[ECOLOG-L] Dryad digital data repository article

[David Inouye]

http://blog.datadryad.org/2012/01/24/a-new-tool-for-fighting-the-file-drawer-effect/ 



Welcome to Dryad news and views, a blog about news and events related 
to the Dryad 
digital repository.  

[ECOLOG-L] Graduate studies in ecology and evolution at East Carolina University

[Chalcraft, David]

GRADUATE STUDIES IN ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION AT EAST CAROLINA UNIVERSITY
The graduate program in the Department of Biology at East Carolina University 
invites applications from prospective PhD and MS students for fall 2012.  East 
Carolina University is the third largest campus in the University of NC system 
and has an active and well-supported group of faculty working in the areas of 
ecology and evolution.  Currently, we have 67 MS students and 26 doctoral 
students enrolled in our graduate programs.  Students accepted into the 
Interdisciplinary Doctoral Program in Biological Sciences will receive two 
years of support with no teaching obligations and at least five years of 
support total, at a very competitive level.  TA-ships are readily available in 
our two MS programs and Biology faculty members also supervise students in 
ECU's Coastal Resource Management PhD program. Graduate students will be 
encouraged to participate in the newly formed North Carolina Center for 
Biodiversity (NCCB) at East Carolina University.  Goals of the NCCB include 
training graduate students in biodiversity research and providing them 
opportunities to participate in related outreach.

Our students enjoy living in the affordable community of Greenville, NC, 
participating in seminar series and journal clubs that feature research in 
ecology and evolution, and having access to several natural areas, universities 
and research centers located in central and eastern NC.  Our faculty members 
conduct research across the globe and excellent opportunities exist to work in 
terrestrial, freshwater, wetland and marine systems.

Application deadlines vary with particular programs but students applying early 
will have a greater chance of receiving financial support.  Please visit 
http://www.ecu.edu/biology/ to find out more about our department, faculty and 
graduate programs.  In addition to visiting departmental and faculty websites, 
please contact prospective mentors directly or our director of graduate 
studies, Terry West (we...@ecu.edu), for more information.

Departmental faculty with expertise in ecology and evolution include:

Marcelo Ardon: Aquatic ecosystem ecology and biogeochemistry.
Chris Balakrishnan: Avian evolutionary and behavioral genomics.
David Chalcraft: Population and community ecology; ecological aspects of 
biodiversity.
Robert Christian: Coastal ecosystem ecology and network ecology.
Lisa Clough: Marine benthic ecology (Arctic and Atlantic).
Ashley Egan: Plant bioinformatics, evolutionary genomics and systematics.
Carol Goodwillie: Plant mating system evolution, plant population ecology and 
genetics.
Pat Harris: Fish ecology and life history, fisheries management.
Jinling Huang: Evolutionary genomics and bioinformatics.
Claudia Jolls: Plant evolutionary ecology and conservation.
Dave Kimmel: Plankton ecology.
Trip Lamb: Systematics and phylogeography.
Joe Luczkovich: Food web ecology and fish bioacoustics.
Jeff McKinnon: Sexual selection, speciation, mainly in fish.
Sue McRae: Behavioral ecology and social evolution in birds.
Anthony Overton: Larval fish ecology, fisheries biology.
Enrique Reyes: Landscape ecology, ecological modeling, coastal management.
Roger Rulifson: Fish ecology and fisheries.
Matt Schrenk: Microbial ecology, geo-microbiology.
Ed Stellwag: Vertebrate evo-devo and cis-regulatory network evolution.
John Stiller: Molecular evolution and comparative genomics.
Kyle Summers: Evolution of color, behavior in poison frogs; 
evolutionarymedicine.
Heather Vance-Chalcraft: Community ecology.
Terry West:  Human impacts on coastal ecosystems.
Baohong Zhang: MicroRNA evolution, comparative genomics, and molecular genetics.
Yong Zhu: Comparative evolution and molecular functions of hormones and 
receptors.

[ECOLOG-L] Registration reminder for upcoming Plant Biodiversity Conference Mar 13-14, Seattle, WA

[Julie Combs]

Greetings-
This is a registration reminder concerning the upcoming conference: "Conserving 
Plant Biodiversity in a Changing World: A View from Northwestern North America," a 
conference hosted by University of Washington Botanic Gardens March 13-14, 2012.

Registration and our newly posted conference session schedule can be accessed 
from the conference homepage:
http://depts.washington.edu/uwbg/research/plant-biodiversity-2012.shtml

Thank you!
2012 Plant Biodiversity Steering Committee

[ECOLOG-L] College Internship in Suburban Ecology

[Mark Weckel]

College Internship in Suburban Ecology: 2012
Mianus River Gorge Preserve

Program Description

The MRGP is offering 3 internship positions for undergraduate students
interested in protecting and conserving protected areas in urbanizing
landscapes. 

•Stipend: $100/week or combination of school credit and stipend (depending
on university requirements).
•8 week internships. Longer internships may be available upon request.
Internships will run from June to July
•Each intern will work alongside MRGP staff on a variety of projects
including wildlife monitoring, non-native species management, and GIS
applications. Interns will also be asked to assist in routine preserve
husbandry and data management.

•Special Research Projects for 2012:
o Using lures to improve the quality of camera trap photos
o Camera trapping coyotes in NYC parks 
o Wildflower Restoration
o Constructing and monitoring deer exclosures
o Millipede diet and ecology

Applicant Eligibility

•All undergraduate students are eligible to apply. While we do not require
applicants to major in a particular discipline, exposure to the fields of
ecology, environmental science, or geography is encouraged. 
•Students must enjoy working outdoors and be capable of long work days in
the field.
•Students need to demonstrate an interest in learning about how to manage
and to conserve protected areas in human-altered landscapes.  

Application Process

•Please fill-out the attached application and submit along with 1 letter of
recommendation and your CV/resume.  Applicant may be contacted for a phone
interview. 

Questions?
Contact Mark Weckel: mwec...@mianus.org

[ECOLOG-L] Ugandan Butterflies Podcast

[Tracy Barbaro]

Ugandan Butterflies Podcast
Pieridae, Abisara neavei

The landscape of Uganda has changed radically, for butterflies as well as 
people. It’s change that can be measured in many ways—in the inches of 
rainfall, acres of forest cleared—or the span of a tiny butterfly’s wings.

Learn more in our new podcast.
http://education.eol.org/podcast/ugandan-butterflies

--
About the Encyclopedia of Life

The Encyclopedia of Life is a collaborative effort among scientists and the 
general public to bring information together about all 1.9 million named and 
known species, in a common format, freely available on the internet. Learn 
more at www.eol.org.

[ECOLOG-L] REVISED - NYC Stopover Biology - Banding Assistants, Birders, Volunteers Needed

[Rachel Bricklin]

BANDING ASSISTANTS (2), FORAGING OBSERVATIONS BIRDER (1), FORAGING
OBSERVER VOLUNTTERS (1-2), AND TRANSECT SURVEY VOLUNTEERS (1-2) NEEDED
to help with graduate student research on urban and suburban stopover
sites of migratory birds in New York City. Banding assistants
band/bleed birds from sunrise until 4 hours after sunrise 4-5 mornings
per week from April 9 – May 25. Foraging observations birder observes
4 plots near the banding site for 1 hour each on the same mornings
that we band. Volunteers survey transects, help record foraging
observations data, and may also help with habitat assessment. Field
sites are located in Bronx County and Westchester County. REQUIREMENTS
FOR BANDING ASSISTANTS: Available for the entire period from April 9 –
May 25 (dates slightly flexible), able to provide own housing and
transportation, some bird handling/bleeding/banding experience (and
strong desire to learn/improve these skills while always putting the
safety of the birds first), field experience, and good attitude.
REQUIREMENTS FOR FORAGING OBSERVATIONS BIRDER: Available for the
entire period from April 9 – May 25 (dates slightly flexible), able to
provide own housing and transportation, bird identification skills,
ideally some plant identification skills, field experience, and good
attitude. REQUIREMENTS FOR VOLUNTEERS: Available at least some
mornings from April 9 – May 25, able to provide own housing and
transportation, ideally some bird/plant/insect identification skills
(or strong desire to learn), ideally some field experience, and good
attitude. I CAN OFFER IN RETURN: Lots of field experience in a
laid-back setting. Former field assistants have gone on to graduate
school as well as to more permanent field positions. These positions
are great opportunities to gain experience in the fields of
conservation biology, urban ecology, and field ornithology. For
banding assistants and the foraging observations birder, I will
provide a $500 honorarium at the end of the season. TO APPLY: Please
submit resume, cover letter outlining relevant experience, and contact
information for 3 references via e-mail to Rachel Bricklin, Department
of Biological Sciences, Fordham University (bricklin AT fordham.edu).
Please indicate whether you are applying for a banding assistant,
foraging observations birder, or volunteer position.

-- 
Rachel B. Bricklin
Ph.D. Candidate in Biology
Department of Biological Sciences
Fordham University
Bronx, NY

[ECOLOG-L] Funding available to support training in statistical and modeling activities

[Shannon LaDeau]

RCN FORECAST has funds to support travel and logistics for 10 
students/postdocs to pursue brief exchanges or workshops outside of their 
home institution in order to learn new statistical and data-model 
assimilation techniques. Preference will be given to applicants pursuing 
training that aligns with FORECAST goals, as described below. 

Applicants should submit names and information for 3 references, a budget, 
and a short (300 word limit) proposal describing the logistics and why 
this opportunity is important for the individual’s education and career 
goals. The proposal should indicate that prior approval from the proposed 
lab’s PI has been obtained and when proposed travel would occur. RCN 
FORECAST will provide up to $2000 to support travel and lodging. 

Applicant materials and questions should be submitted electronically to 
Shannon LaDeau (lade...@caryinstitute.org‎) with "FORECAST exchange 
application_your last name" in the subject line. Application deadline is 
March 31, 2012. FORECAST encourages applicants from diverse discipline, 
gender and ethnic groups. 

FORECAST is a NSF-funded RCN supporting activities with the primary 
objective of further developing, applying, and promoting ecological 
forecasting and data assimilation techniques. http://ecolab.ou.edu/?rcn-
forecast

[ECOLOG-L] Underwater Monitoring Logistics

[Laginhas, Brittany]

Hello all,

Does anyone have experience with underwater video recording? I am looking to 
record a small number of freshwater mussels (n=15) in the field for 2 - 6 hours 
daily for approximately 5 days under very low-flow conditions. The camera will 
be situated on a pole located at the center of a PVC grid with an each 
individual placed in separate grid block. The camera's vantage point will be a 
bird's eye view of the PVC grid. One thing to keep in mind is that the initial 
installation of the underwater video recording system will be performed by a 
diver; however, subsequent modifications must be made at the surface over the 5 
day period.

I appreciate your help!

Sincerely,

Brittany Laginhas

[ECOLOG-L] Wilderness Society Gloria Barron Scholarship: Now Accepting Applications.

[Christine Soliva]

The Gloria Barron Wilderness Society Scholarship is available to qualified 
graduate students. It is created in honor of Gloria Barron, dedicated educator 
and tireless advocate for wilderness protection, and administered by The 
Wilderness Society, a leading conservation organization based in Washington, 
D.C. The scholarship amount varies from year to year.  Historically, we've 
awarded $10,000 to graduate students to support their research and preparation 
of a paper on an aspect of wilderness.  We strongly encourage proposals 
relating to climate change, as well as other topics regarding wilderness 
conservation. 

Additional funding will be provided to pay travel expenses for the recipient to 
work with staff members of The Wilderness Society on this project. The 
Wilderness Society wishes to encourage the publication of this work in an 
academic journal or other appropriate medium and has additional funds to help 
cover expenses of publishing and publicizing the final paper.

The scholarship seeks to encourage individuals who have the potential to make a 
significant positive difference in the long term protection of wilderness in 
the United States. In the past, individuals like Aldo Leopold and Rachel Carson 
have made that kind of lasting difference. They possessed all the skills needed 
to excel in their respective professions, but they also possessed something 
more: the courage and the vision to think afresh about how and why to protect 
our wild lands and the ability to communicate those ideas effectively to others.

For more information about the scholarship and how to apply, please visit our 
website at http://wilderness.org/content/gloria-barron-scholarship-guidelines

Deadline: March 31, 2012

Best,

Christine Soliva
Research Project Coordinator
The Wilderness Society 
www.wilderness.org

Facebook: www.facebook.com/TheWildernessSociety
Twitter: twitter.com/Wilderness

[ECOLOG-L] Graduate Student opportunity in global change and wetland ecosystem ecology at UMD and Smithsonian Environmental Research Center

[Mozdzer, Thomas]

We invite applications for either a Master's or a PhD student interested in 
global change and ecosystem ecology at the University of Maryland.  The student 
can apply to either the MEES (Marine-Estuarine-Environmental Sciences) or 
Environmental Science & Technology  program.   The student will be part of an 
interdisciplinary team of scientists from the Smithsonian Environmental 
Research Center (SERC) and the University of Maryland.   Research will 
primarily be conducted at the Smithsonian Global Change Research Wetland, home 
to several tidal wetland global change experiments.  The student will work 
closely with Smithsonian Institution and University of Maryland faculty on a 
newly funded experiment (Maryland Sea Grant) to examine the interactions 
between invasive plant genetic diversity and global change factors (elevated 
CO2 & Nitrogen pollution) on plant invasion in tidal wetlands.  We seek 
exemplary students that also have interests in translating the results of 
his/her research into potential policy  and action plans for land managers.  
The student will also have the opportunity to become involved in a watershed 
scale restoration project.Potential areas of interest include, but are not 
limited to: Biogeochemistry, Plant Physiology, Population Genetics, and 
Restoration Ecology.  Pending acceptance, the student will be fully funded by 
RESEARCH ASSISTANTSHIP for TWO years, with the possibility of an additional two 
years.  Tuition remission at the University of Maryland and full health 
insurance are also provided.  Preferred start date would be June 2012.  
Applications must be received by February 17th for the MEES Program, and there 
is some flexibility for students interested in pursuing the Environmental 
Science & Technology program.

Interested students should contact Dr. Thomas Mozdzer at 
mozdz...@si.edu

[ECOLOG-L] Job: Science Coordinator, Lower Mississippi Valley JV

[Keith McKnight]

The following position will be announced via Merit Promotion/DEU: 

Job Announcement Number: R4-12-605849-SW (DEU-External)
Job Announcement Number:  R4-12-596770-SW (MP-Govt-wide) 
   
Job Title:  Fish and Wildlife Biologist, GS-401-12/13 

Location:  Southeast Region, Migratory Bird Program, Lower Mississippi 
Valley Joint Venture.

Open Period:  02/08/12 to 02/28/12 

The announcement is available for viewing at http://www.usajobs.gov 

OR 

http://www.usajobs.gov/GetJob/PrintPreview/308981600 - DEU External
http://www.usajobs.gov/GetJob/PrintPreview/308886100 - Merit Promotion 
(Govt-wide)

Job Responsibilities include:
Coordinating and facilitating the science-based planning necessary to link 
the on-the-ground habitat objectives of Joint Venture partners to the 
population goals and objectives of regional, national, and international 
bird conservation plans, responsible for coordinating the activities of 
multiple partners in developing through transparent, replicable processes 
and procedures, goals and objectives that reflect measurable biological 
outcomes linked across multiple spatial scales; responsible for 
coordinating the activities of multiple partners in integrating biological 
goals and objectives for multiple bird species groups (e.g. waterfowl, 
land birds, shorebirds) in a spatially explicit manner; responsible for 
coordinating the activities of multiple partners in developing decision 
support tools guiding on-the-ground conservation actions. Working with and 
through scientists in other agencies and organizations, responsible for 
identifying research needs and facilitating projects that address the 
assumptions and uncertainties associated with the Joint Venture's 
biological planning, responsible for creating and maintaining an effective 
partnership infrastructure that includes standing and ad hoc working 
groups focused on developing and progressively refining the scientific 
foundation of the conservation actions of Joint Venture partners; 
responsible for representing the Joint Venture Office and Joint Venture 
partnership in broader science arenas associated with 
national/international bird conservation initiatives, e.g. the National 
Science Support Team of the North American Waterfowl Management Plan and 
the Partners in Flight National Science Committee.

Keith McKnight
Coordinator, LMVJV
903-363-8365

Re: [ECOLOG-L] request for your comments concerning proposed changes to Endangered Species Act

[Warren W. Aney]

The link Sean recommends goes to a regulations site that seems to provide
only a chance to comment on the site, not on the regulations.  The comments
page has this caveat:
"Please do not submit comments or submissions on specific regulatory
documents using this form as they cannot be forwarded to the proper Federal
agencies via this mailbox."
The site also shows a comment expiration date of 7 February.

Warren W. Aney
Tigard, Oregon


-Original Message-
From: Sean Hoban [mailto:sho...@alumni.nd.edu] 
Sent: Wednesday, 08 February, 2012 06:25
To: ECOLOG-L@LISTSERV.UMD.EDU; Warren W. Aney
Subject: Re: request for your comments concerning proposed changes to
Endangered Species Act

I would like to encourage everyone who is signing the letter to also take
five 
to ten minutes to write specific comments and suggestions to the website
that 
the Fish and Wildlife Service has for the proposal: 
http://www.regulations.gov/#!documentDetail;D=FWS-R9-ES-2011-0031-0001.  You

can enter comments up to 2000 characters, and the form is very easy to fill 
out.  While the number of names on the letter sponsored by the CBD is 
important, I think that an equally democratic and scientifically useful 
contribution is to write particular critiques, based on our specific 
experiences as ecologists or conservation biologists in our studies of range

edges, small populations, or whichever is our expertise.  The comments by 
Warren, for example, would be great feedback for the USFWS.

Cheers all,
Sean Hoban
http://sites.google.com/site/hoban3/
Post-doc, Laboratorio di Genetica Delle Popolazioni
Dipartimento di Biologia ed Evoluzione
Università di Ferrara
44100 FERRARA, Italy