The National Institute for Mathematical and Biological Synthesis (NIMBioS) is now accepting applications for its Investigative Workshop, *"**Disturbance Regimes and Climate-Carbon Feedback**"** *to be held February 13-15, 2012, at NIMBioS.
*Objectives: * Disturbances have been recognized as a key factor affecting terrestrial biogeochemical processes but can be easily misinterpreted without considering the context of disturbance regimes. Many studies have been conducted to quantify impacts of individual disturbance events on ecosystem carbon processes. In general, one disturbance event, such as wildfire, usually triggers release of a large amount of carbon and then follows by recovery processes. It is important to recognize that any disturbance events happen in a context of disturbance regime in a region. If the disturbance regime does not change over time in a region (i.e., stationary), recovery processes after one disturbance event result in net carbon uptake that can fully compensate the carbon loss triggered by the disturbance event, leading to no net change in carbon balance over time. Similarly over space, the carbon loss triggered by the disturbance event in one area can be fully compensated by carbon gain by recovery in other areas in a region if regional disturbance regimes are stationary. Thus, disturbance impacts on biogeochemical cycles have to be interpreted in the context of disturbance regimes and their responses to global change. Disturbance regimes can usually be characterized by disturbance frequency, severity, and extensity, and differ in different regions of the world. So far, the quantitative relationship between carbon-climate feedback and disturbance regimes has not yet been carefully explored. Climate change likely alters disturbance regimes (i.e., nonstationry). The nonstationary disturbance regimes trigger either net carbon releases from or uptake by terrestrial ecosystems, feeding back to climate change. Mathematical models are needed to quantify stationarity of disturbance regimes and their feedback to global carbon cycles and climate change. This investigative workshop will bring together disturbance ecologists, biogeochemists, mathematicians, statisticians, and computer scientists to discuss various issues related to integration of disturbance ecology with biogeochemistry using mathematical and statistical approaches. The workshop will synthesize state-of-the-art information and identify future directions in the interface areas of disturbance ecology and biogeochemistry. It is anticipated that the workshop will lead to a NIMBioS Working Group to tackle more focused issues in this interface area. *Location: *NIMBioS at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville *Co-Organizers: *Maria Leite (Mathematics, Univ. of Oklahoma at Norman) and Yiqi Luo (Ecology, Univ. of Oklahoma at Norman; Director, EcoLab) For more information about the workshop and a link to the online application form, go to http://www.nimbios.org/workshops/WS_carbon If needed, applicants may request travel and lodging support. Participation is limited, and those selected to attend will be notified within two weeks of the application deadline. *Application deadline: November 1, 2011* The National Institute for Mathematical and Biological Synthesis (NIMBioS) (http://www.nimbios.org) brings together researchers from around the world to collaborate across disciplinary boundaries to investigate solutions to basic and applied problems in the life sciences. NIMBioS is sponsored by the National Science Foundation, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture with additional support from The University of Tennessee, Knoxville. ***************************** Catherine Crawley, Ph.D. Communications Coordinator National Institute for Mathematical and Biological Synthesis University of Tennessee 1534 White Avenue, Suite 400 Knoxville, TN 37996-1527 e [email protected] <mailto:[email protected]> t +1 865 974 9350 <tel:%2B1%20865%20974%209350> f +1 865 974 9461 <tel:%2B1%20865%20974%209461> http://www.nimbios.org http://twitter.com/nimbios To receive email notifications of blog updates, click here <http://www.nimbios.org/wordpress/subscribe2updates/>. To subscribe to our bi-monthly newsletter, click here <http://visitor.r20.constantcontact.com/manage/optin/ea?v=001RgvbKVLa7a4Psoj8H7c43A%3D%3D>.
