[ECOLOG-L] Join us in Malaga for the 9th Biennial Biogeography Congress!
On behalf of the International Biogeography Society, I am pleased to invite you to attend the upcoming Congress of the International Biogeography Society in beautiful Malaga, Spain. I've been attending IBS meetings since grad school, and it's one of the most rewarding societies I've been a member of. Our meetings have fantastic workshops and really amazing field trips, and we take early career mentoring very seriously. The other grad students I made at my first meeting in 2009 are now my colleagues, and we've since written papers and developed proposals together. If you've never gone before, the Malaga meeting is shaping up to be excellent. I encourage you to submit an abstract (opening July 25th), and I hope to see you in southern Spain in January! Best wishes, Jacquelyn IBS, VP Communications and Public Affairs
[ECOLOG-L] PhD POSITION IN PALEOECOLOGY
The BEAST Lab (Biodiversity and Environments Across Space and Time) is recruiting a highly motivated PhD student for a research project reconstructing late Pleistocene megafaunal extinctions, paleoclimates, and vegetation changes in Beringia. This project will involve: 1) opportunities for interdisciplinary training in cutting-edge methods in reconstructing paleonenvironments, including paleoclimate proxies and aDNA of vegetation from sediment cores, as well as classical methods (e.g., pollen, charcoal); 2) fieldwork in Alaska and Russia (including Wrangel Island and Pleistocene Park), 3) opportunities for training in outreach and science communication; and 4) opportunities to mentor undergraduates and high school students. The ideal candidate should have an academic background in ecology, geography, paleoecology, or a related discipline, and some combination of: strong written communication skills, knowledge of R, strong quantitative skills, and/or experience working with sediment cores, molecular ecology, or Arctic plant communities. The successful applicant will join a diverse, supportive lab group, housed in the Climate Change Institute, with affiliations with the School of Biology and Ecology and the Ecology and Environmental Studies program. CCI is one of the oldest interdisciplinary research institutions in the US, integrating research on the physical, biological, and social aspects of climate change. Located on the northern border of beautiful Downeast Maine, the University of Maine is the flagship campus of the University of Maine System, and a Land and Sea grant institution. Baxter State Park and Acadia National Park are 90 minutes away in either direction, and there are numerous opportunities for outdoor recreation (including winter sports, hiking, and paddling). A low cost of living and a collegial environment make the greater Bangor area a great place to work and live. Please send inquiries to Dr. Jacquelyn Gill (jacquelyn.g...@maine.edu). To apply, please email a 1-pg cover letter outlining your background, career interests, and fit for this project, as well as a CV. Applications will be reviewed starting immediately, and will continue until the position is filled.
[ECOLOG-L] Job Posting: Assistant Professor of Plant Evolutionary Biology & Systematics at the University of Maine
Dear colleagues, I am excited to announce that my department has a new job listing for an Assistant Professor of Plant Evolutionary Biology & Systematics. Please check out the attached flyer and feel free to share it with anyone who might be a good fit. As chair of the search committee, I'm happy to answer any questions about the position, our department, or the University of Maine. You can also visit the job listing here: http://bit.ly/2A2WcsQ Best wishes, Jacquelyn
[ECOLOG-L] Help support paleoecology research in Jamaica!
Hello all, I'm excited to announce a crowd-funding campaign to support paleoecological research in Jamaica! We know very little about the prehistory of this biodiversity hotspot, especially when it comes to plants, fire, climate, and people. My student Mario Williams, a Jamaican native himself, wants to change that, and we need your help. You can check out our project here: https://experiment.com/projects/10-000-years-of-climate-and-environmental-changes- in-jamaica-a-biodiverse-tropical-island Best wishes, Jacquelyn
[ECOLOG-L] Seeking a postdoc for paleovegetation analyses and modeling
Hello all, I'm looking to hire a postdoc to join an NSF-funded project to reconstruct food webs at the La Brea Tar Pits. The ideal candidate would be familiar with paleovegetation proxies and modeling (this project involves using LPJ-GUESS), but I'm happy to consider strong candidates with either skill who are interested in learning about the other. Co-PIs on this project are Jessica Blois and Justin Yeakel at UC Merced, as well as collaborators at the La Brea Tar Pits and Museum. Please feel free to conact me with any questions. You can find the job ad here: https://umaine.hiretouch.com/job-details?jobID=40281&job=postdoctoral-research-associate Many thanks, Jacquelyn
[ECOLOG-L] Biology Lecturer Position, University of Maine
The School of Biology and Ecology at the University of Maine is seeking an academic-year lecturer to assist with lecture and lab instruction for our introductory biology sequence. Our department has strengths in biology education, and there's an opportunity to participate in this research as well. Downeast Maine is also a great place to live and work! You can see the job details and apply here: https://umaine.hiretouch.com/job-details?jobID=40144&job=lecturer-in-biology Best wishes, Jacquelyn
[ECOLOG-L] Job: Research Fellow at La Brea Tar Pits (Citizen science, education, paleontology)
Hello all, As part of a recent NSF-funded project reconstructing paleo food web models, we are looking to hire a research fellow (minimum MS required, PhD preferred) to assist us with designing and implementing a classroom-based citizen science initiative based on recent fossil excavations at the Tar Pits. The ideal candidate would have experience in citizen science, education (ideally working with diverse students -- especially native Spanish speakers), paleontology, and/or food web ecology. While the position is at the Tar Pits and Museum in Los Angeles, you'll work closely with PIs Jessica Blois and Justin Yaekel (UC Merced) and myself (University of Maine). Details, including application requirements, can be found here: https://workforcenow.adp.com/jobs/apply/posting.html? client=lacntymuse&jobId=95042&lang=en_US Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions. Best wishes, Jacquelyn
[ECOLOG-L] Jobs in plant science at the University of Maine
Dear colleagues, My department at the School of Biology and Ecology announces two positions in applied plant sciences at the assistant professor level: Applied Plant Physiology: https://umaine.hiretouch.com/job-details? jobID=32427&job=assistant-professor-of-applied-plant-physiology Plant Genetics: https://umaine.hiretouch.com/job-details?jobID=32424&job=assistant- professor-of-plant-genetics I wanted to note that while both positions are intended to help contribute to crop systems in Maine (e.g., the physiologist will focus on applied research that will generate information that could be applied to the Maine lowbush blueberry industry), you need not have been working on such systems already to apply. Please feel free to reach out to me with questions. Best wishes, Jacquelyn
[ECOLOG-L] Help crowd-fund graduate research on abrupt climate change and seabird paleoecology in the Falklands!
Hello ecologists, Two of my students, Dulcinea Groff and Kit Hamley, are crowd-funding a research trip to the Falkland Islands in December, to conduct research. We'll be taking peat cores and examining fossils to investigate abrupt climate change, fire history (and potentially the timing of human arrival!), the enigmatic Falkland Islands wolf, terrestrial-marine linkages between seabirds and penguins, and the impacts of sheep grazing on native tussac grasses (you can get a lot out of peat cores!). We need your help to make this trip happen. Please check out Dulcinea and Kit's Experiment.com project page here: https://experiment.com/projects/penguins-plants-and-people-getting-to-the-core-of-climate- change-in-the-falkland-islands?s=home These peat records are at risk of erosion due to sea level rise and grazing, so it's critical that we collect these records soon. We're partnering with the Falklands government, Falklands Conservation, and the South Atlantic Environmental Research Institute, so our results will be used to inform conservation and a healthy, integrated ecology and economy on the island (fisheries, sheep, and tourism are the main sources of income on the FI). Thanks for your support! Jacquelyn Gill & The BEAST* Lab *Biodiversity and the Environment Across Space and Time
[ECOLOG-L] Short Course: Pollen Analysis
Hello all, Id like to announce an upcoming short course in pollen analysis, to be offered at the University of Maine this coming June, offered by the Climate Change Institute and PalEON. The course is designed to be suitable for a broad range of applications, from modern analyses to paleoecological reconstructions. We will also include professional development mini-courses in the evening on social media, open data, R, GitHub, and related topics. The course is open to anyone: undergraduates, grad students, researchers, faculty, etc. We are in the process of applying for funds to support international travel. For more details, you can check my website: http://jacquelyngill.wordpress.com/2014/02/11/announcement-pollen-analysis-short-course/ Come for the pollen, stay for our beautiful wilderness and oceans (were just an hour from Acadia National Park!). If you have questions, please dont hesitate to contact me. Feel free to print out a flier (a pdf can be downloaded at the website) and share it with your students and colleagues. Space is limited! It is our hope that, pending interest, we can offer this course every other year. Regards, Jacquelyn Gill (University of Maine) Andrea Nurse (University of Maine) Simon Goring (University of Wisconsin)
[ECOLOG-L] Postdoc Position in Biological Education at UMaine
Postdoctoral Research Associate October 21st, 2013 Postdoctoral Research Associate in Biology Education School of Biology and Ecology Maine Center for Research in STEM Education The School of Biology and Ecology, and Maine Center for Research in STEM Education at the University of Maine seeks an applicant for a postdoctoral position in biological education research. Candidates must have a Ph.D. in biology, ecology, evolution, biology education, or a closely related field; have a strong research record; and have demonstrated interest in discipline-based education research. One of the primary responsibilities of this position is to help develop, validate, and field-test a concept assessment tool that will be administered at multiple points in the biology curriculum to monitor student progress and enable targeted curricular reform. Preference will be given to applicants who have a record of successful work in the ecology and evolution fields; skills in statistical and model- based analysis; demonstrated excellence in teaching; and have evidence of collaborating well as part of a team. The successful candidate will be part of a multi-institution team of researchers that are supported by the National Science Foundations Transforming Undergraduate Education in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (TUES) Program. This full-time position twelve-month appointment has a flexible start date and is contingent on successful performance and continued funding (with possible renewal for up to three years total). Candidates should submit electronically a letter of application, curriculum vitae, two page summary of research accomplishments, two page statement of teaching philosophy, copies of three representative publications, undergraduate and graduate transcripts to: michelle.k.sm...@maine.edu, and arrange to have a minimum of three letters of references submitted to michelle.k.sm...@maine.edu. Salary range is $38,000 $40,000 with full University benefits. Application review will start on November 15th and continue until a suitable pool of applicants is found. Appropriate background checks will be required. For more information visit http://jobs.umaine.edu. Women and minority candidates are especially encouraged to apply. The University of Maine is an Equal Opportunity / Affirmative Action Employer.
[ECOLOG-L] Curious about blogging, Twitter? ESA workshop on Social Media!
Hello Ecologists! If you're attending ESA, you may be interested in the Sunday workshop on Social Media for Scientists that Sandra Chung (of NEON) and I are organizing. Our lunchtime workshop last year was a big hit, so we're expanding this year to a half-day workshop, so we can do more hands-on activities to help you get started. Social media is rapidly growing in importance as a professional development, outreach, collaboration, and broader impacts tool, and our workshop will explicitly address how to use this tool for success in both academic and non-academic careers. Here's the description: Social media and online social networks are rapidly gaining popularity among scientists as a powerful set of tools that can streamline scientific collaboration and discovery in ways that both improve the quality of scientific research and broaden its impact. Research professionals and science communicators are also using social media to engage the public in the process and discussion of science, both to encourage greater public science literacy and to address broader impacts and outreach requirements that accompany public research funding. This two-part workshop will arm participants with the basic knowledge and resources they need to engage in the online science community. Examples demonstrate how smart use of Twitter, blogs and science social networks can enhance scientific workflows, communication, and education. In-workshop practice and introductions to online resources and to a supportive, knowledgeable community of new and old social media users are designed to deepen the skills of current social media users and to give new users everything they need to hit the ground running. Given the situation with wifi at ESA 2013 (as in, there isn't any except in the lobby), we're actively restructuring in order to have a successful workshop so that it can be as hands-on as possible. Given this, keep a couple of things in mind: 1) Bringing your data-enabled devices if you have any, as our wifi is likely to be spotty or slow. We're hoping that in addition to the lobby wifi, we can set up some personal hotspots. 2) We'll be posting resources at bit.ly/esasm. Thanks! Jacquelyn Gill & Sandra Chung
[ECOLOG-L] Graduate student opportunity for Fall 2013 at UMaine
Hello, I am seeking a highly motivated graduate student to join my new lab at the University of Maine in Orono this fall. I'm a newly appointed Assistant Professor of Paleoecology and Plant Ecology with the School of Biology and Ecology <http://sbe.umaine.edu/> and the Climate Change Institute<http://climatechange.umaine.edu/> . As a paleoecologist and biogeographer, I use the tools of space and time to understand questions of conservation relevance. You can read more about me and my research at my website <http://jacquelyngill.wordpress.com/>. In my lab, I use a combination of lake sediment proxy analyses (e.g. pollen, charcoal), modern experiments, and modeling (including dynamic vegetation models and species distribution modeling). Possible projects include: 1) Testing whether modern North American plant species are dispersal-limited in the absence of extinct herbivores (e.g. mammoths, passenger pigeons). 2) Using plant traits to asses changes in ecosystem function over the last 18,000 years. 3) Testing the effects of tree species gains and losses on New England forest ecosystem function using sediment records. 4) Identifying signatures of Native American land use (including fire) in pre-European New England forests. 5) Using the paleorecord to understand tipping points and other responses to abrupt climate change, particularly in forest-grassland transitions. 6) Assessing the relative effects of bison herbivory and climate change on prairie vegetation during the Holocene. I'm also open to discussing other opportunities with the right student, so if you have a particular project you'd like to pitch that you think would be a good fit, feel free to contact me. The ideal candidate should have field and/or lab experience (not necessarily paleo-related, though the student should be interested in paleoecology), a demonstrated ability to work independently (such as a senior thesis or post-baccalaureate work), and strengths in communication, quantitive skills, or both. I currently have two years of a Teaching Assistantship to fund a graduate student, ideally at the Masters level (though this is flexible). This funding comes with a stipend, tuition remission, and benefits. The University of Maine is internationally recognized for strengths in climate science and ecology, and students will have access to experimental forests, greenhouses, and a wide range of laboratory facilities. Campus is an hour from Acadia National Park, and Maine is a great place for outdoor recreation (climbing, hiking, paddle sports). Bangor, the state's third largest city, is ten minutes away. If you're interested, please send a CV attached to a message briefly expressing your background, career, and research interests to jacquelynlg...@gmail.com. This position will be open until filled. Regards, Dr. Jacquelyn Gill -- Jacquelyn L. Gill, Ph.D. <http://jacquelyngill.wordpress.com/> Voss Postdoctoral Fellow Environmental Change Initiative Brown University Box 1951 Providence, RI 02912 (401) 863-2799 (office) contemplativemammoth.wordpress.com (blog) @JacquelynGill (Twitter)
[ECOLOG-L] Taking responsibility for our academic community: a response to sexism in the ESAs list-serv
Hello all, I have been following the various gender-based discussions with increasing frustration-- in fact, I have been more disappointed in the responses of many community members (or lack thereof) than in the original sexist statements. I have summarized my thoughts in a blog post: http://contemplativemammoth.wordpress.com/2013/02/20/taking-responsibility-for-our- academic-community-a-response-to-sexism-in-the-ecological-society-of-americas-list-serv/ These threads have generated quite a bit of off-list commentary, especially on Twitter. I want to reiterate a point I made last April that the list-serv contents are public, and the conversations often extend well beyond the original forum here. Best wishes, Jacquelyn
[ECOLOG-L] Workshop on Social Media at ESA 2012
Hello all, Sandra Chung of NEON and I are hosting a workshop on Social Media for Collaboration, Outreach, and Impact at the upcoming ESA meeting in Portland, OR. This free workshop is open to all attendees at ESA, and will be held Monday at 11:30 (lunch is not provided). Our goal to provide people with social media skills that they can start to use right away during the rest of the ESA meeting. We encourage anyone interested in the use of Twitter, blogging, or other forms of social media in science and outreach to attend! You can read more about the workshop here: http://eco.confex.com/eco/2012/webprogrampreliminary/Session8457.html Cheers, Jacquelyn and Sandra
Re: [ECOLOG-L] Families in Science - Balancing your personal and professional life
Hi Karen, The problem with this framework is that you risk guilting parents (usually women) for choices they are forced to make, or even those they may genuinely want to make, especially if the parents' level of engagement doesn't match what others expect. Like I said earlier, for some people, a mother's choosing to work at all is irresponsible. Framing arguments in this way is ultimately damaging and shifts the burden away from institutions who need to step up and support parents, and instead shifts that burden to parents for whom choice may be relative and is definitely highly value-laden. I don't see the value in reminding people who are probably already very aware that that can't spend enough time with their kids that, in addition for working hard to provide their family at the expense of having a fulfilling life, they're also not really raising their kids. Those choices were probably hard to make. I also still fail to see how that is relevant to a discussion of women in academia-- the overwhelming evidence is that women are leaving academia because there aren't institutions in place to support them, not that women are abandoning their families. Best wishes, Jacquelyn
Re: [ECOLOG-L] Families in Science - Balancing your personal and professional life
To clarify: my statement about conflating women academics with the working poor was not in response to Sarah's post, which came after mine, but in response to Karen Golinski's criticism of people working long hours being poor parents. I made the point in my post that people forced to work multiple jobs and long hours are not in the same situation as working academic mothers, even though both would benefit from increased institutional support. This is not to criticize either group, but to point out that having a work-life balance discussion at all is, for some, not an option. I suspect most academics are above the poverty line, underpaid though they may be (adjuncts are a different story). Whether you have to work or choose to work, you should have the same access to support and protection from criticism. Jacquelyn On Apr 30, 2012, at 11:51 AM, Sarah Fann wrote: > A couple of notes to my post. :) > > I made a silly assumption that readers would check out the link that David > originally posted, and I then re-posted. Without reading the article, my > paragraph is out of context. The article follows women and men with at > least a B.S. in mathematics, and found that a disproportionate number of > women with these degrees do not attend graduate school and do not become > professors. It then asked the questions I re-posted (in green which I > forgot doesn't show up on this list serve) about why these women leave and > where they go. As a woman who fits into that category, I answered their > questions about myself. > > The second is in response to this quote. > > "Conflating the plight of the working poor with the choice of a woman to > have a career and a family is false equivalence." > > Robert Hamilton gave an example of the "6am-10pm" parent working fine for > the family, and I provided a counter-example. Others may disagree with me, > but personally I don't think my example should be discarded simply because > my family was part of the "working poor". Professors do not make that much > money, especially when compared to administrators in academia, or to > scientists outside of academia. Additionally, cost of living raises are > rare and sometimes non-existent for professors. Many universities are > rolling back and cutting health insurance benefits while cost of living > (rent, gas, food, commodities, education, etc) is skyrocketing around the > nation, and programs put in place to help support families (in retirement > or other stages) are being cut by States and the Federal government. My > generation of scientists are faced with the additional burden of > considerable debt for undergraduate studies, of which congress is voting to > possibly double the interest rate on. My point is that my family situation > in high school might not be all that different for a "sole-bread winner" > professor in today's America. I maintain my original point, which is that > having one parent working gross overtime on a consistent basis only works > if either one parent can be home more frequently, or the family is rich > enough to cover child care costs. Both of these scenarios are unlikely > amongst my generation, and having this high demand of time spent away from > family is one factor that drives some of women out of science careers in > academia. > > On Mon, Apr 30, 2012 at 11:05 AM, R Omalley wrote: > >> This all started with a query about how best to bring kids along on >> fieldwork... >> It may be helpful to remind ourselves of our predecessors, to be able to >> believe in our own capacities. >> I love the story of Dorothea Lange, who had two kids and two step-kids. >> http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dorothea_Lange#_ >> (forgive the Wikipedia source) >> >> Excellence is defined in many different ways. Sole-authored research >> papers is a mighty narrow definition of contribution to the advancement of >> knowledge, even if it (sometimes) may lead to the promotion of the >> individual. Seems like we need to work on social skills, too. >> >> Keep up the good work, all of you (us). >> >> Cheers, >> Rachel O'Malley >> >> Professor of Environmental Studies >> San Jose State University >> (and usually quite happy with my job, two kids, partner, thousands of >> current and former students, and colleagues... I only wish the polis were >> funding more education and ecology so that everyone who wants to work in >> this field, could do so). >> >> Sent from my iPhone >> >> On Apr 29, 2012, at 3:02 PM, karen golinski >> wrote: >> >>> I wonder how a person who is regularly away from home from 6 AM until >> after >>> 10 PM really raises a family? Most kids are sleeping during the "at home" >>> time of 10 PM-6 AM. >>> >>> It saddens me to think that people want to silence the discussion of >>> positive models of work-life balance. Just because people have to work >> the >>> long hours described below does not mean it is a good (or productive) way >>> to live our lives. >>> >>> On Sun, Apr 29, 2012 a
Re: Scientists versus activists
Hello all, Another note: Dr. Bryson can't be speaking on this issue from personal experience, as he's been retired for twenty years. A couple of individuals who aren't actively engaging in peer-review science aren't the best examples to cite. .j. **** Jacquelyn Gill Graduate Research Assistant Jack Williams Lab University of Wisconsin - Madison Department of Geography 550 North Park St. Madison, WI 53706 608.890.1188 (phone) 608.265.9331 (fax) - Original Message - From: "Houlahan, Jeff" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Date: Friday, October 12, 2007 5:12 pm Subject: Re: [ECOLOG-L] Scientists versus activists To: ECOLOG-L@LISTSERV.UMD.EDU > Hi Paul and all. These are an odd set of statements from two tenured > and well-funded > skeptics of human-induced global warming. > > Jeff > > > Val Smith wrote: > > > > > The term windfall has built-in negative connotations > > > that could potentially be taken to imply that some of us are out > > > there waiting to "exploit" this real-world problem, and thus are > > > indulging in some kind of ecoprostitution. I take very strong issue > > > with such an assertion, if that was the intent. > > > > Here is what some climate scientists themselves have say: > > http://tinyurl.com/27eozg > > > > David Legates, Delaware state climatologist: > > "There's a lot more money to be made by saying the world > > is coming to an end than to say that this is a bunch of hooey." > > > > Reid Bryson: "If you want to be an eminent scientist, you > > have to have a lot of grad students and a lot of grants. You > > can't get grants unless you say, 'Oh global warming, yes, yes, > > carbon dioxide.'" > > > > Legates tells students who are not global-warming true believers, > > "If you don't have tenure at a major research university, keep > > your mouth shut." > > > > Paul Cherubini > > El Dorado, Calif. > > > > > > > Jeff Houlahan > Dept of Biology > University of New Brunswick Saint John > PO Box 5050 > Saint John New Brunswick > E2L 4L5 Canada > telephone (office): (506) 648-5967 > telephone (department): (506) 648 -5565 > fax: (506) 648-5811 > email: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: Scientists versus activists
> competing for many hundreds of millions of dollars worth of newly > available climate change grant money. And that's my point - that > climate change has been a recent a financial windfall for > the catastrophic man-made global warming camp of scientists. This hardly constitutes an economic "windfall." These researchers, who are engaging in peer-reviewed science, are hardly driving new sports cars because a couple of institutions have donated money for climate research. The NSF funding rate for many grants has decreased in recent years, due to budget cuts by our current administration. Presumably, if a research project doesn't get funded (and many don't), then the PI picks a different project. Given that it takes a good ten years of education before someone's ready to do independent research, I hardly think today's climate scientists were in the wings a decade or more ago plotting for ways to bring climate change to the forefront so they'd have job security. The in funding was brought about by the science, not the other way around. > By contrast, there are only a relatively small numbers of scientists who > make their living (via corporate-fronted foundations) promoting the > idea that the causes of global warming are not mostly man made > or that nothing can be done that will effectively delay warming > by more than a few years. I thought that the purpose of applying for federal research dollars was not to use the funds to "promote" a particular agenda, but to test an hypothesis? Respectfully, Jacquelyn Gill
Re: BBC E-mail: Focus on carbon 'missing the point'
I don't see "Gore" et al. as missing the point - carbon emissions are fundamentally linked to footprint, and for many people, this issue has raised their awareness of sustainability. Also, global warming has such a broad range of impacts that adapting to it will increase our ecological footprint, rather than if we'd mitigated in advance (I'm thinking of issues like health, environmental refugees, disaster impacts, etc.). I don't really think it's helpful to turn this into a matter of "my issue is more important than your issue," because all of these environmental issues are intrinsically connected. Addressing one helps address the greater issue of sustainability. Notably, the author never really defines "sustainable," and uses the term rather generically. Sweeping terms like that can be very misleading, and also cause the public to become quickly disenfranchised with environmental causes if the rallying cry is just to "live more eco-friendly lifestyles," in the most generic of terms. People are generally smart - they want to know about issues, and causes, and effects, and how their actions can directly make a difference (or how their inaction can make a difference). Rather than fostering dissent and suspicion by indirectly suggesting that carbon emissions aren't important (as one of MANY steps towards sustainability), let's focus on all the pieces of the puzzle and not miss the trees for the forest. Respectfully, Jacquelyn Gill Jacquelyn Gill Graduate Research Assistant Jack Williams Lab University of Wisconsin - Madison Department of Geography 550 North Park St. Madison, WI 53706 608.890.1188 (phone) 608.265.9331 (fax) - Original Message - From: Namkwah Breland <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Date: Thursday, August 16, 2007 1:20 pm Subject: [ECOLOG-L] BBC E-mail: Focus on carbon 'missing the point' To: ECOLOG-L@LISTSERV.UMD.EDU > Namkwah Breland saw this story on the BBC News website and thought you > should see it. > > ** Message ** > Earth to Al Gore: > > Please read this. You are myopically missing the Big Picture. > > ** Focus on carbon 'missing the point' ** > The focus on reducing carbon emissions has blinded us to the real > problem - unsustainable lifestyles. > < > > > ** BBC Daily E-mail ** > Choose the news and sport headlines you want - when you want them, all > in one daily e-mail > < > > > ** Disclaimer ** > The BBC is not responsible for the content of this e-mail, and > anything written in this e-mail does not necessarily reflect the BBC's > views or opinions. Please note that neither the e-mail address nor > name of the sender have been verified. > > If you do not wish to receive such e-mails in the future or want to > know more about the BBC's Email a Friend service, please read our > frequently asked questions. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/help/4162471.stm
Re: Skipping meetings
I would just like to present myself as a case study in the opposite - from my experiences at meetings (both AAG and ESA), collaborations emerge all the time, and not just over late-night beers. For ESA this year, I organized an oral session and not only participated in but facilitated new collaboration, participated in my section meeting and met new colleagues and made connections for post-docs, learned some valuable skills from workshops in Bayes, manuscript writing, and grant-writing (none of which are offered at my university), and have a notebook full of research ideas. All in less than a week! I don't want to get into the foot-print wars game, but as someone who lives car-free, pays for carbon offsets for my flights through TerraPass, and buys green power offsets (and all as a poor grad student!), I feel as though my total budget can handle an airline flight or two. I think the bottom line is that we can make the choices to get out of these things what we want to, and in some casees proportionate to what we put in. We weigh our choices, but they should be personal ones, and not projected on to others. We're all close to our fields - the water folks would probably like us to shower less, and the air folks might have us take out our air conditioners. I am trusting my fellow ecologists to make smart decisions and to do good work in their field, and one of the joys of coming to meetings is seeing that they do, and that it's getting better all the time. Respectfully, Jacquelyn **** Jacquelyn Gill Graduate Research Assistant Jack Williams Lab University of Wisconsin - Madison Department of Geography 550 North Park St. Madison, WI 53706 608.890.1188 (phone) 608.265.9331 (fax) - Original Message - From: Andrew Park <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Date: Thursday, August 9, 2007 12:26 am Subject: Re: [ECOLOG-L] Skipping meetings To: ECOLOG-L@LISTSERV.UMD.EDU > Liane, > > I respect your view, but I am rather unconvinced. Most of the > advantages you state can be gained from reading abstracts in the > literature, Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution, Science, Nature and > Proceedings. One can talk with authors by phone or e-mail. I do it > > all the time. I am currently collaborating with an author who I have > > never even met on a manuscript. > > The one thing that cannot be substituted for is the joy of face to > face human contact, and the possibility of an exciting new research > direction emerging over late night beers. But (a) how often does that > > happen? and (b) does it continue to justify carbon-intensive travel? > > Quoting Liane Cochran-Stafira <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>: > > > At 04:53 PM 8/6/2007, Andrew Park wrote: > >> Dear Ecologgers, > >> > >> As for meetings, I suspect that they are usually more about networking > >> (careerism again) and less about achieving progress in a particular > >> field. That's why I do not go to them these days unless I am > >> presenting something specific. > > > > Andy, > > I'm rather surprised by this statement. Yes, grad students and recent > > grads may be looking for potential employers, but that is hardly the > > main reason people attend ESA or any other scientific meetings. The > > main goal is to find out what is going on in our own little corner of > > the research world as well as to scout out what's new in other areas > of > > ecology, microbiology, or whatever. As someone else has mentioned, > > it's impossible to read all the ecological research papers, but if I > > spot an interesting abstract, I can easily get more information in the > > form of a talk, seminar presentation, or poster session. And, I can > > discuss the research with the author in person. Not sure what > > meetings you've been attending to come away with such a narrow view > of > > their value. > > > > Cheers, > > Liane > > > > > > > > *** > > D. Liane Cochran-Stafira, Ph.D. > > Associate Professor > > Department of Biological Sciences > > Saint Xavier University > > 3700 West 103rd Street > > Chicago, Illinois 60655 > > > > phone: 773-298-3514 > > fax:773-298-3536 > > email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > http://faculty.sxu.edu/~cochran/
Re: Skipping meetings vs. teleconferencing
More importanly, anyone ever spend a week sitting in front of a computer during an online meeting, without the added benefit of getting to chat informally with presenters and attendees from all over the world (or meet for beers afterwards)? If we don't have time to read all the journal articles in every issue of Ecology, what more effective way is there to serendipitously discover the research of our colleagues? I understand the need to make alternatives available, but the work that is inspired and generated by spending a week with fellow researchers more than makes up for any environmental impact (especially with features like carbon offsets) in my opinion. As a young graduate student, I'm pretty techno-savvy, but I would never want ESA to replace flesh-and-blood meetings with impersonal and inconvenient electronic alternatives. It's one thing for eminent scientists like Dr. Wilson to call for a reduction in world travel at the height of a distinguished career (filled with l ots of world travel), but for a young and relatively un-traveled ecologist-in-training like myself, I am saddened to think of what might happen to our field if the human element were taken away from meetings. The level of discourse in "real life" will never be matched by electronic and/or tele-conference settings. And a practical consideration: From where I stand (at ESA) I can see people from several different countries and dozens of states. Which time zone should we broadcast our teleconference from? Respectfully, Jacquelyn Gill **** Jacquelyn Gill Graduate Research Assistant Jack Williams Lab University of Wisconsin - Madison Department of Geography 550 North Park St. Madison, WI 53706 608.890.1188 (phone) 608.265.9331 (fax) - Original Message - From: Malcolm McCallum <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Date: Monday, August 6, 2007 6:01 pm Subject: Re: [ECOLOG-L] Skipping meetings vs. teleconferencing To: ECOLOG-L@LISTSERV.UMD.EDU > Anyone ever participated in an online scientific meeting? > > > On Mon, August 6, 2007 8:27 am, Kelly Stettner wrote: > > I got the impression from Wayne's post that he was not discouraging > > physical attendance at meetings, but rather that he was encouraging > the > > use of other methods of participation. I have neither the time nor > the > > money to "travel extensively, jetting about" to and from meetings and > > conferences and gatherings. I must pick and choose, carpool when I > can, > > and (MUCH more often) seek out conference calls, on-line courses and > > meetings, and notes and presentations posted online after said conference > > or symposium. I have taught myself perseverance in researching and > have > > gained the self-confidence to realize my questions are pertient and > valid. > > > > Another important tool I use is e-mail -- I seek out the > researcher or > > presenter, find their e-mail address, and ask them questions, sparking > > conversations and discussions, getting answers and furthering my > > understanding. I am a full-time college student, mother of two, > > full-time secretary, and part-time voluntary director of a > > community-based watershed team in Vermont, so my time is limited as > is > > my budget. I think it is extremely important for me to "meet" > > colleagues any way I can, and e-mail is a fantastic "first contact" > > method. > > > > So Wayne is not recommeding skipping meetings or discussion-time, > he is > > promoting finding alternative avenues of interacting as a means of time > > and fuel economy. Or at least, that is what I am understanding from > his > > comments. > > > > Sincerely, > > Kelly Stettner, Director > > Black River Action Team > > Springfield, VT > > www.blackriveractionteam.org > > > > > > - > > Sick sense of humor? Visit Yahoo! TV's Comedy with an Edge to see what's > > on, when. > > > > > Malcolm L. McCallum > Assistant Professor of Biology > Editor Herpetological Conservationa and Biology > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: SCIENCE Access to information
Hello all, As a grad student, I have never, ever had to pay for an article, even when I was an undergraduate at a small liberal arts school of less than 350 students. Librarians have been invaluable in helping me to acquire materials through inter-library loan, including faxed or e-mailed scans of articles that weren't available at my small school but were at a larger university nearby. This service is free, and assures that no one should ever face restricted access; if it's not at your library, it's going to be at another one (my understanding is that this works for public libraries as well). I would also to thank the many librarians and work study students who tirelessly scan, photocopy, and mail articles to those in need. As a graduate student, I am also learning to navigate the peer-review waters, and while I acknowledge the problems with the system I would also have to strongly agree that we shouldn't replace it with what Petr Smilauer called "publishing anarchism." I am in graduate school to develop breadth and depth in my knowledge base and acquire skills, and balancing teaching, research, and coursework responsibilities takes up the bulk of my time. From my perspective, the peer-review system is a highly efficient way of distributing the effort that goes into disseminating information. I receive e-mailed tables of contents, I peruse online databases like Web of Knowledge and Google Scholar, and I utilize references to find what I need so I can quickly and efficiently return to the task at hand: learning. While it might be a valuable exercise, I certainly don't have the time or the knowledge base to muck through articles on dozens (or hundreds) of websites, deciding which is credible enough to cite in my term paper or the lit review of my thesis. So, as with librarians, I would like to take this as an opportunity to thank the reviewers who volunteer their time, energy and expertise to making sure that I don't have to. This doesn't mean I take everything I read at face value, but I do think that the quality and integrity of my academic experience is much greater because I can train a more fine-tuned eye on research design and conclusions because the broad work of weeding out and editing has already been done. Thanks, Jacquelyn Jacquelyn Gill Graduate Research Assistant Jack Williams Lab University of Wisconsin - Madison Department of Geography 550 North Park St. Madison, WI 53706 608.890.1188 (phone) 608.265.9331 (fax) - Original Message - From: Petr Smilauer <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Date: Tuesday, May 22, 2007 7:31 am Subject: Re: [ECOLOG-L] SCIENCE Access to information To: ECOLOG-L@LISTSERV.UMD.EDU > Dear all, > > Wayne Tyson wrote: > > ... > > What I would like to see is a shift from publication in the ripoff > > journals to self-publishing on open-source websites (saving > mountains > > of Georgia clay and forests of "pulpwood"), casting all research and > > > scholarly work to the winds for ALL peers to review and reference, > > thus eventually permitting MERIT to survive and the BS to compost. > > > > While I could write authors and get papers that way, the amount of > > time involved, both for me and the authors, is, in my view, an > > unnecessary burden in the 21st century. Multiply this by everyone > > searching the Internet, and the burden is monumental. It is not > > I believe this is rather unfortunate argument. If such a "publishing > anarchism" > would have its way, we would spend much more time sorting out > credibility of each published piece of results than we do with approaching > authors or searching through the current databases on Internet. > > Also, the proportion of rubbish in the "published" (publicly exposed) > papers would increase dramatically, if the authors would not face the > prospect of their approach, results, and conclusions being checked by > the experts in the same field. The large amount of "gray publications" > is not only the result of the existence of high publishing barrier, but > also the result of really bad science done at many places. > > In my opinion, the peer review is, despite all the faults of its actual > state, really necessary to stay and abandoning it would be a disaster > for scientific progress. On the other hand, the paper of Bergstrom & > Bergstrom quoted here before tells interesting story and gives the > recipe. Non-profit publishers are currently in a strong position and > it can be further improved by qualified decisions of submitting > authors. But the price of publishing cannot be driven down to "free", > only at a huge expense of deteriorating the quality of communication > among scientists. > > > Petr Smilauer > Ceske Budejovice > Czech Republic
Re: Ocean Level Rising
"1. The ocean level is unchanged when floating ice melts." But if that floating ice originated on land, like pieces of the Greenland or Antarctic ice shelves, then the sea level would go up when that ice was added to the ocean (and eventually melted). In addition, melting glaciers and continental ice sheets do raise the level of the ocean. Ice bergs don't typically originate as floating ice. "2. The ocean is a spherical body of water. The ocean volume varies as the cube of the ocean radius. Therefore, for the ocean radius to increase 20 feet, the ocean volume must increase 8,000 times more than for a 1-foot radius increase. For the ocean radius to increase 40 feet, the ocean volume must increase 64,000 times more than for a 1-foot radius increase." This seems to attempt to downplay the possibility of rising sea level. Sea level has risen some 400 feet since the end of the last ice age, a magnitude twenty times greater than the twenty-foot increase you hypothesize here. Granted, current ice volumes are a fraction of that of Pleistocene glaciation, but taking average estimates of just the Antarctic ice sheet (at approximately 30 million square km) and the Greenland ice sheet (3 million square km) and ignoring mountain glaciers, a 20-foot sea-level rise doesn't seem too far-fetched, regardless of the volumetric mechanics. In addition, thermal expansion of water as the oceans warm would contribute to a measurable amount of sea level rise. The sea level has risen 1-3mm/year in the last 100 years, and it is believed that thermal expansion is responsible for at least as much if not more of that warming. Cheers, .j. **** Jacquelyn Gill Graduate Research Assistant Jack Williams Lab University of Wisconsin - Madison Department of Geography 550 North Park St. Madison, WI 53706 608.890.1188 (phone) 608.265.9331 (fax) - Original Message - From: "James T. Conklin" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Date: Wednesday, March 21, 2007 5:42 pm Subject: [ECOLOG-L] Ocean Level Rising To: ECOLOG-L@LISTSERV.UMD.EDU > Inconvenient Facts regarding rising ocean level: > > 1. The ocean level is unchanged when floating ice melts. > > 2. The ocean is a spherical body of water. The ocean volume varies > as > the cube of the ocean radius. Therefore, for the ocean radius to > increase > 20 feet, the ocean volume must increase 8,000 times more than for a > 1-foot > radius increase. For the ocean radius to increase 40 feet, the ocean > > volume must increase 64,000 times more than for a 1-foot radius increase.
Re: 1916 Clements reference in electronic version?
In defense of Gleason, it might be useful to keep in mind his individualistic concept of vegetation, as opposed to the Clementsian model. I know that especially as a Quaternary paleoecologist-in-training Gleason's work has been extremely important. Cheers, .j. Jacquelyn Gill Graduate Research Assistant Jack Williams Lab University of Wisconsin - Madison Department of Geography 550 North Park St. Madison, WI 53706 608.890.1188 (phone) 608.265.9331 (fax) - Original Message - From: Robert Hamilton <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Date: Friday, February 16, 2007 4:21 pm Subject: Re: [ECOLOG-L] 1916 Clements reference in electronic version? To: ECOLOG-L@LISTSERV.UMD.EDU > Definately, many thanks. I am presenting Clements v Gleason next week, > and this saves me a trip to get a copy. I am going to rip Gleason, FWIW, > because IMHO the main point in criticizing Clements has more to do with > not liking Clements' experimental approach to ecology, and wanting to > stay with ecology being nothing more than descriptions of habitats. > > "So easy it seemed once found, which yet > unfound most would have thought impossible" > > John Milton > > > Robert G. Hamilton > Department of Biological Sciences > Mississippi College > P.O. Box 4045 > 200 South Capitol Street > Clinton, MS 39058 > Phone: (601) 925-3872 > FAX (601) 925-3978 > > >>> L Quinn <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> 2/16/2007 10:26 AM >>> > Thanks to Jonah Duckles for putting together a .pdf from the Library of > > Congress website! Some of you asked for it if I got it, so here it is > with > only a few pages missing. I was told this link might not last long, so > save > your copy soon. > > "Here it is in PDF...sucked down the TIFFs from Library of congress and > put > it in a PDF format. Pages 383-387 (Tiff numbering) were bad so they > aren't > included. > > This link probably won't last for too long...but enjoy: > > http://www.jduck.net/Clements1916.pdf > > Jonah" > > > > > Original Message Follows > From: L Quinn <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Reply-To: L Quinn <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > To: ECOLOG-L@LISTSERV.UMD.EDU > Subject: Re: 1916 Clements reference in electronic version? > Date: Thu, 15 Feb 2007 23:47:21 + > > This is a great place to start. You're right, though, it is a bit > clunky to > go through each section by opening new HTML links. I'd still be glad > for a > .pdf version if anyone already has that. In the meantime, I'll be > plugging > away at the Library of Congress website... > Thank you! > Lauren Quinn > > Original Message Follows > From: Wirt Atmar <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Reply-To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > To: ECOLOG-L@LISTSERV.UMD.EDU > Subject: Re: 1916 Clements reference in electronic version? > Date: Thu, 15 Feb 2007 17:22:45 EST > > > > It is actually on-line at the Library of Congress website, although in > one > of > two ugly formats: either as a sequence of plain-text HTML pages or one > SGML > (Standard Generalized Markup Language) document, an open-source format > which > almost no one supports any longer. > > The address for the document is: > > http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/r?ammem/consrv:@field([EMAIL > PROTECTED](amrvgvg39 > > )):@@@$REF$ > > or > > http://tinyurl.com/29kjnv > > Wirt Atmar > > _ > Invite your Hotmail contacts to join your friends list with Windows > Live > Spaces > http://clk.atdmt.com/MSN/go/msnnkwsp007001msn/direct/01/?href=http://spaces.live.com/spacesapi.aspx?wx_action=create&wx_url=/friends.aspx&mkt=en-us > > > _ > Want a degree but can't afford to quit? Top school degrees online - in > as > fast as 1 year > http://forms.nextag.com/goto.jsp?url=/serv/main/buyer/education.jsp?doSearch=n&tm=y&search=education_text_links_88_h288c&s=4079&p=5116
ESA 2007 oral session on paleo- & modern ecology of megaherbivores
Dear colleagues, We write to draw your attention to the organized oral session, "Ancient Extinctions & Modern Experiments: Ecological Effects of Adding & Removing Megaherbivores from the Landscape," which will be convening at the Ecological Society of America annual meeting in San Jose (August 5-10, this session is Monday afternoon, August 6). Several slots are open so we encourage anyone interested to submit an abstract (due March 1st). Otherwise, we encourage you to attend what promises to be an exciting session. Session description follows end of email. Thank you for your interest, and apologies for cross-posting. Respectfully, Jacquelyn Gill Jack Williams Department of Geography University of Wisconsin ** SESSION DESCRIPTION Successful conservation and restoration efforts require an understanding of the drivers of ecosystem dynamics. Often, conservationists seek to return highly altered landscapes to a pristine state that may or may not have existed in the past and is often poorly understood. With increased human impact, this typically requires intensive management under disturbance regimes that are quite different than those of the past. Understanding the role of megaherbivores in ecosystem dynamics is particularly challenging, because in many cases key species are long absent from the landscape. In response, some have suggested reintroducing locally extinct species or their closest analogs to extirpated groups. Large mammals are particularly susceptible to extinction, and the megafauna has experienced disproportionate species losses since the last ice age. What impact did local and global megaherbivore extirpation have on the evolution of landscapes during the early Holocene? Would changes i n modern herbivore biodiversity have a similar impact on vegetation? How would such changes influence local fire regime, soil properties, or other factors that could contribute to ecological cascades? Recent publications on herbivore-plant dynamics, particularly long-term exclusion studies, indicate the importance of megafauna to the maintenance of many natural habitats. Megaherbivores often play a keystone role in modern ecosystems, which conservationists must consider if they are to implement a systems-based approach. One proposed strategy, re-wilding, involves reintroducing herbivores to regions where now-extinct species once lived. Research assessing the effectiveness of such strategies should include both modern and paleoecological perspectives. Paleoecological data can offer spatial and temporal perspectives not possible with modern process studies, and can address the rate and extent of landscape change following a particularly dramatic example of selective extinction during the late Pleistocene. Paleoenvironmental proxies allow reconstruction of megafaunal presence and ancient fire regimes, and advances in stable isotope analysis allow reconstruction of diet and migratory patterns of extinct species. Better integration of modern landscape ecology and paleoecology offers significant contributions to future restoration efforts. Modern ecologists can offer direct experimental and observational evidence of the impacts of herbivore presence on the landscape; paleoecologists can contribute a broader spatiotemporal perspective. Whether or not megaherbivores will ultimately play a role in restoration efforts, an understanding of their impact and ecology is critical to the development of conservation strategies.
