[ECOLOG-L] where do edible plants retain lead and other contaminants?
I am looking for information about where different types of plants absorb and retain heavy metals and other toxins. I would like to compile a list of edible plants that are safe to propagate and consume despite soil contamination. This could include plants that absorb toxins but deposit them in isolated areas. I have been told, for example, that tree fruits can be planted in lead contaminated soil, because lead never rises high enough in trees to wind up in their fruits. Or, if you know of such a list already out there, I would love to see it! I think that lead is the most common toxin in many urban areas, so I am particularly interested in where plants deposit lead, but I would appreciate information on how/where they hold onto other toxins as well. Thanks for your help, Ben
[ECOLOG-L] Looking for a postdoctoral position
To whom it may concern, I am a PhD candidate from Zhejiang University, China, and will get the doctoral degree this June. During my PhD studies, I mainly focus on human and nature coupled biogeochemistry (including nitrogen and carbon cycling on a large scale), and urban ecology (mainly testing the role of human in urban ecosystem). Our new paper about coupled human and nature nitrogen cycling in urbanized region published in Environ. Res. Lett. (Gu et al., 2011) has been download over 500 times in 41 days after online, which lists top 3% of all paper published in IOP journals. I also interest in the connection between nitrogen cycling and human health, and further how this connection changes global climate and environment on the basis on socioeconomic development. My Short CV: EDUCATION 2006-present. PhD Candidate - Institute of Ecology and Conservation Biology, Department of Biological Science, College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China. Research filed: Urban Ecology Biogeochemistry. 2007-2008. Visiting PhD student Department of Renewable Resources, University of Alberta, Edmonton, and Global Environment and Climate Change Center (GEC3), McGill University, Montreal, Canada. Research filed: Environmental Science Ecological Modelling. 2002-2006. B.A. - Honors Program of Science, Chu Ko Chen Honors College and Biological Science, College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China. SELECTED PUBLICATIONS Gu, B., Liu, D., Wu, X., Ge, Y., Min, Y., Chang, J. Utilization of waste nitrogen for biofuel production in China. Renew. Sust. Energ. Rev., 2011, (Accepted). Li, S., Wu, X., Xue, H., Gu, B., Cheng, H., Zeng, J., Peng, C., Ge, Y., Chang, J. Quantifying carbon storage for tea plantations in China. Agric. Ecosys. Environ., 2011, (Accepted). Gu, B., Zhu, Y., Chang, J., Peng, C., Liu, D., Min, Y., Luo, W., Howarth, R.W., Ge, Y. The role of technology and policy in mitigating regional nitrogen pollution. Environ. Res. Lett., 2011, 6, 014011. Insight: including humans in urban biogeochemistry research (http://environmentalresearchweb.org/cws/article/news/45414) Wang, Y., Xu, H., Wu, X., Zhu, Y., Gu, B., Niu, X., Liu, A., Peng, C., Ge, Y., Chang, J. Quantification of net carbon flux from plastic greenhouse vegetable cultivation: a full carbon cycle analysis. Environ. Pollut., 2011, 159, 1427-1434. Min, Y., Gong, W., Jin, X., Chang, J., Gu, B., Han, Z., Ge, Y. NCNA: Integrated platform for constructing, visualizing, analyzing and sharing human-mediated nitrogen biogeochemical networks. Environ. Modell. Softw., 2011, 26, 678-679. Gu, B., Ge, Y., Zhu, G., Xu, H., Chang, J., Xu, Q. Terrestrial nitrogen discharges to the ocean derived from human activities in the Greater Hangzhou Area, China. Acta. Sci. Circum., 2010, 30(10), 2078-2087. (In Chinese with English abstract) Gu, B., Chang, J., Ge, Y, Ge, H., Yuan, C., Peng, C., Jiang, H. Anthropogenic modification of the nitrogen cycling within the Greater Hangzhou Area system, China. Ecol. Appl., 2009, 19(4), 974-988. CONFERENCE PRESENTATIONS Gu, B., Ge, Y., Chang, S.X., Peng, C., Chang, J. Ecological consequences of rapid urban development in Edmonton, Alberta. Frontiers of Soil Science, Canadian Society of Soil Science 2008 annual meeting. Prince George, British Columbia, July 6 - 10, 2008. (Oral presentation) Gu, B., Ge, Y., Chang, J., Chang, S.X. Ecological and socioeconomic consequences of rapid urban development in Edmonton, Alberta. Abstracts of the 45th Annual Alberta Soil Science Workshop: Ecological Footprint of Human Activities on Albertas Soils. February 19-21, 2008. Lethbridge Lodge Hotel and Conference Centre, Lethbridge, Alberta. (Poster paper) See my homepage for detail information: http://www.cls.zju.edu.cn/eae/English/BaojingGu Please feel free to contact me if you are interested. Best Regards! Baojing -- Baojing Gu Urban Ecology Biogeochemistry College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University Office Tel Fax: +86-571-8820 6465 Cell phone: +86-139 581 10801 Homepage: http://www.cls.zju.edu.cn/eae/English/BaojingGu
[ECOLOG-L] Post-Doctoral Position in Landscape and Movement Ecology with the Corridor Research Group
Please distribute this position announcement to anyone that you think might be interested. Joshua Tewksbury **Post-Doctoral Fellow in Landscape Ecology / Movement Ecology with The Corridor Research Group. Job Description: The Corridor Research Group (a multi-university / US Forest Service collaboration) is seeking to hire a Post-Doctoral Fellow to lead a large-scale experiment examining the effects of fragmentation and landscape corridors on the dispersal behavior of plants and insects. We will do this using a novel 15N tagging technique to track movement in large experimentally fragmented landscapes at the Savannah River Site, near Aiken, South Carolina. The Post-Doctoral Fellow will coordinate this collaborative research, live near the site, and work with a collaborative and collegial set of faculty mentors. This position includes significant opportunities to initiate an independent research program with support from the participating investigators, and requires strong interpersonal skills, as the post-doc will be in charge of coordinating an NSF funded collaborative research program involving six universities and the US forest Service. Employment Details: The anticipated start date is November 1, 2011. The Post-Doc will be officially affiliated with the University of Washington (Joshua Tewksbury, PI) but research will be conducted in collaboration with all PIs: Lars Brudvig (Michigan State), Tomas Carlo (Penn State), Ellen Damschen and John Orrock (U. Wisconsin - Madison), Nick Haddad (North Carolina State U.), and Doug Levey (University of Florida), and joint affiliation will be granted to any of these collaborating institutions as needed. Compensation will be competitive and the position will extend for 2+ years, depending on funding. Women and Minorities are encouraged to apply. Essential requirements: a PhD in ecology or related discipline Materials to submit: CV, cover letter explaining research interests, and contact information with emails for three references. All materials should be submitted by e-mail to Josh Tewksbury (tewk...@uw.edu). Please use the following subject line 2011 Corridor Post-Doc Position. Closing date: Until filled. We are planning on conducting preliminary interviews in early august in conjunction with the Ecological Society of America meeting in Austin followed by a site visit to the field site with top candidates in late august. Final decisions will be made directly after the site visit. More information about The Corridor Research Project and publications can be found at: http://www4.ncsu.edu/~haddad/Corridors/SRScorridor.html, http://faculty.washington.edu/tewksjj/corridor.html, and http://www4.ncsu.edu/~haddad/Publications/srspubs.html
Re: [ECOLOG-L] where do edible plants retain lead and other contaminants?
Most plants put and store most of the metals in their roots. But the percentage varies and you would have to look it up for particular species and a particular metal. So plants where roots are eaten would not be advised, but usually there would be much less in the stems, leaves or fruits. I am looking for information about where different types of plants absorb and retain heavy metals and other toxins. I would like to compile a list of edible plants that are safe to propagate and consume despite soil contamination. This could include plants that absorb toxins but deposit them in isolated areas. I have been told, for example, that tree fruits can be planted in lead contaminated soil, because lead never rises high enough in trees to wind up in their fruits. Or, if you know of such a list already out there, I would love to see it! I think that lead is the most common toxin in many urban areas, so I am particularly interested in where plants deposit lead, but I would appreciate information on how/where they hold onto other toxins as well. Thanks for your help, Ben
[ECOLOG-L] science and the media
There's an interesting editorial on this topic in the 1 April issue of Science, 332:13. http://www.sciencemag.org/content/332/6025/13.full?sid=d95bb84c-6fa9-428e-941d-a2e804ede3d9
Re: [ECOLOG-L] Looking for a postdoctoral position - career options
Biogeochemistry and geochemistry are pretty popular topics. I have seen several faculty positions on these topics over the past several months (dunno how many there are currently) at Science Careers, in the back of Science Magazine, on Chemical Engineering News, on the American Chemical Society's jobs/careers list, etc. (URLs below). There may be chemistry, biochemistry, organic or inorganic chemistry broadly defined positions in which you could also pursue your biogeochemistry research: General statement for anyone looking for a postdoc position: Why not go for a faculty position? Don't worry, you're qualified - don't be afraid to apply! ALSO don't forget that there is funding out there that we (postdocs, or other non-professor scientists) can apply for and we should all be applying, especially if you haven't landed that holy grail faculty position! I am applying for some. If you get your own funding, that is good either way - either it helps you land a more stable independent research position (like faculty, etc.) or generally gives you more independence (start your own lab, company, or affiliate with an institution for lab space as a staff scientist or some other affiliation, or affiliate with one of these biotech/research incubators that many universities have)! http://sciencecareers.sciencemag.org/ http://chemistryjobs.acs.org/jobs Aaron T. Dossey, Ph.D. Biochemistry and Molecular Biology On 4/14/2011 6:44 AM, Baojing Gu wrote: To whom it may concern, I am a PhD candidate from Zhejiang University, China, and will get the doctoral degree this June. During my PhD studies, I mainly focus on human and nature coupled biogeochemistry (including nitrogen and carbon cycling on a large scale), and urban ecology (mainly testing the role of human in urban ecosystem). Our new paper about coupled human and nature nitrogen cycling in urbanized region published in Environ. Res. Lett. (Gu et al., 2011) has been download over 500 times in 41 days after online, which lists top 3% of all paper published in IOP journals. I also interest in the connection between nitrogen cycling and human health, and further how this connection changes global climate and environment on the basis on socioeconomic development. My Short CV: EDUCATION 2006-present. PhD Candidate - Institute of Ecology and Conservation Biology, Department of Biological Science, College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China. Research filed: “Urban Ecology Biogeochemistry”. 2007-2008. Visiting PhD student – Department of Renewable Resources, University of Alberta, Edmonton, and Global Environment and Climate Change Center (GEC3), McGill University, Montreal, Canada. Research filed: “Environmental Science Ecological Modelling”. 2002-2006. B.A. - Honors Program of Science, Chu Ko Chen Honors College and Biological Science, College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China. SELECTED PUBLICATIONS Gu, B., Liu, D., Wu, X., Ge, Y., Min, Y., Chang, J. Utilization of waste nitrogen for biofuel production in China. Renew. Sust. Energ. Rev., 2011, (Accepted). Li, S., Wu, X., Xue, H., Gu, B., Cheng, H., Zeng, J., Peng, C., Ge, Y., Chang, J. Quantifying carbon storage for tea plantations in China. Agric. Ecosys. Environ., 2011, (Accepted). Gu, B., Zhu, Y., Chang, J., Peng, C., Liu, D., Min, Y., Luo, W., Howarth, R.W., Ge, Y. The role of technology and policy in mitigating regional nitrogen pollution. Environ. Res. Lett., 2011, 6, 014011. Insight: including humans in urban biogeochemistry research (http://environmentalresearchweb.org/cws/article/news/45414) Wang, Y., Xu, H., Wu, X., Zhu, Y., Gu, B., Niu, X., Liu, A., Peng, C., Ge, Y., Chang, J. Quantification of net carbon flux from plastic greenhouse vegetable cultivation: a full carbon cycle analysis. Environ. Pollut., 2011, 159, 1427-1434. Min, Y., Gong, W., Jin, X., Chang, J., Gu, B., Han, Z., Ge, Y. NCNA: Integrated platform for constructing, visualizing, analyzing and sharing human-mediated nitrogen biogeochemical networks. Environ. Modell. Softw., 2011, 26, 678-679. Gu, B., Ge, Y., Zhu, G., Xu, H., Chang, J., Xu, Q. Terrestrial nitrogen discharges to the ocean derived from human activities in the Greater Hangzhou Area, China. Acta. Sci. Circum., 2010, 30(10), 2078-2087. (In Chinese with English abstract) Gu, B., Chang, J., Ge, Y, Ge, H., Yuan, C., Peng, C., Jiang, H. Anthropogenic modification of the nitrogen cycling within the Greater Hangzhou Area system, China. Ecol. Appl., 2009, 19(4), 974-988. CONFERENCE PRESENTATIONS Gu, B., Ge, Y., Chang, S.X., Peng, C., Chang, J. Ecological consequences of rapid urban development in Edmonton, Alberta. Frontiers of Soil Science, Canadian Society of Soil Science 2008 annual meeting. Prince George, British Columbia, July 6 - 10, 2008. (Oral presentation) Gu, B., Ge, Y., Chang, J., Chang, S.X. Ecological and socioeconomic consequences of rapid urban development in Edmonton, Alberta. Abstracts of the 45th
[ECOLOG-L] New Podcast from the Encyclopedia of Life
One Species at a Time Podcast Series from the Encyclopedia of Life Red-shouldered Soapberry Bug Jadera haematoloma In the lab at American University in Washington, DC, evolutionary biologist David Angelini and graduate student Stacey Baker are studying a snazzy red- and-black insect called the red-shouldered soapberry bug. These tiny insects with the big name are speedy and hard to catchand speedy in other ways, too, as Ari Daniel Shapiro discovers. Listen to the podcast: http://education.eol.org/podcast Read about this species on the Encyclopedia of Life:http://www.eol.org/pages/609225 Learn more about Red-shouldered soapberry bugs on Soapberrybug.org About the Encyclopedia of Life The Encyclopedia of Life is a collaborative effort among scientists and the general public to bring information together about all 1.9 million named and known species, in a common format, freely available on the internet. Learn more at www.eol.org
[ECOLOG-L] Evolution, Ecology, Bucknell University
Registration is now open for an international conference to be held at Bucknell University in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania, USA on Monday, June 13 and Tuesday, June 14, 2011, entitled Evolutionary Ecology across Trophic Levels - A Symposium in Honor of Warren Abrahamson. Registration is available from the conference website: http://www.bucknell.edu/x65430.xml Registration costs have been reduced to $15 for students and postdocs and $35 for others. Evening meals are no longer included in this price, and can be selected separately if desired. Registration fees will increase on May 1. The conference will feature twenty scientific talks to be given by alumni, collaborators, and friends of the Abrahamson Lab. Confirmed speakers include: -Doug Allchin, University of Minnesota Twin Cities -Catherine Blair, Bucknell University -Jackie Brown, Grinnell College -Timothy Craig, University of Minnesota-Duluth -Sarah Diamond, University of North Carolina -Netta Dorchin, Museum Koenig -Micky Eubanks, Texas AM University -David Hartnett, Kansas State University -Christine Hawkes, University of Texas at Austin -John Horner, Texas Christian University -Jason Irwin, Central Washington University -Ann Johnson, Florida Natural Areas Inventory -Eric Menges, Archbold Biological Station -Patricia Peroni, Davidson College -Peter Price, Northern Arizona University -Otto Solbrig, Harvard University -John Stinchcombe, University of Toronto -Hilary Swain, Archbold Biological Station -Mizuki Takahashi, Bucknell University -Art Weis, University of Toronto -Michael Wise, Roanoke College Tentative titles are available on the symposium website. Topics will address the diversity of subjects and approaches taken by Abe over his career, from the ecology and evolution of plant-insect interactions to community and ecosystem approaches to fire ecology, restoration, and conservation of natural landscapes. A contributed poster session is also planned, and can be selected as part of the registration. Activities will include a banquet, picnic, and talent show, as well as regional natural history excursions. Events will be held in the Elaine Langone Center on the Bucknell University Campus. Conference fees include daytime meals and snacks, but not lodging. Additional tickets to the picnic and banquet are available for attendees and guests. Lodging in Bucknell dormitories is available for $38/night single and $30/night double occupancy, with a one-time key charge of $10. There are many high-quality hotels, inns, and BBs in the region as well. The Bucknell University campus provides easy access to the downtown shopping, dining, and entertainment district of Lewisburg, a town noted for its historical preservation and vibrant culture. The central Susquehanna valley offers many recreational opportunities. Details can be found at: http://www.lewisburgpa.com/ This conference will celebrate Warren Abrahamson's 38 years of service to Bucknell University and the scientific community in anticipation of his upcoming retirement in the summer of 2012. During his career, Abe has supervised approximately 200 undergraduate research students, 18 Master's recipients, and 21 postdoctoral fellows, many of whom have remained active in science. In 2009 he was named a AAAS fellow. His main research interests include 1) multitrophic plant-insect interactions using the goldenrod system and 2) fire ecology and plant demography in Florida's upland communities. For more information on Warren Abrhamson and his work, please visit his lab website: http://www.facstaff.bucknell.edu/abrahmsn/ Questions and comments can be addressed to steve.jor...@bucknell.edu
Re: [ECOLOG-L] where do edible plants retain lead and other contaminants?
From the University of Minnesota Extension Service: http://www.extension.umn.edu/distribution/horticulture/DG2543.html Might be a bit better than I have been told . mcneely Ben Bowman bowman.benja...@gmail.com wrote: I am looking for information about where different types of plants absorb and retain heavy metals and other toxins. I would like to compile a list of edible plants that are safe to propagate and consume despite soil contamination. This could include plants that absorb toxins but deposit them in isolated areas. I have been told, for example, that tree fruits can be planted in lead contaminated soil, because lead never rises high enough in trees to wind up in their fruits. Or, if you know of such a list already out there, I would love to see it! I think that lead is the most common toxin in many urban areas, so I am particularly interested in where plants deposit lead, but I would appreciate information on how/where they hold onto other toxins as well. Thanks for your help, Ben -- David McNeely
[ECOLOG-L] Graduate opportunities at the University of Vermont
The Department of Plant Biology at the University of Vermont has graduate teaching fellowships available for well-qualified students interested in pursuing a Ph.D. degree. The current stipend for a Ph.D. student is $23,000 and includes a tuition waiver. The department has a deep history and current prominence in research on acid rain and climate change. Faculty in our department have broad interests that include ecological modeling, fire ecology, forest ecology, global climate change, ecology of invasive species, and theoretical ecology. The University of Vermont is located near natural areas ideal for ecological research, including Lake Champlain and the Green Mountains in Vermont and the Adirondacks in New York. For more information about our faculty, department, or the University of Vermont, please visit our website: http://www.uvm.edu/~plantbio/ or contact members of our faculty directly. Best wishes, Brian Beckage, Ph.D. Associate Professor
Re: [ECOLOG-L] Looking for a postdoctoral position - career options
Hello Aaron, Could you direct me to funding opportunities for post-docs or other non-tenure tract researchers. It looks like most opportunities are either geared toward getting a post-doc scholarship or are in open competition with more experienced researchers. -Burak -Original Message- From: Ecological Society of America: grants, jobs, news [mailto:ECOLOG-L@LISTSERV.UMD.EDU] On Behalf Of Aaron T. Dossey Sent: Thursday, April 14, 2011 9:59 AM To: ECOLOG-L@LISTSERV.UMD.EDU Subject: Re: [ECOLOG-L] Looking for a postdoctoral position - career options Biogeochemistry and geochemistry are pretty popular topics. I have seen several faculty positions on these topics over the past several months (dunno how many there are currently) at Science Careers, in the back of Science Magazine, on Chemical Engineering News, on the American Chemical Society's jobs/careers list, etc. (URLs below). There may be chemistry, biochemistry, organic or inorganic chemistry broadly defined positions in which you could also pursue your biogeochemistry research: General statement for anyone looking for a postdoc position: Why not go for a faculty position? Don't worry, you're qualified - don't be afraid to apply! ALSO don't forget that there is funding out there that we (postdocs, or other non-professor scientists) can apply for and we should all be applying, especially if you haven't landed that holy grail faculty position! I am applying for some. If you get your own funding, that is good either way - either it helps you land a more stable independent research position (like faculty, etc.) or generally gives you more independence (start your own lab, company, or affiliate with an institution for lab space as a staff scientist or some other affiliation, or affiliate with one of these biotech/research incubators that many universities have)! http://sciencecareers.sciencemag.org/ http://chemistryjobs.acs.org/jobs Aaron T. Dossey, Ph.D. Biochemistry and Molecular Biology On 4/14/2011 6:44 AM, Baojing Gu wrote: To whom it may concern, I am a PhD candidate from Zhejiang University, China, and will get the doctoral degree this June. During my PhD studies, I mainly focus on human and nature coupled biogeochemistry (including nitrogen and carbon cycling on a large scale), and urban ecology (mainly testing the role of human in urban ecosystem). Our new paper about coupled human and nature nitrogen cycling in urbanized region published in Environ. Res. Lett. (Gu et al., 2011) has been download over 500 times in 41 days after online, which lists top 3% of all paper published in IOP journals. I also interest in the connection between nitrogen cycling and human health, and further how this connection changes global climate and environment on the basis on socioeconomic development. My Short CV: EDUCATION 2006-present. PhD Candidate - Institute of Ecology and Conservation Biology, Department of Biological Science, College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China. Research filed: Urban Ecology Biogeochemistry. 2007-2008. Visiting PhD student - Department of Renewable Resources, University of Alberta, Edmonton, and Global Environment and Climate Change Center (GEC3), McGill University, Montreal, Canada. Research filed: Environmental Science Ecological Modelling. 2002-2006. B.A. - Honors Program of Science, Chu Ko Chen Honors College and Biological Science, College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China. SELECTED PUBLICATIONS Gu, B., Liu, D., Wu, X., Ge, Y., Min, Y., Chang, J. Utilization of waste nitrogen for biofuel production in China. Renew. Sust. Energ. Rev., 2011, (Accepted). Li, S., Wu, X., Xue, H., Gu, B., Cheng, H., Zeng, J., Peng, C., Ge, Y., Chang, J. Quantifying carbon storage for tea plantations in China. Agric. Ecosys. Environ., 2011, (Accepted). Gu, B., Zhu, Y., Chang, J., Peng, C., Liu, D., Min, Y., Luo, W., Howarth, R.W., Ge, Y. The role of technology and policy in mitigating regional nitrogen pollution. Environ. Res. Lett., 2011, 6, 014011. Insight: including humans in urban biogeochemistry research (http://environmentalresearchweb.org/cws/article/news/45414) Wang, Y., Xu, H., Wu, X., Zhu, Y., Gu, B., Niu, X., Liu, A., Peng, C., Ge, Y., Chang, J. Quantification of net carbon flux from plastic greenhouse vegetable cultivation: a full carbon cycle analysis. Environ. Pollut., 2011, 159, 1427-1434. Min, Y., Gong, W., Jin, X., Chang, J., Gu, B., Han, Z., Ge, Y. NCNA: Integrated platform for constructing, visualizing, analyzing and sharing human-mediated nitrogen biogeochemical networks. Environ. Modell. Softw., 2011, 26, 678-679. Gu, B., Ge, Y., Zhu, G., Xu, H., Chang, J., Xu, Q. Terrestrial nitrogen discharges to the ocean derived from human activities in the Greater Hangzhou Area, China. Acta. Sci. Circum., 2010, 30(10), 2078-2087. (In Chinese with English abstract) Gu, B.,
Re: [ECOLOG-L] Looking for a postdoctoral position - career options
I wouldn't say that all tenured or tenure-track faculty or other professors are necessarily more experienced than all postdocs - especially these days with the shortcomings in career opportunities in science, postdocs are racking up quite impressive CV's. My CV itself would out-do some current profs. I have seen if there were truly a competitive system in science. You should look in general outside the NSF/NIH. These are rigid systems controlled by the establishment (current profs and permanent science employees) and of course they don't want to be competing with postdocs (and want to keep the competition pool small in general). Most Universities I know, for example, won't allow postdocs to be principle investigators on grants they write. So my recommendation is, don't write any grant you can't be PI of. HOWEVER, societies like National Geographic Society, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, and others accept grant proposals on their merits, not based on the titles of the applicants. I think other philanthropic foundations work the same way. Also, for things advertised as fellowship or even Grant that are targeted toward postdocs, don't be afraid to ask does this REQUIRE that I select a faculty boss?. I have found some that say no outright, or we encourage it, but it's not required. That could also be a foot in the door - write it anyhow and get letters of support from department chairs and the institutions I mentioned before (tech startup incubators, etc.) willing to HOST your researchers - basically give you some kind of appointment should you bring home the bacon (get one or more grants funded). If you show them the money, some more forward-thinking places/departments will show you the labspace (and appointment)! Aaron T. Dossey, Ph.D. Biochemistry and Molecular Biology On 4/14/2011 10:58 AM, Pekin, Burak K wrote: Hello Aaron, Could you direct me to funding opportunities for post-docs or other non-tenure tract researchers. It looks like most opportunities are either geared toward getting a post-doc scholarship or are in open competition with more experienced researchers. -Burak -Original Message- From: Ecological Society of America: grants, jobs, news [mailto:ECOLOG-L@LISTSERV.UMD.EDU] On Behalf Of Aaron T. Dossey Sent: Thursday, April 14, 2011 9:59 AM To: ECOLOG-L@LISTSERV.UMD.EDU Subject: Re: [ECOLOG-L] Looking for a postdoctoral position - career options Biogeochemistry and geochemistry are pretty popular topics. I have seen several faculty positions on these topics over the past several months (dunno how many there are currently) at Science Careers, in the back of Science Magazine, on Chemical Engineering News, on the American Chemical Society's jobs/careers list, etc. (URLs below). There may be chemistry, biochemistry, organic or inorganic chemistry broadly defined positions in which you could also pursue your biogeochemistry research: General statement for anyone looking for a postdoc position: Why not go for a faculty position? Don't worry, you're qualified - don't be afraid to apply! ALSO don't forget that there is funding out there that we (postdocs, or other non-professor scientists) can apply for and we should all be applying, especially if you haven't landed that holy grail faculty position! I am applying for some. If you get your own funding, that is good either way - either it helps you land a more stable independent research position (like faculty, etc.) or generally gives you more independence (start your own lab, company, or affiliate with an institution for lab space as a staff scientist or some other affiliation, or affiliate with one of these biotech/research incubators that many universities have)! http://sciencecareers.sciencemag.org/ http://chemistryjobs.acs.org/jobs Aaron T. Dossey, Ph.D. Biochemistry and Molecular Biology On 4/14/2011 6:44 AM, Baojing Gu wrote: To whom it may concern, I am a PhD candidate from Zhejiang University, China, and will get the doctoral degree this June. During my PhD studies, I mainly focus on human and nature coupled biogeochemistry (including nitrogen and carbon cycling on a large scale), and urban ecology (mainly testing the role of human in urban ecosystem). Our new paper about coupled human and nature nitrogen cycling in urbanized region published in Environ. Res. Lett. (Gu et al., 2011) has been download over 500 times in 41 days after online, which lists top 3% of all paper published in IOP journals. I also interest in the connection between nitrogen cycling and human health, and further how this connection changes global climate and environment on the basis on socioeconomic development. My Short CV: EDUCATION 2006-present. PhD Candidate - Institute of Ecology and Conservation Biology, Department of Biological Science, College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China. Research filed: Urban Ecology Biogeochemistry. 2007-2008. Visiting PhD
Re: [ECOLOG-L] where do edible plants retain lead and other contaminants?
Just like animals, plants accumulate metals and similar toxins throughout depending on the metal. Many things are accumulated in the roots, but also elsewhere. For example, in an unpublished study we were doing on an oxbow lake adjacent to the Red River we found Chromium and several other metals in the leaves and stems of water plants. This ability of plants to remove certain compounds from the environment stimulated the idea of phytoremediation to remove these things from soils and water. Water soluble contaminants have a more complex fate in plants because they can enter and leave with water. However, they also have the capacity to more evenly distribute throughout the plant depending on their molecular size. Further, plants due to their use of photosynthesis have an extremely well developed antioxidant enzyme system which provides them with a powerful ability to detoxify compounds and deal with free radical damage generated by contaminants. Consequently, plants in some cases can break down these compounds very effectively break down these compounds. Many herbicides in particular attack either the cell membranes (paraquate like herbicides), the photosynthetic pathways, or growth and lipid production of the meristems. There are others. I don't know a whole lot about plant toxicology, however, if you want to learn more I would investigate the phytoremediation literature and the literature on herbicide action in plants. The agronomy literature will tell you a lot obout this too. Malcolm McCallum On Wed, Apr 13, 2011 at 11:20 PM, Ben Bowman bowman.benja...@gmail.com wrote: I am looking for information about where different types of plants absorb and retain heavy metals and other toxins. I would like to compile a list of edible plants that are safe to propagate and consume despite soil contamination. This could include plants that absorb toxins but deposit them in isolated areas. I have been told, for example, that tree fruits can be planted in lead contaminated soil, because lead never rises high enough in trees to wind up in their fruits. Or, if you know of such a list already out there, I would love to see it! I think that lead is the most common toxin in many urban areas, so I am particularly interested in where plants deposit lead, but I would appreciate information on how/where they hold onto other toxins as well. Thanks for your help, Ben -- Malcolm L. McCallum Managing Editor, Herpetological Conservation and Biology Peer pressure is designed to contain anyone with a sense of drive - Allan Nation 1880's: There's lots of good fish in the sea W.S. Gilbert 1990's: Many fish stocks depleted due to overfishing, habitat loss, and pollution. 2000: Marine reserves, ecosystem restoration, and pollution reduction MAY help restore populations. 2022: Soylent Green is People! Confidentiality Notice: This e-mail message, including any attachments, is for the sole use of the intended recipient(s) and may contain confidential and privileged information. Any unauthorized review, use, disclosure or distribution is prohibited. If you are not the intended recipient, please contact the sender by reply e-mail and destroy all copies of the original message.
[ECOLOG-L] OPEN POSITION: DISEASE ECOLOGIST
POSITION TITLE: SENIOR DISEASE ECOLOGIST POSITION DETAILS EcoHealth Alliance is seeking a leading disease ecologist with experience managing analytical research and diease ecology field programs, with an interest in conservation and global change biology. This is a leadership position at a rapidly-growing New York-based NGO with research and field programs around the world in conservation and health, and significant funding from NIH, NSF, USAID and other sources. We are seeking a proven leader with fundraising skills, a significant scientific portfolio, major publications in ecology, epidemiology, or conservation biology, and a drive to help us take our organization to the next level. The successful candidate will develop and coordinate a well-funded scientific research program in disease ecology. S/he will manage staff at HQ and internationally, lead the spatial and statistical modeling efforts on our USAID PREDICT award, and manage conservation biology projects with our international conservation partners. As a senior executive, s/he will help set institutional direction in these fields as well as managing funding streams, contracting, and staffing. The position is based at EcoHealth Alliance in New York City and will entail travel within the USA and abroad. We offer generous salary and benefits and excellent working conditions. QUALIFICATIONS A Ph.D in Ecological or Biological Sciences, an extensive, high-profile publication record, 3-5+ years developing an independent research program, managing office and field staff, coordinating research activities and outreach is expected. Demonstrated experience in analytical research (statistical, spatial and/or modeling) on disease-host systems is required. The ideal candidate will have a strong sense of team spirit, cultural sensitivity, excellent communication skills, diplomacy, experience working in developing countries and fluency in English. Fluency in a second language is a benefit. Please send a CV, letter detailing your research interests and vision, and email addresses for two references to j...@ecohealthalliance.org
Re: [ECOLOG-L] Looking for a postdoctoral position - career options
There are very good reasons to go for a PostDoc and delay the faculty route. This is mostly dependent upon your career goals. IF you desire to be at a small university where research is generally not important then a postdoc may not be so critical. In these kinds of schools, teaching experience will be most important and research is ranked a distant third to teaching (first), institutional service (second), and community service (third). Generally, such places will view visiting a third grade classroom as a bigger contribution than publishing a paper in a major journal. That wasn't meant as a slam, just that is reality. The teaching loads at such places will often range from 12-18 or more contact hours per semester. And, they will often calculate contact hours differently for labs so you are worked to death in the classroom. One school with which I am familiar that fits this category forgot to include research labs in their building expansion. Another, axed them upon discovering they could not finish the building. These kinds of places are very good for some people and very bad for others. It has little to do with right or wrong, appropriate or inappropriate. It just is! If you desire to have a substantial research career and you land in one of these kinds of schools your performance MAY lead to jealousy and spiteful behavior. Much of this is not deliberate, as the people working in both research setting and non-research settings are generally not bent on evil! (there are exceptions in both setting though!!). Its just the way things seem to work out. I am aware of one case where a research-driven individual who was also an effective teaching ended up in a small teaching school where no/little research was taking place. Student performance improved dramatically under his tutorship, which incited jealously from the faculty member (now dean) who previously taught many of his classes. Its one thing to perform well, its another to perform very well as a teacher and researcher in a climate where research is viewed as detracting from teaching, and then out-perform a Dean who believes himself to be a education guru! Their relationship was fine until the numbers began to skyrocket. I think this is generally a very unusual case, but you can't defend against it. And, black-listing by a jealous administrator is never easy to work around. Major research universities and increasingly mid-major institutions will strongly prefer postdoctoral experience in the form of a post doc. If you do not have one, you will be at a distinct disadvantage. If you have a postdoc it will not hurt your chances at the teaching schools. However, if you skip the postdoc and land in a teaching school only to discover this climate is not for you, its pretty darn hard to get your CV to a competitive level for more prestigious research institutions. In the end, I advise everyone to do at least 1 year of a traditional research postdoc and avoid jumping on the tenure track unless it is your ideal position. In many ways the best post doc is a tenure track position, however, go up and down the young to moderate aged faculty of most major universities and you will not find many without a post doc. I personally skipped the postdoc using the right rationale, but based on faulty information. Had I had good information I would have done the postdoc. I suspect that if you can compete for a tenure track coming out of your PHD, you will still be competitive one-year later. The goal of a graduating PHD should ultimately not be to get a tenure track position, but to get THE tenure track position where they can flourish. Anything else is going to be a disappointment. This post is based both on personal experience and observation and may not be completely fair in its assessment, but certainly you should consider it seriously as you make these decisions as the outcomes of your decisions will be the foundation on which you build the rest of your career. Malcolm McCallum On Thu, Apr 14, 2011 at 8:58 AM, Aaron T. Dossey bugoc...@gmail.com wrote: Biogeochemistry and geochemistry are pretty popular topics. I have seen several faculty positions on these topics over the past several months (dunno how many there are currently) at Science Careers, in the back of Science Magazine, on Chemical Engineering News, on the American Chemical Society's jobs/careers list, etc. (URLs below). There may be chemistry, biochemistry, organic or inorganic chemistry broadly defined positions in which you could also pursue your biogeochemistry research: General statement for anyone looking for a postdoc position: Why not go for a faculty position? Don't worry, you're qualified - don't be afraid to apply! ALSO don't forget that there is funding out there that we (postdocs, or other non-professor scientists) can apply for and we should all be applying, especially if you haven't landed that holy grail faculty position! I am applying for some.
[ECOLOG-L] Postdoc: Theoretical Ecology and Evolution, Oregon
Postdoctoral Research Associate Center for Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Posting: 11109 Location: Eugene Closes: Open Until Filled Postdoctoral Position in Theoretical Ecology and Evolution Jessica Green (http://biology.uoregon.edu/people/green/) and Brendan Bohannan (http://biology.uoregon.edu/ceeb/faculty_pages/Bohannan/) are currently seeking a postdoctoral researcher to collaborate on projects combining theoretical and empirical approaches to explore fundamental questions in microbial ecology and evolution. Applicants should have a PhD with extensive quantitative training (e.g. in theoretical ecology/evolution, physics, or applied math), expertise in coding mathematical and statistical models, and strong writing skills. The successful candidate will play a key role in the Biology and Built Environment (BioBE) Center (http://biology.uoregon.edu/biobe/). The BioBE Center is training a new generation of innovators and practitioners at the architecture-biology interface to understand the built environment microbiome - the diversity of indoor microbial life, their genetic elements and their interactions. The vision of this national research center, funded by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, is to integrate recent advances in microbial genomics and biological theory to develop hypothesis-driven, evidence-based approaches to sustainable building design. The position is available for 1 year with the possibility for renewal depending on performance. The start date is flexible. Applications will be considered starting on May 20, 2011. Please email questions regarding the position to Jessica Green (jlgr...@uoregon.edu). To apply A complete application will consist of the following materials: (1) a brief cover letter explaining your background and career interests (2) CV (including publications), (3) names and contact information for three references. Submit materials to ceebj...@uoregon.edu. Subject: Posting 11109 To be assured full consideration, applications must be received by May 20, 2011, but position will remain open until filled. Women and minorities encouraged to apply. We invite applications from qualified candidates who share our commitment to diversity. EO/AA/ADA institution committed to cultural diversity. http://hr.uoregon.edu/jobs/unclassified.php?id=3385
[ECOLOG-L] Scientists Urge the Forest Service to Require Forest Plans to Conform to Best Science and Require Strong Protections for Fish Wildlife, Clean Water, and Key Watersheds
Consider signing onto this letter. http://www.geosinstitute.org/hidden-menu/letter-regarding-new-regulations-for-national-forest-planning.html As scientists working in natural resource-related disciplines, we applaud the USDA Forest Service for setting a bold vision for the 193-million-acre National Forest System to guide the development, revision, and amendment of land management plans (36 CFR part 219). The agency’s emphasis on climate change, forest restoration, watershed protection, and wildlife conservation are laudable objectives that we fully support. The proposed rule places great emphasis on flexibility and local decision-making regarding forest planning decisions. We are concerned that the approach places too much authority in the hands of responsible officials at the unit level without providing guidance, including defined national standards for agency decisions. Without measurable standards and effective monitoring, forest planning will too often fail to comply with the broader purpose and intent of the National Forest System and the National Forest Management Act. While some tangible benefits may derive from planning at the local level, history shows that lack of national standards has resulted in significant losses to natural resource values important to the nation; historic examples include substantial degradation of intact areas prior to the Roadless Area Conservation Rule of 2001, ongoing loss of mature and old-growth forests, and degradation of watersheds. Our more detailed comments on the proposed draft rule (*see Attachment A below*) address four areas that must be strengthened if it is to achieve its stated objectives: (1) responsible officials should not merely “take into account” best science, but conform forest planning to best available science; (2) each planning unit should identify and protect watersheds; (3) management decisions should be grounded in robust viability standards to safeguard wildlife populations; and (4) forest plans should safeguard and protect ecosystems (e.g., mature and old-growth forests, sensitive soils, riparian areas) vital to the health and ecological sustainability of the National Forest System. We thank you for considering our views on this vitally important matter. Science-based management of our national forests is crucial if these systems are to continue to provide vital ecological services such as plentiful water supplies, habitat for wildlife and fish, storm and erosion control, and climate mitigation through carbon sequestration and storage. Please do not hesitate to contact us for further information or input. Sincerely,* Dominick A. DellaSala, Ph.D. President and Chief Scientist Geos Institute Ashland, Oregon Jim Karr, Ph.D. Professor Emeritus School of Aquatic and Fisheries Sciences University of Washington Seattle, Washington Barry Noon, Ph.D. Professor Dept. of Fish, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology Colorado State University Fort Collins, Colorado
Re: [ECOLOG-L] Rhetorical question on trees
Go to http://www.treesearch.fs.fed.us/ and author search for 'birdsey' Wealth of U.S. carbon / nutrient cycling research publications. I am sure there are much more on the international front as well but that will take a bit more searching. Best Regards, Neil Neil Clark Extension Agent, ANR, Southeast District Forestry and Southampton Interim Email: southe...@vt.edu Cell: 757-375-2507 Office: 757-653-2572Fax: 757-653-2849 P.O. Box 10 21300 Plank Road Courtland, VA 23837-0010 -Original Message- From: Ecological Society of America: grants, jobs, news [mailto:ECOLOG-L@LISTSERV.UMD.EDU] On Behalf Of Martin Koechy Sent: Wednesday, April 13, 2011 7:17 AM To: ECOLOG-L@LISTSERV.UMD.EDU Subject: Re: [ECOLOG-L] Rhetorical question on trees Hi Geoff, You are right, that's what trees tend to do, but the intensity is variable. The keyword is island of fertility if you look for more information and a classical paper on this subject is Zinke PJ (1962) The pattern of influence of individual forest trees on soil properties. Ecology 43: 130-133. Cheers, Martin Am 2011-04-13 um 04:59 schrieb Geoffrey Patton: ? To what degree do trees self-fertilize by dropping leaves and building their own humus ? They capture energy from the sun and nutrients from the air (and soil) and some of that production feeds the soil upon which the following year's growth depends. The soil biota processes the wastes, further captures atmospherically-deposited nutrients, and makes it all newly available for further growth, I would imagine. Apologies for being a marine biologist but this seems like something that might have been researched already. Yes or no? Cordially yours, Geoff Patton, Ph.D. 2208 Parker Ave., Wheaton, MD 20902 301.221.9536 --| http://sci.martinkoechy.de | Dr. Martin Köchy (Koechy) Johann Heinrich von Thünen-Institut -Bundesforschungsinstitut für Ländliche Räume, Wald und Fischerei- Institut für Agrarrelevante Klimaforschung Johann Heinrich von Thuenen Institute -Federal Research Institute for Rural Areas, Forestry and Fisheries- Institute of Agricultural Climate Research vTI-AK * Bundesallee 50 * 38116 Braunschweig * GERMANY Telefon: +49-531-596-2640 * Telefax: +49-531-596-2699 http://www.vti.bund.de/de/startseite/institute/ak.html skype: martinkoechy --- --- AG Vegetationsökologie Naturschutz|RG Veg. Ecology Nature Conserv. Universität Potsdam| University of Potsdam Am Neuen Palais 10 * 14469 Potsdam * GERMANY www.bio.uni-potsdam.de/professuren/vegetationsoekologie-naturschutz
[ECOLOG-L] Introducing the Tree House, the new molecular lab at the Highlands Biological Station
The Highlands Biological Station in Highlands, NC is excited to announce the opening of an ultra-modern molecular facility, affectionately named The Tree House. Located on the second floor of the Bruce Biodiversity Laboratory with views of the Lindenwood Lake, the new facility contains equipment suitable for a diversity of molecular research applications in ecology, systematics, and evolutionary biology. A list of equipment and a detailed user manual is available at http://www.wcu.edu/hbs/Research.htm. Please feel free to forward this information to colleagues and students that might be interested in taking advantage of the opportunity to do labwork at a field station!
[ECOLOG-L] DBH for old-growth trees
I've been looking through an excellent book, Remarkable Trees of Virginia, which highlights some amazing trees throughout the state. It's set me to wondering about the girth and mass of trees in the pre-settlement forests of North America. Would anyone be able to suggest some references on this? I'm most interested in information on the original forests, but studies on old-growth remnants would be welcome as well. (I'm a non-forestry person, so apologies if the question is terribly naive.) Thanks in advance, John A.
[ECOLOG-L] joint UMN-Max Planck post doc
Position Description – Research Associate “Transformative Steps in Plant Data Synthesis: Quantifying and Scaling Global Plant Trait Diversity” * * *Availability*: Applications should be made by mid-May, 2011 and we will hire as soon as an appropriate candidate has been found. The position is for two years. *Requirements*: PhD in natural science or applied statistics/mathematics with interest in ecological research. *Expertise and experience*: We are seeking for applicants with excellent numerical skills (e.g., handling large datasets, multivariate data analyses, data mining). The Institute on the Environment at the University of Minnesota, USA, and the Max-Planck Institute for Biogeochemistry in Jena, Germany, jointly offer a Post-Doc fellowship on analysing and predicting global pattern of vegetation attributes. [This will result in two, one-year appointments, i.e. the postdoc will be hired by each institute for one year.] The two Institutes are heading an international consortium of plant ecologists, which has developed a global database of plant traits (the TRYdata base; try-db.org) to support the quantification and scaling of global plant diversity. The Post-Doc position will contribute to the development and application of advanced statistical methods to fill gaps in the data matrix of the TRY database. The filled matrix will be used in combination with environmental information, like remote sensing, eddy covariance data and global species occurrence databases, to predict pattern of key vegetation attributes such as canopy nitrogen content and photosynthetic capacity on global scale. The approaches are highly innovative and will involve the application of numerical methods for gap-filling and spatial interpolation, which have recently been developed at the University of Minnesota, School of Statistics. The successful applicant will work closely with Peter Reich, with computer science/statistics experts (A. Banerjee, S. Chatterjee and/or S. Shekhar) of the University of Minnesota, with Markus Reichstein and Jens Kattge of the Max-Planck Institute for Biogeochemistry in Jena, Germany, and potential with others as appropriate. The project will be a close cooperation with scientists at both institutes, regardless of where the successful candidate is housed at any time during the project. The position will be divided approximately equally between the two institutions. For further information, please contact pre...@umn.edu, jkat...@bgc-jena.mpg.de, mreichst...@bgc-jena.mpg.de *Application Instructions**: *Applications and required documents must be submitted online at the University of Minnesota Employment website: https://employment.umn.edu/applicants/jsp/shared/position/JobDetails_css.jsp?postingId=472868 * *Upload the following documents:** 1. Your CV 2. Your most important publication or manuscript 3. The most important publication or manuscript on which you are the lead author, if different from #2, and 4. Your publication or manuscript most closely related to plant trait relationships, data mining, or biostatistics. Please include in your CV, the phone numbers and email addresses of three references. Please do not send reference letters. We will contact referees. *The University of Minnesota And The** Max-Planck Institute for Biogeochemistry **are equal opportunity employers. The position is open to all nationalities.*
[ECOLOG-L] 2011 ESA Annual Meeting: Call for Latebreaking Poster Abstracts
Call for Latebreaking Poster Abstracts 96th Annual Meeting of the Ecological Society of America Austin, Texas August 7-12, 2011 http://www.esa.org/austin Deadline for Submission: Thursday, May 12, 2011 We invite submissions of latebreaking abstracts for the 96th Annual Meeting of the Ecological Society of America. All abstracts accepted from this call will be presented during a Latebreaking Poster session on Friday, August 12th, from 8:30-10:30 AM. Authors are expected to present their posters during the entire 2 hour poster session. Abstract titles for posters in this session will be printed in the official conference program and the abstracts will appear on the online program. The theme for the meeting is Earth Stewardship: Preserving and enhancing the earth's life-support systems. Abstracts related to this theme are highly encouraged, but submissions may address any aspect of ecology and its applications. We also welcome submissions that report interdisciplinary work, address communication with broad audiences, or explore ways of teaching ecology at any level. Students who are planning to present at the meeting and are interested in applying for awards should visit the ESA website for more information: http://www.esa.org/aboutesa/awards.php For more information and to begin the submission process, please visit: http://www.esa.org/austin/call_latebreaking.php.
[ECOLOG-L] Extended deadline - call for abstracts - 6th international Symposium on ROOT DEVELOPMENT : Adventitious, lateral and primary roots
Final Call for Abstracts (extended deadline) 6th International Symposium on ROOT DEVELOPMENT : Adventitious, lateral and primary roots (Amos (Québec, Canada), August 7 - 11th, 2011) The deadline for final call for abstracts is extended to April 26th, 2011. You may submit an oral communication or a scientific poster. Please read the communication guidelines. Keynote Speakers The organizing and scientific committees are pleased to announce the participation of the following Keynote speakers to the symposium. Dr Philip Benfey, Duke University, USA. Title : « Development rooted in interwoven networks » Dr David Eissenstat, Pennysylvania State University, USA, will speak under the topic « Measurement : instrumentation and sampling » David Polster R.P. Bio., Vancouver Island University, « The use of natural processes for the restoration of drastically disturbed sites » Dr Ive de Smet, University of Nottingham, UK. Title : « Rise of the Hidden Half - a New Hope for a Changing World » Aim The goal of this symposium is to bring together a broad range of specialists worldwide in order to build bridges between researchers and disciplines and enhance the advancement of knowledge in root development. Under the theme «Future directions in root research», a particular attention will be devoted towards future challenges in root development science. Themes Root development, turnover and architecture; Measurement: instrumentation and sampling; Water, nutrient and carbon cycles; Molecular biology, genomics and proteomics of root development; Applied aspects of root formation and root-to-shoot allocation; Donor plant effects and competence for rooting; Root physiology, hormonal control and other regulators of rooting When and Where? The symposium will take place at Hôtel des Eskers, Amos (Québec, Canada), August 7 - 11th, 2011. Accommodation A limited number of modest rooms are available at the University residences. The cost is $42 per night per person, only available for August 7th -11th, inclusively. You must reserve and pay for your room before July 1st. Contact us root2...@uqat.ca to make your reservation and we will email you a Paypal invoice to make your payment. Visit our Website http://root2011.uqat.ca
