[ECOLOG-L] "Head-starting Turtles-Learning from Experience"-symposium,

[=?windows-1252?q?asalzb...@herpdigest.org?=]

>From Maria Wojakowski.

The symposium "Head-starting Turtles-Learning from Experience" has been
approved for the Joint Meetings of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists, 7-12 July
2010, in Providence, Rhode Island.  The committee was impressed by the very
diverse team of professionals from around the world that plan to come to Rhode
Island to report their results and discuss this important topic.

Our goals are to encourage people involving in turtle head-starting projects to
address  academic concerns concerning hard-starting, to compare a series of
examples of serious head-starting projects using a common set of criteria for
success, to learn which, if any, conservation practices are more likely to lead
to success.   It is not the goal of this symposium to present head-starting as
the solution to all turtle conservation problems, or even to promote
head-starting itself.  We specifically intend to invite some critics of
head-starting to speak as well as practicioners, in an effort to promote
dialogue.

Head-starting is a controversial topic in turtle conservation that has received
little serious academic examination.  Here we are focusing on head-starting
itself, that is, the release of captive ?raised hatchlings for conservation
purposes.  We are distinguishing head-starting from translocation generally,
which can also include releases of wild-caught adults.

I am reaching out to people who might be interested in making a presentation at
this symposium.  Please prepare a title and a draft abstract following the
standard format for these meetings (see instructions below) and send it to me
by 31 October 2009.  In preparing your abstract, please remember that the goals
of this symposium are to encourage people to address academic concerns
concerning hard-starting, to compare the successes and failures of examples of
serious head-starting projects, and to learn which, if any, practices are more
likely to lead to success. I am distinguishing head-starting from translocation
generally, which can also include releases of wild-caught adults.  Therefore,
please be explicit about the goals of your project and rely on your data to
justify conclusions about success or failure.  Your abstract submission can be
updated later, but I would like to see a serious effort now.

I am expecting that have at least one full day of 15 or 20 minute talks, so
please plan accordingly.  In some cases it may be possible for more time.  Some
people are involved in large, long term projects that address more than one goal
(i.e., both education and conservation) so there may be more than one talk on
the same project.  Please prepare a title, abstract for each presentation, and
full list of authors for each talk you would like to give.

Several of you have asked about publication of the results of this symposium,
and I am currently looking into the possibility of publishing a multi-authored
book, or submitting manuscripts as a group to a journal for joint publication. 
Please keep this in mind as you prepare your abstract.

I have been promised a small amount of funding to assist speakers who do not
have access to sufficient funds to attend the meeting.  I am actively seeking
more support so that I can support more speakers.  If you will need support,
please let me know.  Unfortunately, I am sure I will not be able to support
everyone who needs help, but I will do the best I can.  Even people who
ultimately cannot attend may contribute to the resulting publication.

Finally, please spread the news about this symposium to relevant colleagues. 
There is room to expand the symposium if we get more good presentations, and we
have some gaps I would like to fill.  For example, we have very few sea turtle
papers, and that is regrettable because there has been a lot of work on sea
turtles.

1. The title should be short and informative.
2. Abstracts should state briefly and clearly the purpose, methods, results and
conclusions of the work. The abstract must be a single paragraph that is no
more than 250 words.
3. Be sure all authors approve of the abstract
4.  List all affiliations and authors. The affiliations include Institution
name, city, state/region, and country. The order of affiliation must match the
order of author (i.e., affiliation 1 is for author 1, affiliations 2 is for
author 2 and author 3, affiliation 3 is for author 4, etc.).

Send your abstract as an attachment to me at bio...@hofstra.edu

[ECOLOG-L] Species Occurrence/Distribution Workshops, USA, December 2009

[Darryl MacKenzie]

Apologies for any cross-postings...
_

Locations:
USGS Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Research Center, Corvallis, Oregon: 
1-4 December 2009
USFWS National Training Conservation Center, Shepherdstown, West 
Virginia: 7-11 December 2009

_

The presence or absence of a species across a set of landscape units is 
a fundamental concept widely used in ecology (e.g., species range or 
distribution, epidemiology, habitat modelling, resource selection 
probability functions, as a monitoring metric, metapopulation studies, 
biodiversity and species co-occurrence). An important sampling issue, 
however, is that a species may not always be detected when present at a 
landscape unit. This will result in "false absences" causing parameter 
estimates to be biased if unaccounted for, possibly leading to 
misleading results and conclusions, even with moderate levels of 
imperfect detection.


This workshop will cover many of the latest methods for modelling 
patterns and dynamics of species occurrence in a landscape while 
accounting for the imperfect detection of the species. Participants will 
be introduced to available software through worked examples, and there 
will be special emphasis on aspects of study design. While primarily 
aimed at the beginner and intermediate level, more experienced 
researchers will also benefit from attending. Topics to be covered include:


- single-season occupancy models for patterns in species occurrence
- multiple-season occupancy models for dynamic of species occurrence
- study design and it’s influence on the interpretation of ‘occupancy’
- species co-occurrence models
- community-level applications
- multi-state occupancy models
- integrated modelling of habitat and species occurrence dynamics


For more details go to http://www.proteus.co.nz/home.html or email 
dar...@proteus.co.nz

-


Interested in attending a workshop on species occurrence/occupancy 
modelling?

Visit http://www.proteus.co.nz/home.html for details of upcoming workshops.


Darryl I. MacKenzie 
Biometrician
Proteus Wildlife Research Consultants
PO Box 5193
Dunedin
NEW ZEALAND

Email: dar...@proteus.co.nz
Phone: +64 3 4861168
Mobile: +64 21 773108

http://www.proteus.co.nz

[ECOLOG-L] Learn How to Build a New Green Economy: Workshops Lead Off NCSE Conference

[NCSE Conference]

NCSE's New Green Economy Conference
January 20-22, 2010  |  Washington, DC
 
Learn How to Build a New Green Economy: 
Workshops Lead Off NCSE Conference


Thirty-five (35) workshops “Tools for Transformation 
(http://ncseonline.org/conference/greeneconomy/cms.cfm?id=2839)” will lead off 
the agenda for the National Council for Science and the Environment’s (NCSE) 
10th National Conference for Science, Policy and the Environment: The New Green 
Economy to be held January 20-22, 2010 in Washington, DC. REGISTER NOW at 
http://ncseonline.org/conference/greeneconomy/ 

Workshops will range from the very practical Build a Solar Cooker, An 
Introduction to Green Jobs - For Those Interested in Obtaining One, Social 
Networking: Using the Internet to Promote Your Work!, Environmental Education 
and Action: Giving Students the Tools to Make a Difference in the World to the 
theoretical Green Economics as an Alternative to Neoclassical Economics, 
Business and Education. 

The emphasis is on providing skills and knowledge that workshop participants 
can take back to their everyday lives and professional work. 

Tools for Transformation 
(http://ncseonline.org/conference/greeneconomy/cms.cfm?id=2839) Topics include:

 -  Advocacy
 - Green Buildings and Infrastructure
 - Business Practices, including Metrics of Sustainability
 - Communications
 - Decisionmaking 
 - Economics
 - Ecosystem Services and Conservation
 - Education from K-12 to undergraduate to business and professional educations
 - Energy
 -  Employment
 -  Leadership
 - Investment
 - Science 
 - Sustainable practices for individuals and organizations
 - Technology
 -  Water
 - And much, much more

See http://ncseonline.org/conference/greeneconomy/cms.cfm?id=2839 
(http://ncseonline.org/conference/greeneconomy/cms.cfm?id=2839) for a complete 
list and links to individual workshops. Each workshop is being conducted by 
volunteer experts from universities, non-profit organizations, professional 
organizations and others. NCSE thanks all who are giving of their time to 
organize and present in these workshops

The workshops will be held in various locations in downtown Washington, DC on 
Wednesday January 20. No plenary sessions will take place that day.Hosts 
include The US Green Building Council, Potomac Institute for Policy Studies, 
United Nations Environment Programme/Regional Office for North America, George 
Washington University, National Environmental Education Foundation, Herman 
Miller. NCSE thanks all of our hosts for sharing their conference rooms and 
facilities with us.

NCSE is still looking for additional organizations to host workshops. If you 
are interested, please contact Lyle Birkey lbir...@ncseonline.org 
(mailto:lbir...@ncseonline.org) 

The timing of the location varies with all-day, morning, and afternoon 
workshops offered. Registration for the three-day New Green Economy conference 
includes registration in one morning and one afternoon workshop (or one all-day 
workshop). 

Forthose unable to attend the full conference, workshop-only registration is 
available for $85 ($50 for employees of non-profits and $25 for students). 

Register at http://ncseonline.org/conference/greeneconomy/cms.cfm?id=2833

Members of NCSE’s Council of Energy Research and Education Leaders (CEREL) 
http://ncseonline.org/cerel/ (http://ncseonline.org/cerel/)  will meet 
separately on January 20 at the JW Marriott Hotel 

Contact Heidi Fuchs hfu...@ncseonline.org (mailto:hfu...@ncseonline.org) for 
information.

TheNew Green Economy conference will continue January 21-22 at the Ronald 
Reagan Building and International Trade Center. Additional features include: 
world-class speakers from the Obama Administration, Congress,the scientific 
community, business, academia and civil society, 30interactive facilitated 
breakout sessions to Develop an Economic Greenprint, 30 symposia to explore 
Pieces of Green, scientific and educational posters, the Green Pioneers Expo, a 
Youth Voices and Visions  writing contest and opportunities to network with 
colleagues new and old. 

The discounted Early-bird Registration Fee of $325 is available until October 
23. Discounts are available forstudents, workers at non-profit organizations 
and conference volunteers.

More information on the conference can be found online at 
http://ncseonline.org/conference/greeneconomy/ or contact 
confere...@ncseonline.org.

 

 
   
 

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[ECOLOG-L] Job: National Wildlife Ecology Program, USDA Forest Service

[David Inouye]

https://www.avuecentral.com/casting/aiportal/control/fromUSAJobs?referenceCode=EBPML

Duty Location: There is ONE position to be filled located in Washington, DC.

Overview of the Position: This position leads the National Wildlife 
Ecology Program in the Watershed, Fish, Wildlife, Air, and Rare 
Plants staff in the Washington Office and reports to the Assistant 
Director of Wildlife, Planning, TES, Air and Soils Programs. The 
National Wildlife Ecologist provides Forest Service leadership in 
wildlife ecology including wildlife habitat planning and evaluation, 
conservation assessments and strategies, habitat management, 
inventory and monitoring and the conservation of biological diversity 
on the National Forests and Grasslands. As a principal wildlife 
ecologist, the incumbent is a recognized leader and technical 
authority for wildlife ecology in the Forest Service, National Forest 
System deputy area. The position provides expert technical services 
at the national level for the conservation and restoration of 
wildlife populations and habitat, ecosystem management and the 
conservation of biodiversity on National Forest System lands. 

[ECOLOG-L] USFWS Releases Climate Change Strategy for Public Review and Comment

[David Inouye]

Service Releases Climate Change Strategy for Public Review and Comment

http://www.fws.gov/news/NewsReleases/showNews.cfm?newsId=E79B541B-E2B2-1661-CE45BAD69C7597F7

The Service requests substantive comments, factual information, and 
other constructive criticism to help improve the plan. After 
reviewing the plan, the public can submit comments electronically 
through November 23, 2009. To view the report, provide comments and 
find out more about Fish and Wildlife Service efforts to address 
climate change, visit 
http://www.fws.gov/home/climatechange/.
  

[ECOLOG-L] NSF IGERT fellowships in "Watershed Science and Policy"

[Watershed IGERT at SIUC]

Watershed Science and Policy IGERT

Southern Illinois University (SIU) is offering PhD fellowships under NSF’s 
Integrative Graduate 
Education Research and Training (IGERT) program.  Fellowships are available to 
U.S. citizens and 
permanent residents in any water-, river- or watershed-related field of study, 
including Geology, 
Hydrology, Geography, Engineering, Plant Biology, Zoology, Ecology, and other 
areas.  Applicants 
should have a MS-level degree at the time of enrollment (direct PhD possible in 
cases of exceptional 
merit) and should have grades, test scores, and research records commensurate 
with one of NSF’s 
most coveted fellowship awards.  Fellowship benefits include $30,000/year 
stipends, $10,500/year 
education allowances, student laptops, annual international river basin tours, 
and support for 
research, conference travel, etc.  Application deadline in Jan. 31, 2010.  For 
more information, please 
see http://www.igert.siu.edu or contact ig...@siu.edu.  

[ECOLOG-L] Post-Doctoral Research - University of Washington

[Julian Olden]

Post Doctoral Research Associate in the Hydroecology of Desert Streams

School of Aquatic and Fishery Science

University of Washington

9/16/2009



Responsibilities:  We seek a highly motivated postdoctoral researcher for a 
collaborative project that aims to understand how flow intermittence and 
landscape connectivity govern the spatial and temporal dynamics of 
amphibians and aquatic invertebrates (insects and crayfish) in intermittent 
and ephemeral streams of southern Arizona.  Specifically, this new project 
is examining how hydrology, landscape connectivity and other riverine 
characteristics influence the demography (e.g., distribution, abundance) and 
population genetics (e.g. gene flow, structure, diversity) of amphibians and 
aquatic invertebrates, and forecasts the potential impacts of climate change 
and water use.




The selected applicant will perform the following tasks:

 1.. Develop spatially-explicit hydrologic (rainfall-runoff) models 
predicting short- and long-term flow regimes for intermittent and ephemeral 
streams in Arizona
 2.. Conduct geospatial analyses and apply GIS tools to support various 
needs of the project
 3.. Coordinate a multi-team field research program that focuses on 
streamflow monitoring, biological surveys and habitat assessments
 4.. Perform essential administrative duties associated with the project, 
including financial reporting, progress reports and project collaboration
 5.. Actively publish in scientific journals, present research at society 
meetings, and interact regularly with multiple stakeholder groups



The successful applicant will be advised by Dr. Julian Olden (School of 
Aquatic and Fishery Sciences, University of Washington), and will work 
closely with researchers from Oregon State University, State University of 
New York, and partners in Arizona including the Department of Defense, AZ 
Game and Fish Department, and The Nature Conservancy.




Qualifications: PhD in ecology, zoology, hydrology or related field. 
Priority will be given to applicants with previous experience working in 
desert ecosystems, particularly with regard to hydrologic modeling, stream 
ecology, and/or geospatial modeling.  Applicants must exhibit strong 
quantitative and communication skills, proven expertise with GIS, 
demonstrated ability to publish in peer-reviewed journals, and a proven 
record of leadership and ability to coordinate large research programs.




Location:  The position will be located within the School of Aquatic and 
Fishery Science (SAFS) at the University of Washington, Seattle, Washington. 
SAFS includes 30 faculty, 125 graduate and 100 undergraduate students, and 
about 90 administrative and research staff.  The breadth and scope of SAFS 
encompasses programs for undergraduate and graduate teaching, research and 
service in basic and applied aquatic sciences with an emphasis on aquatic 
resource conservation.  Faculty, staff and students have access to myriad 
aquatic habitats and rich biological resources, and are involved in 
interdisciplinary partnerships with other academic programs, as well as 
public and private organizations and environmental and regulatory agencies. 
Seattle is a vibrant and progressive city with ample opportunities for 
recreation and city-living.




Salary: $50,400 annually ($4,200/month) plus benefits; funded for 2-4 years 
contingent on performance and annual allocations.




Start date: March 2010



Contact: To apply email a cover letter that addresses your interest, 
experience (in response to the requirements stated above) and future career 
goals, curriculum vitae, most relevant (3) publications (PDF), and contact 
information for at least three references to: Dr. Julian Olden, School of 
Aquatic and Fishery Sciences, University of Washington at ol...@uw.edu. 
Screening of applicants will occur immediately and will continue until a 
suitable candidate is found. UW is an equal opportunity employer and 
actively seeks diversity among its employees (http://www.washington.edu/).




The Olden Research Lab contains an extremely cohesive mix of graduate 
students, post-docs and staff.  We play hard and work even harder . and are 
looking for same in the applicant.  More information: 
http://www.fish.washington.edu/research/oldenlab/.




-
Julian D. Olden, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
School of Aquatic and Fishery Sciences
University of Washington
Box 355020; Seattle WA 98195
e-mail : ol...@uw.edu
phone: 206-616-3112
web: http://www.fish.washington.edu/research/oldenlab/
skype: goldenolden

[ECOLOG-L] Job Notice: U.S. Forest Service Field Crew Leaders: Oregon, Washington, California

[Steven Trimble]

PNW Research Station, Forestry Inventory & Analysis Program, Portland 
Forestry Sciences Lab 

Positions may be based in Portland, or in one of 9 satellite duty stations 
(Sedro-Woolley, WA; La Grande, Eugene, Prineville/Bend, Grants Pass, OR; 
Mount Shasta, Grass Valley/Nevada City, Arcata, Fresno, CA)

GS-0401-5/7/9

Outreach is being conducted until October 16, 2009.

The PNW Research Station, Portland Forestry Sciences Lab, anticipates 
filling up to eight positions for the Oregon, Washington, and California 
field data collection crew leaders for the Forest Inventory and Analysis 
(FIA) program.  The GS-9 positions will have a salary range of $49,020 to 
$63,726; the GS-7 positions will have a salary range of $40,075 to 
$52,099; the GS-5 positions will have a salary range from $32,353 to 
42,060.  

These are permanent seasonal positions; 18 pay periods full time and 8 pay 
periods non-pay status.  A Permanent Seasonal Employee receives an 
agreement guaranteeing a specific number of pay periods of full-time 
employment. They may be worked longer depending on workload and funding.

These positions are with the Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) Program, 
with main office located in Portland, Oregon. The Pacific Northwest FIA 
Program conducts forest inventories and forest health monitoring on 
forestlands of all land ownerships in Alaska, Washington, Oregon, 
California and Hawaii/Pacific Islands.  The forest inventory is conducted 
in 3 phases.  Phase 1 is a remote sensing classification currently being 
done from aerial photos and satellite images.  Phase 2 is a set of field 
plot samples located on a systematic basis across the unit.  Phase 3 is a 
sub sample of the field plots for forest health measurements.  A wide 
variety of information is collected in the inventory including tree 
measurement data, understory vegetation identification and cover 
estimates, down woody material data, and lichen and soils information.  

The areas sampled by the lab cover a diversity of ecological communities 
which include:  the temperate rain forests of coastal Oregon and 
Washington, the redwood coastal forests of California; high mountain 
conifer forests of the Cascades and Sierras; drier ponderosa pine, oak 
woodland and juniper forests of Oregon, Washington and California; and 
tropical forests of Hawaii and the Pacific Islands.  Each crew covers a 
large area, and no matter where you work, you will see a wide variety of 
country.

All crew leaders work under the direction of a state coordinator and lead 
a crew in the collection of forest inventory data. After two to four week 
training sessions, the two to four person crews use maps, aerial photos, 
and GPS units to navigate to and find plot locations.  Measurements taken 
by crews include: tree/sapling/seedling data (species, diameter, height, 
defect, insect & disease, damage, etc); understory vegetation (shrub, 
herb, grass species and percent cover, etc.); down woody material (line 
transects, litter depth, and fuels measurement, etc.); and site index and 
site attributes (site tree selection, slope, aspect, topographic position, 
distance to water, etc.). Plot data is edited using various software and 
uploaded to the Portland office. 

The field-season typically runs from early April thru November. The 2-4 
person crews travel frequently and independently.  The crew will return 
home to the duty-station nightly for about one-third of the season, they 
will return to the duty station on weekends for one-third, and for the 
final third they will be in extended travel status.  During travel 
periods, crews will change locations about weekly. Lodging is generally in 
motel/hotels, but in some areas significant amounts of backpacking/camping 
are required.

In all areas, work conditions are often arduous.  Work may be performed in 
inclement weather (cold, heat, rain, snow) and on rugged, steep, slippery, 
and/or brushy slopes.  Significant amounts of on-trail and off-trail 
hiking are required.  Crewmembers must carry a 45lb pack daily, with pack 
weights sometimes exceeding 60lbs.  Excellent physical conditioning is a 
must.  Exposure to hazards such as poison oak, bears, and insects is 
common.  Additionally, crewmembers may occasionally travel in small 
aircrafts, helicopters and boats. 

If you are interested in one of these positions and working with the 
Pacific Northwest Research Station, please use the attached response form 
to express your interest by October 16, 2009.  You can send your response 
electronically or by regular mail to the following address: John Chase, 
jch...@fs.fed.us, PNW Research Station - FIA, 620 SW Main, Suite 400, 
Portland, OR 97205 or call Jeff Reis at (503) 808-2022.

This is just a pre-announcement.  When the position is advertised, the 
announcement will be posted on the Office of Personnel Management web 
site: www.usajobs.opm.gov .  The announcement will contain all of the 
information you need to apply for th

[ECOLOG-L] Job Notice: U.S. Forest Service Field Coordinators: Oregon, Washington, California

[Steven Trimble]

PNW Research Station, Forestry Inventory & Analysis Program, Portland 
Forestry Sciences Lab 

Locations: Oregon Coordinator: Portland, OR; Washington Coordinator: 
Olympia/Seattle, WA area; California Coordinator: Sacramento, CA, San 
Francisco, CA, Fresno, CA, OR Nevada City, CA  

GS-401-11 Biological Scientist 

Outreach is being conducted until September 30, 2009.

The PNW Research Station, Portland Forestry Sciences Lab, anticipates 
filling three positions for the Oregon, Washington, and California field 
data collection coordinators for the Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) 
program.  Each will have a salary range of $59,309 to $77,097 (including 
the 19.71% locality pay increase for the Oregon coordinator located in 
Portland, OR).

About the Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) Program
The Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) program is considered the US 
forest census. The program is responsible for the inventory of forestlands 
in all states and territories across the US. There are 4 FIA programs 
across the country; the PNW FIA program covers Alaska, Washington, Oregon, 
California, Hawaii, and the Pacific Islands. It conducts forest 
inventories in these states as well as a program of research to 
characterize and assess land cover and forest resources, estimate changes 
and trends of those resources, and create or improve resource inventory 
techniques.  Research goals include producing innovative and generally 
applicable approaches to analyzing and understanding dynamics inherent in 
a changing natural resource base, determining renewable resource 
conditions and quantities, analyzing trends in regional resource supply, 
identifying resource management opportunities, uncovering unique 
approaches to local, regional, and national utilization of forest resource 
inventory data, and improving efficiency, effectiveness, and accuracy of 
forest resource assessment methodologies. For more information about the 
FIA program, see the following Internet website: http://fia.fs.fed.us/

Duties
A majority of the duties will be devoted to data collection operations 
that meet program standards for production, data quality, and safety.  
Duties will involve the planning all aspects of the field work including 
scheduling and field logistics, hiring field workers, administering 
contracts, overseeing interpretation of imagery and ownership 
determination, writing field manuals, training field crews, and managing 
the data collection budget for the state.  The position will require 
working closely with the data collection team leader and other state 
coordinators as well as state and federal officials and major land 
owners.  During the field season, work involves supervising teams of field 
crews in remote locations, overseeing the scheduling of fieldwork 
including arranging for vehicles or other forms of transportation, 
ensuring safety, and overseeing the quality of field data, as well as 
performing some field work.  This position will prepare an annual work 
plan and year-end report for data collection activities in the state. The 
position is supervisory in nature and involves hiring, performance 
appraisals, and overseeing personnel actions.  All non-field related 
duties are performed in the office. Some field work and travel will be 
required during the field season over a wide diversity of ecological 
communities and types.  Fieldwork requires the ability to work and travel 
with a 45-pound pack in steep, wet, and slippery terrain. 

Community (for OR coordinator position location)
Portland, located in the northwest corner of Oregon, is strategically 
situated on the Pacific Rim and along the Interstate 5 corridor.  Its high 
quality of life, a growing and diversified economy, excellent 
transportation linkages, skilled work force and access to beaches, rivers, 
and mountains make it an excellent place to live, work, and play. 
Portland’s housing market offers a broad range of neighborhood and housing 
options; mortgage rates are currently low and homes are very affordable.   
The University of Portland and a number of private and community colleges 
are located in Portland; Oregon State University is located in Corvallis, 
60 miles south; University of Oregon in Eugene, 90 miles south; and 
University of Washington, 150 miles north. The average rainfall is 36 
inches a year with average temperatures ranging from the mid-40’s in the 
winter and high 70’s in the summer. Oregon has 13 national forests, 
including the Mt. Hood NF less than an hour from Portland, and 225 state 
park areas.  All of Oregon’s beaches are owned by and accessible to the 
public.  Many opportunities for skiing, hiking, biking, windsurfing, 
backpacking, golfing, boating, and hunting and fishing can be found in 
Portland or within a 1-2 hour drive from the metropolitan area. 

If you are interested in this position and working with the Pacific 
Northwest Research Station, please use the attached response form to 
express

[ECOLOG-L] Circular data

[Jim Rentch]

I want to graph circular data, and to compare mean direction of tree-fall and 
slope aspect. I am using SAS code to generate means (Rayleigh and Watson 
tests), but I am unable to graph without purchasing a special graphics package. 
 Does anyone know how to graph circular data using Excel?
 
 
Jim Rentch
Assistant Research Professor
Division of Forestry and Natural Resources
West Virginia University
Morgantown, WV  26506-6125
344 Percival Hall
Telephone: 304-293-6466
Fax: 304-293-2441
http://community.wvu.edu/~jsr008/

[ECOLOG-L] NEON, Inc. - Soil Scientist job opportunity

[Laura Reynolds]

Overview
The National Ecological Observatory Network (NEON, Inc.) is a nonprofit 
science corporation dedicated to understanding how changes in climate, 
land use and invasive species impact ecology. Currently under design is 
the NEON project - an observatory comprising more than 60 environmental 
and biological monitoring locations distributed throughout twenty domains 
across the United States, Hawaii, Alaska & Puerto Rico.  These 
observations and experiments will be monitored and controlled in real-time 
from our headquarters in Boulder, Colorado.  

Position Summary
The Fundamental Instrument Unit (FIU) consists of an automated suite of 
meteorological, atmospheric, soil and ecophysiological measurements.  The 
Soil Scientist will support Science project development and management 
activities.

 Essential Duties and Responsibilities:
•   Design FIU system components that measure soil processes
•   Coordinate, design and execute analyses for prototype and site 
characterization activities,
•   Coordinate soil-related measurements and data products with other 
related NEON system design groups, e.g., Engineering, CyberInfrastructure, 
Fundamental Sentinel Unit, and Land Use Analyses Package,
•   Develop algorithm for computing soil-related data products,
•   Develop soil-related data quality assurance and quality control 
procedures, and
•   Develop plans for evaluating and transferring soil measurements 
systems to an operational basis

Required Experience:
•   1-3 years experience in soil-related work,
•   Experience with a wide range of related soil sensors, and 
measurement techniques and their associated data acquisition and analysis 
procedures,
•   Experience with quantitative analysis of soils or related data,
•   Experience delivering a final product from concept through testing 
to deployment,
•   Experience working in a collaborative scientific or engineering 
enterprise, and
•   Demonstrated ability to communicate effectively in written and 
oral forms
.

Education:
•   Doctoral degree (or MS plus equivalent experience) in one of the 
environmental science fields (soil science, biometeorology, ecosystem 
science, micrometeorology etc) or a related Science field.
•   Recent PhD graduates may apply.

Preferred Experience:
•   Working at the ecosystem-level scale
•   Some work experience with soil microbiology.
•   Ability to develop the measurement designs for different and 
contrasting soil types.

 Skills and  Abilities:
•   Critical thinking, scientific writing and review,
•   Ability to travel monthly to domain sites during 2010, plus travel 
to conferences
•   Quantification of spatial and temporal variation of soil physical 
properties and processes (e.g., soil climate, biogeochemistry, 
respiration, etc.),  
•   Understanding of soils processes and ecosystem modeling,
•   Demonstrated problem-solving and communication skills, and
•   Desired knowledge base of both instrument hardware and software 
development.

Physical Requirements:
•   The candidate may be exposed to conditions in the field, and 
therefore must be able to traverse uneven ground such as mountains, stream 
beds, and shallow ponds carrying equipment and materials up to 40 lbs. 

To Apply:
Send your resumes and inquiries to care...@neoninc.org with Soil Scientist 
in the subject line, and include cover letter, resume, salary history, and 
salary requirements.

NEON Inc. is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Women, Minorities, Veterans 
and Disabled Persons are encouraged to apply.