Sectional Meetings Details of Technical Meetings Follow
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Sectional Meetings Details of technical meetings follow. See map for building locations. Bus- iness meetings are scheduled for each section. An important item of business is the election of officers. A. ZOOLOGY MORNING SESSION 1 KAUKE HALL F. LEE ST. JOHN, PRESIDING EFFECTS OF CALCIUM MODULATING DRUGS ON INSECT CENTRAL NERVOUS TISSUE. Kevin M. Hoffman & George F. Shambaugh, Department of Entomology, Ohio Agricultural Research & Development CEnter, Wooster, OHIO 44691 9:00 Drugs which modulate the movements of calcium ions into or within cells were perfused over the desheathed, last abdominal ganglion of the cockroach, Nauphoeta cinerea (Olivier). Synaptic transmission, endogenous spike activity, summed post-synaptic potentials and ganglionic polarization were measured. Sodium nitroprusside in low concentrations caused repetitive firing of giant interneurons after faradic stimulation. CONNECTIONS BETWEEN THE NUCLEUS BASALIS AND THE ARCHISTRIATUM IN THE MALLARD. Patrick Work, Department of Biological Sciences, Kent State University, Kent, Ohio 44242. 9:15 Research reported here is part of a study of the feeding mechanism of the mallard duck (Anas platyrhynchos) which is being conducted at the University of Leiden in the Netherlands. It was done through a Kent State University-Leiden University student exchange program in the summer of 1980. The research consisted of a neuroanatomical and histochemical investigation of the relationship between the forebrain nuclei basalis and archistriatum anterior. These are believed to be important elements in neural control of the feeding mecha- nism in the duck. Anatomical connections between these nuclei were studied with the aid of horseradish peroxidase injected into the archistriatum anterior nucleus, Peroxidase-labeled cells were found only in the most medial portions of the nucleus basalis from the level of the posterior commissure to the rostral border of the archistriatum anterior. Peroxidase-labeled axons were found in the lamina medullaris dorsalis (LMD) projecting from the dorsal part of the archistriatum anterior through the LMD and thence, dorsomedially, toward the labeled cells in the nucleus basalis. These findings are interpreted as indications of a functional neural connection between the nucleus basalis and the nucleus archistriatum anterior. SPECIES-AREA EFFECT ON WINTER BIRDS OF FOREST HABITAT ISLANDS. Jeffrey L. Jefferson. Dep't of Biological Sciences, B.G.S.U., Bowling Green, 9:30 Ohio 43403. The nature of the species-area relationship outside the summer (breeding season) has been little investigated. Avian censuses were conducted in 16 oak- hickory woodlots ranging from 0.5h to 15»4h in the winter of 1979-1980 in north- west Ohio. Bird species diversity increased with increasing area and was best linearized by a log species versus log area regression analysis model. The dis- tance of a woodlot island to its nearest "species source had no significant ef- fect on the species diversity of the island, although the distances involved may have been too small. Small woodlot islands had about the same number of species as same-sized interior forest areas; smaller islands may be depauperate due to greater exposure to winter weather. Most carnivorous bird species were found only in the larger woodlots; they showed a minimum woodlot size require- ment to a greater extent than bird species of other food preferences. Overall, there is much resemblance between winter forest habitat islands and non-winter habitat islands of other studies. 12 A SYMPIOTIC RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN AN AFRICAN DUNG BEETLE AND A PREDACEOUS WASP. Department of Biological Sciences, Bowling Green State University, Bowling Green, Ohio 43403. 9:45 A new example of nonobligatory mutalism (protocooperation) is described. A ball rolling dung beetle, Kheper lamarcki (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae), provided an optimal foraging perch for a predaceous wasp, Oxybelus lepturus (Hymenoptera: Sphecidae). The predator inhibited potential prey, dung breeding Diptera, from ovipositing in the dung used by the beetle. The Diptera were unable to compete for breeding space with the beetle. Therefore, both beetle and wasp benefited from this relationship. VOCAL REPERTOIRE IN OHIO BARN OWLS, TYTO ALBA. E. Bruce McLean, Dept. of Biology, John Carroll University, University Heights, OH 44118, and Bruce A. Colvin, Center for Environmental Research and Services, Bowling Green State University, Bowling 10:00 Green, OH 43403. Barn owl vocal behavior was studied during spring and summer, 1980, in a research project supported by the Ohio Biological Survey. More than 1275 vocalizations were archived on 60 cuts of recording tape from 5 families of owls at the Killbuck Wildlife Area in Holmes/Wayne Co. , and 141 more from two other groups in northeastern Ohio. This material was edited from over 2500 recorded calls. Behavioral context of all calls was noted, and additional observations were made of unrecorded vocalizations. Three types of calls were identified from adults, some with multiple identifiable variations. These were conversational calls (often mislabeled as "hunting cries"), alarm shrieks, and rapid squeaking. Six types of calls were recorded from nestlings. These were rasping, alarm-rasping, hissing, bill-snapping, trilling, and squealing. Variations during maturation in the development of calls were noted. Playbacks of adult vocal- izations at nest areas, in hunting and roosting areas, and from other locations produced few responses. No true territorial calls were identified, and there is evidence that the birds are only weakly or non-territorial. Playback appears to have little promise as a census technique. Additional work is needed, and should be concentrated on the early stages of pairing and nesting. 10:15 A.M. SYMPOSIUM:"INVERTEBRATES IN THE CLASSROOM" CO-SPONSORED BY SECTION A, ZOOLOGY AND SECTION H, SCIENCE EDUCATION. SEE SCIENCE EDUCATION FOR ABSTRACTS. A. ZOOLOGY FIRST AFTERNOON SESSION 101 KAUKE HALL F. LEE ST. JOHN, PRESIDING 1:30 P.M. Business Meeting CRAYFISHES OF THE OHIO BRUSH CREEK DRAINAGE, SOUTHCENTRAL OHIO. Michael F. Flynn and H.H. Hobbs III, Department of Biology, Wittenberg University, Springfield, OH 45501. 2:00 The Ohio Brush Creek basin drains an area of 1127 km C+35 mi ) in southcentral Ohio where it comprises parts of Adams, Brown, Highland, Pike, and Ross Counties. A to- tal of 87 stations were sampled over a six-month period (June - November, 1980) to determine occurrence and patterns of distribution of crayfishes within the watershed. The cray- fish fauna is represented by the following: Cambarus (Cambarus) bartonii (Fabricius), C. (C.) ortmanni 'Williamson, C^ (Lacunicambarus) diogenes diogenes Girard, Orconectes rusticus TGirard), and 0. sanborni sanborni (Faxon). C. (L.) d. diogenes, a primary burrower, was collected throughout the drainage. C^ (_C_O ortmanni inhabits burrows in the western half of the basin, and occurs with much less frequency than C^ (LO d^_ diogenes. C^ (_C_O bartonii occurs with high frequency throughout the drainage, primarily as a stream-dweller but often burrowing into stream banks and low areas. Rhoades (1962) reported 0. s. sanborni to be the only species of Orconectes Within this drainage except for a small area to the north inhabited by 0^ rusticus. Subsequent investigation, however, has revealed nearly the reverse distribution. 0^ rusticus currently is the most widely distributed stream-dweller, occurring in all but the extreme southern and north- 13 eastern ends. In these areas 0^ s^ sanborni occurs in headwaters, 0^ rusticus in the trunk streams. A similar distribution of these species is observed in adjacent drainages. Apparently, extreme displacement of 0^_ s^ sanborni by 0j_ rusticus has occurred over a relatively short peri- od of time. Further investigation is in progress to define the mechanisms for displacement. BIOLOGY OF THE LEGUME ROOT-NODULE FLIES (DIPTERA: PLATYSTOMATIDAE). B. A. Foote, Department of Biological Sciences, Kent State University, Kent,OH 44242. 2:15 The biology of root-nodule flies belonging to the genus Rivellia was investigated in northeastern Ohio during 1979-80. Adults emerge in late May and early June, engage in courtship and mating on host plants belonging to the family Leguminosae, and ovi- posit on the soil surface during June. Larvae attack and destroy root nodules formed by spe- cies of the nitrogen-fixing bacterial genus Rhizobium. Probably two generations a year are produced in northern Ohio. Overwintering occurs as nearly mature but diapausing larvae in soil near the roots of the host plant, with pupation occurring in May. Species of legumes serving as host plants in northern Ohio include Amphicarpa bracteata (L.) Fernald (Hog-peanut), Apios americana Medicus (Ground-nut), Desmodium spp. (Tick-trefoil), and Robinia pseudo-acacia L. (Black Locust). The potential economic significance of larval damage to the nitrogen-fixing nodules of legumes will be discussed. A southern species has recently shifted to soybeans from a native legume. With some 30 North American species of Rivellia, the possibility of additional shifts to introduced legumes of agricultural significance (e.g. alfalfa, clovers, peanut) is consid- erable. Other workers have reported that up to 65% of the root nodules of certain tropical legumes have been destroyed by Rivellia larvae. OSMOREGULATION IN PALMONAETES PUGIO David P. Duell and Jerry H. Hubschman. Dept. of Biological Sciences, Wright State University, Dayton, Ohio 45435 2:30 The objective was to measure and