Biology Blog

Biology students from left to right: Hope Dodd, Hannah Whaley, Jesse Kelly, Jeff Williams, Jordan Heiman and Indigo Tran

Learn from the best: Meet professionals in the industry

Sometimes you have to leave the classroom.

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More than 15 Missouri State students attended the Missouri Natural Resources Conference (MNRC) Feb. 5-7. 

The conference stands apart due to its collaborative nature. Rather than one specialty, all science fields are interested in attending. 

Both biology and geology, geography and planning attended the conference.  

“Natural resource management needs cooperation among several disciplines to work together to conserve, restore, and protect wildlife, water, soil, timber and streams,” Dr. Bob Pavlowsky said. 

About the conference 

MNRC focuses on careers and issues in the natural resources professions.  

Pavlowsky, distinguished professor of geography, likes that this gives students perspective in the profession.  

“This conference focuses more on professional and practitioners perspectives,” Pavlowsky said. “Presentation topics focus on projects and problems encountered on the job or information to help on the job.”  

Jordan Heiman, a biology major, echoes that idea.  

“Since it is agency–oriented, MNRC offers a different, more applied outlook on the research and efforts that are being made in the state,” Heiman said. “It offers students a unique opportunity to learn about these jobs, as well as present their research to agency members who ask different questions than academics at universities.” 

Heiman also enjoyed going to the MNRC mixer, where she got to meet collaborators and network.  

“The mixer gives attendees the opportunity to learn about research going on and network with other students and professionals,” Heiman said. “The mixers at conferences generate ideas and collaborations for new projects, so I think they are a vital part of research.”

MSU GGP graduate students from left to right: Shay Hostens, Sarah LeTarte, Grace Roman, Katy Reminga, Hannah Hess and Josh Hess.

 

About the presentations 

Several GGP students and faculty presented. The asterisk * represents who presented at the conference.  

  • Using drone-based imagery to enhance conservation projects. Dr. Toby Dogwiler*, Bennett Conway, Shay Hostens and Bailey Pfitzner. 
  • Geospatial analysis of stream bank stability of small, agricultural streams for conservation planning, Lamar Lake watershed, MO. Hannah Adams* and Pavlowsky. 
  • Nonpoint pollution source modeling in Mineral Fork and Mill Creek watersheds, Washington County, Missouri; Assessment of channel erosion inputs using LiDAR and historical aerial photography. Kayla Coonen*, Marc Owen and Pavlowsky.  
  • Spatial distribution of Riparian tree mortality by a 500–year flood in the North Fork River watershed, Southern Missouri. Joshua Hess* and Pavlowsky. 
  • Environmental history as interpreted through floodplain core analysis along the lower Big River below Byrnesville, Jefferson County, Missouri. Miranda Jordan*, Pavlowsky and Owen. 
  • Sediment quality survey to identify nonpoint and point sources of pollution in an urbanized watershed, Springfield, Missouri. Sarah Letarte*, Madalyn Behlke-Entwisle, Indigo Tran and Pavlowsky. 
  • Historical land use influence on legacy floodplain deposits in forested watersheds in the Ozark highlands. Katy Reminga*, Pavlowsky and Owen.  
  • Step-pool channel form, distribution and forcing in the Salem Plateau, Carter County, Missouri. Triston Rice* and Pavlowsky.  
  • Geomorphic and land use controls on headwater channel morphology in Mark Twain National Forest. Grace Roman* and Pavlowsky.  
  • Metal contamination in roadside soils and street dusts in residential neighborhoods in Springfield, Missouri. Kelly Rose*, Pavlowsky and Owen.  
  • Relationship between macroinvertebrate indices and channel enlargement and substrate in urban streams, Springfield, Missouri. Micah Seago*, Ethan Pelke, Behlke-Enwisle and Pavlowsky. 
  • Influence of channel geomorphic processes and sediment metal concentrations on macroinvertebrate communities in urban streams, Springfield, Missouri. Behlke-Enwisle*, Pelke, Seago and Pavlowsky. 
  • Catastrophic Flood Effects on Riparian Forests in Mark Twain National Forest, Southern Missouri. Hess*, Pavlowsky, Dogwiler, Jacob Bendix, Derek Martin and Leah Bournival 
  • Using UAS Drone-Based Imagery and SfM photogrammetry to map the effects of major flooding on Riparian Forests. Hostens* and Dogwiler. 
  • Integrating the forest soils disturbance monitoring protocol in Mark Twain National Forest management. Adams*, Owen and Pavlowsky.  
  • Anthropogenic disturbance, geomorphic response and channel form in Big Barren Creek, Mark Twain National Forest. Pavlowsky*, Reminga, Roman and Owen.  
  • Soil monitoring program to evaluate hydrological effects of prescribed burning in Big Barren Creek watershed, Mark Twain National Forest. Roman* and Pavlowsky.  
  • Hydrological monitoring of Big Barren Creek watershed, Mark Twain National Forest, Southeast Missouri. Owen* and Pavlowsky. 

Pavlowsky also organized a workshop for attendees about understanding climate change and land management on watersheds in Mark Twain National Forest.  

Kyle Steele, forest ecologist for Mark Twain National Park, moderated the session.  

Biology also presented: 

  • Chemical fingerprint analysis of sycamore trees in Big River, MO. Heiman*, Trang Tran and Dr. La Toya Kissoon-Charles.  
  • Lemna minor growth and morphological responses to different forms of silver. Tran*, Heiman and Kisson-Charles. 
  • A low water crossing impacts Northern Hog Sucker (Hypentelium nigricans) movement in an Ozark stream. Jeff Williams*, Hope R. Dodd, and Dr. Debra S. Finn. 
  • Fish community and Topeka Shiner monitoring at Tallgrass National Preserve, KS.  Dodd* and Williams.  

Williams won an award for best student fisheries presentation. Learn more about his research.