Research: I am currently exploring phenotypic plasticity in amphibian larva. I am very interested in the effects of diet on growth of tadpoles also the effect on the digestive system. I have found that there are effects on digestive system plasticity due to diet. I also wanted to see if any digestive plasticity is observed in the wild. So I have collected tadpoles from natural sites.

My second interest was in marking tadpoles with florescent elastomers, with samples from Northwest Marine Technology, INC. My question was would the mark stay through skin reorganization. I found that when marked on the back the retention was almost 100%. There was a slightly lower growth rate than unmarked. However, this was not significant.

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Ryan Paitz
Senior in Genetics
UMEB participant since Fall 2000
Mentor: Dr. Fred Janzen

Research: My research involves, Differential lipid and protein allocation in the yolks of painted turtles; Age-related variation in egg size and yolk steroid hormones in the painted turtle; The effects of nest site selection and hatchling size on post-emegent migration patterns and survival.

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Amber Cribbs
Senior in Biology
UMEB participant since Spring 2002
Mentor: Dr. Carol Vleck

Research: I have been working in collaboration with Dr. Vleck and her graduate student Mark Haussmann to study the effects of aging on glucocorticoids and immune responses in the male zebra finch. The research involves field work and laboratory techniques including radioimmunoassays.

In August of 2003, I presented a poster at the American Ornithologists' Union meeting at the University of Illinois on how corticosterone, a hormone released in response to stress, varies with sex and season in the house sparrow.

I will be graduating in December of 2003 and plan to attend graduate school focusing on animal physiology and behavior.

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Barbara Kagima
Junior in Zoology
UMEB participant since Spring 2002
Mentor: Dr. Nicole Valenzuela

Research: I am working with Dr. Valenzuela on a microsatellite DNA study of the yellow spotted Amazon river turtle (Podocnemis unifilis). The P. unifilis turtle is vulnerable in much of its range in South America and this study has several conservation implications.

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Erin

Erin Mehsling
Junior in Biology and Environmental Studies
UMEB participant since Spring 2002
Mentor: Dr. David Vleck

Research:
Summer 2002: Looking at nest selection in five different species of songbirds. This summer was basically my orientation to fieldwork. At Hinds Farm in Ames, we were introduced to mist netting (catching birds), banding and measuring birds, we checked nests and weighed eggs/nestlings. I made a poster on my project involving nest orientation and material, and rates of cooling (to see the incubation qualities of the nests).

Summer 2003: Worked at the University of Nebraska at Omaha as a field assistant. We worked with Dickcissels (a songbird). I did not have my own project, but I wanted to work there to get more experience. I learned how to use a global positioning satellite quite well, how to find ground nests, how to do vegetation sampling, and how to use radio-tracking units to locate and record fledglings.

Future research projects: I hope to be working next summer at UNO again, working with a professor there on her project involving the effects of herbicides on sexual selection in Dickcissels. I hope that this study will help with the conservation efforts taking place in the Midwest's prairie lands.

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Christian

Christian Cox
Junior in Biology
UMEB participant since Fall 2002
Mentors: Dr. Eugenia Farrar, Dr. Anne Bronikowski

Research: In the summer of 2003 I surveyed Iowa prairies in an attempt to determine if there is any difference between snake populations between heavily human influenced habitats and relatively untouched areas. The results were inconclusive: no snakes were found.

I also collected stomach contents for three species of the genus Thamnophis (garter and ribbon snakes) to determine if resource allocation in the form of differential diets was how the same area was inhabited by all three species. All snake stomach contents were bullfrogs for all species; this is interesting but not conclusive due to low sample numbers.

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Carrie Sanneman
Junior in Biology
UMEB participant since Spring 2003
Mentor: Dr. Carol Vleck

Research: I have done Radioimmunoassays for DHEA hormone and taken morphometric data in leach's storm-petrels and zebra finches.

I am currently going to be helping Deb Christensen with histology of pituitory gland in zebra finches and would like to continue to work with storm-petrels, possibly continuing with immune function or general avian senescense.

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Nicole Scott
Junior in Biology and Psychology
UMEB participant since Spring 2003
Mentor: Dr. Carol Vleck, Dr. David Vleck

Research: I am currently working with the Lousiana Wildlife and Fisheries and Rockefeller Wildlife Refuge in Grand Chenier, Loiusiana to investigate the relationship between alligator body length and telomere length. I am using a modified version of Mark Haussmann's telomere length protocol to conduct my work. My methods include DNA extraction, gel electrophoresis, Southern blot method, and use of a phosphorimager.

I have also worked with Dr. David Vleck and his work on the metabolism of wintering baby turtles.

I am looking forward to attending Graduate school, studying either animal behavior or reproductive biology.

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Lori Neuman-Lee
Sophomore in Biology
UMEB participant since Spring 2003
Mentor: Dr. Fred Janzen

Research: I am investigating the effects of a common herbicide, atrazine, on embryonic map turtles (G. pseudogeographica). Currently I have forty hatchlings that were subjected to three different atrazine treatments and am conducting behavioral studies on them. I am also looking into sex-reversal and mortality rates.

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Aubrey Heupel
Junior in Animal Ecology
UMEB participant since Spring 2003
Mentor: Dr. Eugenia Farrar

Research: In the Summer of 2003 I worked with gray treefrogs (Hyla versicolor). I was studying their pattern consistency through color change and over time. I am currently looking at when a consistent pattern is present on young gray treefrogs and when it can be used for identification.

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