Vegetation scientists attempt to understand the degree of species inter-dependence within communities, how the distribution of communities depends upon past and present environmental factors, and what the role of communities is in such ecosystem activities as energy transfer, nutrient cycling, and succession.   However, communities must first be measured and summarized in some effective way before these questions can be addressed.   The ongoing attempt to inventory the world's vegetation is based on a small sample of the total vegetation cover because of limitations in people, time, and resources.   These samples must be taken carefully to ensure that the resulting estimates will be accurate and useful.   In this study, we have used the Releve Method to determine species abundance and community structure of the Hiwassee-Ocoee Rivers State Park

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Chelonian Populations of Two Waterways in the Southern Tennessee Valley

Tyler Shelton, Southern Adventist University

Waterways in the Tennessee Valley (TV) provide a rich wetland habitat for many organisms and having a major role in human water needs.   In an effort to further understand the biological diversity of the Tennessee watershed, turtle populations of two minor waterways, Wolftever Creek and N. Chickamauga Creek, were surveyed over the period of early March through late September in 2003.   The turtle populations living along TV waterways play an important role in the regulation of their ecosystem as much of their diet is diverse, ranging from small insects and macroalgae to birds and small mammals. A large portion of the turtles captured were found to be of the species Chelydra serpentina and Trachemys scripta .   A strong correlation between capture rates and reproductive activity was discovered.   The results of this survey are then discussed in correlation with certain environmental factors of the two waterways, such as the locality of the Chickamauga Dam and perspective water flow rates.

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Exploring Potential Mechanisms for the Conformational Change Leading to Infectivity in Influenza Hemagglutinin.  

Kara D. Whitlock, Pellissippi State Technical Community College

Recent concerns about a potential pandemic of bird flu have drawn attention to influenza viruses.   In particular, the mechanism by which the virus infects the host cell is a critical concern.   The glycoprotein hemagglutinin binds to sialic acid receptors on the cell surface, and the virus is then endocytized.   Once inside the cell, pH changes in the endosome result in a major conformational change in the hemagglutinin molecule, resulting in membrane fusion and release of viral RNA into the host cell.   Several possibilities for the mechanism by which the conformational change occurs have been explored using computer modeling of protein structure in Rasmol.

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Occurrence of Fungal Spores on Southern Adventist University Campus

Lauren Hayes, Southern Adventist University

Airborne fungal spores are prevalent in Southeast Tennessee, and the purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence of airborne mold spores on the campus of Southern Adventist University. Samples were collected weekly from September to November 2005 using a PBI Air Sampler, which deposited airborne fungal spores on Sabouraud Dextrose Agar (SDA) and Malt Extract Agar (MEA) petri plates. The number of fungal spores collected, as determined by colony counts, was positively correlated to both location and average daytime temperature.   Those locations that were moist and shaded had the highest colony counts, and the total number of colonies declined as the average daytime temperature lowered with the onset of winter.