March 1, 2009

In the News --

• FNR was well represented at the Indiana Chapter of AFS and Indiana Lakes Management Society joint spring conference at the Indianapolis Sheraton January 29-31.  Two hundred people from 81 organizations attended.  Undergraduate Aaron McAlexander won the Best Student Poster award for his poster titled “Impacts of Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations on Fish Communities”.  Kristin Arend won Best Professional Paper for “Evaluating and forecasting effects of hypoxia on yellow perch habitat suitability in central Lake Erie”, and Jon Amberg won Best Professional Poster for “Toward Understanding Gender in Shovelnose Sturgeon (Scaphirhynchus platorynchus); Physiology of Different Genders.”  Congratulations, everyone!
• Illinois-Indiana SeaGrant’s Nab the Aquatic invader web site http://www.sgnis.org/kids/  will be featured in the Smithsonian in the Ocean Hall kiosk and at several other large museums and aquariums around the country.  The museum’s editorial review board also recommended that the site be included on the Smithsonian’s Ocean Web portal.  The technical web work for this site was developed in FNR by Angela Archer.  This project was initially a portion of the SGNIS web site and is now a stand-alone. Congratulations to Angie and IISG!
• Rick Meilan delivered a presentation entitled: “The Genetic Regulation of Heartwood Formation in Black Walnut (Juglans nigra L.)”  at the annual meeting of the Center for Advanced Forestry Systems (NSF), which was held in Charleston, SC, on 10 February 2009.  Co-authors of this presentation were Julie Huang and Keith Woeste.
• Gene Rhodes was the key note speaker at the 2009 annual meeting of the New York Chapter of The Wildlife Society on February 19th in Syracuse New York.  Gene’s talk was entitled “Tools, Tactics, and Teamwork:  Training Today’s Wildlife Professionals for Tomorrow” 

Alumni and Friends in the News--

The cover photo was taken on Elovskiy Mountain in the 200,000 acre Denezhkin Kamen Zapovednik (nature preserve) along the main Ural Mountain ridge in central Russia.  The protection and study of natural ecosystems in Russia’s zapovedniks (strictly protected scientific preserves) are described in an article beginning on page 71.  One of the authors, Anna E. Kvashmina (former M.S. student in FNR), is the Director of the Denezhkin Kamen Zapovednik.

Sam Grober passed away Friday morning, February 27. Sam was the father of the curly poplar that Rick Meilan and Youran Fan have been studying for the past 4+ years.  More importantly, Sam was friendly, helpful, dignified, inquisitive, and passionate about many things in life.  He will be sorely missed and remembered fondly by those who knew him.  A family service will be held on Tuesday morning, March 3, at the Piser Funeral Home, 9200 N. Skokie Blvd.  Skokie, IL  60077.

Publications --

• Busch J.D., Waser P.M. & DeWoody J.A. (2009) The influence of density and sex on patterns of fine-scale genetic structure.  Evolution (in press).
• Dumroese, R.K., Jacobs, D.F., and Davis, A.S. 2009. Inoculating Acacia koa with Bradyrhizobium and applying fertilizer in the nursery: effects on nodule formation and seedling growth. HortScience(Accepted).
• Fike, J.A. and O.E. Rhodes, Jr. 2009. Characterization of twenty-six polymorphic microsatellite markers for the fox squirrel (Sciurus niger) and their utility in other squirrel species.  Conservation Genetics (In Press).
• Fike, J.A., J.C. Beasley, and O.E. Rhodes, Jr.  2009.  Isolation of twenty-one polymorphic microsatellite markers for Virginia opossum (Didelphis virginiana).  Molecular Ecology Resources (In Press).
• Fike, J.A., T.L. DeVault, and O.E. Rhodes, Jr.  2009.  Identification of twenty-four polymorphic microsatellite markers for the double-crested cormorant (Phalacrocorax    auritus).  Molecular Ecology Resources (In Press).
• Gauthier, M.M., and Jacobs, D.F. 2009. Short-term physiological responses of black walnut (Juglans nigra L.) to plantation thinning. Forest Science (Accepted).
  Jacobs, D.F., Salifu, K.F., and Davis, A.S. Drought susceptibility and recovery of transplanted Quercus rubra seedlings in relation to root system morphology. Annals of Forest Science(Accepted).
• Latch, E.K., J.A. Heffelfinger, J.A. Fike, and O.E. Rhodes, Jr.  2009.  Species-wide phylogeography of North American mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus):  cryptic glacial refugia and postglacial recolonization.  Molecular Ecology (In Press).
• Morrissey, R.C., Gauthier, M.M., Jacobs, D.F., Kershaw, J.A., Seifert, J.R., and Fischer, B.C. 2009. Grapevine (Vitis spp.) dynamics in association with manual tending, physiography, and host tree associations in temperate deciduous forests. Forest Ecology and Management(Accepted).
• Olson, Z.H., T.L. Serfass and O.E. Rhodes, Jr.  Seasonal variation in site visitation and scent marking by Nearctic river otters.  IUCN Otter Specialist Group Bulletin (In Press).
• Raizman, E.A., G. Dharmarajan, J.C. Beasely, C.C. Wu, R.G. Pogranichniy, and O.E. Rhodes, Jr.  2009.  Serological survey for select infectious diseases in raccoons (Procyon lotor) in Indiana, USA.  Journal of Wildlife Diseases (In Press).
• Spetich, M.A., A.E. Kvashnina, Y.D. Numkhimovshya, and O.E. Rhodes, Jr.  History, Administration, Goals, Value, and Long-Term Data of Russia’s Strictly Protected Nature Reserves.  Natural Areas Journal 29:  71-78.
• Triant D.A. & DeWoody J.A. (2009) Integrating numt pseudogenes into mitochondrial phylogenies: comment on “Mitochondrial phylogeny of Arvicolinae using comprehensive taxonomic sampling yields new insights”.  Biological Journal of the Linnean Society(in press).
  Turner S.M., Chaves-Campos J. & DeWoody J.A. (2009) Parental relatedness and major histocompatibility effects on early embryo survivorship in Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar).  Genetica (in press).

Funding in February--

• Bickham,John,W., $27,000, North Slope Borough, “Development panel of microsatellite loci and assessement of variability & stock structure in Bering Chukchi Beaufort seas stock of Bowhead Whales”
• Chapman, R., $13,000, Mary S. Rice Grant, “Evaluation of Feathered Woodland Edges as Early-successional Habitat for Wildlife”
• Dunning,John,B,Jr.; Amberg, Shannon,M.; Holland,Jeffrey,D.; Lowe,Zachary: MacGowan,Brian,J.; Pope,Phillip,E.; Rathfon,Ronald,A. and Saunders,Michael, $23,600, Mission Oriented Grant/ARP-CES, “The ecological and socioeconomic impacts of forest management on public and private lands in Indiana”
• Farlee,Lenny, $25,000, USDA-Forest Service, “Conference on Ash Restoration and Utilization”
• Farnsworth,Richard,L and Quagrainie,Kwamena,K., $44,124, University of Illinois Extension, “Illinois Cooperative Agreement”
• Farnsworth,Richard,L., $10,270, Ohio State University Research Foundation, “Preparing coastal communities for climate change: translating model results to prepare ports, harbors and stormwater management facilities”
• Gazo, Rado, $492,000, USDA-Forest Service, “Continuation of the hardwood scanning center development”
• Jacobs,Douglass,F., $10,126.27, University College Dublin, “Exponential fertilization of pedunculate oak (quercus robur L.) seedlings: quality assessment, nutrient budgeting and leach dynamics”
• MacGowan,Brian,J., $10,000, The Nature Conservancy, “Emerging issues in White-tailed deer conservation and management conference”
• MacGowan,Brian,J., $174,223, IN Department of Natural Resources, “Assessment of the short-term response of timber rattlesnakes to even-aged and uneven-aged timber management in Indiana”
• Meilan,Richard, $200, voluntary support from Indiana Arborists Association
• Michler,Charles,H., $114,950, USDA-Forest Service, “Hardwood Tree Improvement and Regeneration Center”
• Pijanowski,Bryan,C., $25,000, The Nature Conservancy, “Risk assessment of prairies to agriculture conversion”
  Prokopy,Linda, S; Goforth, Reuben,R; Bowling, Laura, C; Frankenburger, Jane, R. and Turco,Ronald,F., $320,468, Wabash River Enhancement Corp., “Wabash River: Lafayette-West Lafayette reach proposal for watershed management plan”
• Prokopy,Linda,S and Amberg, Shannon,M., $8,756, PU Discovery Park, “Explaining participation in environmental meetings in Indiana”
• Prokopy,Linda,S and Amberg,Shannon,M., $35,000, Upper White River Watershed Alliance, “Central Indiana stormwater survey”
• Prokopy,Linda,S. and Goforth,Reuben,R., $29,476, Wabash River Enhancement Corp.
• Prokopy,Linda,S.; Amberg,Shannon,M.; Ayres,Janet and Aldrich,Daniel, $24,954, Mission Oriented Grant/ARP-CES, “Public participation in environmental and conservation issues in Indiana”
• Rhodes,Olin,E,Jr., $15,290, IN Department of Natural Resources, “Population genetics of the Allegheny Woodrat in Indiana”
• Rhodes,Olin,E,Jr., $19,800, Arizona Game & Fish Dept., “Genetic analysis of black bear hair samples”
• Swihart,Robert,K., $17,319, Indiana Forestry and Woodlands Owners Association
• Swihart,Robert,K., $17,319, Walnut Council
  Swihart,Robert,K., $5,600, voluntary support from E.I. Dupont De Nemours and Company
• Swihart,Robert,K., $89,482, National Science Foundation, “Collaborative Research: Effects of landscape structure on animal-mediated acorn dispersal and seedling recruitment in the Central Hardwoods”
• Williams,Rod,N., $200, voluntary support from Hoosier Herpetological Society
• Williams,Rod,N; Rhodes,Olin,E. Jr. and MacGowan,Brian,J., $343,505, IN Department of Natural Resources, “Ecology and genetics of eastern box turtles”
• Zollner,Patrick,A., $21,152, Loc Corte Oreilles Ojibwa Community College/USDA, “Impacts of forest structure in Northern Wisconsin on Pine Marten small mammal prey base”

Grad School News--

• Julie Huang successfully defended her dissertation February 18th. The title of her dissertation was Identification and Characterization of Genes Involved in Heartwood Formation in Black Walnut (Huglans nigra L.) Her major professors are Drs. Keith Woeste, and Rick Melian.

Coming Events--

See FNR Calendar or email fnrweb@purdue.edu for more information.

• March 3, 2009	Grad Seminar, Dean's Auditorium, 3:30
  March 10, 2009	Grad Seminar, Dean's Auditorium; 3:30
  March 16-20, 2009	Spring Vacation
  March 24, 2009	Grad Seminar, HORT 117, 3:30
  March 31, 2009	Grad Seminar, Dean's Auditorium, 3:30
  April 4, 2009	Ohio River Valley Woodland & Wiildlife
  April 18-19	Spring Fest

February 2, 2009

In the News --

• Theresa Baker and Marty Brown who were recognized at the annual Administrative/Professional Staff Recognition Luncheon January 22 for 20 years of service to Purdue. 
• Susan Boehme, Indiana Illinois Sea Grant Program, and the entire team associated with EPA-GLNPO that works on legacy act projects.  One of their Great Lakes Legacy Act projects (Tannery Bay, St. Marys River, Sault Ste. Marie, MI) just received an AWARD for ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT from the National Association of Environmental Professionals!
• The University is now using podcasts in their student recruitment efforts.  Check out the FNR podcast featuring wildlife specialist Brian MacGowan at http://www.agriculture.purdue.edu/zipTrips/videotest.html  The video was produced by Ag Com.

Coming Up--

• February 7	Purdue Ag Fish Fry
  February 10	Grad Seminar, Dr. Puettmann
  February 17	Grad Seminar, Dr. Larissa Dehn
  February 24	FNR Career Fair
  February 25-27	Emerging Issues in White-tailed Deer
  March 16-20	Spring Vacation
  May 15-17	Commencement
  May 25	Memorial Day (Holiday)