The 20th Anniversary Conference
of the
Association for Biology Laboratory Education
Annual Workshop/Conference
Florida State University, Tallahassee
June 9-13, 1998
The 20th Anniversary Conference of the Association of Biology Laboratory Educators was in Tallahassee, Florida, June 9-13, at Florida State University (FSU). The Department of Biological Science and College of Arts and Sciences at FSU welcome you as we all continue working to enhance the quality of postsecondary biology teaching.
- Conference Highlights
- Membership in ABLE
- Transportation, Accommodations,
Food Service - Conference Registration, Refund
Policy - Laboratory Workshops
- Mini Workshops
- Conference Social Activities, Tours,
ABLE T-Shirt - Leon County/City of Tallahassee, Florida
State University, Tallahassee Weather
| Date | Time | Event | Meet/Location |
| Monday, June 8 | 2:00 pm – 5:00 pm | ABLE Board Meeting | SouthGate |
| 5:00 pm – 7:00 pm | Conference Check-In | SouthGate | |
| 6:30 pm – 9:30 pm | ABLE Board Meeting | SouthGate | |
| Tuesday, June 9 | 7:30 am – 10:00 am | Conference Check-In | SouthGate |
| 9:00 am – 4:00 pm | Field Trip 1: Tall Timbers and Pebble Hill Plantation | SouthGate | |
| 9:00 am – 4:00 pm | Field Trip 2: Marianna Caverns and Torreya State Park | SouthGate | |
| 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm | Field Trip 3: Tallahassee Tour and Maclay Gardens | SouthGate | |
| 3:00 pm – 5:30 pm | Conference Check-In | SouthGate | |
| 5:30 pm – 9:00 pm | Welcome Dinner at Tallahassee Museum | SouthGate | |
| Wednesday, June 10 | 7:30 am – 9:00 am | Conference Check-In | 232 Conradi |
| 9:00 am – 12:00 pm | Major Workshops | Conradi | |
| 12:00 pm – 12:30 pm | Lunch Pickup | Conradi Tent | |
| 12:30 pm – 1:20 pm | Lunch and Learn | 228 Conradi | |
| 1:30pm – 2:30 pm | Mini Workshops | Conradi/Union | |
| 2:45 pm – 5:30 pm | Major Workshops | Conradi | |
| 6:00 pm – 9:30 pm | Dinner at Nicholson Farmhouse | SouthGate | |
| Thursday, June 11 | 9:00 am- 12:00 pm | Major Workshops | Conradi |
| 12:00 pm – 12:30 pm | Lunch Pickup | Conradi Tent | |
| 12:30 pm – 1:20 pm | Lunch and Learn | 228 Conradi | |
| 1:30pm – 2:30 pm | Mini Workshops | Conradi/Union | |
| 2:45 pm – 5:30 pm | Major Workshops | Conradi | |
| 5:30 pm – 7:00 pm | Annual General Meeting | 228 Conradi | |
| Friday, June 12 | 8:00 am- 10:45 am | Major Workshops | Conradi |
| 11:00 am – 12:00 pm | Mini Workshops | Conradi/Union | |
| 12:00 pm – 12:30 pm | Lunch Pickup | Conradi Tent | |
| 12:30 pm – 1:20 pm | Lunch and Learn | 228 Conradi | |
| 1:30 pm – 4:15 pm | Major Workshops | Conradi | |
| 5:00 pm – 10:00 pm | Conference Dinner at Wakulla Springs | SouthGate | |
| Saturday, June 13 | 7:00 am – 9:00 pm | Field Trip 4: Apalachicola National Estuarine Research Reserve | SouthGate |
| 8:00 am – 9:00 pm | Field Trip 5: Saturday-at- the-Sea | SouthGate | |
| 8:15 am – 9:00 pm | Field Trip 6: Wetland Ecosystems of Northwest Florida | SouthGate | |
| 8:30 am – 10:30 pm | Field Trip 7: Upland Ecosystems of the Apalachicola River | SouthGate | |
| 9:00 am – 8:00 pm | Field Trip 8: Canoeing on the Wakulla River | SouthGate |
Leon County/City of Tallahassee
Often described as “The Other Florida” with its deep-rooted history, hills, and southern-style hospitality, the Tallahassee/Leon County area is a different kind of Florida than many expect. Tallahassee offers a blend of the old and the new–from antebellum plantations and Spanish-moss-lined canopy roads of the old South to the cutting-edge technology of the National High Magnetic Field Laboratory and other research at FSU. Tallahassee is home to one
community college, two universities (FSU and Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University), the state government, and a host of private industries and research institutions that all contribute to the vitality and excitement of the region.
The Florida State University System began
the legacy of postsecondary instruction in Tallahassee in 1857 with
the establishment of the Seminary West of the Suwannee River on
the site of present-day Florida State University. In 1901, the campus
became the Florida State College, a coeducational, four-year institution,
but in 1905 the campus was redesignated the Florida State College
for Women. After World War II, as the demand for postsecondary education
increased, the campus again became coeducational as the Florida
State University (FSU).
FSU is a public, fully accredited, coeducational institution.
The main campus is located in Tallahassee, Florida’s capital city;
a smaller campus is located in Panama City, Florida. Approximately
30,000 students are enrolled. FSU’s promixity to the political center
of Florida affords students and faculty opportunities for interaction
with state and federal agencies for internships, research, and part-time
employment, as well as a myriad of social, cultural, and recreational
activities.
Tallahassee weather will be sunny, hot, and humid; temperatures in the 90’s
(F). Indoor temperatures can be cool. We generally have brief showers
in the mid-afternoon on most days. We recommend that you pack lightweight
clothes for both day and evening wear, and include a rain jacket
or umbrella. Short pants are appropriate in most restaurants and
other places. For field trips, shorts or swimsuits are appropriate,
sunscreen and water bottles (you will receive one when you arrive)
are a must, and insect repellent and a hat may be useful.
Transportation Into and Around Tallahassee
Airlines
The Tallahassee Regional Airport is served by U.S.
Airways and Delta Airlines. Delta Airlines is the official carrier for the ABLE
Conference and is offering a discount rate for travel. For information
call 1-800-241-6760, choose Selection 1 if you are traveling from
a US location, or Selection 2 if you are traveling from Canada.
When speaking with the representative, reference the meeting services
file number 112842A and state that you are attending the ABLE Conference.
Ground Travel
Car rentals can be arranged through major companies, such as Hertz,
Avis, Budget, and others. Advanced booking is advised. No campus parking is available,
but conference accomodations are located within easy walking distance
of all conference sites.
Conference Housing–SouthGateCampus Centre
SouthGate is a privately run student dormitory
within a five-minute walk from all conference sites. The rooms have
private baths, two single beds, and all linens provided. A single-occupancy
room costs $25.30 U.S. per day (including tax) and double-occupancy
is $14.30 U.S. per day per occupant (including tax). Room costs
include breakfast in the dormitory restaurant court. Free parking
is available at SouthGate. To make reservations, return the enclosed
form directly to SouthGate at the address on the form. To speak
with someone at SouthGate, call (800) 444-2414. All field trips
will leave from SouthGate.
Additional Lodging–Travelodge Motel
The Travelodge is across the street from most of the conference sites. The
rooms have either two queen-size beds (reservation number QQ26195-1)
or one king-size bed (reservation number QQ26196-1) and cost $36.00
plus tax nightly (total equals $39.60) regardless of the number
of occupants. No breakfast amenities will be provided by the Travelodge,
however a McDonalds and Subway are next door. To make reservations, call the
Travelodge directly at (850) 224-8161 between 8am and 4pm eastern time and
use the reservation numbers.
Food Service
Breakfast will not be provided through conference
registration, but conference attendees who stay at Southgate will
be provided a light breakfast through their dormitory accommodation.
Lunch on field trips and during the conference
will be provided as a part of the registration fees and will be
catered by Marriot Food Services.
Dinner (with the exception of the Tuesday night
Welcome Dinner sponsored by the FSU College
of Arts and Sciences) is not provided through conference registration,
although the several scheduled dinners can be paid for along with
the registration fees (see section on Special Events). A listing
of recommended restaurants in Tallahassee will be included with
the conference packet.
| For conference and housing registration forms, contact Ms. Melanie Welch at (850) 644-7559, Fax: (850) 644-2589 or by email at: register@cpd.fsu.edu. Blank registration forms may be photocopied. Payment must be |
The conference is limited to 150 participants. Space will be assigned
in the order that registration forms are received; priority will
be given to ABLE members whose dues are paid by April 17. Registration
fee for attendees who are not members of ABLE is $200. There is
an additional $25 late-registration fee for both members and nonmembers
after April 17. Accompanying persons may register for $45 and are
invited to attend the Welcome Dinner, lunches, and refreshment breaks.
Pre- and postconference tours, the Conference Dinner, and dinner
at the Nicholson Farmhouse are not included with the registration
fee and must be purchased before the conference (see Registration
Form).
Inquiries regarding conference registration should be directed to:
Ms. Melanie Welch, Registration Assistant
Center for Professional Development
Florida State University
Tallahassee, FL 32306-1640
Phone: (850) 644-7559 Fax: (850) 644-2589
e-mail: register@cpd.fsu.edu
Inquiries regarding the conference program should be directed
to:
Dr. Ann S. Lumsden, ABLE Conference Director
Department of Biological Science
Florida State University
Tallahassee, FL 32306-1100
Phone: (850) 644-6826 Fax: (850) 644-5454
e-mail: lumsden@bio.fsu.edu
If conference registration must be cancelled, fees already paid
less $40 handling costs will be refunded if written notice (fax
is acceptable) is received by the Center for Professional Development
on or before May 15, 1998. No refunds will be issued after May 15,
1998. Participants are responsible for cancelling their own lodging
arrangements.
Registration priority will be given to persons who are current members of ABLE as of April 17, 1998. Membership
fee is $35 annually and includes Conference Proceedings and the newsletter Labstracts. You may join ABLE or renew your membership as part of your registration fees or by contacting:
Nancy Rosenbaum, ABLE Membership Chairperson
Biology Department
Box 208104
Yale University
New Haven, CT 06520-8104
Phone: (203) 432-3864 Fax: (203) 432-3854
e-mail: nancy.rosenbaum@yale.edu
A conference t-shirt has been designed and will feature the conference logo (on the front cover of the printed conference booklet) on the front left breast and the full conference design (also shown in printed booklet) on the back. The shirts will be available for $12 U.S. in a choice of two colors.
Please register for workshop choices by both day and number
Wednesday, June 10
(all workshops presented 9:00 am – 12:00 pm and 2:45 pm – 5:30 pm
unless noted otherwise)
1. Examples of Biology Labs On-Line: Virtual FlyLab and
EvolveIT
Robert A. Desharnais, Department of Biology and Microbiology,
California State University, Los Angeles, CA
The goal of the Biology Labs On-Line project of the California
State University’s Center for Distributed Learning is to develop
interactive, web-based software that supplements traditional laboratory
activities by allowing students to simulate experiments that are
impossible or impractical in an undergraduate biology course. Two
examples will be demonstrated. Virtual Flylab is used to explore
the principles of genetic inheritance by designing crosses between
fruit flies with visible mutations. EvolveIT is used to study the
process of adaptation by altering factors that affect the evolution
of beak morphology in finches. Participants will use these programs
to pose hypotheses, design and carry out experiments, and analyze
the resulting data.
2. Behavioral Adaptation to Environmental Change
Anne Rudloe, Gulf Marine Specimen Laboratory, Panacea, FL
Note: This is an all-day workshop that will depart SouthGate
at 8:00 am and return at 5:30 pm.
The intertidal marsh periwinkle snail Littorina irrorata
is used to demonstrate behavioral adaptation to cyclic environmental
variation. Specifically, on a rising tide, the snails climb up blades
of marsh grass, Spartina alterinflora, remaining above
the rising water level and avoiding predators such as blue crabs.
When the tide falls, the crabs descend to the exposed sediment to
feed. In the lab component, participants will observe the response
of freely moving snails to varying water levels, will graph the
vertical distribution of the snails over time. In a subsequent field
exercise, they will observe the animals in a natural environment
and may photograph them for later use as classroom illustrations
of the animals in their habitat. Participants will want to wear
shoes that can get wet and muddy.
3. In Vivo and In Vitro Development
of the Chicken Heart
Elizabeth R. McCain, Biology Department, Muhlenberg College,
Allentown, PA and Jacqueline S. McLaughlin, Department
of Biology, Pennsylvania State University at Lehigh Valley,
Fogelsville, PA
Both in vivo and in vitro techniques are used
to investigate the development of the vertebrate heart using the
chicken embryo as a model system. Simultaneously, the students are
exposed to the physiology of embryonic blood flow, the electrical
circuitry of the developing heart, and the effects of reproductive
toxins on heart rate. Classical embryological microtechniques, explantation
of the embryo, surgical removal of the beating heart, and isolation
of the heart chambers, are conducted. Student teams devise a hypothesis
concerning the effects of caffeine or alcohol on the in vivo
or in vitro heart rate.
4. Doing Science from Field Observation to Multiple Hypothesis
Testing: A Marine Biological Exercise
William F. Herrnkind and Charles D. Bowling, Department of
Biological Science, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL
Note: This is an all-day workshop that will depart SouthGate
at 7:00 am and return at 5:30 pm.
Personally original field observations can serve to heighten individual
curiosity, the best catalyst to initiate and conduct a scientific
investigation. During an exploratory field trip to a salt marsh,
participants will witness one particularly striking, but not immediately
explainable, behavior by a marine snail. This phenomenon will be
used to initiate discussion by the class of possible biological
explanations, which they will develop into multiple testable hypotheses.
Teams will design, conduct, and interpret brief (hours to overnight)
field and lab experiments to test each hypothesis. This field exercise
will illuminate techniques for an inquiry-based approach to scientific
method applicable to many biological systems. Participants will
want to wear shoes that can get wet and muddy.
5. Non-invasive Recording of Giant Nerve Fiber Action
Potentials from Freely Moving Oligochaetes
Charlie Drewes, Department of Zoology and Genetics, Iowa State University,
Ames, IA
Printed circuit board grids are used to obtain multi-channel recordings
of spikes from giant nerve fibers (i.e., medial and lateral giant
interneurons) of Lumbriculus variegatus, or many other
oligochaete species, in response to tactile stimulation. All-or-none
giant fiber spikes, with exceptional signal-to-noise ratio, are
reliably detected in minutes along the body surface of intact worms
without need for anesthesia, dissection, restraint, micromanipulation,
or microscopy. This investigation involves: (a) mapping of giant
fiber sensory fields, (b) quantification of normal and “supernormal”
conduction velocity, and (c) analysis of spike frequency and directionality.
Details are provided for acquiring/building recording apparatus
and worm cultures.
6. Using Costs and Benefits in Decisions on Foraging Behavior.
Thomas E. Miller, Department of Biological Science, Florida State
University, Tallahassee, FL
Foraging ecology considers the behaviors of all organisms in obtaining
resources. Most resources are distributed patchily in space, with
clumps of high-resource and low-resource areas. Individuals have
to make decisions that balance the costs of moving between patches
with the benefits of going to another area. We will first illustrate
some of the decisions foragers must make using a computer simulation
program run independently by each participant. Then (time permitting),
we will actually act as foragers in an outdoor experiment in which
participants test a mathematical prediction about foraging behavior,
the marginal value theorem, while actually foraging for items in
buckets.
7. Mutant Hunt with Saccharomyces cerevisiae
Brad Williamson, Olathe East High School, Olathe, KS
Mutant hunts are the epitome of open-ended investigations. Every
hunt can lead to potentially unknown mutants. In this investigation
mutations are induced in haploid yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae)
with ultraviolet radiation (UV-C). The survivors are screened for
red adenine mutants, which are then characterized for nutritional
requirements. Mutants produced in both mating types of yeast are
crossed to determine patterns of inheritance. Since two separate
adenine mutants express the red phenotype, the inheritance pattern
is unexpected if both mutants are present. Participants will conduct
the entire protocol of this investigation in a time-shortened format.
8. Ground Cover Vegetation in a Pine Forest in Relation
to the History of Fire
Frances C. James, Department of Biological Science, Florida
State University, Tallahassee, FL
Note: This is a half-day workshop offered on Wednesday
and Thursday mornings. For best birding, it will
depart SouthGate at 6:00 am and return to Conradi
at 12:00 pm.
In this exercise, students have a chance to become familiar with
the plants in the ground cover of a pine forest, to learn something
about sampling techniques in plant ecology, and to make quantitative
comparisons among sites. The group will visit three sites in Apalachicola
National Forest, near Tallahassee, Florida, all of which are being
used for roosting, nesting, and foraging by the endangered Red-cockaded
Woodpecker. Each participant will learn to identify the dominant
plants in the ground cover and to sample this vegetation by taking
transects through it. Fire history affects the ground cover and
also the health of the woodpecker population, but the processes
involved are not well understood.
9. The Boring and the Fouling: Marine Invertebrate Community
Structure
Bowie Kotrla, Department of Biological Science, Florida State
University, Tallahassee, FL
Note: This is a half-day workshop offered on Wednesday
and Thursday afternoons only. It will begin at
2:45 and run until 5:30.
Test panels submerged for differing periods of time allow observation
of the development of boring and fouling communities. These communities
are diverse assemblages of organisms belonging to most major invertebrate
phyla. Participants in this workshop will examine a series of standardized
wood panels submerged for specific periods of time. They will identify
the organisms present at each time interval and will quantify the
spatial relationships of the sessile/boring species.
Thursday, June 11
(all workshops presented 9:00 am – 12:00 pm and 2:45 pm – 5:30 pm
unless noted otherwise)
10. Educational Grantsmanship: A Proposal-Writing Workshop
Joseph Pelliccia, Division of Undergraduate Education, National
Science Foundation, Arlington, VA
Both the National Academy of Sciences and the National Science
Foundation have recently published reports on the future of undergraduate
education in mathematics, the sciences, technology and engineering.
The Howard Hughes Medical Institute has published a book reviewing
initiatives in biology education. All of these studies have emphasized
the importance of focusing attention on ALL students, science majors
and non-science majors, with particular attention to those preparing
to become teachers. The new technologies available and the findings
in the newly published National Standards in Science provide a good
base for creative re-examination of how science is taught. There
are a number of NSF programs and initiatives available for biologists
who want to re-examine the way in which they structure their courses
and laboratories. Included among these programs are ones specifically
targeted towards laboratory equipment. This session will review
those opportunities for support and will include a grant writing
workshop. As part of the workshop, participants will take part in
a “mock panel” review of several proposals actually submitted for
support to the NSF.
11. Investigating Population Growth Rate and Carrying
Capacity
Helen Kreuzer and Ray Gladden, Carolina Biological Supply
Company, Burlington, NC
Students design experiments (or use instructor-provided protocols)
to test the effect of additional nutrients, accumulation of waste
products, and other factors as desired on the growth rate of a population
of bacteria and the carrying capacity of the culture environment.
To monitor culture growth, students regularly measure optical density
and plot it versus time. They must then interpret whether their
manipulations affected growth rate, carrying capacity, or both.
This lab solidifies understanding of the sigmoid growth curve and
the concepts of growth rate and carrying capacity, and provides
a valuable exercise in experimental design. Suitable for general
biology students.
12. Botany Basics: Pressing Plants, Preparing Herbarium
Specimens, and Keying out Unknown Plants (Classification
and Identification)
Loran C. Anderson, Department of Biological Science, Florida
State University, Tallahassee, FL
Preparation of specimens is reviewed, including field collection
(selection of representative material) as well as helpful hints
on pressing, mounting, and storing samples. A brief overview of
the life history and taxonomy of ferns will be given, and then participants
will use dichotomous keys to distinguish and identify ferns of north
Florida.
13. Size and Shape in Biology
Thomas F. Colton, Biological Sciences Collegiate Division, The
University of Chicago, Chicago, IL
This exercise explores the functional implications of body size
and introduces the concepts of isometric and allometric scaling
and the relationships among length, area, and volume in organisms
of different sizes. Each lab group chooses a different set of related
biological specimens varying in size, devises hypotheses about whether
shape changes with size and how that might affect function, and
tests their hypotheses by taking various measurements. The data
are fit to a power function, whose exponent indicates whether scaling
is isometric or allometric. Each group then presents its results
to the class at the end of lab. Specimens available for study include
mussel shells, ruminant jaws, carnivore jaws, dog and wolf skulls,
mammalian femurs, and mushrooms. Participants are encouraged to
complete a web-based tutorial at http://bscd.uchicago.edu/classes/biosci184/LabSched.html
prior to this workshop.
14. Introduction to a Gulf Coast Estuary and Barrier
Island System at the Apalachicola National Estuarine
Research Reserve
Erik Lovestrand, Apalachicola National Estuarine Research
Reserve, Apalachicola, FL
Note: This is an all-day workshop that will depart SouthGate
at 7:00 am and return at 5:30 pm.
Participants will receive an introduction to The National Estuarine
Research Reserve System at the reserve’s office in Apalachicola,
Florida. They will then take a boat trip into the lower portion
of the Apalachicola River to learn about the river’s influence on
the estuary. Participants will also be taken across the bay (weather
permitting) to Little St. George Island for a one-mile interpretative
walk across an uninhabited Gulf Coast barrier island. Information
will involve ecology, history, geology, and habitats of the local
area. The 1852, 100-foot tall lighthouse will also be viewed. Should
weather conditions prevent a bay crossing, participants will take
an extended river trip to explore the ecology and habitats of the
floodplain of the Apalachicola River, including a visit to the Fort
Gadsen historic site. Travel is in an open boat, so participants
should bring suitable rain gear and swimsuit (optional). This field
trip (i.e. no formal lab exercise will be provided) will also
be offered as a postconference excursion.
15. Computers in the Classroom: Designing and Producing
Customized Instructional Multimedia
Ruth E. Beattie, T. H. Morgan School of Biological Sciences,
University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY
Recent advances in multimedia technology have greatly increased
the use of this medium in course instruction. Many instructors are
producing customized instructional multimedia for their own courses.
This workshop will be divided into two sessions: a 1-hour introduction/theoretical
session, which will include a discussion of design considerations
in the development of interactive instructional multimedia, and
a 2-hour hands-on session during which participants will design
and produce a small interactive multimedia package using the authoring
software Authorware. Participants should have basic keyboarding
skills (typing, cutting, copying, and pasting). Prior knowledge
of Authorware software is not required.
16. Outdoor Classroom Learning Station Techniques at St.
Marks National Wildlife Refuge
Robin M. Will, St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge, St. Marks, FL
and Nancy Goodyear, Bainbridge Junior College, Bainbridge,
GA
Note: This is an all-day workshop that will depart SouthGate
at 8:00 am and return at 5:30 pm.
Educators will be exposed to a variety of outdoor classroom learning
stations at the St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge. The activities
will focus on outside, hands-on learning experiences and ways to
translate these experiences to outdoor areas accessible to these
educators. Learning stations will include sampling with dip nets
and identification in both an estuary and freshwater pond; exploring
old field, forest, and stream habitats (a Project Learning Tree
activity); and using a belt weather kit to collect weather data
for a prescribed burn. Educators should come dressed to be outdoors
most of the day. Sunscreen, insect repellent, and comfortable, light-colored
clothing and shoes are recommended. Participants will be provided
with materials and hand-outs as needed for the learning stations.
17. Ground Cover Vegetation in a Pine Forest in Relation
to the History of Fire
Frances C. James, Department of Biological Science, Florida State
University, Tallahassee, FL
Note: This is a half-day workshop offered on Wednesday
and Thursday mornings. For best birding, it will
depart SouthGate at 6:00 am and return to Conradi
at 12:00 pm.
Please see description in the listing for Wednesday.
18. The Boring and the Fouling: Marine Invertebrate Community
Structure
Bowie Kotrla, Department of Biological Science, Florida State
University, Tallahassee, FL
Note: This is a half-day workshop offered on Wednesday
and Thursday afternoons only. It will begin at
2:45 pm and run until 5:30 pm.
Please see description in the listing for Wednesday.
Friday, June 12
(all workshops presented 8:00 am – 10:45 am and 1:30 pm –
4:15 pm unless noted otherwise)
19. Experimental Evaluation of Community Structure in
Aquatic Ecosystems
James M. Bader, Department of Biology, Case Western Reserve
University, Cleveland, OH
Community interactions in aquatic ecosystems are a major area
of ecological research as the relative contributions of “top down”
and “bottom up” forces are considered. This laboratory introduces
a number of models of community structure and their primary assumptions.
We will consider the central concepts inherent to each model and
attempt to develop predictions derived from them. We will focus
most of our efforts on two of the more popular models, nutrient
loading and the trophic cascade. During this laboratory, we will
analyze the nutrient levels, phytoplankton, zooplankton, macroinvertebrate,
and fish populations in three different systems. We will then consider
the outcome of these analyses in light of the predictions generated
from each model.
20. A “Discovery Lab” Investigation into Gene Regulation
Using the Lac Operon
Robert Moss, Department of Biology, Wofford College, Spartanburg,
SC
This lab introduces students to the difficult concepts of gene
regulation, as well as to experimental design and how to design
controls. Students first use various sugars and an enzyme assay
for beta-galactosidase to identify three unknown strains of E.
coli bacteria: a wild-type strain, one lacking repressor
(i-), and one lacking the beta-galactosidase gene (z-). They then
design and perform their own controlled experiments to study various
aspects of the system. Participants will prepare samples with bacteria
and sugars, lyse the bacteria, and perform the enzyme assay. We’ll
discuss the gene regulation, experiment design, and expected pitfalls
during the incubation steps. Participants will receive stab vials
of the bacterial strains used.
21. The Scientific Method: An Introduction Using Reaction
Time
Robert J. Kosinski and John R. Cummings, Biology Program, Clemson
University, Clemson, SC
Students learn the basics of experimental design and statistical
analysis by making an hypothesis about reaction time, gathering
data with software that allows a variety of reaction time tests,
and then analyzing the results using a chi-square median test (also
included in the software). Finally, they write a report. Since the
students are supplying the reaction time data, no plants, animals,
or microorganisms are necessary. Testing reaction time creates a
high level of student interest, and the median test is relatively
easy to understand. However, the students learn that answering even
the simplest questions requires a thoughtful experimental design
and adequate replication.
22. Spectrophotometry and Hemoglobinometry
Gilbert Ellis, School of Natural and Health Sciences, Barry
University, Miami Shores, FL
The major objective of this presentation is to review the principles
of the Lambert-Beer Law and its application to spectrophotometric
determinations in the laboratory. Through the use of a dye, Safranin-O,
a stock solution will be used to demonstrate the concepts of concentrations
through dilutions and the calculation of a standard curve. An absorption
spectrum will be analyzed for the species of Safranin-O, and further
calculations of unknown concentrations of the solution will be determined.
Methodologies for use in the clinical arena will be demonstrated
by the use of the cyanomethmoglobin determination for human hemoglobin
values.
23. Demystifying Hardy-Weinberg: Cellulose Acetate Protein
Electrophoresis of the Lap Locus in White
Campion (Silene latifolia) Populations
Patricia A. Peroni, Department of Biology, Davidson College,
Davidson, NC and David McCauley, Department of Biology,
Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN
This laboratory will allow participants to use the Hardy-Weinberg
Theorem and its assumptions as research tools. Participants will
be provided with collections of seedlings from several populations
of the perennial herb white campion (Silene latifolia)
and will formulate a question regarding the population genetics
of these collections (e.g., Do small populations deviate more from
Hardy-Weinberg than large populations?). They will then use cellulose
acetate protein electrophoresis to obtain the genotypes of individuals
from these populations for the leucine amino peptidase (Lap)
locus. Chi-square tests will be used to compare the observed genotype
frequencies with those predicted by Hardy-Weinberg.
24. Ecosystem Analysis in a Cypress Swamp and Surrounding
Uplands
Ann S. Lumsden, Department of Biological Science, Florida State
University, Tallahassee, FL
One simple approach to ecosystem analysis involves observing the
various plants and animals encountered and measuring the physical
factors that affect them. In this workshop, participants will go
by bus on a field trip to the Tallahassee Museum of Natural History,
located on Lake Bradford, and study the cypress swamp that borders
the lake. The class will be divided into small groups, and all will
participate in (1) a plant walk to identify representatives of major
plant groups and discuss ecological processes in plant communities;
(2) terrestrial sampling to measure physical environmental factors
and to use transect, quadrat, and soil-coring techniques to sample
the organisms; (3) an animal walk to identify animals associated
with swamp ecosystem and discuss life histories, habits, and roles
in the food web; and (4) aquatic sampling to measure physical factors
and to use a plankton net, bottom dredge, dip net, and a seine net
to sample aquatic organisms.
25. Isocitrate Dehydrogenase: Parameters of Enzyme Activity
John H. Williamson and A. Malcolm Campbell, Department of
Biology, Davidson College, Davidson, NC
This workshop will introduce instructors to a three-lab series
that teaches basic enzymology at the Introductory Biology level.
In the first component, students perform assays for NADP-dependent
isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH), they discover that substrate and
coenzyme are necessary for activity, and they investigate the effect
of varying enzyme and substrate concentration. Graphing techniques
are introduced. In the second component, students select and design
an experiment wherein they will modify the environment of the basic
IDH assay. The third component is designed as a symposium at which
the students present their results and critique each other’s work.
26. Mesoderm Induction in Xenopus Embryos
Andrew D. Johnson, Department of Biological Sciences, Florida
State University, Tallahassee, FL
In vertebrate embryos the mesodermal germ layer is formed by an
induction of multipotent cells by signals from yolky cells of the
vegetal hemisphere. Multipotent cells from the animal cap (presumptive
ectoderm) will be incubated in isolation, or they will be incubated
in conjugate with vegetal cells, or with a range of concentrations
of known peptide growth factors. Different concentrations of growth
factor will cause a range of dose- specific mesodermal cell types
to be produced. Typically, the induction of dorsal mesoderm results
in development of notochord which will cause an obvious elongation
of the tissue that is readily apparent under the dissecting microscope.
Tissue can later be assayed for the production of mesoderm by either
histological or molecular methods. This approach allows for the
simple analysis of the effects of unknown growth factors, as well
as for the response of animal cap cells to varying concentrations
of inducer.
Although the final list of mini workshops has not been completed, this year’s one-hour workshops will include
topics such as:
- Unifying the Curriculum: IDH as a Model Enzyme
- Using an Investigative Approach to a Laboratory Exercise on Planarian Behavior
- Sensory Biology: Examination of Electroretinograms from Photoreceptors in the Cockroach
- Introduction to Biological Variation, Hypothesis Testing, and Probability — An Example Using the Winged Seeds (Samaras) of the Box Elder Tree (Acer negundo)
Welcome Reception and Dinner at the Tallahassee Museum
of History and Natural Science. Free of charge.
You will be welcomed to Tallahassee and the 20th ABLE Conference by the FSU College of Arts and Sciences
with a catered southern barbeque feast at north Florida’s finest institution for learning about the history and wildlife of this region. During the evening, you will have the opportunity to tour a 19th-century north Florida farm, a rural church and schoolhouse building, and the Murat plantation home, as well as to see a variety of plants and animals native to north Florida, including the endangered Florida panther. For further information, see the Tallahassee Museum of History and Natural Science website.
Lunch and Learn. Free of charge.
During lunch on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday lectures of general interest have been arranged. Although the lineup of speakers is tentative, we expect to be learning from:
Dr. Norm Thagard, former NASA astronaut and Professor
of Engineering, about his experiences on the Space Shuttle and in
the Space Station Mir;Dr. Lawrence G. Abele, Provost of FSU and Professor of Biological
Science, about teaching evolution at the college level; andDr. Paul Elliott, Professor of Biological Science, concerning
what is understood about the HIV virus and AIDS.
Dinner at the Nicholson Farmhouse. $18.
A dinner has been arranged at the Nicholson Farmhouse, a cluster of authentic farm buildings that serve as a museum to 19th-century north Florida agrarian life. After appetizers of hot, boiled peanuts, the sit-down meal will include your choice of steak (the restaurant’s specialty), chicken, or a vegetarian entree, several vegetable side dishes, and dessert. Transportation to and from the dinner will be provided (the restaurant is about 25 minutes north of Tallahassee near the antique-shopping mecca of Havana, FL).
Conference Dinner at Wakulla Springs State Park. $35.
Wakulla Springs State Park. Take a guided cruise on the Wakulla River to see osprey, anhingas, limpkins, cooters, alligators and more, and then enjoy dinner at Edward Ball’s lodge at Wakulla Springs. During his time as governor of Florida, the lodge served as Ed Ball’s unofficial seat of government, and it remains appointed in the style of the day. The buffet dinner will include a selection of southern favorites served on the porch that overlooks the spring, and entertainment will be provided by a local bluegrass band. The conference photograph will be taken prior to the dinner. Casual attire will be appropriate.
Preconference Field Trips
Tuesday, June 9, 1998
Field Trip 1: Tall Timbers Research Station and Pebble
Hill Plantation. $25.
Tall Timbers Research Station is a private research organization affiliated
with FSU and dedicated to developing our understanding of fire ecology
and the ecosystem dominated by the longleaf pine tree. Explore in
20-year-old research plots at the station and learn about how fire
serves as a stabilizing force in longleaf pine forests–maintaining
diversity in ground cover and ensuring that the big old pines are
not replaced by young hardwoods. Participants may even spot one
of the severely endangered Red-Cockaded Woodpeckers that make their
home in the oldest of these long-leaf pines. The group will then
enjoy a picnic lunch in gracious southern style and tour Pebble
Hill, a 19th-century quail-hunting plantation and wintertime
retreat for wealthy northeasterners. This field trip will leave
from the SouthGate Dormitory at 9:00 am and return by 4:00 pm.
Field Trip 2: Marianna Caverns and Torreya State Parks. $25.
The Marianna Caverns State Park is home to one of north Florida’s
most unusual geologic features: a beautiful network of underground
chambers that are not submerged in the floridan aquifer and are
therefore accessible by foot. Participants in this field trip will
take a 45 minute tour of the caverns and walk the nature trail near
the Welcome Center for a peek at the mature hardwood forests of
northern Florida. At Torreya State Park, the group will enjoy a
picnic lunch near the historic Gregory House, followed by a tour
of this 19th-century cotton plantation home. After the tour, a hike
down the steep banks to the Apalachicola River with Stan Rosenthal,
forester for the Leon County Agricultural Extension Agency, will
reveal a flora and fauna more akin to that of the southern Appalachians
than to any other ecosystem in Florida. This field trip will leave
from the SouthGate Dormitory at 9:00 am and return by 4:00 pm.
Field Trip 3: Tallahassee Tour and Maclay Gardens. $10.
As the state capital, Tallahassee is home to many of Florida’s
cultural collections. In this half-day tour of the town, you will
visit the Museum of Florida History (an anthropological and cultural
musem), tour the historic Old Capitol building, and view Tallahassee
and its surroundings from the top of the new Capitol building. The
tour will finish with a stroll through Maclay Gardens State Park,
a beautiful botanical garden not far from downtown Tallahassee.
This field trip will leave South Gate at 1:00 pm and return by 4:00 pm.
Postconference Field Trips
Saturday, June 13, 1998
Field Trip 4: Apalachicola National Estuarine Research
Reserve. $45.
The Apalachicola National Estuarine Research Reserve (ANERR) is
a research and educational facility operated through the National
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and charged with developing
our understanding of the ecology of Apalachicola Bay and the oyster
fishery that it harbors as well as educating the public about the
Apalachicola River and Bay ecosystems. Participants in this field
trip will (weather permitting) explore by boat and trawl the inhabitants
of the bay and hike across Little St. George Island (a near-pristine
barrier island with beautiful white sand beaches) to explore surf
and dunes along the Gulf-of-Mexico. The field trip will be led by
the educational staff of the NERR. Dinner will follow at The Magnolia
Grill in historic downtown Apalachicola. Participants should plan
to get wet and will need shoes suitable for walking both on land
and in water. Sunscreen and insect repellent are essential. Participation
is limited to 26 people. This field trip will leave promptly from
SouthGate Dormitory at 7:00 am and return by 9:00 pm.
Field Trip 5: Saturday-at-the-Sea. $45.
Over the past 13 years, nearly 10,000 middle-school children have
been introduced to the wonders of Florida’s coastal marine environment
through Saturday-at-the-Sea (SATS). The SATS programis run out of
the FSU Marine Laboratory located in near-pristine waters of the
Gulf of Mexico approximately one hour south of Tallahassee. Participants
in this field trip will explore by foot in saltmarsh and oyster
bar habitats and by boat in the seagrass and submerged sand bottom
habitats offshore with knowledgeable instructors from the SATS program.
Highlights of the field trip include the opportunity to snorkel
in shallow seagrass beds, sorting trawl samples from seagrass and
sand bottom, and dissecting and consuming fresh oysters. Participants
should plan on getting muddy and wet. Sunscreen is a must. Dinner
will follow at the Spring Creek Restaurant. Participation is limited
to 20 people. This field trip will leave SouthGate Dormitory promptly
at 8:00 am and return by 9:00 pm.
Field Trip 6: Wetland Ecosystems of Northwest Florida. $45.
Participants in this field trip will explore the myriad wetland
habitats that dot the Florida coastal plain, and in the process
discover many of the endangered plants that thrive in these threatened
ecosystems. Learn about the unusual geology of this region that
contributes to the development of these boggy places and explore
the cool glades and still waters that provide life to frogs, salamanders,
and dragonflies. Participants should plan on getting wet and muddy.
Dinner will follow at Angelo’s, a local seafood restaurant. This
field trip will leave SouthGate Dormitory promptly at 8:15 am and
return by 9:00 pm.
Field Trip 7: Upland Ecosystems along the Apalachicola
River. $45.
Participants in this field trip will explore in the steepheads
and ravines of the Apalachicola River looking for endangered amphibians
and other organisms more adapted to life to the mountains of the
southern Appalachians than to more typical north Florida habitats.
Learn about processes that lead to the formation of steephead ravines
and come to appreciate these very special places. This field trip
is especially physically demanding. Expect to scramble up and down
very steep off-trail terrain and to return late in the evening.
Dinner will follow the field trip. This field trip will leave SouthGate
Dormitory promptly at 8:30 am and will return by 10:30 pm.
Field Trip 8: Canoeing on the Wakulla River. $45.
The historic Wakulla River winds through lands inhabited for centuries
by Native Americans and, eventually, settlers of European stock.
Participants in this field trip will explore by canoe the slow-moving
waters of the Wakulla and hunt for alligators, manatees, great blue
herons, apple snails, and osprey. Participants should plan on getting
wet (those canoes can be tricky) and will definitely need shoes
that can get muddy and wet. Sunscreen is recommended, and don’t
forget your field glasses. Dinner will follow at The Wharf, a restaurant
that specializes in seafood. This leisurely-paced field trip will
leave SouthGate Dormitory at 9:00 am and will return by 8:00 pm.
The Leach Center, a state-of-the-art fitness center located on campus
has free weights and machines, aerobics classes, raquetball and
squash courts, indoor track and pool, and basketball and volleyball
courts and is available to conference participants for $5.00 per
day. To make use of the Leach Center, check in and pay at the fitness
center front desk.
Important Numbers for Registration
Information:
Ms. Melanie Welch
Phone: (850) 644-7559
Fax: (850) 644-2589
e-mail: register@cpd.fsu.edu
for Conference Information:
Dr. Ann S. Lumsden
phone: (850) 644-6826
fax: (850) 644-5454
e-mail: lumsden@bio.fsu.edu
Conference Command Center (10-12 June only):
phone: (850) 644-9839
Southgate Dormitory:
phone: (800) 444-2414
(850) 425-4200
Travelodge:
phone: (850) 224-8161