2013 Submitted Abstracts
Andrew Barker - University of North Texas, Department of Biological Sciences
Metabolomic Analysis of the Planarian (Dugesia dorotocephala) Model of Chemically-induced Tumorigenesis: Preliminary Results
Abstract: Exposure to environmental toxicants is thought to play a major role in the incidence of most cancers. With the advent of ‘omics’ technologies, which rapidly identify and/or quantify a large subset of biomolecules (e.g., genes, proteins or metabolites) in an organism for research or diagnostic purposes, improved, high-throughput animal models are needed in order to elucidate the often complex relationships between exposure to environmental toxicants and cancer incidence. The black planarian (Dugesia dorotocephala) has recently reemerged as a model of interest for this purpose. In large part, this is due to its unique regenerative abilities, ease of culturing and relatively good approximation of mammalian physiology. Ongoing research demonstrates that planaria exposed to cadmium, an environmentally ubiquitous metal and suspected carcinogen, in combination with the established tumor promoter, tetradecanoylphorbol acetate, develop characteristic tumors that result in mortality. I present preliminary findings of a gas chromatography- mass spectrometry -based metabolomic analysis of planaria that have been exposed to cadmium and tetradecanoylphorbol acetate. The results demonstrate that a number of key metabolites are altered due to exposure. In addition to providing mechanistic insight, these results support the use of planaria as a high-throughput research model and suggest avenues for future research.
Jessica Beckham - University of North Texas, Graduate Program in Environmental Science
Habitat Utilization by Bumble Bees (Bombus spp.) in Denton County
Abstract: Bumble bees (Bombus spp.) are adept pollinators of many cultivated and wild flowering plants, but many species have experienced declines in recent decades. Though urban sprawl has been implicated as a driving force of such losses, urban green spaces may serve as habitat islands for bumble bee populations if managed properly. This research is an ongoing interdisciplinary study to investigate how both local and landscape-scale factors influence the utilization of urban green spaces by Bombuspopulations in Denton County. Baseline species presence data have been gleaned from Elm Fork Natural Heritage Museum records spanning the past 60 years and confirm the historic presence of four species (B. pensylvanicus, B. fraternus, B. impatiens, and B. bimaculatus). These data also suggest local declines of B. fraternus. Current field sampling and molecular analyses of local bumble bee populations will be used to infer the present status of populations. Local and landscape factors affecting populations will be identified using GIS and remote sensing techniques. These results will supply baseline data about bumble bees in urban and minimally disturbed habitats of Denton County, as well as evaluate the viability of bumble bee populations in an urban landscape.
Evan Carpenter - University of North Texas, Department of Geography
Identifying Stream Cleanup Strategies Using Litter Deposition and Transportation Patterns: A case Study of Plastic in Hickory Creek in Denton County, Texas
Abstract: Plastic litter in streams poses not only aesthetic problems, but also potential chemical and wildlife problems, and in addition represents a needless waste of resources. Although this dilemma exists at many scales, from local intermittent streams to the global-scale ocean gyres, focusing on a single local watershed presents a more manageable scope for solutions by targeting the source of litter rather than the endpoint (e.g., larger lakes or oceans). However, any attempt to prevent plastic litter must confront people’s behaviors and their conceptions of the material itself. A general disconnect between the short use-life of plastic and its long-term preservation in the environment exists, which leads many people to adopt an attitude of disposability toward the material. This study aims to characterize plastic litter along Hickory Creek in Denton, TX, in terms of its transportation and deposition patterns. Plastic debris sampled from four locations is used to assess deposition rates, and plastic samples will be released at an upstream point and tracked to examine transportation patterns. Concepts from behavioral archaeology are used to connect these patterns back to the human behaviors that induce littering events, a vital component of developing effective cleanup and prevention strategies.
Peter Crislip - University of North Texas, Department of Geography
A Quantitative Assessment of Site Formation at the Dmanisi Archaeological Site, Republic of Georgia
Abstract: Micromorphological and petrographic data on soils at the archaeological site of Dmanisi were analyzed in order to better understand the extent to which the deposition and alteration of the sediments has affected the preservation of artifacts and faunal remains. A major goal of this research was to test hypothesis related to why bone material is discovered in some strata and not in others. This research focuses on the application of micro-morphology (supplemented with other methods) to the soils through the use of petrographic analysis of thin sections and Scanning Electron Microscopy. These techniques complement previous field analyses by providing a quantitative assessment of individual strata through point counting and chemical mapping. The results support the hypothesis that the sediments are predominantly mafic ashes, while showing that there is very little soil development in the strata. This suggests quick episodic burial in a relatively dry climate, confirming the hypothesis for a short time sequence in the strata. Additionally, differential weathering probably did not play a significant role in the differential abundance of bone remains among the strata at Dmanisi.
Jonathan Dombrosky - University of North Texas, Department of Geography
Animal Resource Abundance in the Mesa Verde and Northern Rio Grande Regions during Late Prehistory
Abstract: Societal collapse in the Mesa Verde region (ca. AD 1300) has preoccupied North American archaeologists for decades. The abandonment of the Mesa Verde region by Ancestral Puebloans inspires many questions that are relevant to our modern society, such as: what does it mean to live sustainably, and how have people dealt with environmental stress in the past? However, little is known about what happened to the people of the Mesa Verde region after depopulation. It is hypothesized that the Northern Rio Grande (NRG) region of New Mexico was one of the main areas Ancestral Puebloans migrated to, as evidenced by an increase in population density in the area at roughly AD 1300. Comparing animal remains from archaeological sites in the two regions, and across subsequent time periods in the Mesa Verde region, will test if the NRG was a more optimal area to relocate to in terms of animal resources. I compare the abundance of animal remains, grouped by family and body size, found in the Mesa Verde region from the Pueblo I-III (ca. AD 750 – 1300) time period to animal remains found in the Northern Rio Grande region of New Mexico.
Laura Ellyson - University of North Texas, Department of Geography
Faunal Subsistence Patterns and Resource Depression in the Goodman Point Community, Southwestern Colorado
Abstract: The Goodman Point Community, located in the Mesa Verde region in southwestern Colorado, contains a high density of archaeological sites. In this community, Ancestral Puebloan people lived in small hamlets early in the occupation (ca. AD 1000) and appear to have aggregated over time to a large main pueblo, Goodman Point (ca. AD 1260). Long periods of drought occurred prior to the abandonment of this area (ca. AD 1300), influencing the availability of resources. Regional trends indicate a transition from large game (white-tailed deer and jackrabbits) to subsistence on smaller resources (cottontail and turkey). Faunal assemblages from the small hamlets of Lupine Ridge, Midway House, Rain Ridge, and Windy Knob (ca. AD 1150) support a trend toward a reduction in the availability of large and medium prey when compared locally to earlier occupied hamlets and to Goodman Point. Further questions concerning these trends in relation to resource depression are introduced. Spatial comparisons between Lupine Ridge, Midway House, Rain Ridge, and Windy Knob are also presented.
Amy Hoffman - University of North Texas, Graduate Program in Environmental Science
White-tailed Deer (Odocoileus virginiaus) Habitat Selection at Fort Hood, Central Texas
Abstract: Military training exercises are known to have decreased vegetation cover, eroded soil, and altered the abundance and ranges of particular species living within military bases. Land at Fort Hood, an army base in central Texas, is not only affected by training exercises, but also other land use practices such as, controlled burns, juniper cutting, and hunting. These management techniques all have important legacy effects on the landscape, including influencing the distribution of vital resources to animals, such as vegetation and water. In this paper I focus on how white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginiaus), a highly managed animal, allocate their time in different vegetation areas and elevations. Using GIS software, GPS-collar point data taken every six hours from two individual white-tailed deer, one of each sex, is overlaid with vegetation and elevation layers. Proportions for each individual is then calculated to determine whether time allocation varies in disturbed areas, within particular elevations, and between sexes. This research can be used for future management and conservation of white-tailed deer and other animals that inhabit military bases.
Lisa Nagaoka - University of North Texas, Department of Geography
The Pleistocene Extinction Debate and Cross-disciplinary Communication
Abstract: Research areas that self-identify as inter-/multi-disciplinary have often target audiences that span several disciplines. However, communicating across disciplinary boundaries can be challenging. For example, research on the megafaunal extinction in North America, Australia and elsewhere has typically been the domain of archaeology and paleontology. Two hypotheses, anthropogenic versus climatic, dominate the literature and the ongoing debate. Within the past twenty years, however, other disciplines have taken an interest in these extinctions. In particular, ecologists promote overkill (human hunting) as the cause for the extinctions, using it as an example of catastrophic anthropogenic impacts. In this talk I examine how the misappropriation of the megafaunal extinction debate is likely related to the disciplinary culture of the consumers. Thus, researchers striving to exchange ideas beyond their traditional disciplinary borders should take an "anthropological" approach to communication if they want their research to be used appropriately.
Lisa Nagaoka - University of North Texas, Department of Geography
Understanding Student Recycling Behaviors In and Around Classrooms at UNT
Abstract: With their dense concentrations of people at a specific location, universities are in effect hotspots of resource consumption and waste that often have the environmental impact of a small town. To minimize their impact, universities often focus on recycling programs as an important avenue toward sustainability. These programs not only benefit the environment but they are good PR because they provide highly visible signs of a “green” campus. In addition, they provide economic incentives through lower waste costs or a new revenue stream from the recycling. Typically, recycling programs have tended to take a one-size-fits–all approach or developed an ad hoc building by building plan. However, space across a campus is used differently by each of its constituents such that there is likely to be different recycling needs for different locations. Thus, to maximize recycling rates, universities need to understand which recycling infrastructure maximizes recycling rates in each type of space. Since students are the largest constituent group on campus, this research focuses specifically on recycling patterns of students in and around classrooms. We conducted several analyses including observations, a survey, and a recycling inventory for one floor of one classroom building at the University of North Texas. We found that factors such as bin type and number were less important than bin location and signage, as well as the number of trash cans available. Effectively manipulating these structural elements will create an infrastructure that will maximize recycling rates.
Leonardo Salvador Paulides - Museo de Historia Natural de San Rafael, Mendoza, Argentina
Relating Present Needs to Old Data: Applying GIS to the Archaeology of Southern Mendoza, Argentina
Abstract: Until 30 years ago, spatial regional analysis was only theoretical in Southern Mendoza, Argentina. However, the use of distributional and biogeographical approaches since the mid-1990s has brought a broader perspective to Argentine archaeology. Though archaeological data on materials housed at the Museo de Historia Natural de San Rafael in Mendoza are generally geo-referenced, analysis using GIS is not commonly employed. GIS can be used to meet many data organization and analytical needs, such as normalization of data collection, systematization of databases, and spatially geocoding features on a GIS platform. Here I discuss the potential uses of GIS at three scales that are important in terms of archaeological research and in terms of the Museum’s needs. First, on a local micro-scale, there is a need to systematize spatially recorded information from the museum’s collections. Second, at the local meso-scale, there is a need to geospatially reference data collected from San Rafael’s department. Finally, the regional scale extends GIS databasing approaches to the other three southern departments of Mendoza province. GIS comprises a full set of useful databasing and analytical tools; however, the primary challenge for the museum is to provide applications that can relate different audiences’ needs with available spatial data for publication and grant writing purposes.
Traci Popejoy - University of North Texas, Department of Geography
Local Distribution of Unionids in the Upper Trinity River Basin
Abstract: Fifteen freshwater mussel species have been listed as threatened by the state of Texas. As filter feeders, unionids are indicators of river conditions, and by studying the distribution of unionids throughout river basins, ecologists can begin to understand the current health of rivers. The condition of the Upper Trinity River Basin is increasingly important as the area continues to experience drought conditions and a growing human population, drastically accelerating the demand for clean water. Unnoticed by many Texans, the presence of native freshwater mussels (Unionidae) has slowly been declining in the basin since initial surveys in 1893. The Upper Trinity has not been thoroughly sampled for native unionids since 1990, and because modern distributions are unknown, many species are thought to have been extirpated. Comprehensive sampling of the Upper Trinity River will determine the distribution and prevalence of unionids, which will allow ecologists to more accurately determine the contemporary community ecology of unionids. Preliminary observations will be presented to target areas for further assessment.
Christy Winstead - University of North Texas, Department of Geography
An Assessment of Faunal Data for Two Ancestral Pueblo Sites in Southwest Colorado
Abstract: Zooarchaeologists are often confronted with faunal assemblages that produce small sample sizes due to excavation sampling techniques, taphonomy and grouping of data. My research involves utilizing faunal remains to identify function-al shifts in pit structures; however, first I must assess the data. Bluebird House and Pinyon Place are two Ancestral Puebloan sites located in southwest Colorado that have small faunal assemblages with a high percentage of unidentifiable bone specimens. The faunal data from these sites are aggregated temporally and then grouped spatially. I assess sample size with basic statistics and taphonomy of the faunal assemblages in order to evaluate strengths and weaknesses of these data sets. This evaluation of the faunal data addresses potential areas of concern and possible solutions.
Steve Wolverton - University of North Texas, Department of Geography
Conservation, Political Ecology, and Zooarchaeology
Abstract: Zooarchaeologists are increasingly taking their research in applied directions oriented toward problems of concern in conservation biology. Despite several interesting and provocative examples of applied zooarchaeological research that highlight the importance of adding a deep, empirical temporal perspective to conservation, it is uncommon for interdisciplinary conservation research to include a component in applied zooarchaeology (or similar areas of research, such as archaeobotany). This relates to how power dynamics become established in terms of who does and does not constitute a legitimate practitioner in one research field or another. Such dynamics and their policy implications are referred to as political ecology. These power dynamics occur not only amongst research scholars but also exist between and within communities of policy makers, economists, scientists, and other microcultures. Even “unapplied” or “pure” zooarchaeological research exists within a matrix of political ecological constraints and opportunities. In this presentation, conservation, political ecology, and zooarchaeology are defined. The separate research agendas of zooarchaeology and conservation biology are discussed. Case studies are used to highlight the political ecology of pure and applied zooarchaeological research.
Andrew Barker - University of North Texas, Department of Biological Sciences
Metabolomic Analysis of the Planarian (Dugesia dorotocephala) Model of Chemically-induced Tumorigenesis: Preliminary Results
Abstract: Exposure to environmental toxicants is thought to play a major role in the incidence of most cancers. With the advent of ‘omics’ technologies, which rapidly identify and/or quantify a large subset of biomolecules (e.g., genes, proteins or metabolites) in an organism for research or diagnostic purposes, improved, high-throughput animal models are needed in order to elucidate the often complex relationships between exposure to environmental toxicants and cancer incidence. The black planarian (Dugesia dorotocephala) has recently reemerged as a model of interest for this purpose. In large part, this is due to its unique regenerative abilities, ease of culturing and relatively good approximation of mammalian physiology. Ongoing research demonstrates that planaria exposed to cadmium, an environmentally ubiquitous metal and suspected carcinogen, in combination with the established tumor promoter, tetradecanoylphorbol acetate, develop characteristic tumors that result in mortality. I present preliminary findings of a gas chromatography- mass spectrometry -based metabolomic analysis of planaria that have been exposed to cadmium and tetradecanoylphorbol acetate. The results demonstrate that a number of key metabolites are altered due to exposure. In addition to providing mechanistic insight, these results support the use of planaria as a high-throughput research model and suggest avenues for future research.
Jessica Beckham - University of North Texas, Graduate Program in Environmental Science
Habitat Utilization by Bumble Bees (Bombus spp.) in Denton County
Abstract: Bumble bees (Bombus spp.) are adept pollinators of many cultivated and wild flowering plants, but many species have experienced declines in recent decades. Though urban sprawl has been implicated as a driving force of such losses, urban green spaces may serve as habitat islands for bumble bee populations if managed properly. This research is an ongoing interdisciplinary study to investigate how both local and landscape-scale factors influence the utilization of urban green spaces by Bombuspopulations in Denton County. Baseline species presence data have been gleaned from Elm Fork Natural Heritage Museum records spanning the past 60 years and confirm the historic presence of four species (B. pensylvanicus, B. fraternus, B. impatiens, and B. bimaculatus). These data also suggest local declines of B. fraternus. Current field sampling and molecular analyses of local bumble bee populations will be used to infer the present status of populations. Local and landscape factors affecting populations will be identified using GIS and remote sensing techniques. These results will supply baseline data about bumble bees in urban and minimally disturbed habitats of Denton County, as well as evaluate the viability of bumble bee populations in an urban landscape.
Evan Carpenter - University of North Texas, Department of Geography
Identifying Stream Cleanup Strategies Using Litter Deposition and Transportation Patterns: A case Study of Plastic in Hickory Creek in Denton County, Texas
Abstract: Plastic litter in streams poses not only aesthetic problems, but also potential chemical and wildlife problems, and in addition represents a needless waste of resources. Although this dilemma exists at many scales, from local intermittent streams to the global-scale ocean gyres, focusing on a single local watershed presents a more manageable scope for solutions by targeting the source of litter rather than the endpoint (e.g., larger lakes or oceans). However, any attempt to prevent plastic litter must confront people’s behaviors and their conceptions of the material itself. A general disconnect between the short use-life of plastic and its long-term preservation in the environment exists, which leads many people to adopt an attitude of disposability toward the material. This study aims to characterize plastic litter along Hickory Creek in Denton, TX, in terms of its transportation and deposition patterns. Plastic debris sampled from four locations is used to assess deposition rates, and plastic samples will be released at an upstream point and tracked to examine transportation patterns. Concepts from behavioral archaeology are used to connect these patterns back to the human behaviors that induce littering events, a vital component of developing effective cleanup and prevention strategies.
Peter Crislip - University of North Texas, Department of Geography
A Quantitative Assessment of Site Formation at the Dmanisi Archaeological Site, Republic of Georgia
Abstract: Micromorphological and petrographic data on soils at the archaeological site of Dmanisi were analyzed in order to better understand the extent to which the deposition and alteration of the sediments has affected the preservation of artifacts and faunal remains. A major goal of this research was to test hypothesis related to why bone material is discovered in some strata and not in others. This research focuses on the application of micro-morphology (supplemented with other methods) to the soils through the use of petrographic analysis of thin sections and Scanning Electron Microscopy. These techniques complement previous field analyses by providing a quantitative assessment of individual strata through point counting and chemical mapping. The results support the hypothesis that the sediments are predominantly mafic ashes, while showing that there is very little soil development in the strata. This suggests quick episodic burial in a relatively dry climate, confirming the hypothesis for a short time sequence in the strata. Additionally, differential weathering probably did not play a significant role in the differential abundance of bone remains among the strata at Dmanisi.
Jonathan Dombrosky - University of North Texas, Department of Geography
Animal Resource Abundance in the Mesa Verde and Northern Rio Grande Regions during Late Prehistory
Abstract: Societal collapse in the Mesa Verde region (ca. AD 1300) has preoccupied North American archaeologists for decades. The abandonment of the Mesa Verde region by Ancestral Puebloans inspires many questions that are relevant to our modern society, such as: what does it mean to live sustainably, and how have people dealt with environmental stress in the past? However, little is known about what happened to the people of the Mesa Verde region after depopulation. It is hypothesized that the Northern Rio Grande (NRG) region of New Mexico was one of the main areas Ancestral Puebloans migrated to, as evidenced by an increase in population density in the area at roughly AD 1300. Comparing animal remains from archaeological sites in the two regions, and across subsequent time periods in the Mesa Verde region, will test if the NRG was a more optimal area to relocate to in terms of animal resources. I compare the abundance of animal remains, grouped by family and body size, found in the Mesa Verde region from the Pueblo I-III (ca. AD 750 – 1300) time period to animal remains found in the Northern Rio Grande region of New Mexico.
Laura Ellyson - University of North Texas, Department of Geography
Faunal Subsistence Patterns and Resource Depression in the Goodman Point Community, Southwestern Colorado
Abstract: The Goodman Point Community, located in the Mesa Verde region in southwestern Colorado, contains a high density of archaeological sites. In this community, Ancestral Puebloan people lived in small hamlets early in the occupation (ca. AD 1000) and appear to have aggregated over time to a large main pueblo, Goodman Point (ca. AD 1260). Long periods of drought occurred prior to the abandonment of this area (ca. AD 1300), influencing the availability of resources. Regional trends indicate a transition from large game (white-tailed deer and jackrabbits) to subsistence on smaller resources (cottontail and turkey). Faunal assemblages from the small hamlets of Lupine Ridge, Midway House, Rain Ridge, and Windy Knob (ca. AD 1150) support a trend toward a reduction in the availability of large and medium prey when compared locally to earlier occupied hamlets and to Goodman Point. Further questions concerning these trends in relation to resource depression are introduced. Spatial comparisons between Lupine Ridge, Midway House, Rain Ridge, and Windy Knob are also presented.
Amy Hoffman - University of North Texas, Graduate Program in Environmental Science
White-tailed Deer (Odocoileus virginiaus) Habitat Selection at Fort Hood, Central Texas
Abstract: Military training exercises are known to have decreased vegetation cover, eroded soil, and altered the abundance and ranges of particular species living within military bases. Land at Fort Hood, an army base in central Texas, is not only affected by training exercises, but also other land use practices such as, controlled burns, juniper cutting, and hunting. These management techniques all have important legacy effects on the landscape, including influencing the distribution of vital resources to animals, such as vegetation and water. In this paper I focus on how white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginiaus), a highly managed animal, allocate their time in different vegetation areas and elevations. Using GIS software, GPS-collar point data taken every six hours from two individual white-tailed deer, one of each sex, is overlaid with vegetation and elevation layers. Proportions for each individual is then calculated to determine whether time allocation varies in disturbed areas, within particular elevations, and between sexes. This research can be used for future management and conservation of white-tailed deer and other animals that inhabit military bases.
Lisa Nagaoka - University of North Texas, Department of Geography
The Pleistocene Extinction Debate and Cross-disciplinary Communication
Abstract: Research areas that self-identify as inter-/multi-disciplinary have often target audiences that span several disciplines. However, communicating across disciplinary boundaries can be challenging. For example, research on the megafaunal extinction in North America, Australia and elsewhere has typically been the domain of archaeology and paleontology. Two hypotheses, anthropogenic versus climatic, dominate the literature and the ongoing debate. Within the past twenty years, however, other disciplines have taken an interest in these extinctions. In particular, ecologists promote overkill (human hunting) as the cause for the extinctions, using it as an example of catastrophic anthropogenic impacts. In this talk I examine how the misappropriation of the megafaunal extinction debate is likely related to the disciplinary culture of the consumers. Thus, researchers striving to exchange ideas beyond their traditional disciplinary borders should take an "anthropological" approach to communication if they want their research to be used appropriately.
Lisa Nagaoka - University of North Texas, Department of Geography
Understanding Student Recycling Behaviors In and Around Classrooms at UNT
Abstract: With their dense concentrations of people at a specific location, universities are in effect hotspots of resource consumption and waste that often have the environmental impact of a small town. To minimize their impact, universities often focus on recycling programs as an important avenue toward sustainability. These programs not only benefit the environment but they are good PR because they provide highly visible signs of a “green” campus. In addition, they provide economic incentives through lower waste costs or a new revenue stream from the recycling. Typically, recycling programs have tended to take a one-size-fits–all approach or developed an ad hoc building by building plan. However, space across a campus is used differently by each of its constituents such that there is likely to be different recycling needs for different locations. Thus, to maximize recycling rates, universities need to understand which recycling infrastructure maximizes recycling rates in each type of space. Since students are the largest constituent group on campus, this research focuses specifically on recycling patterns of students in and around classrooms. We conducted several analyses including observations, a survey, and a recycling inventory for one floor of one classroom building at the University of North Texas. We found that factors such as bin type and number were less important than bin location and signage, as well as the number of trash cans available. Effectively manipulating these structural elements will create an infrastructure that will maximize recycling rates.
Leonardo Salvador Paulides - Museo de Historia Natural de San Rafael, Mendoza, Argentina
Relating Present Needs to Old Data: Applying GIS to the Archaeology of Southern Mendoza, Argentina
Abstract: Until 30 years ago, spatial regional analysis was only theoretical in Southern Mendoza, Argentina. However, the use of distributional and biogeographical approaches since the mid-1990s has brought a broader perspective to Argentine archaeology. Though archaeological data on materials housed at the Museo de Historia Natural de San Rafael in Mendoza are generally geo-referenced, analysis using GIS is not commonly employed. GIS can be used to meet many data organization and analytical needs, such as normalization of data collection, systematization of databases, and spatially geocoding features on a GIS platform. Here I discuss the potential uses of GIS at three scales that are important in terms of archaeological research and in terms of the Museum’s needs. First, on a local micro-scale, there is a need to systematize spatially recorded information from the museum’s collections. Second, at the local meso-scale, there is a need to geospatially reference data collected from San Rafael’s department. Finally, the regional scale extends GIS databasing approaches to the other three southern departments of Mendoza province. GIS comprises a full set of useful databasing and analytical tools; however, the primary challenge for the museum is to provide applications that can relate different audiences’ needs with available spatial data for publication and grant writing purposes.
Traci Popejoy - University of North Texas, Department of Geography
Local Distribution of Unionids in the Upper Trinity River Basin
Abstract: Fifteen freshwater mussel species have been listed as threatened by the state of Texas. As filter feeders, unionids are indicators of river conditions, and by studying the distribution of unionids throughout river basins, ecologists can begin to understand the current health of rivers. The condition of the Upper Trinity River Basin is increasingly important as the area continues to experience drought conditions and a growing human population, drastically accelerating the demand for clean water. Unnoticed by many Texans, the presence of native freshwater mussels (Unionidae) has slowly been declining in the basin since initial surveys in 1893. The Upper Trinity has not been thoroughly sampled for native unionids since 1990, and because modern distributions are unknown, many species are thought to have been extirpated. Comprehensive sampling of the Upper Trinity River will determine the distribution and prevalence of unionids, which will allow ecologists to more accurately determine the contemporary community ecology of unionids. Preliminary observations will be presented to target areas for further assessment.
Christy Winstead - University of North Texas, Department of Geography
An Assessment of Faunal Data for Two Ancestral Pueblo Sites in Southwest Colorado
Abstract: Zooarchaeologists are often confronted with faunal assemblages that produce small sample sizes due to excavation sampling techniques, taphonomy and grouping of data. My research involves utilizing faunal remains to identify function-al shifts in pit structures; however, first I must assess the data. Bluebird House and Pinyon Place are two Ancestral Puebloan sites located in southwest Colorado that have small faunal assemblages with a high percentage of unidentifiable bone specimens. The faunal data from these sites are aggregated temporally and then grouped spatially. I assess sample size with basic statistics and taphonomy of the faunal assemblages in order to evaluate strengths and weaknesses of these data sets. This evaluation of the faunal data addresses potential areas of concern and possible solutions.
Steve Wolverton - University of North Texas, Department of Geography
Conservation, Political Ecology, and Zooarchaeology
Abstract: Zooarchaeologists are increasingly taking their research in applied directions oriented toward problems of concern in conservation biology. Despite several interesting and provocative examples of applied zooarchaeological research that highlight the importance of adding a deep, empirical temporal perspective to conservation, it is uncommon for interdisciplinary conservation research to include a component in applied zooarchaeology (or similar areas of research, such as archaeobotany). This relates to how power dynamics become established in terms of who does and does not constitute a legitimate practitioner in one research field or another. Such dynamics and their policy implications are referred to as political ecology. These power dynamics occur not only amongst research scholars but also exist between and within communities of policy makers, economists, scientists, and other microcultures. Even “unapplied” or “pure” zooarchaeological research exists within a matrix of political ecological constraints and opportunities. In this presentation, conservation, political ecology, and zooarchaeology are defined. The separate research agendas of zooarchaeology and conservation biology are discussed. Case studies are used to highlight the political ecology of pure and applied zooarchaeological research.