Re: [ECOLOG-L] Physiology Productivity Promises and BS Re: [ECOLOG-L] worlds authorities in sustainable ag/meat/ag ecology
Wayne Tyson wrote: Please supply evidence that genetic engineering or any other method can double the productivity of any species without increasing the amount of water and nutrients, including a cogent explanation of just how this is done. Wayne, according to the National Corn Growers Association: Farmers today produce 70 percent more corn per pound of fertilizer than in the 1970s. http://ncga.com/files/pdf/worldofcorn2010.pdf USDA fertilizer use statistics http://www.ers.usda.gov/Data/FertilizerUse/ show US consumption of fertlizer for corn, cotton, wheat and soybeans has been generally stable since the mid-1970's whereas the yields per acre have risen dramatically: http://www.nass.usda.gov/Charts_and_Maps/Field_Crops/index.asp Specific examples of yield increases since 1979: Corn: Up about 63% http://www.nass.usda.gov/Charts_and_Maps/Field_Crops/cornyld.asp Cotton Up about 52% http://www.nass.usda.gov/Charts_and_Maps/Field_Crops/cotnyld.asp Soybeans Up about 53% http://www.nass.usda.gov/Charts_and_Maps/Field_Crops/soyyld.asp Winter Wheat Up about 26% http://www.nass.usda.gov/Charts_and_Maps/Field_Crops/wwyld.asp With regard to your question just how this is done Monsanto explains in general terms on it's website: how we can use breeding, biotechnology and better agronomy to help double yields. http://tinyurl.com/2ag8zl Excerpt: With the genome sequencer, Monsanto researchers are able to learn in 10 days what it used to take them 10 years of research to discover - that's why it's playing an integral role in the company's commitment to double yields by 2030. Paul Cherubini El Dorado, Calif.
[ECOLOG-L] Environmental Wiki
Dear Colleagues, Demos, a public policy research NGO, is catalyzing the creation of a wiki site that will monitor environmental issues around the world. They are looking for people to contribute to the initial material for the wiki. Please see the announcement below and contact cdev...@demos.org if you are interested. Thank you. A Proposal for an Environmental Wiki June 2010 Overview Demos is catalyzing the creation of a wiki site that will monitor environmental issues in most countries of the world. This project will fill a major vacuum of information on the environment: There is currently no centralized effort to track the environmental records of different countries in a way that is accessible and covers the full spectrum of important issues. This project will bring together a broad range of collaborators academics, NGOs, local activists to undertake this effort. The Concept The issues affecting the ecological health of this planet are by definition global. The practices of industry and the action of governments have important environmental ramifications that extend beyond the territorial boundaries they operate in. Yet too often it is difficult to get detailed information about what is happening environmentally in various countries. Often countries simply lack the resources or expertise to gather and compile this vital information. And, anyway, dependence on official sources can leave important information obscured. Meanwhile, data that is available from university projects, like Yales Environmental Performance Index, or think tanks like WRI, can be too technical for many users. Another problem with existing sources on country-specific information is that they are static. Reports issued last year can be overtaken by events. Collectively, however, environmental organizations, scholars, and activists from all over the world have a deep reservoir of information on environmental issues within most countries and the ability to update that information constantly. What Demos aims to do is connect those people, unlock their collective knowledge, and share it publicly in an online community. Especially important will be the potential of this effort to empower people with specific local knowledge to speak out on the environmental degradation that is happening in their communities in real time. Absent such a venue for sharing information, crucial trends may remain undocumented and largely unknown. Our Approach Demos vision is the creation of a wiki site that eventually covers the environmental issues affecting all 192 countries in the UN system. Our first step will be to recruit a core group of contributors expert, activists, and academics to seed the initial content of the site. This core will organized into volunteer administrators for each region of the world, and then groups of volunteer editors and contributors for each specific country. Each country team will provide content describing the environmental issues affecting a given country, the nature of government policies on the environment, and content related to corporate practices, local environmental activism, and other relevant topics. Once a critical mass of information had been assembled the site would be opened to the public and allowed to function in a traditional wiki fashion. Our core of editors and administrators would have to remain actively involved to guide contributors, monitor content and quality, and help shape the wiki into a unique resource for information about international environmental topics. Staffing this effort will be done by a senior employee at Demos who functions as a recruiter of, and coordinator between, the core group of volunteer administrators and editors. If you are interested in participating please contact Chris DeVito at cdev...@demos.org.
[ECOLOG-L] Mongolian Film Project
Dear All, I'm currently working on a film project on issues regarding the changing perceptions of natural wealth resulting from urbanisation and economic growth in Mongolia. As a way to acquire funding for this project, we've set up a page on kickstarter.com. Kickstarter describes itself as a new way to fund creative ideas and ambitious endeavors. The beauty here is that by funding the film you can receive really great rewards like a copy of the film and Mongolian gear. If you are interested in helping fund the project or just interested in learning more, check out our page at: http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/rexratillo/unspoiled-a-documentary-film-on-the-fight-for-mong-0 Regards, Henry Brown
Re: [ECOLOG-L] Humans in the definition of ecosystems
I'm afraid I have far more radical ideas about humans and ecosystems. In my opinion, humans are animals, not unlike any other animal on the planet. Any possible dichotomy between humans and other animals would be arbitrary from an ecological point of view, that is, anthropocentric. I believe that the big difference perceived between Homo sapiens and other organisms (not only animals) is merely the effect of the extraordinarily disproportionate interest we express for H. sapiens. For instance, let's think at the Gaia hypothesis: does anyone think that the impact of H. sapiens on the biosphere is quantitatively and qualitatively more important than any species of denitrifying bacteria, or than cyanobacteria? How rapidly the biosphere biogeochemical cycles, which are at the base of any biological process on Earth, would change if a crucial procariote strain or lineage suddenly disappears? My educated guess is that such changes would be much more drastic than any global change induced by greenhouse gases released by H. sapiens in the atmosphere. Fortunately (also for us, I would say), such pivotal organisms cannot apparently be threatened by human activity on Earth. Analogous examples can be made for several species of insects, with huge biomasses and numbers of individuals. I personally do not think that H. sapiens is the dominant species on the planet. Its ecological impact on the biosphere is gradually decreasing as we consider organisms that are less and less ecologically (and up to a certain extent, phylogenetically) related to (e.g. interacting with) H. sapiens. This is probably the main reason why we are the only hominid species on the planet, and why so few apes presently survive (most being at risk of extinction). This is the reason why H. sapiens drove the majority of mammal megafaunas to extinction much before industrialization, and one of the reasons why there are so many environmentalist campaigns for vertebrates than for arthropods, protists, or procariotes (apart from anthropomorphic and demagogical issues). It is clear that the ability of H. sapiens (or better of some its populations) to modify its habitat for his own survival is driving the colonised systems to their carrying capacity, rapidly inverting its adaptive value. But carrying capacity is a concept based on what must be carried by the system... making this essentially a problem for H. sapiens and for ecologically related species. Nonetheless, I think that the same permanence of this trait in our r-selective culture is indeed based on this obsolete dichotomy: H. sapiens and everything else. I think that as ecologists, we should be very clear on this point, if we propose to manage our habitats and co-evolve with other organisms by means of one of our best adaptations: mind. It is often advantageous to focus on a single organism (e.g. H. sapiens or Aedes albopictus) or on a group of organisms, to address specific ecological problems. Nonetheless, I think that ecologists should promote and sustain a more holistic concept of ecology and ecosystems, with no permanent focus on a single portion or process; we reached the limits of our habitat: the biosphere must be managed as a whole, and all parts are important. These my two cents. Cheers, G Gianluca Polgar, PhD Senior lecturer in Ichthyology and Ecology Institute of Biological Sciences Faculty of Science, University of Malaya 50603 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia skype: gianluca.polgar http://www.mudskipper.it gianluca.pol...@gmail.com Il 29/06/2010 2.51, Ajay Sharma ha scritto: I would suggest reading O'Neill, Robert V. (2001). Is It Time to Bury the Ecosystem Concept? (With Full Military Honors, of Course!). *Ecology*, 82: 3275-3284. The eminent authors concludes in the article there is need to make revisions in the concept of ecosystem. Especially, as far as the role and place of humans is concerned. He points out that the humans are the ultimate invasive species in the ecosystem that alters both the biotic and abiotic components. A must read and very interesting article. Ajay Sharma PhD Student, SFRC, UF, Gainesville, FL On Sat, Jun 26, 2010 at 10:19 PM, Daniel A Fiscusdafis...@frostburg.eduwrote: Fabrice, An interesting and evocative question and dilemma! I should really think on it over time and reply in depth...but some thoughts of the top instead... I agree with other repliers that the definition really does not exclude humans per se...unless we focus on the special aspect of your ID of humans as special animals. So I think the CBD definition is OK in the broadest sense of all animals. But I also agree that humans are special animals...so what could we change? My core idea of ecosystem as I remember Tansley to have originally coined it mentioned and emphasized reciprocal influence between the abiotic and biotic realms. And I think it a reasonable extension to also suggest the definition so far includes a sense of a
Re: [ECOLOG-L] Humans in the definition of ecosystems
I don't see how the CBD definition excludes humans. We and our artifacts are part of the environment with which we and other organisms interact. (The part of the definition I have trouble with is interacting as a functional unit. I think most of these functional units are artifacts of the ecological discontinuities we've imposed on the landscape.) That said, I wouldn't agree with anyone who said we are just another animal, and I don't think the remedy to the damage we've done by considering ourselves special is to consider ourselves completely unremarkable. People who want to exclude other species from moral consideration can and will exploit either position. As we've seen, the uniqueness of humans has long been used as an excuse to treat the natural world as if it were made to serve our desires. On the other hand, if we're just another animal, then everything we do is just another amoral natural process. We can make ourselves out to be just another animal doing what we can to thrive, ignoring our unusual capacity to identify the consequences of our actions and form moral opinions about actions based on their consequences. I think we need to both recognize that we are part of nature and recognize that we are an animal with unusual abilities and impacts. In short, I advocate the Spiderman approach to nature: we are creatures of great power, and with great power comes great responsibility. Jim Crants -Original Message- From: Ecological Society of America: grants, jobs, news on behalf of Fabrice De Clerck Sent: Fri 6/25/2010 11:20 AM To: ECOLOG-L@LISTSERV.UMD.EDU Subject: [ECOLOG-L] Humans in the definition of ecosystems Dear Friends, An environmental economist colleague of mine is disappointed with the CBD definition of ecosystems which gives the impression that only pristine areas are ecosystems. Can anyone point us to a more recent definition of ecosystems that explicitly includes humans as an integral part of the definition? Here is the original question: The CBD defines ecosystems as a dynamic complex of plant, animal and micro-organism communities and their non-living environment interacting as a functional unit. I find this boring, as it leaves us humans, as special animals, out of the picture. When you read it, it is easy to think of pristine environments. Has there been any reaction or correction of this definition? I need an authoritative quote that balances the CBD愀 All reactions welcome, and citations welcome! Fabrice Fabrice DeClerck PhD Community and Landscape Ecologist Division of Research and Development CATIE 7170, Turrialba, Costa Rica 30501 (506) 2558-2596 fadecle...@catie.ac.cr Adjunct Research Scholar Tropical Agriculture Programs The Earth Institute at Columbia University
[ECOLOG-L] Job Posting: USGS Research Ecologist in Moab, Utah
A research ecologist position is available at the USGS Canyonlands Research Station in Moab, UT. The selected scientist would be responsible for developing, promoting, and guiding a research program that focuses on the role of soils in the structure, function, condition, resistance, and resilience of ecosystems to a range of future conditions. This would include and emphasize work on climate change and resource management actions and the interaction between these two factors. Work should give emphasis to deserts of the Southwest, and should integrate and synthesize across multiple disciplines, temporal and spatial scales, and levels of ecological organization. Particular emphasis is placed on research that could help inform management-driven questions spanning the disciplines of soil and plant science at local, regional, national, and global scales. This research will require an integration of multiple aspects of ecology, biology, geology, soil science, geomorphology, and natural history, as well as numerous taxa and communities at many geographic locales. The following foci are especially desirable: how do soil characteristics, soil moisture, and geomorphic settings influence plant performance, plant community distributions and the functioning, resistance, and resilience of plant communities to potential future conditions; what indicators and assessments of dryland soils and ecosystem conditions can be successfully used for future predictions of ecosystem function and management; what are the interactions of climate change and other environmental factors on exotic plant invasion; how do climate variability and land use synergistically affect dryland ecosystems; and what is the efficacy of different restoration and vegetation manipulation techniques. This position offers an exciting opportunity to build a research program with the USGS and to help elucidate how dryland ecosystems function, both now and in the future. Salary will be commensurate with experience, and a Ph.D. is required. Interested individuals should submit a cover letter, curriculum vitae, and the name and contact information of three references to Jayne Belnap (jayne_bel...@usgs.gov) and Sasha Reed (scr...@usgs.gov or mailed to 2290 S.W. Resource Blvd., Moab, UT 84532). Electronic applications are preferred. Please dont hesitate to contact Dr. Sasha Reed (scr...@usgs.gov) with any questions.
[ECOLOG-L] Post-doc: Vineyards, Greenhouse Gas Emissions, Land Use History
Postdoctoral Fellow - Department of Land, Air and Water Resource, University of California at Davis The Position We are seeking a highly motivated and capable Postdoctoral Fellow to conduct research and lead a research team investigating the potential impacts of land use on greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) from vineyards in Napa and San Joaquin counties in California. These two regions represent nearly one quarter of the states total wine grape acreage [526,000 acres in CA; crushed 3.7 million tons (Crush Report, 2008)]. California supports nearly half of the nations grape acreage, and represents a $50 billion annual input to the economy. In particular, this project will identify how vineyard management practices, soil landscape relationships and microclimate affect GHG emissions, carbon (C) stocks, and GHG footprints, and identify tradeoffs for other ecosystem functions. The primary role of this position is to quantify and study mechanisms of GHG emissions associated with vineyard land use practices across the soil landscape, conduct a life cycle analysis (LCA) of GHG emissions and serve as the project leader working closely with PIs and field crews. Although LCAs are available for the fermentation of grapes into wine, vineyard-based LCAs of GHG emissions are coarse and rarely incorporate GHGs emitted by soil and as a result of management. Dependent upon the candidates strengths and interests, the project may focus on parameterization of models (i.e., DeNitrification DeComposition model), ecological tradeoffs associated with management practices (i.e., water management, productivity, nutrient loss), and/or interaction of vineyard practices with adjacent land use types. The candidate will also oversee development of a GIS database demonstrating the effect of land use history and the soil landscape on soil organic matter and other characteristics. This project will support the establishment of an interactive web-based geographic model for assessing GHG emissions from vineyards. Location: Davis, CA Salary: $40K plus benefits Duration: 1 year, renewable up to 2 years To be successful in this position you will need: A Ph.D. qualification in the field of ecology, climate change, soil science, biogeochemistry, geomorphology, physical geography or simulation modeling. A strong background in research on land use change, geographic information systems (i.e., software), greenhouse gas emissions, and/or nutrient cycling. Well developed organizational and communication skills, and enjoy working in a team environment involving research scientists, industry, cooperative extension, and non-profit organizations. Please send inquiries and/or CV, cover letter, three references, and research goals to Dr. Anthony (Toby) O'Geen (atog...@ucdavis.edu) or Dr. Kerri Steenwerth (ksteenwe...@ucdavis.edu). Closing date: Position open until filled.
[ECOLOG-L] urban tree classification help
Greetings! I have a bunch of raccoon location data from urban Cleveland. Many of the locations are in distinct forest habitat patches but there are also those in trees between houses, and in trees on the patch edge near houses. Does anyone know of any criteria that have been used to distinguish between habitat patches and residential trees in urban areas where the delineation is not so clearly defined? I hope someone can advise. Thanks! Are Berentsen Wildlife Biologist USDA/APHIS/WS/NWRC 4101 LaPorte Ave Ft. Collins, CO 80521 Phone: (970) 266-6221 Fax: (970) 266-6138 Some is rich, some is poor, that's the way the world is, but I don't believe in lying back saying how bad your luck is. Joe Strummer
Re: [ECOLOG-L] Physiology Productivity Promises and BS Re: [ECOLOG-L] worlds authorities in sustainable ag/meat/ag ecology
What about the biomass or grain yield ratio to water? WT - Original Message - From: Paul Cherubini mona...@saber.net To: ECOLOG-L@LISTSERV.UMD.EDU Sent: Monday, June 28, 2010 11:34 PM Subject: Re: [ECOLOG-L] Physiology Productivity Promises and BS Re: [ECOLOG-L] worlds authorities in sustainable ag/meat/ag ecology Wayne Tyson wrote: Please supply evidence that genetic engineering or any other method can double the productivity of any species without increasing the amount of water and nutrients, including a cogent explanation of just how this is done. Wayne, according to the National Corn Growers Association: Farmers today produce 70 percent more corn per pound of fertilizer than in the 1970s. http://ncga.com/files/pdf/worldofcorn2010.pdf USDA fertilizer use statistics http://www.ers.usda.gov/Data/FertilizerUse/ show US consumption of fertlizer for corn, cotton, wheat and soybeans has been generally stable since the mid-1970's whereas the yields per acre have risen dramatically: http://www.nass.usda.gov/Charts_and_Maps/Field_Crops/index.asp Specific examples of yield increases since 1979: Corn: Up about 63% http://www.nass.usda.gov/Charts_and_Maps/Field_Crops/cornyld.asp Cotton Up about 52% http://www.nass.usda.gov/Charts_and_Maps/Field_Crops/cotnyld.asp Soybeans Up about 53% http://www.nass.usda.gov/Charts_and_Maps/Field_Crops/soyyld.asp Winter Wheat Up about 26% http://www.nass.usda.gov/Charts_and_Maps/Field_Crops/wwyld.asp With regard to your question just how this is done Monsanto explains in general terms on it's website: how we can use breeding, biotechnology and better agronomy to help double yields. http://tinyurl.com/2ag8zl Excerpt: With the genome sequencer, Monsanto researchers are able to learn in 10 days what it used to take them 10 years of research to discover - that's why it's playing an integral role in the company's commitment to double yields by 2030. Paul Cherubini El Dorado, Calif. No virus found in this incoming message. Checked by AVG - www.avg.com Version: 8.5.439 / Virus Database: 271.1.1/2968 - Release Date: 06/28/10 06:37:00
[ECOLOG-L] Tardigrade Research
Hello, I am a graduate of the department of biology at The College of New Jersey in Ewing, NJ. In the past, I have collected, photographed, and identified species of tardigrades. Are there any tardigrade researchers in need of a research assistant? I will provide a CV, cover letter, and references on request. Thanks very much, Steve Schulze
[ECOLOG-L] Biology Instructor Position
POSITION DESCRIPTION: BIOLOGY INSTRUCTOR: The Biology Department at the University of Illinois Springfield has an opening beginning August 16, 2010 for an instructor of biology. Requirements include a graduate degree (M.S. or Ph.D.) in Biology or a related field from an accredited university. The specialty area is open. The position will require teaching undergraduate lower division courses such as Environmental Biology, Environmental Biology Lab, and Introductory Biology Lab. Normal teaching load is three 4 credit hour courses per semester or a lecture plus three labs. College teaching experience is desirable, and dedication to teaching is essential. The position is for one academic year (9-month appointment). QUALIFICATIONS: A minimum of a M.S., with the area of specialty open, from an accredited university. Prior evidence of excellence in teaching is desirable. UIS is an affirmative action/equal opportunity employer. DEPARTMENT: Located in the state capital, the University of Illinois Springfield is the third campus of the University of Illinois. The UIS campus serves over 4,900 students in 19 graduate and 20 undergraduate departments. The academic curriculum of the campus emphasizes a strong liberal arts core, an array of professional programs, extensive opportunities in experiential education, and a broad engagement in public affairs issues. The campus offers many small classes, substantial student- faculty interaction, and a technology enhanced learning environment. Our diverse student body includes traditional, non-traditional, and international students. Our faculty are committed teachers, active scholars, and professionals in service to society. Visit the department web site at http://www.uis.edu/biology/ and the website of our associated field station at http://www.uis.edu/emiquon/. UIS is an affirmative action/equal opportunity employer with a strong institutional commitment to recruitment and retention of a diverse and inclusive campus community. Women, minorities, veterans, and persons with disabilities are encouraged to apply. APPLICATION: Review of applications will begin July 19, 2010 and will continue until the position is filled or the search is terminated. Official transcripts will be required prior to hire. Submit electronic copies of transcripts (unofficial acceptable), letter of application, curriculum vitae, statement of teaching philosophy, and names and contact information of three references to Dr. Amy McEuen (amc...@uis.edu) and Josephine Patterson (jpa...@uis.edu). CONTACT: For more information contact: Amy McEuen, Ph.D. Chair, Biology Instructor Search Committee Department of Biology, University of Illinois Springfield One University Plaza, MS HSB 223 Springfield, IL 62703 1-217-206-7341
[ECOLOG-L] Chemist Position
Position Announcement Research Associate - Chemist Research Associate Chemistry The research focus is bioremediation of oil from the Deepwater Horizon spill in the Gulf of Mexico Responsibilities: Perform routine and non-routine tasks related to field sample collection and lab experiments. Travel to field sites and collaborating laboratories will be required. Conduct wet chemistry, operate lab instruments and data systems to perform analytical tasks by such means as freeze drying, gas chromatography, mass spectrometry, elemental analysis, etc. Process analytical data, calculate results and generate reports. Maintain a safe, clean work environment; perform basic equipment maintenance, order supplies. Qualifications: Education: MS or associated degree in chemistry, or related fields. Experience: One to three (1-3) years working experience in an analytical lab. Experience in operation and care of standard analytical laboratory equipment, including autoclaves, analytical microbalances, centrifuges, spectrophotometers, etc. Skills: Bench scale wet lab chemistry and analysis using instruments including GC and familiarity with Isotope Ratio Mass Spectrometry. Computer skills, including Microsoft Office, for communication and data processing. Excellent skill at personal organization and general lab practices as well as excellent interpersonal and communications skills. Compensation: Salary commensurate with experience. The position is currently limited to one year. Location: Dauphin Island Sea Lab, a state of the art research facility located within 40 minutes of the city of Mobile. Please send your letter of interest, curriculum vitae, and names and contact information of three professional references to: Dr Behzad Mortazavi at bmortaz...@ua.edu. Initial review of applications will begin on July 9th and continue until the position is filled. #8233;
Re: [ECOLOG-L] Humans in the definition of ecosystems
Ecolog: It is healthy to continue to subject any concept or definition to scrutiny, and it beats reliance upon authority. Words are convenient labels that ideally convey the same meaning to all others, but this is rarely the case. Ecosystem is reasonably well defined by the various authorities cited, at least among ecologists and others seriously interested in understanding how life forms work, but, like a lot of terms, it sometimes gets hijacked at various times and the meaning gets twisted. Some who use the term have a poor understanding of its meaning. Ecology may well be the most difficult of all phenomena to study; it is a very complex subject. It may not be so much that ecosystem is in need of redefinition but that the terminology used in writing and speaking about it has become far too convoluted, full of terms that are themselves poorly defined and recklessly used. Part of this springs from a sincere effort to develop terms that represent entire concepts so they don't have to be repeated, but part of it also can be phony-needless convolutions and vague definitions that serve mainly as jargon when simpler, plainer words would do the job better. It is too easy to get so ensnarled in pseudo-academic jargon that one forgets what one was examining in the first place. Ecologists have long been accused of being a soft science, and some ecologists, intimidated by such criticism, have gone into defense mode with both arcane language and meaningless math to appear to be more scientific. Ecology IS soft. It is squishy and elusive. But that is because it is complex, not soft in the sense of being easy or merely philosophical. Its study requires a synthesis of an impossibly wide intellectual pursuit that spans all of the other disciplines, from physics to a kind of philosophy of reality, far from, and beyond, the presumptions of Plato and Socrates about the meaning of life and all that. Certainly, however, some ecologists do come at the subject from such philosophical directions as concerns about moral action and intuition, and as long as all stay open to observing reality rather than insisting upon the confirmation of prejudices, all will sort out eventually. Certainly ecology and the ecosystem concept will benefit from reexamination, and any refinement or replacement of those terms will be beneficial to an honest intellectual pursuit. But what are those replacement terms? WT PS: As to whether or not humans are part of the ecosystem (or any subset thereof), certainly they are, like any other organism. What distinguishes humans from the other organisms is the psychological phenomenon of culture, which has enabled cultural humans to change their environment to suit them rather than changing (evolving) to suit the environment. Nature, or reality, however, is indifferent to destiny, and will, as Louis Ziegler once said, shrug off Homo sapiens with no more concern that she has countless other species in the history of the earth. - Original Message - From: Fabrice De Clerck fd2...@columbia.edu To: ECOLOG-L@LISTSERV.UMD.EDU Sent: Friday, June 25, 2010 8:20 AM Subject: [ECOLOG-L] Humans in the definition of ecosystems Dear Friends, An environmental economist colleague of mine is disappointed with the CBD definition of ecosystems which gives the impression that only pristine areas are ecosystems. Can anyone point us to a more recent definition of ecosystems that explicitly includes humans as an integral part of the definition? Here is the original question: The CBD defines ecosystems as a dynamic complex of plant, animal and micro-organism communities and their non-living environment interacting as a functional unit. I find this boring, as it leaves us humans, as special animals, out of the picture. When you read it, it is easy to think of pristine environments. Has there been any reaction or correction of this definition? I need an authoritative quote that balances the CBD´s All reactions welcome, and citations welcome! Fabrice Fabrice DeClerck PhD Community and Landscape Ecologist Division of Research and Development CATIE 7170, Turrialba, Costa Rica 30501 (506) 2558-2596 fadecle...@catie.ac.cr Adjunct Research Scholar Tropical Agriculture Programs The Earth Institute at Columbia University No virus found in this incoming message. Checked by AVG - www.avg.com Version: 8.5.439 / Virus Database: 271.1.1/2966 - Release Date: 06/27/10 06:35:00
[ECOLOG-L] BP oil catastrophe: call for metadata
Dear fellow scientist, In response to the BP oil spill, the Ecological Society of America is looking for metadata that may be useful to assess the ecological impacts of this catastrophe. The only way to appropriately measure, mitigate and prevent catastrophes of such caliber is through a careful evaluation of pre- and post-spill impacts. Therefore, we need your help! If you have any data that are related to the natural ecosystems (terrestrial or aquatic) in the southern US/Gulf Coast region (i.e., Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Florida) the Ecological Society of America would like to request that you describe the nature of the metadata so that we can then evaluate the most effective strategy to study the impacts of the oil spill. Please note that we are not requesting the raw data (but a description of the data, a.k.a. metadata) - we just want to know what data exist. Also, if you know of some colleague with pertinent data, we would appreciate if you could forward this email to him/her, or let us know his/her email contact so we can contact them directly. You can either - Go to http://www.esa.org/mdc/submit.data.php and fill out a very short data registry form Or you can - Copy-paste the statement below, fill in the and send it to one of the emails listed below for each state. Statement: Yes I can help in evaluating the impacts of the BP oil spill I have data on type of data state where data was collected affiliation email where you can be reached Email to: Alabama – naup...@stanford.edu Mississippi - jramo...@u.washington.edu Louisiana – salgu...@sas.upenn.edu Florida - nad...@esa.org Other regions: salgu...@sas.upenn.edu For more information about this project please visit http://www.esa.org/mdc/or contact Rob Salguero-Gomez and Jorge Ramos at esastudentsect...@gmail.com Many thanks! ESA – BP Oil Spill Recovery Team -- Illic est haud via ut prosperitas tamen exsupero in panton .:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:. Rob Salguero-Gómez PhD candidate EEB Department of Biology, Leidy Labs 321/330, 3740 Hamilton Walk University of Pennsylvania. Philadelphia, PA 19104 USA Lab phone: 215-898-8419; 215-898-8608; Fax: 215 898.8780; salgu...@sas.upenn.edu http://sites.google.com/site/RobResearchSite/
[ECOLOG-L] Last call for Best Undergraduate Presentation Award: Deadline tomorrow June 30th 2010
Dear colleagues, Tomorrow (June 30th 2010) is the deadline for the submission of application packages for the 2010 edition of the Best Undergraduate Presentation Awards (BUPAs), sponsored by the ESA Student Section (ESA-SS). If you are an undergraduate presenting at the 2010 annual conference in Pittsburgh (or have a mentee in such position), I'd like to encourage you to consider applying for this prestigious recognition. More info can be found here: http://www.esa.org/students/section/node/351 http://www.esa.org/students/section/node/351Best luck! Rob Salguero-Gomez ESA-SS, chair -- Illic est haud via ut prosperitas tamen exsupero in panton .:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:. Rob Salguero-Gómez PhD candidate EEB Department of Biology, Leidy Labs 321/330, 3740 Hamilton Walk University of Pennsylvania. Philadelphia, PA 19104 USA Lab phone: 215-898-8419; 215-898-8608; Fax: 215 898.8780; salgu...@sas.upenn.edu http://sites.google.com/site/RobResearchSite/
[ECOLOG-L] Thousands of Sea Turtle Eggs To Be Moved Out of Oil's Way
Thousands of Sea Turtle Eggs To Be Moved Out of Oil's Way by Lauren Schenkman on June 29, 2010 3:25 For the tens of thousands of sea turtle eggs incubating in the sands of the northern Gulf of Mexicoand dangerously near the oilit's come to this: Officials are planning to dig up the approximately 700 nests on Alabama and the Florida panhandle beaches, pack the eggs in Styrofoam boxes, and fly them to a facility in eastern Florida where they can mature. Once the eggs have hatched, the young turtles will be released in darkness on Florida's Atlantic beaches into oil-free water. Translocation of nests on this scale has never been attempted before. This is really a worst-case scenario, says Michael Ziccardi, a University of California, Davis, veterinarian and oil-spill veteran who is leading the government's response efforts for marine mammals and sea turtles. We hoped we wouldn't get to this point. Sea turtles that hatch in the Northern Gulf of Mexico typically spend a few months near the coast, and many eventually enter the Loop Current to make their way into the Atlantic. This year, that path would put them right in the oil spill. Federal officials in charge of response believe that most, if not all, of the 2010 Northern Gulf hatchling cohort would be at high risk of encountering oil during this period, according to the written translocation plan, developed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's National Marine Fisheries Service, and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. They estimate that 50,000 hatchlings could be lost to the oil. Nests are already being marked so that cleanup crews can skirt them, and officials hope to begin moving them within weeks, says Ziccardi. The operations will continue well past laying season, which ends in August, because eggs incubate for about 60 days. The logistics of finding contractors to train and lead collection teams, a facility where the eggs can come to term, and an air-freight company that can transport them three times a week for the next 3 months are daunting. Officials plan to dig up the eggs at about day 50 of their incubationwell after the hatchling's sex, which is determined by the nest's temperature, is set. Workers moving the eggs have to be careful not to turn them over or roll them so as not to disturb membranes that connect the embryo to the shell and cushion it, says Philip Allman, a marine biologist at Florida Gulf Coast University in Fort Myers. If the orientation of the egg is turned significantly from the position in the nest, the rotation can break the membranes and cause the embryos to die, he says. Even in flight, turbulence and a bumpy landing could be enough to break the membranes. Moving the eggs could also affect where the turtles go to nest once they're adults, Allman says, because a lot of evidence indicates that sea turtles return to the same region where they hatch from to nest. Some researchers believe embryos somehow learn the location of their home beach while still in the egg; others think that imprinting process happens as hatchlings make their way to the water. The plan could mean the hatchlings imprint on the east coast of Florida, which may impact which breeding population they join once maturing, Allman says. Although this could change the genetic makeup of east coast populations, which aren't identical to those in the northern Gulf of Mexico populations, he thinks the risks of negative effects are minimal. I think it is a chance worth taking, he says. Individual nests are sometimes moved above high tide or brought into captivity to protect eggs from predators or poaching. Although an operation of this scale is unprecedented, it's the best option right now, says Thane Wibbels, a herpetologist at the University of Alabama, Birmingham. You're either reactive or proactive, and if you're reactive, it's too late. Smaller-scale translocations have been successful, Wibbels points out; Each year from 1978 until 1988, about 2000 Kemp's ridley sea turtle eggs were moved from the species' sole nesting beach in Rancho Nuevo, Mexico, to Padre Island National Seashore near Corpus Christi, Texas, in a bid to start a second nesting beach. Today, he says, about 200 turtles nest there. After the Ixtoc I well blew out in the Gulf of Mexico in 1979, 9000 Kemp's ridley hatchlings were kept on their nesting beach and then transported to cleaner waters, says Allman. Multiple authors reported a few years later that the oil spill did not have a significant impact to the Kemp's ridley sea turtles, he says. In a normal year you'd think, 'That's crazy,' Wibbels says. We want these turtles to do what's natural, ... but if you have to prevent a large amount of mortality, you have to make tough decisions.
[ECOLOG-L] Evolution Adaptation Failure of success equals maladaptation Re: [ECOLOG-L] Humans in the definition of ecosystems
Malcolm and Ecolog: One could argue (I do) that culture is, in the long run, a psychopathology, a maladaptive trait in the clothing of success, through which the seeds of failure (degradation and extinction) are sown. An organism in a Petri dish dare not extinguish all of it resources, or even exceed its replacement rate, if it cares to maintain a population commensurate with that rate--humans do, but they can't resist the fantasy that beyond the next ocean lies yet another land to plunder (after all, it's worked before). One can live in jet-set luxury for a while if one can grab enough resources from greater and greater distances from the natal habitat to get around the replacement rate problem, but it can't last for such a species--that's culture. Social behavior is, fundamentally, cooperation, mutualism, and, in its rape-state, the buddy system on steroids--culture. I see a LOT of difference. But granted, it's only a matter of degree--a HUGE degree. WT - Original Message - From: malcolm McCallum To: Wayne Tyson Cc: ECOLOG-L@listserv.umd.edu Sent: Tuesday, June 29, 2010 5:14 PM Subject: Re: [ECOLOG-L] Humans in the definition of ecosystems What distinguishes humans from the other organisms is the psychological phenomenon of culture One could argue that culture is nothing but variation in an adaptive trait or set of traits. Therefore, we could easily interpret intraspecific variation as aspects of culture, especially where it involves communication within the local population. Frogs, birds, and I suspect insects all show variation in signals such as calling for mates and interpretation of those calls. I do not really see ANY difference between the variation in human culture, and the variation in social behavior of any other organism. Malcolm On Tue, Jun 29, 2010 at 5:12 PM, Wayne Tyson landr...@cox.net wrote: Ecolog: It is healthy to continue to subject any concept or definition to scrutiny, and it beats reliance upon authority. Words are convenient labels that ideally convey the same meaning to all others, but this is rarely the case. Ecosystem is reasonably well defined by the various authorities cited, at least among ecologists and others seriously interested in understanding how life forms work, but, like a lot of terms, it sometimes gets hijacked at various times and the meaning gets twisted. Some who use the term have a poor understanding of its meaning. Ecology may well be the most difficult of all phenomena to study; it is a very complex subject. It may not be so much that ecosystem is in need of redefinition but that the terminology used in writing and speaking about it has become far too convoluted, full of terms that are themselves poorly defined and recklessly used. Part of this springs from a sincere effort to develop terms that represent entire concepts so they don't have to be repeated, but part of it also can be phony-needless convolutions and vague definitions that serve mainly as jargon when simpler, plainer words would do the job better. It is too easy to get so ensnarled in pseudo-academic jargon that one forgets what one was examining in the first place. Ecologists have long been accused of being a soft science, and some ecologists, intimidated by such criticism, have gone into defense mode with both arcane language and meaningless math to appear to be more scientific. Ecology IS soft. It is squishy and elusive. But that is because it is complex, not soft in the sense of being easy or merely philosophical. Its study requires a synthesis of an impossibly wide intellectual pursuit that spans all of the other disciplines, from physics to a kind of philosophy of reality, far from, and beyond, the presumptions of Plato and Socrates about the meaning of life and all that. Certainly, however, some ecologists do come at the subject from such philosophical directions as concerns about moral action and intuition, and as long as all stay open to observing reality rather than insisting upon the confirmation of prejudices, all will sort out eventually. Certainly ecology and the ecosystem concept will benefit from reexamination, and any refinement or replacement of those terms will be beneficial to an honest intellectual pursuit. But what are those replacement terms? WT PS: As to whether or not humans are part of the ecosystem (or any subset thereof), certainly they are, like any other organism. What distinguishes humans from the other organisms is the psychological phenomenon of culture, which has enabled cultural humans to change their environment to suit them rather than changing (evolving) to suit the environment. Nature, or reality, however, is indifferent to destiny, and will, as Louis Ziegler once said, shrug off Homo sapiens with no more concern that she has countless other species in the history of the earth. -
