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The 20th Anniversary Conference
of the Association for Biology Laboratory Education Annual Workshop/Conference Florida State University, Tallahassee June 9-13, 1998
The 20th Anniversary Conference of the Association
of Biology Laboratory Educators will be held in Tallahassee,
Florida, June 9-13, at Florida
State University (FSU). The Department
of Biological Science and College
of Arts and Sciences at FSU welcome you as we all continue working
to enhance the quality of postsecondary biology teaching.
Leon County/City of Tallahassee Often described as "The Other Florida" with its deep-rooted history, hills, and southern-style hospitality, the Tallahassee/Leon County area is a different kind of Florida than many expect. Tallahassee offers a blend of the old and the new--from antebellum plantations and Spanish-moss-lined canopy roads of the old South to the cutting-edge technology of the National High Magnetic Field Laboratory and other research at FSU. Tallahassee is home to one community college, two universities (FSU and Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University), the state government, and a host of private industries and research institutions that all contribute to the vitality and excitement of the region. Florida State University The Florida State University System began the legacy of postsecondary instruction in Tallahassee in 1857 with the establishment of the Seminary West of the Suwannee River on the site of present-day Florida State University. In 1901, the campus became the Florida State College, a coeducational, four-year institution, but in 1905 the campus was redesignated the Florida State College for Women. After World War II, as the demand for postsecondary education increased, the campus again became coeducational as the Florida State University (FSU). FSU is a public, fully accredited, coeducational institution. The main campus is located in Tallahassee, Florida's capital city; a smaller campus is located in Panama City, Florida. Approximately 30,000 students are enrolled. FSU's promixity to the political center of Florida affords students and faculty opportunities for interaction with state and federal agencies for internships, research, and part-time employment, as well as a myriad of social, cultural, and recreational activities. Tallahassee Weather Tallahassee weather will be sunny, hot, and humid; temperatures in the 90's (F). Indoor temperatures can be cool. We generally have brief showers in the mid-afternoon on most days. We recommend that you pack lightweight clothes for both day and evening wear, and include a rain jacket or umbrella. Short pants are appropriate in most restaurants and other places. For field trips, shorts or swimsuits are appropriate, sunscreen and water bottles (you will receive one when you arrive) are a must, and insect repellent and a hat may be useful.
Transportation Into and Around Tallahassee AirlinesThe Tallahassee Regional Airport is served by U.S. Airways and Delta Airlines. Delta Airlines is the official carrier for the ABLE Conference and is offering a discount rate for travel. For information call 1-800-241-6760, choose Selection 1 if you are traveling from a US location, or Selection 2 if you are traveling from Canada. When speaking with the representative, reference the meeting services file number 112842A and state that you are attending the ABLE Conference. Ground TravelCar rentals can be arranged through major companies, such as Hertz, Avis, Budget, and others. Advanced booking is advised. No campus parking is available, but conference accomodations are located within easy walking distance of all conference sites. Accommodations Conference Housing--SouthGateCampus CentreSouthGate is a privately run student dormitory within a five-minute walk from all conference sites. The rooms have private baths, two single beds, and all linens provided. A single-occupancy room costs $25.30 U.S. per day (including tax) and double-occupancy is $14.30 U.S. per day per occupant (including tax). Room costs include breakfast in the dormitory restaurant court. Free parking is available at SouthGate. To make reservations, return the enclosed form directly to SouthGate at the address on the form. To speak with someone at SouthGate, call (800) 444-2414. All field trips will leave from SouthGate. Additional Lodging--Travelodge MotelThe Travelodge is across the street from most of the conference sites. The rooms have either two queen-size beds (reservation number QQ26195-1) or one king-size bed (reservation number QQ26196-1) and cost $36.00 plus tax nightly (total equals $39.60) regardless of the number of occupants. No breakfast amenities will be provided by the Travelodge, however a McDonalds and Subway are next door. To make reservations, call the Travelodge directly at (850) 224-8161 between 8am and 4pm eastern time and use the reservation numbers. Food ServiceBreakfast will not be provided through conference registration, but conference attendees who stay at Southgate will be provided a light breakfast through their dormitory accommodation. Lunch on field trips and during the conference will be provided as a part of the registration fees and will be catered by Marriot Food Services. Dinner (with the exception of the Tuesday night Welcome Dinner sponsored by the FSU College of Arts and Sciences) is not provided through conference registration, although the several scheduled dinners can be paid for along with the registration fees (see section on Special Events). A listing of recommended restaurants in Tallahassee will be included with the conference packet.
Registration
The conference is limited to 150 participants. Space will be assigned in the order that registration forms are received; priority will be given to ABLE members whose dues are paid by April 17. Registration fee for attendees who are not members of ABLE is $200. There is an additional $25 late-registration fee for both members and nonmembers after April 17. Accompanying persons may register for $45 and are invited to attend the Welcome Dinner, lunches, and refreshment breaks. Pre- and postconference tours, the Conference Dinner, and dinner at the Nicholson Farmhouse are not included with the registration fee and must be purchased before the conference (see Registration Form). Inquiries regarding conference registration should be directed to: Ms. Melanie Welch, Registration Assistant Inquiries regarding the conference program should be directed to: Dr. Ann S. Lumsden, ABLE Conference Director If conference registration must be cancelled, fees already paid less $40 handling costs will be refunded if written notice (fax is acceptable) is received by the Center for Professional Development on or before May 15, 1998. No refunds will be issued after May 15, 1998. Participants are responsible for cancelling their own lodging arrangements. Membership Registration priority will be given to persons who are current members of ABLE as of April 17, 1998. Membership fee is $35 annually and includes Conference Proceedings and the newsletter Labstracts. You may join ABLE or renew your membership as part of your registration fees or by contacting: Nancy Rosenbaum, ABLE Membership Chairperson T-Shirts A conference t-shirt has been designed and will feature the conference logo (on the front cover of the printed conference booklet) on the front left breast and the full conference design (also shown in printed booklet) on the back. The shirts will be available for $12 U.S. in a choice of two colors. Laboratory Workshops Please register for workshop choices by both day and number Wednesday, June 10 1. Examples of Biology Labs On-Line: Virtual FlyLab and
EvolveIT The goal of the Biology Labs On-Line project of the California State University's Center for Distributed Learning is to develop interactive, web-based software that supplements traditional laboratory activities by allowing students to simulate experiments that are impossible or impractical in an undergraduate biology course. Two examples will be demonstrated. Virtual Flylab is used to explore the principles of genetic inheritance by designing crosses between fruit flies with visible mutations. EvolveIT is used to study the process of adaptation by altering factors that affect the evolution of beak morphology in finches. Participants will use these programs to pose hypotheses, design and carry out experiments, and analyze the resulting data. 2. Behavioral Adaptation to Environmental Change
Note: This is an all-day workshop that will depart SouthGate
at 8:00 am and return at 5:30 pm. 3. In Vivo and In Vitro Development
of the Chicken Heart Both in vivo and in vitro techniques are used to investigate the development of the vertebrate heart using the chicken embryo as a model system. Simultaneously, the students are exposed to the physiology of embryonic blood flow, the electrical circuitry of the developing heart, and the effects of reproductive toxins on heart rate. Classical embryological microtechniques, explantation of the embryo, surgical removal of the beating heart, and isolation of the heart chambers, are conducted. Student teams devise a hypothesis concerning the effects of caffeine or alcohol on the in vivo or in vitro heart rate. 4. Doing Science from Field Observation to Multiple Hypothesis
Testing: A Marine Biological Exercise
Note: This is an all-day workshop that will depart SouthGate
at 7:00 am and return at 5:30 pm. 5. Non-invasive Recording of Giant Nerve Fiber Action
Potentials from Freely Moving Oligochaetes
Printed circuit board grids are used to obtain multi-channel recordings of spikes from giant nerve fibers (i.e., medial and lateral giant interneurons) of Lumbriculus variegatus, or many other oligochaete species, in response to tactile stimulation. All-or-none giant fiber spikes, with exceptional signal-to-noise ratio, are reliably detected in minutes along the body surface of intact worms without need for anesthesia, dissection, restraint, micromanipulation, or microscopy. This investigation involves: (a) mapping of giant fiber sensory fields, (b) quantification of normal and "supernormal" conduction velocity, and (c) analysis of spike frequency and directionality. Details are provided for acquiring/building recording apparatus and worm cultures. 6. Using Costs and Benefits in Decisions on Foraging Behavior.
Foraging ecology considers the behaviors of all organisms in obtaining resources. Most resources are distributed patchily in space, with clumps of high-resource and low-resource areas. Individuals have to make decisions that balance the costs of moving between patches with the benefits of going to another area. We will first illustrate some of the decisions foragers must make using a computer simulation program run independently by each participant. Then (time permitting), we will actually act as foragers in an outdoor experiment in which participants test a mathematical prediction about foraging behavior, the marginal value theorem, while actually foraging for items in buckets. 7. Mutant Hunt with Saccharomyces cerevisiae
Mutant hunts are the epitome of open-ended investigations. Every hunt can lead to potentially unknown mutants. In this investigation mutations are induced in haploid yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) with ultraviolet radiation (UV-C). The survivors are screened for red adenine mutants, which are then characterized for nutritional requirements. Mutants produced in both mating types of yeast are crossed to determine patterns of inheritance. Since two separate adenine mutants express the red phenotype, the inheritance pattern is unexpected if both mutants are present. Participants will conduct the entire protocol of this investigation in a time-shortened format. 8. Ground Cover Vegetation in a Pine Forest in Relation
to the History of Fire Note: This is a half-day workshop offered on Wednesday
and Thursday mornings. For best birding, it will
depart SouthGate at 6:00 am and return to Conradi
at 12:00 pm. 9. The Boring and the Fouling: Marine Invertebrate Community
Structure Note: This is a half-day workshop offered on Wednesday
and Thursday afternoons only. It will begin at
2:45 and run until 5:30. Thursday, June 11 (all workshops presented 9:00 am - 12:00 pm and 2:45 pm - 5:30 pm unless noted otherwise) 10. Educational Grantsmanship: A Proposal-Writing Workshop
Both the National Academy of Sciences and the National Science Foundation have recently published reports on the future of undergraduate education in mathematics, the sciences, technology and engineering. The Howard Hughes Medical Institute has published a book reviewing initiatives in biology education. All of these studies have emphasized the importance of focusing attention on ALL students, science majors and non-science majors, with particular attention to those preparing to become teachers. The new technologies available and the findings in the newly published National Standards in Science provide a good base for creative re-examination of how science is taught. There are a number of NSF programs and initiatives available for biologists who want to re-examine the way in which they structure their courses and laboratories. Included among these programs are ones specifically targeted towards laboratory equipment. This session will review those opportunities for support and will include a grant writing workshop. As part of the workshop, participants will take part in a "mock panel" review of several proposals actually submitted for support to the NSF. 11. Investigating Population Growth Rate and Carrying
Capacity Students design experiments (or use instructor-provided protocols) to test the effect of additional nutrients, accumulation of waste products, and other factors as desired on the growth rate of a population of bacteria and the carrying capacity of the culture environment. To monitor culture growth, students regularly measure optical density and plot it versus time. They must then interpret whether their manipulations affected growth rate, carrying capacity, or both. This lab solidifies understanding of the sigmoid growth curve and the concepts of growth rate and carrying capacity, and provides a valuable exercise in experimental design. Suitable for general biology students. 12. Botany Basics: Pressing Plants, Preparing Herbarium
Specimens, and Keying out Unknown Plants (Classification
and Identification) Preparation of specimens is reviewed, including field collection (selection of representative material) as well as helpful hints on pressing, mounting, and storing samples. A brief overview of the life history and taxonomy of ferns will be given, and then participants will use dichotomous keys to distinguish and identify ferns of north Florida. 13. Size and Shape in Biology This exercise explores the functional implications of body size and introduces the concepts of isometric and allometric scaling and the relationships among length, area, and volume in organisms of different sizes. Each lab group chooses a different set of related biological specimens varying in size, devises hypotheses about whether shape changes with size and how that might affect function, and tests their hypotheses by taking various measurements. The data are fit to a power function, whose exponent indicates whether scaling is isometric or allometric. Each group then presents its results to the class at the end of lab. Specimens available for study include mussel shells, ruminant jaws, carnivore jaws, dog and wolf skulls, mammalian femurs, and mushrooms. Participants are encouraged to complete a web-based tutorial at http://bscd.uchicago.edu/classes/biosci184/LabSched.html prior to this workshop. 14. Introduction to a Gulf Coast Estuary and Barrier
Island System at the Apalachicola National Estuarine
Research Reserve Note: This is an all-day workshop that will depart SouthGate
at 7:00 am and return at 5:30 pm. 15. Computers in the Classroom: Designing and Producing
Customized Instructional Multimedia Recent advances in multimedia technology have greatly increased the use of this medium in course instruction. Many instructors are producing customized instructional multimedia for their own courses. This workshop will be divided into two sessions: a 1-hour introduction/theoretical session, which will include a discussion of design considerations in the development of interactive instructional multimedia, and a 2-hour hands-on session during which participants will design and produce a small interactive multimedia package using the authoring software Authorware. Participants should have basic keyboarding skills (typing, cutting, copying, and pasting). Prior knowledge of Authorware software is not required. 16. Outdoor Classroom Learning Station Techniques at St.
Marks National Wildlife Refuge Note: This is an all-day workshop that will depart SouthGate
at 8:00 am and return at 5:30 pm. 17. Ground Cover Vegetation in a Pine Forest in Relation
to the History of Fire Note: This is a half-day workshop offered on Wednesday
and Thursday mornings. For best birding, it will
depart SouthGate at 6:00 am and return to Conradi
at 12:00 pm. 18. The Boring and the Fouling: Marine Invertebrate Community
Structure Note: This is a half-day workshop offered on Wednesday
and Thursday afternoons only. It will begin at
2:45 pm and run until 5:30 pm. Friday, June 12 (all workshops presented 8:00 am - 10:45 am and 1:30 pm - 4:15 pm unless noted otherwise) 19. Experimental Evaluation of Community Structure in
Aquatic Ecosystems Community interactions in aquatic ecosystems are a major area of ecological research as the relative contributions of "top down" and "bottom up" forces are considered. This laboratory introduces a number of models of community structure and their primary assumptions. We will consider the central concepts inherent to each model and attempt to develop predictions derived from them. We will focus most of our efforts on two of the more popular models, nutrient loading and the trophic cascade. During this laboratory, we will analyze the nutrient levels, phytoplankton, zooplankton, macroinvertebrate, and fish populations in three different systems. We will then consider the outcome of these analyses in light of the predictions generated from each model. 20. A "Discovery Lab" Investigation into Gene Regulation
Using the Lac Operon This lab introduces students to the difficult concepts of gene regulation, as well as to experimental design and how to design controls. Students first use various sugars and an enzyme assay for beta-galactosidase to identify three unknown strains of E. coli bacteria: a wild-type strain, one lacking repressor (i-), and one lacking the beta-galactosidase gene (z-). They then design and perform their own controlled experiments to study various aspects of the system. Participants will prepare samples with bacteria and sugars, lyse the bacteria, and perform the enzyme assay. We'll discuss the gene regulation, experiment design, and expected pitfalls during the incubation steps. Participants will receive stab vials of the bacterial strains used. 21. The Scientific Method: An Introduction Using Reaction
Time Students learn the basics of experimental design and statistical analysis by making an hypothesis about reaction time, gathering data with software that allows a variety of reaction time tests, and then analyzing the results using a chi-square median test (also included in the software). Finally, they write a report. Since the students are supplying the reaction time data, no plants, animals, or microorganisms are necessary. Testing reaction time creates a high level of student interest, and the median test is relatively easy to understand. However, the students learn that answering even the simplest questions requires a thoughtful experimental design and adequate replication. 22. Spectrophotometry and Hemoglobinometry The major objective of this presentation is to review the principles of the Lambert-Beer Law and its application to spectrophotometric determinations in the laboratory. Through the use of a dye, Safranin-O, a stock solution will be used to demonstrate the concepts of concentrations through dilutions and the calculation of a standard curve. An absorption spectrum will be analyzed for the species of Safranin-O, and further calculations of unknown concentrations of the solution will be determined. Methodologies for use in the clinical arena will be demonstrated by the use of the cyanomethmoglobin determination for human hemoglobin values. 23. Demystifying Hardy-Weinberg: Cellulose Acetate Protein
Electrophoresis of the Lap Locus in White
Campion (Silene latifolia) Populations
This laboratory will allow participants to use the Hardy-Weinberg Theorem and its assumptions as research tools. Participants will be provided with collections of seedlings from several populations of the perennial herb white campion (Silene latifolia) and will formulate a question regarding the population genetics of these collections (e.g., Do small populations deviate more from Hardy-Weinberg than large populations?). They will then use cellulose acetate protein electrophoresis to obtain the genotypes of individuals from these populations for the leucine amino peptidase (Lap) locus. Chi-square tests will be used to compare the observed genotype frequencies with those predicted by Hardy-Weinberg. 24. Ecosystem Analysis in a Cypress Swamp and Surrounding
Uplands One simple approach to ecosystem analysis involves observing the various plants and animals encountered and measuring the physical factors that affect them. In this workshop, participants will go by bus on a field trip to the Tallahassee Museum of Natural History, located on Lake Bradford, and study the cypress swamp that borders the lake. The class will be divided into small groups, and all will participate in (1) a plant walk to identify representatives of major plant groups and discuss ecological processes in plant communities; (2) terrestrial sampling to measure physical environmental factors and to use transect, quadrat, and soil-coring techniques to sample the organisms; (3) an animal walk to identify animals associated with swamp ecosystem and discuss life histories, habits, and roles in the food web; and (4) aquatic sampling to measure physical factors and to use a plankton net, bottom dredge, dip net, and a seine net to sample aquatic organisms. 25. Isocitrate Dehydrogenase: Parameters of Enzyme Activity
This workshop will introduce instructors to a three-lab series that teaches basic enzymology at the Introductory Biology level. In the first component, students perform assays for NADP-dependent isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH), they discover that substrate and coenzyme are necessary for activity, and they investigate the effect of varying enzyme and substrate concentration. Graphing techniques are introduced. In the second component, students select and design an experiment wherein they will modify the environment of the basic IDH assay. The third component is designed as a symposium at which the students present their results and critique each other's work. 26. Mesoderm Induction in Xenopus Embryos
In vertebrate embryos the mesodermal germ layer is formed by an induction of multipotent cells by signals from yolky cells of the vegetal hemisphere. Multipotent cells from the animal cap (presumptive ectoderm) will be incubated in isolation, or they will be incubated in conjugate with vegetal cells, or with a range of concentrations of known peptide growth factors. Different concentrations of growth factor will cause a range of dose- specific mesodermal cell types to be produced. Typically, the induction of dorsal mesoderm results in development of notochord which will cause an obvious elongation of the tissue that is readily apparent under the dissecting microscope. Tissue can later be assayed for the production of mesoderm by either histological or molecular methods. This approach allows for the simple analysis of the effects of unknown growth factors, as well as for the response of animal cap cells to varying concentrations of inducer. Mini Workshops Although the final list of mini workshops has not been completed, this year's one-hour workshops will include topics such as:
Social Events and Tours Welcome Reception and Dinner at the Tallahassee Museum of History and Natural Science. Free of charge. You will be welcomed to Tallahassee and the 20th ABLE Conference by the FSU College of Arts and Sciences with a catered southern barbeque feast at north Florida's finest institution for learning about the history and wildlife of this region. During the evening, you will have the opportunity to tour a 19th-century north Florida farm, a rural church and schoolhouse building, and the Murat plantation home, as well as to see a variety of plants and animals native to north Florida, including the endangered Florida panther. For further information, see the Tallahassee Museum of History and Natural Science website. Lunch and Learn. Free of charge. During lunch on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday lectures of general interest have been arranged. Although the lineup of speakers is tentative, we expect to be learning from: Dr. Norm Thagard, former NASA astronaut and Professor of Engineering, about his experiences on the Space Shuttle and in the Space Station Mir; Dinner at the Nicholson Farmhouse. $18. A dinner has been arranged at the Nicholson Farmhouse, a cluster of authentic farm buildings that serve as a museum to 19th-century north Florida agrarian life. After appetizers of hot, boiled peanuts, the sit-down meal will include your choice of steak (the restaurant's specialty), chicken, or a vegetarian entree, several vegetable side dishes, and dessert. Transportation to and from the dinner will be provided (the restaurant is about 25 minutes north of Tallahassee near the antique-shopping mecca of Havana, FL). Conference Dinner at Wakulla Springs State Park. $35. Wakulla
Springs State Park. Take a guided cruise on the Wakulla
River to see osprey, anhingas, limpkins, cooters, alligators and
more, and then enjoy dinner at Edward Ball's lodge at Wakulla Springs.
During his time as governor of Florida, the lodge served as Ed Ball's
unofficial seat of government, and it remains appointed in the style
of the day. The buffet dinner will include a selection of southern
favorites served on the porch that overlooks the spring, and entertainment
will be provided by a local bluegrass band. The conference photograph
will be taken prior to the dinner. Casual attire will be appropriate.
Field Trip 1: Tall Timbers Research Station and Pebble Hill Plantation. $25. Tall Timbers Research Station is a private research organization affiliated with FSU and dedicated to developing our understanding of fire ecology and the ecosystem dominated by the longleaf pine tree. Explore in 20-year-old research plots at the station and learn about how fire serves as a stabilizing force in longleaf pine forests--maintaining diversity in ground cover and ensuring that the big old pines are not replaced by young hardwoods. Participants may even spot one of the severely endangered Red-Cockaded Woodpeckers that make their home in the oldest of these long-leaf pines. The group will then enjoy a picnic lunch in gracious southern style and tour Pebble Hill, a 19th-century quail-hunting plantation and wintertime retreat for wealthy northeasterners. This field trip will leave from the SouthGate Dormitory at 9:00 am and return by 4:00 pm. Field Trip 2: Marianna Caverns and Torreya State Parks. $25. The Marianna Caverns State Park is home to one of north Florida's most unusual geologic features: a beautiful network of underground chambers that are not submerged in the floridan aquifer and are therefore accessible by foot. Participants in this field trip will take a 45 minute tour of the caverns and walk the nature trail near the Welcome Center for a peek at the mature hardwood forests of northern Florida. At Torreya State Park, the group will enjoy a picnic lunch near the historic Gregory House, followed by a tour of this 19th-century cotton plantation home. After the tour, a hike down the steep banks to the Apalachicola River with Stan Rosenthal, forester for the Leon County Agricultural Extension Agency, will reveal a flora and fauna more akin to that of the southern Appalachians than to any other ecosystem in Florida. This field trip will leave from the SouthGate Dormitory at 9:00 am and return by 4:00 pm. Field Trip 3: Tallahassee Tour and Maclay Gardens. $10. As the state capital, Tallahassee is home to many of Florida's
cultural collections. In this half-day tour of the town, you will
visit the Museum of Florida History (an anthropological and cultural
musem), tour the historic Old Capitol building, and view Tallahassee
and its surroundings from the top of the new Capitol building. The
tour will finish with a stroll through Maclay Gardens State Park,
a beautiful botanical garden not far from downtown Tallahassee.
This field trip will leave South Gate at 1:00 pm and return by 4:00
pm.
Postconference Field Trips Field Trip 4: Apalachicola National Estuarine Research Reserve. $45. The Apalachicola National Estuarine Research Reserve (ANERR) is a research and educational facility operated through the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and charged with developing our understanding of the ecology of Apalachicola Bay and the oyster fishery that it harbors as well as educating the public about the Apalachicola River and Bay ecosystems. Participants in this field trip will (weather permitting) explore by boat and trawl the inhabitants of the bay and hike across Little St. George Island (a near-pristine barrier island with beautiful white sand beaches) to explore surf and dunes along the Gulf-of-Mexico. The field trip will be led by the educational staff of the NERR. Dinner will follow at The Magnolia Grill in historic downtown Apalachicola. Participants should plan to get wet and will need shoes suitable for walking both on land and in water. Sunscreen and insect repellent are essential. Participation is limited to 26 people. This field trip will leave promptly from SouthGate Dormitory at 7:00 am and return by 9:00 pm. Field Trip 5: Saturday-at-the-Sea. $45. Over the past 13 years, nearly 10,000 middle-school children have been introduced to the wonders of Florida's coastal marine environment through Saturday-at-the-Sea (SATS). The SATS programis run out of the FSU Marine Laboratory located in near-pristine waters of the Gulf of Mexico approximately one hour south of Tallahassee. Participants in this field trip will explore by foot in saltmarsh and oyster bar habitats and by boat in the seagrass and submerged sand bottom habitats offshore with knowledgeable instructors from the SATS program. Highlights of the field trip include the opportunity to snorkel in shallow seagrass beds, sorting trawl samples from seagrass and sand bottom, and dissecting and consuming fresh oysters. Participants should plan on getting muddy and wet. Sunscreen is a must. Dinner will follow at the Spring Creek Restaurant. Participation is limited to 20 people. This field trip will leave SouthGate Dormitory promptly at 8:00 am and return by 9:00 pm. Field Trip 6: Wetland Ecosystems of Northwest Florida. $45. Participants in this field trip will explore the myriad wetland habitats that dot the Florida coastal plain, and in the process discover many of the endangered plants that thrive in these threatened ecosystems. Learn about the unusual geology of this region that contributes to the development of these boggy places and explore the cool glades and still waters that provide life to frogs, salamanders, and dragonflies. Participants should plan on getting wet and muddy. Dinner will follow at Angelo's, a local seafood restaurant. This field trip will leave SouthGate Dormitory promptly at 8:15 am and return by 9:00 pm. Field Trip 7: Upland Ecosystems along the Apalachicola River. $45. Participants in this field trip will explore in the steepheads and ravines of the Apalachicola River looking for endangered amphibians and other organisms more adapted to life to the mountains of the southern Appalachians than to more typical north Florida habitats. Learn about processes that lead to the formation of steephead ravines and come to appreciate these very special places. This field trip is especially physically demanding. Expect to scramble up and down very steep off-trail terrain and to return late in the evening. Dinner will follow the field trip. This field trip will leave SouthGate Dormitory promptly at 8:30 am and will return by 10:30 pm. Field Trip 8: Canoeing on the Wakulla River. $45. The historic Wakulla River winds through lands inhabited for centuries by Native Americans and, eventually, settlers of European stock. Participants in this field trip will explore by canoe the slow-moving waters of the Wakulla and hunt for alligators, manatees, great blue herons, apple snails, and osprey. Participants should plan on getting wet (those canoes can be tricky) and will definitely need shoes that can get muddy and wet. Sunscreen is recommended, and don't forget your field glasses. Dinner will follow at The Wharf, a restaurant that specializes in seafood. This leisurely-paced field trip will leave SouthGate Dormitory at 9:00 am and will return by 8:00 pm. Recreational Activities The Leach Center, a state-of-the-art fitness center located on campus has free weights and machines, aerobics classes, raquetball and squash courts, indoor track and pool, and basketball and volleyball courts and is available to conference participants for $5.00 per day. To make use of the Leach Center, check in and pay at the fitness center front desk. Important Numbers for Registration Information: for Conference Information: Conference Command Center (10-12 June only): phone: (850) 644-9839 Southgate Dormitory: Travelodge: |
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