Subject: ECOLOG-L Digest - 27 Jan 2003 to 28 Jan 2003 (#2003-28)
There are 25 messages totalling 1538 lines in this issue.
Topics of the day:
1. Research and Conservation (14)
2. News: US Ocean Commission Agrees Marine Resources Imperiled
3. News: UNEP Releases Water Report To Mark World Water Day
4. Research and Environmental Conservation (2)
5. Qualitative Reasoning workshop
6. Spectral Analysis - summary
7. request for citations documenting insect outbreaks
8. Iowa DNR job announcement: bird and bat study
9. Book announcements
10. Ecologist Faculty Position
11. Climate Change Impacts Map
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Mon, 27 Jan 2003 22:57:02 -0500
From: awagoner <awagoner@VT.EDU>
Subject: Re: Research and Conservation
Mr Gathman's response further clarifies my point..
In my opinion we cannot afford to get tired of having this discussion. This
s
the most pertinent issue that our work as scientists affects -- no other
profession is as intimately tied to it. How can we choose not to deal with i
or discuss it at length? It may be uncomfortable but when has being a
scientist ever been comfortable?
Alexa Wagoner
Portland, OR
>===== Original Message From Joe Gathman <jgathman@petersonenv.com>
=====
>The lack of response may be because this issue is raised on this list
>once or twice per year. It frequently gets considerable discussion.
>
>But I agree with the point that the general apathy is unsettling. I
>just saw a poll of registered voters on the next presidential election.
>Environmental issues ranked very low on the list of priorities - about
>third from the bottom in a list of ~15 items, if I recall correctly.
>
>Joe Gathman
>St. Paul, MN
>
>awagoner wrote:
>>
>> The apathy that is evident in the lack of outcry for or against thi
line
of
>> thought is apalling and frankly depressing.
>>
>> That this kind of call to action goes unanswered in THIS community
s why
we
>> will keep having our funding cut and why our world is in it's curre
t
>> predicament. As those who are aware and informed about these issues
we have
a
>> responsibility to act.
>>
>> Whether we choose to accept it or shirk that responsibility and mak
excuses
>> will lie with each of our conscience.
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 27 Jan 2003 21:55:33 -0800
From: Ashwani Vasishth <vasishth@USC.EDU>
Subject: News: US Ocean Commission Agrees Marine Resources Imperiled
U.S. OCEANS COMMISSION WRESTLES WITH NEW POLICIES
By J.R. Pegg
WASHINGTON, DC, January 24, 2003 (ENS) - After a year of deliberations,
the 16 Commissioners of the U.S. Commission on Ocean Policy agree that the
nation's oceans, coasts and marine resources are in trouble. Pollution,
coastal development and intensive fishing have caused severe harm to many
U.S. marine ecosystems and to the economies of many coastal areas.
For full text and graphics visit:
http://ens-news.com/ens/jan2003/2003-01-24-10.asp
[More on the US Commission on Ocean Policy can be found at:
http://www.oceancommission.gov/]
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 27 Jan 2003 22:02:56 -0800
From: Ashwani Vasishth <vasishth@USC.EDU>
Subject: News: UNEP Releases Water Report To Mark World Water Day
[More on World Water Day, March 22, 2003, can be found at:
http://www.waterday2003.org]
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/2692253.stm
Monday, 27 January, 2003, 10:40 GMT
Water-related problems have been recognised as the most immediate and
serious threats to humankind
- Salif Diop, Unep
WATER RESOURCES
* Almost 50% of the world's coasts are threatened by development
* Fish-farming, on land and at sea, now produces 30% of global supplies
* Agriculture uses about 75% of global water consumption and industry 20%
UN Makes Water Point
By Alex Kirby
BBC News Online environment correspondent
The United Nations has hit on a novel way to depict the gravity of the
world's growing water crisis.
It is publishing a report on the quantity, quality and availability of
global water supplies that relies on graphics rather than text to deliver
its message.
The report is supplemented by CD-Roms and other audio-visual material.
The authors believe this will prove a more effective way of alerting the
world to what is happening.
'Glaring gaps'
The report, Vital Water Graphics, is published by the UN Environment
Programme (Unep), which worked with other UN agencies, international
organisations and individual experts to produce it.
Photograph Omitted:
On this map, red indicates where industry dominates water usage; purple
shows heavy domestic use, too
It illustrates problems such as the world's growing waste of water, the
reduction in freshwater supplies, and the sharp fall in size of the Aral
Sea, Lake Chad and the marshlands of Mesopotamia.
Dr Klaus Toepfer, Unep's executive director, said the "visually
compelling" report would be an effective tool for years to come.
Unep says there is good information on water resources in Europe and North
America, but "glaring gaps" in some of the data for Africa, Latin America
and parts of Asia.
The report identifies trends and offers forecasts, and will be updated
periodically to include new material.
Critical issues
One chart shows how the amount of freshwater wasted by different sectors
is rising.
In 2000, agriculture and domestic use each wasted 800 cubic km of water,
and industry 400 cubic km.
By 2025, the report estimates, those figures will have risen to 1000, 1100
and 500 cubic km respectively.
By then, an estimated 300 cubic km of water will be lost as well through
evaporation from reservoirs, up 50% from 2000.
Salif Diop heads the water unit in Unep's division of early warning and
assessment. He said: "Water-related problems have been recognised as the
most immediate and serious threats to humankind.
"Vital Water Graphics is a valuable complement to existing assessments of
world water resources and to the tools available for raising public
awareness of these critical issues - issues that will determine the very
future of life on Earth."
World Water Day
Halifa Drammeh of Unep's division of policy development and law told BBC
News Online: "The report certainly has some added value. Some of the
previous reports we've produced take a lot of reading.
"But a visual presentation like this, backed up by other materials, is
going to take the message further down the line."
The report says global water use has more than tripled since 1950, and one
person in six has no regular access to safe drinking water.
The number of children who die every day because of unsafe water is
estimated at 41,000. But drinking water supplies for poor people would be
doubled with just a 10% improvement in the efficiency of irrigation.
There is some good news: the number of people with some form of improved
water supply rose from 4.1 billion (79% of the world's population) to 4.9
billion (82%) in 2000.
The report is being launched as a contribution to World Water Day 2003,
which is 22 March.
The Third World Water Forum is being held in Japan from 16 to 23 March as
part of the UN's International Year of Freshwater.
* * *
*** NOTICE: In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, this material
is distributed, without profit, for research and educational purposes
only. ***
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 28 Jan 2003 08:24:19 -0700
From: Dave Whitacre <dwhitacre@PEREGRINEFUND.ORG>
Subject: Research and Environmental Conservation
It would be a silly mistake to attempt to gauge the personal commitment
of ECOLOG subscribers to the advocacy roles in question, by their
response or lack of response to this current thread. People are too busy
for that. I am quite sure that many subscribers who work diligently
toward conservation ends in many spheres of their lives, have not chimed
in on this thread because they are busy working diligently toward
conservation ends.
Respectfully,
Dave Whitacre
The Peregrine Fund
5668 W. Flying Hawk Lane
Boise, Idaho 83709
(208) 362-3716
dwhitacre@peregrinefund.org
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 27 Jan 2003 15:09:26 +0100
From: Tim Nuttle <Tim.Nuttle@UNI-JENA.DE>
Subject: Qualitative Reasoning workshop
Nachrichtcall for participants:
Qualitative Reasoning Models on Stream Ecosystem Recovery (QRSER)
A workshop: 6 - 8 March 2003 in the Dornburg Chateau , Jena (Thuringia), =
Germany
=20
This will be a workshop for stream ecologists working on regeneration =
and recovery of degraded streams (or other aquatic systems) to formulate =
their experience and data into qualitative simulation models. The target =
audience is experienced senior researchers working in long-term =
investigation projects in Europe.
=20
Participants will have the opportunity to learn a modern qualitative =
simulation platform GARP (Bredeweg, University of Amsterdam), develop =
preliminary models, present results half a year later at a =
international symposium, and subsequently contribute their paper to an =
edited book on the subject. Participants will also have the opportunity =
to join a research proposal for European Union FP6 funding.
=20
Sponsoring:
The Graduate Research Group on Functioning and Regeneration of Degraded =
Ecosystems at the University of Jena will reimburse all travel (for =
travelling within Europe) and attendance expenses for the workshop.
=20
Space is extremely limited, so please contact the organizers soon if you =
are interested.
More information and instructions for registration can be found at: =
http://www.qrser.de/ =20
=20
or contact:
Dr. Michael Neumann=20
Institute of Ecology, Limnology
University of Jena
Carl-Zeiss-Promenade 10
D-07745 Jena, Germany
=20
Telephone: +49(0)3641 642 742
=20
E-mail: m.neumann@uni-jena.de
=20
Workshop organizers: Michael Neumann, Tim Nuttle, Stefan Halle =
(University of Jena, Germany) and Bert Bredeweg (University of =
Amsterdam).=20
=20
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 28 Jan 2003 18:28:27 +0200
From: Yaron Ziv <yziv@BGUMAIL.BGU.AC.IL>
Subject: Spectral Analysis - summary
Dear ECOLOGists,
About 10 days ago, I posted a query regarding the use of spectral analysis
in ecology. I got very good responses, which I would like to post here for
the benefit of all.
In general, the responses can be separated into two categorical directions:
The first is the practical use of spectral analysis in remote sensing and
GIS. The second (which I was looking for myself) is the conceptual use of
spectral analysis to develop theories and hypotheses in ecology. I do not
separate between the two directions here, so you are kindly advised to be
selective when you wish to use the summary for one direction and not for
the other. (I excluded, of course, overlapping responses and those that
had unpublished manuscripts or personal-based data.) I would like to thank
all those who sent their words of wisdom and the info they had on spectral
analysis.
1.
An old reference is Platt and Denman 1975: Spectral analysis in ecology.
Ann. Rev. Ecol. Syst. 6:189-210.
Two interesting contemporary references are:
(1) Keitt 2000: Spectral representation of neutral landscapes. Landscape
Ecology 15:479-494.
(2) Csillag and Kabos 2002: Wavelets, boundaries, and the analysis of
landscape pattern. Ecoscience 9:177-190.
Some basic problems with applying classical approaches of spectral analysis
to ecological data include (1) the extent of the time or spatial series
required to get good frequency resolution+ADs- (2) requirement of regular
sampling intervals+ADs- (3) difficulty in handling missing/bad data+ADs-
(4) interpretation of the strong periodicities+ADs- (5) intrinsic noise in
most ecological data+ADs- (6) pseudo-periodicity and nonstationarity in the
generative processes+ADs- (7) contingency and/or nonlinearity of
interactions.
Many of these limitations can be handled better with newer approaches to
signal decomposition, such as wavelets, but the question remains-- both in
general and specific to each dataset-- as to whether such tools shed light
and yield limipid interpretation or cast shadows and obfuscate with details
of technique.
-----------------------------
2.
Spectral analysis is used a bit in ecology, but wavelets are probably more
appropriate for most ecological applications. For an overview, and
references pertaining to both, try Dean Urban's spatial analysis course
notes, especially the lecture at
http://www.env.duke.edu/lel/env352/alt_maps.pdf
-----------------------------
3.
Logerwell Elizabeth A [a]; Hewitt Roger P; Demer David A. Scale-dependent
spatial variance patterns and correlations of seabirds and prey in the
southeastern Bering Sea as revealed by spectral analysis. [Article]
Ecography. 21(2). April, 1998. 212-223.
-----------------------------
4.
I read a couple of papers in the mid 1990s that used spectral analysis to
study animal behavior through time, treating the frequency of occurrence of
a particular behavior as a frequency of a wave. Here are some of the
citations I have on-hand.
Desportes, J.-P., N. B. Metcalfe, F. Cezilly, G. Lauvergeon, and C.
Kervella. 1989. Test of the sequential randomness of vigilant behaviour
using spectral analysis. Animal Behaviour 38:771-777.
Desportes, J.-P., N. B. Metcalfe, B. Brun, and F. Cézilly. 1990. Vigilant
behaviour: predictability or randomness? spectral analysis of series of
scan durations and their relationship with inter-scan intervals. Ethology
85:43-50.
Desportes, J. P., N. B. Metcalfe, J. W. Popp, R. M. Meyer, A. Gallo, and F.
Cézilly. 1993. Relationship between scan and interscan durations in three
avian species. Canadian Journal of Zoology 71:1466-1469.
-----------------------------
5.
See Turner SJ, et al. 1991. Pattern and scale: Statistics for Landscape
Ecology. In Turner, MG, and RH Gardener (editors). Quantitative Methods in
Landscape Ecology. pp 17-49. Springer-Verlag. New York.
-----------------------------
6.
This URL may be of interest to you:
http://www.env.duke.edu/landscape/
There you will find for example a 'pdf' file:
www.env.duke.edu/lel/env352/alt_maps.pdf
This file discusses the uses of spectral analysis (and wavelet analysis) in
ecology.
http://www.env.duke.edu/landscape/ is a useful and interesting web-link.
-----------------------------
7.
Legendre, P., and M.-J. Fortin. 1989. Spatial pattern and ecological
analysis. Vegetatio 80:107-38
Renshaw, E., and E. D. Ford. 1984. The description of spatial pattern using
two-dimensional spectral analysis. Vegetatio 56:75-85
Dale, M. R. T. 1999. Spatial pattern analysis in plant ecology. Cambridge
University Press, Cambridge, UK.
Gallant, J. C., I. D. Moore, M. F. Hutchinson, and P. Gessler. 1994.
Estimating fractal dimension of profiles: a comparison of methods. Math.
Geol. 26:455-81
Moloney, K. A., A. Morin, and S. A. Levin. 1991. Interpreting ecological
patterns generated through simple stochastic processes. Landscape Ecol.
5:163-74
Levin, S. A., K. Moloney, L. Butel, and C. Castillo-Chavez. 1989. Dynamical
Models of Ecosystems and Epidemics. Future Generation Computer Systems
5:265-74
-----------------------------
8.
You can find a few words about spectral analysis in ecology in Mark R. T.
Dale's book "Spatial pattern analysis in plant ecology" (Cambridge
University Press, 1999). There are examples for both single species and
multispecies studies (chapters 3 and 5, respectively). Apart from
references to specialized textbooks, Dale only refers to two published
papers using spectral analysis in ecology :
Kenkel, N. C. 1988. Spectral analysis of hummock-hollow pattern in a weakly
minerotrophic mire. Vegetatio 78: 45-52.
Ripley, B. D. 1978. Spectral analysis and the analysis of pattern in plant
communities. Journal of Ecology 66: 965-981.
-----------------------------
9.
Earlier (possibly earliest) references, see:
Platt, T., and K.L. Denman, Spectral analysis in ecology, Ann. Rev. Ecol.
Syst. 6, 189-210, 1975.
HH Shugart (ed.) Time Series and Ecological Processes 1978 Society for ...
Time Series Sampling Problems; Box-Jenkins Time Series Applications
I don't think these deal with space-time.
-----------------------------
10.
We use spectral analysis all the time in remote sensing (its the core of
what a remote sensor does). There is a wealth of literature on the subject
-- you can check out our lab's website at www.cstars.ucdavis.edu, we use an
imaging spectrometer (AVIRIS) to produce images where each pixel has a
continuous spectrum in which we can analyze absorption features, perform
wavelet analyses, and just about anything else you can think of doing with
spectrum, and then scale in the information across a landscape... I'd
argue this is the most advanced use of spectral analysis in ecology... We
can do neat things like calculate LAI, biomass, leaf water content, canopy
structure, species assemblages, etc, etc...
-----------------------------
11.
I've seen spectral analysis techniques used increasingly in time series
analysis of ecosystem processes. See, for example:
Falter, Atkinson, and Langdon. 2001. Production-respiration relationships
at different timescales within the Biosphere 2 coral reef biome. Limnol.
Oceanogr. 46(7) 3653-3660.
I've also seen it used to examine extinction rates in community ecology and
paleoecology though I don't have any references ready. If interested in
these, run searches on "self-organized criticality" or "1/f noise" with
extinction.
-----------------------------
12.
Remote sensing (spectral analysis) has been used by ecologists for almost
30 years. Look for the Journal Remote Sensing and Environment for current
directions. There are a number of other good journals including "European
Journal of Remote Sensing" that should be of interest.
-----------------------------
13.
Spectral analysis is a good tool for looking at distribution of things. the
power is that you can look at multiple "grains" simultaneously, up to 1/2
the transect length (the nyquist frequency
of the series).
-----------------------------
14.
I saw your posting on Ecolog asking about spectral analysis. I used it in a
paper a few years ago (Ecology 81: 2781) to analyze time series, and cited
some other studies doing the same. I think the application to spatial
patterns was discussed in the book on Spatial Statistics that Ripley wrote
many years ago.
-----------------------------
15.
Dr. Warren Abrahamson of Bucknell University and I used spectral (Fourier)
analysis in a study of long-term acorn production by xeric oaks in Florida.
The manuscript: "Long-term patterns of acorn production for five oak
species in xeric Florida uplands" has been accepted for publication in
Ecology and should be out in ca. a year.
I am also using the method for exploring periodicities in long-term
fluctuations in small mammal populations at the Archbold Biological Station
in southcentral Florida.
----------------------
Dr. Yaron Ziv Tel: +972 8 6461352/0 (office/lab)
Dept. of Life Sciences +972 (0)58 795920 (mobile)
Ben-Gurion University Fax: +972 8 6461710
Beer Sheva 84105 E-mail: yziv@bgumail.bgu.ac.il
ISRAEL http://www.bgu.ac.il/life/yziv.html
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 28 Jan 2003 11:55:37 -0500
From: James Cronin <jpcronin+@PITT.EDU>
Subject: request for citations documenting insect outbreaks
Hi All,
I am writing a review article on the effects of out-breaking insects on
plant populations and communities, and I am seeking references and
citations. I have been using the usual search engines (Biological
Abstracts, ISI, google, etc), but I hope some of you may be able to point me
towards citations these popular avenues may miss. I am particularly
interested in references that document a NATIVE insect out-break where
1) the insect out-break affected a host plant(s),
2) the insect out-break affected the plant community.
Any suggestions will be gratefully appreciated. Please contact me directly
at jpcronin@pitt.edu.
Many thanks,
James Cronin
____________________________
James Cronin
A234 Langley Hall
Program in Ecology and Evolution
University of Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh, PA 15260
email: jpcronin@pitt.edu
phone: 412-624-5497
fax: 412-624-4597
Department website: http://www.pitt.edu/~biology/
Reasoning unwarranted by facts, and facts not correctly, and sufficiently
reasoned out, are equally worthless and dangerous for practical use.
-S.A. Forbs (1880)
May the road rise to meet your feet and not your face.
___________________________________________
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 28 Jan 2003 17:36:23 +0000
From: Aaftab Jain <aaftabj@HOTMAIL.COM>
Subject: Iowa DNR job announcement: bird and bat study
Please post the following announcement:
WIND FARM RESEARCH ASSISTANT needed for a study of the impacts of a recently
constructed wind farm near Lake Mills in north Iowa on birds and bats. This
study will assess bird and bat use of the wind farm and similar surrounding
habitat, as well as the bird and bat mortality resulting from collisions
with the turbines. Duties include monitoring bird and bat use at turbine
and non-turbine sites and searching for evidence of bird collisions under
towers. Employment will be through the Iowa Dept. of Natural Resources from
March 1 ^Ö May 31, 2003, with the possibility of extended employment through
August, 2003. Applicant should have 2 years of college, majoring in
wildlife ecology or related subject, and good bird identification skills.
Applicant must be physically fit, willing to work weekends and odd hours
(including early AM and late PM), and possess a valid driver^Ňs license. Pa
is $9.17/hour, 40 hours/week, plus travel expenses when working away from
assigned station. Housing is provided. Send resume by February 21, 2003
to: Guy Zenner, Iowa Dept. of Natural Resources, 1203 N. Shore Drive, Clear
Lake, IA 50428. Fax 515/357-5523. Phone: 515/357-3517. You may also
apply electronically by sending resume in text format to gzenner@netins.net.
Thank you,
Aaftab Jain
M.S. Candidate
Natural Resource Ecology and Management,
Iowa State University
Email: aaftabj@iastate.edu
****************** aaftabj@hotmail.com *******************
_________________________________________________________________
Add photos to your messages with MSN 8. Get 2 months FREE*.
http://join.msn.com/?page=features/featuredemail
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 28 Jan 2003 12:00:31 -0700
From: Jere Boudell <jboudell@ASU.EDU>
Subject: Re: Research and Conservation
I brought up the topic of the involvement (or lack thereof) of
ecological scientists in environmentalism in my non majors course,
"Environmental Biology" yesterday. A number of students voiced their
concerns. More than a few students stated that they would be very
concerned if scientists - who are supposed to be impartial- became very
involved in environmentalism. They stated that they would begin to
question whether or not the results of studies by "environmental
scientists" were biased. The students did not have a problem with
scientists educating "the public", but definitely felt uneasy with
scientists becoming very politically active.
Jere Boudell
Department of Plant Biology
Arizona State University
Department of Life Sciences
Red Mountain Community College
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 28 Jan 2003 11:18:32 -0800
From: Jay Bancroft <jsbancroft@PW.ARS.USDA.GOV>
Subject: Re: Research and Environmental Conservation
My $0.02 - you can't pollute your research objectivity. Activism is a
voluntary activity that should not be part of our work. However, I gain
much better understanding of public opinion and how to do more
popular/fundable work through community activism.
I try to state when I am putting my activist hat on and use "I ... ".
Many people will accept a short blurb on complexity of environmental
problems. Eventually, through indoctrination, the simple actions to
conserve our world and enhance the quality of life are implemented
widely; its really only the golden rule. (Of course I have loud silly
debates with my family as we try to solve the world's problems over
morning coffee.)
Jay Bancroft http://jsb95003.tripod.com/
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 28 Jan 2003 15:44:57 -0500
From: David Weininger <dgw@MIT.EDU>
Subject: Book announcements
Here are some recent books from the MIT Press that may interest ECOLOG-L
readers. I've included brief descriptions along with a link for each book
where more information can be found.
Thanks!
David
The Grassroots of a Green Revolution
Polling America on the Environment
Deborah Lynn Guber
http://mitpress.mit.edu/0262072386
The Grassroots of a Green Revolution uses polling data from a wide variety
of sources to explore the myths, inconsistencies, and tensions that
characterize public thinking on environmental issues. The book defines and
describes key characteristics of public opinion, including direction,
strength, stability, distribution, and consistency, and shows how those
qualities influence behavior. The book uses that body of evidence to weigh
the significance of environmental concern in U.S. politics and policy and
to provide pragmatic advice for decisionmakers in their efforts to motivate
Americans to act in an environmentally responsible way.
Taking Sustainable Cities Seriously
Economic Development, the Environment, and Quality of Life in American Citie
Kent E. Portney
http://mitpress.mit.edu/026216213X
Today at least twenty-five major U.S. cities have pursued some form of
sustainability initiative. Although many case studies and "how-to" manuals
have been published, there has been little systematic comparison of these
cities' programs and initiatives. In this book Kent Portney lays the
theoretical groundwork for research on what works and what does not, and
why. He begins by reviewing the conceptual underpinnings of sustainable
development and sustainable communities. The comparisons that follow
provide a foundation for assessing the range of what is possible and
desirable for sustainability initiatives. In the book's conclusion, Portney
assesses the extent to which cities can use the pursuit of sustainability
either to foster change in public values or merely to reinforce values that
are already reflected in systems of governance.
The Economic Dynamics of Environmental Law
David M. Driesen
http://mitpress.mit.edu/0262042118
In this book David Driesen shows in detail how the concept of economic
dynamics can reshape thinking about environmental law and policy. He argues
that environmental policymaking in the United States has been poorly served
by the dominant, static view of the relationship between environmental
regulation and the economy, technology, and business. Basing public policy
on the concept of economic efficiency, he claims, warps our sense of what
is necessary and achievable in environmental lawmaking.
Moral and Political Reasoning in Environmental Practice
edited by Andrew Light and Avner de-Shalit
http://mitpress.mit.edu/0262122529
What role can philosophers play in helping to resolve the moral and
political dilemmas faced by environmental activists and policymakers?
Moving away from environmental philosophy's usual focus on abstractions
such as nonanthropocentrism and the intrinsic value of nature, this book
focuses on environmental practice as the starting point for theoretical
reflection. Philosophical thinking, it argues, need not be divided into the
academic and the practical. Philosophy can take a more publicly engaged
approach. The authors combine a deep understanding of the environmental
ethics literature with a sympathetic sociological and political examination
of environmental activists and their reasoning.
Bureaucratic Landscapes
Interagency Cooperation and the Preservation of Biodiversity
Craig W. Thomas
http://mitpress.mit.edu/0262201410
Bureaucratic Landscapes explores the reasons for the success and failure of
interagency cooperation, focusing on several case studies of efforts to
preserve biodiversity in California. The book examines why public officials
tried to cooperate and the obstacles they faced, providing indirect
evidence of policy impacts as well. Among other topics, it examines the
role of courts in prompting agency action, the role of scientific knowledge
in organizational learning, and the emergence of new institutions to
resolve collective-action problems. Notable findings include the crucial
role of environmental lawsuits in prompting agency action and the
surprisingly active role of the Bureau of Land Management in resource
preservation.
David Weininger
Associate Publicist
MIT Press
5 Cambridge Center, 4th Floor
Cambridge, MA 02142
617.253.2079
617.253.1709 fax
dgw@mit.edu
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 28 Jan 2003 11:55:58 -0900
From: "MAIER JULIE A. K." <ftjak@AURORA.UAF.EDU>
Subject: Re: Research and Conservation
Hi Jere,
There is a fine line between involvement in environmental issues and the
appearance of maintaining objectivity in scientific endeavors. It is
critical to try to keep them separate. That said, I also believe it is
critical to get involved in and lend your expertise to environmental
issues. Too many scientists seem to use the need for objectivity in
science as an excuse to not come forward to educate the public. The
public has remained relatively ignorant of many environmental concerns
because of this. Much of the public still does not believe in global
warming because they don't realize that a preponderance of scientists
absolutely believe that humans are causing the globe to warm. If you
don't believe in global warming you don't have to concern yourselves with
issues like the melting of ice caps and glaciers, destruction of the
marine food web, and on and on. I believe it is absolutely the duty of
scientists to get involved, albeit carefully, in environmental issues.
Always maintain your professional integrity.
Julie Maier
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 28 Jan 2003 16:02:13 -0500
From: mike aliotta <bornxeyed@BELLSOUTH.NET>
Subject: Re: Research and Conservation
How do your students feel about scientists whose research is funded by
private anti-environmental concerns? Do dollars subvert objectivity more
than activism? Can a scientist have a personal opinion or objective
without undermining how results of experiments are interpreted or are we
all slaves to Heisenberg?
Mike Aliotta
non-affiliated non-scientist
At 02:00 PM 1/28/03, Jere Boudell wrote:
>I brought up the topic of the involvement (or lack thereof) of
>ecological scientists in environmentalism in my non majors course,
>"Environmental Biology" yesterday. A number of students voiced their
>concerns. More than a few students stated that they would be very
>concerned if scientists - who are supposed to be impartial- became very
>involved in environmentalism. They stated that they would begin to
>question whether or not the results of studies by "environmental
>scientists" were biased. The students did not have a problem with
>scientists educating "the public", but definitely felt uneasy with
>scientists becoming very politically active.
>
>Jere Boudell
>Department of Plant Biology
>Arizona State University
>Department of Life Sciences
>Red Mountain Community College
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 28 Jan 2003 14:38:03 -0700
From: Jere Boudell <jboudell@ASU.EDU>
Subject: Re: Research and Conservation
By posting the opinions of my non-science major students on the topic, I wan
ed to introduce the public perception of our responsibilities as ecological
cientists. Many of us are involved in communicating the results of our inve
tigations to the "public". Many or most of us are very politically active on
our "off time." The students concern focused on the scientist who particip
tes in environmental activism as a "scientist", not as a "regular" member of
the public. Many of the students see scientists as an group that is able to
provide impartial information concerning ecological issues. They *perceive*
scientists who "push a cause" as being biased. I got the impression from my
tudents that it was very important to them that we remain untainted by polit
cal forces.
Again, the students did not have concerns with scientists educating the publ
c about ecological issues, but with those who then step into the political a
ena.
Jere Boudell
Department of Plant Biology
Arizona State University
Department of Life Sciences
Red Mountain Community College
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 28 Jan 2003 16:44:44 -0500
From: John Wehr <wehr@FORDHAM.EDU>
Subject: Ecologist Faculty Position
ECOLOGIST FACULTY POSITION
The Department of Biological Sciences, Fordham University, invites
applicants for a tenure-track faculty position in Ecology at the Assistant
Professor level, for Fall 2003. Special consideration will be given to
individuals studying insects, amphibians or fish, and conducting research at
any level, from the organism to the ecosystem.
We seek individuals who will establish a vigorous, extramurally funded
research program, and supervise undergraduate and graduate (M.S. and Ph.D.)
students at Fordham's biological field station, the Louis Calder Center,
Armonk, NY (www.fordham.edu/calder_center), which contains a diversity of
terrestrial and aquatic habitats, state of the art laboratories, and
research library. There are also opportunities for collaboration with
scientists at the Wildlife Conservation Society, American Museum of Natural
History, and the New York Botanical Garden.
Teaching at the undergraduate and graduate levels is expected. A Ph.D. is
required and postdoctoral experience is preferred. Applicants should submit
curriculum vitae, brief statement of teaching and research experience and
future interests, and names and telephone numbers of three references to:
Dr. Berish Y. Rubin, Ecologist Search Committee, c/o Louis Calder Center,
Fordham University, Box 887, Armonk, NY 10504. Closing date is March 24,
2003. Fordham University is an independent, Catholic university in the
Jesuit tradition and welcomes application from men and women of all
backgrounds.
Equal Opportunity / Affirmative Action Employer - we strongly encourage
applications from women and minorities.
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 28 Jan 2003 16:09:30 -0500
From: Invasives mailbox <invasives@UCSUSA.ORG>
Subject: Climate Change Impacts Map
apologies for cross-posting.
Dear Ecolog-L readers,
We are excited to announce the release of an updated, online
version of the Global Warming: Early Warning Signs map. This
map was originally released in 1999 by the Union of
Concerned Scientists, in conjunction with six other
environmental groups -- Environmental Defense, Natural
Resources Defense Council (NRDC), Public Interest Research
Group (PIRG), Sierra Club, World Resources Institute (WRI)
and World Wildlife Fund (WWF). The map illustrates global
climate change indicators or "hot spots" such as sea-level
rise, melting glaciers, heat waves, floods, and shifting
plant and animal ranges.
The updated version of the map includes more than 60 new
"hotspots." Many of the new examples of a changing climate
are in developing countries, for which we did not find much
credible scientific information for the earlier version. The
map now truly depicts the "...collective picture of a
warming world and other changes in the climate system" that
the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) noted
in its 2001 assessment.
In addition to these new "hotspots," the revised web site
contains:
* A climate solutions page with direct links to information
about climate change solution options put forth by the
leading environmental organizations sponsoring the map.
* Pictures from around the world by professional
photographer Gary Braasch depicting many of the map's
"hotspots."
* A revised version of the UCS climate change curriculum
guide that accompanies this map with updated links.
The revised map is currently not available in printed format
but can be viewed online at
< http://www.climatehotmap.org >.
If you have already seen the map or used it in some
activity, there is a direct link on the site that sends you
to the list of new map points. For map viewers from around
the world, the measurements for all the points are now also
listed in metric.
Please also note that hard copies of the original map are
still available from Environmental Defense at
< http://www.climatehotmap.org/order.html >. We hope the
revised map continues to inform and educate the public,
press, and policy makers who are concerned about global
warming and who want to implement solutions that will begin
reducing heat-trapping gas emissions. We look forward to
your comments and feedback.
Sincerely,
Jason Mathers
Global Environment Program
Union of Concerned Scientists
jmathers@ucsusa.org
*****************
Scientists across the US are making their voices heard
through the Sound Science Initiative (SSI). SSI is an
effective email-based vehicle for scientists to respond to
and influence fast-breaking media and policy developments on
environmental issues of global significance, with a special
focus on climate change and loss of biological diversity.
To add your voice to the over 3000 scientists in SSI, please
visit our website: http://www.ucsusa.org
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 28 Jan 2003 15:58:58 -0600
From: Christopher J Wells <chris_wells@USGS.GOV>
Subject: Re: Research and Conservation
How do you get funding that has no perception of bias? Is research funded
by environmental interests without taint?
Every source of funds has some sort of strings, real or imagined. It is up
to the scientist conducting the research and the peer review process to
weed-out bad science.
---chris
Christopher J Wells, Geographer
National Wetlands Research Center, USGS
700 Cajundome Blvd
Lafayette, LA 70506
337 266 8651
chris_wells@usgs.gov
mike aliotta
<bornxeyed@BELLSO To: ECOLOG-L@LISTSER
.UMD.EDU
UTH.NET> cc:
Sent by: Subject: Re: Research and Co
servation
"Ecological
Society of
America: grants,
jobs, news"
<ECOLOG-L@LISTSER
V.UMD.EDU>
01/28/03 03:02 PM
Please respond to
mike aliotta
How do your students feel about scientists whose research is funded by
private anti-environmental concerns? Do dollars subvert objectivity more
than activism? Can a scientist have a personal opinion or objective
without undermining how results of experiments are interpreted or are we
all slaves to Heisenberg?
Mike Aliotta
non-affiliated non-scientist
At 02:00 PM 1/28/03, Jere Boudell wrote:
>I brought up the topic of the involvement (or lack thereof) of
>ecological scientists in environmentalism in my non majors course,
>"Environmental Biology" yesterday. A number of students voiced their
>concerns. More than a few students stated that they would be very
>concerned if scientists - who are supposed to be impartial- became very
>involved in environmentalism. They stated that they would begin to
>question whether or not the results of studies by "environmental
>scientists" were biased. The students did not have a problem with
>scientists educating "the public", but definitely felt uneasy with
>scientists becoming very politically active.
>
>Jere Boudell
>Department of Plant Biology
>Arizona State University
>Department of Life Sciences
>Red Mountain Community College
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 28 Jan 2003 17:03:11 -0500
From: "Karpa-Wilson, Douglas" <dkarpawi@INDIANA.EDU>
Subject: Re: Research and Conservation
>How do your students feel about scientists whose research is funded >
y
private anti-environmental concerns?
>Mike Aliotta
This is an important point. I'll go for the cynic's view of the public
debate. In the public debate, niceties like bias seem to get lost, so
struggling to maintain the appearance of objectivity may be a lot of
worrying about something that in the end isn't all that important. I'm
not sure most of the public expects scientists to be objective.
Certainly once one is labeled as an "ecologist", the confusion between
ecology and environmentalism should serve nicely to shred any notion
that one is an 'objective' scientist, I would think. So as far as the
public debate is concerned, it's probably better to be active and
tainted than pure and silent.
On the other hand, the people who *are* going to be concerned with
objectivity will be fellow scientists, in all likelihood. One would hope
that we'd give enough scrutiny to each other's work to sniff out
egregious lacks of objectivity (that is to say more than the usual and
customary lack of objectivity that comes with committing to a particular
position in any scientific debate).
I, for one, would find it fine to be politically active as long as I
could convince my colleagues that it didn't affect my conclusions.
Since my stuff is so far removed from environmental import, I'm not sure
how was a fervent environmentalist bias would affect my conclusions,
anyway. I certainly don't find that environmentally minded opinions
compromise my colleagues' conclusions about things like the evolution of
abscisic acid pathways in mangroves, the biology of flower-emasculating
ants, or the role of ballistic dispersal in clumping of forest trees.
Just yet another $0.02, which, if collected, could fund a lot of
research.
Doug
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 28 Jan 2003 17:44:33 -0500
From: Bruce Stallsmith <fundulus@HOTMAIL.COM>
Subject: Re: Research and Conservation
Mike, you raise an extreme example with Heisenberg; he was a politically
active scientist who was the Science Ambassador of the Third Reich to
Nazi-occupied Europe. I doubt this is a positive model to anyone on this
list.
That said, I would vote in favor of scientists, especially biologists,
becoming more politically engaged for the same reasons as others have cited
for such engagement. Really, what's the alternative? Bear silent witness to
the current extinction crisis? I'm voting with my feet...
--Bruce Stallsmith
Biological Sciences
University of Alabama in Huntsville
Huntsville, AL, US of A
>From: mike aliotta <bornxeyed@BELLSOUTH.NET>
>Reply-To: mike aliotta <bornxeyed@BELLSOUTH.NET>
>To: ECOLOG-L@LISTSERV.UMD.EDU
>Subject: Re: Research and Conservation
>Date: Tue, 28 Jan 2003 16:02:13 -0500
>
>How do your students feel about scientists whose research is funded by
>private anti-environmental concerns? Do dollars subvert objectivity mor
>than activism? Can a scientist have a personal opinion or objective
>without undermining how results of experiments are interpreted or are we
>all slaves to Heisenberg?
>
>
>Mike Aliotta
>non-affiliated non-scientist
_________________________________________________________________
MSN 8 with e-mail virus protection service: 2 months FREE*
http://join.msn.com/?page=features/virus
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 28 Jan 2003 15:43:37 -0700
From: Mark Gerber <mgerber@POWERENG.COM>
Subject: Re: Research and Conservation
Here's where I'll throw in a couple of cents.
It can be extremely difficult to maintain objectivity when your dollars are
coming from private anti-environmental concerns. Most of the work I do is
compliance/permitting consultation for large utilities. It is a risk to be
objective in the face of losing clients (and $$ for any consulting firm),
however it can be done without compromising professional
ethics/ideals/results. I have found that it is often the agencies (boy I'm
going to get it for this) that let me down. For lack of funding/time or
whatever reason, the agency often looks the other way when it comes to
really forcing large utilities to adhere to statutes or regulations or
enforcing those regulations.
One thing that I have found is that private dollars MAY fund more complete
research because private interests frequently HAVE more dollars. I don't
feel that I in any way compromise results of any scientific work that we
conduct because our funding comes from private dollars. To boot I have to
endure my friends in academics/agencies rolling their eyes and giving me the
"wink, wink" because I work for a private environmental consulting firm.
> Mark F. Gerber
-----Original Message-----
From: mike aliotta [mailto:bornxeyed@BELLSOUTH.NET]
Sent: Tuesday, January 28, 2003 2:02 PM
To: ECOLOG-L@LISTSERV.UMD.EDU
Subject: Re: Research and Conservation
How do your students feel about scientists whose research is funded by
private anti-environmental concerns? Do dollars subvert objectivity more
than activism? Can a scientist have a personal opinion or objective
without undermining how results of experiments are interpreted or are we
all slaves to Heisenberg?
Mike Aliotta
non-affiliated non-scientist
At 02:00 PM 1/28/03, Jere Boudell wrote:
>I brought up the topic of the involvement (or lack thereof) of
>ecological scientists in environmentalism in my non majors course,
>"Environmental Biology" yesterday. A number of students voiced their
>concerns. More than a few students stated that they would be very
>concerned if scientists - who are supposed to be impartial- became very
>involved in environmentalism. They stated that they would begin to
>question whether or not the results of studies by "environmental
>scientists" were biased. The students did not have a problem with
>scientists educating "the public", but definitely felt uneasy with
>scientists becoming very politically active.
>
>Jere Boudell
>Department of Plant Biology
>Arizona State University
>Department of Life Sciences
>Red Mountain Community College
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 28 Jan 2003 18:05:00 -0500
From: Oliver Kilian <ollie@ACCESSV.COM>
Subject: Re: Research and Conservation
Hello all:
One insight I had a year or so ago may be relevant to this discussion.
The background: As someone who has done ecology stuff as a researcher,
consultant, and instructor/interpreter, I find my own role in trying to make
the world a better place often depends on whom I'm speaking to - I can
"switch hats" as needed. What seems to have changed is the nature (pun
intended) of environmental awareness itself. Others have mentioned public
and media apathy as a significant cause for concern.
The insight: The cause of this apathy is, I believe, a subtle and
well-orchestrated corporate agenda to "radicalize" us. Once seen as a noble
effort for the sake of "future generations", environmental advocacy has now
been successfully portrayed as a pastime for out-of-touch people variably
referred to as "granola crunchers", "tree huggers", "earth mothers",
etc..... Ten years ago when I spoke of ecology and conservation issues to
anyone, I was listened to with palpable interest. Similarly, at that time,
many "green" issues had a sense of urgency about them and were actually
getting done (or started): recycling, regular government announcements of
increases in protected areas, cleanup plans for the Great lakes, greater
fuel-efficiency in vehicles, environmental awareness, growing enrolments in
environmental studies curricula, ..... Today, when I talk to people about
ecology and conservation I do so with the same vigour as then, yet I find
myself making a conscious effort not to sound too zealous or serious about
it for fear of being shrugged off as another "tree hugger". My point is that
those driven by the profit motive (corporate or individual) seem to have
managed to belittle all our environmental arguments, foster an impression
that we're largely a bunch of "green" wackos, and that we don't have the
real needs of people today in mind. Everything we say or do is somehow
anathema or adversarial to current notions of what makes life in the western
world worthwhile: conspicuous consumption, more toys, bigger toys, and the
supposed unquestionable rights to produce, sell, have, and enjoy same. Money
is apparently the only thing that really talks (and gets listened to).
I don't know how to make our work meaningful again to the shallow,
money-driven world at large, to have it regain the momentum, respectability,
and aura of urgency it enjoyed 10-15 years ago, but I have not been
hood-winked by slick PR and marketing and will continue to fight the good
fight .... whether as an advocate, scientist, or citizen.
Just a thought, is all that was.
Oliver K. Reichl, B.E.S.(Hons.)
Consulting Arborist, Forest Ecologist
7 Oaks Urban Forestry Consultants, Inc.
143 Pemberton Rd.
Richmond Hill, Ontario
L4C 3T6
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 28 Jan 2003 18:25:23 -0500
From: eann@JUNO.COM
Subject: Re: Research and Conservation
On Tue, 28 Jan 2003 14:38:03 -0700 Jere Boudell <jboudell@ASU.EDU>
writes:
> Many of us are involved
> in communicating the results of our investigations to the "public".
> Many or most of us are very politically active on our "off time."
I don't believe this is true as applies to State or federal agency
employees. Because of they are perceived to represent "official" views,
they are held to a different standard. Whether implied or stated.
Ann
E. Ann Poole, MS, NH#WSA-5
Ecologist and Environmental Planner
Concord, NH
1997 - 2002 5 years of Service
"Helping Communities Meet the Challenges of Growth"
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 28 Jan 2003 17:11:23 -0600
From: ALICE BRANDON <ABRANDON@DNRMAIL.STATE.IL.US>
Subject: Re: Research and Conservation
I think the problem is that students and the public are under the
mistaken myth that scientists are completely unbiased or "untouched" by
politics in their jobs. We need to do a better job in dispelling this.
As an undergraduate I was required to read The Pesticide Conspiracy by
Robert Van Den Bosch in my Zoology 101 course. It had and still does
impact my perception of the relationship between science and politics.
It or a similar book should be required reading for all biology
students. Biologists are in fact tainted by political forces and not
only by "environmentalists" but more importantly by those funding their
research.
Respectfully, Alice Brandon
Alice Brandon
EcoWatch QA Officer
Illinois Dept. of Natural Resources
100 W. Randolph, Suite 4-300
Chicago, IL 60601
(312) 814-7290
abrandon@dnrmail.state.il.us
>>> Jere Boudell <jboudell@ASU.EDU> 01/28/03 03:38PM >>>
By posting the opinions of my non-science major students on the topic,
I wanted to introduce the public perception of our responsibilities as
ecological scientists. Many of us are involved in communicating the
results of our investigations to the "public". Many or most of us are
very politically active on our "off time." The students concern
focused on the scientist who participates in environmental activism as a
"scientist", not as a "regular" member of the public. Many of the
students see scientists as an group that is able to provide impartial
information concerning ecological issues. They *perceive* scientists
who "push a cause" as being biased. I got the impression from my
students that it was very important to them that we remain untainted by
political forces.
Again, the students did not have concerns with scientists educating the
public about ecological issues, but with those who then step into the
political arena.
Jere Boudell
Department of Plant Biology
Arizona State University
Department of Life Sciences
Red Mountain Community College
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 28 Jan 2003 18:47:54 -0500
From: mike aliotta <bornxeyed@BELLSOUTH.NET>
Subject: Re: Research and Conservation
Honestly, I had no idea of Heisenberg's political affiliations but was
referring to Heisenberg-the-physicist's assertion that no one can conduct
an experiment without altering the outcome. But perhaps this actually
makes my point, since I don't believe the Nazi party had a vested interest
in quantum mechanics or that Heisenberg's political role diminished his
ultimate contributions to physics.
As one who has been an environmentalist longer than he has been an
electrical engineer and who hopes one day to become an ecologist, or at
least make some contribution to ecology, I really hope the 3 are not
mutually exclusive. But I do believe advocacy based on facts shouldn't
undermine scientific credibility and that it is the conclusions that need
to be objective not the one making them. I also believe that if the
scientific community doesn't become vocal about the changes humans are
causing to the biosphere and which seems to be confirmed by all objective
evidence then there is no one else to do so with credibility. I hope I
will not be forced be the type of ecologist who merely documents the damage.
Mike
At 05:44 PM 1/28/03, Bruce Stallsmith wrote:
>Mike, you raise an extreme example with Heisenberg; he was a politically
>active scientist who was the Science Ambassador of the Third Reich to
>Nazi-occupied Europe. I doubt this is a positive model to anyone on this
>list.
>
>That said, I would vote in favor of scientists, especially biologists,
>becoming more politically engaged for the same reasons as others have ci
ed
>for such engagement. Really, what's the alternative? Bear silent witness
to
>the current extinction crisis? I'm voting with my feet...
>
>--Bruce Stallsmith
>Biological Sciences
>University of Alabama in Huntsville
>Huntsville, AL, US of A
>
> >From: mike aliotta <bornxeyed@BELLSOUTH.NET>
> >Reply-To: mike aliotta <bornxeyed@BELLSOUTH.NET>
> >To: ECOLOG-L@LISTSERV.UMD.EDU
> >Subject: Re: Research and Conservation
> >Date: Tue, 28 Jan 2003 16:02:13 -0500
> >
> >How do your students feel about scientists whose research is funded
by
> >private anti-environmental concerns? Do dollars subvert objectivit
more
> >than activism? Can a scientist have a personal opinion or objectiv
> >without undermining how results of experiments are interpreted or a
e we
> >all slaves to Heisenberg?
> >
> >
> >Mike Aliotta
> >non-affiliated non-scientist
>
>
>
>_________________________________________________________________
>MSN 8 with e-mail virus protection service: 2 months FREE*
>http://join.msn.com/?page=features/virus
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 28 Jan 2003 16:02:59 -0800
From: Steve Erickson <wean@WHIDBEY.NET>
Subject: Re: Research and Conservation
Wearing my activist hat, I find the bias usually shows up in "expert"
recommendations more than in peer reviewed studies. For example, a
consultant whose published literature review concluded that stream
buffers less than 50-100 feet were ineffective at maintaining stream
functions then made recommendations to our anti-protection county
commissioners that 25 ft. buffers were adequate. This sort of
recommendation to order is common. My observation is that
biostitution is widespread in the environmental consulting industy.
Now I'll really make people mad. The slide into giving the client the
result their wallet wants does sometimes occur because of ideology,
but usually its the result of the insidious never ending economic and
emotional pressure to please the client. I know some consultants who
have "walked," but they are few.
Now, if retaining "objectivity" is taken to mean that scientists
should not stand up at hearings and say "I am a scientist, these are
my qualifications and experience, my opinion about this issue is
based on my scientific training, knowledge, and experience," then you
can rest assured that science will continue to play at best a
transitory role in policy and regulatory decision making. Why? Well,
those who have the bucks will have science to back their plans, even
if they have to misrepresent their own scientists. Those who place
other values or interests higher will be dismissed as green fanatics
out on fantasy land. When they stand up at that hearing it doesn't
matter if they quote scientists or give reasonable interpretations or
logical extrapolations of the science, since they are not scientists.
The predictable and all too common result is that the defenders of
the natural world are hung out to dry, dismissed as selfish NIMBYs,
or simply ignored.
-Steve Erickson
Frosty Hollow Ecological Restoration
============================================================================
=
>Here's where I'll throw in a couple of cents.
>
>It can be extremely difficult to maintain objectivity when your dollars
re
>coming from private anti-environmental concerns. Most of the work I do
s
>compliance/permitting consultation for large utilities. It is a risk to
be
>objective in the face of losing clients (and $$ for any consulting firm)
>however it can be done without compromising professional
>ethics/ideals/results. I have found that it is often the agencies (boy
'm
>going to get it for this) that let me down. For lack of funding/time or
>whatever reason, the agency often looks the other way when it comes to
>really forcing large utilities to adhere to statutes or regulations or
>enforcing those regulations.
>
>One thing that I have found is that private dollars MAY fund more comple
e
>research because private interests frequently HAVE more dollars. I don'
>feel that I in any way compromise results of any scientific work that we
>conduct because our funding comes from private dollars. To boot I have
o
>endure my friends in academics/agencies rolling their eyes and giving me
the
>"wink, wink" because I work for a private environmental consulting firm.
>
>
> > Mark F. Gerber
>
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: mike aliotta [mailto:bornxeyed@BELLSOUTH.NET]
>Sent: Tuesday, January 28, 2003 2:02 PM
>To: ECOLOG-L@LISTSERV.UMD.EDU
>Subject: Re: Research and Conservation
>
>
>How do your students feel about scientists whose research is funded by
>private anti-environmental concerns? Do dollars subvert objectivity mor
>than activism? Can a scientist have a personal opinion or objective
>without undermining how results of experiments are interpreted or are we
>all slaves to Heisenberg?
>
>
>Mike Aliotta
>non-affiliated non-scientist
>
>
>At 02:00 PM 1/28/03, Jere Boudell wrote:
> >I brought up the topic of the involvement (or lack thereof) of
> >ecological scientists in environmentalism in my non majors course,
> >"Environmental Biology" yesterday. A number of students voiced th
ir
> >concerns. More than a few students stated that they would be very
> >concerned if scientists - who are supposed to be impartial- became
very
> >involved in environmentalism. They stated that they would begin to
> >question whether or not the results of studies by "environmental
> >scientists" were biased. The students did not have a problem with
> >scientists educating "the public", but definitely felt uneasy with
> >scientists becoming very politically active.
> >
> >Jere Boudell
> >Department of Plant Biology
> >Arizona State University
> >Department of Life Sciences
> >Red Mountain Community College
Frosty Hollow Ecological Restoration
Box 53, Langley, WA 98260
(360) 579-2332
wean@whidbey.net
------------------------------
Subject: ECOLOG-L Digest - 23 Jan 2003 to 24 Jan 2003 (#2003-24)
There are 8 messages totalling 605 lines in this issue.
Topics of the day:
1. Book blurb - Road Ecology: Science and Solutions
2. grassland bird field technician positions
3. Interdisciplinary Liberal Arts Teaching Job Opportunity
4. M.S. opportunity in quantitative ecology, OSU
5. MEEC 2003 2nd Call For Papers
6. Please Post - Restoration of Native Meadows Workshop - this May!
7. Research and Environmental Conservation
8. Joint Annual Meeting 2003 SNVB/CNCTWS
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Thu, 23 Jan 2003 22:44:10 -0800
From: Ashwani Vasishth <vasishth@USC.EDU>
Subject: Book blurb - Road Ecology: Science and Solutions
The promo, below, is excerpted from an e-newsletter, Skid Marks, that
seeks to support activists challenging the use of off-road vehicles on
parklands and wilderness. I have left subscription information at the end
of the posting, for those who might be interested.
For those who might want a glimpse into the off-road biking culture, there
is a news report at:
http://www.latimes.com/news/science/la-wk-cover23jan23001443,0,4844979.sto
y?col
l=la%2Dnews%2Dscience
Cheers,
Ashwani
Vasishth vasishth@usc.edu (213) 236-1908
http://www-rcf.usc.edu/~vasishth
---
4. ISLAND PRESS RELEASES NEW ROAD ECOLOGY BOOK
Road Ecology: Science and Solutions was published in December 2002 by 14
leading ecologists and transportation experts. The book explores the
history of the five million mile road network in North America and the
impacts of that road system on wildlife, aquatics and hydrology, vegetation
and natural landscapes. Using an interdisciplinary approach, the book
brings together concepts from wildlife biology, water chemistry and
population ecology to develop a cohesive model from which to base sound
transportation policy.
Road Ecology provides in-depth exploration of wildlife mitigation
structures and also includes some discussion of road removal. Perhaps more
importantly, it defines a new field of science on ecological road research.
Available from Island Press, paperback, 481 pages, $27.50.
*********************************************
Please keep in touch with us about your roads and motorized recreation work.
Questions about Skid Marks should be directed to Marnie Criley at
marnie@wildlandscpr.org. Please send e-mail action alerts to
WildlandsCPR@wildlandscpr.org.
TO SUBSCRIBE
If you aren't already subscribed to Skid Marks and you would like to be,
send an email to skidmarks-on@vortex.wildrockies.org
TO UNSUBSCRIBE
Likewise, if you would like to remove yourself from our listserve, send an
email to skidmarks-off @vortex.wildrockies.org
*********************************************
Marnie Criley, Roads Policy Coordinator
Wildlands Center for Preventing Roads
PO Box 7516
Missoula, MT 59807
(406) 543-9551
WildlandsCPR@wildlandscpr.org
www.wildlandscpr.org
********************************************
Wildlands Center for Preventing Roads
Wildlands CPR
PO Box 7516
Missoula, MT 59807
406/543-9551
mailto:WildlandsCPR@wildlandscpr.org
http://www.wildlandscpr.org
===
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 23 Jan 2003 18:26:40 -0600
From: sfink1@BIGRED.UNL.EDU
Subject: grassland bird field technician positions
GRASSLAND BIRD FIELD TECHNICIANS: Looking for 2-3 field technicians for
approximately 3 months (mid-May to late-July) to become part of an MS study
examining the effects of various grazing regimes on abundance and productivi
y
of grassland birds on private lands in the Nebraska Sandhills. Duties will
include surveying birds by sight and sound, searching for and monitoring nes
s,
obtaining structural vegetation measurements, as well as plant identificatio
,
GPS navigation and data entry. Preferred applicants will have grassland bir
ID skills and nest monitoring experience and/or grassland plant ID skills, b
t
those with good observational skills and enthusiasm to learn new things will
be
considered. Experience with manual transmissions, 4x4 and ATV^Ňs also
preferred. Field technicians should be in good physical condition (walking
long distances required), willing to endure early mornings, long hours and
weather extremes and remoteness of the Sandhills prairie. Good communicatio
skills and sensitivity to issues dealing with private landowners a must. Th
Sandhills are the largest contiguous tract of mixed grass prairie in the US
nd
provide wonderful scenery and outdoor opportunities. Field station will be
located in/near Valentine in north central Nebraska. Housing and field
vehicles are provided. Salary is approximately $1,500 per month. Please se
d
cover letter, resume and contact information for three references by March 1
t
to SILKA L. FINKBEINER, University of Nebraska, 202 NRH; Lincoln, NE 68583-0
19
(PH: 402-472-6826, EM: sfink1@bigred.unl.edu).
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 23 Jan 2003 19:32:58 -0600
From: Duane Kitchen <Duane_Kitchen@ROCKFORD.EDU>
Subject: Interdisciplinary Liberal Arts Teaching Job Opportunity
This position may be of interest to ECOLOGers and others interested in
teaching and scholarship that crosses traditional disciplinary
boundaries.
Please pass this information along to all who may find it of interest.
ROCKFORD COLLEGE
is proud to announce the establishment of
THE RALPH BARTELS
LIBERAL ARTS FELLOWS PROGRAM
Funded through a generous bequest from college friend Ralph Bartels,
the Bartels Fellows Program honors the college's abiding commitment to
the liberal arts by appointing Bartels Liberal Arts Fellows to a
two-year term on the Rockford College campus (Rockford, Illinois).
Bartels Liberal Arts Fellows will teach, study and live as core members
of the college faculty, while also participating in mentoring and civic
engagement activities related to our mission.
Rockford College encourages nominations and applications for the
Bartels Fellows Program from recent Ph.D.s, along with less traditional
candidates (e.g., those moving from the corporate or civic sector into
the academy), who will contribute to the vitality and richness of our
community life.
Bartels Fellows are terminal appointments and will include a salary,
housing stipend, and discretionary research funds. Bartels Fellows
applicants must represent an academic discipline that fits the Rockford
College curriculum and must address their commitment to an
interdisciplinary approach to the liberal arts and teaching in their
application.
For more information, please see
http://www.rockford.edu/news/Bartelinfo.htm or go to the Rockford
College website at: http://www.rockford.edu
Applications and nominations must be received by February 16, 2003.
Applications and nominations should be addressed to Blaze Farrar,
special assistant to the president, and may be sent by mail or email
(preferred in MS Word format) to the following address:
Ms. Blaze Farrar
Rockford College
5050 East State Street
Rockford, IL 61108
Blaze_Farrar@rockford.edu
>>>>>>
Duane J. Kitchen
Assistant Professor of Biology
Rockford College
5050 East State St.
Rockford, IL 61108
phone: 815-226-4188
email: Duane_Kitchen@rockford.edu
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 24 Jan 2003 12:59:39 -0500
From: David Inouye <inouye@umd.edu>
Subject: M.S. opportunity in quantitative ecology, OSU
M.S. OPPORTUNITY IN QUANTITATIVE ECOLOGY: The successful candidate will
develop an M.S. thesis related to Bayesian Hierarchical Models for forest
ecology and forest management applications in the Department of Forest
Science at Oregon State University. A 2 year stipend and tuition is
available starting in the fall term, 2003 for a quantitatively-oriented
student.
Qualifications include a bachelor's degree in a natural resource field that
includes coursework in statistical methods or quantitative analysis. The
ideal candidate will have a strong desire to work in the interface between
statistical methods and natural resources applications, be
quantitatively-oriented, have excellent oral and written communication
skills and be strongly self-motivated.
The Department of Forest Science, within the College of Forestry at OSU in
Corvallis Oregon is strongly research-oriented and recognized
internationally for research in forest ecology. There are currently about
100 M.S. and Ph.D students. The department, along with the rest of the
College, is housed in a modern, new building with state-of-the-art
computational facilities and laboratories. The College of Forestry
operates about 14,000 acres of College Forests, most of it within minutes
of campus. Oregon State University is a Land Grant, Sea Grant, and Space
Grant university, an NCAA Division I university, and a member of the Pac-10
athletic conference. It is the only Oregon school, and one of just 88
nationwide, to carry the prestigious ranking of a Carnegie Research I
institution.
More information and answers to questions can be obtained by contacting Dr.
Lisa Ganio, (lisa.ganio@orst.edu <mailto:lisa.ganio@orst.edu>,
(541)737-6577 ). Information about the College of Forestry can be found at
<http://www.cof.orst.edu/> and information about the Department of For
st
Science and their admissions requirements and deadlines is listed at
<http://www.cof.orst.edu/cof/fs/>.
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 24 Jan 2003 13:26:46 -0500
From: Jennifer Purrenhage <jlp26@UAKRON.EDU>
Subject: MEEC 2003 2nd Call For Papers
Please Post...
Midwest Ecology and Evolution Conference (MEEC) 2003:
-March 28-30, 2003
-Hosted by The University of Akron Department of Biology
-Come share your proposed, ongoing, or completed research!
-Registration and Abstract Submission deadline is March 1, 2003
-$35 fee includes meeting attendance, Friday night mixer, meals and snacks,
Sat. night Keynote Banquet, & t-shirt
-Visit our website: http://www.uakron.edu/biology/meec, and see below...
Dear colleagues,
We would like to invite you to participate in the 23rd Annual Midwest
Ecology and Evolution Conference (MEEC) to be held March 28-30, 2003 hosted
by the Department of Biology at The University of Akron.
This posting is a Second Call for Papers for this increasingly popular and
productive annual professional meeting, We invite undergraduate, graduate,
and postdoctoral researchers in ecology, evolution, environmental sciences,
and other related fields to submit abstracts for either oral or poster
presentations. Please don't be discouraged if your work is not complete:
this is the place to share your proposed research, pilot data, or completed
studies. We encourage and welcome all interested individuals, nationally or
internationally, to submit abstracts and/or attend. Registration and
abstract submission deadline is March 1, 2003, and may be completed at the
following web site: http://www.uakron.edu/biology/meec
MEEC is an annual, migratory conference hosted by universities in the
Midwest and organized by graduate students. The purpose of MEEC is to
provide a relaxed, low pressure environment within which undergraduate,
graduate, and postdoctoral researchers may present their research ideas and
findings. Graduate students benefit from attending MEEC because it offers a
non threatening environment in which to present their research ideas and
findings. This allows students to practice presenting their work before
speaking in front of larger audiences of professional colleagues.
Undergraduate students involved in active research are also encouraged to
present their work in this supportive setting. In the past, professors have
attended MEEC to support their graduate students, exchange ideas with
colleagues, and to meet potential graduate or postdoctoral students with
research interests similar to their own.
The keynote speaker at the 23rd Annual MEEC will be Dr. Douglas J. Futuyma,
Professor and Chair of the Department of Ecology amd Evolutionary Biology at
the University of Michigan. For those of you who are not familiar with Dr.
Futuyma, he is "a native of New York City, received his B.S. at Cornell
University and his M.S. and Ph.D. (1969) in the Department of Zoology at the
University of Michigan, where he studied with Lawrence Slobodkin. From 1970
to 2002, he was on the faculty of the State University of New York at Stony
Brook [now Chair of EEB at the University of Michigan]. He has been the
President of the Society for the Study of Evolution and the American Society
of Naturalists, was Editor of Evolution and is currently Editor of the
Annual Review of Ecology and Systematics, received the Sewall Wright Award
from the American Society of Naturalists, has been a Guggenheim Fellow, and
was a Fulbright Fellow in Australia. He is an avid field naturalist and has
frequently taught in the field courses for the Oraginzation for Tropical
Studies (biography from his website at the University of Michigan)."
Further, Dr. Futuyma is the author of the widely used and very comprehensive
textbook, Evolutionary Biology (Sinauer Assoc., 3rd ed.), as well as the
popular book Science on Trial: The Case for Evolution (Sinauer Assoc.).
To maximize attendance while also minimizing costs, registration is only
$35.00 and covers meeting attendance, the social mixer on Friday, March 28,
two continental breakfasts (one each day of Saturday, March 29 and Sunday,
March 30), lunch on Saturday, March 29, the banquet dinner and keynote
lecture by Dr. Futuyma on the evening of Saturday, March 29, 2003, and a
commemorative T-shirt! We will also have tables set up by publishers (e.g.,
McGraw Hill; Sinauer Associates; Publishers of the journal Nature),
organizations (e.g., National Academy of Science, Division of Earth and Life
Sciences; American Association for the Advancement of Science), and
companies (e.g., Statsoft; High Performance Syatems; Fisher Scientific),
many of whom have very generously donated material for prizes as well as
free promotional materials.
The University of Akron is located in downtown Akron, Ohio, and is
convenient to several hotels. There are numerous places in the immediate
vicinity of the university to eat, drink, and be merry. Akron has an
excellent bus system for easy travel within the city. Registration,
abstract submission, travel/lodging information, and contact information may
all be found at the MEEC web site (http://www.uakron.edu/biology/meec).
Please feel free to pass this message on or print it out and post it for
inetested people to see! There is also a flyer (pdf file) on the web site
which we strongly encourage you to post where everyone can see it!
We look forward to seeing you at The University of Akron for the 23rd Annual
Midwest Ecology and Evolution Conference in March!
Jennifer Purrenhage Cameron Carlyle
jlp26@uakron.edu cnc5@uakron.edu
MEEC 2003 Host Committee Co-chairs
Program in Evolution, Ecology, & Organismal Biology
Department of Biology
University of Akron
Akron, OH 44325-3908
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 24 Jan 2003 16:22:25 -0500
From: Chris Allen <allen@AESOP.RUTGERS.EDU>
Subject: Please Post - Restoration of Native Meadows Workshop - this May!
Restoration of Meadows - to be held at Rutgers University, May 29th and
30th, 2003.
Diverse wildflower and native grass meadows serve many environmental and
public needs, including improvement of wildlife habitat and adding
beauty to the landscape. Over time, meadows can be less expensive to
maintain than large mowed lawns. This course will cover basic the
ecological principles and processes that underlie meadow creation. We
emphasize creating meadows on current turfgrass areas and degraded
lands, which are common in urban and suburban regions. Meadows are also
an advantage on property that is undergoing change in land use,
including buffer zones, mitigation projects, and new parks and
preserves. A team of professionals will cover planning, design,
management, education programs, and plant selection for these projects.
This two-day course will show you when restoration is appropriate, how
to plan and carry out a successful restoration project, and how to
maintain the project to meet your objectives.
The second day of the program will be a field day, where the class will
visit a number of restored meadows and have the opportunity to see and
discuss completed restoration projects, as well as discuss examples of
problems and solutions that are common to this process.
Who should attend? This course would benefit park and preserve
managers, ecological restoration specialists, landscape architects and
contractors, landscape maintenance workers, environmental consultants,
biologists, natural resource managers, and any citizen interested in
improving the local environment.
Registration
To register by phone: (732) 932-9271 Monday - Friday, 8:00 a.m. - 4:30
p.m. Please have your credit card number ready.
To register by mail or fax: Please call (732) 932-4275 to receive a
registration form. Full instructions for payment by all major credit
cards, check, money order or purchase order will be included in this
form.
Internet: Please visit our registration website at:
<http://cook.rutgers.edu/~ocpe> http://cook.rutgers.edu/~ocpe for
registration information.
Christine L. Allen
Center for Urban Restoration Ecology
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey
1 College Farm Road
New Brunswick, NJ 08901-1582
Phone: 732.932.4275
Fax: 732.932.4517
Email: allen@aesop.rutgers.edu
visit us on the web at: www.i-cure.org
- Common sense and a sense of humor are the same thing, moving at
different speeds. A sense of humor is just common sense, dancing -
Christine L. Allen
Center for Urban Restoration Ecology
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey
1 College Farm Road
New Brunswick, NJ 08901-1582
Phone: 732.932.4275
Fax: 732.932.4517
Email: allen@aesop.rutgers.edu
visit us on the web at: www.i-cure.org <http://www.i-cure.org/>
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 24 Jan 2003 08:18:12 -0800
From: Mike Marsh <swamp@WOLFENET.COM>
Subject: Research and Environmental Conservation
All scientissts who work on public non-reserved lands or private lands
should be talking to the land-owners and managers about the importance of
making changes in land use to favor the favor continuance of natural
processes and the preservation of natural vegetation and wildlife.
Nothing seems as important to me as this kind of public education, because
we have to do this work together. .
The American Instiitute of Biological Science stands out in providing an
interface between science and public policy.
Michael Marsh
swamp@wolfenet.com
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 24 Jan 2003 15:56:11 -0800
From: Heather Beeler <hbeeler@MADRIVERBIO.COM>
Subject: Joint Annual Meeting 2003 SNVB/CNCTWS
SECOND CALL FOR PAPERS
Joint Annual Meeting of the
SOCIETY FOR NORTHWESTERN VERTEBRATE BIOLOGY and
THE WILDLIFE SOCIETY, CALIFORNIA NORTHCOAST CHAPTER
March 19-22, 2003 Arcata, California
Biotic and Abiotic Processes in Headwaters Streams
More information and online registration available at
http://www.SNWVB.org
Mark your calendars, SNVB / TWS 2003 annual meeting will be held from
March 19 to 22 at Humboldt State University, Arcata, California. Arcata
is located along California's spectacular north coast, just 90 miles
south of the Oregon border, in the heart of redwood country. The theme
for this year's meeting is Biotic and Abiotic Processes in Headwaters
Streams, which certainly play a central role in vertebrate ecology
throughout much of the Pacific Northwest. In addition, we are
soliciting papers for sessions on mammals, birds, amphibians and
reptiles, fishes, wildlife as disease vectors, and non-native
vertebrates in aquatic systems. Final session topics will depend on
papers submitted. Submission deadline is February 01, 2003. Papers
will be considered in the order received. The meeting will begin on
Wednesday, March 19, with society board meetings and a Survey & Manage
Mollusk workshop (an additional workshop on forest amphibians may be
added if interest warrants). On Wednesday evening we'll host a social
mixer. Thursday morning begins with the Keynote address and plenary
session followed by concurrent sessions for submitted papers. Posters
will be displayed in the lobby adjacent the session rooms on Thursday
and Friday. Thursday's activities will conclude with a catered banquet.
Forest and coastal field trips are scheduled for Saturday, March 22.
Other special events include a member photo contest, best student paper
award, best poster award, and a silent auction. Numerous recreational
opportunities are available in the area, although some are weather
dependant; we are in the Pacific Northwest after all.
SUPPLEMENTAL WORKSHOPS: Wednesday, March 19, 2003
Survey & Manage Mollusk Workshop (50 max)
SNVB will be hosting a one-day Survey & Manage Mollusk Workshop on March
19, 2003 in Arcata. Nancy Duncan, Northwest Forest Plan Mollusk Taxa
Team Leader, will provide training identification and sampling protocols
for forest mollusks. An exhibit of live animals and shells will be part
of the morning lecture. That afternoon, participants will head to the
field and focus on the techniques involved in laying out survey
transects, assessing micro-climatic conditions, and surveying for the
target species. The forests surrounding Arcata provide ample
opportunities for participants to get hands-on views. Be prepared for
inclement weather and rough terrain; bring rubber boots, rain gear, and
warm layers of clothes. See registration form for the price list.
Register online beginning in January through the new SNVB web site at
http//www.SNWVB.org.
Stream Amphibians: Sampling, Ecology and Management Workshop (50 max)
As part of the theme for SNVB's annual meeting, biotic and abiotic
processes in headwater streams, David Pilliod and Bruce Bury are
offering a workshop on sampling stream amphibians in the Pacific
Northwest. This workshop will involve a morning of presentations by
regional experts covering sampling designs, field techniques, and an
overview of stream amphibian ecology and management. In the afternoon,
a field trip offers hands-on experience using the latest field
techniques and standardized methods (and tips) to catch species. An
optional field trip is also planned for Friday night (March 21) to learn
how to use eye-shine and nocturnal surveys to sample adult and juvenile
tailed frog populations. The cost of the workshop is $40, which
includes handouts, a CD with field forms and literature, lunch, and
field trip. Participants should be able to walk away from the 1-day
class/field trip with enough information to: (1) understand the
conservation, threats, and status of stream amphibians in the Northwest;
(2) select effective sampling methods for different questions, and (3)
conduct stream amphibian surveys.
Topics and Speakers
Ecology and Management of Stream Amphibians
Overview of ecology, distribution, threats, status, conservation, and
management of stream amphibians in the Pacific Northwest - Bruce Bury
Sampling Methods
Rapid Assessment: Time Constrained Searches - David Pilliod /other
Overview of Area Constrained Searches - Bruce Bury /other
Habitat Based Area Constrained Searches - Garth Hodgson
Sampling Stream Banks - Dede Olson
Nocturnal Surveys - Lowell Diller, Don Ashton
Snorkeling & Electrofishing - Russ Thurow /other
Method Comparison: Rapid Assessment & Rubble Rousing - Marc Hayes
Field Trip for demonstration of methods, brown bag lunch provided.
More information and online registration available at
http://www.SNWVB.org
or contact:
David Pilliod, USFS, Aldo Leopold Wilderness Research Institute,
Missoula, MT;
Phone: (406) 543-3256; Email: dpilliod@fs.fed.us
Bruce Bury, USGS Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center,
Corvallis, OR;
Phone: (541) 758-7788; Email: bruce_bury@usgs.gov
Don Ashton, USFS, Pacific Southwest Research Station, Arcata, CA;
Phone: (707) 825-2984; Email: dashton@fs.fed.us
------------------------------
End of ECOLOG-L Digest - 23 Jan 2003 to 24 Jan 2003 (#2003-24)
**************************************************************
˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙
Thanks to discussion with TVR, I have decided to put a link to back files of the discussion group. This months back files.
The link to complete archives is available elsewhere.
This text was originally an e-mail. It was converted using a program
RUPANTAR- a simple e-mail-to-html converter.
(c)Kolatkar Milind. kmilind@ces.iisc.ernet.in