[ECOLOG-L] The mirage - ECONOMIC growth, population and a couple of stories
Its very true that most of the world's urban population is utterly clueless about the magnitude of the problems in EVERY ecosystem on earth, and not just marine. However, to quote Sarah It is all a mirage.Economy, economics, economic growth, is artificial. It is a mirage. It is something we made up. It is not real. I think economics is, unfortunately, VERY real. Conservation of ecosystems, national parks, protected areas and the exploitation of natural resources are all directly linked with human needs, both basic and luxury. In the end, humans are part of the world too, and their actions directly impact all other forms of life. Its time that a course embracing both perspectives are taught to school children right from first grade, so that they understand what are the ecological costs of say, a plastic water bottle, or a can of tuna, or transporting organic apples from washington to florida, or the costs of airconditioning or needless packaging, or what happens to the batteries and computers when we junk them. And then raise awareness of ecosystems, with case studies of community-based conservation in other countries. Unless most people are aware of such effects, we'll be on the same consumption-based trajectory we are currently on, never mind all the carbon neutral rock concerts and even recycling. Cheers amartya Quoting Lyndell Bade lyndell.b...@gmail.com: Amen to that, Sarah. Those are the problems that scare me senseless and keep me lying awake at night. The fall-out of the marine food web crashing and ocean acidification (among other problems) is so monumental that I don't think we can even grasp an eighth of the potential overall impact on the planet. There's so much we still don't know about our oceans--species, networks, and processes--that we barely have an inkling of the consequences of what we're presently doing (pollution, overfishing everything, especially sharks), never mind what we're considering doing (deep sea drilling, mining, increased whaling). We just have to keep working to bring about the day that *we all* understand that humans are just a part of the environment. I have to focus on that or I end up crying into my beer... Cheers, Lyndell On Fri, Dec 19, 2008 at 12:23 PM, Sarah Frias-Torres sfrias_tor...@hotmail.com wrote: Brian and all,People talk about economy as if it was a living entity. the economy is fragile... we must revive the economy, etc. It is all a mirage.Economy, economics, economic growth, is artificial. It is a mirage. It is something we made up. It is not real. Yet, we are more respectful of the economy than we are of the planet we live on.The current world crisis is also a mirage. It is a crisis generated by greedy banks and investors, those that traded with futures and money that did not exist, and at the end, it has impacted the pockets of the many hard-working people, which will have to pay the mistakes of a few, with real money.The true crisis, the ones I'm really scared about, are yet to come. When drinking water becomes scarce, when basic crops (wheat, rice, etc) become scarce due to a significant reduction of pollinating honey-bees, major disease on the now almost clonal crops, or both; when ocean acidification (due to global climate change) begins to impact the marine food web, and I could go on and on.These are the true crisis. The systematic shut-down of our life-support system.it is a possible future, unless we stop thinking of ourselves as the center of the universe, and start looking beyond our navels into the wide world. The day we understand it is not us and the environment. That we are an insignificant part of the environment. That day, we will learn to live sustainably.I hope the day arrives, but for now, I doubt it will. Sarah Sarah Frias-Torres, Ph.D. Marine Conservation Biologist Ocean Research Conservation Association 1420 Seaway Drive, 2nd Floor Fort Pierce, Florida 34949 USA www.oceanrecon.org PhD candidate Department of Biology, University of Miami www.bio.miami.edu/asaha
Re: [ECOLOG-L] Need suggestions for hands-on activity about trophic efficieny/biomass pyramids
I teach teachers and they really enjoy this Loch Ness Monster card game. Jennifer* Loch Ness Monster Food Web and Trophic level Activitieshttp://www.lochnessproject.org/adrian_shine_schoolpuzzpage/loch_ness_workpack_2/FOOD%20CHAIN%20PYRAMID/loch_ness_food_chain_index.htm * Can the Loch Ness monster exist? Is being a vegetarian better for the environment? Do toxins affect different trophic levels differently? A series of card games for students to explore these questions. http://www.lochnessproject.org/adrian_shine_schoolpuzzpage/loch_ness_workpack_2/FOOD%20CHAIN%20PYRAMID/loch_ness_food_chain_index.htm -- Jennifer Doherty Ph.D. candidate School District of Philadelphia Education Fellow Graduate Group of Ecology, Evolution and Biodiversity Department of Biology University of Pennsylvania Leidy Labs 321 415 S University Ave Philadelphia, PA 19104-6018 cell 215-870-9806 doher...@sas.upenn.edu http://groups.google.com/group/biology-pd
[ECOLOG-L] Position: Encyclopedia of Life Species Pages Group, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC
Coordinator, Species Pages Group, Encyclopedia of Life (EOL) The EOL, headquartered at the Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History, is an unprecedented global initiative to develop an online reference source and database for all known plant, animal and microorganismal species. It is a collaborative effort headed by a steering committee of senior officers in academia, museums, libraries and foundations. The Species Pages Group is at the heart of the project. The coordinator will assist its director in conferring with scientific societies, individual taxonomists, and other international projects to identify and implement strategies for preparing species pages and authenticating the information on them. The coordinator will also work with our Biodiversity Synthesis Center, Informatics, Education and Outreach, and Scanning and Digitization groups as they improve technology and foster use of EOL by diverse audiences. The successful applicant should have a Masters or PhD in a biological science relevant to biological diversity. The position requires excellent interpersonal skills and experience speaking at meetings. A good understanding of biodiversity informatics is required, and the individual must be fluent in written and spoken English, with working knowledge of another language a plus. The Species Pages Coordinator will be based at, and employed by, the Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History in Washington, DC. This is a one-year temporary position, with the distinct possibility of subsequent extensions. The position is supported by grant funding and is eligible for the Smithsonian's trust benefit program. For more information on EOL please go to www.eol.org. Questions about the EOL and the position can be addressed to Cynthia Sims Parr, Director of the EOL Species Pages Group, at pa...@si.edu. To Apply: You are required to apply online. You will need to create an account and build a resume on www.usajobs.gov unless you have established these previously. You will also be asked to respond to assessment questions online. Please go to http://www.sihr.si.edu/ and see HOW TO APPLY. This position is announcement # 09A-MR-294781-TRF-NMNH. Closing date for this position is January 9, 2009. The Smithsonian is an Equal Opportunity Employer, and applications are encouraged from both US and non-US citizens.
[ECOLOG-L] FIELD ECOLOGY RESEARCH ASSISTANT POSITIONS
FIELD ECOLOGY RESEARCH ASSISTANT POSITIONS LOCATION: Sonoran Desert/Gulf of California, Bahia de Kino (Kino Bay), Sonora, Mexico DURATION: mid April through early July, 2009 (some flexibility in exact start/end dates). DESCRIPTION: Four highly motivated research assistants are sought for field studies on the ecology and evolution of the pollination mutualism between senita cacti and senita moths and the protection mutualism between senita cacti and ants in the Sonoran Desert. Successful applicants will contribute to data management through computer database software and to data collection through the implementation and monitoring of experimental and observational studies in the field. Research topics include pollination ecology and plant reproductive biology, insect behavior and life histories, and demography and population dynamics of plants and insects. Opportunities exist for successful applicants to develop independent projects. Further information on the research can be found at http://www.ruf.rice.edu/~jholland/index.html QUALIFICATIONS: Applications should have background in, be pursuing, or have a degree in biology, botany, ecology, entomology, environmental studies, or other related field. Successful applicants should be able to work independently and as a part of a team, during often long irregular (nocturnal) hours under harsh, hot environmental conditions. Attention to detail, ability to manage multiple tasks, and computer skills (MS Excel) are desirable; bi-lingual English-Spanish skills are desirable, but not required. Successful applicants must be able to show respectful, tolerant behavior of others while living together in a beach house on the Gulf of California. COMPENSATION: Housing, food, and a monthly stipend (U.S. $1,200/month). APPLICATION: Applicants should submit a cover letter, resume, and the names, addresses, and e-mails of three persons who can provide letters of recommendation. Electronic applications are encouraged and should be sent by e-mail, as a single pdf attachment, to Dr. Nat Holland: jholl...@rice.edu . Postal mail applications may be submitted to the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Rice University MS-170, 6100 Main St., Houston, Texas 77005, U.S.A. Review of applications will begin March 6, 2009 and continue until the positions are filled.
[ECOLOG-L] Graduate Research Assistantship - PhD
Ph.D. Graduate Research Assistantship, School of Forestry, Northern Arizona University (NAU), Flagstaff, AZ. The research project is entitled Long-term responses of northern Arizona grasses to climate and land-use change, and the student will examine demographic and basal area changes of the major grass species over the past 90 years (early 1900s until present) on a set of historical permanent plots. The graduate research assistantship (GRA) is for four years (July 1, 2009 until June 30, 2013) and the GRA package includes a stipend, student insurance, and out-of-state tuition waiver. If you are interested, please contact Dr. Margaret M. Moore (margaret.mo...@nau.edu; 928-523-7457). NAUs application deadline for fall semester is March 15, 2009. For more information about the NAU School of Forestry, please visit our website (http://www.for.nau.edu/cms/). Additional information about graduate applications and requirements can be found at: http://www.for.nau.edu/cms/content/view/477/640/
