M.S. assistantship in Biogeochemistry
Please respond to Dr. Stephen C. Hart, contact information given below. GRADUATE RESEARCH ASSISTANTSHIP IN BIOGEOCHEMISTRY AT NORTHERN ARIZONA UNIVERSITY A M.S. Research Assistantship is available in the School of Forestry (www.for.nau.edu), Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ. The successful candidate will join a group of researchers investigating the controls on ecosystem development in piñon-juniper woodlands using substrate-age gradients (i.e., soil chronosequences; http://www.mpcer.nau.edu/chrono_intro.html) and resource amendments. Specifically, this graduate research assistant will investigate the importance of atmospheric dust inputs and deep plant roots to the function of these semi-arid ecosystems. The position starts the summer of 2008 and is open until a suitable candidate is found. Flagstaff is located at an elevation of 2,280 m on the southern edge of the Colorado Plateau and offers exceptional recreational opportunities. Contact Dr. Stephen C. Hart (http://www2.for.nau.edu/EELab/) for application information ([EMAIL PROTECTED]; 928-523-6637). -- Paul C. Selmants, Ph.D School of Forestry Northern Arizona University Flagstaff, AZ 86011-5018 928.523.1469
Two Grad Assistantships: Oak Ecology
With apologies for cross-listings: Support for two graduate assistantships in oak ecology is anticipated for Summer-Fall 2008 in the Department of Forestry and Natural Resources at Purdue University (http://www.fnr.purdue.edu/). The successful candidates will conduct interrelated work on environmental factors influencing the distribution and dynamics of early life stages in oaks. Research will be conducted as part of the Hardwood Ecosystem Experiment, a long-term assessment of ecosystem responses to even- and uneven-aged silvicultural treatments being conducted as a cooperative venture involving scientists at four universities and the Indiana Department of Natural Resources. One assistantship will focus on site and genetic impacts on oak by a) developing predictive models of advanced oak regeneration from attributes of woody plant communities and abiotic factors at multiple spatial scales and b) determining genetic structure in and around harvested areas for purposes of assessing parentage of regeneration. The other assistantship will address how animals influence early life stages of oaks by a) determining how seed predation and seed dispersal by rodents influence potential regeneration in harvested stands and b) experimentally assessing the impact of herbivores (deer, small mammals, insects) on seedling growth and survival.Strong quantitative skills are required; field research experience in forestry or wildlife is desirable. Candidates should have a GPA of at least 3.2 and a cumulative GRE score of at least 1200 (V+Q) and 4.5 for Analytical Writing. =20 =20 Please email a resume and a short (1-page) letter of interest, including cumulative GPA, GRE scores, and contact telephone numbers and email addresses for three references to Rob Swihart ([EMAIL PROTECTED]) and Michael Saunders ([EMAIL PROTECTED]). Graduate stipends currently are $16,675 (M.S.) and $19,140 (Ph.D.) per year and include tuition waivers. All inquiries must be received by 10 January to be considered for fall admission. Purdue University is an equal access/equal opportunity/affirmative action employer fully committed to achieving a diverse workforce. =20 Rob Swihart Professor and Head Department of Forestry and Natural Resources Purdue University West Lafayette, IN 47907-2061 PH: 765-494-3590 =20
ECOLOGY Teaching and Learning and Considering Impediments--Seeing the Elephant? Re: Use of ecology textbooks
There have been so many good answers to this very good question, so this feeble response is not limited to Charlene. I've never tried to teach ecology, and I ain't at all sure what I've "learned," but I do know that I've got more questions about the subject than I have answers--more than when I began. Further, my experience is full of mistakes, errors of presumption, pride, and prejudice. And I strongly suspect that the impediments to learning are largely embraced by those three p's. I suspect that there are elements in teaching, especially when it is contaminated by the three p's, themselves run a serious risk of impeding more than advancing learning. So it's little wonder that those thrust into such a scary test of human limitations--the honest ones anyway--"appreciate more than ever what an extraordinarily difficult thing it is to do well" the more they struggle with it. I admire their courage, not only to take on the quest, but to do so in the purgatory of academia, ensnarled by red tape, bound by bureaucracy, enslaved by statistical oppression. I admire even more those who resist the enslavement of mere tradition in raiments of "intellectual" tyranny, and risk being bounced out of the fold, ostracized, isolated, ridiculed. Have we so enshrined the mere names of Copernicus, da Vinci, and "patron saints" of honest intellectual enquiry who have suffered mightily in that very same tradition that we have become desensitized to what they actually did? That's REAL irony, eh? The best teachers I've had (aside from the organisms and phenomena themselves) are the ones who have challenged me the most. And most of those did so out of the classroom, beyond the bytes. The worst teachers, the kind who could not figure out the crucial distinction between challenging and threatening--the "instructors" who hobbled into the lecture hall propped up (or so they thought, but actually were crippled) by curricula and lesson plans and textbooks. In here somewhere is the elephant that obscures the parade, the Emperor of Authority who rides resplendent in his golden gown, crowned, not be hisher actual achievements but by status conferred rather than won. I weep now as I have wept too long of the tragedy of the uncommoness of challenge and responsibility and the institutionalization of--period. Of course I "exaggerate" as Bagehout would say, by "omission." But I am not arguing a pet point, peeve, or pronouncement--I am merely responding, planarian worm-like, the saline solution dropped on one side of the Petri dish and am squirming accordingly. Demonstrably I have an ego, but it is not at stake here. Further, this is truncated, not because I tire of the subject, but because I know the reader will. And more important, its purpose is to initiate further questing. For example, for such a seemingly endlessly complex subject, where does one begin, where does one end, and what does leave in and leave out? In what sequence shall this knowledge be presented? Your obedient student, WT PS: What ARE the basics? What is THE universal basic? At 07:37 AM 11/18/2007, Charlene D'Avanzo wrote: >This is in response to Andrew's question about 'throwing away' the >textbook in ecology classes. > >In my own ecology class I use an ecology text as an assigned >reference for the very many (over 30) research papers we read. In >nearly every class students present a primary article and I assign >specific, limited numbers of pages in a text. I do that because even >though I ask students to put the assigned paper into the larger >ecological context, it is of course hard for sophomores and juniors >to do that. (Feel free to contact me for the list of papers) So the >textbook is a reference for the papers which are the main focus. > >Your questions about what students in ecology really 'should' know >are vital ones. The ESA education section has been struggling with >this for years and, as you might assume, we do not agree. Here are >some of my ideas: > * Focus on cognitive/thinking skills important in ecology >(and science) and not just on subject matter. A main reason students >present so many papers in my class is because I want students to know >how to read and discuss ecological primary articles - how to identify >the core question, describe and explain data, connect findings to >experimental design, make their own conclusions, etc. The field >component involves writing primary-style papers as well, so there is >a connection there. > * Keep the 'content' small and do it well. Actively involve >your students in their own learning. Very clearly identify what you >want your students to know - and then try to assess along the way >their progress. There are many suggestions on TIEE (tiee.ecoed.net) >in the Teaching Section about how to do ongoing (formative) >evaluation. An example is the minute paper that you give at the end >of class. This is not just 'education-eze'; it's
Re: semi-silly question from John Nielsen
Hi colleagues, =20 Please forgive my late entry into this topic of discussion but I did = want to throw out one or two issues concerning non-native species, invasive non-natives, and biodiversity. =20 One issue that has garnered very little discussion in a global context = is what constitutes a native species. Here in the US, with particular = regard to plants, the argument has always been in favor of the =93cutoff date=94 = being sometime prior to 1492 and the sailing of the =93ocean blue=94 however = in Britain, where much of my initial work on preserving native biodiversity = was developed, the consensus of opinion on a similar moment in history is = seen as the formation of the English channel (and hence the disconnection = from mainland Europe), which was about 9,000 years ago, and includes not only plants that were already there but also those that arrived = =93naturally=94 i.e. as a result of the end of the Ice Age and consequent migration of plants north-west as climate changed and ice retreated- oh, wait does any of = this sound familiar? (By the way, a colleague of mine recently told me that = the Inuit people with whom he works are in a real dilemma because they are having to literally invent language for the first time because up until = now they have not needed the words for =93wasp=94, =93barn owl=94, or = =93tuna!=94) Finding the differentiation between human-created climate change as an = instigator and natural shifts and migrations of certain populations due to a = natural regulation mechanism is rather complex and certainly an emotive topic to = try to delve into, nevertheless as the landbridge and other natural = connections from South and Central America (ocean currents, avian seed dispersal) = create passage from South to North (and vice versa), there could be some very specific examples of species that should perhaps be considered native or properly naturalized (and I am not talking about the inane move to re-classify crape myrtles, Lagerstroemia spp., as now native to = California!) =20 Point number two: that which constitutes non-native and invasive alien = may be an entirely differing set of issues dependent upon context and = locality. Some years ago Christopher Dick (Harvard University) published a very interesting article in the Proceedings of the Royal Society where he = showed that in the absence of native pollinators, some native canopy-emergent tropical trees were being genetically rescued precisely because of the ability of alien pollinators to provide relatively long-distance gene = flow- in this situation, the tropical species was isolated in fragmented = Amazonian pastures (i.e. native pollinators were not =93ousted=94 by the aliens = but were victims of the set of proverbial edge effects created by habitat fragmentation, one of which is to dissuade insect pollinators from = migrating from patch to patch and of course the reduction in core areas, the = habitat for forest dwelling pollinators.) Interestingly the savior happens to be Apis mellifera scutellata, the Africanized honeybee. By the way, my own research in tropical habitats and in particular SLOSS theory and habitat fragmentation was to posit the term and the concept of =93biological corridors=94 some 20 years ago. At that time, although many have = developed my ideas much further, some of my arguments centered not just upon the = seasonal and/or daily migrations of larger animals, but also on preserving the opportunity for plants and invertebrates to secure genetic diversity and reduce reproductive isolation. In many situations around the world, the increased fragmentation of critical habitat, especially in irregularly-shaped patches, and the subsequent reduction in core = interior space has allowed the proliferation and invasion of alien species that = would normally have been better controlled had human disturbance not occurred. =20 Another aspect of the native issue is precisely the preservation of = native biodiversity across the multitude of mutualistic trophic levels. Here in = the District of Columbia, I am involved in the construction of greenroofs = and am attempting to connect them to closely adjacent or virtually contiguous habitat strips constructed as integral to various Low Impact Development (LID) elements such as raingardens and bioretention areas. This has = become the framework for developing a model for using the same corridor concept = in ultra-urban scenarios: the creation of core habitat areas (or = remediation of dysfunctional fragments into areas with more integrity) and linkages = that allow for effective support for biodiversity, whether it be routes of = travel to/from refuge to food, =93grazing=94 territories that must take into = account alternative prey measures as well as seasonal fluctuations, or continued genetic migration to maintain species survival. Central to this project = is the use of native plant species that have historically supported native insect species and s
Invitation to Submit Papers to the Journal Castanea
An Open Invitation to Submit Papers to Castanea (http=3A//www=2Esabs=2Eappstate=2Eedu) = The Southern Appalachian Botanical Society (SABS) invites authors to sub= mit papers to the journal Castanea that focus on any aspect of botany pe= rtaining to the eastern United States (not just the southern Appalachian= s!)=2E These papers may focus on systematics=2C floristics=2C ecology=2C= physiology=2C biochemistry=2C and even molecular biology=2E While Cast= anea=91s strengths have traditionally been in systematics=2C floristics = and ecology=2C articles from all fields are welcome=2E Castanea has rec= ently instituted a series of invited review papers=2C the first of which= will appear in 2008=2C and also publishes monographs and symposia proce= edings=2E = = Castanea is a highly respected regional botanical journal now in its 72n= d year=2E It is indexed on the Web of Science=2C BioOne=2C EBSCOR=2C an= d now JSTOR=2E The journal was recently redesigned=2C and now features = a two-column format with a new font and a more modern and appealing styl= e=2E Beginning in January of 2008=2C the journal will move to an electr= onic submission process=2E = = The Editorial Board consists of an Editor-in-Chief and four subject edit= ors covering the areas mentioned above=2E All papers are evaluated by a= t least two highly qualified reviewers=2E Published quarterly=2C the jo= urnal will expedite reviews so that authors receive notification of the = status of their paper within 6 weeks of submis=ADsion and publication is= guaranteed within two issues from the date of acceptance (i=2Ee=2E=2C w= ithin 6-8 months of acceptance)=2E = = Any members of SABS who is senior author on a paper will receive 12 free= pages per year=2E Since membership is only =2435=2C it is more than wo= rth the cost of publishing! Otherwise=2C page charges are =2440/page=2E = SABS hopes you will be encouraged to publish in this newly revitalized = journal=2E A sampling of articles recently published=2C and ones upcomi= ng can be found on our website=3A http=3A//www=2Esabs=2Eappstate=2Eedu/C= astanea/Index=2Ehtm = = If there are any questions about publishing your paper in Castanea=2C pl= ease contact our editor-in-chief=2C Dr=2E George Johnson at=3A gjohnson=40= atu=2Eedu=2E We look forward to receiving your articles for consideratio= n for publication in Castanea=2E = Sincerely=2C Dr=2E Howard S=2E Neufeld=2C President The Southern Appalachian Botanical Society Dr=2E Howard S=2E Neufeld=2C Professor = Dept=2E of Biology = 572 Rivers St=2E = Appalachian State University = Boone=2C NC 28608 = = Tel=3A 828-262-2683 = Fax=3A 828-262-2127 = email=3A neufeldhs=40appstate=2Eedu = website=3A http=3A//www=2Ebiology=2Eappstate=2Eedu = website=3A http=3A//www=2Ebiology=2Eappstate=2Eedu/faculty/neufeldhs=2Eh= tm
shipping, sea ice, and polar bears
Dear Ecolog Members, There has been considerable research on the effects of changing sea ice conditions and how these will negatively affect polar bears. Reduced ice coverage will also likely increase the amount of shipping in the Northwest Passage (and other areas). Has anyone looked at whether shipping itself - removing ice arches, etc. (with or without ice-breaking) may affect sea ice conditions and hence wildlife such as polar bears and caribou that migrate across sea ice? Cheers, Greg S
Re: Throwing away the textbooks
As a high school teacher who sees an enormous variation in student body from year to year, some of whom go off to top colleges and succeed, many of whom are first generation college hopefuls, and a large number of whom are even refugees here with at best erratic educational histories, I find the preoccupation with "should's" here a bit quaint. This is the 21st Century. My group may be an extreme example, but students are showing up these days with vastly different experiences than those we might have expected, even a decade ago. Whatever No Child Left Behind straightjackets or standardized testing they squeeze our kids through, there is no turning back. More and more students are seeking to include higher education in their lives, that's good. More and more students are seeking out courses that have to do with how our planet works, that's good, too. Whether it's Ecology, Environmental Science, whatever the course, when people ask me what I teach, I always have to remind them that, most importantly, I teach people. Whether it's my catch-all high school, a premium private school, or college, we all share an opportunity here, which is to shape the future. I think we have an obligation to meet our students where they are, and only then bring them as far as we can. Steve Crowley At 05:39 AM 11/18/2007, James J. Roper wrote: >I teach ecology to grad students here in Brazil, and the problems are >similar. However, the simple truth of the matter is that Andy is apparently >teaching "ecology" to students who do not have the appropriate >pre-requisites Sure, the university may not force formal pre-requisites >on the students, but to study ecology, the student should already have >studied introductory biology (and so SHOULD know the difference between a >lizard and a salamander) and preferably other, more advanced, courses in the >biological sciences. Also, a fundamental premise of ecology is evolution by >natural selection - the students should understand that first. > >So, if the students do not have that background, then I think you are >wasting your time teaching "ecology" and what you should be teaching is >"environmental studies." That could easily be geared to unprepared >undergrads, and could fill in some of those voids that you mentioned you >students have. > >Cheers, > >Jim > >On 11/17/07, Andrew Park <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > > Hi Ecologgers, > > > > Responses are invited to the following thoughts, especially from > > experienced teachers: > > > > I teach a 2nd year course in basic Ecology at an undergraduate > > university. After four years of teaching this course, I am being > > drawn to the following conclusions: > > > > [1] ? The textbook is awful. Not only that, but all the textbooks I have > >looked at that are aimed at teaching an overview of Ecology seem to > > be > >chronically faulted: > > * There is simply too much stuff in them. My course is one semester > > long, but > > even if it were a full year course, I could probably cover less than > > 50% of > > this book. > > > > ** The books are grossly overpriced. Some students are unable to afford > > them, > > and since the publisher is constantly coming out with slightly > > altered ?new? > > editions, the resale price is low. > > > > *** The material they cover and their overall emphasis, appears to be > > poorly > > selected and framed given the tenor of current public discourse on > > ecology > > and environment. > > > > Finally, I believe that I can do this stuff better myself. > > Although there > > are commonalities among all universities, the sociocultural > > backgrounds of > > students and the bioregional contexts in which we work differ > > greatly. > > How can a mass-produced textbook ever hope to capture that? > > > > [2] ? Students today are different. Numerous research studies and even > > more > >anecdotal evidence suggest that numerical skills, basic literacy, > > the > >ability to organize information into coherent arguments, and > > engagement > >with the natural world are all worse than they were (even) a decade > > ago. > >And yet textbooks speak to students as though they know how to read > > a > >graph, as though they are sophisticated reasoners, and perhaps most > >importantly, as though they already understand the difference > > between > >salamanders and lizards, spiders and insects. NEWSFLASH ? THEY > > DON?T. > > > > [3] Because of [1] and [2], I conclude that I need to take a radically > > different approach to teaching this basic course: > > > > * The course needs to be longer, probably split into ?Basic? and > > ?Advanced? > > Semesters > > > > ** A module on the basic variety of life needs to be built into the > > course. > > > > *** The course has to contain materials relevant to modern environmental > > discourse. For e
Use of ecology textbooks
This is in response to Andrew's question about 'throwing away' the textbook in ecology classes. In my own ecology class I use an ecology text as an assigned reference for the very many (over 30) research papers we read. In nearly every class students present a primary article and I assign specific, limited numbers of pages in a text. I do that because even though I ask students to put the assigned paper into the larger ecological context, it is of course hard for sophomores and juniors to do that. (Feel free to contact me for the list of papers) So the textbook is a reference for the papers which are the main focus. Your questions about what students in ecology really 'should' know are vital ones. The ESA education section has been struggling with this for years and, as you might assume, we do not agree. Here are some of my ideas: * Focus on cognitive/thinking skills important in ecology (and science) and not just on subject matter. A main reason students present so many papers in my class is because I want students to know how to read and discuss ecological primary articles - how to identify the core question, describe and explain data, connect findings to experimental design, make their own conclusions, etc. The field component involves writing primary-style papers as well, so there is a connection there. * Keep the 'content' small and do it well. Actively involve your students in their own learning. Very clearly identify what you want your students to know - and then try to assess along the way their progress. There are many suggestions on TIEE (tiee.ecoed.net) in the Teaching Section about how to do ongoing (formative) evaluation. An example is the minute paper that you give at the end of class. This is not just 'education-eze'; it's important. * Connect up with other ecology faculty asking the same questions. The Education Section of the ESA is very active; come to our meetings, workshops, and sessions at the annual meeting. There is also Ecoed net where you can post questions. Hope this is helpful. After 30 years teaching, I appreciate more than ever what an extraordinarily difficult thing it is to do well! -- Charlene ** Charlene D'Avanzo Professor of Ecology & Director, Center for Learning Hampshire College Phone 413-5595569 FAX 413-5595448 Homepage: http://helios.hampshire.edu/~cdNS/ TIEE: http://tiee.ecoed.net/ Course website: http://ns.hampshire.edu/ns207/ ns/ns207
Re: Throwing away the textbooks
I teach ecology to grad students here in Brazil, and the problems are similar. However, the simple truth of the matter is that Andy is apparentl= y teaching "ecology" to students who do not have the appropriate pre-requisites Sure, the university may not force formal pre-requisite= s on the students, but to study ecology, the student should already have studied introductory biology (and so SHOULD know the difference between a lizard and a salamander) and preferably other, more advanced, courses in th= e biological sciences. Also, a fundamental premise of ecology is evolution b= y natural selection - the students should understand that first. So, if the students do not have that background, then I think you are wasting your time teaching "ecology" and what you should be teaching is "environmental studies." That could easily be geared to unprepared undergrads, and could fill in some of those voids that you mentioned you students have. Cheers, Jim On 11/17/07, Andrew Park <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > Hi Ecologgers, > > Responses are invited to the following thoughts, especially from > experienced teachers: > > I teach a 2nd year course in basic Ecology at an undergraduate > university. After four years of teaching this course, I am being > drawn to the following conclusions: > > [1] ? The textbook is awful. Not only that, but all the textbooks I have >looked at that are aimed at teaching an overview of Ecology seem t= o > be >chronically faulted: > * There is simply too much stuff in them. My course is one semester > long, but > even if it were a full year course, I could probably cover less than > 50% of > this book. > > ** The books are grossly overpriced. Some students are unable to afford > them, > and since the publisher is constantly coming out with slightly > altered ?new? > editions, the resale price is low. > > *** The material they cover and their overall emphasis, appears to be > poorly > selected and framed given the tenor of current public discourse on > ecology > and environment. > > Finally, I believe that I can do this stuff better myself. > Although there > are commonalities among all universities, the sociocultural > backgrounds of > students and the bioregional contexts in which we work differ > greatly. > How can a mass-produced textbook ever hope to capture that? > > [2] ? Students today are different. Numerous research studies and even > more >anecdotal evidence suggest that numerical skills, basic literacy, > the >ability to organize information into coherent arguments, and > engagement >with the natural world are all worse than they were (even) a decad= e > ago. >And yet textbooks speak to students as though they know how to rea= d > a >graph, as though they are sophisticated reasoners, and perhaps mos= t >importantly, as though they already understand the difference > between >salamanders and lizards, spiders and insects. NEWSFLASH ? THEY > DON?T. > > [3] Because of [1] and [2], I conclude that I need to take a radically > different approach to teaching this basic course: > > * The course needs to be longer, probably split into ?Basic? and > ?Advanced? > Semesters > > ** A module on the basic variety of life needs to be built into the > course. > > *** The course has to contain materials relevant to modern environmental > discourse. For example, discussions of energy transfer and primary > productivity cannot really be taught without reference to the human > appropriation of primary productivity. > > At the same time, the traditional technical basis for teaching > ecology >cannot be abandoned. the question is, how to make it as > engaging as some >of the more sexy, issue-based stuff. > > * Finally I believe that I may throw away the textbook, along > with most of > the powerpoints, the WEB-CT site and a lot of the other > technological > paraphernalia that often seems to distract as much as it informs. > >I WOULD LIKE TO GET SOME RESPONSE TO THESE THOUGHTS FROM > TEACHERS. IN >PARTICULAR: > > * Have any of you decided to chuck the required text and simply use > handouts >and readings? > > ** Have you changed the ways that you teach, either to reflect our > current > environmental crisis, or to reflect the preparedness of students. > > *** What, in your opinion, are the ESSENTIAL things that we have to teac= h > in > basic Ecology courses. > > Sincerely, > > Andy Park (Biology Department, University of Winnipeg) > --=20 James J. Roper, Ph.D. Ecologia e Din=E2micas Populacionais de Vertebrados Terrestres Caixa Postal 19034 81531-990 Curitiba, Paran=E1, Brasil E-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Telefone: 55 41 33857249 Mobile: 55 41 99870543 http://www.bio.ufpr.br/ecologia/ Ecologia e Conserva=E7=E3o na UFPR http://jjroper.googlespages.com Perso
