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Biology Department Newsletter

Volume 6    Number 6    March 7, 2003

Letter from the Editor (menu)
    I hope you enjoy the first issue of the newsletter for the spring semester.  I am on sabbatical this semester and I've gotten sidetracked with all sorts of fun projects.  For example, I've been learning lots using plants to monitor climate changes.  Did you know that during the past 50 years, plants are flowering about 5 days earlier per decade and that this is a likely sign of global warming.

     Late last year I got myself into a little hot water because of a letter I wrote about alcohol.  That incident stimulated me to learn a little more about alcohol and its effects.  One thing in particular that surprised me is that recent research suggests that drinking can have a more debilitating effect in teens and young adults even up to 25 years old (Brain Research) than was previously thought.  For example, studies have shown that subjects aged 18 - 25 performed worse on memory tasks than non-drinkers.  Check out the article and remember the take-home-message is, "just say no."

Student News (menu)

Adam T. Hoffman gave a speech at the Volunteer Stream Monitoring Partnership annual River Summit in November.  He was the invited keynote student speaker.  He got started in stream monitoring as a senior in high school and went to the first summit that year.  As a result he was invited back by Daniel Huff and Kevin Proescholdt.  He even got to meet Belinda Jensen, channel 11 meteorologist, and R.T. Ryback, mayor of Minneapolis.

Laurinda Showen recently presented her Honors Thesis research.  The title of her project is “Behavioral Responses to Models in Relation to the Visual Communication System in Adult Dragonflies (Odonata: Anisoptera).”

Laura Furda (Biology major), Zack Faber (Biology), and David De Grio (Biochemistry) recently judged the Central Minnesota Regional Science Fair that was held at St. Cloud State University.  They were joined by Dr's. Jensen, Reagan, Rodell, and Saupe.

Faculty News (menu)

Dr. Stephen Saupe is an official member of Project Steve which is a list of Ph.D. scientists named Steve (or Stefan or Stephanie) who support evolution.  The project was initiated in honor of Harvard biologist Stephen J. Gould and is designed as tongue-in-cheek means to counter creationist advertisements listing supposed scientists that support creationism. A slogan that has been suggested for this project is:  "Project Steve -- a decisive cream pie in the face of creationism."

Curriculum News  (menu)

Biology of the Pacific Northwest
     This course will be offered Summer 2003.  For more information contact Dr. G Brown or Dr. L Davis.

Sports Medicine Minor
     The emphasis of the old minor has changed away from having a large athletic training focus to more of a sports science, human physical performance and medicine as it is applied to sports academic program.  Students that pursue the sports medicine minor will be required to take BIOL 114 and 214 or substitute BIOL 325 and 326 depending on their specific requirements for their major and/or pre-requisites needed for possible post-graduate programs. Scott Bierscheid, MS, ATC/R 

Interested in Environmental Studies? 
     Many things are happening in environmental studies:  there is a new major, there are new requirements for ENVR minors effective in 2003-2004, there will be a Fall 2003 Environmental Studies Learning Community, new environmental internships on campus, "green dorms" and other green housing options to be offered in 2003-2004, info on summer field programs  taught by CSB/SJU faculty through Superior Studies and the Wild Rockies Field Institute.  For more information, contact Derek Larson directly at x3247 or by email.

Hecua
      Effective Fall 2003, Saint John’s University/The College of Saint Benedict will no longer be participating in the HECUA (Higher Education Consortium for Urban Affairs) programs.

Fall 2003 Class Schedule.
     The class schedule is now available for viewing on-line. 

Senior Biology Majors take the Major Field Test
     One of the little known requirements for a biology major is to take the Major Field Test.  This exam is typically given early during the spring semester of your senior year and was enjoyed in late January by our current crop of seniors.  The reason for this exam is to determine how effective our biology program has been.  We compare the results from this exam with student nationally to determine the strengths of our major.  For more information about this exam, contact Dr. Reagan or Dr. Lust.

Faculty Changes During Spring '03    
      Two biologists are currently missing from the biology department. Dr. J Poff is currently in the Southern Hemisphere directing the CSB/SJU Study Abroad program in Australia while Dr. S Saupe is on sabbatical leave.  We also have a new addition to the department.  We semester we welcome Ms. Marcia Handahl who is teaching Anatomy & Physiology this semester.

Calendar of Events (menu)

Mar 12Biology Seminar:  "Conservation in the Real World:  The work of the Conservation breeding specialist group" - M McGovern.
Mar 19Summer Job and Internship Fair, Alumni Lounge, SJU
Mar 21Friday Forum on China - Dr. W. Lamberts
Mar 22Maple Syrup Festival, St. John's Sugar Bush (radio tower field)
Mar 25Environmental-Related Careers; Quad 170, SJU
Mar 29Maple Syrup Festival, St. John's Sugar Bush (radio tower field)
Apr 2Biology Seminar:  "Climbing gobies of Hawai'i - H Schoenfuss
April 4Friday Forum on Dutch Oven Cooking - Larry & Johanna Davis
April 9Seminar - "How to Avoid Playing God: Faith and Science in Conversation.”  8:00 P.M.; Q 264
April 11Friday Forum on the Bailey Herbarium - Dr. S Saupe
April 12All Campus Scholarship Day - CSB/SJU
Apr 23Biology Seminar:  "The S15 ribosomal protein gene family of Arabidopsis thaliana" - C Jacks
Apr 25Minnesota Academy of Science Meeting
Apr 27Seminar - “Images of Human Life in the Age of Biotechnology.” 8:00 p.m.; Quad 264
June 28Society for Conservation Biology Meeting - Duluth, MN

Biology Club News (menu)

none submitted

Biology Club Officers:

Scholarships/Graduate Study (menu)

Various Scholarship Opportunities (unless indicated, contact the External Scholarship Program Office in HAB 103 for more information)

Links for Scholarships/Grants/Fellowships for Graduate Study

Jobs/Volunteer (menu)

Assorted Opportunities

E-Link
    E-link is an on-line career tool available to CSB/SJU students and alums.  It is a service of the Career Resource Office and can help you find a job, info on a major, access the career calendar of events and lots of other cool stuff.  For more information, contact the Career Resource Office.

Conservation Careers
     Interested in a career in conservation?  Check out the Nov/Dec 2002 issue of the MN Conservation Volunteer.

Web Sites:

Internships/Research (menu)

Links to Summer Research (better check these out soon!)

2003 Summer Internship
     DiaSorin Inc., a leading manufacturer and distributor of in-vitro diagnostic products, has several opening for summer interns.  Must be  3rd or 4th year undergraduate majoring in Biology or Chemistry, have some general laboratory coursework or research experience preferred.  Email for more info. 

R&D Systems Internships
     R&D systems, a Minneapolis biotechnology company, is offering 12 paid internship positions this summer for juniors majoring in biology, chemistry or related fields.  GPA must be 3.0 or higher.    Applications are due in early  April.  Positions include work in these areas: quality control, cell culture, monoclonal  and polyclonal antibodies, immunohistochemistry, proteins, molecular biolgoy, flow cytometry, proteases.  More information is posted outside Dr. Lust's  office (NSC 208) or contact Dr. Reagan or Dr. Wurdak.

Ethnobotany Opportunities

Internship Links

Links for Undergraduate Research

Seminars/Symposia/Field Trips (menu)

Winter Botany Walk
     Before break, Dr. S Saupe was scheduled to give a “Winter Botany Walk” for the Biology Club.  Unfortunately only one person showed up - Dr. Wurdak -  so it was postponed.  Keep posted for a new date/time.

Evolution Lecture
     Dr. Eugenia Scott, from the National Center for Science Education, recently gave a lecture on campus entitled, Why is Evolution so Controversial? 

Friday Forum Seminars
     Three biology faculty members will be presenting a "Friday Forum" this semester.  On Mar 21, Dr. Bill Lamberts will speak about China, on April 4 Dr. Larry & Johanna Davis will give a presentation on Dutch Oven Cooking, and on April 11, Dr. S Saupe will talk about the Bailey herbarium.  Anyone is welcome to attend.  Visit the Friday Forum website for details.

2003 Student Research Colloquium at St. Cloud State University. 
     This year the colloquium is scheduled on Tuesday, April 15, from 11 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. For more information contact the 2003 Coordinator, Professor Leeann Jorgensen. 

Meeting of the Minnesota Academy of Science
     The MN Academy of Science's Annual Meeting and the Winchell Undergraduate Symposium will be held on the St. Paul campus of the University of MN, April 25 & 26, 2003.  Consider submitting a paper or attending.  For more details, contact Dr. Anna McKenna in the CSB/SJU Chemistry Department.

Biotechnology:  Science and Religion in Dialogue
     This spring St. John’s University/The College of St. Benedict will host two nationally recognized speakers on the scientific and religious questions inherent in recent advances in biotechnology, as the start of a three year initiative to introduce our community to some of the major issues at the intersection between science and religion.

     On April 9, 2003, Dr. Ted Peters, of the Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley, will speak at Saint John’s on “How to Avoid Playing God: Faith and Science in Conversation.”  Drawing upon his book Playing God?  Genetic Determinism and Human Freedom, Peters will reflect upon the ethical and theological implications of cloning, stem cell research, and other new techniques in biotechnology.  Dr. Peter’s talk will be at 8 p.m. in Quad 264.

     On April 27, Dr. William Hurlbut, of the College of Medicine at Stanford University, will speak on “Images of Human Life in the Age of Biotechnology.”   Dr. Hurlbut is a member of the President’s Council on Bioethics and researches in both biotechnology and neuroscience.  His talk will be at 8 p.m. in Quad 264.

     These talks are the first in a three year series on science and religion, sponsored by the Metanexus Institute and the John Templeton Foundation. 


Call for Abstracts (Papers and Posters): 17th Annual Meeting of the Society for Conservation Biology.  28 June - 2 July 2003, Duluth, MN
     The 17th Annual Meeting of the Society for Conservation Biology will be held 28 June - 2 July 2003 in Duluth, Minnesota, USA. The local organizing committee is now accepting abstracts for invited symposia, oral and poster presentations. The theme of the meeting, Conservation of Land and Water Interactions, will focus attention on water, forests, wetlands, the Great Lakes and other large lakes and rivers of the world, marine and coastal systems, and associated biodiversity issues. Please note that the topics for invited symposia have already been selected, and that abstracts for symposium presentations are by invitation only.

     Abstracts should be submitted for oral and poster presentations and for invited symposia. Instructions for preparing your abstract are available on the meeting Web site. Please follow the instructions carefully, including all requested information and formatting. Any abstract with errors or omissions will be returned to the sender for correction and runs the risk of missing the abstract submission deadline. Abstracts should be submitted electronically via the meeting Web site. Please visit the URL given below, and note that Web submission is strongly encouraged.

     All abstracts must be received by 10 JANUARY 2003. The local organizing committee will attempt to notify all authors by 21 February 2003 regarding the outcome of the review process.  For More Information: University of Minnesota Duluth, Continuing Education; 251 Darland, 1049 University Drive; Duluth, MN  55812-3011;  Phone: 218-726-7810 --  Fax: 218-726-633; E-mail, web site.

Volunteers Wanted for Society for Conservation Biology's 17th Annual Meeting
     The Student Volunteer Committee is now in the process of establishing a database of volunteers for the meeting.  Volunteer assignments will be awarded on a first-come, first-served basis, depending on your registration number in the on-line database.  In other words, the sooner you get your name and contact information into the online volunteer database, the better your selection of volunteer assignments will be.  As an added incentive for volunteering, the first 100 students who commit to volunteering 12 hours at the conference will have their registration fees waived in exchange for their time. (Additional volunteers will receive reduced registration fees for their time.)

     To get your name in the volunteer database, fill out the volunteer form ON-LINE.  The student volunteer committee will start matching volunteers with their preferred assignments in April, once the Executive Committee finalizes the scientific program.  Come help us make this the best-run SCB Annual Meeting ever!  If you have any questions, please contact David Grandmaison via EMAIL. 

Bird Ecology Seminar
       In January the biology department, in conjunction with the St. John’s Arboretum and local chapter of the Wild Ones – Natural Landscapers, sponsored a visit to campus by Kim Chapman to speak on “The Ups and Downs of Bird Life in a Developing Minnesota Landscape.”  The talk was very informative and described birds that do well in different habitats including suburbs.

Miscellaneous  (menu)

Maple Season Soon Underway
     We will soon be tapping maple trees to make maple syrup in the St. John’s sugar bush, which is north of the radio tower fields.  We will hold two maple syrup festivals this spring (Mar 22 & Mar 29).  You are welcome to come and visit us when we’re out in the field.  Volunteers are always welcome to help collect sap, or perform other tasks.  To be put on our volunteer call list, please contact John Geissler.

GIS Soon Available - update from Dr. D. Larson
      We finally got ArcGIS, the industry standard GIS package, on campus late in the fall.  We purchased a set of lab licenses and a few workstation licenses for ArcGIS.  The SJU Arboretum is moving ahead rapidly with the GIS implementation project funded by the Laid Norton Foundation grant as well.  We're hoping to begin using GIS in some environmental studies classes in 2003-2004, and possibly offering a 1-2 credit course in applied GIS techniques for our students in the near future as well. 

Costa Rica Trip - March 8 -15
     Contact Thom Woodward in the Benedictine Center for Lifelong Learning for more details.

Buckthorn Surveyor Training - Saturday, March 15, 2003
     Learn how to identify buckthorn(s) in their winter attire and how to conduct a neighborhood private property survey for this invasive shrub.  For more information contact Vida Ditter.

Another Reason to Hate Buckthorn (this came from an article that was circulating in one of the listserves – sorry I don’t remember the author)
     A recent study by DePaul University professor Liam Heneghan and Lake Forest Open Lands Association has revealed that buckthorn leaf litter has high nitrogen content and decomposes more rapidly than the litter of most of Chicagoland's dominant native species.

     Buckthorn chokes out healthy plant communities by blocking sunlight. But that's only part of the story. Though nitrogen is a critical soil nutrient, the excess nitrogen from decomposing buckthorn leaves causes a significant increase in the rate of decomposition. Heneghan found that, as buckthorn spreads and dominates a preserve, the rate of decomposition of all forest floor material increases dramatically, adding large amounts of nitrogen to the soil very quickly and modifying the soil composition. He concluded that the increase in nitrogen content could have serious negative effects on the survival of many native plants, even after the buckthorn is removed.

Heneghan found that forest leaf litter virtually disappears each year in the high-nitrogen conditions found in dense buckthorn thickets. As buckthorn encroaches still further, the disappearance of the leaf litter may cause local extinctions of several invertebrate animal species. "This loss in turn may have implications elsewhere in the food chain - affecting the diversity of mammals and birds, for instance," suggests Heneghan. 

An African Update - by Dusty Schuett (Biology Major, SJU ' 04)
     Dusty Schuett (SJU ‘ 05) is currently participating in the CSB/SJU study abroad program in South Africa.  He writes that “we rented a car and drove to Jeffrey’s Bay, a small town about 100 km from [Port Elizabeth] known for good surfing. Since I was one of two in the group that knew how to drive stick, I was chosen to drive one of the cars. In addition to driving on the left side of the road, the driver’s seat is on the right side of the car, so you must shift with your left hand. All in all, it wasn’t too difficult...We checked in to the hostel where we would be staying and arranged surfing lessons for the next morning.  For our surfing lessons, we got to use wetsuits and rental surfboards. While we were out trying to learn, a group of 8 dolphins swam within 20 yards of us!

     On our first morning at Pendla primary school where we will be volunteering every Monday for about 5 hours we were welcomed with a 4 hour ceremony involving amazing indigenous dancing and beautiful singing. The kids are great fun to be around.  Many of them do not even have shoes, yet they are constantly smiling! They seemed very interested in our skin, especially my calves as they kept rubbing and touching them. I soon discovered that many of these kids watch WWF as they kept trying to do wrestling moves on one another.

     Some of us also went on a wildlife tour package. We went to an elephant park in the morning and then to a lion park for the remainder of the day. During the first hour in the elephant park we saw zebras, antelope, ostriches and impalas. Then, we crested a hill to see over 80 elephants drinking at a watering hole,  The elephants walked within 5 feet of our van and one almost charged the van.

     I recently finished up my certification for scuba diving! During our final two training dives we were joined in the water by about 40 Ragtooth Sharks ranging in size from 4-8 feet long!  As I swam up to one to try and get a picture, it suddenly turned and I got an up close view of its teeth from a foot away!

Pollen and Playing With Muck - by Laura Steinkraus
      I went to the seminar entitled "Using Pollen to Perceive Pleistocene-Holocene Phytogeography: Learning History by Playing with Muck", given by Dr. Gordon Brown. Dr. Brown began with an introduction on studying vegetation and why it is important. Studying vegetation helps us to get an idea of what past climates were like, how plants affect climate, and patterns of plant migration in response to climate change. In order to reconstruct vegetation history, one needs data and analysis. The data includes sediment, charcoal, macrofossils, and microfossils. Pollens and spores are specific microfossils that are useful in studying distribution of plants. These are abundant, tough and easy to identify, but there are downsides to using them to gather information. Plants differ in pollen productivity and dispersal, so the data may not give an accurate range of vegetation.

      There are two major ways to reconstruct vegetation. The older method involves studying individual plants, which results in a lot of statistics that can be complicated to analyze. The new method is called a modern analog, which puts together past and present data. For instance, one can take a pollen sample and match it to other samples to find similarities. The only downside is if there are no matches for the sample. This method turns out to be very effective in reconstruction.

      Dr. Gordon also talked about how plant communities are organized. Were they were highly organized or simply a random sample of vegetation? This debate was solved by a scientist who discovered that communities were formed by collisions between migration routes of different plants. Therefore, communities come together mainly by happenstance. Are these communities in equilibrium with the environment? The answer seems to be no in the short term, but yes in the long term. The plants track the climate, which is why there is different vegetation in different climates.

      In the St. John’s area, pollen is being used to track the movements of plants. The pollen data supports the theory that the environment, which is fairly rugged, may not have converted to prairie like the rest of Minnesota. Dr. Brown and his colleagues and students use Lake Hilary for research, and layers of earth below the water are brought up and analyzed to further explore the history of vegetation at St. John’s.    

Arboretum Activities
      The St. John’s Arboretum has been very busy since the last newsletter.  We hope that you’ve had a chance to attend some of their activates including the Moonlight Snowshoe Trek, winter tree walk, and the 4th Annual Owl Hoot.  Keep posted for the annual Maple Syrup Festivals on March 22 and March 29.

News from the Melancon Greenhouse - by Susanna Hynes (menu)
       

News from the CSB/SJU Bailey Herbarium -  (menu) - by Stephen Saupe

    The Herbarium web site is getting a major face lift this spring.  Information about the herbarium is nearly complete.  I am putting the finishing touches on our "Staff and Friends" page which includes photos and brief biographies of assorted "plant wienies."  Check it out.  If you want to be included, or are included and want something changed/deleted/fixed, please contact me.  Once I finish with this section then I will begin to work on materials to make the web site a valuable resource for learning about Minnesota plants.  Click here to visit the web site.

Web Sites Worth A Visit  (menu)
 (have you visited any cool sites lately?  Send us your suggestions)

none submitted

Puzzler of the Week (menu)
 (Do you know any good puzzlers?  Please send us your ideas)

New Puzzler (this puzzler is from the last issue - since there weren't any no entries from last issue, we'll rerun it here)
     Can you solve these word puzzles in which words, letters, numbers, and symbols are juxtaposed in such a way to form a phrase or idea?  For example - YY4U = Too wise for you.  Give it a try:

  1. Food - Food - Food - Food - Food
  2. C | E | L | L
  3. Helix
    Helix
  4. Ion < 0
  5. 25 BSc. M.Sc., PhD., DSc.
  6. ET
    ET
  7. INTESTINE


To enter the competition, simply send your answer (anyone can participate!) to Dr. S. Saupe via email  or snail mail (c/o Biology Department, St. John’s University, Collegeville, MN 56321), campus mail, or simply slide the entry under my office door, SC335). The winner will be selected randomly from among the correct entries.  The winner will receive an official CSB/SJU Herbarium Magnet. Entries are due April 15, 2003.

Joke of the Week  (menu)
 (Have you heard any good jokes?  Please share them with us)

     The Indians asked their Chief in autumn, if the winter was going to be cold or not. Not really knowing an answer, the chief replies that the winter was going to be cold and that the members of the village were to collect wood to be prepared.

     Being a good leader, he then went to the next phone booth and called the National Weather Service and asked, "Is this winter to be cold?" The man on the phone responded, "This winter was going to be quite cold indeed."

     So the Chief went back to speed up his people to collect even more wood to be prepared.

     A week later he called the National Weather Service again, "Is it going to be a very cold winter?"

     Yes," the man replied, "it's going to be a very cold winter." 

     So the Chief goes back to his people and orders them to go and find every scrap of wood they can find.

     Two weeks later he calls the National Weather Service again: "Are you absolutely sure, that the winter is going to be very cold?"

     Absolutely" the man replies, "the Native Americans are collecting wood like crazy!"

Frequently Asked Questions  (menu)

How do I join the biology club?  Contact one of the officers:     

Has anyone graduated with a Biology major and Political Science minor/major? 
     Yes, this is an excellent combination for someone interested in environmental issues and/or law or other area.  Contact your biology department advisor or the Career Resource office to explore other possibilities.   

For more information, contact:

Dr. Stephen G. Saupe
Professor & Herbarium Curator
Biology Department
College of St. Benedict/St. John's University
Collegeville, MN 56321
(320) 363-2782; (320) 363-3202 (fax); ssaupe@csbsju.edu


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