[ECOLOG-L] Field Assistant Position - Plant Ecology/Agroecology in Ethiopia

[Leah Samberg]

*Field Assistant Position*: Ecologist/Agroecologist
*Gamo Highlands, Southern Ethiopia*
*Dates: *August 15th 2008 - February 15th 2009 (6 months)
*Application Deadline:* June 15, 2008

*Project Description:*
This position is for one full-time plant ecologist to assist in a doctoral
research project on population structures of crop and tree species in a
remote agricultural ecosystem in southern Ethiopia. The Gamo Highlands are
located in a remote mountain range rising out of the Ethiopian Rift Valley
to elevations over 4500m, and are the home of one of the planet's most
ancient and diverse subsistence agricultural systems. The goal of the
project is to identify barriers to/pathways for gene flow in key species
that may affect both the potential for ongoing evolutionary processes and
the ability of farmers to adapt their cultivation strategies in the face of
changing environmental conditions. The field portion of this project
involves collection and preservation of plant material for genetic analysis,
household surveys regarding farmer exchange of genetic material, and
collection of environmental, topographic, and geographic data.
*
Requirements/Qualifications:*
The research assistant will be an integral part of project design, sampling,
and data collection throughout this six-month period. The assistant should
have or be working towards a degree in ecology, environmental science, or a
related field, and have research experience, including field work.
Experience working abroad and in remote, rural areas is preferred. Interest
in rural/international development and agriculture is welcome. This position
involves living and working in a remote, mountainous area with minimal to
non-existent amenities (eg running water, electricity). It involves working
closely with Ethiopian farmers through translators and local assistants –
willingness/ability to pick up languages quickly is a plus. The position
involves walking long distances over rough terrain, often with a pack. Most
importantly it involves being flexible and able to cope with everyday
inconveniences, crises, and changes of plans which may, and will, arise of
the course of this study.
*
Salary:* Travel and Expenses. The chance to live and work in an amazing
place which few people in the world will ever see.

*To apply:*
Please send a cover letter, CV, and names and contact info of 2 references
by June 15 to:
Leah Samberg
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
And please contact me at this email address with questions or for more
information.

[ECOLOG-L] Research Technician Position at UGA

[Shu-Mei Chang]

RESEARCH TECHNICIAN POSITION:  PLANT EVOLUTIONARY ECOLOGY
UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA

A full-time research technician position is available starting immediately
in the laboratory of Shu-Mei Chang in the Department of Plant Biology at the
University of Georgia.  The general research interests of lab are to
understand how evolutionary and ecological factors may influence the mating
systems in flowering plants.  Current projects include conservation genetics
of endangered species, evolution of separate sexes in flowering plants and
functional analyses of male traits in hermaphroditic plants. Field and
greenhouse experiments are a big component of these projects so it is
crucial that the candidate can work outdoor and in the greenhouse in
conditions that can be demanding, including working in hot GA summer weather.  

Responsibilities also include bench work in the laboratory, such as DNA
extraction, PCR, allozymes and microsatellite DNA genotyping, and measuring
morphological and life history traits of plants. Candidates are expected to
have some basic knowledge on laboratory techniques such as PCR and DNA
extraction.  Other duties include: overseeing day-to-day management of the
laboratory including the purchasing of supplies and equipment; insuring
proper operation and maintenance of laboratory equipment; entering and
managing electronic data files; working with undergraduate research
assistants; maintaining greenhouse plants, and training of student workers.
The position is ideal for a highly motivated person interested in gaining
field and laboratory skills prior to starting graduate school or other work
in the life sciences. 

Requirements for the position are a bachelor's degree in biology, plant
biology, ecology, evolution, or a related field as well as basic computer
skills. The ideal candidate has a strong work ethic, positive attitude,
excellent communication and organization skills, and the desire to acquire
new field and laboratory research skills.  Research experience in plants and
an enthusiasm for field work will be advantageous.

To apply, please send a CV, a letter describing research background and
interests and names and contact information of two references to: Shu-Mei
Chang, [EMAIL PROTECTED]  Applications will be reviewed until position
is filled. Salary is commensurate with experience and includes benefits.

Re: [ECOLOG-L] Call for abstracts for the ESA Resources for Ecology Education * Fair & Share

[Jennifer Riem]

Hi everyone,

 

In order to make abstract submission for REEFS easier, we've added a
page to the ESA website that includes a submission form for abstracts.
Please disregard the previous instructions about submitting through
email.

 

http://www.esa.org/education_diversity/reefs.php
 

 

Thanks,
Jennifer Riem

 

Jennifer Riem

Education Coordinator

Ecological Society of America

Department of Education and Diversity Programs

[EMAIL PROTECTED]  

 

NEW CONTACT INFORMATION

1990 M Street NW Suite 700

Washington, DC 20036

tel 202-833-8773 x236

fax 202-833-8775

 

 

From: Jennifer Riem 
Sent: Tuesday, May 06, 2008 4:20 PM
To: 'ECOLOG-L@LISTSERV.UMD.EDU'
Subject: Call for abstracts for the ESA Resources for Ecology Education
* Fair & Share

 

Dear ecology educators,

Have you developed a classroom activity to engage undergraduate students
in lecture, laboratory, or in the field? Share your activity with other
ecology educators at the Resources for Ecology Education Fair & Share
(REEFS) at ESA's Annual Meeting in Milwaukee! 

At this year's meeting, ESA's Office of Education and Diversity Programs
will host an informal event during the lunch break (11:30-1:15) on
Tuesday, August 5.  REEFS is a free event and will be open to all ESA
attendees. The session will include several rounds of concurrent
presentations by faculty who will each bring a lab, lecture, or field
activity to share with other attendees. REEFS is an opportunity to share
what you've developed with your colleagues where you can receive
friendly input and suggestions on how to further develop your activities
to incorporate student-active methods. 

Interested? All you need to do right now is to submit an abstract. The
final document that presenters will share during the session will
provide more details about the activity, such as: learning objectives,
timeframe, core ecological concepts addressed, instructor version
(materials, procedure, any other necessary information), and student
version (instructions and handouts, if applicable).



HOW TO SUBMIT AN ABSTRACT

In order to submit an abstract, please email the following information
to [EMAIL PROTECTED]  . Please note: this
session is limited to activities that have not been previously
published. The deadline for abstracts is June 2, 2008.

Name
Affiliation
Email
Activity type (Lecture/Laboratory/Field)
Intended audience (introductory majors, upper level majors, non-majors,
other)
Activity title (no more than 10 words)
Abstract (Please limit to 250 words). In the abstract, please describe
the activity, the context in which it is taught (intended audience,
course type), and what methods are used to engage students. Please
specify any student-active strategies (such as bounded inquiry) or
specific techniques used (such as think-pair-share).

 

Faculty who submit abstracts will be notified of acceptance by mid-June.


Any questions about this session may be directed to: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
 .

 

Sincerely,

Jennifer Riem

 

Jennifer Riem

Education Coordinator

Ecological Society of America

Department of Education and Diversity Programs

[EMAIL PROTECTED]  

 

NEW CONTACT INFORMATION

1990 M Street NW Suite 700

Washington, DC 20036

tel 202-833-8773 x236

fax 202-833-8775

[ECOLOG-L] [NCSE] SAVE THE DATE: Announcing NCSE's Biodiversity in a Rapidly Changing World Conference- December 8-10, 2008 in Washington, DC

[NCSE]

Content-Type: text/plain;
charset="iso-8859-1"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable

SAVE THE DATE!
Announcing NCSE's Biodiversity in a Rapidly Changing World Conference: =
Join NCSE in Developing a 21st Century Biodiversity Strategy, December =
8-10, 2008.

The National Council for Science and the Environment (NCSE) is pleased =
to request your participation at the 9th National Conference for =
Science, Policy and the Environment: Biodiversity in a Rapidly Changing =
World to be held December 8-10, 2008 at the Ronald Reagan Building and =
International Trade Center in Washington, DC.  =
http://ncseonline.org/conference/biodiversity/=20

Please plan to join NCSE in a large interactive conference to develop =
and advance science-based solutions to address the challenge the =
changing world poses to biodiversity (and to humanity).  The conference =
combines world-class speakers and discussions with interactive =
facilitated breakout sessions to develop recommendations for conserving =
and using biodiversity sustainably, symposia to explore topics in =
detail, skill-building workshops, posters, a showcase of biodiversity =
partners, and opportunities to network with colleagues new and old. =20

Held during the transition period to a new Administration and Congress =
(therefore a month earlier than usual NCSE conferences), the conference =
offers an opportunity for scientists and decisionmakers from diverse =
fields and occupations, agencies and organizations, to develop =
strategies to: put biodiversity high on the policy agenda of the US and =
the world, and to consider approaches to conserving biodiversity in a =
world of rapid global climate disruption, land conversion, ocean =
disturbance, population growth, economic change, globalization and other =
forces.=20

There are many ways for you to become involved:=20

  a.. Session Organizer- Workshops, Breakout Sessions, Symposia
  b.. Poster Presentation
  c.. Collaborating Organization
  d.. Conference Sponsor

Session Organizers: We invite proposals to organize interactive breakout =
sessions to develop recommendations, topical symposia, and =
skill-building workshops.   These sessions provide opportunities for =
individuals, institutions, and organizations to contribute ideas and =
innovations, visionary concepts, successful models, and pragmatic =
recommendations for a new conservation strategy.

Opportunities include:

Breakout Sessions (up to 3.5 hours) to get feedback on ideas and develop =
recommendations for turning science into action, fitting into three =
categories:

=20

=B7   Developing the New Biodiversity Science Agenda

=B7   Moving From Science to Action

=B7   Expanding Understanding: Information, Education, and Communication

The interactive breakout sessions will be held during the afternoon of =
December 8, 2008.  NCSE breakouts are moderated discussions with the =
goal of developing a set of recommendations to advance science-based =
decisionmaking and action on the topic of the session. Session =
organizers are responsible for recruiting two or three lead discussants =
to begin the discussion, and to facilitate the discussion so that all =
participants can be actively engaged in the generation of =
recommendations. A list of sample topics is available online.=20


Symposia (2 hours) to discuss critical cross-cutting topics with key =
experts.=20

The concurrent symposia will be held on the morning of December 9, 2008. =
 A moderated panel discussion of a diverse group of experts provides =
insightful perspectives on the topic and is then followed by a question =
and answer period. For example, there will be a symposium presenting the =
findings and lessons learned from NCSE's National Commission on Science =
for Sustainable Forestry.

=20

Skill-building Workshops (up to 2.5 hours) to provide training and =
guidance in implementing strategies for promoting biodiversity =
conservation and awareness (such as how to measure ecosystem services).=20

These workshops will be held on the morning of December 10, 2008 at =
various locations in DC (not at the Reagan Building) and the format is =
left largely up to the institution facilitating the session.  The =
purpose of these workshops is to improve the skills of the participants =
(an example of an excellent proposal for a workshop from the January =
2008 NCSE conference is available online).  We encourage organizations =
in or near downtown DC and with available space to host or collaborate =
with outside organizations to host these workshops. Workshop proposals =
should include a DC-based partner organization that can host the =
workshop.

All abstracts should be 1000 words or fewer and should describe the =
session's content and goals.  In addition, include in your proposal the =
name, affiliation, and address of the session chairs, and a tentative =
roster of lead discussants or symposium speakers. Please download and =
fill out the proposal form and return to Nicole Bue

[ECOLOG-L] Research Ecologist position, Institute for Wildlife Studies

[Brian Hudgens]

Please post:

 

Research Biologist

 

The Institute for Wildlife Studies is looking for a research biologist to
assist with new and ongoing projects.  The successful candidate will have a.
M.Sc. or Ph.D. in wildlife biology, ecology, or related field, have
excellent oral and written communication skills and experience with GIS,
field research and data analysis.  Good analytical skills and modeling
experience is a plus.  Applicants should also be well organized and able to
work in a fast-paced, multidisciplinary environment.  Primary duties will be
to provide support for existing and upcoming projects including GIS support,
spatial analyses, experimental design, report writing, and developing
manuscripts for publication in peer reviewed journals.  The successful
candidate will also be encouraged to seek out and manage new projects.  This
is a fully benefited, full-time salaried position located in our Arcata, CA
office.  Salary $40,000-$55,000 DOE.  Anticipated start date is early
August, 2008.

 

Please send by June 15, 2008 a letter of interest, CV, and contact
information for three references to:

Brian Hudgens ([EMAIL PROTECTED])

 

or 

Institute for Wildlife Studies

PO Box 1104

Arcata, CA 95518

 

Electronic submissions preferred.  

 

 

 

Brian Hudgens

Research Ecologist

Institute for Wildlife Studies

PO Box 1104

Arcata, CA 95518

(707) 822-4258

  [EMAIL PROTECTED]

 

Re: [ECOLOG-L] Heat as a cause of global warming?

[Martin Meiss]

Like I said, comparing the heat released from burning fuel to that trapped
by greenhouse gases is like the comparing the energy needed to pull the
trigger of a rifle to the energy of the bullet that comes our the barrel.

  MMM

2008/5/14 Jane Shevtsov <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>:

> Pulling out my copy of _The Earth's Biosphere_ by Vaclav Smil:
>
> Incoming radiation absorbed by the atmosphere and Earth's surface: <235
> W/m^2
> Geothermal heat flux = 85 mW/m^2 = 0.085 W/m^2
> Global consumption of fossil fuel, nuclear and hydroelectric energy in 2000
> was 11.25 TW. Assuming an abysmal overall efficiency of 10%, 10.125 TW =
> 10.125*10^12 W was released as heat. This works out to 2*10^-2 W/m^2 = 2
> mW/m^2
>
> How does this compare to changes in the composition of the atmosphere? A
> chapter of the latest IPCC report gives a 2.63 (+- 0.26) W/m^2 forcing from
> increased greenhouse gases. (The total anthropogenic forcing is less -- 1.6
> W/m^2 -- presumably due to particulates.) <
> http://www.ipcc.ch/pdf/assessment-report/ar4/wg1/ar4-wg1-chapter2.pdf>
>
> Overall conclusion: The estimated heat flux from machinery is about two
> orders of magnitude less than that due to greenhouse gases.
>
> Jane Shevtsov
>
> On Tue, May 13, 2008 at 10:11 PM, Wirt Atmar <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> wrote:
>
> > Bill Silvert writes:
> >
> > > The atmosphere not only retains heat but also reflects it. The albedo
> of
> > the
> > > planet is a measure of how much solar radiation is absorbed or
> reflected
> > > back into space, and depends on vegetation, cloud cover, and other
> > factors
> > > such as the amount of water surface. Some of the warmth of the earth
> > comes
> > > from radioactive processes within the earth. I have no idea what the
> > total
> > > energy budget of the earth might be, but I am sure that someone has
> > worked
> > > this out.
> >
> > While the gross energy budget of the Earth is reasonably well known,
> > clouds have
> > been the great bugaboo in understanding the true heat budget of the Earth
> > as
> > Bill's text suggests, or of any of the other terrestrial planets (Venus,
> > Mars)
> > for that matter.
> >
> > Clouds inherently provide a feedback mechanism that cools the Earth under
> > intense periods of warming by reducing the planetary albedo. At the same
> > time,
> > increased water vapor increases a particularly significant greenhouse
> > heat-trapping gas, which can by itself lead potentially to a disasterous
> > runaway
> > greenhouse effect. It is believed that this runaway condition occurred on
> > Venus,
> > which may be one of Earth's alternative futures.
> >
> > Accurately inserting clouds into global climate models has been a matter
> > of
> > intense effort recently in an effort to properly understand planetary
> heat
> > budgets. This web site at Brian Toon's (U Colorado) lab, who is one of
> the
> > leaders in the field, outlines the major models:
> >
> >  http://lasp.colorado.edu/aerosol/models.php
> >
> > Perhaps surprisingly, going to the planets has proven to be exceptionally
> > valuable to our understanding the Earth's heat budget. One of the very
> > first
> > attempts at planetary-scale atmospheric modeling was initiated by Carl
> > Sagan
> > following the Vikings' 1976 arrival at Mars just in time for a
> > planetary-wide
> > dust storm.
> >
> > Those early models eventually became the 1983 paper in Science informally
> > labelled "TTAPS" for its emphasis on a somewhat equivalent condition on
> > the
> > surface of the Earth, initiated by the smoke and dust associated with
> > all-out
> > nuclear war. The appropriate TTAPS title was derived from the initials of
> > the
> > paper's authors: R.P. Turco, O.B. Toon, T.P. Ackerman, J.B. Pollack, and
> > C.
> > Sagan.
> >
> > We have two recent talks on-line by two planetary scientists that you may
> > find
> > interesting, one given at the 2004 NASA Ames Astrobiology Conference. The
> > other
> > was presented at the 2005 Second Conference on Early Mars.
> >
> > The first talk by David Grinspoon (Denver Museum of Nature & Science)
> > specifically concerns itself with the runaway greenhouse effect on Venus:
> >
> >   http://aics-research.com/lotw/lotw20060619.html
> >
> > The other by David Catling (Univ. Bristol) is a comparison of the
> > extraordinarily divergent paths that the evolution of atmospheres have
> > taken on
> > Venus, Earth and Mars, even though they began from nearly identical
> > starting
> > points:
> >
> >   http://aics-research.com/lotw/lotw20060710.html
> >
> > The talks are viewable either using QuickTime, RealPlayer or QCShow
> (which
> > is
> > Windows-only).
> >
> > Wirt Atmar
> >
>
>
>
> --
> -
> Jane Shevtsov
> Ecology Ph.D. student, University of Georgia
> co-founder, http://www.worldbeyondborders.org";>World Beyond
> Borders
> Check out my blog, http://perceivingwholes.blogspot.com
> ">Perceiving
> Wholes
>
> "But for the sake of some little mouthful of flesh we deprive a soul of the
> s

Re: [ECOLOG-L] Heat as a cause of global warming?

[James Crants]

I must not have made myself very clear, because a few people have  
written in to disagree with me and then said exactly what I was  
thinking when I wrote my comments.


I was trying to say that atmospheric warming has two components, at a  
very basic level:  heat must enter the atmosphere somehow, and  
greenhouse gasses must trap a portion of that heat within the  
atmosphere.


The atomosphere accumulates heat like a lake accumulates water.   
Adding CO2 to the atmosphere is like dropping logs across the outlet  
to the lake.  Each new log slows the rate at which water leaves the  
lake, so the lake level rises, causing more water to leave, until the  
lake reaches some new, higher equilibrium level.  Of course, we're  
adding logs faster than the lake is rising, so the equilibrium level  
is higher than the current level.


Adding heat to the atmosphere through combustion is like using heat  
lamps to melt snow in the lake's watershed.  More water enters the  
lake, so the lake level rises until the rate of outflow matches the  
rate of inflow.  Based on Dr. Shevtsov's numbers (thanks for those!),  
it sounds like our lamps aren't adding much to the total rate of  
snowmelt, so they're going to have less than 1% as great an effect on  
the equilibrium lake level as the logs we're dropping into the outlet.  
 Their effect on the rate at which the lake reaches the new  
equilibrium is apparently even less substantial, relative to the  
effect of natural snowmelt.


A short answer to Stephen's last question:  "6) How much of this  
amount of heat energy (produced since industrialization) has yet to  
leave the atmosphere?"


All the heat we've added since industrialization may seem like a whole  
lot, but if you pitted it against all the heat the sun has added in  
the same time, it's almost nothing.  As for how much of that heat has  
been retained in the atmosphere, well, I see no reason why the heat we  
produce should be retained any longer than the heat nature produces,  
so our contribution to total input of heat into the atmosphere is  
still probably trivial.

[ECOLOG-L] POSTDOCTORAL RESEARCH ASSOCIATE-UNIVERSITY OF WYOMING

[Cassidy Q. Durkee]

POSTDOCTORAL RESEARCH ASSOCIATE -- # 4860 in Botany:  (Salary $35,000-
$45,000 commensurate with experience and qualifications.) Dr. Stephen T. 
Jackson is seeking a motivated postdoctoral scientist to join his research 
group in the study of ecological responses to late Quaternary climate 
change and variability in eastern and western North America.  This 
position is in the Department of Botany at the University of Wyoming  
http://uwadmnweb.uwyo.edu/botany/jackson.htm).The position will 
commence as soon as filled, and continue until 31 August 2009.  Funding 
may be available for a second-year continuation. 

Minimum qualifications are a Ph.D. in ecological, earth, or environmental 
sciences or a related field, experience in plant ecology and/or 
paleoecology; experience operating standard lab equipment and desktop 
computers, primary publications in refereed, English language journals, 
fluency in written and spoken English, ability to work cooperatively with 
P.I. and other lab members, and strong organizational skills. 

The preferred qualifications are working experience in pollen and/or plant 
macrofossil analyses of late Quaternary sediments.

 Essential Duties: The primary responsibilities of the incumbent will to 
help manage an active research laboratory and to conduct collaborative and 
independent research in Quaternary paleoecology.

The specific duties will include analysis of pollen, charcoal, plant 
macrofossils, and other materials from sediments of lakes and peatlands 
and from fossil packrat middens, and manuscript preparation in cooperation 
with the P.I.  The successful candidate will also be responsible for 
training and managing other laboratory personnel as needed.  Ample 
opportunities exist for collaborative research.  It is expected that the 
successful candidate will play a leadership role in at least one 
significant project during his/her tenure.  

For more information or to apply for this position, please send a cover 
letter describing your scientific background, interests, and 
qualifications, plus a curriculum vitae and contact information for at 
least three references to:   Dr. Stephen T. Jackson, Department of Botany 
3165, 1000 E. University Avenue, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY 82071 
USA.  E-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED]  Review of applications will commence 31 
May, 2008.

[ECOLOG-L] Fw: Re: [Sino_ECO] Call for Donations of Sichuan Earthquake

[Jian Zhang]

I think I should forward the email to many people. Hope you can help them.

Thanks very much.

---
Jian Zhang




From： Ge Sun
Date： 2008-05-14 07:37:28
To： [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subject： Re: [Sino_ECO] Call for Donations of Sichuan Earthquake

Friends, The Sino-Eco's donation web site
http://www.sino-eco.org
specifically designed for this effort by Frank is open and easy to use. 
There is also a poll at the end of the call to hear your ideas on where 
we should send the collected money (local school, colleges, students in 
ecology, Red Cross etc).

Our members' response was swift. So far, we have received more than $500 
pledge within the past 24 hrs. Donors should have received an automatic 
confirmation receipt, and we will list all donors' names and donation 
amounts on the website later.

No matter where you donate, at Eco-Sino or your local communities (I 
understand many organizations are working hard on this), and no matter 
how much you may contribute, we thank you for generosity and warm hearts 
at this difficult time.

Ge
>
>
> - Original Message 
> From: Ge Sun <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
> Sent: Tuesday, May 13, 2008 11:44:35 AM
> Subject: [Sino_ECO] Call for Donations of Sichuan Earthquake
>
> Dear Friends,
>
> As you have heard the terrible news and have seen the devastating 
> pictures, a massive earthquake measuring 7.8 on the Richter scale hit 
> South-western China mid-afternoon Monday on May 12. The epicenter was 
> Wenchuan County, Sichuan Province. China's Xinhua News Agency reported 
> that almost 12,000 people died from the earthquake in Sichuan and 
> neighboring provinces of Shaanxi, Gansu, and Yunnan. More deaths are 
> expected and confirmed with every minute of the rescue efforts led by 
> Premier Wen Jiabao who flew to the scene shortly after the earthquake. 
> It was the worst natural disaster hitting the region in the last three 
> decades and the largest earthquake for more than 70 years. The damage 
> to the property in the vast region is beyond estimation. Many of 
> members have visited the beautiful region where the Giant Panda 
> Reserve is located.
>
> Across the world, many local Chinese communities are calling for 
> monetary donations to help the rescue and relief efforts in the 
> earthquake region. Sino-eco would like to join this effort and show 
> our care to our people of our motherland.
>
> Please make your donation online at:
>
> http://www.sino- eco.org/membersh ip.html 
> 
>
> You may also donate by mail by writing your check payable to Sino-Eco 
> and mail your check to (with a note for 5.12 Earthquake relief):
>
> Ms Wei Ren
> Sino-Eco Treasurer
> School of Forestry and Wildlife Sciences
> Auburn University
> 602 Duncan Drive
> Auburn, AL 36849, USA.
>
> Or you can send a commitment email to Wei Ren at [EMAIL PROTECTED] edu 
>   >, and we can collect the money later.
>
> We will collect the donations together and send a sum to the Red Cross 
> of China.
> Every penny of your donations will be sent to the Chinese Red Cross 
> for exclusive use in the earthquake rescue and relief efforts. 
> Sino-Eco is a non-profit organization and your contribution through 
> Sino-Eco for this special disaster relief fund is tax-deductible.
>
> Thank your for your attention and donation.
>
> The Sino-Eco Executive Team
>
> 
>

-- 
Ge Sun, Ph.D.
Research Hydrologist
Southern Global Change Program
USDA Forest Service
920 Main Campus Dr. Venture II, Suite 300
Raleigh, NC 27606
Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED]; Or [EMAIL PROTECTED]
(919)5159498(Voice) (919)5132978(FAX)
Http://www.sgcp.ncsu.edu/
 
__,_._,___ 

[ECOLOG-L] 350 - the most important number to know

[Maiken Winter]

Dear all,

I am afraid that in the midst of yesterday's heat island effect the
important post about 350 might have been neglected.

Let me just shortly introduce it to you again:

350, as in 350 ppm, as in "yes, we are way above that already (385 ppm)"
is the concentration of CO2 in the atmosphere that is assumed safe for the
long-term survival of our planet as we know it.

The last paper by Jim Hansen et al (http://arxiv.org/abs/0804.1126)
clearly indicates that the amount todays CO2 is above what is sustainable.
Also see his arguments in his letter to the Australian prime minister at
http://www.columbia.edu/~jeh1/mailings/20080401_DearPrimeMinisterRudd.pdf.
 Also, the last IPCC report indicates, that any CO2 concentration > 350
ppm will lead to a T increase of > 2 C - a temperature increase which is
widely believed to cause catastrophic run-away processes.

The consequence:
- We need an immediate change in energy policy towards renewables, and a
moratorium on all new coal fired power plants if they cannot safely
sequester carbon (which they can't yet).
- We need ALL intelligent people in the world (that includes YOU!) to go
to their local politicians and cause a change in their town away from
fossil fuels

We do not have the time to wait for the governments of the world to set
the rules.

350.org is the most inspiring organization I know, a complete grassroot
campaign with dedicated young people who work for almost nothing to help
avoid the worst. They are full of great ideas, ready to invest all they
have,
   and they are completely dependent on our help!

Please visit their webpage at www.350.org and think of a way you can help.

If scientists who study nature do not take the time to help avoid the
worst crisis on earth, then something is fundamentally wrong in our
system.  Because of that I am trying to initiate change in the evaluation
system for scientists so that not just money and publications count, but
also our effectiveness in actually making a difference in the world. Who
is more qualified than scientists who truly understand the issues at stake
to help cause a fundamental mindshift? I strongly believe that it is our
uttermost responsibility to do all we can to help move us towards 350.

I am talking with people at Cornell, some of which actually agree with me,
to start adapting evaluation criteria for tenure. I do NOT ask to abolish
publications or funding, I just ask to take outreach into account as well.
If you agree, then please address this issue at your school, so we can
cause a concerted effort in shifting academic values by including our
responsibility as scientists to help avoid a planetary catastrophe.

Thanks!

Maiken
www.cleanenergy-project.de
www.theclimateproject.org
www.klimaschutz.pbwiki.com

Re: [ECOLOG-L] Heat as a cause of global warming?

[Jane Shevtsov]

Pulling out my copy of _The Earth's Biosphere_ by Vaclav Smil:

Incoming radiation absorbed by the atmosphere and Earth's surface: <235
W/m^2
Geothermal heat flux = 85 mW/m^2 = 0.085 W/m^2
Global consumption of fossil fuel, nuclear and hydroelectric energy in 2000
was 11.25 TW. Assuming an abysmal overall efficiency of 10%, 10.125 TW =
10.125*10^12 W was released as heat. This works out to 2*10^-2 W/m^2 = 2
mW/m^2

How does this compare to changes in the composition of the atmosphere? A
chapter of the latest IPCC report gives a 2.63 (+- 0.26) W/m^2 forcing from
increased greenhouse gases. (The total anthropogenic forcing is less -- 1.6
W/m^2 -- presumably due to particulates.) <
http://www.ipcc.ch/pdf/assessment-report/ar4/wg1/ar4-wg1-chapter2.pdf>

Overall conclusion: The estimated heat flux from machinery is about two
orders of magnitude less than that due to greenhouse gases.

Jane Shevtsov

On Tue, May 13, 2008 at 10:11 PM, Wirt Atmar <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
wrote:

> Bill Silvert writes:
>
> > The atmosphere not only retains heat but also reflects it. The albedo of
> the
> > planet is a measure of how much solar radiation is absorbed or reflected
> > back into space, and depends on vegetation, cloud cover, and other
> factors
> > such as the amount of water surface. Some of the warmth of the earth
> comes
> > from radioactive processes within the earth. I have no idea what the
> total
> > energy budget of the earth might be, but I am sure that someone has
> worked
> > this out.
>
> While the gross energy budget of the Earth is reasonably well known,
> clouds have
> been the great bugaboo in understanding the true heat budget of the Earth
> as
> Bill's text suggests, or of any of the other terrestrial planets (Venus,
> Mars)
> for that matter.
>
> Clouds inherently provide a feedback mechanism that cools the Earth under
> intense periods of warming by reducing the planetary albedo. At the same
> time,
> increased water vapor increases a particularly significant greenhouse
> heat-trapping gas, which can by itself lead potentially to a disasterous
> runaway
> greenhouse effect. It is believed that this runaway condition occurred on
> Venus,
> which may be one of Earth's alternative futures.
>
> Accurately inserting clouds into global climate models has been a matter
> of
> intense effort recently in an effort to properly understand planetary heat
> budgets. This web site at Brian Toon's (U Colorado) lab, who is one of the
> leaders in the field, outlines the major models:
>
>  http://lasp.colorado.edu/aerosol/models.php
>
> Perhaps surprisingly, going to the planets has proven to be exceptionally
> valuable to our understanding the Earth's heat budget. One of the very
> first
> attempts at planetary-scale atmospheric modeling was initiated by Carl
> Sagan
> following the Vikings' 1976 arrival at Mars just in time for a
> planetary-wide
> dust storm.
>
> Those early models eventually became the 1983 paper in Science informally
> labelled "TTAPS" for its emphasis on a somewhat equivalent condition on
> the
> surface of the Earth, initiated by the smoke and dust associated with
> all-out
> nuclear war. The appropriate TTAPS title was derived from the initials of
> the
> paper's authors: R.P. Turco, O.B. Toon, T.P. Ackerman, J.B. Pollack, and
> C.
> Sagan.
>
> We have two recent talks on-line by two planetary scientists that you may
> find
> interesting, one given at the 2004 NASA Ames Astrobiology Conference. The
> other
> was presented at the 2005 Second Conference on Early Mars.
>
> The first talk by David Grinspoon (Denver Museum of Nature & Science)
> specifically concerns itself with the runaway greenhouse effect on Venus:
>
>   http://aics-research.com/lotw/lotw20060619.html
>
> The other by David Catling (Univ. Bristol) is a comparison of the
> extraordinarily divergent paths that the evolution of atmospheres have
> taken on
> Venus, Earth and Mars, even though they began from nearly identical
> starting
> points:
>
>   http://aics-research.com/lotw/lotw20060710.html
>
> The talks are viewable either using QuickTime, RealPlayer or QCShow (which
> is
> Windows-only).
>
> Wirt Atmar
>



-- 
-
Jane Shevtsov
Ecology Ph.D. student, University of Georgia
co-founder, http://www.worldbeyondborders.org";>World Beyond
Borders
Check out my blog, http://perceivingwholes.blogspot.com";>Perceiving
Wholes

"But for the sake of some little mouthful of flesh we deprive a soul of the
sun and light, and of that proportion of life and time it had been born into
the world to enjoy." --Plutarch, c.46-c.120 AD