NIMBioS Investigative Workshop: New Soil Black Box Math Strategies
The National Institute for Mathematical and Biological Synthesis
(NIMBioS) is now accepting applications for the NIMBioS sponsored
Investigative Workshop: New Soil Black Box Math Strategies, to be held
October 15 - 17, 2009 at NIMBioS.
*Topic: New Strategies for the Black Box: Identifying mathematical
tools for elucidating plant-soil interactions
*Organizers: Alison E. Bennett, Department of Entomology, University of
Wisconsin; James Umbanhower, Department of Biology, University of North
Carolina
*Location: NIMBioS at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville
*Objectives: Soil-plant interactions structure life as we know it.
Research has demonstrated that individual plant communities, species and
even individual genotypes can cultivate distinct soil communities of
decomposers, mutualists, and pathogens. Various components of the
plant-soil interaction have been explored, but few of these explorations
have been integrated across ecological scales or included more than one
component of the soil community. Similarly, individual theoretical
approaches have focused on select groups (eg. mutualists, decomposers,
and pathogens) while excluding many soil organisms (eg. soil fauna). In
addition these theoretical approaches have rarely examined these groups
at the same organizational scale making it difficult to develop a
comprehensive picture of plant-soil interactions. By extending our
models to explore all levels of organization, we can take steps to
building a comprehensive picture of plant-soil interactions that can
then inform basic science as well as applied science including
restoration, conservation, and global change. During the Investigative
Workshop, participants will have the opportunity to identify the
theoretical frameworks for expanding our knowledge and driving the
future of plant-soil interactions.
--
Catherine Crawley, Ph.D.
Communications Coordinator
National Institute for Mathematical and Biological Synthesis (NIMBioS)
1534 White Avenue
Knoxville, TN 37996-1527
Phone: (865) 974-9350
Fax: (865) 974-9461
Email: ccraw...@nimbios.org
Website: www.nimbios.org
