MISSISSIPPI ACADEMY OF SCIENCES SIXTY-SEVENTH ANNUAL MEETING February 13 & 14, 2003 HATTIESBURG, MISSISSIPPI Lake Terrace Convention Center One Convertion Plaza, Hattiesburg MS 39401 (near the intersection of US 49 & US 59) Hosted by The University of Southern Mississippi Journal of the Mississippi Academy of Sciences Volume 48 January 2003 Number 1 Contents Journal of the Mississippi Academy of Sciences 3 ACADEMY OFFICERS & DIVISION CHAIRS 2002–2003 Editor 4 GENERAL SCHEDULE Kenneth J. Curry University of Southern Mississippi 6 MEETING OVERVIEW Associate Editors 7 CONVENTION CENTER FLOOR PLAN; HATTIESBURG AREA MAP Maria F.T. Begonia Jackson State University 8 DODGEN LECTURE Maureen Corcoran Waterways Experiment Station 9 EDUCATION MEMBERS & LIFE MEMBERS Ibrahim O. Farah Jackson State University 10 PROGRAM & ABSTRACTS Timothy C. Lockley 10 Agriculture and Plant Science USDA APHIS PPQ IFA 15 Cellular, Molecular and Developmental Biology Todd G. Nick 28 Chemistry and Chemical Engineering Univ. of Mississippi Medical Center 38 Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Robin Rockhold Univ. of Mississippi Medical Center 41 Geology and Geography Abstracts Editor 47 Health Sciences John Boyle 60 History and Philosophy of Science Mississippi State University 62 Marine and Atmospheric Sciences The Journal of the Mississippi Acad- 68 Mathematics, Computer Science and Statistics emy of Sciences (ISSN 0076-9436) is published in January (annual meeting 73 Physics and Engineering abstracts), April, July, and October, by the Mississippi Academy of Sciences. 79 Psychology and Social Sciences Members of the Academy receive the journal as part of their regular (non- 83 Science Education student) membership. Inqueries regard- 88 Zoology and Entomology ing subscriptions, availability of back issues, and address changes should be addressed to The Mississippi Academy of 93 AUTHOR INDEX Sciences, Post Office Box 55709, Jack- son, MS 39296; 601-977-0627; [email protected]. Manuscripts and inquiries about publication and information about adver- tising should be sent to the editor: Ken- neth J. Curry, University of Southern Mississippi, Post Office Box 5018, Hattiesburg, MS 39406-5018. 601-266-4930 (voice & fax) [email protected]. MISSISSIPPI ACADEMY OF SCIENCES, SIXTY-SEVENTH ANNUAL MEETING OFFICERS OF THE MISSISSIPPI ACADEMY OF SCIENCES President............................................. Robert C. Bateman, Jr. President-Elect........................................... Hamed Benghuzzi Immediate Past-President.........................................Margo Hall Executive Officer.............................................John A. Boyle Journal Editor............................................. Kenneth J. Curry Junior Academy Director...................................... Betsy Sullivan Directors.................................................... Clifford Ochs Dick Highfill Sarah Lea McGuire Administrative Assistant ....................................... Cynthia Huff Division Chairs 2002–2003 AGRICULTURE AND PLANT SCIENCE MARINE AND ATMOSPHERIC SCIENCES Girish K. Panicker, Alcorn State University Patricia M. Biesiot, University of Southern Mississippi CELLULAR, MOLECULAR AND DEVELOP. BIOL. MATHEMATICS, COMPUTER SCI. AND STATISTICS Ross Whitman, Mississippi University for Women Walter Brehm, Keesler Air Force Base CHEMISTRY AND CHEMICAL ENGINEERING PHYSICS AND ENGINEERING John H. O’Haver, University of Mississippi T.M. Parchure, US Army Engineers, ERDC ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTIONARY BIOLOGY PSYCHOLOGY AND SOCIAL SCIENCE Clifford Ochs, University of Mississippi Ann Marie Kinnell, University of Southern Mississippi GEOLOGY AND GEOGRAPHY SCIENCE EDUCATION Keil Schmid, Mississippi Office of Geology Willie R. Heard, University of Southern Mississippi HEALTH SCIENCES ZOOLOGY AND ENTOMOLOGY Hamed Benghuzzi, University of Mississippi Medical Alexander Acholonu, Alcorn State University Center HISTORY AND PHILOSOPHY OF SCIENCE Maritza Abril, University of Southern Mississippi January 2003, Vol 48, No. 1 3 MISSISSIPPI ACADEMY OF SCIENCES, SIXTY-SEVENTH ANNUAL MEETING GENERAL SCHEDULE WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2003 TIME EVENT LOCATION 4:00 PM to 6:00 PM Board of Directors Meeting Oak Tree Room, Payne Center, University of Southern Mississippi THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 2003 TIME EVENT LOCATION 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM Registration Lobby 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM Divisional Programs See Pages 10–92 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM Divisional Poster Sessions Exhibition Hall A 8:30 AM to 10:40 AM Recent Research in Forensic Science Lamar II 8:50 AM Mississippi Center for Supercomputing Re- search Conference Room 9:00 AM to 7:00 PM Exhibits Central Prefunction Area 4:30 PM to 6:00 PM 2003 Dodgen Lecture & Presentation of Awards; lecture by Christopher P. McKay Exhibition Hall B 6:00 PM to 7:00 PM Hospitality Hour (follows the Dodgen Lec- ture) Central Prefunction Area FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2003 TIME EVENT LOCATION 7:00 AM Past-Presidents’ Breakfast To Be Announced 8:15 AM to 8:45 AM MAS Business Meeting Lamar I 8:00 AM to 2:00 PM Registration Lobby 8:30 AM to 12:30 PM Divisional Programs See Pages 10–92 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM Divisional Poster Sessions Exhibition Hall A 8:30 AM to 11:30 AM Mississippi Functional Genomics Network Exhibition Hall B 9:00 AM to Noon Exhibits Central Prefunction Area 12:30 PM to 5:00 PM Workshop on Molecular Visualization and Biochemistry Education; hosted by Robert C. Bateman, Jr. USM Campus 4 Journal of the Mississippi Academy of Sciences MISSISSIPPI ACADEMY OF SCIENCES MEETING OVERVIEW Prefunctio Lobby Forrest II Lamar I Lamar II Lake View I Lake View II Conference Room Exhibition Hall A Exhibition Hall B Exhibition Hall C n Registratio Exhibits Marine and Agriculture and Psychology and Ecology and Health Mathematics, All Divisions Cellular, Chemistry and n Atmospheric Plant Science Social Sciences Evolutionary Sciences Computer Science Posters Molecular and Chemical Science Biology and Statistics Developmental Engineering THURSDAY Biology MORNING Registratio Exhibits Marine and Agriculture and Psychology and Health Mathematics, All Divisions Cellular, Chemistry and THURSDAY n Atmospheric Plant Science Social Sciences Sciences Computer Science Posters Molecular and Chemical AFTERNOON Science and Statistics Developmental Engineering Journal of the Mississippi Academy of Sciences Biology THURSDAY Awards and EVENING Dodgen Lecture Registratio Exhibits Physics and Geology and Science Education History and Zoology and Mathematics, All Divisions Cellular, Chemistry and n Engineering Geography Philosophy of Entomology Computer Science Posters Molecular and Chemical FRIDAY Science and Statistics Developmental Engineering MORNING Biology FRIDAY Physics and Geology and Science Education History and Zoology and Mathematics, All Divisions Cellular, Chemistry and AFTERNOON Engineering Geography Philosophy of Entomology Computer Science Posters Molecular and Chemical Science and Statistics Developmental Engineering Biology MISSISSIPPI ACADEMY OF SCIENCES, SIXTY-SEVENTH ANNUAL MEETING 6 MISSISSIPPI ACADEMY OF SCIENCES, SIXTY-SEVENTH ANNUAL MEETING Hattiesburg Lake Terrace Convention Center floor plan Hattiesburg area map. #1 Hattiesburg Lake Terrace Convention Center; #14 Comfort Inn (formerly Cabot Lodge) January 2003, Vol 48, No. 1 7 MISSISSIPPI ACADEMY OF SCIENCES, SIXTY-SEVENTH ANNUAL MEETING Dodgen Lecture—2003 Life on Mars: Past, Present, and Future Christopher P. McKay Christopher P. McKay, a Planetary Sci- Dr. McKay is currently a planetary entist with the Space Science Division of NASA scientist with the Space Science Division of Ames since 1982, researches the relationship NASA Ames Research Center. He received his between the chemical and physical evolution of Ph.D. in AstroGeophysics from the University of the solar system and the origin of life. He is Colorado in 1982 and has been a research scien- actively involved in planning for future Mars tist with the NASA Ames since that time. Dr. missions, including human settlements. Chris McKay is one of the world’s leading researchers has been conducting polar research since 1980 in studying Titan, and has been involved in numeri- Mars-like environments such as the Antarctic cal modeling of planetary atmospheres for many dry valleys and, more recently, the Siberian years. He is currently working on models of Arctic. He has a strong interest in involving Titan’s thick atmosphere in support of the joint students in planning for the exploration of space, NASA/ESA mission to the Saturn system. Dr. particularly Mars. McKay is co-Investigator on the Titan probe Christopher P. McKay received his atmospheric structure experiment (HASI). His doctorate in astrophysics from the University of broader interests focus on understanding the Colorado in 1982 and has been a research scien- relationship between the chemical and physical tist with the space science division of the NASA evolution of the solar system and the origin of Ames Research Center ever since. The year life. He has been actively involved in planning McKay entered graduate school, the Viking for future Mars missions including human settle- spacecraft landed on Mars, an event that aroused ments. Dr. McKay has also been involved with his continuing interest in planetary science and polar research since 1980, traveling to the Ant- the origins of life. Today McKay helps to plan arctic dry valleys and more recently to the Sibe- future Mars missions, and he regularly journeys rian Arctic to conduct research in these Mars- to the dry valleys of Antarctica to study life in like environments.