Subject: ECOLOG-L Digest - 6 Feb 2003 to 7 Feb 2003 (#2003-38)
There are 24 messages totalling 1585 lines in this issue.
Topics of the day:
1. Internship: La Selva Biological Station
2. Question about the Shannon Diversity Index (6)
3. Fw: USGS :They're Healthier: With Fewer Parasites, Invaders Gain
Competitive Edge Over Native Animals and Plants
4. Faculty Position - Global Change Ecologist - U. Tenn
5. Botanist Position Available
6. Heritage Ranch Institute startup
7. results citations for downstream recovery distances -- long
8. Fisheries journals accepting Web-browser submissions
9. Policy News from ESA's Public Affairs Office (sample)
10. Shannon-Wiener
11. Marine Biology Summer Program Univ. of Oregon
12. field assistant needed
13. Graduate Research Assistantship in Avian Ecology
14. Questions re job search (2)
15. Graduate Research Assistantship in Physiological Ecology
16. position (fwd)
17. Teaching Issues and Experiments in Ecology:
18. Finding a Post doc
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Fri, 7 Feb 2003 11:32:03 -0500
From: David Inouye <inouye@umd.edu>
Subject: Internship: La Selva Biological Station
Internship at the La Selva Biological Station
A research internship is available at the La Selva Biological Station,
located in lowland rainforest in Costa Rica, to assist with the development
of a mathematical model of the mutualistic interaction between the forest
understory plant Piper cenocladum and the ant Pheidole bicornis. Pheidole
bicornis live in hollow petioles of the Piper cenocladum plants and defend
the plants against herbivorous caterpillars in the genus Eois (family
Geometridae). In turn, Piper cenocladum provides P. bicornis with food
bodies, which support colony growth. Pheidole ant colonies are also preyed
upon by the clerid beetle Tarsobaenus letourneau, which causes trophic
cascades leading to elevated caterpillar densities and increased herbivory
on Piper cenocladum plants. For more information on the study system see:
DYER, L. A., and LETOURNEAU, D. K. 1999a. Relative strengths of top-down
and bottom-up forces
in a tropical forest community. Oecologia 119:265-274.
DYER, L. A., and LETOURNEAU, D. K. 1999b. Trophic cascades in a complex,
terrestrial community.
Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 96:5072-5076.
The objective of the mathematical model is to make long-term predictions of
the number of plants that acquire ant colonies and the number of herbivores
and herbivory rates on plants with and without resident ants. The intern
position duties will be divided roughly evenly between assisting with the
solution of the model and conducting experiments in La Selva's primary
forest reserve to estimate model parameters. Work on a second mathematical
model of insect dispersal is also a possibility. The primary skills sought
for the position are: 1) knowledge of differential equations (at least an
introductory undergraduate course), 2) some knowledge of statistics and 3)
an interest in field work. Experience with computer programming, the Maple
and/or Matlab mathematical software packages and some facility with Spanish
would also be very helpful. The position includes room and board in La
Selva's rustic housing and a modest stipend. The position will be available
1 April, 2003. For commitments of six months or more, round trip air fare
will be provided. Interested candidates should email a letter of interest
and Curriculum Vitae to:
Robert Matlock
La Selva Scientific Director
rmatlock@sloth.ots.ac.cr
Closing date is 5 March, 2002
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 6 Feb 2003 20:12:57 -0500
From: David Casagrande <bighouse@ARCHES.UGA.EDU>
Subject: Re: Question about the Shannon Diversity Index
Randi-
I recommend taking a look at the original equation and explanation, which
can be found in:
Shannon, C. E. and W. Weaver (1949). The Mathematical Theory of
Communication. Urbana, IL, University of Illinois Press.
David Casagrande
On Thu, 6 Feb 2003, Randi Rotjan wrote:
> Hello ecolog-ers,
>
> Is anyone familiar with the equation for the Shannon Diversity Index?
>
> I have found 4 sources for the equation, 1 of which specify the equatio
> using the natural log (ln), 1 of which specifies the same thing, but
> differently, as log base e, 1 which says just "log", and one which uses
log
> base 2.
>
> Which is the correct formula?
>
> Thanks!
>
> Randi
>
>
> __________________
> Randi Rotjan
> Department of Biology
> Tufts University
>
> There is a single light of science, and to brighten it anywhere is to
> brighten it everywhere.
> --Isaac Asimov
>
David G. Casagrande
http://www.arches.uga.edu/~bighouse
Univ. of Georgia
Dept. of Anthropology
Baldwin Hall
Athens, GA 30602-1619
tel: 706-542-3980
fax: 706-542-3998
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 7 Feb 2003 09:29:27 -0500
From: Karen Claxon <kclaxon@EARTHLINK.NET>
Subject: Fw: USGS :They're Healthier: With Fewer Parasites,
Invaders Gain Competitive Edge Over Native Animals and Plants
----- Original Message -----
Subject: USGS NEWS RELEASE: They're Healthier: With Fewer Parasites,
Invaders Gain Competitive Edge Over Native Animals and Plants
USGS News Release
|--------------------+------------------------+------------------+------
--------------------|
| | | |
|
| EMBARGOED until 2 | Gloria Maender | 520-670-5596
|Gloria_maender@usgs.gov |
| p.m., ET, Feb. 5, | | |
|
| 2003 | | |
|
| | Kevin Lafferty | 805-893-8778
|klafferty@lifesci.ucsb.edu|
| | | |
|
| | | |
|
| | Mark Torchin | 805-893-3998
|torchin@lifesci.ucsb.edu |
| | | |
|
| | | |
|
| | Andrew Dobson | 609-258-2913
|andy@eno.princeton.edu |
|--------------------+------------------------+------------------+------
--------------------|
They're Healthier: With Fewer Parasites, Invaders Gain Competitive Edge
Over Native Animals and Plants
Also available on the Internet at:
http://www.usgs.gov/public/press/public_affairs/press_releases/index.htm
l
News Editors: Reproducible photos are available at:
http://www.werc.usgs.gov/news/2003-02-06a.jpg (European green crab with
parasitic barnacle. Photo by Todd Huspeni, University of California,
Santa
Barbara)
http://www.werc.usgs.gov/news/2003-02-06b.jpg (European green crab
underside showing knob-like parasitic barnacle. Photo by Todd Huspeni,
University of California, Santa Barbara)
http://www.werc.usgs.gov/news/2003-02-06c.jpg (European green crabs in
their natural habitat are smaller than those in invaded habitat. Photo
by
Jeff Goddard, University of California, Santa Barbara)
Invasive species -- second only to habitat destruction in threatening
biodiversity -- have far fewer parasites and less illness to contend
with
than their native competitors, according to two new studies in the Feb.
6
issue of the journal Nature. In super pests such as the European green
crab, this escape from parasites means the crab gains an unfair
advantage
over the competition.
"Invasive species end up with about half the parasites, or diseases,
they
had at home," said Dr. Kevin Lafferty, a USGS marine ecologist at the
Western Ecological Research Center in Santa Barbara, Calif. This was
among
the findings of Lafferty and his colleagues Drs. Mark Torchin and Armand
Kuris, and Valerie McKenzie, at the Marine Science Institute at the
University of California, Santa Barbara, and Dr. Andrew Dobson at the
Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology of Princeton University,
N.J.
"On average, an animal has 16 parasites at home, but brings less than
three
of these to new areas that it invades," said Torchin, the lead scientist
of
this study. "In the new region, parasites are not well matched to novel
hosts, and only about 4 parasites will successfully attack an invading
species."
Parasites are so pervasive that parasitism is the most common lifestyle
on
earth, said Lafferty. And many parasites don't just make animals sick,
they
may castrate them, change their behavior, even kill them. By leaving
parasites behind, introduced species may have an advantage over less fit
native competitors, which remain fettered to their own full complement
of
parasites.
In Lafferty's view, "Parasites are to invasive species what kryptonite
is
to Superman. Back on planet Krypton, kryptonite was a regulator, keeping
Superman ordinary. Freed from kryptonite on earth, he gained super
powers.
But unlike Superman who used his power for good deeds, invasive species
can
be devastating."
The scientists analyzed parasite studies of 26 invasive animal species,
from snails to rats, comparing them in natural habitats and invaded
habitats. Among them was the European green crab, which Torchin and
colleagues traveled the world to study.
The scientists found that in Europe, the green crab's native home,
parasitic barnacles castrated the crabs. Where the barnacles were
common,
the crabs were small and rare. Conversely, the scientists found that
crabs
were big and abundant in areas where barnacles were uncommon.
Green crabs have been introduced around the world, to the west and east
coasts of the United States, South Africa, Australia, Tasmania and
Japan,
but barnacles have never made the transfer with them. In these
introduced
areas, green crabs are often-devastating pests that decimate native
shellfish.
The same pattern holds true for invasive plants, according to Drs.
Charles
Mitchell and Alison Power of Cornell University, in a separate study.
They
found that the introduced plants most likely to become weeds are those
that
have left behind the most pathogens.
Additionally, the two studies documented that the parasites lost by
invasive species are also their widespread "Achilles' heel," a weakness
that can be intentionally turned against them.
According to the scientists, in some cases, bringing in parasites from a
pest's native range can hinder super pests. The benefits to this organic
form of pest control are sustainability, low cost and reduced dependency
on
pesticides. But the scientists cautioned that biological control of
pests
is risky if the parasites are not specific to the target pest.
"Suitable biocontrol agents should be harmless to native species just as
kryptonite is harmless to earthlings," said Lafferty.
The USGS serves the nation by providing reliable scientific information
to
describe and understand the Earth; minimize loss of life and property
from
natural disasters; manage water, biological, energy, and mineral
resources;
and enhance and protect our quality of life.
To receive USGS news releases go to www.usgs.gov/public/list_server.html
**** www.usgs.gov ****
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 7 Feb 2003 05:36:50 -0500
From: jweltzin@UTK.EDU
Subject: Faculty Position - Global Change Ecologist - U. Tenn
ASSISTANT OR ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR
Global Change Ecology
University of Tennessee (UT)
The Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology intends to hire a
faculty member whose research focuses on global change ecology to start on
August 1, 2003. The position can be at the Assistant or Associate Professor
level. Postdoctoral experience or the equivalent is preferred. The
successful candidate will be expected to establish collaborations with the
extensive group of Ecologists at UT and Oak Ridge National Laboratory.
Teaching will include an introductory course at the freshman or sophomore
level and a discipline-specific advanced course. Information about the
Department can be found at website: http://eeb.bio.utk.edu/. Interested
candidates should send an application to: Dr. Lou Gross, Department of
Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN
37996. The application should include a resume indicating research goals
and teaching experience and goals; the candidate should also arrange for
three letters of reference to be submitted. Review of applications will
begin on 24 February 2003 and will continue until the position is filled.
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 7 Feb 2003 10:17:54 -0500
From: Erika Iyengar <eiyengar@MAIL.WOOSTER.EDU>
Subject: Re: Question about the Shannon Diversity Index
Hello! Perfect timing on the Shannon diversity index question--this
subject just came up in my aquatic ecology class. I was wondering if
anyone knew what the difference is between Shannon-Wiener,
Shannon-Weaver, and the Shannon diversity index. Or rather not what
the difference is, because often they use exactly the same equation,
but why there are different terms for the same thing and which is the
correct term to use (it seems many people use them interchangeably).
Thank you for any light you can shed on this question. (oh, and just
a pronunciation question: is Wiener pronounced "weener" or "winer"?)
:-> Erika Iyengar
--
Erika V. Iyengar, Ph.D.
Visiting Assistant Professor
Biology Department, Mateer Hall
The College of Wooster
Wooster, OH 44691
eiyengar@wooster.edu
(330) 263-2437
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 7 Feb 2003 06:29:22 -0800
From: "Daniel S. Kelly" <dsethkelly@YAHOO.COM>
Subject: Botanist Position Available
Botanist Needed: Someone with knowledge of woody
and herbaceous plants of Appalachian forest
needed to quantify impact of white-tailed deer on
plant species diversity within multiple study
plots in the Blue Ridge and Potomac Basin Region.
Must be able to work as part of a survey team,
have a valid drivers license, and have practical
experience with botanical surveys. Salary range
is $1000-1200/month plus housing. Based at
Smithsonian^вs Conservation and Research Center in
Front Royal, Virginia. Applicants should send
cover letter, CV, names and contact information
for 3 references, and copies of transcript (if
available), to William McShea at
wmcshea@crc.si.edu. Starting date in May and will
continue for 4-5 months, possibility of continued
work. Application materials are due February 28.
__________________________________________________
Do you Yahoo!?
Yahoo! Mail Plus - Powerful. Affordable. Sign up now.
http://mailplus.yahoo.com
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 7 Feb 2003 10:12:55 -0700
From: "William A. Hayes" <dochayes@HRINSTITUTE.ORG>
Subject: Heritage Ranch Institute startup
We are in the process of developing a research, education, and remediation
organization called the Heritage Ranch Institute. We have an advisory board
in place and have initiated relationships with public and private
organizations including several universities. Our intent is to establish a
field station in the foothills of the Black Range in southern New Mexico for
biological, ecological, geological, and archaeological research. The field
station will be located on working cattle ranches which have permanent
conservation easements and a philosophical approach toward maintaining and
enhancing biodiversity of native species in the desert southwest. A
significant opportunity to conduct research on open space with limited human
development will be available.
At this time, I am soliciting comments from those who may be interested in
using such a field station for research and teaching classes what their
specific needs would be (housing, protection for research sites,
availability of habitats and organisms, etc.). As we are in the decision
making stage on facilities, such input would greatly help us make some
important choices. Also, we are interested in building a list of interested
individuals to whom announcements on availability of facilities, etc. will
be made available periodically.
Thank you for any suggestions.
Best wishes,
Bill
William A. Hayes II, Ph.D.
Director of Research
Heritage Ranch Institute
and
Professor of Biology
Delta State University
HC 66 Box 75
Deming NM 88030
505-944-9406
dochayes@hrinstitute.org
http://milagro-nm.com/dochayes
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 7 Feb 2003 15:14:10 -0500
From: "Swain, Pat (FWE)" <Pat.Swain@STATE.MA.US>
Subject: results citations for downstream recovery distances -- long
Thanks to the many of you who responded to my request for citations on
up- and downstream distances for recovery from disturbances - or how far
upstream from a core area do we need to be concerned about?
Several people noted that the original references we knew about weren't
in the usual journals for finding such research, and suggested other
journals (at the end of the list below). I had missed a list that one of
my colleagues here had from more likely places (now added into the list
below). There's a lot of reading ahead, but more focussed now.
Baier, B, Zintz, K., H. Rahmann 1998. Impacts of a reservoir release
on the benthic macroinvertebrate downstream of the impoundment
Limnologica 28(4):377-385
Cooper, C.M. 1987. Benthos in Bear Creek, Mississippi: effects of
habitat variation and agricultural sediments Journal of Freshwater
Ecology: 4(1):101-113
Gore,JA 1982. Benthic invertebrate colonization: source distance
effects on community composition. Hydrobiol. 94, 183-193.
Gore,JA; Bryant,RM,Jr 1986. Changes in fish and benthic
macroinvertebrate assemblages along the impounded Arkansas River.
J. Fresh. Ecol. 3, 333-345.
Gore,JA; Kelly,JR; Yount,JD 1990. Application of ecological theory
to determining recovery potential of disturbed lotic ecosystems:
research needs and priorities. Environ. Manag. 14, 755-762.
Gore,JA; Milner,AM.. 1990. Island biogeographical theory: Can it be
used to predict lotic recovery rates? Environ. Manag. 14, 737-753
Harding J., Benfield E., Bosstad P., Helfman G., Jones E. 1998.
Stream biodiversity the ghost of land use past. Ecology 95:14843-14847
Jones III, E.B., Helfman, G.S., Harper, J.O. and P.V. Bolstad. 1999.
Effects of riparian forest removal on fish assemblages in southern
Appalachian streams Conservation Biology 13(6):1454-1465
King, R.S., K.T. Nunnery, & C.J. Richardson. 2000.
Macroinvertebrate assemblage response to highway crossings in forested
wetlands: implications for biological assessment. Wetlands Ecology
and Management 8:243-256.
Kingsford, R.T. 2000. Ecological impacts of dams, water diversion and
river management on floodplain wetland in Australia. Austral Ecology
25(2):109-127
Kinsolving, A.D., and M.B. Bain 1993 Fish assemblage recovery along a
riverine disturbance gradient Ecological Applications 3(3):531-544
Lytle, D.A. & B. L. Peckarsky. 2001 Spatial and temporal impacts of
a diesel fuel spill on stream invertebrates. Freshwater Biology
46:693-704.
Margolis, B. E., R. L. Raesly, and D. L. Shumway. 2001. The
effects of beaver-created wetlands on the benthic macroinvertebrate
assemblages of two small Appalachian streams. Wetlands 21: 554-563.
Meade, R. H. 1982. Sources, sinks, and storage of river sediment in
the Atlantic drainage of the United States. Journal of Geology 90:
235-252.
Munn, M.D. and M.A. Brusven. 1987. Discontinuity of trichopteran
(caddisfly) communities in regulated waters of the Clearwater River,
Idaho, U.S.A. Regulated Rivers 1:61-69.
Nelson, S.M. and R.A. Roline. 1996. Recovery of a stream
macroinvertebrate community from mine drainage disturbance.
Hydrobiologia 339:73-84.
Nelson, S.M. and R.A. Roline. 1999. Relationships between metals and
hyporheic invertebrate community structure in a river recovering from
metals contamination. Hydrobiologia 397:211-226.
Rooke, J.B., and G.L. Mackie 1982. An ecological analysis of lotic
environments 1. Design and testing Journal of Freshwater Ecology
1(4):421-432
Stanford, J.A. and J.V. Ward. 2001. Revisiting the serial
discontinuity concept. Regulated Rivers: Research and Management vol.
17 pp.303-310
Stanley, E.H., M.A. Luebke, M.W. Doyle, and D.W. Marshall 2002.
Short-term changes in channel form and macroinvertebrate communities
following low-head dam removal Journal of the North American
Benthological Society 21(1):172-187
Vaughn, Caryn C. and Christopher M. Taylor. 1999. Impoundments and
the decline of freshwater mussels: a case study of an extinction
gradient. Conservation Biology 13:912-920.
Vinson, M.R. 2001. Long-term dynamics of an invertebrate assemblage
downstream from a large dam Ecological Applications 11(3):711-730
Voelz, N.J. and J.V. Ward. 1990. Macroinvertebrate responses
along a complex regulated stream environmental gradient.
Regulated Rivers: Research and Management 5:365-374.
Voelz, N.J. and J.V. Ward. 1991. Biotic responses along the
recovery gradient of a regulated stream. Can. J. Fish. Aquat.
Sci. 48:2477-2490.
Ward, J. V. and J. A. Stanford. 1983. The serial discontinuity concept
of lotic ecosystems In: T.D. Fontaine and S. M. Bartell (eds)
Dynamics of lotic ecosystems. Ann Arbor Science, Ann Arbor MI.
Williams, G. P. and M. G. Wolman. 1984. Downstream effects of
dams on alluvial rivers. U.S. Geological Survey Professional
Paper 1286.
Peckarsky, Barbara invertebrates drift studie
Cushing et al. 1993
Elliot 1971? invertebrates drift studies
Minshall et al 1993
Minshall et al., 1983
Newbold et. al. 1981 1983 1992
Sweeney, Bernhard Stroud Water Research Center
Thomas et al 2002 Limnology and Oceanography
Vannote et al., 1980
Webster et al. 1999 transport and fate of organic matter
Freeman, Mary University of Georgia
Williams, Lance OSU, clearcutting around stream communities in
LA
Ecological work Limnology and Oceanography
Ecological work Journal of the North American
Benthological Society
Ecological work Freshwater Biology
Ecological work Canadian Journal of Fisheries and
Aquatic Science
hydrological works Water Resources Research
hydrological works Advances in Water Resources
hydrological works Hydrological Processes
Freeman, Mary University of Georgia
Williams, Lance OSU, clearcutting around stream communities in
LA
From 1960s Longitudinal propagation of impacts in rivers,
BOD, Oxygen dynamics Hydrological and engineering literature
Water quality sites
http://h2osparc.wq.ncsu.edu/brochures/five.html
http://www.state.ma.us/dep/brp/dws/files/310cmr22.pdf
http://www.co.catawba.nc.us/depts/planning/general/WShed.pdf
Pat
-------------------------------------------
Patricia Swain
Plant Community Ecologist
Natural Heritage & Endangered Species Program
Massachusetts Division of Fisheries & Wildlife
1 Rabbit Hill
Westborough, MA 01581
508-792-7270 ext. 160 fax 508-792-7821
http://www.state.ma.us/dfwele/dfw/nhesp
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 7 Feb 2003 15:27:15 -0500
From: Gus Rassam <grassam@FISHERIES.ORG>
Subject: Fisheries journals accepting Web-browser submissions
We are happy to announce that all AFS journals are now accepting electronic
submissions of new manuscripts via AFS Track, our new Web manuscript
tracking system.
Journal authors can submit their manuscripts to any of the four AFS journals
via their Web browsers. All peer review and editorial communication will be
handled electronically, and authors can monitor the progress of their
manuscripts through the peer review process. Besides making manuscript
submission and peer review more convenient and efficient for authors,
editors, and reviewers, AFS Track should substantially reduce
time-to-publication for AFS journal articles.
You can access links to the individual journal login pages at
www.fisheries.org/publications/journals/online_submission.shtml.
Or you can go directly to a specific journal.
Transactions of the American Fisheries Society (tafs.allentrack.net)
North American Journal of Fisheries Management (najfm.allentrack.net)
North American Journal of Aquaculture (naja.allentrack.net)
Journal of Aquatic Animal Health (jaah.allentrack.net)
You will have to register to access the systems, but only at one journal
site. Your login and password will work for all four journals. If you have
previously completed the Expert Database form at the AFS Web site, you will
already have an account on the manuscript tracking system. When you attempt
to register, the system will recognize you and will e-mail you a login and
password.
If you have any difficulty registering or submitting your manuscript, call
the Journals Office at 301-897-8616 x227 for assistance.
Charles Moseley
Journals Manager
American Fisheries Society
cmoseley@fisheries.org
301-897-8616 x228
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 7 Feb 2003 14:35:09 -0600
From: Jerrold Zar <t80jhz1@WPO.CSO.NIU.EDU>
Subject: Re: Question about the Shannon Diversity Index
There is also a discussion of this in Brower, Zar, and Von Ende. 1998.
Field and Laboratory Methods for General Ecology, 4th ed., section 5B.
Any logarithmic base can be used. Base 10 and base e are commonest in
ecology (and base 2 is used in communication engineering, where the
diversity measure originated). This publication (as well as Zar. 1999.
Biostatistical Analysis, 4th ed., p. 42) gives conversion factors from
one base to another.
As to nomenclature, C.E. Shannon published the measure in 1948, but not
for ecological purposes. Shannon's equation drew some inspiration from
N. Wiener and some clarification from W.W. Weaver, but the basic idea
appears to have been his. So, I prefer saving space and referring to
the "Shannon index." (Th Germanic pronunciation of Wiener would be
"weener," but I don't know what Wiener's preference was.)
Jerrold H. Zar, Ph.D.
Department of Biological Sciences
Northern Illinois University
DeKalb IL 60115-2854
jhzar@niu.edu
======================================
>>> Dave McNeely <dlmcneely@lunet.edu> 02/06/03 11:14AM >>
>
Both Krebs (Ecological Methodology, Harper and Row, 1989) and Cox
(General
Ecology Laboratory Manual, eighth edition, McGraw Hill, 2002) have
discussions of the Shannon-Wiener Diversity Index. Briefly, the index
has
been calculated using natural logs, base 2, and base 10, and values
using
each of these are in the literature. It is easy to convert one to the
other
(Cox gives the conversions if your calculator doesn't have them built
in).
Shannon used base 2, so did Wiener. Base 2 was used in information
theory,
probably for theoretical reasons in that field.
Natural log and log base e are the same thing.
Dave McNeely
----- Original Message -----
From: "Randi Rotjan" <randi.rotjan@TUFTS.EDU>
To: <ECOLOG-L@LISTSERV.UMD.EDU>
Sent: Thursday, February 06, 2003 3:58 PM
Subject: Question about the Shannon Diversity Index
> Hello ecolog-ers,
>
> Is anyone familiar with the equation for the Shannon Diversity
Index?
>
> I have found 4 sources for the equation, 1 of which specify the
equation
> using the natural log (ln), 1 of which specifies the same thing, but
> differently, as log base e, 1 which says just "log", and one which
uses
log
> base 2.
>
> Which is the correct formula?
>
> Thanks!
>
> Randi
>
>
> __________________
> Randi Rotjan
> Department of Biology
> Tufts University
>
> There is a single light of science, and to brighten it anywhere is
to
> brighten it everywhere.
> --Isaac Asimov
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 7 Feb 2003 17:07:55 -0500
From: David Inouye <inouye@umd.edu>
Subject: Policy News from ESA's Public Affairs Office (sample)
This is an example of the kind of message that is posted bi-weekly on the
ESANEWS listserv list. To subscribe, send the message
sub esanews Your Name
to
listserv@listserv.umd.edu
Policy News from ESA's Public Affairs Office
(Formerly Science and Environmental Policy Update)
A Bi-Weekly Publication of the Ecological Society of America
February 7, 2003
In this issue:
FOREST FIRES
ON THE HILL
SUPERFUND
APPROPRIATIONS UPDATE
AGENCIES' PROPOSED BUDGETS IN BRIEF
FOREST FIRES
In his State of the Union Address last Tuesday, President Bush called
on Congress to pass the 'Healthy Forests' plan. Healthy Forests is the
President's plan to reduce catastrophic forest fires through increased
thinning on public lands and reduced judicial oversight of fuel
reduction projects. In support of the plan, Interior Secretary Gale
Norton said President Bush will propose $698.7 million for wildfire
prevention and suppression and the Healthy Forests initiative in fiscal
2004, representing a $45 million, or 7 percent, increase over the
current year's budget proposal. Some legislators argue that the Bush
funding plan is inadequate in the face of the long fire season ahead.
Senator Jeff Bingaman (NM), ranking Democrat on the Senate Energy and
Natural Resources Committee, said he expected Western lawmakers to press
for additional funding. The Administration, on the other hand, argues
that proposals to streamline environmental assessments should make those
dollars go further. The Bush administration also plans to reduce
"hazardous fuel buildup" on 1.3 million acres of forest this year.
Additionally, drought has weakened pine forests in the South and West
leaving them vulnerable to the bark beetle. The resulting die offs,
coupled with a dry winter, have some predicting another dangerous fire
season and assure that this issue will remain active in the coming
congress. Critics of the Bush plan believe that its approach does not
adequately take into account the various forest ecosystems across the
country.
ON THE HILL
Organizational meetings and agenda setting have dominated the schedule
of the new congress since it convened on January 7th. In the House,
Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman W.J. "Billy" Tauzin (R-LA) said
Wednesday that his committee would try again this year to move energy
legislation. Tauzin also said that the committee will act on President
Bush's call in the State of the Union address for a new $1.2 billion
initiative to develop hydrogen-powered cars.
In the Senate, Environment and Public Works Committee Chairman James
Inhofe (R-OK) said he planned to introduce President Bush's Clear Skies
(market based air pollution reduction) initiative in the next few weeks,
but added that the president's plan would undergo some changes in
committee. The Bush proposal, released in February 2002, would reduce
power plant emissions of sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides and mercury
tonnage by 70 percent from year-2000 levels by 2018. It does not
address carbon dioxide emissions. Critics of the plan have focused on
the long timeframe for emissions reductions and the grandfathering in of
older power plants. Under changes the administration made recently in
the Clean Air Act, these older plants may continue to not meet pollution
standards, while being allowed to make other upgrades.
Inhofe, a longtime critic of the Environmental Protection Agency, said
he found that too often regulations are developed prior to a rational.
"That's going to come to a halt," Inhofe declared. In addition, Inhofe
said he would like to change the longstanding principle in the Clean Air
Act that precludes regulators from considering costs when issuing rules.
The committee should explore how to add more cost-benefit analysis to
the landmark legislation, he added. Democrats cited concerns about
"rollbacks" of environmental regulations by the Bush administration and
a desire to address global warming. Sen. Inhofe suggested the
possibility of "some sort of compromise" on the issue of carbon dioxide
emissions.
SUPERFUND
The Environmental Protection Agency is re-evaluating the cleanup of
many superfund sites after new research the agency published in December
concluded that trichloroethylene -- or TCE, used to clean electronic
components -- is 5 to 65 times as toxic as had been thought. Of the
country's 1,499 superfund sites, a third to a half are contaminated with
TCE, an EPA official said.
APPROPRIATIONS UPDATE
On Monday, February 3, 2003, President Bush kicked off the annual
budget "ritual" by presenting his budget proposal for the coming fiscal
year (2004). This proposal goes to Congress, which has final say over
the amount and areas on which government money is spent. The ensuing
negotiations will last at least until October, when the new fiscal year
begins. Congress is still scrambling to complete work on the current
year's budget (FY03). The President's proposed budget for FY04 uses
figures from his last budget proposal, not from the actual amount
enacted by Congress (since Congress still hasn't finished-they are now
aiming to wrap up a giant appropriations bill for FY03 before their next
recess, February 14).
Many policymakers continue to compare the life sciences with the
physical sciences, without distinguishing between the medical and
non-medical biological sciences. And while medical biology has received
well-deserved increases through the National Institutes of Health,
environmental biology and other non-medical aspects of the biological
sciences have not. This is one of the key areas on which the Biological
Ecological Sciences Coalition (BESC)-co-chaired by the Ecological
Society of America-is focusing. The fact that White House officials
noted that the President's budget "strengthens the nation's investment
in the physical sciences" through significant investments in a number of
priority areas, including, for instance, a proposed 13 percent increase
for the physical sciences at the National Science Foundation,
underscores the need for BESC to continue to work with the
Administration and with Congress in getting its message out.
AGENCIES' PROPOSED BUDGETS IN BRIEF
(More detailed analyses of agencies' budgets will be in future editions
of Policy News)
DOE
The Department of Energy's budget would increase by nearly 6 percent to
$23.4 billion in Bush's proposal, with the largest increases devoted to
military and civilian nuclear power priorities. DOE's hydrogen
technology program would increase by 121 percent, to $88 million. DOE's
Office of science programs would increase to $47 million, a 1.4 percent
increase. DOE's Biological and Environmental Research (BER) Program
would receive $499.5 million; down 9.9 percent from the FY 2002
appropriation; up 3.2 percent from the FY 2003 request. BER's Climate
Change Research program would increase by $5.0 million to study the
response of ecosystems to environmental change. Funding for the
Savannah River
Ecology Laboratory would go up by $2.0 million for research on lowering
the cost of environmental cleanup activities.
DOI
Funding for the Department of Interior would go up in the President's
budget, from about $10.2 billion to nearly $10.6 billion. However, the
budget assumes $2.4 billion in fiscal 2005 revenue from bonus bids for
oil and gas leases in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. But Congress
must approve leasing in the refuge; that highly controversial issue will
appear again in upcoming Senate debates over the budget resolution and
the energy bill.
DOI-USGS
Within the DOI, the U.S. Geological Survey would receive a 3 percent
increase to $896 million. However, numerous agency programs are once
again targeted for cuts in the Administration's proposal, which Congress
will likely reinstate. Particularly the agency's water resources
programs (Hydrologic Research & Development; Toxic Substances Hydrology)
are again proposed to be drastically cut or eliminated altogether (Water
Resources Research Act Program).
EPA
The Bush administration's budget seeks $7.6 billion for the
Environmental Protection Agency, an increase of $10 million over the
fiscal 2003 request but $452 million below the funding that Congress
provided for EPA for fiscal 2002. The Environmental Protection Agency's
budget emphasizes Bush's "Clear Skies" initiative, aimed to reduce
airborne pollutants from utility plants and factories. In happy
contrast to last year's budget proposal, the Administration this year
proposes $5 million for the EPA STAR Fellowships. (Last year, this
program for graduate students was slated for termination).
NOAA
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration would receive $2.7
billion, about the same level as the current year. Funding would go up
for climate change research and fishery management observers, but would
remain flat for Pacific salmon recovery efforts.
NSF
The National Science Foundation's budget would grow by 9 percent over
last year's request. Graduate stipends would increase to $30,000
annually. The Biology Directorate would receive a 7 percent increase,
with Environmental Biology slated for a 5 percent increase. In his
request, the President once again included $12 million to fund the
National Ecological Observatory Network (NEON). The Biology
Directorate's portion of the Biocomplexity in the Environment initiative
would continue to emphasize the Ecology of Infectious Disease and
Microbial Sequencing and would receive a $4 million increase, totaling
$39.8 million in FY 04.
USDA
The U.S. Department of Agriculture's budget would receive a 1.9 percent
increase, most of it going to programs required by law, such as the Food
Stamp Program and the 2002 Farm Bill. The budget includes increases for
firefighting and the Forest Health initiative. The President is
requesting $200 million for the National Research Initiative. The
budget proposal for the U.S. Forest Service totals $4.06 billion,
approximately $109 million above the fiscal 2003 request. Funding for
the national forest system would
increase by $4 million, to $1.37 billion.
Sources: Congressional Green Sheets, The Washington Post.
Send questions or comments to Nadine Lymn, ESA Director of Public
Affairs, Nadine@esa.org or Maggie Smith, ESA Policy Analyst,
Maggie@esa.org
If you received Policy News from a friend and would like to receive it
directly, please email the command "sub esanews {your first name and
last name}" to listserv@listserv.umd.edu
If you wish to unsubscribe to the ESANews and your biweekly Policy
News, send the command "signoff ESANEWS" to listserv@listserv.umd.edu.
Visit the ESA website at: http://www.esa.org/
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 7 Feb 2003 12:18:09 -0500
From: Gretchen Gettel <gmg7@CORNELL.EDU>
Subject: Shannon-Wiener
There's an excellent book that discusses many different diversity indices
(including H'), how to calculate them, and the merits and drawbacks of each:
Magurran, A.E. 1988. Ecological Diversity and Its Measurement. Princeton
University Press.
The Shannon-Wiener index is called such because it was independently
developed by Shannon and Wiener both. I am fairly certain that it is a
mistake to call it Shannon-Weaver index, which refers - as Erika points
out - to the same equation. The confusion, I believe, stems from the fact
that Weaver was a co-author on one of Shannon's papers (but I am not
certain of this). The Magurran book cites Krebs 1985 Ecology: The
Experimental Analysis of Distribution and Abundance (Harper and Row) for
clarification about the name, Shannon-Weaver.
-Gretchen
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Gretchen M. Gettel
Ph.D. Candidate
Program in Biogeochemistry
Dept. of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
Corson Hall
Cornell University
Ithaca, NY 14853
(607) 254-4279 phone
(607) 255-8088 fax
gmg7@cornell.edu
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 7 Feb 2003 13:24:12 -0500
From: Jan Hodder <jhodder@OIMB.UOREGON.EDU>
Subject: Marine Biology Summer Program Univ. of Oregon
2003 SUMMER COURSES AT THE UNIVERSITY OF
OREGON'S INSTITUTE OF MARINE BIOLOGY
Please pass this information along to undergraduate advisors or
students in biology and environmental science who might be
interested in spending a summer studying at the Oregon coast.
June 23 - Aug 15: INVERTEBRATE ZOOLOGY - Scott Santagata
ADAPTATIONS OF MARINE ANIMALS - Charlie Hunter
MARINE BIRDS AND MAMMALS - Jan Hodder
OCEAN ECOLOGY - Lynda Shapiro
July 7 - 17 MARINE BIOLOGY- Peter Fong
July 21 - 31 COASTAL FOREST BIOLOGY - TBA
June 21 - 22 and June 28 - 29 BIOLOGICAL ILLUSTRATION -
Charles Stasek
June 24 - 26 DRAWING NATURAL FORMS IN COLOR - Charles
Stasek
July 12 - 13 and July 19 - 20 MARINE BIOLOGICAL INVASIONS -
James Carlton
July 26 - 27 and August 2 - 3 COASTAL TROPICAL MARINE
CONSERVATION - S.U.K. Ekaratne
For more details: www.uoregon.edu/~oimb
email: oimb@oimb.uoregon.edu
Oregon Institute of Marine Biology
University of Oregon
PO Box 5389
Charleston, OR 97420
(541) 888-2581
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 7 Feb 2003 13:58:10 -0500
From: "Schwalm, Donelle \"Doni\"" <dschwalm@ARCHBOLD-STATION.ORG>
Subject: field assistant needed
This advertisement is a re-posting of a previous listing!
=20
FIELD RESEARCH ASSISTANT needed to participate in research at the Avon =
Park Air Force Range, in south-central Florida. Field work will =
primarily focus on the population dynamics of red-cockaded woodpeckers, =
but will also include the opportunity to assist with Florida scrub-jay =
and Florida grasshopper sparrow studies. Duties include, but are not =
limited to: nest searching and monitoring, identifiying individuals by =
accurately reading color bands, climbing trees using sectional ladders, =
assisting in trapping and banding adults and nestlings, data entry, GPS =
data collection, habitat surveying and conducting maintenance on natural =
and artificial cavity trees. The position requires the willingness to =
work independently in both longleaf pine and oak scrub habitats, often =
in remote areas of a 100,000-acre military reserve. Applicants should =
not be color blind or uncomfortable with heights. A keen interest in =
birds is the most important prerequisite, but experience in nest =
searching, reading color bands, handling and banding birds, familiarity =
with the joys of biting insects and working under hot-humid field =
conditions will be helpful, though not essential. POSITION BEGINS 3 =
MARCH 2003 AND LASTS THROUGH SEPTEMBER 2003 (starting and ending dates =
somewhat flexible). Salary is $1200 per month, plus free housing. =
Applicants should send a letter of interest and resume (with names, =
email addresses, and phone numbers of three references) via snail mail =
to Archbold Biological Station Office, Avon Park Air Force Range, 475 =
Easy Street, Avon Park, FL 33825 (863-452-4182); or via email to =
<mailto:dschwalm@arcbhold-station.org> dschwalm@arcbhold-station.org.
E-mail applications preferred (please indicate 'application' in the =
subject heading). Position open until filled; early application is =
strongly encouraged.
=20
Donelle Schwalm
Research Assistant III
Archbold Biological Station
Avon Park Air Force Range Office
475 Easy Street
Avon Park, FL 33825
dschwalm@archbold-station.org
=20
Not all that is counted counts, and not all that counts is counted.=20
Albert Einstein
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 7 Feb 2003 16:13:49 -0500
From: "Scott R. McWilliams" <srmcwilliams@URI.EDU>
Subject: Graduate Research Assistantship in Avian Ecology
M.Sc. - Research Assistantship in Avian Ecology
Department of Natural Resources Science, University of Rhode Island
Project title: Effects of forest management on ruffed grouse and associated
wildlife in southern New England forests.
A research assistantship is available at the M.Sc. level to study survival,
home range size, and daily activity patterns of ruffed grouse in managed
forests within southern New England. Radiotelemetry will be used to estimat
survival, home range, and daily activity patterns of ruffed grouse. In
addition, selected species of songbird that also prefer early successional
habitats will be censused to determine how forest management type and histor
influences their occurrence. Most field work will be conducted in Rhode
Island on public and private forested land.
Qualifications: Applicants must have completed an undergraduate degree in
animal/wildlife biology or ecology, earned at least a 3.0 GPA, must have
taken the GRE, and must have excellent oral and written communication skills
Field experience with bird capture and handling, and interest in avian
ecology are required. Experience with radiotelemetry and ruffed grouse is
highly desirable although not essential. However, experience with
quantitative analysis skills and field research is required. Ability to wor
collaboratively and to supervise research assistants and undergraduates
working in the field is also required. Stipends are approx. $15,000/yr and
tuition is paid. Starting date is September 2003.
To apply submit the following: a letter stating your qualifications and
research interests, a resume, college transcripts, GRE scores, and 3 letters
of reference by no later than 28 February 2003 (early application is
encouraged) to:
Dr. Scott R. McWilliams
Dept. Natural Resources Science, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI
02881
401-874-7531; srmcwilliams@uri.edu
Selected candidates will be asked to apply to the Graduate School of
University of Rhode Island.
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 7 Feb 2003 16:26:30 -0500
From: Greg Colores <color1gm@CMICH.EDU>
Subject: Re: Questions re job search
David (from Boulder at one time?)
I just finished up a 4 year postdoc at Montana State University and was able
to serve as a co-PI while there. They were also willing to "promote"
postodcs to Research Assistant Professor which meant more or less the same
thing but gave one the ability to submit grants as a sole PI. Another option
is a USDA postdoctoral fellowship if that applies to your field. The
remaining amount of my USDA fellowship was transferable to a regular award
upon receiving a tenure-track position. They are limited to 90k but can
demonstrate the ability to secure funding. I believe NIH has similar
programs too.
Good luck.
Greg Colores
*****************************************
Gregory M. Colores
Department of Biology
217 Brooks Hall
Central Michigan University
Mount Pleasant, MI 48859
Office: (989) 774-3412
FAX: (989) 774-3462
E-mail: Greg.Colores@cmich.edu
http://www.cst.cmich.edu/users/color1gm
*****************************************
On 2/6/03 8:33 PM, "David Bryant" <dmb@IO.HARVARD.EDU> wrote:
> Being a job-hunting postdoc myself, I followed this thread closely. I
m
> curious however about the statement quoted regarding funding. My
> institution (and others) do not allow postdocs to apply for funding as
> PI's. This is of course a requirement, as I understand it, for "takin
it
> with you". So if universities do not hire postdocs without current fun
ing
> how are we to obtain job offers?.
>
> Any personal experiences along these lines?
>
> David
>
> At 12:56 PM 2/6/03 -0800, Laurie Kellogg wrote:
>> Hello again,
>>
>> I suppose I should have been a lot more specific. The jobs that I
as well
>> as the other people who are interested in the answers to this quest
ons) am
>> interested in are research university jobs with a greater emphasis
n
>> research (75%) than on teaching (25%). Here is the statement from
web
>> site that began all of us discussing it:
>>
>> One year postdoctorals are useless, they must be 2-3 years to be pr
ductive
>> Most research Universities will not hire you unless you are bringin
in money
>> You must have at least 5 primary publications to be competitive
>>
>> As this was just an opinion website, I wanted to know what others t
ought
>> about this criteria.
>>
>> Thanks
>> Laurie
>
> David M. Bryant
> Dept of Earth and Planetary Sciences
> Harvard University
> 20 Oxford St.
> Cambridge, MA 02138
>
> dmb@io.harvard.edu
>
> 617-496-6246
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 7 Feb 2003 16:14:46 -0500
From: "Scott R. McWilliams" <srmcwilliams@URI.EDU>
Subject: Graduate Research Assistantship in Physiological Ecology
M.Sc. or Ph.D. - Research Assistantship in Physiological Ecology
Department of Natural Resources Science, University of Rhode Island
Project title: Assessing habitat quality for migrating songbirds using blood
metabolites and nondestructive estimates of body composition
A research assistantship is available at the M.Sc. or Ph.D. level to study
changes in body composition and blood metabolites of representative songbird
species as indicators of habitat quality for migrating songbirds while they
are using stopover sites in coastal southern New England. The specific
objectives and hypotheses of the project include: (1) use TOBEC and deuteriu
dilution to estimate body composition changes in free-living, migratory
songbirds while they reside in specific habitats, (2) using captive studies,
determine the efficacy of using certain blood metabolites as indicators of
fat and protein utilization and acquisition in songbirds, (3) test hypothesi
that rate of change in body composition is positively related to abundance o
certain fruits and insects, (4) test hypothesis that in songbirds certain
blood metabolites reliably indicate lipid or protein catabolism whereas othe
metabolites indicate lipid deposition, and (5) determine whether (and how)
management of these coastal ecosystems can enhance certain habitats that are
deemed better quality areas for migrating songbirds.
This project is a planned five-year effort (starting 1 September 2003) that
will include additional graduate students.
Most field work will be conducted at bird-banding stations on Block Island
(ca. 15 km off the mainland) and in Kingston, Rhode Island. Captive animal
facilities and laboratory equipment for blood analyses are on the University
of Rhode Island's main campus in Kingston.
Qualifications: Applicants must have completed an undergraduate degree in
animal/wildlife biology, physiology, or ecology, earned at least a 3.0 GPA,
must have taken the GRE, and must have excellent oral and written
communication skills. Field experience with songbird capture and handling,
and interest in physiological ecology are required. Experience with analysi
of body composition and blood metabolites is highly desirable although not
essential. However, experience with quantitative laboratory skills is
required. Ability to work collaboratively and to supervise research
assistants and undergraduates working in the field and the laboratory is als
required. Stipends are approx. $15,000/yr and tuition is paid. Starting
date is September 2003.
To apply submit the following: a letter stating your qualifications and
research interests, a resume, college transcripts, GRE scores, and 3 letters
of reference by no later than 28 February 2003 (early application is
encouraged) to:
Dr. Scott R. McWilliams
Dept. Natural Resources Science, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI
02881
401-874-7531; srmcwilliams@uri.edu
Selected candidates will be asked to apply to the Graduate School of
University of Rhode Island.
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 7 Feb 2003 13:01:34 EST
From: WirtAtmar@AOL.COM
Subject: Re: Question about the Shannon Diversity Index
Erika writes:
> Hello! Perfect timing on the Shannon diversity index question--this
> subject just came up in my aquatic ecology class. I was wondering if
> anyone knew what the difference is between Shannon-Wiener,
> Shannon-Weaver, and the Shannon diversity index. Or rather not what
> the difference is, because often they use exactly the same equation,
> but why there are different terms for the same thing and which is the
> correct term to use (it seems many people use them interchangeably).
There is no difference between the two indices, simply because there is only
one index, but it is surrounded by a bit of confusion. A slight priority mus
be given to Norbert Wiener simply because Shannon was greatly influenced in
his prior definitions and discussions of the relationship of information and
entropy, particularly in Wiener's 1948 book, "Cybernetics: or communication
and control in the animal and the machine."
On page 11 of "Cybernetics", Wiener writes: "The notion of the amount of
information attaches itself very naturally to a classical notion in
statistical mechanics: that of entropy." Wiener goes on to define that
notion, devoting all of Chapter III to its exposition, and explicitly coming
to Shannon's definition on Page 62, although as an integral of a continously
distributed variable rather than as a discrete set of symbols in the manner
that Shannon only very slightly later defined.
Shannon recapitulates much of Wiener's argument in his July and October, 194
Bell System Technical Journal papers, beginning at Section 6: "Choice,
Uncertainty and Entropy," but for the discrete case. I'm sure that this is s
because Shannon was also greatly influenced by John Tukey's then-recent
informal (and unpublished) definition of a "binary digit" (a "bit") and
quickly deduced that all information (images, sounds, words, etc.), no matte
its source, could be represented in terms of discrete samples.
Shannon's original papers have been combined into one document and may be
downloaded from:
http://cm.bell-labs.com/cm/ms/what/shannonday/shannon1948.pdf
When Shannon later published this same work in book form in 1949, he had
Warren Weaver write an introductory section to the book, explaining the idea
in more "layman's terms", in much the same manner than Huxley argued for
Darwin's ideas. The full citation for this second publication of the work is
"The Mathematical Theory of Communication", Claude E. Shannon & Warren
Weaver, 1948, Univ. Illinois Press.
Weaver wrote on Page 27 of his introductory statements, "The concept of
information developed in this theory seems disappointing and bizarre --
disappointing because it has nothing to do with meaning, and bizarre because
it deals not with a single message but rather with the statistical character
of a whole ensemble of messages, bizzare also because in these statistical
terms the two words information and uncertainty find themselves to be
partners."
These few words were necessary to a group of engineers and mathematicians wh
were far from used to thinking in this manner. Shannon's ultimate inspiratio
was Ludwig Boltzmann's populational interpretation of Rudolf Clausius'
entropy and not the analog form of radio communication that was common at th
time.
I suspect much of the confusion regarding the names Shannon-Wiener and
Shannon-Weaver results from the similarities of the two names and from the
fact that Weaver's name appears on the 1949 book, but calling the index the
Shannon-Weaver index is as inappropriate as describing the Darwin-Wallace
theory of evolution Darwin-Huxley.
For an informal of history of the ideas surrounding Shannon's index, placed
in ecological context, let me immodestly recommend a small note of my own
that grew out of earlier posting here on ECOLOG-L, following the death of
Claude Shannon about this time two years ago:
http://aics-research.com/research/esa-shannon.pdf
> Thank you for any light you can shed on this question. (oh, and just
> a pronunciation question: is Wiener pronounced "weener" or "winer"?)
It is my understanding that he pronounced it "Vee-ner."
Wirt Atmar
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 7 Feb 2003 13:31:26 -0500
From: Werner Wieland <wwieland@MWC.EDU>
Subject: Re: Question about the Shannon Diversity Index
I agree in that it does not make any difference which log base is used other
than for comparison sake. Even then one can convert from one log base to an
ther. There is a problem with comparison to other reported values (don't).
As to Shannon, Shannon-Wiener or Shannon-Weaver this is the result of mislab
ling which has gotten into the literature (see J.L. Perkins. 1982. Shannon-W
aver or Shannon-Wiener? J. Water Ploout. Contr. Fed. 54:1049-1050.
Werner Wieland, Chair Voice: (540) 654-1426
Dept. of Biological Sciences FAX: (540) 654-1081
Mary Washington College Email: wwieland@mwc.edu
Fredericksburg, VA 22401
>>> Randi Rotjan <randi.rotjan@TUFTS.EDU> 02/06/03 04:58PM >
>>
Hello ecolog-ers,
Is anyone familiar with the equation for the Shannon Diversity Index?
I have found 4 sources for the equation, 1 of which specify the equation
using the natural log (ln), 1 of which specifies the same thing, but
differently, as log base e, 1 which says just "log", and one which uses log
base 2.
Which is the correct formula?
Thanks!
Randi
__________________
Randi Rotjan
Department of Biology
Tufts University
There is a single light of science, and to brighten it anywhere is to
brighten it everywhere.
--Isaac Asimov
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 7 Feb 2003 13:09:09 -0500
From: Howard V Cornell <cornell@UDEL.EDU>
Subject: position (fwd)
P. S. to the below. To speed things up we are encouraging applicants to
email their particulars and to have their references email their letters
to ramonaw@udel.edu.
Thanks,
Howard
Hello all,
We have a temporary faculty position opening in the fall. The hire would
be required to teach 2 sections of introductory biology and 1 section of
general ecology in the fall, and 2 sections of ecology laboratory and 1
section of introductory biology in the spring. We expect this position to
be converted to a permanent full-time non-tenure track position after next
year. We have a small (Cornell, Karlson, Tallamy, McDonald) but active
research group in ecology and evolution with whom the new hire could
interact. Interested parties should send a letter of application, CV and
have 3 letters of reference sent to Dr. David Usher, Department of
Biological Sciences, University of Delaware, Newark, DE 19716. We will
begin screening applicants soon, and all materials should be in our hands
by March 1.
**********************
Howard V. Cornell
Department of Biological Sciences
University of Delaware
Newark, DE 19716 USA
Phone: 302-831-2669
FAX: 302-831-2281
**********************
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 7 Feb 2003 10:05:49 -0800
From: David Kirschtel <dk01@WASHINGTON.EDU>
Subject: Re: Question about the Shannon Diversity Index
David Casagrande wrote:
> Randi-
> I recommend taking a look at the original equation and explanation, wh
ch
> can be found in:
>
> Shannon, C. E. and W. Weaver (1949). The Mathematical Theory of
> Communication. Urbana, IL, University of Illinois Press.
Shannon didn't seem to state a preference for a base, indicating that it
was dependent upon that nature and use of the data. He never explicitly
indicates a base in the printed equations, but does "bits" as the units
for H in the figures (see below - I've modified the math notation
slightly to fit a text-only format).
A (corrected) reprint of the original 1948 paper is available at from
Bell Labs at:
http://cm.bell-labs.com/cm/ms/what/shannonday/paper.html
=========
[Page 1]
The choice of a logarithmic base corresponds to the choice of a unit for
measuring information. If the base 2 is used the resulting units may be
called binary digits, or more briefly bits, a word suggested by J. W.
Tukey. A device with two stable positions, such as a relay or a flip-
flop circuit, can store one bit of information. N such devices can store
N bits, since the total number of possible states is 2N and log(2)2N=N.
If the base 10 is used the units may be called decimal digits. Since
log(2)M = log(10)M/log(10)2
= 3.32log(10)M;
a decimal digit is about 3 1/3 bits. A digit wheel on a desk computing
machine has ten stable positions and therefore has a storage capacity of
one decimal digit. In analytical work where integration and
differentiation are involved the base e is sometimes useful. The
resulting units of information will be called natural units. Change from
the base a to base b merely requires multiplication by log(b)a.
[Page 11]
Theorem 2: The only H satisfying the three above assumptions is of the form:
H = -K SUM(i=1, N) {p(i) log p(i)}
where K is a positive constant.
C. E. Shannon. A Mathematical Theory of Communication. The Bell System
Technical Journal, Vol. 27, pp. 379^ж423, 623^ж656, July, October, 1948.
==================================================================
David Kirschtel,Ph.D. * dk01@u.washington.edu * 206.543.1844
Biology Program, 318 Hitchcock Hall, Box 355320
Univ. of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195-5320
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 7 Feb 2003 17:24:09 -0600
From: Jerome Joseph Howard <JJHoward@UNO.EDU>
Subject: Re: Questions re job search
I'm currently on a search committee at a smaller, but still research
oriented university. It is important to realize that each university has a
nique approach to hiring that range from the pragmatic to the dysfunctional.
One comment: one year postdocs can be quite useful, but it depends on what
ou're able to make of it. They are often over so soon that a major publicat
on simply can't be a practical goal. In general, the longer the postdoc the
longer you have as an investigator to get into the study system and make som
thing of it. However, no matter how long a postdoc is, it is entirely usele
s if you don't demonstrate that you are doing something more than sorting so
eone else's leaf litter. Longer postdocs are better for you as a scientist,
but also generate rising expectations that you'll get one or more major firs
-authored papers out of it. The landscape is littered with the ruined caree
s of people who were successful at generating postdoctoral fundin!
g but didn't make enough of their opportunities.
Another comment: There are many ways to demonstrate your ability to
enerate funding. Smart search committees know this and look for such eviden
e. Competitive postdocs (rather than grant-funded ones) are an excellent de
onstration of ability. A string of small grants, and testimonials from refe
ences who can convince the search committee that your input was critical to
he success of a big grant, can also be important. Most universities in fact
do not permit postdocs to be PIs because they want the funding to stay when
he postdoc goes. Go figure. And beware: any university that demands lots o
independent funding as a condition of hire is also likely to demand big dol
ars as a condition of tenure, and publications be damned. Make your bed and
lie in it.
Finally, and very importantly, there is simply NO single formula of
xperience, publications, or funding that guarantees success. The bit about
publications is entirely the opinion of the person who posted to that web s
te, and should not be taken seriously. What impresses a search committee is
some combination of publications, funding and experience that fits the appli
ant for a particular job at a particular university. A first-authored publi
ation in Ecology, along with second authorships on papers in Am Nat and Oeco
ogia, will sometimes, but not always, trump 15 first-authored publications i
lesser journals. It depends on the publications and on the job.
Rather than worry about the length of time you stay a postdoc, worry
about doing things that you value while you are a postdoc. Make the best ca
e you can for your fitness for a job when you apply, and don't get discourag
d or take it personally if you are not interviewed. If time goes by with no
success on the job market, as it will for many of you, you'll have to period
cally decide whether it's worth it to you to keep it up or to broaden your s
arch for employment to include other types of institutions or non-academic j
bs. Good people get good jobs, but good jobs are often found in surprising
laces.
Good luck and best wishes,
Jerry Howard
Associate Professor
Department of Biological Sciences
University of New Orleans
New Orleans, LA 70148
jjhoward@uno.edu
(504) 280-5441 (voice)
(594) 280-6121 (fax)
Original Message-----
From: Laurie Kellogg [mailto:lkellogg@ND.EDU]
Sent: Thursday, February 06, 2003 2:56 PM
To: ECOLOG-L@LISTSERV.UMD.EDU
Subject: Questions re job search
Hello again,
I suppose I should have been a lot more specific. The jobs that I (as well
as the other people who are interested in the answers to this questions) am
interested in are research university jobs with a greater emphasis on
research (75%) than on teaching (25%). Here is the statement from a web
site that began all of us discussing it:
One year postdoctorals are useless, they must be 2-3 years to be productive
Most research Universities will not hire you unless you are bringing in mone
You must have at least 5 primary publications to be competitive
As this was just an opinion website, I wanted to know what others thought
about this criteria.
Thanks
Laurie
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 7 Feb 2003 19:01:28 -0500
From: David Inouye <inouye@umd.edu>
Subject: Teaching Issues and Experiments in Ecology:
9. Teaching Issues and Experiments in Ecology: Experiments [.pdf]
http://www.ecoed.net/tiee/exps/experiments.shtml
Teaching Issues and Experiments in Ecology (TIEE) is a collection of peer-
reviewed, classroom/ field-tested teaching materials sponsored by the
Ecological Society of America. Among these "scientifically sound and
pedagogically innovative" teaching materials are a number of particularly
well-designed ecology labs for field and classroom. As of February 2003, two
of the seven labs on the Web site are complete and ready to download:
Ecology of Habitat Contrasts and Environmental Correlates of Leaf Stomata
Density. Both are designed for college level courses. Five other labs
covering a range of ecology topics will eventually be available, and users
may also take advantage of an earlier set of labs from 1993. The resources
and materials provided for each lab are incredibly comprehensive. Suffice to
say, this Web site is definitely one to bookmark and check frequently for
updates. [RS]
13. Fast Plants [.pdf]
http://www.fastplants.org/home_flash.asp
"To know a plant, grow a plant" is the motto of the Wisconsin Fast Plant
Program, a science education outreach program from the University of
Wisconsin-Madison. Fast Plants are members of the mustard family bred
specifically for use in the classroom -- small, easy to grow, affordable,
and with an incredibly short life cycle of about 35-45 days. While the
classroom activities provided in this Web site call for Fast Plants seed
(available through Carolina Biological Supply), they offer excellent ideas
for plant biology projects with or without these special strains. In
addition to these downloadable classroom activities, this Web site contains
a detailed virtual tour of a plant life cycle, ideas for science fair
projects, and other plant-related learning resources. [RS]
>From The NSDL Scout Report for the Life Sciences, Copyright Internet Sc
ut
Project 1994-2002. http://scout.wisc.edu/
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 7 Feb 2003 18:35:29 -0500
From: Rob Smith <Robert.J.Smith@USM.EDU>
Subject: Finding a Post doc
Hello,
I'll soon have my degree (emphasis in avian migration ecology) and am in the
job/post doc market. I was wondering if anyone could provide insight into
finding post doc opportunities? I'm monitoring Science, the Chronicle and
of course this listserve - are there other places out there to look? Thanks
Rob Smith
Department of Biological Sciences
University of Southern Mississippi
Hattiesburg, MS 39406-5018
(601) 266-4394
------------------------------
Subject: ECOLOG-L Digest - 5 Feb 2003 to 6 Feb 2003 (#2003-37)
There are 11 messages totalling 402 lines in this issue.
Topics of the day:
1. raster Fragstats v2 for Mac
2. open top chambers and FACE
3. Questions re job search (2)
4. SUMMER AVIAN AND PLANT RESEARCH ASSISTANT POSITIONS
5. Research Internships--Archbold Biological Station
6. Question about the Shannon Diversity Index (2)
7. position
8. postdoc opening: quantitative/theoretical host-pathogen studies
9. Help on Randomization Methods
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Wed, 5 Feb 2003 21:23:32 -0500
From: "Meretsky, Vicky J." <meretsky@INDIANA.EDU>
Subject: raster Fragstats v2 for Mac
Posted on behalf of the signer.
__________________________________
My apologies to anyone not interested in this email.
I have ported fragstats (version 2) to run on Mac OS X. I only ported
the
raster version, as the vector version requires Arc/info, which does not
run on mac OS X.
I have not done exhaustive testing on it, but it seems to work so far.
it is available at:
http://www.cs.indiana.edu/~rnajlis/Programming/fragstatsMacOSX.html
Thank you.
Robert Najlis
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 6 Feb 2003 09:10:34 -0500
From: Qing-Lai Dang <qdang@MAIL1.LAKEHEADU.CA>
Subject: open top chambers and FACE
Hi there,
We are looking for suppliers for Open Top Chambers and FACE facilities. Any
information will be greatly appreciated!
Thanks.
Dr. Qing Lai Dang
Associate Professor
Faculty of Forestry and the Forest Environment
Lakehead University
955 Oliver Road, Thunder Bay
Ontario, Canada P7B 5E1
Telephone: (807) 343-8238
Fax: (807) 343-8116
Web: http://giant.lakeheadu.ca/~qdang/
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 6 Feb 2003 12:56:06 -0800
From: Laurie Kellogg <lkellogg@ND.EDU>
Subject: Questions re job search
Hello again,
I suppose I should have been a lot more specific. The jobs that I (as well
as the other people who are interested in the answers to this questions) am
interested in are research university jobs with a greater emphasis on
research (75%) than on teaching (25%). Here is the statement from a web
site that began all of us discussing it:
One year postdoctorals are useless, they must be 2-3 years to be productive
Most research Universities will not hire you unless you are bringing in mone
You must have at least 5 primary publications to be competitive
As this was just an opinion website, I wanted to know what others thought
about this criteria.
Thanks
Laurie
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 6 Feb 2003 13:31:17 -0700
From: Steve Hanser <shanser@USGS.GOV>
Subject: SUMMER AVIAN AND PLANT RESEARCH ASSISTANT POSITIONS
SUMMER AVIAN AND PLANT RESEARCH ASSISTANT POSITIONS:
Four to eight seasonal positions are available for part or all of the field
season from May through September 2003 to assess bird abundance and
vegetation types along Breeding Bird Surveys in the Columbia and Great
Basin Ecosystems. The home base for this study is in Boise, ID, but the
study site covers Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Nevada, Utah, California, and
Arizona. We are looking for assistants who have attention to details, the
ability to manage multiple tasks, and can work independently and as a team
member. Assistants need to be able to work irregular hours and hot
environmental conditions and be willing to camp when in the field. Duties
for Avian Research Assistants include collecting avian abundance (point
count and BBS surveys), vegetation data, and data management. Applicants
must have experience to identify western bird species by sight and sound
and some knowledge in plant identification. Duties for Plant Research
Assistants include collecting vegetation data and data management.
Background in plant identification and basic GIS knowledge preferred but
not a must. Applications for these positions will be accepted Feb 10 -13
through Idaho Job Services (http://www.labor.state.id.us/) under the
following reference numbers: #1040789 for G-5 and #1040988 for G-7. If you
have any additional questions about the Avian Research Assistant Position
please contact Sean Finn, USGS-BRD, Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science
Center, sfinn@usgs.gov, phone: 208-426-2697 and for questions about the
Plant Research Assistant Position contact Steve Hanser, USGS-BRD, Forest
and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center, shanser@usgs.gov, phone:
208-426-2892.
Steve Hanser
Wildlife Biologist
Snake River Field Station
USGS FRESC
970 Lusk St.
Boise, ID 83706
208-426-2892
http://SAGEMAP.wr.usgs.gov
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 6 Feb 2003 15:34:10 -0500
From: Patrick Bohlen <pbohlen@ARCHBOLD-STATION.ORG>
Subject: Research Internships--Archbold Biological Station
Research internships in ecology are available at the MacArthur Agro-ecology
Research Center (MAERC), a division of Archbold Biological Station, in
south central Florida. MAERC is located at a 4,000-ha full-scale
commercial cattle ranch that encompasses varied pastures and prairies,
woodland hammocks, a small citrus grove and abundant wetlands. The Center
is the site of large collaborative research projects with the University of
Florida and South Florida Water Management District. Current research
projects focus on nutrient cycling in subtropical pastures; the influence
of grazing and fire on productivity and belowground processes in pastures
and seasonal wetlands; wetland restoration; and the effects of beef cattle
production on water quality. Research interns spend half time assisting
with projects of the staff Research Biologist and half time conducting
their own independent research project, and have the opportunity to
interact with staff at Archbold Biological Station, a vibrant and dynamic
center for ecological research and education. The internship is available
for undergraduates and recent college graduates or graduate students. The
length of appointment will be for 3-6 months (or longer for graduate
students). Current positions will become available in March, 2003 or
later. Interested applicants should contact Dr. Patrick Bohlen at (863)
699-0242 x22, or pbohlen@archbold-station.org, or apply by sending (1) a
letter of application, including interests and period of availability, (2)
a resume or curriculum vitae, included G.P.A. and relevant course work, and
(3) contact information for at least two references, to Dr. Patrick Bohlen,
MacArthur Agro-Ecology Research Center, 300 Buck Island Ranch Rd., Lake
Placid, FL 33853. E-mail applications are welcome. More information about
MAERC is available at: www.maerc.org.
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 6 Feb 2003 16:58:07 -0500
From: Randi Rotjan <randi.rotjan@TUFTS.EDU>
Subject: Question about the Shannon Diversity Index
Hello ecolog-ers,
Is anyone familiar with the equation for the Shannon Diversity Index?
I have found 4 sources for the equation, 1 of which specify the equation
using the natural log (ln), 1 of which specifies the same thing, but
differently, as log base e, 1 which says just "log", and one which uses log
base 2.
Which is the correct formula?
Thanks!
Randi
__________________
Randi Rotjan
Department of Biology
Tufts University
There is a single light of science, and to brighten it anywhere is to
brighten it everywhere.
--Isaac Asimov
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 6 Feb 2003 17:11:40 -0500
From: Howard V Cornell <cornell@UDEL.EDU>
Subject: position
Hello all,
We have a temporary faculty position opening in the fall. The hire would
be required to teach 2 sections of introductory biology and 1 section of
general ecology in the fall, and 2 sections of ecology laboratory and 1
section of introductory biology in the spring. We expect this position to
be converted to a permanent full-time non-tenure track position after next
year. We have a small (Cornell, Karlson, Tallamy, McDonald) but active
research group in ecology and evolution with whom the new hire could
interact. Interested parties should send a letter of application, CV and
have 3 letters of reference sent to Dr. David Usher, Department of
Biological Sciences, University of Delaware, Newark, DE 19716. We will
begin screening applicants soon, and all materials should be in our hands
by March 1.
**********************
Howard V. Cornell
Department of Biological Sciences
University of Delaware
Newark, DE 19716 USA
Phone: 302-831-2669
FAX: 302-831-2281
**********************
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 6 Feb 2003 17:33:08 -0800
From: David Bryant <dmb@IO.HARVARD.EDU>
Subject: Re: Questions re job search
Being a job-hunting postdoc myself, I followed this thread closely. I am
curious however about the statement quoted regarding funding. My
institution (and others) do not allow postdocs to apply for funding as
PI's. This is of course a requirement, as I understand it, for "taking it
with you". So if universities do not hire postdocs without current funding
how are we to obtain job offers?.
Any personal experiences along these lines?
David
At 12:56 PM 2/6/03 -0800, Laurie Kellogg wrote:
>Hello again,
>
>I suppose I should have been a lot more specific. The jobs that I (as w
ll
>as the other people who are interested in the answers to this questions)
am
>interested in are research university jobs with a greater emphasis on
>research (75%) than on teaching (25%). Here is the statement from a web
>site that began all of us discussing it:
>
>One year postdoctorals are useless, they must be 2-3 years to be product
ve
>Most research Universities will not hire you unless you are bringing in
oney
>You must have at least 5 primary publications to be competitive
>
>As this was just an opinion website, I wanted to know what others though
>about this criteria.
>
>Thanks
>Laurie
David M. Bryant
Dept of Earth and Planetary Sciences
Harvard University
20 Oxford St.
Cambridge, MA 02138
dmb@io.harvard.edu
617-496-6246
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 6 Feb 2003 11:14:23 -0600
From: Dave McNeely <dlmcneely@LUNET.EDU>
Subject: Re: Question about the Shannon Diversity Index
Both Krebs (Ecological Methodology, Harper and Row, 1989) and Cox (General
Ecology Laboratory Manual, eighth edition, McGraw Hill, 2002) have
discussions of the Shannon-Wiener Diversity Index. Briefly, the index has
been calculated using natural logs, base 2, and base 10, and values using
each of these are in the literature. It is easy to convert one to the other
(Cox gives the conversions if your calculator doesn't have them built in).
Shannon used base 2, so did Wiener. Base 2 was used in information theory,
probably for theoretical reasons in that field.
Natural log and log base e are the same thing.
Dave McNeely
----- Original Message -----
From: "Randi Rotjan" <randi.rotjan@TUFTS.EDU>
To: <ECOLOG-L@LISTSERV.UMD.EDU>
Sent: Thursday, February 06, 2003 3:58 PM
Subject: Question about the Shannon Diversity Index
> Hello ecolog-ers,
>
> Is anyone familiar with the equation for the Shannon Diversity Index?
>
> I have found 4 sources for the equation, 1 of which specify the equatio
> using the natural log (ln), 1 of which specifies the same thing, but
> differently, as log base e, 1 which says just "log", and one which uses
log
> base 2.
>
> Which is the correct formula?
>
> Thanks!
>
> Randi
>
>
> __________________
> Randi Rotjan
> Department of Biology
> Tufts University
>
> There is a single light of science, and to brighten it anywhere is to
> brighten it everywhere.
> --Isaac Asimov
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 6 Feb 2003 17:53:49 -0500
From: Ben Bolker <bolker@ZOO.UFL.EDU>
Subject: postdoc opening: quantitative/theoretical host-pathogen studies
POSTDOCTORAL ASSOCIATE: QUANTITATIVE/THEORETICAL ECOLOGY of HOST-PATHOGEN
SYSTEMS
We are searching for one or more postdoctoral associates to take the lead
in a variety of quantitative and theoretical ecology research. The
associate will work in conjunction with Drs. Robert Holt and Ben Bolker at
the University of Florida over a period of up to 3 years on NSF- and
NIH-funded projects in spatial host-pathogen dynamics. Particular ongoing
projects include (1) exploratory statistical and population-dynamic
modeling of amphibian disease (chytrid fungi in Australian and American
frogs and iridoviruses in North American salamanders), and (2) studies of
within-host ecological and evolutionary dynamics of viral infection
(related to empirical studies of HIV vaccine development). (Assignment to
projects is flexible depending on skills and interests.) Applicants
should bring some combination of quantitative (mathematical, statistical,
and/or computational) expertise and interest, and should be capable of
working creatively and independently. Salary will be commensurate with
experience. Please send a statement of research interests, current CV,
representative publications, and names of referees to: Dr. B. Bolker
Department of Zoology, University of Florida PO Box 118525 Gainesville, FL
32611-8525. E-mail queries to Ben Bolker (bolker@zoo.ufl.edu) or Bob Holt
(rdholt@zoo.ufl.edu).
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 6 Feb 2003 16:26:09 -0800
From: "Alexandre F. Souza" <alexfadigas@YAHOO.COM>
Subject: Help on Randomization Methods
Dear friends,
I have data on survival of plants grouped by size
classes (% survival per size class) in many
co-specific plant populations of a given palm species,
and would like to perform multiple regression analyses
to seek for the role of a number of environmental
variables like light, neighbourhood density, soil
water status, etc. on the % survival of each size
class. This will result in one analysis for each size
class.
However, many of these classes have few individuals,
so the % I get from them are distorted. A friend have
suggested that I should employ randomization methods
for avoiding discarding many classes due to
insufficient sample size. However, I do not figure it
out how to do that. Should I bootstrap the individuals
in a given size class with few individuals and obtain
the % survival in each run? If so, the next step would
be to obtain an average % survival for all bootstraps,
which would be a better estimate of survival?
Thanks for ideas and suggestions,
Cheers,
=====
Alexandre F. Souza
Programa de Pѓs-Graduaчуo em Ecologia
Departamento de Botтnica/IB
Universidade Estadual de Campinas
Campinas, SP
Brasil
__________________________________________________
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Yahoo! Mail Plus - Powerful. Affordable. Sign up now.
http://mailplus.yahoo.com
------------------------------
End of ECOLOG-L Digest - 5 Feb 2003 to 6 Feb 2003 (#2003-37)
************************************************************
џџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџџ
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