The National Institute for Mathematical and Biological Synthesis
(NIMBioS) is now accepting applications for its Investigative Workshop,
"Stoichiometric Ecotoxicology," to be held January 17-19, 2018, at NIMBioS.
*Objectives:* Accurately assessing the risks of contaminants requires
more than an understanding of the effects of contaminants on individual
organisms, but requires further understanding of complex ecological
interactions, elemental cycling, and interactive effects of natural and
contaminant stressors. There is increasing evidence that organisms
experience interactive effects of contaminant stressors and food
conditions, such as resource stoichiometry and nutrient availability.
The development of ecotoxicological models over the last few decades
have significantly contributed to interpreting how contaminants impact
organisms and cycle through food webs. Existing modeling efforts take a
variety of approaches to predict the effects of diverse chemical
contaminants on organismal growth and survival; however, current models
do not consider dynamical interactive effects of contaminant stressors
and stoichiometric constraints, such as nutrient/light availability and
food quality. This investigative workshop will provide a forum for
discussions of incorporating multiple essential elements and
contaminants in ecotoxicological models. The discussions and breakout
sessions throughout the workshop will shed light on nutrient and
chemical contaminant cycling and can ultimately help improve
toxicological risk assessment protocols. The objectives for the workshop
include:
* Discussing the importance of linking Ecological Stoichiometry with
Ecotoxicology and summarizing the current state of the synthesis of
these two theories
* Formulating a series of empirically testable and robust models of
individual and population dynamics subject to stoichiometric
constraints and contaminant stressors
* Identifying future directions for models to be used in practice for
ecological risk assessments and determining areas where empirical
data are lacking in order to parameterize, test, and improve the models
*Location:* NIMBioS at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville;
*Co-Organizers:* Angela Peace, Mathematics and Statistics, Texas Tech
Univ. and Paul Frost, Biology, Trent Univ.
For more information about the workshop and a link to the online
application form, go to http://www.nimbios.org/workshops/WS_ecotox
Participation in NIMBioS workshops is by application only. Individuals
with a strong interest in the topic are encouraged to apply, and
successful applicants will be notified within two weeks after the
application deadline. If needed, financial support for travel, meals,
and lodging is available for workshop attendees.
*
**Application deadline: September 25, 2017*
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, with
additional support from The University of Tennessee, Knoxville.
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