[ECOLOG-L] MS Assistantship - soil modification to reduce Old World Bluestems

[Litt, Andrea]

MS Assistantship - Soil Modification as a Restoration Tool to Reduce Old World 
Bluestems - Department of Ecology, Montana State University,

Background:  Nonnative Old World bluestem grasses (e.g., Bothriochloa, 
Dichanthium spp.) have become established and increasingly dominant throughout 
the southern and central Great Plains regions of the United States.  Dominance 
by Old World bluestems can affect soil nutrients, as well as plant growth and 
the competitive relationships among plant species.  Such altered competitive 
dynamics result in changes in vegetation composition, followed by subsequent 
changes in abundance and composition of insects, small mammals, and birds.

Description:  The successful candidate will develop a research project to 
explore to whether modification of soil properties can serve to restore the 
vegetation and insect communities to that observed in areas dominated by native 
plants.  Specific objectives involve quantifying changes in vegetation 
structure and composition as well as insect abundance and composition in 
treated areas compared to untreated controls and reference sites.  The student 
will pursue a M.S. degree in the Department of Ecology at Montana State 
University (http://www.montana.edu/ecology) and be a Welder Wildlife Foundation 
Fellow; the field work will take place at the Welder Wildlife Refuge in Sinton, 
Texas (http://www.welderwildlife.org/).

Qualifications Required:   B.S. in wildlife science, ecology, zoology, or 
closely related field.  A strong work ethic, good verbal and written 
communication skills, ability to work independently and as a productive member 
of a research team, ability to work under adverse field conditions (hot and 
humid South Texas environment) are essential.  Students must have a minimum 3.0 
GPA and 1100 combined GRE score.
Preferred Qualifications:  Background or interest in community and population 
ecology, restoration ecology, entomology.  Experience identifying insects to 
order and family and some experience with plant identification are preferred.
Stipend/Salary:  The student will be supported by a Welder Wildlife Foundation 
Fellowship - a stipend of $1,400/month, $900/year for insurance, and 
nonresident tuition waived for 1 year (resident tuition fees apply); subsequent 
years of support are pending availability of funding.  Field housing will be 
provided.
Start Date:  May/June 2011
Application Deadline: We will begin reviewing applications on 28 March 2011 and 
will continue until a suitable candidate is selected.
To Apply: Send a cover letter stating research interests related to this topic, 
career goals, resume/cv, unofficial copies of transcripts and GRE scores, and 
contact information for 3 references to: Dr. Andrea Litt, Email:  
andrea.l...@montana.edu (electronic applications preferred).


Andrea R. Litt
Department of Ecology
Montana State University
P.O. Box 173460
Bozeman, MT 59717-3460
Tel: (406) 994-2332
Fax: (406) 994-3190
Web: www.montana.edu/litt
Location: 303 Lewis Hall

[ECOLOG-L] PhD and technician opportunities in population and community ecology at Rice University

[Tom Miller]

See below for information about PhD student and lab technician openings in
the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at Rice University
(Houston, TX).

1. Graduate opportunities

I am recruiting 1-2 PhD students to join my lab beginning August 2011.
Research in the lab is focused on demography, population dynamics, species
interactions, and invasion biology, with emphasis on plants and insects.
Current projects are examining:

- range expansion by invasive organisms, especially insects
- effects of herbivores and mutualists on plant population dynamics
- population dynamics of dioecious organisms
- community structure and competitive coexistence of plant-tending ants
- symbiosis between plants and vertically transmitted fungi
- the evolution of plant life history strategies

Incoming students will be expected to develop an independent research
program within these or related areas. For more information about research
in the lab and recent publications, see http://www.owlnet.rice.edu/~tm9/. A
major theme of the lab is combining theoretical and experimental methods to
tackle ecological questions. Prospective students with strong quantitative
skills and experience or interest in theoretical ecology and theory/data
interface are especially encouraged to apply. PhD students in my lab making
satisfactory progress will receive full fellowship support with minimal
teaching for up to five years, including a competitive stipend.

The Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at Rice University is
home to a collegial and vibrant community of scholars. We have an unusually
strong concentration of faculty and students studying the ecology and
evolution of species interactions (http://eeb.rice.edu/faculty.html). We are
located in Houston, TX, an exciting, diverse, and affordable city with
world-class opportunities for dining, arts, and culture
(http://eeb.rice.edu/about_houston.html). 

Applicants should contact me directly (tom.mil...@rice.edu) and provide the
following: (1) a paragraph describing your academic background, including
any research experience and a statement about why you want to earn a
graduate degree, (2) a paragraph describing the type(s) of research you
would like to pursue as a graduate student and how your research interests
would fit the lab, (3) CV, (4) undergraduate transcripts and GRE scores
(need not be formal reports), and (5) contact information (name,
institution, email, and phone) for 2-3 references. 

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis (open immediately), but no
later than May 6, 2011. Please contact me (tom.mil...@rice.edu) if you would
like additional information.

2. Technician

I will be hiring one laboratory technician to begin August 2011 or sooner.
The minimum commitment for this position is one year; longer is possible. A
Bachelor’s degree in Biology or relevant sub-discipline is required. Salary
is $13.50/hour and benefits are included. The technician will be responsible
for managing ecological experiments involving plants and insects in the
laboratory and greenhouse, as well as maintenance of plant and insect
populations. Some field work will also be required. The appointment will be
40 hours/week, and this may include evenings and/or weekends as experiments
demand. The technician will be the immediate supervisor of undergraduates
working in the lab, so strong communication and leadership abilities are
essential. 

This position is ideal for a recent college graduate considering graduate
school in ecology and evolution and looking to gain more experience. The
technician will be involved in all stages of the research process, will be
encouraged to develop independent projects related to research in the lab
(see above), and will have opportunities to co-author papers.

Desirable experience and skills:
- strong quantitative skills, including experimental design, statistics, and
mathematics
- programming skills (ideally R)
- GIS knowledge
- basic molecular techniques (DNA extraction, PCR, gel electrophoresis)

To apply, please submit the following to tom.mil...@rice.edu: (1) a
statement describing your interest in the position and how it relates to
your long-term career goals, (2) CV, (3) college transcripts (need not be
formal reports), and (4) contact information (name, institution, email, and
phone) for two references. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis
(open immediately), but no later than May 6, 2011. Please contact me
(tom.mil...@rice.edu) if you would like additional information.

Re: [ECOLOG-L] Ecosystem Management and Wild Game Games WAS: [ECOLOG-L] the precautionary principle makes sense and should be applied to GCC arguments

[Lack, Justin]

I think "force" is completely the wrong word. While the lotteries may not be 
fair to all socio-economic classes of people, they certainly do not HAVE to 
poach and break the law. They choose to do this.

Justin Lack


On Mar 23, 2011, at 11:31 AM, Wayne Tyson wrote:

> Honorable Forum:
> 
> I'd like to see some serious discussion of how ecology as a science and 
> ecosystem management as a subdiscipline could better inform "game" 
> management as a professional practice and a political phenomenon.
> 
> Increasingly, it seems that we, as a society, are regressing back to the 
> time when the King's and Queen's owned all wildlife. That is, the people who 
> actually live in the wild are effectively prohibited from hunting and 
> fishing, for example, through supposedly "democratic" lotteries for "tags" 
> that the unwealthy can't afford. This forces those priced out of this 
> "market" to poach, and what little data comes from the occasional arrest is 
> worse than useless. The King's and Queen's from distant cities fly in, bang 
> their buck, and the local businesses get a bigger bang for the buck from 
> servile service to these head-hunters than from the local customers they 
> already have--those who aren't in jail or who have had to allocate the 
> scarce discretionary income they can scrape up to the government, money they 
> can't spend in local stores and for local services. This, of course, is 
> primarily a political aspect of the issue, but has its roots in a 
> well-intentioned conservation "ethic."
> 
> I'd like to hear from across the spectrum what biologists and ecologists and 
> others interested have to say about this subject in general and the cited 
> hypothetical in particular.
> 
> WT
> 
> - Original Message - 
> From: "Michael E. Welker" 
> To: 
> Sent: Tuesday, March 22, 2011 9:55 PM
> Subject: Re: [ECOLOG-L] the precautionary principle makes sense and should 
> be applied to GCC arguments
> 
> 
> White-tailed Deer and Beaver?
> 
> MW
> 
>  - Original Message - 
>  From: Wayne Tyson
>  To: ECOLOG-L@LISTSERV.UMD.EDU
>  Sent: Tuesday, March 22, 2011 1:32 PM
>  Subject: Re: [ECOLOG-L] the precautionary principle makes sense and should 
> be applied to GCC arguments
> 
> 
>  Passenger pigeon, anyone?
> 
>  WT
> 
> 
>  - Original Message - 
>  From: "James Crants" 
>  To: 
>  Sent: Tuesday, March 22, 2011 10:35 AM
>  Subject: Re: [ECOLOG-L] the precautionary principle makes sense and should
>  be applied to GCC arguments
> 
> 
>> On the contrary, examples exist (sea mink, cod) of animal communities
>> being
>>> greatly diminished at the hands of the very people turning a profit 
> from
>>> their harvesting.
>>> 
>>> Phil
>> 
>> 
>> The tragedy of the commons.  The benefit from harvesting a resource
>> accrues
>> only whoever collects it (and probably to some middlemen), while the 
> costs
>> are shared by everyone with a stake in the resource.  The economically
>> rational thing to do, on the individual level, is to harvest as much as
>> you
>> can, but this produces the collective result of putting all the 
> harvesters
>> out of business.  The only way for them to stay in business is for them 
> to
>> accept some set of rules (either their own or someone else's) that keeps
>> them, collectively, from over-harvesting.  If the resource is very 
> scarce,
>> the rules might say not to harvest at all, on the assumption that all 
> the
>> rule-breakers will harvest at unsustainable or barely-sustainable rates.
>> 
>> It's an economic theory, but while almost every ecologist I've talked to
>> about it seems to be familiar with it, every time I've mentioned it to 
> an
>> economist, I've gotten a blank stare in return.
>> 
>> Jim
>> 
>> 
>> -
>> No virus found in this message.
>> Checked by AVG - www.avg.com
>> Version: 10.0.1204 / Virus Database: 1435/3511 - Release Date: 03/16/11
>> 
> 
> 
> -
> No virus found in this message.
> Checked by AVG - www.avg.com
> Version: 10.0.1204 / Virus Database: 1435/3511 - Release Date: 03/16/11

[ECOLOG-L] STUDENT CONFERENCE ON CONSERVATION SCIENCE-New York

[Fiona Brady]

2011 STUDENT CONFERENCE ON CONSERVATION SCIENCE-New York (SCCS-NY)
American Museum of Natural History 
New York City
12-14 October 2011
http://symposia.cbc.amnh.org/sccsny/

The Center for Biodiversity and Conservation at the American Museum of Natural 
History is 
accepting applications to attend the second annual Student Conference on 
Conservation Science-
New York (SCCS-NY). 

SCCS is the only international conference designed for graduate students, 
post-doctoral fellows, 
and early-career professionals pursuing or considering the field of 
conservation science. The 
conference provides a unique opportunity for those beginning their careers to 
present their work 
before leaders in science, policy, and management. In addition to formal 
presentations, SCCS-NY 
offers numerous opportunities to interact with senior-level conservation 
professionals at 
workshops, mentored lunches, informal gatherings, and networking events. Such 
interactions with 
established conservationists encourage collaboration, inspire new avenues of 
research, and launch 
lasting associations.

Applicants wishing to present their work should have completed, or be 
conducting, a research 
project and will be selected based on the quality of their abstract as well as 
its relevance to 
conservation. Projects will be considered from any conservation-related course 
of study, including 
programs in the natural and social sciences and the humanities. 

APPLICATION DEADLINE: 25 April 2011

[ECOLOG-L] Field assistant needed for Columbian ground squirrel study

[Amy Skibiel]

Location: Sheep River Provincial Park, Alberta, Canada

Job Description:Columbian ground squirrels are alpine-dwelling rodents 
that are important to the ecology of the Rocky Mountains. I am looking for 
a motivated field assistant to help with my PhD study on maternal 
investment in reproduction in these fascinating animals. 

Assistants will learn fundamental field techniques, including 
livetrapping, animal handling, ear-tagging, marking, weighing, record-
keeping, and daily visual observation. Assistants must have the ability 
and desire to participate in field work in extreme weather conditions 
(cold, rain, sleet, snow, etc). 

Research assistants will live in the modest University of Calgary-owned 
Kananaskis field station in Sheep River Provincial Park with other 
scientists and graduate students from Canada, USA, and Europe. Commodities 
are basic in the field so applicants must be able to handle these 
conditions. I am looking for a hardworking, diligent, responsible, and 
dedicated assistant. 

The field season starts April 12 and runs until July 9. Priority will be 
given to applicants who are available during this entire time period. One 
assistant is needed. 

Qualifications: Assistants must be (1) genuinely interested in behavioral 
and physiological ecology; (2) speak fluent English; (3) be independently 
motivated; (4) have a good work ethic. The ability to communicate well 
with others, a desire to learn, and a positive attitude are a must. 

To apply: please email a cover letter stating, briefly, how this position 
would be beneficial for your career objectives and a resume to Amy Skibiel 
at skib...@auburn.edu

To apply: please email a cover letter stating, briefly, how this position 
would be beneficial for your career objectives and a resume to Amy Skibiel 
at skib...@auburn.edu

Salary: volunteer

[ECOLOG-L] Ecosystem Management and Wild Game Games WAS: [ECOLOG-L] the precautionary principle makes sense and should be applied to GCC arguments

[Wayne Tyson]

Honorable Forum:

I'd like to see some serious discussion of how ecology as a science and 
ecosystem management as a subdiscipline could better inform "game" 
management as a professional practice and a political phenomenon.


Increasingly, it seems that we, as a society, are regressing back to the 
time when the King's and Queen's owned all wildlife. That is, the people who 
actually live in the wild are effectively prohibited from hunting and 
fishing, for example, through supposedly "democratic" lotteries for "tags" 
that the unwealthy can't afford. This forces those priced out of this 
"market" to poach, and what little data comes from the occasional arrest is 
worse than useless. The King's and Queen's from distant cities fly in, bang 
their buck, and the local businesses get a bigger bang for the buck from 
servile service to these head-hunters than from the local customers they 
already have--those who aren't in jail or who have had to allocate the 
scarce discretionary income they can scrape up to the government, money they 
can't spend in local stores and for local services. This, of course, is 
primarily a political aspect of the issue, but has its roots in a 
well-intentioned conservation "ethic."


I'd like to hear from across the spectrum what biologists and ecologists and 
others interested have to say about this subject in general and the cited 
hypothetical in particular.


WT

- Original Message - 
From: "Michael E. Welker" 

To: 
Sent: Tuesday, March 22, 2011 9:55 PM
Subject: Re: [ECOLOG-L] the precautionary principle makes sense and should 
be applied to GCC arguments



White-tailed Deer and Beaver?

MW

 - Original Message - 
 From: Wayne Tyson

 To: ECOLOG-L@LISTSERV.UMD.EDU
 Sent: Tuesday, March 22, 2011 1:32 PM
 Subject: Re: [ECOLOG-L] the precautionary principle makes sense and should 
be applied to GCC arguments



 Passenger pigeon, anyone?

 WT


 - Original Message - 
 From: "James Crants" 

 To: 
 Sent: Tuesday, March 22, 2011 10:35 AM
 Subject: Re: [ECOLOG-L] the precautionary principle makes sense and should
 be applied to GCC arguments


 > On the contrary, examples exist (sea mink, cod) of animal communities
 > being
 >> greatly diminished at the hands of the very people turning a profit 
from

 >> their harvesting.
 >>
 >> Phil
 >
 >
 > The tragedy of the commons.  The benefit from harvesting a resource
 > accrues
 > only whoever collects it (and probably to some middlemen), while the 
costs

 > are shared by everyone with a stake in the resource.  The economically
 > rational thing to do, on the individual level, is to harvest as much as
 > you
 > can, but this produces the collective result of putting all the 
harvesters
 > out of business.  The only way for them to stay in business is for them 
to

 > accept some set of rules (either their own or someone else's) that keeps
 > them, collectively, from over-harvesting.  If the resource is very 
scarce,
 > the rules might say not to harvest at all, on the assumption that all 
the

 > rule-breakers will harvest at unsustainable or barely-sustainable rates.
 >
 > It's an economic theory, but while almost every ecologist I've talked to
 > about it seems to be familiar with it, every time I've mentioned it to 
an

 > economist, I've gotten a blank stare in return.
 >
 > Jim
 >
 >
 > -
 > No virus found in this message.
 > Checked by AVG - www.avg.com
 > Version: 10.0.1204 / Virus Database: 1435/3511 - Release Date: 03/16/11
 >


-
No virus found in this message.
Checked by AVG - www.avg.com
Version: 10.0.1204 / Virus Database: 1435/3511 - Release Date: 03/16/11

[ECOLOG-L] Using Google Earth to Identify Wetlands

[Marc Seelinger]

The Swamp School is pleased to offer a FREE class on how to use Google Earth
for wetland assessment and identification. This class is part of our wetland
delineation program which is offered on a monthly basis. There is no cost or
obligation to participate in the class and enrollment is currently open. To
find out more about this great class please visit our website:

http://swampschool.org/freeclasses/google-earth/

We are also including a BONUS iPhone/Android App that you can use in the
field. It is really cool!

[ECOLOG-L] Advanced Conservation GIS and Remote Sensing Course offered by the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute

[NZP-GISCourse]

[Apologies for cross-posting]

The Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute is offering the following course:


Advanced Course for GIS in Conservation and Wildlife Management:



Measuring Landcover Change

and its Impact on Endangered Species

May 23 - 27

This one-week advanced GIS and remote sensing course provides conservationists 
with an opportunity to learn how GIS and remote sensing can
be used to assess the conservation status of endangered species. Each
participant will be provided with their own desktop computer for all lab
exercises. During the hands-on exercises participants will use the Internet,
ArcGIS, ERDAS Imagine, Fragstats, and other spatial analysis programs. 
Instructors will lead participants step-by-step through the process of:

* conducting a regional conservation assessment using GIS to determine critical 
conservation areas for an endangered species

* acquiring multi-date satellite imagery to quantify land cover change and to 
map the extent of the remaining habitat

* using landscape analysis to determine optimal landscape configurations for 
conserving the endangered species.

Visit our website for more details and registration information:
http://nationalzoo.si.edu/ConservationAndScience/ConservationGIS/GIS_training/advanced_GIS

To contact us directly:
GIS Course Coordinator
giscou...@si.edu
1500 Remount Road
Front Royal, VA 22630
540-635-6535 (GIS Lab)
540-635-6506 (FAX)

**Note: An introductory course will be offered the previous week, May 16-20**

For more information on any of our other courses please see:
http://nationalzoo.si.edu/ConservationAndScience/ConservationGIS/GIS_training/

[ECOLOG-L] Intro Conservation GIS Course offered by the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute

[NZP-GISCourse]

[Apologies for cross-posting]

The Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute is offering the following course:


An Introduction to the use of ArcGIS in Conservation and Wildlife Management

May 16-20

Increasingly, Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and Remote Sensing – the 
mapping of features using imagery acquired either from an aircraft or a 
satellite - have become important tools for decision-making and the applied 
management of natural resources.  Many federal agencies and NGO's rely on GIS 
and satellite data for their work and are starting to produce their own spatial 
databases.  However, there are few training opportunities for wildlife managers 
to learn the application of GIS in everyday management situations.  We are 
offering a course for wildlife managers that will provide hands-on experience 
for the collection of data, GIS analysis of the data, and map-making using the 
latest ESRI (ArcGIS) and ERDAS software.

This one-week course will provide conservation professionals with a working 
knowledge of the application of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and Remote 
Sensing to the monitoring and management of wildlife and forest vegetation.  
Exercises in establishing locations with a Global Positioning System (GPS), 
data input into a GIS, and spatial analysis techniques for GIS will provide 
hands-on and real world experience during the course.  Based on examples about 
habitat selection in songbirds and white-tailed deer, course participants will 
learn how to:

* Collect GIS data in the field using survey techniques and GPS
* Differentially correct GPS data
* Input GPS data into GIS
* Input field data into GIS
* Use GIS for management of large data sets from multiple sources
* Design and perform analysis using GIS data and spatial analysis techniques
* Integrate data with ancillary data, such as satellite imagery, aerial 
photography, and State Agency databases

Visit the following web address for more details and registration information:
http://nationalzoo.si.edu/ConservationAndScience/ConservationGIS/GIS_training/introduction/

To contact us directly:
GIS Course Coordinator
giscou...@si.edu
1500 Remount Road
Front Royal, VA 22630
540-635-6535 (GIS Lab)
540-635-6506 (FAX)

**Note: An Advanced Course is offered during the following week, May 23-27**

For more information on any of our other courses please see:
http://nationalzoo.si.edu/ConservationAndScience/ConservationGIS/GIS_training/

[ECOLOG-L] Tragedy of the Commons revisited (RE: the precautionary principle...)

[James Crants]

Quick note:

It wasn't accurate for me to characterize the Tragedy of the Commons
(proposed by Garrett Hardin 1968, Science 162: 1243-1248) as an economic
theory, though it is, in part.  It is every bit as much an ecological theory
to explain why over-population is a serious problem and why people should
not be free to breed as much as they please.  This origin in the
overpopulation debate would explain why this theory is apparently so much
better-known in ecology and in economics.

The theory has been used to argue for government regulation of open-access
resources, like fish and herps, and also for privatization of property owned
by the government (national parks, rangelands, etc.) and property owned by
nobody (open ocean).  Both applications of the theory have their failings.

As Beryl Crowe (1969, Science166, 1103-1107) argued in a response to the
original paper, government regulation tends to break down because the broad
coalition that inspires the creation of the regulatory agency is less
interested and less determined than the people the agency is meant to
regulate.  Through relentless pressure, the regulated parties eventually
take over the regulating agency, making it an expensive Potemkin regulator.

Privatization has numerous problems with which most of us are probably
familiar.  To name a few:

(1) People don't necessarily manage resources more sustainably on their own
property than they do on communal property.

(2) Privatization, when it works, works on economically valuable resources,
and only when the value of those resources accrue to the owners of the
resource disproportionately.  The wetland adjacent to the river filters the
water for people downstream, but not so much for the person who owns the
wetland.  The view from your ranchette house is worth more to you than it
costs anyone else to have your house mar the beauty of the natural
landscape.

(3) Privatizing a resource by dividing up the land or water in which it's
found doesn't work so well if that resource is highly mobile, like wild fish
and birds or clean water..

(4) Private property is the heart of capitalism, and, for all its virtues,
one of the main things capitalism rewards is the prior possession of wealth.
 Privatized resources accrue disproportionately to the wealthy.  Privatizing
public or open-access resources, like fisheries, national parks, and public
schools, ultimately amounts to handing the best of these resources over to
the wealthy and reducing or eliminating whatever access everyone else once
had.

Anyway, I mostly wanted to correct my assertion that the Tragedy of the
Commons was primarily an economic theory.  Someone told me that in my early
training, and it didn't occur to me to question it until I had echoed that
error to the forum.

Jim Crants

[ECOLOG-L] AIC MODEL SELECTION COURSES -- SUMMER 2011

[David R. Anderson]

I am planning to offer several 2-day courses on the Information-Theoretic 
approaches to statistical inference over the coming summer months.  These 
courses focus on the practical application of these new methods and are 
based on Kullback-Leibler information and Akaike’s information criterion 
(AIC).  The material follows my recent textbook,

Anderson, D. R. 2008. Model based inference in the life sciences: a primer  
on evidence. Springer, New York, NY. 184pp.

A copy of this book, a reference sheet, and several handouts are included in 
the registration fee.  These courses stress science and science philosophy 
as much as statistical methods.  The focus is on quantification and 
qualification of formal evidence concerning alternative science hypotheses.  

These courses can be hosted, organized, and delivered at your university, 
agency, institute, or training center.  I have given 45-50 of these courses 
and they have been well received.  The courses are informal and discussion 
and debate are encouraged.  The courses are informative and it is easy to 
understand the material.  Additional insights can be found at

http://aicanderson2.home.comcast.net

Details on hosting such a course are given at

http://aicanderson1.home.comcast.net

If you are interested in hosting a course at your location, please contact 
me.  

Thank you.

David R. Anderson
quietander...@yahoo.com

[ECOLOG-L] Field assistant job announcement

[Corrie Folsom-O'Keefe]

FIELD RESEARCH ASSISTANTS (1-2)
YALE UNIVERSITY
June 1 to August 26

1-2 field assistant positions are available for a study of the role of mammals
in the transmission of Lyme disease on Block Island, Rhode Island. 
Responsibilities will include live-trapping small mammals (predominantly mice)
on Block Island, collecting ticks on Block Island and potentially at other
Southern New England locations, and possibly laboratory work (DNA extraction,
Polymerase chain reaction, and gel electrophoresis) at Yale University School
of Public Health in New Haven, CT. This is a great opportunity for someone
looking to get experience and make connections with researchers in disease
ecology, an interdisciplinary and growing field.

QUALIFICATIONS: Applicants must have previous field experience, preferably with
live-trapping, handling, and identification of small mammals.  Applicants
should be able to carry loads of up to 50 lbs. while hiking over rugged terrain
in potentially hot weather.  Applicants must have a vehicle.
LOGISTICS: Salary is $300/week. Housing will be provided and mileage is covered.
 APPLY: Send cover letter, resume, and the names, phone numbers, and email
addresses of 2 references to corrine.folsom AT yale.edu. Hiring will begin
immediately and positions will remain open until filled.


Corrie Folsom-O'Keefe
Research Assistant
Diuk-Wasser Lab
Yale School of Public Health
203-785-2227
corrine.fol...@yale.edu

[ECOLOG-L] high pH and Freshwater invertebrates

[Kerry Griffis-Kyle]

Can anyone point me to research that is being done, or has been done, 
on basic pH (anything above 8.5) and freshwater invertebrates.

I've done literature searches and found very little.  The two I have 
found so far are:
Berezina N.A. (2001) Influence of ambient pH on freshwater 
invertebrates under experimental conditions. Russian Journal of Ecology 
32(5):343 – 351.
Zalizniak, L., B.J. Kefford, and D. Nugegoda (2009) Effects of pH on 
salinity tolerance of selected freshwater invertebrates. Aquatic Ecology 
43(1)135 -- 144.

Thank you and I apologize for any cross-postings.

Kerry Griffis-Kyle
Texas Tech University

kerry.griffis-k...@ttu.edu

[ECOLOG-L] ASBPA Coastal Conference 2011 - New Orleans: Expanding Coastal Horizons: Oct 19-21

[Amy Williams]

America's Shore and Beach Preservation Association's 2011 National Coastal
Conference: New Orleans - Expanding Coastal Horizons from Oct 19-21. 

We need presenters, sponsors, and exhibitors! Call for Abstracts available
at: http://asbpa.org/ We also need help getting the word out about the
conference to any researchers and professionals in the field.  I am in need
of some local New Orleans contacts to help publicize the conference. Anyone
interested in participating or getting involved in anyway, please contact
Amy Williams, oceanwaves7...@gmail.com.  

[ECOLOG-L] Call for Nomination of Best Restored Beach 2011 (Deadline April 8) - America's Shore and Beach Preservation Association

[Amy Williams]

What is a Best Restored Beach? 
http://asbpa.org/about_us/about_us_best_restored_beach_2011.htm

For the last 40 years, beach restoration has been the preferred method of
shore protection in coastal communities on the east, west and Gulf coasts.
Beach restoration is the process of placing beach-quality sand on eroding
beaches to reverse or offset the effects of erosion.

The three main reasons for restoration are:

* Storm protection – A wide sandy beach helps separate storm waves from
upland structures and infrastructure
* Habitat restoration – Numerous species rely on wide, healthy beaches
as a place to live, feed and nest
* Recreation – America’s beaches have twice as many visitors annually as
all of America’s national parks combined. Every year, there are over 2
billion visitors to America’s beaches. In 2007, beaches contributed $322
billion to the America’s economy. More importantly, for every dollar the
federal government spends on beach nourishment, it gets $320 back in tax
revenues.

Coastal communities have restored more than 370 beaches in the United
States, including such iconic coastlines as Miami Beach, Coney Island and
Southern California’s Venice Beach.

To meet submission deadlines, all nominations must be sent electronically to
bestrestoredbe...@asbpa.org by April 8, 2011. The nomination text must be in
MS Word, WordPerfect, or PDF, and photos must be saved in JPEG or TIF
formats. A nomination checklist is available here.

Nomination packages must contain the following:
1. Nominator’s contact information (name, address, phone, fax, email).
2. The name and contact information for the nominee’s public relations
specialist who will be coordinating with the media for press releases, etc.
3. Project description (whether or not it is a federal project, sponsors,
designers, engineers, location, length, dates and volumes of nourishment
material for each nourishment episode and dates of nourishments, obstacles
overcome, success of project).
4. At least one professional quality color photograph of restored beach with
release (tourist development councils and local resorts are good sources for
photos of this quality).
5. Project locator map.
6. Before and after restoration photographs.
7. A statement about why you consider this beach a best restored beach in
the United States.

Winners will be notified in advance. ASBPA will prepare press releases to
notify the media of the winner. Winners must agree to provide press releases
to their local media and arrange for a representative to be present at the
2012 ASBPA Summit in Washington D.C. to accept the award.

All materials submitted will become property of the American Shore and Beach
Preservation Association and will not be returned. A nomination from 2010
that was not chosen can be carried over to 2011.

http://asbpa.org/about_us/about_us_best_restored_beach.htm

[ECOLOG-L] Call for Abstract (May 13) and Awards (Aug12) (Students Awards Too!) - America's Shore and Beach Preservation Association National Conference - New Orleans Oct 19-21

[Amy Williams]

The American Shore and Beach Preservation Association (ASBPA) would like to
invite you and your students to submit abstracts (due May 13) for the 2011
National Coastal Conference at the New Orleans Marriott Hotel, New Orleans,
LA, October 19-21, focusing on Expanding Coastal Horizons.  Please join our
national organization in recognizing that coastal issues extend beyond the
narrow strip where waves wash ashore, but also include inland marshes, bays
and estuaries, and offshore areas.  As part of an on-going effort of ASBPA
to increase the involvement of academics, students, and young professionals
in the organization, we ask that you please forward to interested students,
recent graduates, or other faculty.

Our organization prides itself on promoting science-based policies for the
protection of both beaches and shores, and thus the theme of this year’s
conference, Expanding Coastal Horizons.  Therefore, ASBPA encourages you and
your students to share your academic findings relating to myriad aspects of
coastal research including Regional Sediment Management, Beach Nourishment,
Marsh and Estuary Restoration, Coastal Modeling, Sand Investigations and
Resource Management, Relative Sea Level Rise, and many other technical and
policy oriented topics.  Please see the attached Call for Papers for
additional information.

Student membership rates are only $25, which among other things includes a
hard copy of our quarterly journal, Shore & Beach, first published in 1933.
 Student rates for the fall conference are $200.  Included in this fee is a
one-year membership to ASBPA, as well as inclusion of meals, breaks, and
reception while at the conference, which provide a great opportunity for
student networking. 

In addition, each year one or more student scholarships are awarded, which
can be used for anything, such as aiding in travel costs.  The student
awards this year are the 2011 ASBPA Student Educational Award and the 2011
Nicholas Kraus Coastal Scholar Award.  Award nominations are due August 12.
 Please see the attached Call for Awards for additional information.

Thank you on behalf of the American Shore and Beach Preservation
Association’s Student Involvement Committee.   For more information, see
www.asbpa.org.  And please also visit our recently launched Student Member
page, http://www.asbpa.org/membership/membership_students.htm.

[ECOLOG-L] PhD position University of Guelph [Canada]: Metacommunity Dynamics and Community Assembly

[Andrew MacDougall]

Metacommunity dynamics should play a critical role in the assembly of 
plant communities, based on the potential influences of dispersal, source-
sink dynamics, stochastic factors, and trait-based species sorting. Using 
combined experimental, demographic, and/or statistical approaches, this 
project will test the relative influence of these factors with a unique 
large-scale (45 acre), long-term assembly experiment in tallgrass prairie 
in southern Ontario. I seek a highly-motivated PhD candidate with a  
theoretical or field-based empirical background to use this project as the 
basis for their dissertation research, starting 2011 or 2012. The 
direction and scope of the research will be self-determined based on 
interest and background. Possible topics include (but are not limited to): 
whether population, community, and ecosystem-level responses to 
metacommunity processes are synergistically linked or unfold independently 
during assembly; whether producer, herbivore, and predator responses are 
synergistically linked or unfold independently during assembly; the degree 
to which the relative strengths of metacommunity processes vary at 
different stages of assembly; whether the size, shape, and connectivity of 
metacommunity patches influence their stability and functioning; and how 
extrinsic influences associated with climate change, fire, and herbivory 
deflect or intensify assembly trajectories. The successful student will be 
remunerated with a combination of fellowships, research or teaching 
assistantships, with funding guaranteed for three years. Please submit a 
letter of interest and CV including grades to Dr. Andrew MacDougall, 
Department of Integrative Biology (amacd...@uoguelph.ca).

[ECOLOG-L] Position for a PhD student in Plant Systematics available at NCB Naturalis

[Vincent Merckx]

Dear all,

Currently the NCB Naturalis has a position available for a PhD student for a 
project on:

Evolution and biogeography of tropical understorey plants

Modern tropical rain forests are one of the most important and species rich 
biomes on the planet. 
They are generally characterized by a stratified closed canopy, which creates 
deep shade for 
understorey plants. Numerous flowering plant lineages show particular 
adaptations to grow in 
these low-light environments (e.g. leaf shape, dependence on mycorrhizal 
fungi). How this 
diversity of tropical understorey plants evolved remains largely unexplained. 
In this project, the 
candidate will use a combination of multi-gene phylogenetic analyses, molecular 
clock dating, 
diversification analyses, and biogeographical reconstructions to explore the 
relationship between 
rain forest history and shade tolerance in tropical flowering plants. The 
student will be expected to 
use the herbarium collections at NCB Naturalis and to take part in at least one 
collection trip to 
Southeast Asia. This project will require inferring phylogenetic relationships 
of particular lineages 
of tropical understorey plants, as well as constructing hypotheses of the 
biogeographical histories 
of these clades. The candidate will integrate methods in systematics, 
collection-based research, 
fieldwork, morphology, phylogenetics, and historical biogeography. The goal 
will be to try to 
discover common patterns in the evolution of rain forest understorey plants. 
The results will 
provide insights into the history of modern rain forests, and will be 
transferrable to conservation 
research.

Skills: The successful applicant will have proven knowledge of molecular 
phylogenetics and plant 
systematics.

General requirements
You have a master degree in systematics, evolutionary biology or other relevant 
disciplines. You 
have a scientific and critical attitude, excellent time management and 
organizational skills, the 
ability to work independently, good verbal and written communication skills. 
Fluency in English 
required.

We offer
A fulltime contract (36 hours per week) for a period of four years, starting 
June 1st 2011. However, 
the start date can be postponed by a few months if necessary. A salary that is 
comparable with 
salary for PhD’s at Dutch Universities. All our employees are incorporated into 
a pension fund. The 
successful candidate will be employed by NCB Naturalis in Leiden. The candidate 
will alsobe 
affiliated to the University of Leiden. The appointment must lead to the 
completion of a PhD thesis. 
During your appointment you will be supervised by Dr. Vincent Merckx.

Procedure
You are invited to submit your application including your curriculum vitae, a 
list of publications, up 
to five keywords describing your research interests, and the names and e-mail 
addresses of at 
least two persons that can be contacted for reference (and who have agreed to 
be contacted) 
before April 15th 2011 by e-mail to; sollicitat...@ncbnaturalis.nl, or by mail; 
NCB Naturalis, HR 
department, PO box 9517, 2300 RA Leiden, the Netherlands.
For more information on the current research and facilities, see the websites 
of the founding 
partners of the NCB Naturalis, on www.ncbnaturalis.nl - www.nhn.leidenuniv.nl - 
www.science.uva.nl/zma - www.bis.wur.nl/UK/Organisation/Herbarium

Any additional information can be requested from:
Prof. Dr. E.F. Smets, scientific director 
Netherlands Centre for Biodiversity Naturalis 
E-mail: erik.sm...@ncbnaturalis.nl 
Phone: +31 71 5687 713

Or:
Dr. Vincent Merckx  
Research Fellow
Netherlands Centre for Biodiversity Naturalis (section NHN)
P.O. Box 9514, 2300RA Leiden, The Netherlands
email: mer...@nhn.leidenuniv.nl
phone: + 31 71 5273570
fax: + 31 71 5273522

[ECOLOG-L] [Fwd: PhD fellowship on hydrological dimension of dryland afforestation in Central Asia]

[Manuel Morales]

 Forwarded Message 
> From: Inken Rabbel 
> To: ecolog-l-requ...@listserv.umd.edu
> 
> Subject: PhD fellowship on hydrological dimension of dryland
> afforestation in Central Asia
> Date: Wed, 23 Mar 2011 12:47:52 +0100
> 
> Dear Sir or Madam,
> 
>  
> 
> please find attached a vacancy announcement for the following position
> at the Center for Development Research in Bonn, Germany: PhD
> fellowship on hydrological dimension of dryland afforestation in
> Central Asia
> 
>  
> 
> Could you send it around to the members of the list server?
> 
>  
> 
> Thanks and best regards
> 
>  
> 
> Inken Rabbel
> 
>  
> 
> 
>  
> 
> PhD fellowship on hydrological dimension of dryland afforestation in
> Central Asia
> 
>  
> 
> ZEF is looking for a candidate to conduct a PhD study as a part of the
> interdisciplinary research project “Opportunities for climate change
> adaptation and mitigation through afforestation of degraded lands in
> Central Asia”, which was initiated by ZEF in 2009 with a financial
> support from the Robert Bosch Stiftung (more info on
> http://www.zef.de/1631.html) 
> 
>  
> 
> The hydrological component of the project will aim to examine water
> use by mixed-species tree plantations established on degraded, highly
> salinized cropland, tree-groundwater interaction and potential impacts
> on water balance from introducing trees in irrigated croplands. 
> 
>  
> 
> The fellowship will provide a stipend and research funds to pursue
> this doctoral study. 
> 
>  
> 
> Requirements for the applicants: 
> 
> - Master’s degree in natural sciences; 
> 
> - experience in (hydrological) modeling; 
> 
> - (agro)forestry background is advantageous; 
> 
> - good writing skills in English; 
> 
> - team-work orientation. 
> 
>  
> 
> Start and duration of the PhD study: 
> 
> Starting with developing a full research proposal in May 2011 at ZEF
> and proceeding with the field work in August 2011. The duration of the
> scholarship period is 3 years. 
> 
>  
> 
> Duty station: 
> 
> During fieldwork: Khorezm province, Uzbekistan and Beruny province,
> Karakalpakstan; Otherwise: Bonn, Germany. 
> 
>  
> 
> The eligible candidates are invited to send their applications via
> email including: 
> 
> - a letter of motivation; 
> 
> - a concept note (2-3pp) that would outline the research proposal on
> the suggested topic, including problem statement, research objectives
> and suitable methodologies; 
> 
> - Curriculum Vitae, 
> 
> - and copies of certificates, to: 
> 
>  
> 
> Inken Rabbel 
> 
> Center for Development Research (ZEF) 
> 
> Walter Flex Str., 3, 53113 Bonn, Germany 
> 
> E-mail: irab...@uni-bonn.de 
> 
> Tel: +49 228 734927, Fax: +49 228 731889 
> 
>  
> 
> Closing date for submitting the application is May 1, 2011.
> Short-listed candidates will be contacted for a personal interview.
> 
>  
> 
>  
> 
>  
> 
> --
> 
>
> 
> Inken Rabbel
> 
> Project Assistant
> 
> Center for Development Research
> 
> Department of Ecology and Resource Management
> 
> Walter-Flex-Str. 3
> 
> 53113 Bonn, Germany
> 
>  
> 
> Email: irab...@uni-bonn.de
> 
> Phone: +49 0228 73 4927
> 
> http://www.zef.de/1631.html
> 
>  
> 
> 

Re: [ECOLOG-L] the precautionary principle makes sense and should be applied to GCC arguments

[Michael E. Welker]

White-tailed Deer and Beaver?

MW

  - Original Message - 
  From: Wayne Tyson 
  To: ECOLOG-L@LISTSERV.UMD.EDU 
  Sent: Tuesday, March 22, 2011 1:32 PM
  Subject: Re: [ECOLOG-L] the precautionary principle makes sense and should be 
applied to GCC arguments


  Passenger pigeon, anyone?

  WT


  - Original Message - 
  From: "James Crants" 
  To: 
  Sent: Tuesday, March 22, 2011 10:35 AM
  Subject: Re: [ECOLOG-L] the precautionary principle makes sense and should 
  be applied to GCC arguments


  > On the contrary, examples exist (sea mink, cod) of animal communities 
  > being
  >> greatly diminished at the hands of the very people turning a profit from
  >> their harvesting.
  >>
  >> Phil
  >
  >
  > The tragedy of the commons.  The benefit from harvesting a resource 
  > accrues
  > only whoever collects it (and probably to some middlemen), while the costs
  > are shared by everyone with a stake in the resource.  The economically
  > rational thing to do, on the individual level, is to harvest as much as 
  > you
  > can, but this produces the collective result of putting all the harvesters
  > out of business.  The only way for them to stay in business is for them to
  > accept some set of rules (either their own or someone else's) that keeps
  > them, collectively, from over-harvesting.  If the resource is very scarce,
  > the rules might say not to harvest at all, on the assumption that all the
  > rule-breakers will harvest at unsustainable or barely-sustainable rates.
  >
  > It's an economic theory, but while almost every ecologist I've talked to
  > about it seems to be familiar with it, every time I've mentioned it to an
  > economist, I've gotten a blank stare in return.
  >
  > Jim
  >
  >
  > -
  > No virus found in this message.
  > Checked by AVG - www.avg.com
  > Version: 10.0.1204 / Virus Database: 1435/3511 - Release Date: 03/16/11
  >