: JIAS

Since its inception in 1984, data from the annual Iowa "Winter Bird Feeder Survey" have provided valuable information about birds that use feeders in Iowa such as spatial and temporal population trends. Using data from the 1988 and 1994 Surveys, we examined how the occurrence of bird species that use feeders was influenced by geographic location, the habitat surrounding a house, and the types of seeds offered at a house. Of the 23 species examined, the occurrence of 8 species was influenced by latitude, 22 species were influenced by the habitat surrounding the house, and 22 species were influenced by …

Identification And Distribution Of Masked And Hayden's Shrews (Genus Sorex) In Iowa, Howard P. Whidden, Alison W. Ray, John B. Bowles

Journal of the Iowa Academy of Science: JIAS

Masked shrews (Sorex cinereus) and Hayden's shrews (S. haydeni) are both reported from Iowa, but the two species are difficult to tell apart and their relative distributions in Iowa have been unclear. We took 13 skull measurements and examined 2 qualitative features on more than 300 specimens of Sorex from Iowa. The vast majority of our specimens could be identified easily by cranial measurements, and more than half could be identified by the relative position of the maxillary plate. We found no evidence for intergradation between the two species. Masked shrews are present throughout most of Iowa, whereas Hayden's shrews …

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 Unionid Mussels Of The Upper Iowa And Turkey River Watersheds, Jim Eckblad, Brett Ostby, Karis Tenneson

Journal of the Iowa Academy of Science: JIAS

The Iowa driftless region occupies an area of about 9,000 km² in the northeastern corner of Iowa and is drained by relatively old entrenched meandering streams. The Upper Iowa River and Turkey River are the largest of these streams. During the period from June, 1999 to October, 2000, a total of 193 sites were surveyed for mussels from the Upper Iowa River, the Turkey River, and their main tributaries. Surveys were conducted by hand using a 10 m bank-to-bank search at each site. Data analysis was facilitated using ArcView GIS. The presence of mussels was recorded at 75% of …

Awards And Recognition, Iowa Academy Of Science, 2002

Journal of the Iowa Academy of Science: JIAS

No abstract provided.

Cover - Table Of Contents

Journal of the Iowa Academy of Science: JIAS

No abstract provided.

Inheritance Of Gray Leaf Spot Resistance In Corn, J. M. D. Crowley, A. R. Hallauer, C. A. Martinson

Journal of the Iowa Academy of Science: JIAS

Gray leaf spot disease, caused by Cercospora zeae-maydis Tehon and Daniels, has become a significant disease in Iowa corn (Zea mays L.) production. Incidence of gray leaf spot has increased with the increased use of conservation tillage practices. The inheritance of resistance to gray leaf spot was studied via use of generation mean analyses for five crosses and via use of 100 S₁ progenies developed from an F₂ population. Experiments were conducted at two locations that included either natural or artificial inoculation with C. zeae-maydis spores. Additive and dominance effects were significant in nearly all instances. Heritability for …

Fungi And Diseases Associated With Cultivated Switchgrass In Iowa, C. E. Gravert, G. P. Munkvold

Journal of the Iowa Academy of Science: JIAS

Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.) is a native perennial prairie grass that is now cultivated as a forage crop and a biomass crop for renewable energy. Biomass yields of switchgrass in southern Iowa have recently dropped significantly in some fields and the reduction has been attributed to disease. A disease survey was conducted in 1999 to assess the prevalence of major diseases in Chariton Valley switchgrass production. There were disease symptoms present on switchgrass plants in each field and thirteen fungal species were identified from leaf, stem, and root samples. Two pathogenic fungi, Tilletia maclaganii and Colletotrichum graminicola, were present in …

Book Review - North American Box Turtles: A Natural History, Neil P. Bernstein

Journal of the Iowa Academy of Science: JIAS

While I have only studied box turtles for four years, from the beginning, I was quickly impressed at the many studies and observations that had been published on North American box turtles. At the same time, I was also frustrated by the lack of syntheses of the material. For the beginning researcher or interested layperson, organizing the studies into a cohesive whole was daunting, and I attempted my own loose compilation that took me most of a summer. However, there is now a new book that provides the background and overview that I sought. C. Kenneth Dodd, a longtime researcher …

Book Review - The Guide To Iowa's State Preserves, Cornelia F. Mutel

Journal of the Iowa Academy of Science: JIAS

The Iowa State Preserves System gives the highest protection afforded by law to sites "dedicated for maintenance as nearly as possible in [their] natural condition." To date, ninety sites have been dedicated as biological, geological, archaeological, scenic, or historic preserves, declaring that such use is the site's "highest, best, and most important use for the public benefit" (State Preserves Act of 1965). In a state as dramatically altered as Iowa, such remnants are of intense interest to professional and amateur naturalists of all inclinations, as well as to anyone who appreciates nature. Yet understanding the basic qualities of these preserve …

Soybean Canopy Gap Influence On Velvetleaf Seed Production, Shawn R. Wright, Micheal D. K. Owen, Douglas D. Buhler

Journal of the Iowa Academy of Science: JIAS

Gaps in the soybean row provide locations for velvetleaf (Abutilon theophrasti) plant growth. Gap width, and velvetleaf plant location within the gap, were investigated for effect on seed production. There was no significant difference in velvetleaf capsule production between plants that grew either centered in a gap or at the western end of a gap in east-west oriented soybean rows. Also, there was no difference in plant survival, emergence through the soybean canopy, flowering, locule number per capsule, or average seed weight of velvetleaf based on gap width. However, there was a difference in capsule production based on gap width. …

Effects Of Cattle Grazing On Woodlands In Central Iowa, Cathy Mabry

Journal of the Iowa Academy of Science: JIAS

Iowa's forests have undergone a dramatic decline in area since settlement by Europeans. Most of the remaining forests have been degraded by an assortment of human impacts, with cattle grazing the most prominent among them. Using a matched pairs study designed to control for environmental differences among plots, I examined the impact of cattle grazing on the forest understory, canopy trees, and tree regeneration. There were distinct groups of understory species associated with ungrazed and grazed plots. Species associated with ungrazed plots were all native and tended to be perennial herbs with fleshy roots. Ungrazed plots also had species preferring …

Science Safety Status In Iowa Schools, Gerlovich A. Jack, Rahul Parsa, Bruce Frana, Theresa Stiner

Journal of the Iowa Academy of Science: JIAS

Between May and December 2001, 574 Iowa science teachers participated in a statewide science safety project supported by financial assistance from the Iowa Department of Natural Resources. Part one of the project focused on assessing the status of safety in Iowa secondary science programs. Part two was to provide teachers with information, tools, and training to address the identified needs. Three safety concerns were identified: one was associated with the age of lab facilities and two were related to safety training of teachers.

Storm Deposition Of Pisoids In The Humboldt Oolite Member Of The Gilmore City Formation (Mississippian), North-Central Iowa, Shawn C. Thomas, John R. Groves

Journal of the Iowa Academy of Science: JIAS

Pisoids (concentrically laminated carbonate grains, > 2 mm in diameter) are abundant in the upper Humboldt Oolite Member of the Gilmore City Formation (Mississippian). Their cortices are isopachous and nuclei include both intraclasts and fragments of preexisting

pisoids. They occur both as floating grams m a fine grainstone matrix and concentrated at the bases of distinct layers that may be crudely graded beds. Sorting characteristics and the presence of broken and abraded pisoids suggest not only their origin as primary free grams, but also storm influence in the deposition of local pisolite layers. Regionally, the upper Humboldt Oolite is characterized by …

Using Authentic Learning To Teach Basic Technology Skills, Steven Burken

Graduate Research Papers

During the past decade, most school districts have been required to write technology plans that have included the goal that students will become technologically literate. Teachers and administrators have been challenged to teach technology skills that will help student solve problems in the work place. What has been commonplace is for schools to offer courses or units in which students acquire skills without applying them to real world problems. This paper takes a look at the literature and research surrounding the use of technology, and the learning of technology skills, in the framework of authentic learning.

Piagetian Developmental Reasoning Levels Of High School Students In Differentiated First Year Chemistry Courses, Pamela Kay Brewer-Michael

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

This research studied the developmental reasoning levels of students in three different first year high school chemistry courses as related to achievement defined by cumulative grade point average and course selection. The Lawson Test of Formal Operations modified by Roy Unruh and Bruce Perry at the University of Northern Iowa was used to determine cognitive developmental level of subjects. A consumer type chemistry course, a traditional high school chemistry course, and an honors course under consideration with Marshalltown Community College for credit status were the three courses utilized in this study. Data was collected in a classroom group setting over …

A Study Of The Validation Of The Constructive Inquiry Science Reasoning Skills Test, Matthew John Stier

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The development of student's science reasoning abilities is a central goal of science education. To meet this goal researchers have investigated the development of science reasoning abilities using a variety of instruments, Classroom Test of Formal Reasoning, Objective Referenced Evaluation in Science, clinical interviews or laboratory process tests. However, while many of these instruments have been designed to test logical thinking, scientific reasoning, and inquiry skills, problems with them include restriction of student choices, guidance, encouragement of guessing, content dependence, testing of cognitive level only, decontextualized questions, developmental inappropriateness, and time/monetary expense. A novel instrument was developed to fill a …

Teaching Nctm Standards Through Subject Areas In The Kindergarten Classroom, Elizabeth Tata O'Neil

Graduate Research Papers

Teachers are being expected to provide a full range of experiences for their students. But in reality, many early childhood programs have reading readiness and literacy as the only focus. In many situations, mathematics instruction is an afterthought. Many students are not given quality instruction because little time in the school day is left, once language arts instruction is completed. This is even more true for students in half-day programs.

One way to alleviate this disparity is to incorporate math instruction within other subject areas. This can be achieved if teachers are educated in the National Council of Teachers of …

The Role Of Environmental Analogs In Identifying Potentially Invasive Woody Plants In Iowa, Mark P. Widrlechner

Journal of the Iowa Academy of Science: JIAS

Americans cultivate a large and diverse range of introduced woody plants as important sources of food and forest products, as well as for urban horticulture, amenity and wildlife plantings, and windbreaks. A small number of these species have become serious pests, disrupting well-established native plant communities or functioning as range and agricultural weeds. More of these species are not serious pests today, but have escaped cultivation and serve as potential sources of future outbreaks. Two other sources of potentially invasive woody plants are found among species that are not or are only rarely cultivated, about which we often know little …

Eurasian Watermilfoil: Status And Management In Iowa, Gary S. Phillips

Journal of the Iowa Academy of Science: JIAS

In 1993, Eurasian watermilfoil (Myriophyllum spicatum L.) was discovered in Crystal Lake, Hancock County, Iowa. During the next three years, new infestations were discovered by the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) fisheries personnel in four Iowa lakes. In July 1996, a program was established by the IDNR to address the threat posed by Eurasian watermilfoil to Iowa's aquatic ecosystems. As part of the Eurasian Watermilfoil Program, statewide aquatic vegetation monitoring was begun to identify those lakes currently infested with Eurasian watermilfoil. Monitoring activities were conducted by IDNR field technicians during the summers of 1996 through 2000. During this time …

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.

Introduced Fungi: Some Cause Significant Plant Disease Problems, Lois H. Tiffany

Journal of the Iowa Academy of Science: JIAS

Species of the three groups of fungi characterized here on the basis of their energy source acquisition have differing potentials for becoming problem organisms following introduction as alien fungi new to Iowa. The decomposer group of fungi that obtain an energy supply by action of extracellular enzyme activity on dead plant tissues typically have perennial mycelium, are cosmopolitan in distribution, and are unlikely to become problems even if established. The second group, the mycorrhizal/lichen group are highly specific in their relationships. The mycorrhizal fungus group have a potential for being introduced as mycorrhiza already established with the roots of particular …