Patch-Scale Movement Dynamics in the Iowa Grassland Butterflies \u3ci\u3eSpeyeria Cybele\u3c/i\u3e and \u3ci\u3eMegisto Cymela\u3c/i\u3e (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae)

An understanding of the movement dynamics of invertebrates can be critical to their conservation, especially when managing relatively small, isolated habitats. Most studies of butterfly movement have focused on metapopulation dynamics at relatively large spatial scales, and the results from these studies may not translate well for patchy populations within a single nature preserve. In this work we use individual mark and recapture (IMR) methods to follow the movements of two species of butterfly, Megisto cymela (Cramer) and Speyeria cybele F. (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae) within a 240 hectare forest and grassland preserve in central Iowa, USA. Significant redistribution was seen in both species, with 55.7% of S. cybele and 31.1% of M. cymela undergoing interpatch movement. Median movement rates during the study were 105 m/day for S. cybele and 38 m/day for M. cymela, with the top decile moving at a rate of over five times these values. This movement did not appear to be random. S. cybele exhibited directed movement towards patches with high nectaring potential, although not all such patches were selected. M. cymela aggregated in particular prairie patches, especially those with high edge to area ratios, although the reason for aggregation is not clear

IP Teleconferencing in the Wired Classroom: Gratifications for Distance Education

Students have various motivations for participating and engaging in courses offered by distance education technologies over the Internet. While many of these courses have traditionally been Web-based asynchronous offerings, enhanced technology and reduced costs of IP-enabled teleconferenced synchronous course sections are encouraging more institutions to adopt this effective option for delivering important content to several physical locations at the same time. This study examines differential student motivations for participating in local and distance teleconferenced sections of an information technology course, enabled by Internet-based videoconferencing. This research lends support to three hypotheses concerning technologymediated distance education systems. First, that traditional college age students prefer the local section of a distance education course on measures of satisfaction with the teleconferenced course, while non-traditional (age 25-34) students do not share this preference. Second, that older, non-traditional, students rate a distant course higher for satisfaction than do 18-24 year old students. Finally, that the social presence advantages of Internet-enabled teleconferencing appeal more to socially-oriented students than they do to students with a low social orientation. An unexpected, but serendipitous, finding of this research was that the group that could likely derive the greatest benefits from Internet-enabled distance education - older, non-traditional students - also may be more comfortable with the use of that technology, based on their higher reported degrees of selfperceived technical competency

Elucidating the regulation of complex signalling systems in plant cells

The pollen tube represents a model system for the study of tip growth, and the root provides a valuable system to study gene and signalling networks in plants. In the present article, using the two systems as examples, we discuss how to elucidate the regulation of complex signalling systems in plant cells. First, we discuss how hormones and related genes in plant root development form a complex interacting network, and their activities are interdependent. Therefore their roles in root development must be analysed as an integrated system, and elucidation of the regulation of each component requires the adaptation of a novel modelling methodology: regulation analysis. Secondly, hydrodynamics, cell wall and ion dynamics are all important properties that regulate plant cell growth. We discuss how regulation analysis can be applied to study the regulation of hydrodynamics, cell wall and ion dynamics, using pollen tube growth as a model system. Finally, we discuss future prospects for elucidating the regulation of complex signalling systems in plant cells

Paper Session II-B - International Space Station Verification Program Enhancements

The International Space Station ISS is a unique aerospace program. The ISS spacecraft will not be completely assembled and tested on the ground prior to being delivered to orbit. The spacecraft elements and distributed systems are developed by eight different major Product Groups and International Partners and are assembled over 56 months with approximately 38 assembly flights. Consequently, unique and high-technology applications were derived to ensure the verification of the Space Station could be provided. This paper addresses two of the techniques employed to ensure verification could be effectively and efficiently accomplished

Thermogravimetric analysis of biomass-lignite blends for co-combustion

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