[ECOLOG-L] Position Announcement (U.S. Geological Survey): Supervisory Biologist (Deputy Center Director)

[Lawrence D Igl]

Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center (NPWRC) of the U.S. Geological 
Survey (USGS) is seeking a Supervisory Biologist, who will serve as the 
Deputy to the Center Director and will be responsible for the following 
major duties:  Assisting the Center Director in developing and 
administering the overall research program of the Center, as well as 
identifying new research and development initiatives; providing day-to-day 
program and science operational guidance to the Center; providing 
guidance, requirements, and standard operating procedures for maintaining 
the quality assurance of Center research activities; assisting in 
performing reviews of Center research/study plans and publications for 
overall quality; supervising NPWRCs administrative, facility, and support 
and technical staff; and representing the USGS at professional meetings 
and departmental and agency meetings. 

Job Title: Supervisory Biologist, GS-0401-14 (CR-JF-DEU) 
Department:  Department Of The Interior 
Agency:  U.S. Geological Survey 
Job Announcement Number:  CR-2010-0472 

Salary Range:  $96,690.00 - $125,695.00 / year
Open Period:  Tuesday, September 07, 2010 to Tuesday, October 05, 2010
Series and Grade:  GS-0401-14/14
Position Information:  Permanent, Full-Time
Promotion Potential:  GS-14
Duty Location:  1 vacancy in Jamestown, North Dakota
Who may be considered:  United States Citizens

For information on qualification requirements and how to apply for this 
position, please click on the following link on USAJobs: 
http://jobview.usajobs.gov/GetJob.aspx?JobID=90533601&aid=86275473-8910&WT.mc_n=125

[ECOLOG-L] Biodiversity special session at upcoming ASLO meeting

[Beatrix Beisner]

For those attending the upcoming American Society of Limnology and Oceanography 
(ASLO) 
meeting in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Feb 13-18, 2011, we would like to bring to 
your attention a 
special session entitled: Biodiversity in a Changing World: Insights from 
Paleoecological Data 
(Special session 13).  We feel that this is an exciting new area of research in 
the aquatic sciences 
and in this session, we would like to explore possible synergies and 
collaborations.  Our goal is to 
bring together aquatic scientists from paleoecology and community ecology 
backgrounds to forge 
new research pathways for understanding biodiversity patterns in aquatic 
ecosystems. The 
description of our session can be found at the end of this posting.

If your research interests are in Biodiversity science and you work on 
contemporary systems that 
may have a paleolimnological analog (e.g. phytoplankton, zooplankton, 
macroinvertebrates), we 
would especially like to hear from you.  

To access the abstract submission site please go to: 
http://www.aslo.org/meetings/sanjuan2011/start_process.html. The deadline for 
both abstract 
submission and early registration is 11 October 2010. 

S13: Biodiversity in a Changing World: Insights from Paleoecological Data
Internationally, scientists and policy makers have recognized that global 
biodiversity is declining as 
consequence of human-induced environmental changes and that this loss is 
occurring at a rate of 
up to 1000x faster than in the past. Clearly, paleoecological data have played 
an important role in 
providing a comparative framework for interpreting recent biodiversity changes. 
 However, 
paleolimnological and paleoceanographic data can also be instrumental in 
identifying drivers of 
biodiversity over both large spatial and temporal scales.  The study of aquatic 
biodiversity using 
data derived from sediment records has numerous advantages and thus has the 
potential to make 
great advancements in biodiversity science.  For example, the wide range of 
organisms that are 
preserved in sediment records provide scientists with a spectrum of model 
organisms that differ in 
dispersal capabilities, generation times, and sensitivities to environmental 
variables.  In addition, 
paleoecological studies commonly quantify the optima and tolerances of 
organisms to a suite of 
environmental variables, and as a result, these data lend themselves strongly 
to functional diversity 
approaches; an emerging area in biodiversity research and understanding.  In 
this session, we plan 
to bring together aquatic scientists from paleoecology and community ecology 
backgrounds to 
forge new research pathways for understanding biodiversity patterns in aquatic 
ecosystems.

If you have questions about whether your work might be suitable, please contact 
one of the co-
convenors by email: 
Irene Gregory-Eaves (irene.gregory-ea...@mcgill.ca) or Beatrix Beisner 
(beisner.beat...@uqam.ca).

Re: [ECOLOG-L] Specific leaf area from pressed specimens

[Maria Susana Alvarado]

Hello Tim,

I computed SLA for pine needles this summer and tried out to see if there
was any significant difference using dried needles (pressed and dried for
about a month) or fresh needles for the determination of the area (as anyway
you need to dry them to get their dry weight). I found no difference, and I
think is because these pine needles didn't shrink, and perhaps I didn't
loose any big pieces. So I'd suggest you find out with another batch of
leaves if there is any difference.
Good luck,

Susana.

On Tue, Sep 7, 2010 at 4:27 PM, Tim Nuttle  wrote:

>  I would like to determine specific leaf area for eight species of
> deciduous tree of eastern North America. According to Conelissen et al 2003,
> A handbook of protocols for standardised and easy measurement of plant
> functional traits worldwide, Australian J Botany 51: 335-380, this should be
> done with fresh leaves.
> However, I don't have fresh leaves, I have pressed leaves. I am therefore
> soliciting opinions if this matters that much for deciduous, broad-leaved
> trees. I have read about re-hydrating leaves, but I think that is really
> talking about rehydrating leaves that may have lost some water between
> collection and measurement time--seems to me that attempting to rehydrate an
> oven-dried leaf is pointless.
> Penuelas and Matemala (1990), J. Exp. Botany, calculated SLA on herbarium
> leaves up to 240 yr old and only casually mentioned that changes in SLA over
> time may have been an artifact of prolonged storage, not changes in
> atmospheric CO2 levels. But I'm talking about leaves collected this summer,
> not 240 years ago.
> In short, it seems to me that differences in SLA from fresh vs. pressed
> tree leaves would be negligible, but please let me know if I'm way off base
> and I'll go collect some more leaves (which would be from a different time
> of year than when I'm interested in, which could introduce a whole different
> set of biases).
> Thanks!
> Tim
>
> --
> Tim Nuttle, PhD
> Assistant Professor, Ecology
> Department of Biology
> Indiana University of Pennsylvania
> 114 Weyandt Hall
> Indiana, PA 15705
> http://nsm1.nsm.iup.edu/nuttle/
>



-- 
Maria Susana Alvarado-Barrientos
PhD student
Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Graduate Program
Dept. Natural Resources Ecology and Management
Iowa State University
339 Science II Hall
Ames, IA, 50011

Field work contact info (Mexico):
Jimenez del Campillo 51 Centro
Coatepec, Veracruz, 91500
Tel: +52 (228) 816-0938

[ECOLOG-L] R: Multivariate Regression Trees: how to identify sample units?

[Alexandre F. Souza]

Dear friends,

 I am sudying R's mvpart package, that implements Multivariate
Regression Trees, aiming at applying it to a biogeographical dataset of
tree speces in southern South America.

   My doubt is how to access plot identities after the tree is produced.
For us it is rather important, but I could not find them with neither
'summary(fit)'[where fit is the object containing the mvpart(...)
command] nor just 'fit'. This piece of information is likely to be
somewhere in the package documentation (Package 'mvpart' or ?mvpart),
but I did not succeed in finding it.

   Do anyone knows how to solve this?

   Thank you in advance and all the best,

   Alexandre


Dr. Alexandre F. Souza 
Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biologia: Diversidade e Manejo da Vida
Silvestre
Universidade do Vale do Rio dos Sinos (UNISINOS)
Av. UNISINOS 950 - C.P. 275, São Leopoldo 93022-000, RS  - Brasil
Telefone: (051)3590-8477 ramal 1263
Skype: alexfadigas
afso...@unisinos.br
http://www.unisinos.br/laboratorios/lecopop

-- 
Esta mensagem foi verificada pelo sistema de antiv�rus e
 acredita-se estar livre de perigo.

[ECOLOG-L] JOB: Wildlife Disease Ecologist

[Eric Lonsdorf]

JOB TITLE:  Wildlife Disease Ecologist, Davee Center for Epidemiology and
Endocrinology
DEPARTMENT: Conservation and Science at Lincoln Park Zoo
REPORTS TO: Director, Davee Center
FLSA STATUS:Exempt


GENERAL SUMMARY

Lincoln Park Zoo is offering a research position in Wildlife Disease Ecology
with an emphasis in surveillance as part of the Davee Center for
Epidemiology and Endocrinology at Lincoln Park Zoo. This position will
support our current wildlife disease research projects in Tanzania,
complement our zoological surveillance program and collaborate with the
Davee Endocrinologist, the Urban Wildlife Institute, as well as other
centers within the Conservation and Science Department.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS

•   Develop, coordinate and manage existing and new wildlife disease 
projects;
•   Support existing and AZA disease surveillance and monitoring programs 
(AI,
WNV, TB), and other AZA based projects, in conjunction with all partners;
•   Provide support, in the form of wildlife disease ecology expertise, to
existing projects and collaborations within the Davee Center, Urban Wildlife
Institute and Conservation and Science Department;
•   Provide expertise in wildlife disease ecology, conservation biology and
statistical study design to Lincoln Park Zoo employees and collaborators
where appropriate.
•   Disseminate results at zoological and scientific professional 
conferences
and in lay and peer-reviewed literature as appropriate.

ADDITIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES

•   International and domestic travel for conferences and field projects;
•   Maintain links with Davee Center partners including other AZA
institutions, university research departments, governmental agencies and
nongovernmental organizations where appropriate;
•   Advise post-doctoral fellows, graduate students, and research interns 
when
appropriate;
•   Attend Lincoln Park Zoo and/or Davee Center foundation-related 
activities
as necessary; and
•   Perform other duties as assigned by the director of the Davee Center.
 

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS & ABILITIES

•   Successful candidates must have a strong background in experimental 
design
and statistical analyses, and must have demonstrated ability to conduct and
communicate the results of  research and applied programs in disease ecology;
•   Demonstrate a basic understanding of ecology, epidemiology and
endocrinology for collaborative purposes (active research in these
disciplines is preferred);
•   Candidates with experience with GIS and modeling is desirable;
•   Possess expertise in the specific areas covered in ‘essential job 
functions’;
•   Possess strong computer, organizational (project management) and
communication skills (written and spoken); and  
•   Demonstrate a commitment to wildlife conservation through management of
wild and captive populations, and willingness to participate in the
department’s team approach to conservation research projects.   

EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS

•   Preference of Ph.D. in ecology, epidemiology or a closely related
biological discipline.  A medical degree (MD/DVM) plus MS (MPh) may be
considered.  Preference will be given to those with field research experience.  

EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS

•   Training in wildlife disease ecological study design with an emphasis in
surveillance;
•   Experience participating in and/or leading large collaborative
projects/workshops; and 
•   Broad training in statistical study design and analysis.


ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS

•   Must be able to work up to 16 weekends per year.


Questions about the position can be directed to Dr. Rachel Santymire at
rsantym...@lpzoo.org or 312-742-3520.

Resume, copies of college transcripts and letter of interest can be e-mailed
to hrj...@lpzoo.org or send them to:

Human Resources Department
Lincoln Park Zoo
2001 North Clark Street
Chicago, IL 60614

Re: [ECOLOG-L] Grants for Independent Research

[Andy Rominger]

Fulbright is a great option, especially for research abroad.

http://us.fulbrightonline.org/home.html

The only bummer there is that I think the aplication deadline is coming up
real soon.  To apply you usually need to have some kind of "affiliation" in
the states--but for those who just graduated that could naturally be your
alma mater.  Thus you'll have to check with your school's in-house
deadlines, which are probably September...so that's the only problem! You'll
also need to solidify contacts in the country where you'd like to go--you'll
need a "host" there too.

Best of luck--
Andy



On Tue, Sep 7, 2010 at 10:58 PM, Chris Traft  wrote:

> Dear Ecolog,
>
> I am a recent college grad looking to do independent research on ecology or
> sustainable development, possibly in South America. I was wondering if
> anyone knew of any grants that fund such independent research to those not
> necessarily affiliated with an institution, or had an idea of where to find
> such grants or funding sources.
>
> Thank you,
>
> Chris
>

[ECOLOG-L] Fine International Conference on Gigapixel Imaging for Science

[Mehling, Molly Gail Mrs.]

A remarkable gathering for those interested in the connection between science 
and the visual arts! Early bird registration deadline is approaching (Sept 13 
2010). For more info: http://www.cmu.edu/events/gigapixel-science/

The CREATE Lab and Carnegie Mellon University, with The Fine Foundation, are 
pleased to announce the first Fine International Conference on Gigapixel 
Imaging for Science. Aiming to explore innovative use of GigaPan in the 
classroom, the field and the laboratory, the conference will feature all 
aspects of gigapixel technology in the science field.  

November 11–13, 2010 
Carnegie Mellon University
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA 

Early registration ends September 13, 2010. Register for the conference » 

Keynote Speakers
•   Mark Bauman, Executive Vice President TV & Film at National Geographic
•   Alan Eustace, Senior Vice President, Engineering & Research, Google
•   Pete Worden, Director of NASA Ames Research Center

Who should attend?
Students, Researchers, Scientists, Teachers 



Molly Gail Mehling, M.En.
Research Associate & Doctoral Candidate
Miami University Zoology Department
Oxford, Ohio 45056
http://www.mollymehling.com

“In nature's infinite book of secrecy. A little I can read.” ~ William 
Shakespeare

[ECOLOG-L] PhD opportunity

[Britta Denise Hardesty]

Ecology and conservation of the black-throated finch

The black-throated finch Poephila cincta was once distributed from northern
New South Wales to Cape York Peninsula in grassy woodlands dominated by
eucalypts, melaleucas or acacias. It typically occurs in or near riverine
habitat or wetlands, where it feeds on grass seeds and may also hawk after
flying insects.

There are two sub-species of P. cincta. The northern (black-rumped)
sub-species P. c. atropygialis occurs north from Mareeba on the Atherton
Tablelands across Cape York Peninsula, and is widespread and secure. The
southern (white-rumped) form P. c. cincta once ranged from the Atherton
Tablelands to as far south as north-east New South Wales but has disappeared
from most of its range. It is listed as Endangered under Commonwealth
legislation.

This research program will investigate the ecology and population biology of
the southern sub-species P. c. cincta. The research aims to understand the
way in which the birds use landscapes, by (a) characterising critical
habitat features needed by the birds through seasonal cycles of foraging and
breeding and (b) examining the scale of movement of individual birds in
relation to resource distribution. Movements will be investigated in both
the short term (individual foraging ranges, and their seasonal variation)
and the long term (extent of life-time fidelity to habitat patches, and
incidence of migration among patches). This information is crucial to the
conservation of the species because it will identify critical habitat
features and assess the likely responses of local populations to habitat
reduction and fragmentation.

The project will:

-   extend past surveys of distribution and abundance and build on existing
habitat models for both breeding and non-breeding birds; there is scope here
to make useful comparisons with other granivores with which this species
shares habitat.
-   quantify bird movements by banding individuals and in some cases fitting
them with radio-transmitters. Changes in local abundance and distribution
between breeding and non-breeding seasons will be tracked by regularly
surveying for and re-sighting banded birds. Seasonal changed in diet and
foraging behaviour will be recorded by direct observation.
-   analyse genetic variation between locations to measure the scale of
migration and estimate the extent of genetic mixing across the sub-species
present geographic range. These analyses will be based on DNA extracted from
blood samples collected from all captured birds and feather samples
collected from nest sites. It will also be possible to use this approach to
quantify the genetic distinctiveness of the two sub-species, and compare
levels of genetic variance retained in the southern sub-species with those
of the more widespread northern forms.

Contact: 
Tony Grice 
Senior Research Scientist
Ecosystem Sciences, CSIRO 
tony.gr...@csiro.au; +61 7 4753 8543

[ECOLOG-L] Grants for Independent Research

[Chris Traft]

Dear Ecolog,

I am a recent college grad looking to do independent research on ecology or
sustainable development, possibly in South America. I was wondering if
anyone knew of any grants that fund such independent research to those not
necessarily affiliated with an institution, or had an idea of where to find
such grants or funding sources.

Thank you,

Chris

[ECOLOG-L] Specific leaf area from pressed specimens

[Tim Nuttle]

 I would like to determine specific leaf area for eight species of 
deciduous tree of eastern North America. According to Conelissen et al 
2003, A handbook of protocols for standardised and easy measurement of 
plant functional traits worldwide, Australian J Botany 51: 335-380, this 
should be done with fresh leaves.
However, I don't have fresh leaves, I have pressed leaves. I am 
therefore soliciting opinions if this matters that much for deciduous, 
broad-leaved trees. I have read about re-hydrating leaves, but I think 
that is really talking about rehydrating leaves that may have lost some 
water between collection and measurement time--seems to me that 
attempting to rehydrate an oven-dried leaf is pointless.
Penuelas and Matemala (1990), J. Exp. Botany, calculated SLA on 
herbarium leaves up to 240 yr old and only casually mentioned that 
changes in SLA over time may have been an artifact of prolonged storage, 
not changes in atmospheric CO2 levels. But I'm talking about leaves 
collected this summer, not 240 years ago.
In short, it seems to me that differences in SLA from fresh vs. pressed 
tree leaves would be negligible, but please let me know if I'm way off 
base and I'll go collect some more leaves (which would be from a 
different time of year than when I'm interested in, which could 
introduce a whole different set of biases).

Thanks!
Tim

--
Tim Nuttle, PhD
Assistant Professor, Ecology
Department of Biology
Indiana University of Pennsylvania
114 Weyandt Hall
Indiana, PA 15705
http://nsm1.nsm.iup.edu/nuttle/

[ECOLOG-L] Recruiting for Research Ambassador Fellowships

[Stasch, Amy]

September 7, 2010

 

Dear ECOLOG-ers,

 

I am writing on behalf of Dr. Nalini Nadkarni
 , canopy researcher and
Professor at The Evergreen State College.  We are embarking on a unique
effort, known as the Research Ambassador Program
 , to enhance the capability of
scientists to directly communicate with non-traditional public
audiences.  We are writing to invite you to participate in our program.

 

We are now launching our Fellowship program.  The Program will provide
funds for travel and per diem at the Research Ambassador headquarters in
Olympia, Washington. During this time, staff will offer communication
training, mentoring, and multiple outreach opportunities, including
speaking engagements (depending on individual preferences) in state
prisons, places of worship, and elderly care homes.  

 

This provides a unique opportunity for us to network with scientists,
use our extensive network of local contacts, and help build your
portfolio and confidence in public outreach.

 

You can go to our website & blog
  for more information, including our more detailed
announcement document and a short application.  Please feel free to
contact me if you have questions or ideas for your participation.

 

Thank you,

 

Amy

 

Amy Stasch
Nalini M. Nadkarni

Program Manager
Program Director

 

 

 

__

Amy Stasch, MPA, MSES

Program Manager

Research Ambassador Program 

The Evergreen State College 
2700 Evergreen Parkway NW

Olympia, Washington 98505 

(360) 867 - 6767
www.researchambassador.com   
www.sustainableprisons.org