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Recent Presentations (2000-2008)

One aspect of science is communicating with other scientists. Use this webpage to find out what presentations our faculty, graduate students, and undergraduates have recently given about their biological research.

2007

• Atterberry-Jones, M., B. D. Peer, and J. Jones.  2007. Cooperative breeding in the Red-headed Woodpecker.  125th meeting of the American Ornithologists’ Union, Laramie, WY.
• Bonnan, M.F., Sandrik, J.L, and Wilhite, D.R. 2007. A combined linear and geometric morphometric analysis of the effect of epiphyseal cartilage loss in Alligator mississippiensis on humerus and femur joint shape: implications for fossil archosaurs. 8th International Congress of Vertebrate Morphology, Paris, France, July 2007.
• Bonnan, M.F. 2007. Bernard Price Institute at the University of the Witswatersrand, Johannesburg, South Afric Seminar Series. Growing Up Sauropod-Style. May 28, 2007.
• Crowell, S. E., B. D. Peer, J. Thomas, and R. Therrien.  2007. The effects of urban noise on the vocal behavior of the Red-winged Blackbird.  125th meeting of the American Ornithologists’ Union, Laramie, WY.
• Dubina, K. M. and B. D. Peer.  2007. Egg pecking behavior in female and male Brown-headed Cowbirds.  125th meeting of the American Ornithologists’ Union, Laramie, WY.
• Neveling, J., Hancox, P.J., Yates, A.M., and Bonnan, M.F. 2007. Sedimentological perspectives on a unique Upper Elliot fossil locality in the northeastern Free State. Palaeontologia Africana, 42 (May 2007): 128.
• Peer, B. D., R. G. Harper, J. W. Rivers, J. A. Frick, M. D. Benson, J. Raabe, B. Blackwell, T. Eshedagho, M. Anderson, B. Wall, and E. Wear.  2007.  Dickcissels, DDT, and cowbirds: An evolutionary equilibrium?  125th meeting of the American Ornithologists’ Union, Laramie, WY.
• Schahl, J. R. and B. D. Peer.  2007. A test of the sensory bias hypothesis for sexual selection in the Common Grackle.  125th meeting of the American Ornithologists’ Union, Laramie, WY.
• Yates, A.M., Bonnan, M.F., Neveling, J., and Hancox, J. 2007. A new dinosaur fauna from the Early Jurassic of South Africa. Palaeontologia Africana, 42 (May 2007): 132.
• Yates, A.M., Bonnan, M.F., and Neveling, J. 2007. A new diverse dinosaur assemblage from the Early Jurassic of South Africa. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology, 27(3A): 169A.

2006

• Bonnan, M.F., J.O. Farlow, and S.L. Masters. 2006. Western Illinois University Biology Seminar. Can You Sex Your Rex? Using Linear & Geometric Morphometrics to Detect Sexual Dimorphism in Femoral Shape in Alligators: Implications for Sexing Non-avian Dinosaurs. November 10, 2006.
• Bonnan, M.F. 2006. Northern Illinois University Biology Seminar Series. Growing Up Sauropod-Style: Long Bone Growth and Locomotion in Dinosaur Giants. November 16, 2006.
• Bonnan, M.F., and Yates, A.M. 2006. The forelimb of the basal sauropodomorph Melanorosaurus and the evolution of pronation, manus shape, and quadrupedalism in sauropods. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology, 26(3A): 44A.
• Bonnan, M.F. & A.M. Yates. 2006. Field Museum of Natural History, Research Seminar Series. The evolution of pronation, manus shape, and quadrupedalism in sauropod dinosaurs: new information from an articulated forelimb of the basal sauropodomorph Melanorosaurus. May 17, 2006.
• Bonnan, M.F. 2006. Clayton State University, Atlanta, GA. Growing Up Sauropod-Style: How the Largest Dinosaurs Grew. April 17, 2006.
• Bonnan, M.F. 2006. Illinois State Museum, Carol C. Hall Science Series Talks for Middle School Students. Walk Like a Dinosaur. April 1, 2006.
• Bonnan, M.F. 2006. Burpee Museum, Rockford, IL: PaleoFest, 2006. Growing Up Sauropod-Style. February 19, 2006.
• Kuehn, M.J., S.I. Rothstein, and B. D. Peer. 2006. Apparent loss of anti-parasite strategies in the absence of cowbirds: phenotypic plasticityor genetic deterioration of defenses in the absence of benefits? North
  American Ornithological Congress, Veracruz, Mexico.
• Michels, A.C. and K.W. McCravy. 2006. Culex preferences for gravid trap infusions. Annual Meeting of the North Central Branch of the Entomological Society of America, Bloomington, IL.
• Peer, B.D., R.G. Harper, J.W. Rivers, M.D. Benson, J.A. Frick, J. Raabe, B. Blackwell, M. Anderson, E. Wear. 2006. Does organochlorine contamination in Dickcissel eggs force them to accept cowbird parasitism? North American Ornithological Congress, Veracruz, Mexico.
• Ribbens, E.  2006. Writing ìCase Clustersî. Poster, Case Study Teaching in Science Conference, Buffalo, New York, Fall 2006.
• Thomas, J.A., Rameriz, K., Boehm, J., Greer, C., Birk, R., and R. Bergren. 2006. Acoustic research on the Pacific white-sided dolphin conducted under a partnership between Western Illinois University and the John G. Shedd Aquarium. American Association of Zoo Keepers. October 19, Chicago, IL.

2005

• Baer, S.G., S. Romano, K.W.J. Williard, and J. Zaczek. 2005. Long-term changes in disturbance dynamics of a floodplain ecosystem: implications of river regulation for forest community structure and regeneration. For: 90th ESA Annual Meeting, August 7-12,2005, Montréal, Canada
• Bonnan, M.F. 2005. Western Illinois University Biology Seminar. South Africa and the Cradle of Sauropod-kind:New Preliminary Information on the Earliest Dinosaur Titans. March 4, 2005.
• Bonnan, M.F. 2005. Illinois State Museum Brown Bag Lecture Series. Inherit the Limbs: A Locomotor Perspective on the Giant Sauropod Dinosaurs. March, 2005.
• Bonnan, M.F.  2005. Des Plaines Valley Geological Society 40th Annual Jewelry, Gem, Fossil and Mineral Show. The Giant Sauropod Dinosaurs. April 10, 2005.
• Bonnan, M.F., Parrish, J. M., Stevens, K., Graba, J., and Senter, P. 2005. Scapular position and function in the sauropodomorpha (Reptilia: Saurischia). Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology, 25(3A): 38A.
• Farlow, J.O., Bonnan, M.F., and Masters, S.L. 2005. Linear and geometric shape changes between sexes in Alligator mississippiensis femora: statistical implications for inferring fossil archosaur sex. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology, 25(3A): 55A.
• McCravy, K.W. and J.E. Willand. 2005. Ecology of ground beetles (Coleoptera: Carabidae) inhabiting west-central Illinois soybean fields and habitat islands. Annual Meeting of the North Central Branch of the Entomological Society of America, West Lafayette, Indiana.
• Michels, A. and K.W. McCravy. 2005. West Nile virus surveillance in west-central Illinois. Annual Meeting of the North Central Branch of the Entomological Society of America, West Lafayette, Indiana.
• Musser, R.O. 2005. Caterpillar saliva beats plant defenses. Proceedings of the 5th Asia-Pacific Congress of Entomology. p. 38.
• Musser, R.O. 2005. The effects of caterpillar salivary enzymes on plant defenses. Proceedings of the 5th Asia-Pacific Congress of Entomology. p.
  171.
  
• Neveling, J., Hancox, P.J., Yates, A.M., and Bonnan, M.F. 2005. Early Jurassic palaeo-environments in the Karoo Basin: Results of a high resolution sedimentological and taphonomic analysis at the Heelbo fossil locality, Elliot Formation (South Africa). Academia Nacional de Ciencias, Gondwana 12, Mendoza 2005 ñ Abstracts.
• Peer, B. D., and S. I. Rothstein. 2005. Inconsistent responses of Common Grackles to cowbird parasitism: Evidence of the decline of grackle anti-parasite behavior. 123rd meeting of the American Ornithologists' Union, Santa Barbara, CA.
• Peer, B. D., McIntosh, C. E., S. Birks, S. I. Rothstein, and R. C. Fleischer. 2005. Complex biogeographic history of shrikes and its implications for the evolution of defenses against avian brood parasitism. 123rd meeting of the American Ornithologists' Union, Santa Barbara, CA.
• Romano, S.P. , James J. Zaczek, Karl Williard, David J. Gibson, Loretta L. Battaglia, and Sara G. Baer. 2005. Soil texture and forest strata relationships of the central floodplain forest, Lower Kaskaskia River, Illinois. In: Proceedings of the Mississippi River Research Consortium, 37th Annual Meeting, April 28-29, 2005, La Crosse, Wisconsin.
• Senter, P., Bonnan, M.F. 2005. Evidence for obligate bipedality in the basal sauropodomorphs Plateosaurus and Massospondylus. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology, 25(3A): 144A.
• Thomas, J.A. 2005. Anthropogenic noise in the Worldís oceans: a whale of a tale. WIU Distinguished Faculty Lecture, 31 March 2005.
• Thomas, J.A. 2005. Can you hear me now? How Funding Research on Captive Dolphins Applies to the Conservation of Wild Populations. The Society for Research Administrators and the National Council of University Research Administrators, May 2005.
• Willand, J.E. and K.W. McCravy. 2005. Diel activity of ground beetles (Coleoptera: Carabidae) in a coalmine remnant and surrounding soybean fields in west-central Illinois. Annual Meeting of the North Central Branch of the Entomological Society of America, West Lafayette, Indiana.

2004

• Anderson, B., and E. Ribbens, 2004. Population dynamics of Opuntia fragilis in Illinois. Illinois State Academy of Science 96^th Annual Meeting.
• Bonnan, M.F. 2004. Inherit the limbs: did near-isometric growth in sauropod dinosaur humeri and femora exapt them for gigantism? Journal of Morphology, 260(3): 280A. 7th International Congress of Vertebrate Morphology, Boca Raton, Florida.
• Musser, R.O. 2004. The role of caterpillar saliva in herbivore offense. Northern Illinois University
• Ribbens, E. 2004. Population dynamics of Opuntia fragilis in Illinois. Lost Mound Research Conference, April, 2004.
• Thomas, J.A. 2004. Anthropogenic noise in the Worldís oceans: a whale of a tale. National Lecture Series at Aquariums Sponsored by National Marine Fisheries Service. October 2004. Shedd Aquarium, Chicago, Illinois.
• Thomas, J.A., J. Brickman, and E. Tanchez. 2004. Diel patterns in underwater sounds production by belugas and Pacific white-sided dolphins at the Shedd Aquarium. European Association for Aquatic Mammals, March 2004. Valencia, Spain.
• Thomas, J.A., Rose, N., Amundin, M., and J. Brokema. 2004. Panel Discussion on the Ethics of Marine Mammals in Captivity. Thomas Moderator. European Cetacean Society, Kolmarden Sweden, March 2004.
• Thomas, J.A. 2004. Panel member at 40th Anniversary Celebration of Hubbs-Sea World Research Institute in San Diego, CA. Topic-the role of graduate education in an Aquarium.

2003

• Anderson, B., and Ribbens, E., 2003. Opuntia fragilis in Illinois is not sexually reproducing. Illinois State Academy of Science 95^th Annual Meeting.
• Au, W.W.L. and J.A. Thomas. 2003. Masked audiogram of a Pacific white-sided dolphin using auditory brainstem response techniques. Oral presentation at the Acoustical Society of America conference. Nashville, TN May 2003.
• Bonnan, M.F. 2003. Giants tie in arms race: geometric similarity in sauropod dinosaur and whale humerus growth. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology, 23(3A): 35. Society of Vertebrate Paleontology, Science Museum of Minnesota, St. Paul, Minnesota.
• Duttlinger, E., and L.A. Jahn. 2003. Comparison of three electrodes commonly used in Electrofishing. 41st Annual Meeting of the Illinois Chapter of the American Fisheries Society, Rend Lake, Illinois.
• Edwards, H. H. 2003. The infection process in magnoliid dicot, monocot and eudicot by Blumeria graminis f. sp. hordei. 8th International Congress of Plant Pathology Meeting.
• Harkness, M., L.A. Jahn, and K. Synder. 2003. The effect of clam shrimp control measures on walleye production. 41st Annual Meeting of the Illinois Chapter of the American Fisheries Society, Rend Lake, Illinois.
• A. M. Kuhrts, J.-K. Huang, R.V. Gessner, and K.C. Keudell. 2003. Partial purification of lipoxygenase from Pseudomonas aeruginosa WIU-JS. Experimental Biology Meeting, San Diego.
• A. M. Kuhrts, J.-K. Huang, R.V. Gessner, and K.C. Keudell, 2003. Partial purification of enzyme from Pseudomonas aeruginosa (WIU-JS) responsible for bioconversion of Oleic Acid to 7-hydroxy-8-octadecenoic acid and 7, 10-dihydroxy-8(e)-octadecenoic acid. Illinois State Academy of Science 95^th Annual Meeting.
• McCravy, K.W. and J. Willand. 2003. Islands in the beans: ground beetle (Coleoptera: Carabidae) diversity of coal mine remnants and soybean fields in West-Central Illinois. Annual Meeting of the Entomological Society of America, Cincinnati, Ohio.
• Musser, R.O. 2003. Multi-functional role of caterpillar saliva. Entomological Society of America, Cinncinnati, Ohio.
• J. Rousseau, E. Ribbens, and T.H. Alton. 2003. Anti-herbivoral and anti-bacterial properties of Guaiacum sanctum (Zygophyllaceae). Illinois State Academy of Science 95^th Annual Meeting.
• M. Terranova, J. Huang, and K.C. Keudell. 2003. An Analysis of Escherichia coli strains based on cellular fatty acid profiles. Illinois State Academy of Science 95^th Annual Meeting.
• Thomas, J.A. 2003. A graduate certificate in zoo & aquaria studies. European Association for Aquatic Mammals. Oral Presentation. March 2003.
• Thomas, J.A. 2003. Status of Aquatic Mammals. European Association for Aquatic Mammals. Oral Presentation. March 2003.
• Thomas, J.A. and K. Buccarelli. 2003. Environmental enrichment of captive bears at the Lincoln Park Zoo. European Association for Aquatic Mammals. Oral Presentation. March 2003.

2002

• Berisford, C.W., C. Asaro, M.J. Dalusky, C.J. Fettig, K.W. McCravy, and J.T. Nowak. 2002. The Nantucket pine tip moth: problems and solutions. Annual Meeting of the Society of American Foresters, Winston-Salem, North Carolina.
• Bonnan, M.F. 2002. Pes anatomy in sauropod dinosaurs: implications for functional morphology, evolution, and phylogeny. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology, 22(3A):38. Society of Vertebrate Paleontology, Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History, University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma.
• Corradin, L., Ribbens, E. 2002. Examining integration in clonal plants with Saxifraga stolonifera (Saxifragaceae). Illinois Academy of Sciences Annual Meeting.
• Edwards, H. H. 2002. Primary germ tube formation by conidia of Blumeria graminis hordei on leaf epidermal cells of Hordeum vulgare and Arabidopsis. 2002 American Phytopathological Society Annual Meeting. Phytopathology 92:S23.
• Meagher, S. 2002. Genetic diversity and parasitism in rodent-nematode systems. Department of Biology, Truman State University, Kirksville, MO. (invited seminar).
• Meagher, S, Dudek, S.N. 2002. Physiological consequences of Trichinella spiralis infection in oldfield mice (Peromyscus polionotus). Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology, Anaheim, CA.
• Romano, S.P. , James J. Zaczek, Sara Baer, and Karl Williard. 2002. Forest communities across a toposequence in a hydrologically modified floodplain. For: Association of Southeastern Biologists, Appalachian State University, Boone, North Carolina, April 10-13, 2002.
• Smallwood, P.D., Terzaghi, W., Carlson, J.E., Ward, J.E., Contreras, T.A., Ribbens, E., Mank, J.E., Steele., M.A. 2002. Searching for effects of animal dispersal on the distribution of oak seedlings. Ecological Society of America Annual Meeting. Bulletin of the Ecological Society of America (supplement) 83(2).
• Wedel, M.J., Bonnan, M.F., and Sanders, R.K. 2002. Two previously unreported sauropod dinosaurs from the Upper Jurassic Morrison Formation of Oklahoma. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology, 22(3A):118. Society of Vertebrate Paleontology, Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History, University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma.

2001

• Bonnan, M.F. 2001. Separating size from shape: using thin-plate splines to evaluate humerus functional morphology in Apatosaurus, Diplodocus, and Camarasaurus. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology, 21(3A):34-35.
• Dudek, S. and S. Meagher. 2001. Physiological consequences of Trichinella spiralis infection in oldfield mice (Peromyscus polionotus). Annual Midwest Conference on Parasitology (AMCOP), Charleston, IL.
• Dudek, S. and S. Meagher. 2001. Physiological consequences of Trichinella spiralis infection in oldfield mice (Peromyscus polionotus). Illinois State Academy of Science, Macomb, IL.
• Heinemeyer, H., and J.A. Thomas. 2001. Patterns of echolocation in a group of semi-captive Atlantic bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) in Roatan, Honduras.
• Jahn, L.A., and S.R. Zimmerman. 2001. An assessment of the fishes of the Upper Illinois/Mason River Basin using the index of biotic integrity. Third Illinois Renewable Natural Resources Conference, Peoria, IL.
• Meagher, S., D. J. Penn, and W. K. Potts. 2001. Male-male competition magnifies inbreeding depression in wild house mice. Society for Conservation Biology, Hilo, HI. 
• Ribbens, E. 2001. Pawpaw (Asimina triloba) population ecology: mature forest understory vs. forest edges. Ecological Society of America Annual Meeting. Bulletin of the Ecological Society of America (supplement) 82(2).
• Ribbens, E. 2001. Using Recruits to model the spatial distribution of tree seeds and seedlings. Presentation, Montpellier Workshop on Modeling Long-Distance Dispersal and Estimating Responses to Global Climate Change, Montpellier, France.
• Romano, S.P. , James J. Zaczek, Karl Williard, Andrew Carver, and Jean Mangun. 2001. The relationship of toposequence to riparian forest communities in a hydrologically modified floodplain. In: Proceedings of the Society of American Foresters National Convention, Denver, Colorado, September 13-17, 2001.
• Romano, S.P., J. J. Zaczek, K. Williard, A. Carver, and J. Mangun. 2001. Lower Kaskaskia River Riparian Forest Ecology. In: Proceedings of the Third Illinois Renewable Natural Resources Conference, Peoria, Illinois, March 6-9, 2001.
• Thomas, J.A. 2001. Poster Presentation: Society for Marine Mammalogy Conference, Vancouver, BC.
• Thomas, J.A. 2001. The Vocal Monotony of Monogamy. Invited symposium speaker. Society for Marine Mammalogy Conference, Vancouver, BC. December 2001.
• Whitten, J.A., and J.A. Thomas. 2001. Analysis of whistles from Pacific white-sided dolphins at the John G. Shedd Aquarium. Poster presentation. Society for Marine Mammalogy Conference, Vancouver, BC. December 2001.

2000

• Bonnan, M.F. 2000. The functional morphology of the diplodocid and camarasaurid sauropod humerus: a comparative approach using shape analysis techniques. Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology's Division of Vertebrate Morphology, Second Midwest Regional Meeting Abstracts.
• Hilsabeck, R., J. Haas, and L.A. Jahn. 2000. Effects of introducing flathead catfish (Pylodictus olivaris) into a west-central Illinois water supply reservoir. 38th Annual Meeting of the Illinois Chapter of the American Fisheries Society, Mt. Vernon, Illinois.
• Meagher, S. and W. K. Potts. 2000. Inbreeding depression of nematode resistance in Mus domesticus. American Society of Parasitologists, San Juan, Puerto Rico.
• Nowak, J.T., K.W. McCravy, C.J. Fettig, and C.W. Berisford. 2000. Toxicity of four insecticides to parasitoids of the Nantucket pine tip moth. Annual Southern Forest Insect Work Conference, Memphis, Tennessee.
• Ribbens, E. 2000. Opuntia fragilis (Nutt.) Haw (Cactaceae): Clinging to the edge. Biology of Small Populations Conference, Chicago Botanic Garden Janet Meakin Poor Research Symposium V.
• Thomas, J.A. 2000. Acoustic considerations in conserving the Florida manatee. Manatee Technical Advisory Council meeting, May 15, 2000.
• Thomas, J.A., K.T. Ramirez, and M. Jalili. 2000. Masked hearing in Pacific white-sided dolphin. Oral presentation. European Association of Aquatic Mammals.
• Thomas, J.A., K.T. Ramirez, and M. Jalili. 2000. Masked hearing in a Pacific white-sided dolphin. Oral presentation. Acoustical Society of America.