Assessing Summer Pond and Lake Inlet Use by Gray Treefrogs (Hyla versicolor/chrysoscelis complex) Using PVC Pipe Traps in Northwest Missouri

The widespread decline in amphibian populations highlights the need for establishing rigorous monitoring methods for long-term population studies. In an attempt to launch a long-term monitoring study for a Gray Treefrog complex (Hyla versicolor LeConte /chrysoscelis Cope, hereafter treefrog) population in northwest Missouri, I tested the use of PVC pipe traps in a system of ponds and inlets along a lakeside habitat for three years. For each pond (3) and inlet (2), I established an array of 16 pipes so as to compare differences in use between pipe location, ponds and inlets, and sex ratio between sites. Pipes were checked twice a week during the summer for the presence of treefrogs. Treefrog usage of pipes between ponds and inlets were compared using a contingency table analysis, while an ANOVA was used to assess differences in sex ratios between sites (α = 0.05). A single inlet was used by treefrogs more heavily than the other ponds or inlet (G = 13.61, df = 3, P = 0.0035), however, I found no differences in terms of pipe location within a pond or inlet. Mean sex ratio between water bodies varied but did not significantly differ. There appears to be little effect in terms of pipe placement within our 50 m buffer from the water's edge, but unique habitat effects at sampling locations may significantly affect detection rates or usage.

New State Records and Habitat Characteristics for Kloosia Kruseman (Diptera: Chironomidae) from Wadeable Streams in Missouri

First records of occurrence of the midge genus Kloosia Kruseman in Missouri are reported based upon aquatic macroinvertebrate community samples collected during April 2012 and October 2015 from reaches of Grindstone Creek in Dekalb County and South Blackbird Creek in Schuyler County in the Central Dissected Till Plains. Select physical and water quality characteristics from the reaches are also provided.

Note On December Breeding By the Eastern Woodrat (Neotoma floridana)

Collecting mammals in Collin County, Texas a pregnant Neotoma floridana was trapped on 20 January 2018. Examining the three fetuses it was determine that the size of the embryos indicated that the eastern woodrat had bred in December 2017. This record indicates that the breeding season for N. floridana in North Texas starts in December.

Biting the Bullet? Analyzing the Authenticity of “Bitten” Civil War Bullets

The public's attention was recently focused on Civil War history, which has manifested in various ways. One is the market for Civil War artifacts, particularly bullets presumably bitten by soldiers who underwent amputations as a result of warfare. This paper will address a study that analyzed a local museum's “bitten bullets” to determine the authenticity of the claim that the marks were human induced, as well as cover previous studies that focused on this same subject matter. The results of this and previous studies demonstrate that bitten bullets are largely the result of animal chewing and that there remains little to no evidence of humans biting bullets during amputation surgeries.

Cell phone use policies in the college classroom: Do they work?

Our study examined the efficacy of lenient and restrictive cell phone policies. We expected that a lenient policy would be associated with lower quiz scores, greater anxiety, and lower GPA. Additionally, we expected students to self-report using their phones mostly for non-academic purposes. We gave one introductory psychology section a restrictive cell phone use policy while another section was given a lenient policy. We observed how often students used their phones during class in both conditions. At the end of the class period, students took a short quiz over the lecture material. Afterward, they were given a survey that measured demographics, attitudes about cell phone use in class, academic motivation, cell phone use domains, and anxiety. In the restrictive policy condition, students used their cell phones in class at a similar rate as in the lenient policy condition, suggesting that the restrictive cell phone policy was ineffective. Students operated their phones an average of about seven times during the 50-minute class period, mostly for non-academic purposes. Our results contribute to a body of literature showing that electronic devices distract students and decrease the efficacy of the learning environment.

Trichoclinocera (Diptera: Empididae): a new aquatic dance fly record for Missouri

We report first record of the occurrence of the aquatic empidid genus Trichoclinocera Collin in Missouri based upon aquatic macroinvertebrate samples collected during March 2016 from two riffles in East Fork of the Black River in Reynolds County in the Ozark Highlands. Substrate characteristics and notes on habitat from where larval specimens of Trichoclinocera were collected are also provided.

Evaluation of EPT macroinvertebrate metrics in small streams located within the non-connected stormwater management region of Kansas City, Missouri, USA

During 2012-2014, we evaluated macroinvertebrate communities in streams draining the non-connected stormwater management region (Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System, or MS4) within the Kansas City metropolitan area utilizing the Missouri bioassessment protocols. Trends in aquatic life impairment status based on Missouri's Macroinvertebrate Stream Condition Index (MSCI), as well as richness and abundance of EPT indicator metrics (Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera, Trichoptera), were compared between rural control sites and both transitional and urban stream sites representing varying stages of land use conversion. As compared to non-urban control sites, EPT taxa richness was significantly lower at MS4 urban sites during all three years (p = 0.007 – 0.013) and MS4 transitional sites during one of three years (p=0.48). EPT abundance (%) was significantly lower at MS4 urban sites during all years (p = 0.008 – 0.013) and MS4 transitional sites during one of three years (p=0.34). Mean EPT abundances ranged between 0.6% - 10.3% at urban MS4 sites, and always exceeded 18% at control sites. Both EPT richness and abundance were lower at the MS4 control site but means for EPT and other core metrics at this site were most often similar to non-urban control sites based on analysis of variance (ANOVA). MS4 transitional sites with active development in their watersheds were partially-supporting in their impairment status, and EPT metrics had lower means and generally more variability than control sites. Temporal trends indicate non-urban control and MS4 control sites consistently meet fully-supporting impairment status based on overall MSCI scores, but no study sites currently meet regional expectations (as defined by state reference streams) for either of the EPT metrics. Results indicate that Missouri and Kansas biocriteria for both EPT metrics are not consistently being met at any stream sites in the Kansas City metro area, including fully-supporting control sites and MS4 streams that receive stormwater runoff in watersheds with urban development that is well-established or currently transitioning to urban or suburban land uses.