MSU Research roundup-Far-flung pots-Crop markets-Ben and Billy-Fish in hot water

Far-flung pots

Greece and Utah are a long way apart, but they both produced pottery that interests Michael Peed, an art professor and expert on indigenous ceramics. With a Scholarship and Creativity Grant from MSU, Peed plans to travel to Athens and Crete in January where he will photograph and study Minoan pottery made around 1500 B.C. He will then travel to the Edge of the Cedars Museum in Blanding, Utah, to examine ancestral Puebloan pottery made between 500 to 1200 A.D. Peed wants to compare the decorations and images used in both cultures. The people of Crete lived for about 2,000 years with no attackers, he noted. They were surrounded by water. The Puebloans, on the other hand, lived in a desert environment and were often attacked.

Crop markets

Wheat and barley production has been subsidized by the federal government for decades. Now alternative crops like canola, safflower and peas will qualify as well, thanks to a new federal farm bill. Often, though, the marketplace offers a better price than the one guaranteed by the government, says MSU agricultural economist Vince Smith. That’s why he and several other economists are exploring opportunities and strategies for marketing alternative crops. Montana farmers are already including some of the crops in next year’s production plans, so understanding the market is critical, Smith said. Besides MSU, the project involves Fort Peck Community College and the Montana Grain Growers Association.

Ben and Billy

Benjamin Franklin — the 13th child of a candle maker — went on to become a wealthy printer who also studied electricity, invented a musical instrument, mapped the Gulf Stream and helped found this country. The Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) will air a three-part series on him this fall. Billy Smith, an MSU historian, will appear on that documentary as one of the "talking heads." Smith isn’t sure what PBS will use, but he was flown to New York City last year to be interviewed. Smith said he mostly described what Philadelphia was like when Franklin first arrived there. Smith was also asked about Franklin himself and his career. For more information on the documentary, check http://www.neh.gov/news/humanities.html

Fish in hot water

Water temperature is the single most important environmental feature for fish, said MSU ecologist Tom McMahon. And while scientists generally know what temperatures rainbow trout and other non-native fish like, they’re less sure about some of the native species such as bull trout and westslope cutthroat. Too hot, of course, and the fish die, but what temperatures are optimum for their survival? McMahon and others are finding out through experiments at the Bozeman Fish Technology Center. The results should help guide restoration efforts for the native species. The work is being done with federal funds sought by Sen. Conrad Burns for the Wild Fish Habitat Initiative.

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