[ECOLOG-L] Seasonal Project Assistants needed, Lyme disease ecology in the Hudson Valley of NY

[Rick Ostfeld]

*Seasonal Project Assistants (up to 6) needed:* Job Reference # 15003-I.
Research the dynamics of mammalian communities and the relationships
between mammals, ticks, oak trees, and Lyme disease.  Location is the Cary
Institute of Ecosystem Studies in New York’s Hudson River Valley.  Duties
include live-trapping small mammals and reliably recording pertinent data,
sampling abundance of ticks, tree seed collection, assays for tick-borne
pathogens, and mapping trees within eastern deciduous forest plots. Early
morning and late afternoon hours are required.  Prior experience handling
small mammals is highly desirable.  Employment can begin as early as April
1 or as late as mid May, 2015, with an end date of approximately November
14, 2015.  Jobs are full time, 35 hours/week.  Wage is commensurate with
education and experience. These positions are non-exempt and
non-benefitted. On-site housing is available. Consideration of applications
will begin on February 3rd.

To apply, please visit www.caryinstitute.org and complete the online
application available under the “Jobs” section. Please include resume,
cover letter, and the names and full contact information of three
professional references in a single PDF document.

The Cary Institute is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer.
Minorities, Females, Protected Veterans and Disabled candidates are
encouraged to apply.


Be sure to cite Job Number 15003-I

*Position reports to Dr. Richard S. Ostfeld*.



Richard S. Ostfeld, Ph.D.

Senior Scientist

Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies

Box AB, 2801 Sharon Turnpike

Millbrook, NY 12545 USA

845 677-7600, ext 136



SEE NEW OXFORD BIBLIOGRAPHIES ENTRY ON DISEASE ECOLOGY:
http://www.oxfordbibliographies.com/view/document/obo-9780199830060/obo-9780199830060-0128.xml?rskey=JTDNRb&result=44



rostf...@caryinstitute.org

http://www.caryinstitute.org/science-program/our-scientists/dr-richard-s-ostfeld

*

[ECOLOG-L] Forensic Entomology Workshop

[Denise Gemmellaro]

Hello, For the third year, the New Jersey School of Conservation together with 
Montclair State University and with Rutgers University, is organizing a 
two-week workshop on forensic entomology; the workshop will be held at the 
NJSchool of Conservation, in Branchville, NJ, just about 1h from New York City. 
 Forensic entomology is the study of insects associated with organic 
decomposition. Students will observe and analyze the small ecosystem which is 
created around and on decomposing carcasses, describe post-mortem phenomena, 
collect entomological evidence and perform lab analysis to help establish PMI 
(Post-Mortem Interval) or time of death. For those who are interested, included 
in the workshop is also a guided visit to the Newark morgue, where the 
participants will attend a lecture on common practices of legal medicine and on 
how law enforcement forces handle dead bodies after they are discovered; 
depending on availability, the participants will also have the possibility to 
observe an autopsy. Here is the brochure for the workshop


https://www.dropbox.com/s/f7shlyirfmjxh7q/2015%20Forensic%20Entomology_Workshop_Brochure.pdf?dl=0
  Participants will have two weeks of room and board, educational activities 
(lectures, field work and lab work) and lots of recreational activities, such 
as boating, archery and climbing.  For information please contact Denise 
Gemmellaro at denisucci...@yahoo.com Thank you and please feel free to pass 
this info to anyone who may be interested. Regards,  Denise Gemmellaro
 M Denise GemmellaroDepartment of EntomologyRutgers University 96 Lipman Drive 
New Brunswick, NJ 08901

[ECOLOG-L] Postdoc Cornell - Landscape Connectivity of Andean Bears in Ecuador

[Angela K. Fuller]

Postdoctoral Research Associate: Landscape Connectivity of Andean Bears 
in Ecuador

POSITION LENGTH: 15 month appointment with possible extension pending 
securing additional funding 


SALARY: $42,300/year plus benefits (health and dental insurance, 
retirement, life insurance, disability) 

START DATE: As soon as possible

POSITION SUMMARY:  
The New York Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit at Cornell 
University is seeking candidates for a postdoctoral position to estimate 
population size and landscape connectivity of the endangered Andean Bear 
(Tremarctos ornatus) in Ecuador, using spatial capture-recapture 
methods.  The postdoc will contribute to the project, titled, 
“Landscape-Scale Conservation in the Ecuadorian Andes: The Socio-
Ecological Corridor” that seeks to design an optimal corridor that links 
three protected areas in Ecuador in order to support and sustain 
biodiversity and local communities.  The project team is large and 
includes faculty members from Cornell University (Dr. Angela Fuller and 
Dr. James Lassoie, Department of Natural Resources, Dr. Carla Gomes, 
Department of Computer Science, and Dr. Gregory Poe, Dyson School of 
Applied Economics and Management), Patuxent Wildlife Research Center 
(Dr. J. Andy Royle), University of Andina Simon Bolivar (Dr. Carlos 
Larrea), and University of San Francisco Quito (Santiago Molina).  The 
in-country work also involves numerous conservation partners and the 
Secretary of Environment, Ecuador.  

DUTIES: 

 
The project will involve analysis of existing camera trapping and 
incidental observation data using spatial capture-recapture (SCR) models 
to estimate density and landscape connectivity, design of a larger-scale 
camera trapping study, development of GIS data for use in models of 
landscape connectivity, some field work to support the project (mainly 
in the extremely diverse Ecuadoran cloud forests), and writing grant 
proposals to extend the effort geographically and into the future.  
Ideally the person can communicate effectively in Spanish.  The 
candidate will be expected to develop manuscripts for submission in 
peer-reviewed journals and communicate research to project PIs and 
partners.  The candidate will be supervised by Dr. Angela Fuller, U. S. 
Geological Survey, NY Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, at 
Cornell University (Ithaca, New York) and Dr. J. Andy Royle, U. S. 
Geological Survey, Patuxent Wildlife Research Center (Laurel, Maryland).  
The postdoc will work closely with Dr. Carla Gomes, Department of 
Computer Science, Cornell University.  The postdoctoral scientist will 
be housed in the Department of Natural Resources, Cornell University and 
will be expected to travel to Ecuador at least once during the project 
period. The candidate will be expected to work closely with the project 
team and external partners.

There is not much known about the Andean bear, a species of major 
conservation concern due to increasing habitat loss and fragmentation of 
its extremely narrow range.  The study area, in the Andes mountains, 
from the Cotacachi-Cayapas Ecological Reserve north of Quito to the 
Reserva Ecologica Los Ilinizas Southwest of Quito harbors an extremely 
important population of the species. The candidate will have the 
opportunity to get in on the ground floor of the conservation of this 
species, and potentially develop ancillary efforts on numerous other 
rare carnivore species that coexist with the Andean bear in the cloud 
forests of Ecuador.  


MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS:   

1.  Ph.D. in ecology, wildlife biology, or a related quantitative 
field.  
2.  Strong programming skills with demonstrated knowledge of 
statistical modeling used to describe population dynamics from mark-
recapture data.
3.  Demonstrated desire and proven ability to publish in peer-
reviewed journals.
4.  Excellent writing and personal communication skills.
5.  The ability to work independently and under limited supervision 
as well as collaboratively. 

RECOMMENDED QUALIFICATIONS: 

Competitive candidates will also have one or more of the following 
qualifications: fluent in Spanish, have a background in Bayesian 
inference, hierarchical modeling, proficiency with R and WinBUGS, and 
experience with ArcGIS.

TO APPLY:  
Please send a curriculum vitae, a letter of application describing your 
background and experiences and responding to each of the requirements 
and qualifications, and the names a

[ECOLOG-L] Deadline extended to 02/06/15--International Urban Wildlife Conference

[Lehrer, Liza]

* ABSTRACT SUBMISSION DEADLINE EXTENDED---Abstracts due February 6, 2015 *

Abstracts for symposia and presentations are now being accepted for the 
International Urban Wildlife Conference, hosted by the Lincoln Park Zoo and The 
Wildlife Society's Urban Wildlife Working Group, May 17-20, 2015 in Chicago! 
The International Urban Wildlife Conference will focus on disseminating the 
latest research on the ecology and management of urban wildlife, reducing 
human-wildlife conflict, planning wildlife-friendly cities, and strategies for 
effective outreach and education. Student and early professional travel grants 
are available! Abstracts are due Feb 06, 2015. Please go to 
http://www.urban-wildlife.org for more details.


Liza Lehrer
Wildlife Ecologist
Urban Wildlife Institute|Lincoln Park Zoo|Chicago, IL USA
p:312.742.7225| f:312.742.7220| lleh...@lpzoo.org
@LPZ_UWI|Our 
website

[ECOLOG-L] Help Create Plant Database

[Kevin Bertolero]

OpenFarm  is a new free and open source website that
has been created to catalogue the fundamental knowledge of how to grow
plants. The site hopes to help anyone grow anything, and should be of
particular interest to the ECOLOG community because it allows data to be
structured in a uniform manner, and acts as a repository for location
specific plant growth information. This can eventually be tapped into for
climate research, restoration ecology, greenhouse/conservatory
documentation, permaculture efforts or comparative analysis.



It is a very new site and is looking for early adopters, especially where a
partnership could be mutually beneficial. I believe the community of
ecologists here have valuable input that could help OpenFarm become a
global resource that lowers the barrier to get involved with plants,
fosters community engagement, and furthers the goals of ethical resource
stewardship and conservation.



If you want to learn more, feel free to check out the Kickstarter campaign

.

If you are interested in getting involved, have helpful advice, or are left
with further questions, please email me at ke...@openfarm.cc


Thank you!



-- 
*Kevin Bertolero *
OpenFarm Community Developer
(209) 312-1075

[ECOLOG-L] Jobs: The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew

[David Inouye]

This week The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew advertised the Science posts 
below.  Two of the posts Please follow the hyper links to each post 
or search on Jobs at Kew on the Kew home page 
https://careers.kew.org/home.html. 
The closing date for applications is February 15th  2015.




Research positions:

Early 
Career Research Fellowships


Senior 
Research Leader - Plant Health


Research 
Leader - Conservation Genetics


Research 
Leader - Crop Plants


Research 
Leader - Digital Collections


Research 
Leader - Identification and Naming (Americas)


Research 
Leader - Integrated Monography


Research 
Leader - Plant & Fungal Names & eTaxonomy


Senior 
Biodiversity Informatician


Biodiversity 
Informatician


Lead 
Developer - Drupal




Technical positions:

Senior 
Science Officer - Policy


Imaging/EM 
Lab Technician


Molecular 
Lab Technician


Seed 
Germination Assistant


Digital 
Collections Assistant


Lab-based 
Collections Assistant




Support positions:

Science 
Administrator - Communications


Support 
Officer to the Millennium Seed Bank


Support 
Officer to the Senior Science Team

[ECOLOG-L] UCLA/La Kretz Workshop in Conservation Genomics

[David Inouye]

UCLA/La Kretz Workshop in Conservation Genomics, 22-27 March, 2015

Conservation biology and genetics have had a long 
and intimate relationship, and constitute one of 
the key applications of evolutionary analysis to 
real-world biological problems. The impacts of 
population genetics, phylogenetics and 
phylogeography have been particularly striking 
for conservation biology, and have helped solve 
some of the most pressing problems in biological conservation.


As the field of landscape-based 
genetics continues to grow and mature, the 
increasing availability of genomic-level data, 
analytical models and methods stand to make 
profound new contributions to our ability to 
identify and protect at-risk populations and 
recover those that are most endangered. However, 
genomic level analyses also carry a heavy 
burden­data sets are enormous, often requiring 
diverse computational approaches for assembly, quality control and analysis.


This annual workshop will provide a 
comfortable, informal training environment for a 
small group of motivated graduate students to 
explore how conservation problems can best be 
addressed with genomic-level data. Our goal is to 
provide hands-on experience on the efficient 
collection, troubleshooting, and analysis of 
large data sets for conservation-relevant 
problems. One of the highlights of our workshop 
is active participation from members of several 
US government agencies who are at the forefront 
of endangered species protection and management, 
providing a forum for exploring the most relevant 
aspects of conservation genomics to managers.


The UCLA/La Kretz workshop will be held at the La 
Kretz Field Station in the heart of the Santa 
Monica Mountains. Only 30 miles from UCLA (and 
LAX airport), but nestled in the relatively 
undeveloped 160,000 acre Santa Monica Mountains 
National Recreation Area, the Field Station 
provides an ideal location that brings exciting 
new developments in genomic science and pressing 
needs in conservation and management together in a single setting.


Our current instructor list, drawn from UCLA 
faculty and several other southern California partners, includes:




Jonathon Chang

Ben Fitzpatrick

Paul Gugger

Kirk Lohmueller

Evan McCartney-Melstad

Mark Phuong

Peter Ralph

Brad Shaffer

Victoria Sork

Phil Spinks

Bob Wayne

Ying Zhen



Topics covered include:



Traditional conservation genetics

Next generation platforms: the best tool for the job

Data management pipelines:

Quality Control

Data storage

Data organization

Data analysis:

SNPs

Sequences

Exploring very large data sets

Functional genomic data

Genomic data and GIS

Visualizing geographic structure and demographic history

Conservation phylogenomics



Prerequisites

Available housing limits course 
enrollment to ~15 students. Preference is given 
to doctoral candidates who are in the early to 
middle stages of their thesis research, and who 
have completed sufficient prerequisites (through 
previous coursework or research experience) to 
have some familiarity with using a command line 
interface or programming languages (i.e. Perl, 
python etc.). Unfortunately, because of limits on 
class size, postdocs and faculty are discouraged from applying.




Admission and Fees

Students will be admitted based on 
academic qualifications and appropriateness of 
research interests. The course fee is $425. This 
includes food and lodging at the La Kretz Field 
Station, as well as any incidental fees, for the 
duration of the course (arriving Sunday March 22, 
departing Friday March 27). In addition, those 
students who want to stay at the field station 
for the remainder of the weekend may do so for no 
extra charge. For those opting to stay the 
weekend, departure time will be by noon on Monday March 30.




Application Forms and Information

Visit the La Kretz Center for California 
Conservation Science website for additional 
information and to download an application form:




Mario--Insert URL Here



Application Deadline

Applications are due by February 2, 2015. Please 
send a completed application form and one letter 
of recommendation from your major advisor. 
Students will be notified via e-mail by February 9, 2015 of acceptance.




Applications should be sent as PDFs via email to:



Phil Spinks

email: pqspi...@g.ucla.edu

[ECOLOG-L] PhD Opportunity: Antarctic food web response to historic harvesting and climate change

[Michael Polito]

PhD Opportunity: Antarctic food web response to historic harvesting and 
climate change
 
Seeking a highly motivated student to begin graduate research (Ph.D. 
candidate) at Louisiana State University’s (LSU) Department of Oceanography 
and Coastal Sciences (DOCS) in the fall of 2015. The student will join a 
multi-institution team of researchers from LSU, UC Santa Cruz, UNC 
Wilmington and the University of Saskatchewan on a multi-disciplinary, 
collaborative project to reconstruct shifts in Antarctic food web 
architecture following historic harvesting and recent to millennial-scale 
climate change.
 
The student will be based in the Polito Lab at LSU 
(www.oceanography.lsu.edu/politolab) but will also work closely with Dr. 
Kelton McMahon and Dr. Matthew McCarthy at UC Santa Cruz 
(http://oceansci.ucsc.edu).  Specifically, the student will use bulk and 
compound-specific stable isotope analysis of modern and ancient penguins 
and other Antarctic krill predators to test key hypotheses on trophic 
versus baseline ecosystem shifts related to climate change and competitive 
release following historic whale and seal harvesting. This position will 
include extensive laboratory work at LSU and UCSC, as well as field work in 
Antarctica.
 
Desired qualifications include: 1) M.S. degree in biology, ecology, marine 
science, chemistry, or relevant discipline, 2) relevant laboratory 
experience - sample preparation, gas chromatography, bulk and amino acid 
based compound-specific stable isotope ratio mass spectrometry, and 3) 
relevant field experience working on ecological studies in very cold and 
remote field settings.
 
Ph.D. candidates will be considered for 4 years of tuition and stipend 
support (approximately $22K/year). In addition, outstanding candidates 
(Combined GRE scores > 320 or 1250, GPA > 3.5, excellent references, and/or 
strong publication record) who are U.S. citizens will also be considered 
for the competitive Louisiana Board of Regents (BoR) Fellowship ($28K/year 
+ tuition for 4 years).
 
To Apply:  Interested candidates should fill out a pre-application form for 
the DOCS graduate program (www.oceanography.lsu.edu/index.php/academics/pre-
application-form/) and indicate that you would like to work with Dr. 
Polito.  In addition, please email a single pdf containing your CV, a cover 
letter with your research interests and experience, a brief summary of 
accomplishments (educational background, GPA, GRE scores), and contact 
information for at least three professional references to Dr. Michael 
Polito (mpol...@lsu.edu). Qualified candidates will be contacted directly 
and encouraged to submit a full application to the Ph.D. graduate program 
in DOCS. To be fully considered for BoR funding completed applications 
should be received by the Graduate School and DOCS by February 15, 2015.
-
 

[ECOLOG-L] New Training Course: QGIS For Biologists, March 2015

[Colin D. MacLeod]

Training Course - A Introduction To Using QGIS In Biological Research
GIS In Ecology will be holding an introductory training course for those who 
wish to learn how to use the free, open-source GIS software QGIS (also known as 
Quantum GIS) in all aspects of biological research. The course will be held in 
Glasgow on the 30th and 31st of March 2015, and it will be taught by Dr. Colin 
D. MacLeod, who has more than 15 years experience in using GIS for a wide 
variety of biological purposes.

This course is aimed at those just starting to use GIS in their research and 
who have little or no existing knowledge of this subject area, those who are 
looking for a free, open source GIS solution for their biological research, and 
at existing users of commercial GIS software, such as ArcGIS, who wish to learn 
how to do GIS using QGIS software.

Attendance will be limited to a maximum of 15 people, and the course will cost 
£295 per person (£200 for students, the unwaged and those working for 
registered charities). To book a place, or for more information, contact 
i...@gisinecology.com.

To attend this course, you must bring your own laptop computer and have a 
working copy of QGIS 2.6 pre-installed on it. You can find information about 
how to get this software package by searching QGIS in any web browser. At the 
end of the course, all attendees will receive a certificate of attendance and 
completion.

Glasgow has great transport links and is within half a days travel by car or by 
fast train links from most cities in the UK.  For example, it can be reached in 
as little as 4h 30mins from London by train. It can also be reached by direct 
flights from many European cities and the flight time is generally under four 
hours.

The course will be held in central Glasgow at the IET Glasgow Teacher Building 
(14 St Enoch Square, Glasgow, G1 4DB, UK).

Attendees will be responsible for their own accommodation. However, Glasgow 
provides a wide range of accommodation options to fit most budgets.


==
GIS IN ECOLOGY - Providing Training, Advice And Consultancy On The Use Of GIS 
In Ecology

Web: www.GISinEcology.com Email: i...@gisinecology.com

Need to ask a question about using GIS? Try the GIS In Ecology Forum: 
www.GISinEcology.com/GIS_in_Ecology_forum.htm

Books From GIS In Ecology Staff:

An Introduction To Using GIS In Marine Biology; RRP: £44.99
An Introduction To Using GIS In Marine Biology: Supplementary Workbook One - 
Creating Maps Of Species Distribution; RRP: £19:99
An Introduction To Using GIS In Marine Biology: Supplementary Workbook Two - 
Working With Raster Data Layers; RRP: £19.99

If you wish to purchase these books, visit: 
http://www.gisinecology.com/Book_Shop.htm

To help the environment, please do not print out this email unless it is 
unavoidable.
==

---
This email has been checked for viruses by Avast antivirus software.
http://www.avast.com

[ECOLOG-L] ASSISTANT PROGRAM COORDINATOR/SUMMER RESIDENT ADVISOR

[Laurie L. Chiasson]

HARVARD FOREST – HARVARD UNIVERSITY
PETERSHAM, MASSACHUSETTS

2015 SUMMER RESEARCH PROGRAM IN ECOLOGY

ASSISTANT PROGRAM COORDINATOR/RESIDENT ADVISOR
(13-week position available beginning May 18, 2015)

For thirteen weeks in May-August 2015, twenty college-age students will 
join dozens of visiting and staff scientists at Harvard Forest in 
researching the effects of natural and human disturbances on forest 
ecosystems.  The Program Assistant works closely with the Summer Program 
Coordinator in organizing the various educational components to the summer 
program.  S/he provides information, advising, support and discipline 
required to create a hospitable academic work environment. 

Duties and Responsibilities (work under the supervision of the Summer 
Program Coordinator)
Assistant Program Coordinator
Assist with student arrival and orientation (May 25th and 26th)
Inform students of Harvard Forest activities, policies, and expectations
Coordinate weekly (x2) evening workshops and seminars 
Update and maintain summer student blog 
(http://harvardforestreu.blogspot.com/)
Work with Summer Program Coordinator to resolve student issues
Organize Summer Student Symposium in early-August
Work on various tasks as needed to facilitate administrative and research 
projects

Resident Advisor
Responsible for day-to-day activities related to the successful operation 
of a student residence
Hold weekly house meetings 
Plan, organize, and direct student committees (recycling, social 
activities, etc.)
Serve as advisor to student on matters concerning community development, 
conflict resolution and counseling

Required Skills, Training and Experience
Excellent listening, negotiation, organizational, and problem solving 
skills required 
Strong communication (verbal and written), organizational, telephone, and 
computer skills
Work independently with moderate supervision
Comfortable with performing a variety of tasks simultaneously
Previous experience working with ethnically and culturally diverse 
population preferred

Time Commitment and Compensation
Compensation is $13.90/hour for 40 hours per week for 13 weeks (May 18 to 
August 14, 2015).  The assistant has a private room, shared office space 
with computer and access to Forest vehicles.  The position requires on 
site residence (room and board provided) with weeknight and weekend work.

Application
Please send a cover letter, resume and contact information for three 
references to the address below. Applications will be accepted until the 
position is filled. Additional information about Harvard Forest and the 
summer program is available at http://harvardforest.fas.harvard.edu.   

For questions, please contact:

Manisha V. Patel, Summer Program Coordinator
Harvard Forest  
324 N. Main Street  
Petersham, MA  01366
hfa...@fas.harvard.edu 
NO PHONE CALLS, please.

[ECOLOG-L] Paid Summer College Internship announcement

[Natalie Marioni]

Every year, the National Great Rivers Research and Education Center
(NGRREC) hosts a highly successful summer internship program for college
sophomores, juniors and seniors. This prestigious program is a paid
internship opportunity, providing a $4,000 stipend over the course of the
program, and gives students a chance to gain real experience in variety of
environmental careers such as ecological research, fisheries science,
education, policy, archaeology, and social science. At the conclusion of
this nine week internship, students present their project results to their
fellow interns, faculty advisors, and invited guests at a
two-day Intern Symposium.

We recently received a diverse array of project proposals by faculty and
agency advisors from organizations throughout the Mississippi River
Watershed, each wishing to mentor a NGRREC college intern through their
research experience. We are now accepting student applications to match
qualified and motivated students with each of the projects selected.

To apply, students must complete an Online application form. The
application and a summary of this year's projects and their locations can
be found at http://www.ngrrec.org/Internship/.

*Minimum Requirements*
• GPA 3.25 or higher
• Required attendance at Orientation (May 26-29) and Intern Symposium (Aug
3-4) if accepted as an intern.
• Submission of all required materials, online, by the application
deadline.

*Required Materials: *All application materials must be submitted
electronically within the online application form by the Feb. 16th deadline.
• *Biographical sketch* - Submit a brief statement (100 words or less)
about yourself, your interests, and where you see yourself career-wise in 5
years.
• *College transcript* - Unofficial copy will suffice as long as your name
is clearly visible on the transcript.
• *Resume *- Include all relevant coursework, previous internships and
volunteer positions. Organization name, location, and dates should be
included.

*Important Dates*
• Feb. 16: Application Deadline
• May 26-29: Orientation week
• June 1 – July 31: Summer Internship
• Aug. 3-4: Intern Symposium

*To apply* or see the summary of this year's projects and locations visit:
http://www.ngrrec.org/Internship/

*For questions* or more information, please contact NGRREC Intern Program
Coordinator, Natalie Marioni at ngrrecint...@lc.edu.

Natalie Marioni
Environmental Education Coordinator
National Great Rivers Research and Education Center (www.ngrrec.org)
Lewis and Clark Community College (www.lc.edu)

[ECOLOG-L] Spring Permaculture & Research Internships in the Rainforest of Ecuador, With Optional PDC Course

[Katherine Theus]

Third Millennium Alliance (TMA) was founded in 2007 with the purchase of 
100 acres and the establishment of the Jama-Coaque Reserve (JCR) in the 
western province of Manabí, Ecuador, between the cities of Jama and 
Pedernales, and four kilometers inland. Now encompassing over 1,000 
acres, the Jama-Coaque Reserve actively protects one of the last remaining 
fragments of Pacific Equatorial Forest, which is considered to be one of the 
most threatened tropical forests in the world. Learn more at 
www.tmalliance.org.

Internship Opportunities: Interns are to take on high-impact and dynamic 
projects; we are a young organization forging our path as we discover it. 
There is a tremendous amount of work to be done and experience to be 
gained – for interns and for us. Above all, creativity, innovation, and self-
motivation are the fuel of our intern program. Immediately surrounding the 
house we are designing/growing/building a living laboratory of sustainable 
resource management (i.e. permaculture), which also serves as our field 
station for field biological research and forest monitoring.

We are offering an optional Permaculture Design Course with this 
internship, to be taught throughout the two-month duration. There is a 
difference in price based on whether you choose to take the PDC course; 
please visit our website for more information: 
www.tmalliance.org/internships/program-cost.

In addition to work managing the agroforestry production zone and organic 
vegetable garden, each intern is assigned a personal project, which is akin 
to ainternship project. Generally speaking, there are three categories of 
personal projects: 1) conservation biology research, 2) sustainable food 
production, and 3) appropriate technology.

The following is a list of some of the projects we’re looking to tackle during 
the upcoming sessions. Some are new projects and others are ongoing and 
multi-year projects. Projects with stars next to them are of high interest and 
priority. When applying please prioritize three projects from the list below in 
the order of most interest.

Flora & Fauna Research: 
•*Ethnobotany* (requires strong Spanish-speaking skills) 
•*Native Seed Bank Nursery* (requires strong Spanish-speaking skills) 
•*Water Quality Measurements* (knowledge of aquatic macrofauna is an 
advantage) 
•*GIS Research* (mapping of the JCR, related mostly to another Flora & 
Fauna Research Project, probable slight difference in the internship price)
• Camera trap survey of wild felines (ocelot, jaguarundi) 
•*Monkey Troop Demography & Behavioral Study (Mantled howler monkeys 
& critically endangered Ecuadorian white-fronted capuchins)
•*Herpetofauna survey* (reptile and amphibian diversity and abundance)  
• Ornithology Survey - (ornithology experience and Spanish-speaking skills)

Sustainable Food Production:
•Production Zone Intensive – Focused on increasing food production, crop 
zonification & rotation, plant propagation, care/maintenance, integrated 
pest management and food preservation (ie, canning)
•*Natural Building* – bamboo, adobe walls, enlarging our kitchen
•*GIS mapping of our irrigation systems*

Appropriate Technology:
•*Building a bike-powered & solar system using transforming human & solar 
power into electricity for the Bamboo House*
•*Build a cacao fermenter* 
•Design and build a non-electrical refrigerator

Spring Internship Dates: March 19 – May 15, 2015

Spring Application Deadline: Tuesday, February 3, 2015

To see a complete program description, please visit our “Internship” page 
on our website at http://www.tmalliance.org/internships. Here you can 
download the application form and contact details, as well as other media, 
such as photos, video, and the program FAQ. NOTE: When applying to the 
internship, please make sure to specify in your e-mail subject that you are 
applying for the Spring session, and whether you are interested in taking 
the PDC course.

We look forward to working with you!

Eva Filipczykova
Internship & Research Coordinator 
Third Millennium Alliance 
Jama, Ecuador
www.tmalliance.org

[ECOLOG-L] Postdoctoral Researcher in Fish Genomics and Genetics

[Katy Klymus]

Great Lakes Genetics/Genomics Laboratory, University of Toledo
Lake Erie Center, Toledo, OH
Closing Date: February 28, 2015
Web Address: http://www.utoledo.edu/nsm/lec/research/glgl/index.html

Description
The research project is to help develop, test, and publish a Next-generation 
sequence assay for 
detecting and identifying all Great Lakes native and invasive fish species, 
including those 
anticipated to invade, from environmental DNA and plankton samples. The 
postdoctoral research 
associate will organize large DNA sequence databases, train and co-supervise 
students and 
technicians, and be thoroughly competent and experienced in bioinformatics, DNA 
extraction, PCR, 
DNA sequencing, and population genetic and systematic evolutionary data 
analyses. 

Qualifications
Ph.D. degree required in hand.  Publication of Ph.D. results in peer-reviewed 
journals required.  
Excellent  recommendation from former advisors required.  Teaching and 
supervisory experience 
preferred. Grant funding record preferred.  Data management experience, 
bioinformatics, and data 
analysis experience in molecular phylogenetics and population genetics 
required.  DNA extraction, 
PCR, DNA Sequencing (both Sanger and Illumina MiSeq), sequence alignment and 
GenBank 
experience required.  Familiarity with QIIME, Unix/Linux operating systems and 
writing script in 
Perl is a plus. Strong communication (written, oral) skills required.  
Experience in working with 
fishes strongly preferred.  Strong personnel interaction skills and experience 
in training others 
required.  Oral research presentation experience at national or international 
scientific conferences 
required.  Fish specimen collection experience –strongly preferred.  

How to Apply
Send (1) cover letter, (2) CV, (3) 2 letters of reference, (4) copies of 
graduate and undergraduate 
transcripts via .pdf to Dr. Stepien at carol.step...@utoledo.edu. 
Competitive salary, full benefits.  Beautiful well-funded lab (by NSF, USEPA, 
ARS, Sea Grant) on 
Lake Erie (with view) at Lake Erie Center field station 20-25 minutes from main 
University of 
Toledo campus.  The Great Lakes Genetics Laboratory currently has another 
post-doc, 3 Ph.D. 
students, a full-time technician, and 2 undergraduate researchers.  
The University of Toledo is an Equal Access, Equal Opportunity, Affirmative 
Action Employer and 
Educator and is committed to increasing the diversity of our campus.

Contact
Carol Stepien
Distinguished University Professor and Director
Lake Erie Center and Dept. Environmental Sciences
6200 Bayshore Rd.
Toledo, OH 43615
Phone: 4195308362
Fax: 4195308399
carol.step...@utoledo.edu

[ECOLOG-L] Conservation Botany and Ethnography Field School Announcement

[Keri McNew]

The Maya Research Program (MRP- www.mayaresearchprogram.org/)  and the
Botanical Research Institute of Texas (BRIT- www.brit.org) are hosting a
Conservation Botany and Ethnography Field School in two Yucatec
Mayan-speaking villages in Yucatán, Mexico July 17th to August 16th, 2015.
The session will provide students (undergraduate and graduate levels) and
participants with intensive field experiences in both conservation botany
and ethnographic methods around ethnobotanical problems.  The faculty
consists of a professional ethnobotanist, pharmacologist, medical and
environmental anthropologist, human ecologist, and archaeologist, plus local
experts in Maya plant ecology, Maya cosmology, Maya ritual as related to
botany, and Maya culture, past and present.  Students will enhance their
skills under realistic field conditions, learn to work in teams, explore the
ethics of ethnobotanical research, and participate in service learning
projects! In addition, students will experience home stays with community
members and learn Spanish throughout the session, and visit famous
archaeological sites. Space is limited so remember to apply early to ensure
your spot in the course.
 
Link to website:
https://sites.google.com/a/brit.org/conservation-field-school/home
Please share this information with any interested students.

[ECOLOG-L] Ph.D. Student Research Assistantship in Fish Genetics and Ecology

[Katy Klymus]

Ph.D. Student Research Assistantship in Fish Genetics and Ecology

Dept. Environmental Sciences and Lake Erie Center, University of Toledo 
Toledo, OH


Closing Date: Feb. 1, 2015 for priority consideration, late applications 
accepted
Web Address: http://www.utoledo.edu/nsm/lec/research/glgl/index.html


Description
PhD research assistantship for new project on Yellow Perch population 
genomics/genetics, Next-
generation Sequencing, environmental DNA, kin selection, and chemical cues that 
may regulate 
homing. Ph.D. in Biology-Ecology Track through The Department of Environmental 
Sciences at the 
University of Toledo  http://www.utoledo.edu/nsm/envsciences/grad/index.htm. 
State of the art 
project in Dr. Carol Stepien’s Great Lakes Genetics/Genomics Lab 
http://www.utoledo.edu/nsm/lec/research/glgl/index.html, which is nationally 
and internationally 
well-known, well-published, and well-funded, with excellent placement of 
graduate students as 
federal agency researchers, postdocs, and university professors. Project work 
will be at the 
University of Toledo’s Lake Erie Center (http://www.utoledo.edu/nsm/lec/).  
Apply now to begin 
the Fall 2015 semester. Ok to start in summer 2015 too. RAship: $23,000-$25,000 
annual 
stipend, tuition, general fees, and student medical insurance paid.

Qualifications
Excellent, hard-working Ph.D. graduate student to begin fall or summer 2015 
(get your application 
in now) for dissertation research on yellow perch population genetics and 
genomics, next-
generation DNAsequencing, environmental DNA, and kin selection and chemical 
cues that may 
regulate homing. Accomplished in writing, PCR, statistics, and field and 
laboratory skills. 
Preference to MS degree in hand and publication(s) in molecular ecology, 
fisheries, population 
genetics, or a related field.  Required: GPA 3.0+, GRE (verbal+quantitative) of 
1100 (303 on the 
new GRE grading scale) and 4.5 analytical writing, respectively. Foreign 
students: minimum TOEFL 
of  250 (computer-based, or 600 paper-based) and 450 (150 on the new GRE 
grading scale) on the 
verbal GRE are required. 

How to Apply
Send CV, cover letter, unofficial transcripts, GRE scores, TOEFL if foreign 
applicant to Dr. Carol 
Stepien via carol.step...@utoledo.edu.  Must meet minimum scores above. Apply 
to PhD in 
Biology-Ecology track in Dept. Environmental Sciences:  
http://www.utoledo.edu/nsm/envsciences/grad/degreereq/phd_bio.html

The University of Toledo is an Equal Access, Equal Opportunity, Affirmative 
Action Employer and 
Educator and is committed to increasing the diversity of our campus.

Contact
Dr. Carol Stepien
University of Toledo
Lake Erie Center and Dept. Environmental Sciences
6200 Bayshore Rd.
Toledo OH 43616
Phone: 4195308362
Fax: 4195308399
carol.step...@utoledo.edu

[ECOLOG-L] SEEC registration and scholarships

[Uma Nagendra]

Don't forget to register for the Southeastern Ecology and Evolution Conference 
(SEEC)! There are about 25 days left to register at the early-bird price of $35 
(includes t-shirt, tote, and meals).

Some of the great things in store this year: 
- Plenary speaker Nalini Nadkarni (check out her TED talks!) If you're 
interested in creative and effective science outreach, you won't want to miss 
her seminar
- Rapid Research talks (similar to 3-minute thesis)
- Biology-themed trivia at Friday night dinner

***Need some help getting here? Check out our undergrad travel awards and new 
Diversity Scholarship ***

For the first time, SEEC is planning to cover all expenses (registration, 
travel, food) for 15 students attending SEEC at UGA on March 13-15. 
Applications 
are encouraged from all groups underrepresented in ecology and evolution, 
especially:

- students of African American, Hispanic, or Native American descent
- students with disabilities
- first-generation college graduates 

Questions? Contact us at seec.h...@gmail.com or on Facebook/twitter

We hope to see you in March!
SEEC 2015 Planning Committee

[ECOLOG-L] Full time research technician position in forest biogeochemistry

[Edward Brzostek]

Research Technician (BIO 15-0005)

The West Virginia University Research Corporation (WVURC) seeks to hire a
Research Technician to assist with the start-up of Dr. Edward Brzostek’s
forest ecology and modeling lab in the Biology Department at West Virginia
University. Research in the lab seeks to couple measurements with models to
understand and predict how interaction between plants and soil microbes
impact ecosystem responses to global change. This position is responsible
for overseeing the day-to-day operations of the lab, including assisting in
purchasing and setting up new equipment and instruments, overseeing
undergraduate researchers in the lab, and processing soil and plant tissue
for chemical analysis. This position will also require work outside of the
lab in nearby experimental forests to set up new research plots and collect
soil and plant samples.

A bachelor’s degree in biology, or a related science field, and at least 2
years’ related experience are required. An equivalent combination of
education and experience will be considered. Experience performing
ecological research in a field setting is preferred. 

Competitive salary and benefits package offered. For a complete job
description and to apply for this position, please visit
http://hr.research.wvu.edu and click on the “WVURC Employment Opportunities”
link. Inquiries to this position can be addressed to Edward Brzostek
erbrzos...@mail.wvu.edu. 

AA/EOE/Minorities/Females/Vet/Disability/E-verify compliant employer

[ECOLOG-L] Communicating Climate Science Workshop - register by Feb. 13

[Liza Lester]

The Ecological Society of America invites you to a AAAS workshop on 
Communicating Climate Science

When: March 4th, 2015; 1:00 - 5:00 pm EST
Where:   AAAS headquarters, 1200 New York Avenue, Washington DC 20005
Registration deadline:   Friday, 13 February 2015

Read this invitation online: 
http://www.esa.org/esa/public-affairs/communicating-climate-science-workshop/ 


Have you often wanted to share your expert knowledge in the public conversation 
about climate change, but don't know how to get started? 

ESA is recruiting ecologists for a half day workshop created by the American 
Association for the Advancement of Science to help ecologists develop skills 
for talking about climate change in public forums. The workshop, to be held on 
March 4th, 2015 in Washington, DC, will guide group exercises designed to help 
you:

*   Define your interests
*   Identify your audience
*   Explain and discuss science in accessible language
*   Respond to questions
*   Talk about uncertainty 
*   Prepare for media interviews
*   Find public outreach opportunities

The workshop is also a great opportunity to initiate a network of like-minded 
colleagues in your area who can work together on events and share tips and 
experiences. This event is open to ecologists at all career stages, from 
graduate students to emeritus faculty. Faculty receiving this invitation are 
welcome to register their students or forward the invitation to colleagues.

The workshop is free, but space is limited. RSVP by February 13th, 2015, to 
secure your spot.

Register: 
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1KB0-PN6TYKNv-7-T1U-eJjIbNJ60mMQWCkOE955l0h8/viewform?usp=send_form





Liza Lester
Communications Officer
Ecological Society of America
Washington, DC
(202) 833-8773 ext. 211

Ecotone: news and views on ecological science
Tweeting @esa_org

[ECOLOG-L] PhD Quantitative Ecology

[Kim Cuddington]

Research projects include (but are not limited to) the following: 
1. Incorporating ecosystem engineering into recovery plans for endangered 
species
2. Developing and testing models of the effect environmental variation on 
invasive species
3 Determining the effect of plant morphology on microclimate, and predicting 
pest species dynamics 
using 3D simulation

We provide four years of funding for students in a PhD program.
The application for graduate studies is here: 
(https://uwaterloo.ca/biology/graduate-
studies/admissions). Deadline: Feb 1, 2015 for all students starting in the 
summer or fall of 2015.

Kim Cuddington (http://ecotheory.uwaterloo.ca), Department of Biology., 
University of Waterloo 
Inquiries to kcuddingATuwaterlooDOTca . 

[ECOLOG-L] Rotifer Symposium, Ceské Budejovice, August 30th to September 4th

[David Inouye]

The 14th International Rotifer Symposium will be held in eské Bud jovice,
Czech Republic, from August 30th to September 4th, 2015.

All researchers interested in rotifers, as well as researchers working on
topics that relate to rotifer biology should join us. Related topics
include, but are not limited to the following: Acanthocephalans; Aging;
Aquaculture; Anhydrobiosis; Asexuals; Biogeography; Diapause; Dispersal;
Evolution; Population dynamics; etc.

All research topics relating to rotifers will be discussed, including their
ecological roles in aquatic systems, their evolutionary processes and
adaptations, their use in ecotoxicology, the surprising asexual genomes of
bdelloids, and more.

Need more information about the symposium? Visit the IRS14 webpage!

*http://www.rotifera.org/ *



*Additional highlights*



*Invited speakers*

Nelson Hairston, Claudia Ricci, Karine Van Doninck, Scott Monks, Holger
Herlyn

*http://www.rotifera.org/speakers 
*




*Workshop on multivariate statistics*

Petr milauer and Jan uspa Lep will provide an introductioion to advanced
multivariate statistics in which you can learn how to use these techniques
in rotifer studies.

*http://www.rotifera.org/how-ordinate-rotifers
*



*Workshop on dormancy*

Discussing the ecological and evolutionary role of rotifer resting eggs.



*Workshop on bdelloid rotifers*

To know more about the taxonomy, ecology, and genetics of these fascinating
organisms.



*Flyer of the meeting*

*http://www.rotifera.org//files/second-annoucement-rotifera-xiv.pdf
*