Hello All - After reading the NCEAS call for proposals regarding funding for Distributed Graduate Seminars (DGS) I would be interested in seeing if anyone out there would be like to develop a DGS on "Conservation of Biodiversity in Agricultural Landscapes". Here at CATIE in Costa Rica we have accomplished quite a bit of work and have some significant databases/experience on species conservation in pasture, coffee, and cacao landscapes.
In particular, there are three principle questions I'd like to explore, though these would be open to consideration/discussion once partners are finalized: 1) Can agricultural landscapes be managed for the conservation of biodiversity 2) What is the relationship between biodiversity and the functioning (crop productivity, disease and pest resistance) 3) To link data in Costa Rica, and potential partners in the US, what is the role of semi-natural habitat in agricultural landscapes play in the conservation of migratory species, particularly those species that migrate between/through Costa Rica and North American landscapes. Both ecological questions and social questions, such as what drives farmers to conserve on-farm biodiversity could be open for consideration. If your are interested, please drop me an email. We are particularly interested in institutions that serve high proportions of of groups underrepresented in science. For more information on the NCEAS call for proposals, please visit: http://www.nceas.ucsb.edu/opportunity/ rfp.html Cheers, Fabrice
