Re: [ECOLOG-L] Good news from the Gulf?
This article reminds me of the time a man fell out of a ten story building. As he passed the third floor, someone yelled, Are you ok?. He yelled back So far the impact has been much less than I feared. Also this article would have been early different, had this been an active and early hurricane season. A strong category two storm pushing a wall of oil and water ashore might have left us with much more immediate and obvious damage. Since media coverage of the offshore drilling business had previously left the public with a general impression that an industry monitored by the government followed strict guidelines and had strong spill responses in place, we have to wonder if the reporting needs to be taken up a notch. David Duffy - Original Message - From: William Silvert cien...@silvert.org Date: Saturday, August 7, 2010 2:14 pm Subject: [ECOLOG-L] Good news from the Gulf? To: ECOLOG-L@LISTSERV.UMD.EDU The following article from TIME magazine offers an unusually optimistic view of the BP spill which I suspect many will disagree with, but which is worth considering. Bill Silvert Thursday, Jul. 29, 2010 The BP Spill: Has the Damage Been Exaggerated? By Michael Grunwald / Port Fourchon, La. President Obama has called the BP oil spill the worst environmental disaster America has ever faced, and so has just about everyone else. Green groups are sounding alarms about the catastrophe along the Gulf Coast, while CBS, Fox and MSNBC are all slapping Disaster in the Gulf chyrons on their spill- related news. Even BP fall guy Tony Hayward, after some early happy talk, admitted that the spill was an environmental catastrophe. The obnoxious anti-environmentalist Rush Limbaugh has been a rare voice arguing that the spill - he calls it the leak - is anything less than an ecological calamity, scoffing at the avalanche of end-is-nigh eco-hype. Well, Limbaugh has a point. The Deepwater Horizon explosion was an awful tragedy for the 11 workers who died on the rig, and it's no leak; it's the biggest oil spill in U.S. history. It's also inflicting serious economic and psychological damage on coastal communities that depend on tourism, fishing and drilling. But so far - while it's important to acknowledge that the long-term potential danger is simply unknowable for an underwater event that took place just three months ago - it does not seem to be inflicting severe environmental damage. The impacts have been much, much less than everyone feared, says geochemist Jacqueline Michel, a federal contractor who is coordinating shoreline assessments in Louisiana. Yes, the spill killed birds - but so far, less than 1% of the number killed by the Exxon Valdez spill in Alaska 21 years ago. Yes, we've heard horror stories about oiled dolphins - but so far,wildlife-response teams have collected only three visibly oiled carcasses of mammals. Yes, the spill prompted harsh restrictions on fishing and shrimping, but so far, the region's fish and shrimp have tested clean, and the restrictions are gradually being lifted. And yes, scientists have warned that the oil could accelerate the destruction of Louisiana's disintegrating coastal marshes - a real slow-motion ecological calamity - but so far, assessment teams have found only about 350 acres of oiled marshes, when Louisiana was already losing about 15,000 acres of wetlands every year. The disappearance of more than 2,000 sq. mi. of coastal Louisiana over the past century has been a true national tragedy, ravaging a unique wilderness, threatening the bayou way of life and leaving communities like New Orleans extremely vulnerable to hurricanes from the Gulf. And while much of the erosion has been caused by the re-engineering of the Mississippi River - which no longer deposits much sediment at the bottom of its Delta - quite a bit has been caused by the oil and gas industry, which gouged 8,000 miles of canals and pipelines through coastal wetlands. But the spill isn't making that problem much worse. Coastal scientist Paul Kemp, a former Louisiana State University professor who is now a National Audubon Society vice president, compares the impact of the spill on the vanishing marshes to a sunburn on a cancer patient. Marine scientist Ivor van Heerden, another former LSU prof, who's working for a spill-response contractor, says, There's just no data to suggest this is an environmental disaster. I have no interest in making BP look good - I think they lied about the size of the spill - but we're not seeing catastrophic impacts. Van Heerden, like just about everyone else working in the Gulf these days, is being paid from BP's spill-response funds. There's a lot of hype, but no evidence to justify it. The scientists I spoke with cite four basic reasons the initial eco-fears seem overblown. First, the Deepwater oil, unlike the black glop
Re: [ECOLOG-L] Good news from the Gulf?
Hello, all, I also remember a Time magazine cover story about four or five years ago which used about ten or fifteen pages to give many examples of how wonderful global warming would be for the tourist industry of Northern Europe, using an unrealistic model that the summers were simply become warmer and longer (and nothing else would change, including the Gulf Stream). Regards, Sasha Bosbeer Date: Sat, 7 Aug 2010 11:44:13 +0100 From: cien...@silvert.org Subject: [ECOLOG-L] Good news from the Gulf? To: ECOLOG-L@LISTSERV.UMD.EDU The following article from TIME magazine offers an unusually optimistic view of the BP spill which I suspect many will disagree with, but which is worth considering. Bill Silvert Thursday, Jul. 29, 2010 The BP Spill: Has the Damage Been Exaggerated? By Michael Grunwald / Port Fourchon, La. President Obama has called the BP oil spill the worst environmental disaster America has ever faced, and so has just about everyone else. Green groups are sounding alarms about the catastrophe along the Gulf Coast, while CBS, Fox and MSNBC are all slapping Disaster in the Gulf chyrons on their spill-related news. Even BP fall guy Tony Hayward, after some early happy talk, admitted that the spill was an environmental catastrophe. The obnoxious anti-environmentalist Rush Limbaugh has been a rare voice arguing that the spill - he calls it the leak - is anything less than an ecological calamity, scoffing at the avalanche of end-is-nigh eco-hype. Well, Limbaugh has a point. The Deepwater Horizon explosion was an awful tragedy for the 11 workers who died on the rig, and it's no leak; it's the biggest oil spill in U.S. history. It's also inflicting serious economic and psychological damage on coastal communities that depend on tourism, fishing and drilling. But so far - while it's important to acknowledge that the long-term potential danger is simply unknowable for an underwater event that took place just three months ago - it does not seem to be inflicting severe environmental damage. The impacts have been much, much less than everyone feared, says geochemist Jacqueline Michel, a federal contractor who is coordinating shoreline assessments in Louisiana. Yes, the spill killed birds - but so far, less than 1% of the number killed by the Exxon Valdez spill in Alaska 21 years ago. Yes, we've heard horror stories about oiled dolphins - but so far,wildlife-response teams have collected only three visibly oiled carcasses of mammals. Yes, the spill prompted harsh restrictions on fishing and shrimping, but so far, the region's fish and shrimp have tested clean, and the restrictions are gradually being lifted. And yes, scientists have warned that the oil could accelerate the destruction of Louisiana's disintegrating coastal marshes - a real slow-motion ecological calamity - but so far, assessment teams have found only about 350 acres of oiled marshes, when Louisiana was already losing about 15,000 acres of wetlands every year. The disappearance of more than 2,000 sq. mi. of coastal Louisiana over the past century has been a true national tragedy, ravaging a unique wilderness, threatening the bayou way of life and leaving communities like New Orleans extremely vulnerable to hurricanes from the Gulf. And while much of the erosion has been caused by the re-engineering of the Mississippi River - which no longer deposits much sediment at the bottom of its Delta - quite a bit has been caused by the oil and gas industry, which gouged 8,000 miles of canals and pipelines through coastal wetlands. But the spill isn't making that problem much worse. Coastal scientist Paul Kemp, a former Louisiana State University professor who is now a National Audubon Society vice president, compares the impact of the spill on the vanishing marshes to a sunburn on a cancer patient. Marine scientist Ivor van Heerden, another former LSU prof, who's working for a spill-response contractor, says, There's just no data to suggest this is an environmental disaster. I have no interest in making BP look good - I think they lied about the size of the spill - but we're not seeing catastrophic impacts. Van Heerden, like just about everyone else working in the Gulf these days, is being paid from BP's spill-response funds. There's a lot of hype, but no evidence to justify it. The scientists I spoke with cite four basic reasons the initial eco-fears seem overblown. First, the Deepwater oil, unlike the black glop from the Valdez, is unusually light and degradable, which is why the slick in the Gulf is dissolving surprisingly rapidly now that the gusher has been capped. Second, the Gulf of Mexico, unlike Alaska's Prince William Sound, is very warm, which has helped bacteria break down the oil. Third, heavy flows of Mississippi River water have helped keep the oil away from the coast, where it can do much more
[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
[ECOLOG-L] Director of Sustainability Studies needed
Director of Sustainability Studies Hofstra University invites applications for the newly-created position of Director of Sustainability Studies to be part of the Department of Global Studies and Geography and the National Center for Suburban Studies. The position is responsible for creating, developing, promoting, and providing leadership for a new Sustainability Studies program. This position will preferably be at the Associate Professor or Professor Level. As the candidate's home department will be Global Studies and Geography, applicants should have a Ph.D. in Urban or Environmental Planning, Geography or a closely related field. For appointment as a Professor or Associate Professor, a strong record of publication and external funding, and evidence of collaborative skill and effective college teaching is required. Familiarity with Geographical Information Systems and prior professional planning practice will be considered a plus for the position, as will AICP certification. Principal duties include teaching, research and program development. Teaching would be based around candidate's area of expertise, but should include the development of interdisciplinary courses in Sustainability Studies, along with associated advisement. The candidate is expected to maintain a vibrant research agenda based on his/her area of expertise. Program development will include working with the National Center for Suburban Studies to assist in the creation and management of a research institute with a specific focus on suburban sustainability issues. Candidates would be expected to also work closely with other campus organizations, especially the Department of Biology's Urban Ecology program. Preference will be given to candidates with an active research agenda and significant success raising external funds, experience in interdisciplinary programs, and demonstrated commitment to community engagement. Salary is commensurate with qualifications. Interested individuals should: (1) submit a curriculum vitae, (2) statement of research interests, (3) statement of teaching experience, interests and philosophy, and (4) have letters from three references sent to: Faculty Search, Department of Global Studies and Geography, 130 Hofstra University, Hempstead, NY 11549-1140, or email application documents (in PDF format) to grant.r.s...@hofstra.edu. Review of applications will begin September 15, 2010 and continue until the position is filled. Additional information about the Department of Global Studies and Geography can be found at: www.hofstra.edu/geography, and additional information about the Center for Suburban Studies can be found at: http://www.hofstra.edu/Academics/CSS/index.html. Hofstra University is a private university located in Long Island, 20 miles east of Manhattan. Hofstra University is an equal opportunity employer, committed to fostering diversity in its faculty, administrative staff and student body, and encourages applications from the entire spectrum of a diverse community.
[ECOLOG-L] another view on Gulf clean up
National Geographic Daily News - Home - Animals - Ancient World - Energy - Environment - Cultures - Space/Tech - Weird - News Photos - News Video - News Blogs Much Gulf Oil Remains, Deeply Hidden and Under Beaches New U.S. Gulf oil spill report called ludicrous. Main Content Oil in a core sample taken from Pensacola Beach, Florida, in early July. Photograph by Chris Combs, National Geographic Christine Dell'Amore National Geographic News Published August 5, 2010 Part of an ongoing series on the environmental impacts of the Gulf oil spill. As BP finishes pumping cement into the damaged Deepwater Horizonwellhead Thursday, some scientists are taking issue with a new U.S. government report that says the vast majority of the Gulf of Mexico oil spillhas been taken care of by nature and robust cleanup efforts. In addition, experts warn, much of the toxic oil from the worst spill in U.S. history may be trapped under Gulf beaches—where it could linger for years—or still migrating into the ocean depths, where it's a 3-D catastrophe, one scientist said. The U.S. government estimated Monday that the Deepwater Horizon spill had yielded about 4.9 million barrels' worth of crude. On Wednesday a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)report said that about 33 percent of the spilled oil in the water has been burned, skimmed, dispersed, or directly recovered by cleanup operations. (See Gulf Oil Cleanup Crews Trample Nesting Birds.) Another 25 percent has evaporated into the atmosphere or dissolved in the ocean, and 16 percent has been dispersed via natural breakup of the oil into microscopic droplets, the study says. (Read more about how nature is fighting the oil spill.) The remaining 26 percent, the report says, is still either on or just below the surface, has washed ashore or been collected from shores, or is buried along the coasts. Oil Spill Report Almost Comical? For all their specificity, such figures are notorious for being uncertain, saidRobert Carney, a biological oceanographer at Louisiana State University (LSU) in Baton Rouge. That's in part because the fluid nature of the ocean means that it's exceedingly hard to track oil. Water is always moving—if I go out to the spill site tomorrow and look for hydrocarbons, I might not find much, because the oiled water is already gone. But to accurately figure out how much oil is left, you need to know how much went into the Gulf to begin with, he said. Once you start off with that fundamental measure—the total amount of oil spilled—being an educated guess, then things aren't that great. To University of South Florida chemical oceanographer David Hollander, the NOAA estimates are ludicrous. It's almost comical. According to Hollander, the government can account for only about 25 percent of the spilled Gulf oil—the portion that's been skimmed, burned off, directly collected, and so on. The remaining 75 percent is still unaccounted for, he said. For instance, the report considers all submerged oil to be dispersed and therefore not harmful, Hollander said. But, given the unknown effects of oil and dispersants at great depths, that's not necessarily the case, he added. There are enormous blanket assumptions. Oil Trapped Deep in Gulf Beaches The new report comes after days of speculation about where the Gulf oil has gone. After the damaged well had been capped July 19, U.S. Coast Guard flyovers didn't spot any big patches of crude on the water. But oil cleanup is mostly getting rid of what's on the surface, Carney said. There's a common perception that as long as you keep it off the beach, everything's hunky dory, he added. In fact, scientists are still finding plenty of spilled Gulf oil—whether it's bubbling up from under Louisiana's islands, trapped underneath Florida's sugar-white beaches, or in the ocean's unseen reaches. (See pictures of spilled Gulf oil found just under Florida beaches.) This week, biological oceanographer Markus Huettel and colleague Joel Kostkadug trenches on a cleaned Pensacola beach and discovered large swaths of oil up to two feet (nearly a meter) deep. Oil gets trapped underground when tiny oil droplets penetrate porous sand or when waves deposit tarballs and then cover them with sand, said Huettel, of Florida State University in Tallahassee. (Read more about oil found under clean Florida beaches earlier this month.) Whether microbes munch the oil—the most common way oil breaks down—depends on how much oxygen is available for the tiny organisms to do their work. (See marine-microbe pictures.) So far, we haven't seen any rapid degradation in these deep layers, Huettel said, though he noted oil at the top of the sand has been disappearing within days. With little oxygen, the buried oil may stay for years, until a storm or hurricane wipes away the upper sand layers. Previous oil spills suggest that the buried beach oil may continuously migrate not only out to sea but also into groundwater,
[ECOLOG-L] Reptiles and Amphibians of Southeast US Now Complete
HERPS OF THE SOUTHEAST US SERIES NOW COMPLETE. SALAMANDERS OF SOUTHEAST BOOK FINALLY PUBLISHED. SERIES IS AN INSTANT CLASSIC And You Can Buy All five books for Just $125.00 And no SH charges All proceeds goes to HerpDigest a non-profit organization, and publisher of HerpDigest.org -the ONLY FREE Independent weekly newsletter on science and conservation news on reptiles and amphibians. www.herpdigest.org to sign up. Celebrate its 10th anniversary by becoming the expert on herps in the Southeast US. ONE OF THE WORLDS MOST BIOLOGICALY DIVERSE AREAS WHEN IT COMES TO HERPETOFAUNA. Already have one or two of the books? Then buy the rest. Ordering Information Below Now, finally, the Books Salamanders of the Southeast Joe Mitchell and Whit Gibbons 336pp. More than 400 color photos and 200 maps The final volume in the highly acclaimed series of guides to southeastern reptiles and amphibians Describing 102 species of salamanders occurring in the southeastern United States, ecologists Joe Mitchell and Whit Gibbons provide us with the most comprehensive and authoritative, yet accessible and fun-to-read, guide to these often secretive, always fascinating wonders of nature. Mitchell and Gibbons enumerate the distinguishing characteristics of salamanders, including how they are different from other amphibians and from reptiles, especially lizards. Also discussed are distribution, habitat, behavior and activity, reproduction, food and feeding, predators and defense, conservation, and taxonomy. Accompanying each account are photographs illustrating typical adults and variations and distribu- tion maps for the Southeast and the United States. Given that 17 percent of the worlds species of salamanders live in the Southeast and the scientific and popular concern for the world- wide decline in amphibian populations in general, Salamanders of the Southeast will appeal to people of all ages and levels of knowledge inter- ested in natural history and conservation. The guide will help foster the growing interest in salamanders as well as cultivate a desire to protect and conserve these fascinating amphibians and their habitats. Conservation-oriented approach More than 400 color photographs 77 distribution maps Clear descriptions and photographs of each species Sections on biology, worldwide diversity, identification, taxonomy, habitats, and conservation Did You Know? sidebars of interesting facts Turtles of the Southeast 264 pages by Kurt Buhlman, Tracey Turberville and Whit Gibbons Book Review [An] exquisite book...on the herpetofauna of the southeastern United States [H]igh-quality, clearly written, with an attractive layout [H]as solid introductory information, detailed species descriptions, excellent range maps and color photographs, line drawings showing defining features, and a strong conservation message. There is an explanation as to how to use the species accounts which will be of value to the lay reader. --Herpetological Review, Fall 2008 Product Description Seventy-five percent of the turtle species in the United States can be found in the Southeast. In fact, the region is second only to parts of Asia in its number of native turtles. Filled with more than two hundred color photographs and written with a special focus on conservation, this guide covers forty-five species of this nonthreatening, ancient lineage of long-lived reptiles. #8232;Heavily illustrated, fact-filled descriptions of each species and its habitat comprise the heart of the book. Species accounts cover such information as descriptions of adults and hatchlings; key identifiers including size, distinctive characters and markings; land, river, pond, and wetland habitats; behaviors and activities; food and diet; reproduction; predators and defense; and conservation issues. #8232;Also included is a wealth of general information about the importance of turtle conservation and the biology, diversity, and life history of turtles. Discussed are distinguishing turtle characteristics; differences among turtles, tortoises, and terrapins; shell structure and architecture; reproduction and longevity; turtle predators and defense mechanisms; and turtle activities such as basking, hibernation, aestivation, and seasonal movement. Useful information about the interactions of humans and turtles is also covered: species that are likely to be commonly encountered, turtles as pets, and more. #8232;Clearly written, cleanly designed, and fun to use, the guide will promote a better understanding of the habitat needs of, and environmental challenges to, this fascinating group of animals. #8232;Features:#8232;- In-depth descriptions of the forty-two native species#8232;- Conservation-oriented approach#8232; - More than two hundred color photographs#8232;- Nearly forty distribution maps#8232;- Clear descriptions of each species, including differences in the
[ECOLOG-L] Amphibians and Reptiles of Nebraska, new in 2010
Amphibians and Reptiles of Nebraska, new in 2010 by Royce Ballinger, John Lynch, Geoffrey Smith Hardback, 400 pages, the first authoritative and comprehensive summary of herps in Nebraska since Hudsons 1942 book Over 250 color photos, 136 maps and diagrams; well documented with almost 1000 references Distribution dot maps with over 3000 records from 33 museum collections Text provides both an introduction for the amateur and a review for the professional herpetologist. A useful reference and guide for wildlife specialists, conservationists and policy makers With over 60 years of combined research experience in Nebraska, the authors share many new records, observations, and insights on these fascinating animals. Price is $45.00, plus shipping and handling ($6). Check or money order to: Rusty Lizard Press, P.O. Box 68058, Oro Valley, AZ 85737 AZ residents add 9.5% ($4.30) state sales tax
[ECOLOG-L] Postdoc, tech or grad positions on ecosystem and climate dynamics
Apologies for cross-posting Terrestrial Ecosystem and climate dynamics Up to six postdoctoral positions and two technician positions at Los Alamos National Laboratory and one postdoctoral position at the University of Montana are available to study past and future patterns and impacts of vegetation mortality on the terrestrial carbon cycle and climate forcing. The project is an interdisciplinary effort utilizing remote sensing, machine learning, field observations, ecosystem modeling, and climate modeling. The specific postdoctoral positions are focused on 1) remote sensing of vegetation using Quickbird, MODIS, and other platforms (one at LANL and one at U. of Montana), 2) data mining and analysis of large, space- and ground-based data sets (one at LANL), 3) machine learning of large, spaced- and ground-based data sets (one at LANL), 4) terrestrial ecosystem modeling using the Ecosystem-Demography/Community Land Model (ED-CLM) and possibly other terrestrial ecosystem models, including ecosystem carbon cycle models (two positions at LANL) and 5) climate modeling using the Community Earth System Model (one at LANL). The technician positions may be focused on the machine learning and data mining efforts, though skilled, motivated individuals with a B.Sc. or M.Sc. will be considered for any of the above focal areas. In addition, technician positions can be converted to graduate student positions depending on interest. The successful applicants will work within a large, interdisciplinary team of staff members, postdocs and technicians linking LANLs Earth and Environmental Science Division, the Climate-Ocean-Sea Ice Model group, and the International Space and Response Division. In addition, the positions will involve close collaboration with the Climate and Global Dynamics division of the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) in Boulder, CO, the Numerical Terradynamic Simulation group (NTSG) at the University of Montana, and ecologists within the United States Geological Survey (USGS). Required skills for postdoctoral fellowships include demonstrated ability to publish peer-reviewed papers, effective written and oral communication skills, willingness to work in a team environment, and a Ph.D. pending or received within the last five years. Required skills for technician positions may include experience with data mining or remote sensing, and a B.Sc. degree. A complete description of required and preferred skills for each specific position can be obtained by contacting Nate McDowell (mcdow...@lanl.gov). Candidates may be considered for a Director's Fellowship and outstanding candidates may be considered for the prestigious J. Robert Oppenheimer, Richard P. Feynman or Frederick Reines Fellowships. LANL is located at 7,500' in the Southern Rocky Mountains and has 300 days of sunshine per year and four distinct seasons. Salaries and benefits are competitive with industrial standards. For general information on postdocs at LANL please see: http://www.lanl.gov/science/postdocs/. For more information or to apply please send a resume and a short statement of your future research goals to Nate McDowell (mcdow...@lanl.gov). LANL-EEShttp://climateresearch.lanl.gov/ LANL-COSIM http://climate.lanl.gov/ LANL-ISRhttp://www.lanl.gov/orgs/isr/isr2/ NCARhttp://www.cgd.ucar.edu/tss/ Montana NTSGhttp://www.ntsg.umt.edu/ USGShttp://www.werc.usgs.gov/person.aspx?personID=138 and http://www.fort.usgs.gov/staff/staffprofile.asp?StaffID=109.
[ECOLOG-L] Doran papers
Dear all Does anyone have a pdf or hadre copie of of these papers Doran, J.W., and T.B. Parkin. 1994. Defining and assessing soil quality p. 321. In J.W. Doran, D.C. Coleman, D.F. Bezdicek, and B.A. Stewart (ed.) Defining soil quality for a sustainable environment. SSSA Spec. Publ. 35. SSSA, Madison, WI. -Doran, J.W., D.C. Coleman, D.F. Bezdicek, and B.A. Stewart. 1994. Defining soil quality for a sustainable environment. SSSA Spec. Publ. 49. SSSA, Madison, WI. -Doran, J.W., and A.J. Jones. 1996. Methods for assessing soil quality. SSSA Spec. Publ. 49. SSSA, Madison, WI. Many thanks in avance Salah -
[ECOLOG-L] three graduate positions at SUNY ESF
Three graduate research positions (MS or PhD) on two projects are now open at SUNY ESF. Please see announcements below - thanks. *** SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry: Graduate Research Assistantship in Dendroclimatology, starting either in Spring 2011 or Fall 2011. We are seeking a graduate student to join a new project investigating multi-scale interactions of forest ecosystems and climatic variability in the Adirondack Mountains of northern New York. Using high resolution spatial climate data, we will establish an extensive multi-species tree-ring network in the Adirondacks that captures the spatial and temporal variability in climatic factors influencing northern hardwood and sub-boreal conifer forest ecosystems. The graduate student will lead the collection, measurement and analysis of tree-ring data and will assist with climate-growth modeling and related efforts. Basic qualifications include a BSc degree in ecology, mathematics, statistics or a similar field, a strong quantitative background, the ability to work without supervision in both field and lab settings. Desired qualifications include one or more of the following: a MSc degree in forest ecology, dendrochronology, applied mathematics (including statistics), ecological modeling or a similar field, or equivalent amount of experience with: tree-ring measurements/analysis; wood anatomy sampling/analysis; management of large datasets; supervising technicians. The position is funded for a minimum of two years and provides a competitive stipend, tuition and benefits. To apply, please send a CV, cover letter, and contact information for three references to Dr. Colin Beier at cbe...@esf.edu. PDF format is preferred. Questions regarding the position are welcome. Please be sure to include the text ADK DENDRO in the message subject line. *** SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry: Graduate Positions in Biogeochemistry and Terrestrial Biodiversity, starting either in Spring 2011 or Fall 2011. We are seeking graduate students to join a growing research project investigating the importance of soil calcium availability for multiple forest communities, including gastropods, amphibians, arthropods, birds and vascular plants, and the forest floor food web. We are building on a project recently completed in the Adirondacks of northern New York that found strong responses of snail and salamander communities to gradients in Ca availability and acidic deposition (acid rain), and are now expanding the research to sites across the Northern Forest region, including northern VT, NH and ME. Duties on the project involve extensive field and laboratory work, data analysis, and publication of findings. We are looking for students ready to begin field work in summer 2011. Basic qualifications include a BSc degree in biological sciences, ecology, biogeochemistry, zoology or a similar field, a strong quantitative background, a valid driver's license and the ability to work without direct supervision in both field and lab settings. Desired qualifications include field experience in sampling one or more taxa relevant to this research (plants, snails, salamanders, arthropods) and/or experience with statistical analysis and management of large data sets. We will consider applicants at both the MS and PhD level. The positions provide a competitive stipend, tuition and benefits. To apply, please send a CV, cover letter, and contact information for three references to Dr. Colin Beier at cbe...@esf.edu. PDF format is preferred. Questions regarding the position are welcome. Please be sure to include the text CALCIUM in the message subject line.
Re: [ECOLOG-L] another view on Gulf clean up
This article is spot on. It is way too premature for anyone to make pronouncements about the effects of this oil. The overall effects and time needed for the environment there to clean itself up will not be known for a very long time - if ever, since so much of the dispersed oil is below the surface and not visible. The only valid statement that can be made at this point is that additional oil is not spewing out from the well. It's ironic that after the Exxon Valdez spill, govt. scientists (from NOAA) were the ones to demonstrate very long lasting effects (well over a decade), while the Exxon-supported people said everything was OK after a few years. Now we have the govt. on the same (erroneous) side as BP making these rosy statements. Why is that? National Geographic Daily News - Home - Animals - Ancient World - Energy - Environment - Cultures - Space/Tech - Weird - News Photos - News Video - News Blogs Much Gulf Oil Remains, Deeply Hidden and Under Beaches New U.S. Gulf oil spill report called ludicrous. Main Content Oil in a core sample taken from Pensacola Beach, Florida, in early July. Photograph by Chris Combs, National Geographic Christine Dell'Amore National Geographic News Published August 5, 2010 Part of an ongoing series on the environmental impacts of the Gulf oil spill. As BP finishes pumping cement into the damaged Deepwater Horizonwellhead Thursday, some scientists are taking issue with a new U.S. government report that says the vast majority of the Gulf of Mexico oil spillhas been taken care of by nature and robust cleanup efforts. In addition, experts warn, much of the toxic oil from the worst spill in U.S. history may be trapped under Gulf beacheswhere it could linger for yearsor still migrating into the ocean depths, where it's a 3-D catastrophe, one scientist said. The U.S. government estimated Monday that the Deepwater Horizon spill had yielded about 4.9 million barrels' worth of crude. On Wednesday a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)report said that about 33 percent of the spilled oil in the water has been burned, skimmed, dispersed, or directly recovered by cleanup operations. (See Gulf Oil Cleanup Crews Trample Nesting Birds.) Another 25 percent has evaporated into the atmosphere or dissolved in the ocean, and 16 percent has been dispersed via natural breakup of the oil into microscopic droplets, the study says. (Read more about how nature is fighting the oil spill.) The remaining 26 percent, the report says, is still either on or just below the surface, has washed ashore or been collected from shores, or is buried along the coasts. Oil Spill Report Almost Comical? For all their specificity, such figures are notorious for being uncertain, saidRobert Carney, a biological oceanographer at Louisiana State University (LSU) in Baton Rouge. That's in part because the fluid nature of the ocean means that it's exceedingly hard to track oil. Water is always movingif I go out to the spill site tomorrow and look for hydrocarbons, I might not find much, because the oiled water is already gone. But to accurately figure out how much oil is left, you need to know how much went into the Gulf to begin with, he said. Once you start off with that fundamental measurethe total amount of oil spilledbeing an educated guess, then things aren't that great. To University of South Florida chemical oceanographer David Hollander, the NOAA estimates are ludicrous. It's almost comical. According to Hollander, the government can account for only about 25 percent of the spilled Gulf oilthe portion that's been skimmed, burned off, directly collected, and so on. The remaining 75 percent is still unaccounted for, he said. For instance, the report considers all submerged oil to be dispersed and therefore not harmful, Hollander said. But, given the unknown effects of oil and dispersants at great depths, that's not necessarily the case, he added. There are enormous blanket assumptions. Oil Trapped Deep in Gulf Beaches The new report comes after days of speculation about where the Gulf oil has gone. After the damaged well had been capped July 19, U.S. Coast Guard flyovers didn't spot any big patches of crude on the water. But oil cleanup is mostly getting rid of what's on the surface, Carney said. There's a common perception that as long as you keep it off the beach, everything's hunky dory, he added. In fact, scientists are still finding plenty of spilled Gulf oilwhether it's bubbling up from under Louisiana's islands, trapped underneath Florida's sugar-white beaches, or in the ocean's unseen reaches. (See pictures of spilled Gulf oil found just under Florida beaches.) This week, biological oceanographer Markus Huettel and colleague Joel Kostkadug trenches on a cleaned Pensacola beach and discovered large swaths of oil up to two feet (nearly a meter) deep. Oil gets trapped underground when tiny oil
[ECOLOG-L] SER2011 Call for Proposals
Dear Colleagues and Friends The Society for Ecological Restoration (SER) is now accepting proposals for special sessions, symposia, workshops and training courses at its 4th World Conference on Ecological Restoration, August 21-25, 2011 in Mérida, Mexico. The deadline for submitting a proposal is December 1, 2010; however early submissions are encouraged and proposals will be considered in the order they are received http://www.ser2011.org/en/registration/call-for-proposals/
[ECOLOG-L] Top this root length density
Colleagues: I'm working up some root length density data (a palm) and am encountering some crazy high values, close to 15 cm / cm3 in the upper 0.1 m of surface soil. I'm not finding anything near this high in the literature, can anyone suggest instances of comparably large values? Appreciatively, Seth Bigelow
[ECOLOG-L] Call for abstracts: AGU Fall Meeting Vegetation Flow
Please consider submitting to the following session at the AGU Fall Meeting this year. The abstract deadline is September 2, 2010. EP 18. Vegetation and Flow in Fluvial and Wetland Environments Complex interactions between flow and vegetation play a critical role in the hydroecology and geomorphology of fluvial and coastal environmental systems including wetlands, river channels, and floodplains. Flow resistance caused by living trees, large woody debris, grasses, shrubs, and periphyton alters the distribution and magnitude of shear stress in the flow, which can affect sediment transport, water quality, contaminant dispersal, and nutrient budgets. This session will analyze the relationship between vegetation and flow in submerged and emergent canopies and strongly encourages submissions that demonstrate how this interaction impacts sediment transport dynamics, riparian ecology, and biogeochemical cycling. http://www.agu.org/meetings/fm10/program/scientific_session_search.php?show=detailsessid=235 Thanks, and apologies for cross-posting, Katie Skalak, USGS, kska...@usgs.gov Anne Lightbody, University of New Hampshire, anne.lightb...@unh.edu
