[ECOLOG-L] Summer Field Research Opportunities--paid
Summer field research experience for undergrads and recent graduates Are you interested in gaining field research experience and learning about the ecology and evolution of plants and plant-animal interactions in fragmented prairie? We are looking for 3-5 summer field researchers for an NSF-funded project on habitat fragmentation of the tallgrass prairie. We are investigating how small plant population size influences inbreeding, demography, pollination, and herbivory in the purple coneflower, Echinacea angustifolia. This is a great summer internship or co-op for those interested in field biology or conservation research. No experience is necessary, but you must be enthusiastic and hard-working. You will survey natural plant populations, measure plant traits in experimental plots, hand-pollinate plants, observe collect insects, and assist in all aspects of research. Housing is provided and there is a stipend. Undergraduate students have the opportunity to do an independent project as an REU participant. If you want more information or wish to apply, please visit this website http://echinacea.umn.edu/ or contact Stuart Wagenius. Applications due 6 March 2009. - Stuart Wagenius, Ph.D. Conservation Scientist Division of Plant Science and Conservation Chicago Botanic Garden 1000 Lake Cook Road Glencoe, IL 60022 phone: 847 835 6978 fax: 847 835 5484 email: stuar...@echinaceaproject.org web: http://echinacea.umn.edu
[ECOLOG-L] Deadline next Monday! Call for Case Studies for ESA Millennium Conference on Water-Ecosystem Services, Drought, and Environmental Justice
Water-Ecosystem Services, Drought, and Environmental Justice: The 1st Millennium Conference of the Ecological Society of America November 9-12, 2009 Athens, Georgia http://esa.org/millenniumconf/2009/ CALL FOR CASE STUDIES Deadline for Submission: February 2, 2009 Water-ecosystem services in the United States and many places around the world are severely stressed from population redistribution, urbanization, water overdrafts, flood control, and limited institutions. This first ESA Millennium Conference seeks to integrate social science and ecological research to address the present and future complexities and challenges of water resources governance, decision-making and environmental justice at the local-to-regional and national levels in the United States and internationally. Building on the premise that drought is a normal, recurrent feature of climate that occurs in virtually all climatic zones, this conference aims to investigate how the impact of drought is exacerbated or mitigated by ecology, water resource infrastructure, policy, and human behavior, resulting in differential socio-ecologic vulnerability to drought from region to region, as well as within regions. The Conference Committee is calling for the submission of U.S. based and international case studies that showcase local or regional experiences with drought, and drought’s effects on water-ecosystem services and environmental justice. The Conference Committee strongly encourages submissions from individuals or teams of academic researchers, practitioners, media arts specialists, and others. Case studies should be visual stories that speak to socio-ecologic vulnerability to drought. They should specifically relate to the Conference goals for bridging knowledge about the biophysical and social processes underpinning the local-to-regional provision of water-ecosystem services and for enhancing environmental justice. Those case studies that present relevant findings or insights applicable to national and international water-ecosystem services management and governance are particularly encouraged. Through the stories they tell, the case studies are intended to create both a visual context and a shared set of references for conference participants. Review priority will be given to submissions that explore the complexities of a drought-related topic from interdisciplinary perspectives using multimedia presentations, photo essays and short videos. An example of a strong case study could be a narrated digital slide show that combines high definition, high quality photographs of a drought- related issue with a narrated script. The slide show would explore the author’s approach to understanding a drought-related water issue, the social and ecological complexities of the problem from a variety of science and management angles and discuss meaningful findings or lessons learned through the research or project. Case studies will be showcased during the opening reception of the conference and will need to be available for posting and public view on the conference website by late September 2009. Authors may also have the opportunity to work with ESA after the conference to expand their case study into an educational product. The Conference Committee will consider submissions in two categories, graduate student and open, and will select no more than a total of 20 case studies. The lead authors of the entries selected will be invited to attend the Millennium Conference, and lead graduate student authors of up to 10 case studies will receive ESA support for travel, accommodations, and conference expenses. A second call for traditional posters on all conference-related topics will be issued in early Spring 2009. Applicants are welcome to submit to both calls. CASE STUDY GUIDELINES The case study proposal should include a cover page with the following information: name(s) of authors; mailing and email contact information; presentation title; and, artistic medium (video, photo essay etc.). A second page should consist of a 500-600 word description that: * Introduces the case study area and highlights how it focuses on the complexities of water-ecosystem services delivery, drought and environmental justice in a particular place from a variety of scientific, artistic and/or management angles. * Explicitly addresses how the case study will integrate and discuss the social and ecological dimensions of drought, preferably in relation to a major domain of inquiry to be addressed in the conference: lake and stream ecology; landscape ecology and ecohydrology; disturbance theory and ecological forecasting; urban ecology; and, social vulnerability and environmental justice. * Discusses how meaningful findings or lessons learned through the research or project are applicable to national and/or international water governance and management issues; how water resource uncertainties were addressed;
[ECOLOG-L] Announcing the 2009 Great Lakes Summer Student Fellowship Program
Please circulate this opportunity widely (also see attached printable announcement). The Cooperative Institute for Limnology and Ecosystems Research (CILER), administered by the University of Michigan, announces the 2009 Great Lakes Summer Student Fellowship Program. The 2009 program is hosted by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory (GLERL) and Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary, and the U.S.Geological Survey's (USGS) Great Lakes Science Center. We seek to fill* twenty-two (22)* full-time, twelve-week positions. Preference is given to currently enrolled or just-graduated undergraduates, although graduate student applications will also be considered. Successful applicants will receive a stipend of $5,750 for the twelve-week fellowship. Summer fellowships are available in a broad range of fields including Aquatic Ecology, Outreach and Communications, Maritime Archaeology, Data Analysis, Modeling, Marine Instrumentation, Oceanography, and Wetland Ecology. Program information is available online: http://ciler.snre.umich.edu/summerfellows.php. Fellowship applications must contain: 1. a completed application form 2. a résumé 3. transcripts (unofficial copies are acceptable and can be mailed or e-mailed separately) 4. one reference letter (can be sent electronically if it originates from the reference writer) *E-mail applications to: glsummerfell...@umich.edu mailto:glsummerfell...@umich.edu* _All application material is due *27-February, 2009*_. Late applications will not be considered. Decisions about all positions will be made by *31-March, 2009.* For specific questions about each opportunity, contact the individual mentors. These e-mail addresses are provided with the opportunity descriptions. /The University of Michigan is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer/ ~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~ Laura Welsh Florence, Outreach and Education Coordinator University of Michigan-- Cooperative Institute for Limnology and Ecosystems Research (CILER) Mailing address: NOAA-Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory (GLERL) 4840 S. State Rd Ann Arbor, MI 48108 (734) 741-2392 (office) (734) 741-2055 (fax) laura.flore...@noaa.gov lwe...@umich.edu *
[ECOLOG-L] Summer Field Technicians in Disease Ecology, St. Louis Missouri
Description: Field technicians are needed May-September 2009 to assist on a project studying the ecology of tick-borne diseases in the St. Louis, Missouri region. Based at the Tyson Research Center (http://www.tyson.wustl.edu/), this project includes an interdisciplinary team of ecologists, molecular biologists and medical and public health experts. Fieldwork will be conducted across sites in the greater St. Louis metropolitan area, primarily utilizing conservation areas and state and county parks. Responsibilities include tick, deer, and vegetation surveys, small mammal trapping, data collection and management, and some supervision of undergraduate students or other assistants. Qualifications: Willingness to work long hours under potentially tough field conditions (inclement weather, rough terrain, lots of ticks) is a must. Applicants must also possess a valid driver’s license and clean driving record. Prior experience with field research in disease and/or field ecology is desirable, but the ability to work independently is paramount. This would be an ideal position for a recent college graduate taking some time off prior to starting graduate school in environmental and/or disease biology. To Apply: Please send a letter of interest, CV, and the names and contact information of at least two references to Brian Allan (bal...@wustl.edu). Include in your letter any relevant experiences, your career goals, and your interest in applying for this position. Review of applications will begin immediately.
[ECOLOG-L] MS student position starting May 2009
M.S. research opportunity-University of Louisiana at Monroe Start date: May 2009 I seek a M.S. student interested in contributing to a study of the ecological correlates and neuroendocrine mechanisms of social behavior in the Taiwan field vole. The prospective student must be able to join my laboratory at the University of Louisiana at Monroe as early as May 2009. Field work starting as early as mid-May 2009 will take place at the Endemic Species Research Institute Alpine Research Station (2000-3000 m altitude) in central Taiwan. There, the prospective student will collaborate with members of Dr. Kirk Lin's laboratory (National Taiwan University). Field work will involve daily live trapping, night telemetry, and ecological sampling. The student may also have the opportunity to conduct laboratory work on neuroendocrine mechanisms at Emory University. The prospective student will enroll in the M.S. program in Biology at the University of Louisiana at Monroe. The student will be supported by a TAship ($4000/sem.) with tuition waivers during the academic year (for up to 6 semesters). I have funding for travel and living costs for the first trip to Taiwan (summer 2009). Thereafter, the prospective student will be asked to write small grants (e.g. NSF EAPSI) to support future travel. My colleagues and I are actively planning additional grant proposals. I seek a student with the following characteristics: (1) GPA = 3.0+ (2) GRE = 1000+ (3) Research experience, preferably involving field work (4) Strong writing skills and desire to write grant proposals (5) Ability to collaborate with others (6) Ability to work long hours (10+) in the field, including under uncomfortable conditions (7) Genuine interest in and understanding of ecology, behavior and/or neurobiology (8) Interest in publishing and presenting data at meetings (9) Strong academic background, including courses in ecology (10) Interest in animal sociality and mating systems Please visit my website (http://www.ulm.edu/~lhayes/) to learn about my advising philosophy and research projects. Individuals (US citizens or residents, only) with a serious interest in research and a passion for science are encouraged to contact me as soon as possible. My contact info is: Loren Hayes, Dept. of Biology, University of Louisiana at Monroe, Monroe, LA 71209; email: lha...@ulm.edu; Phone: 318 342 1798. Loren Donald Hayes, Ph.D. Assistant Professor Department of Biology University of Louisiana at Monroe Monroe, La 71209 318 342 1798
[ECOLOG-L] Postdoctoral position available investigating noise impacts on greater sage grouse
Postdoctoral position available investigating noise impacts on greater sage grouse Department of Evolution and Ecology, UC Davis A postdoctoral position is available for an ongoing research project in the lab of Dr. Gail Patricelli (UC Davis) addressing the potential impacts of noise from energy development on lekking greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus). The larger project has involved extensive noise monitoring of energy sources in deep natural gas and coal bed methane development areas, as well as an experiment introducing both drilling and road noise onto leks in an undeveloped area: http://www2.eve.ucdavis.edu/gpatricelli/Patricelli_Research_Interests.html We are seeking a postdoctoral researcher to integrate these noise measurements into a spatially-explicit, landscape-level model that will serve as a tool for researchers and wildlife managers to predict noise effects on grouse in present and future development areas. The postdoctoral researcher will evaluate the suitability of existing terrestrial noise models, and adapt one of the models for this project. Some processing of noise measurements and audio recordings will be involved. The postdoctoral researcher will also prepare results of the analysis for publication, and work with public agencies to disseminate information about the model and results. The position will be based at University of California, Davis with funding for salary and benefits available for one year, with the possibility of seeking additional funds for continuation of this or a related project. Qualifications: Applicants must have relevant Ph.D. experience in ecology, bioacoustics, conservation biology, sound modeling, or a related field. Proficiency in GIS, good data management skills and excellent communication skills are essential. Prior experience with noise modeling is highly desirable, but not critical. To apply: Send the following information in electronic form to Gail Patricelli gpatrice...@ucdavis.edu: cover letter, CV, and names and contact information for three references. Review of applications will begin immediately and continue until the position has been filled. Funding is available to begin immediately, but the start date is negotiable.
[ECOLOG-L] Ecology Deep Note of passing Arne Naess, Norwegian philosopher, dies at 96
This from the Los Angeles Times web site: Arne Naess, Norwegian philosopher, dies at 96 Naess coined the term 'deep ecology' to indicate that humans are no more important than other species, ecosystems or natural processes. By Patricia Sullivan January 26, 2009 Arne Naess, a Norwegian philosopher who coined the term deep ecology to indicate that humans are no more important than other species, ecosystems or natural processes, died Jan. 12 in Oslo. He was 96. Naess founded the deep ecology movement in 1973 after years of environmental activism and thinking. Deep ecology says the living environment as a whole has the same right as humans do to flourish. In contrast, shallow ecology fixes on short-term technological answers to environmental concerns. Although the two ideas can coexist, Naess argued that only a deep transformation of modern society can head off ecological ruin. The philosophy drew adherents as diverse as the radical Earth First! activists of the late 1980s and Douglas Tomkins, co-founder of the Esprit clothing line. The ideas of deep ecology quickly became foundational, absorbed into the thinking of activists and policymakers, said Andrew Light, director for global ethics at George Mason University and a senior fellow at the Center for American Progress. Naess presented us with a way of approaching problems that will continue to be used in environmental work, Light said. That is, look for the real origins of environmental problems and not just their surface impact. For example, a deep ecologist would clean up a pond because plants and animals deserve a pristine habitat and the woods should be allowed to evolve at their own rate. A shallow ecologist would preserve the pond so his children have a place to swim and the watershed quality improves. Naess urged deep ecologists to work with those who didn't completely share their worldview, often noting the frontier is long. Born in Oslo on Jan. 27, 1912, Arne Dekke Eide Naess did undergraduate work at the Sorbonne in Paris and graduate work at the University of Vienna, UC Berkeley and the University of Oslo, where he received his doctorate in philosophy in 1938. The next year, he became the university's youngest professor and made the history of ideas a prerequisite for all academic specialties. An outdoorsman from a young age, he led the first expedition to conquer the 25,000-foot Pakistan mountain Tirich Mir in 1954 and led another Norwegian expedition up the mountain in 1964. He wrote many books on communication and was among the first to use statistical methods and questionnaires to survey philosophical beliefs. During World War II, he joined the Norwegian resistance and helped avert the shipment of students to German concentration camps. During the 1960s, he became involved in environmental activism and was once arrested for nonviolent civil disobedience at a waterfall where a dam was planned. He also wrote a manual to help activists who were involved in nonviolent protests. In 1958, he founded an interdisciplinary journal of philosophy called Inquiry. He retired from his university job in 1970 and began examining humanity's relationship with nature. Inspired by environmentalist Rachel Carson, Indian philosopher of nonviolence Mahatma Gandhi and metaphysician Baruch Spinoza, he argued that all living things have value independent of their usefulness to others, but he rejected the kind of individualism that leads to selfishness toward other beings and nature. He later amended the philosophy, and deep ecology became a collection of eight basic principles, which valued life in all forms, asserted that diversity is a value in itself and required those who agreed to work for change. In a 1995 interview for a documentary film about him, The Call of the Mountain, he described himself as a short-range pessimist and a long-range optimist. I am, to the astonishment of certain journalists, an optimist, he said. But then I add, I am an optimist about the 22nd century. And they say: 'Oh, you mean the 21st . . . ' 'No, 22nd century!' I think that in the 21st century, we have to go through very bad times and it will hurt even rich countries. Now it is all sailing smoothly -- but it will hurt the rich. Sullivan is a writer for the Washington Post, where this story first appeared.
[ECOLOG-L] another search for maps of Sierra Nevada Ancient forests
Anyone know of a GIS version of the old growth forest maps in the publication below? I would much appreciate a link or contact for further information on this one too. Sierra Nevada Ecosystem Project final report to Congress : status of the Sierra Nevada. Wildland Resources Center Report #40, University of California, Davis, 1996/97. -- Clinton Jenkins Nicholas School of the Environment Duke University Box 90328 LSRC A201 Durham NC 27708 USA Phone: 919 613 8143 Email: Clinton.Jenkins (at) duke.edu http://www.nicholas.duke.edu/people/faculty/pimm/clintonjenkins.html
[ECOLOG-L] Graduate Research Assistantship in Invasion Ecology
graduate research assistantship at the M.S./PhD. level is available in the Invasive Plant Ecology Laboratory of Dr. Tarasoff at the School of Forest Resources and Environmental Science, Michigan Technological University. The successful applicant will lead a project studying the movement of invasive species along Great Lake shorelines. As the project is experiment-based, extensive field work will be required. However, it is expected that the student will develop complimentary greenhouse experiments. A background in forestry, botany, community ecology, ecosystem modeling, aquatic ecology, weed science, or agronomy is desirable; as well as, an interest in the application of statistical methods, spatial modeling and applied ecology. Proficiency in spoken and written English is a necessity. Michigan Tech is one of the Nation’s premier Forestry and Environmental Science Universities. The School of Forest Resources and Environmental Science has been ranked *fourth in the nation* for scholarly productivity among forestry schools, and *first in North America* based on citations per faculty member. Consideration of applications begins immediately and will continue until the position is filled. The ideal start date is September 1, 2009 but other dates will be considered. Interested applicants are encouraged to send a letter stating your interest in the program and a resume to Dr. Tarasoff by email at ctara...@mtu.edu. mailto:%20ctara...@mtu.edu. -- --- Catherine Tarasoff – Invasive Plant Ecologist School of Forest Resources and Environmental Sciences Department of Biological Sciences 1400 Townsend Drive Michigan Technological University Houghton, MI 49931 906-487-2396 ctara...@mtu.edu
[ECOLOG-L] NSF fellowships for research on vegetation-climate interactions in the Amazon
NSF fellowships for research on vegetation-climate interactions in the Amazon National Science Foundation (NSF) graduate fellowships ($30,000 per year, for up to two years) are available starting in the 2009-2010 academic year for Amazon-PIRE (Partnership for International Research and Education) for ecology and earth-system science students to study vegetation-climate interactions in the Amazon basin (Brazil). Amazon-PIRE fellows must be admitted to a participating Ph.D. program at the University of Arizona or Harvard University. Fellowships support United States citizens or permanent residents, and include an annual stipend, tuition, health insurance, and travel to Brazilian field sites and collaborating institutions. Amazon-PIRE is a U.S.-Brazilian partnership addressing the question, What is the future of Amazon forests under climate change? and promoting international education, collaboration, and exchange. Research focii include long term observations (via eddy flux measurements, forest plot surveys, physiological measurements, remote sensing, and aircraft sampling), experimental manipulations (in the Tropical Forest Biome of Biosphere 2), and modeling. Amazon-PIRE is committed to diversity in education, and encourages the application of women and underrepresented minorities. * Application deadline for funding of graduate fellowships - February 2, 2009 See the program website (http://www.amazonpire.org/opportunities.php)for key application deadlines for relevant programs and more information, or email: amazonp...@arizona.edu.
[ECOLOG-L] Ph.D. position available in mosquito ecology (Fall 2009)
Ph.D. position available in mosquito ecology (Fall 2009) Deadline for Fall 2009 applications is February 15, 2009. YEE LAB UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN MISSISSIPPI Applicants are invited for one highly motivated Ph.D. student (start date Fall 2009) in the lab of Donald Yee. This position will specifically focus on the ecology of mosquitoes and will contribute to on-going projects in the lab. Past research topics have emphasized larval competition, invasion ecology, predation, species diversity, and life-history trade-offs. We use a combination of field sampling and field and laboratory experiments to understand what regulates populations and communities of mosquitoes in nature. We also use mosquitoes to answer basic ecological questions. Other research topics may be considered, although mosquitoes communities or populations should be a focus. Current field sites are in and around the southeastern United States and include urban or natural environments. More information concerning the Yee lab can be found here: http://www.usm.edu/biology/faculty/Faculty_Profile_Donald_Yee.htm General requirements: Masters degree or equivalent experience. Prior field experience and coursework in ecology, entomology, and statistics is preferred. Preference will be given to applicants who have had experience with mosquitoes. Women and minorities are strongly encouraged to apply. Funding: will be available through a combination of teaching and research assistantships. I also expect students to pursue other funding sources (NSF DDIG, EPA STAR, Sigma Xi, etc.). Full tuition grants are provided. Basic and major medical health coverage is provided to fulltime graduate students in good standing academically. Support for students will be provided to participate in national and international scientific meetings. Entrance requirements: Although the Department of Biological Sciences does not have a minimum set of scores to be eligible for entrance into the graduate program, potential applicants should expect to have a minimum GPA of 3.00 and have taken the GRE before application. For more information on admission follow this link: http://www.usm.edu/biology/graduate_faq.htm USM: The University of Southern Mississippi, a Carnegie Research High Activity institution with 15,000 students, is located in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, near the Gulf Coast and has abundant opportunities for outdoor recreation. Hattiesburg is the medical, commercial, and cultural center of southern Mississippi and is ranked in the top five small metropolitan areas in the United States. The Department of Biological Sciences is comprised of about 30 faculty and offers baccalaureate, Master of Science, and Ph.D. degrees. Over 70 graduate students currently pursue masters and doctoral degrees. Further information about the department may be found at: http://www.usm.edu/biology/. To inquire, submit (via e-mail) a cover letter with a brief (~ one page) review of your research experience, interests and goals, CV, and contact for three academic references to: donald@usm.edu Donald A. Yee, Ph.D. Assistant Professor Department of Biological Sciences University of Southern Mississippi Hattiesburg, MS 39406-0001
