Re: [ECOLOG-L] Media Inquiry: Wilderness
As a field ecologist, my observations are not entirely scientific or empirical but I hope they are objective. First, a Wilderness designation does not generally prevent mining since the Federal Mining Act of 1872 precedes and supersedes the Wilderness Act of 1964. Second, designated Wilderness Areas vary so much ecologically it is difficult to generalize about conditions of air, water, and biota. Generally, however, it has been my observation that designated Wilderness Areas tend to have these qualities in comparison to adjacent non-wilderness lands: 1. Wilderness tends to be structurally and biologically more diverse and resilient. 2. Wilderness source streams and lakes tend to be cleaner in terms of pathogens, pollutants and silt (but grazing is still allowed in wilderness areas, so don't drink downstream from the sheep herd -- and even high altitude wilderness streams may contain giardia). 3. The greatest risks to headwaters are from soil disturbance due to road construction and mining, steep slope soil movement due to tree removal, chemical-laden seepages and runoff from mined areas, over-grazing, and riparian area disturbances. Except for mining and grazing, these activities do not occur in designated Wilderness Areas. 4. Certain species assemblages are much more likely to exist and be productive in designated Wilderness Areas or in areas with wilderness conditions, e.g., wolverine, fisher, lynx, brown and grizzly bears, Capercaillie, Northern Spotted Owl and some of its prey species, bull trout. 5. Several species are less likely to conflict with humans and human enterprises when they inhabit large, contiguous wilderness areas, e.g., cougar, grizzly bear, wolves. Hope this helps a little, and I'm sure others on this list will provide more specific information. Warren W. Aney Senior Wildlife Ecologist 9403 SW 74th Ave Tigard, OR 97223 (503) 539-1009 (503) 246-2605 fax -Original Message- From: Ecological Society of America: grants, jobs, news [mailto:ECOLOG-L@LISTSERV.UMD.EDU] On Behalf Of Jonathan Brown Sent: Thursday, 28 April, 2011 14:15 To: ECOLOG-L@LISTSERV.UMD.EDU Subject: [ECOLOG-L] Media Inquiry: Wilderness Hello- My name is Jonathan Brown. I'm a reporter with Colorado Public Radio and I'm working on a story about federal designations of wilderness. I'm trying to get a scientific/empirical response to this question: What do federal wilderness designations do? We already know they prevent road building, construction of any kind, motorized use, drilling, mining, timber harvesting and humans can only visit, not remain. But what - if anything - is the result of all this? Are the air and water cleaner? Fauna and flora healthier somehow? Do wilderness areas protect headwaters, as many proponents claim? Again, I'm looking for an empirical response to these questions and I'm hoping someone out there can provide substantive answers. Thank you- Jonathan Brown Colorado Public Radio (303) 871-9191 x 456 jbr...@cpr.org
[ECOLOG-L] Asa Gray, Louis Agassiz, and Darwinism in the United States
http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2011/04/how-charles-darwin-seduced-asa-gray/ -- Clara B. Jones, Ph.D. Associate, Community Conservation Consultants, Inc. URL: www.communityconservation.org E-mail: foucaul...@gmail.com Blog: http://vertebratesocialbehavior.com Twitter: http://twitter.com/cbjones1943 A perrenial skeptic will say that there is always room for doubt; but, pragmatically, at some point, you have to say that *X* is true. Phil Plait
Re: [ECOLOG-L] Media Inquiry: Wilderness
In concert with Warren's response, I would speculate that as the wilderness designation tends to protect large areas with a range of biological productivity, they are unique in their high *gamma* diversity. Ross Conover On Thu, Apr 28, 2011 at 11:41 PM, Warren W. Aney a...@coho.net wrote: As a field ecologist, my observations are not entirely scientific or empirical but I hope they are objective. First, a Wilderness designation does not generally prevent mining since the Federal Mining Act of 1872 precedes and supersedes the Wilderness Act of 1964. Second, designated Wilderness Areas vary so much ecologically it is difficult to generalize about conditions of air, water, and biota. Generally, however, it has been my observation that designated Wilderness Areas tend to have these qualities in comparison to adjacent non-wilderness lands: 1. Wilderness tends to be structurally and biologically more diverse and resilient. 2. Wilderness source streams and lakes tend to be cleaner in terms of pathogens, pollutants and silt (but grazing is still allowed in wilderness areas, so don't drink downstream from the sheep herd -- and even high altitude wilderness streams may contain giardia). 3. The greatest risks to headwaters are from soil disturbance due to road construction and mining, steep slope soil movement due to tree removal, chemical-laden seepages and runoff from mined areas, over-grazing, and riparian area disturbances. Except for mining and grazing, these activities do not occur in designated Wilderness Areas. 4. Certain species assemblages are much more likely to exist and be productive in designated Wilderness Areas or in areas with wilderness conditions, e.g., wolverine, fisher, lynx, brown and grizzly bears, Capercaillie, Northern Spotted Owl and some of its prey species, bull trout. 5. Several species are less likely to conflict with humans and human enterprises when they inhabit large, contiguous wilderness areas, e.g., cougar, grizzly bear, wolves. Hope this helps a little, and I'm sure others on this list will provide more specific information. Warren W. Aney Senior Wildlife Ecologist 9403 SW 74th Ave Tigard, OR 97223 (503) 539-1009 (503) 246-2605 fax -Original Message- From: Ecological Society of America: grants, jobs, news [mailto:ECOLOG-L@LISTSERV.UMD.EDU] On Behalf Of Jonathan Brown Sent: Thursday, 28 April, 2011 14:15 To: ECOLOG-L@LISTSERV.UMD.EDU Subject: [ECOLOG-L] Media Inquiry: Wilderness Hello- My name is Jonathan Brown. I'm a reporter with Colorado Public Radio and I'm working on a story about federal designations of wilderness. I'm trying to get a scientific/empirical response to this question: What do federal wilderness designations do? We already know they prevent road building, construction of any kind, motorized use, drilling, mining, timber harvesting and humans can only visit, not remain. But what - if anything - is the result of all this? Are the air and water cleaner? Fauna and flora healthier somehow? Do wilderness areas protect headwaters, as many proponents claim? Again, I'm looking for an empirical response to these questions and I'm hoping someone out there can provide substantive answers. Thank you- Jonathan Brown Colorado Public Radio (303) 871-9191 x 456 jbr...@cpr.org -- Ross R. Conover In the end, our society will be defined not only by what we create, but by what we refuse to destroy --John Sawhill
[ECOLOG-L] Call for Papers and Posters
The annual meeting of the Natural Areas Association will be held in Tallahassee, FL November 1-4, 2011 (see www.naturalarea.org]. The abstract deadline is May 27. Visit the web site for conference information and updates related to accepted abstracts. Conference theme is: Adaptation and Protection of Biodiversity in a Changing World.
[ECOLOG-L] Postdoc Position in Ecological Forecasting
Postdoctoral Fellow Ecosystem model-data synthesis and forecasting A post-doctoral position in ecosystem model-data synthesis and ecological forecasting is available in the Dietze lab at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign This project focuses on integrating eddy-covariance, remote-sensing, and forest inventory data within the Ecosystem Demography 2.2 model to understand and forecast regional-scale ecosystem dynamics across northern Wisconsin. Duties: Candidate will focus on understanding the landscape to regional scale variability in both carbon pools and fluxes and forest dynamics with particular focus on partitioning different sources of uncertainty. The candidate will use an advanced terrestrial biosphere model, novel data assimilation techniques, and a diverse array of observational and experimental data to generate a comprehensive reanalysis of the past and projections of global change impacts into the future. In addition, candidate will contribute to the further development of a toolbox of analytical and informatics utilities, dubbed the Predictive Ecosystem Analyzer (PEcAn), that will streamline the modeling workflow and facilitate similar analyses in other ecosystems and models. Candidate will work in collaboration with an interdisciplinary team of ecologists, atmospheric scientists, and computer scientists and will also have the opportunity to contribute to a related study on the potential impacts of woody biofuel crops in this region. Qualifications: Minimum qualifications are a doctoral degree in a relevant ecological or environmental science and familiarity with computer programming and statistics. Previous experience with remotely sensed data is useful but not required. Salary is commensurate with experience and qualifications with up to three years of funding available. The University of Illinois is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. The micro-urban community of Champaign-Urbana has an internationally diverse population, a strong technology base, a vibrant arts/culture/entertainment scene. Evaluation of applications is rolling with a preferred start date late summer 2011. Interested applicants are encouraged to send a CV and cover letter with the names and contact information of three references to Dr. Michael Dietze mdie...@illinois.edu. For more information visit http://www.life.illinois.edu/dietze and http://pecanproject.org -- Michael Dietze mdie...@illinois.edu Assistant Professor www.life.illinois.edu/dietze Department of Plant Biology (217) 265-8020 University of Illinois 1405 IGB / 183 Morrill
[ECOLOG-L] Outdoor Recreation Intern
Description: Nevada is among the nation's most urban states.Tourism is the main industry in the state and since the economic downturn Nevada has seen a major increase in use of public lands by residents. This coupled with significant state, county, and city budget cuts for parks and recreation, has meant the recreation resources are used more than ever, yet there is less funding available for conducting public programs and community events at parks. In Washoe County alone, more than 150 seasonal park positions have been eliminated due to budget cuts. This leaves the parks significantly understaffed and unsupported. The Great Basin Institute is recruiting for one outdoor recreation intern to provide on-site support to the Nevada Bureau of Land Management, Elko. The Intern will assist with land management and visitor services needs that are presently under-supported in the Elko area. Activities may include, but are not limited to: visitor services (staff support for visitor centers and information kiosks); environmental educational, outreach, and interpretive talks to general public; development of youth initiatives for the Take-It-Outside Programs and National Public Lands Day; maintain site conditions (campgrounds, designated recreational sites, etc); environmental monitoring in Wilderness Study Areas (WSAs); trail development (hiking, biking, OHV, horses); natural resource management; and recreation use permit administration. This intern will also assist in the research and development of a cost-benefit analysis and implementation plan for the use of alternative energy resources (i.e. wind and solar) to power water pumps and lighting at BLM recreational camp sites. Location: Elko, Nevada Compensation: o Living Stipend: $3,700 o Education Award: $1,415 Timeline: o May 18, 2011 (3 month contract) Qualifications: o Coursework in Recreation/Tourism, Environmental studies or related field (with interest in clean/renewable energy development) or equivalent experience; o Knowledge of clean energy movements and renewable energy development projects in the western US; o Experience using Microsoft Office software; o Experience providing education and outreach to the general public preferred; o Good communication skills (both verbal and written); o Ability to work independently and in a team environment; o Motivated, self-starter, detail oriented, andpossess good organizational skills; o Experience with project development, preferred; o Applicants should possess relevant or related field experience knowledge of and/or experience working in arid environments, preferable; o Ability to lift up to 50lbs; o Ability to navigate and set a bearing using a compass and to read a topographical map; o Experience operating 4x4 vehicles on off-road terrain; o Ability to collect, QA/QC, and post-process data using handheld GPS units; o Experience using ArcGIS software preferred; o Possess a clean, valid, state-issued drivers license and the ability to operate a 4WD vehicle on and off paved roads;and o Meet AmeriCorps eligibility requirements: (1) U.S. citizenship or legal resident alien status, (2) eligible to receive an AmeriCorps Education Award (limit of four in a lifetime or the equivalent of two full-time education awards), and (3) pass National Sex Offender Public Registry (NSOPR) and federal criminal background checks. o Applicants having education and/or experience in recreation, tourism, interpretive services, communication (specifically public speaking) or engineering are strongly encouraged to apply. How to Apply: Qualified and interested applicants should forward a cover letter, their résumé, and a list of three professional references to Bridget Walden, at bwal...@thegreatbasininstitute.org. This program is available to all, without regard to race, color, national origin, disability, age, sex, sexual orientation, political affiliation, or religion. Persons with disabilities are encouraged to apply.
[ECOLOG-L] Wetland Biogeochemistry Research Technician -- Reston VA
Wetland Biogeochemistry Research Technician -- Reston VA Looking to be part of a research team working in the Chesapeake Bay watershed and sites across the Southeast? Looking for a fast-paced and rewarding work environment with the opportunity to grow? Looking to hone your laboratory skills? The Wetland Ecosystem Ecology Biogeochemistry Lab of the US Geological Survey is hiring a full-time, non-permanent technician to be part of our team. We research the hydrologic, geomorphic, and biotic controls on biogeochemistry in wetlands and their coupled fluvial ecosystems in order to better protect and restore the nations water resources. Job duties are centered on chemical analyses of P, N, C, and other elements in sediment, soil, water, and plant samples. Additional duties include field work for collection of samples and measurement of ecological and hydrogeomorphic data, sample processing, lab management, database management, QA/QC, and report preparation. The position is based in Reston, Virginia, with extensive collaborations with hydrologists, geomorphologists, ecologists, and geochemists within the USGS and with partner organizations. Field work will require travel for routine monitoring and intensive field experiments. Applicants must demonstrate the desire and capability to be an independent member of a team in charge of laboratory components of our work, including experience operating autoanalyzers, elemental analyzers, and ICPs, conducting laboratory incubations and microwave digestions of sediments, making measurements of soil gas flux, and also showing strong capability for tough field work in wetlands. A B.S. degree in a relevant field and related experience is required, in particular a robust background in analytical chemistry. Please send your curriculum vitae with names of two references to Dr. Greg Noe (g...@usgs.gov); review of applications will begin immediately. Applicants should be available to begin work as soon as 1 June or 1 July 2011. Annual salary is mid-$30K and includes health benefits and paid vacation.
[ECOLOG-L] Ecology Education Position
We are looking for a full time Ecology Educator to develop new materials for a Hudson River curriculum, develop and lead workshops for teachers, contribute to research about ecology teaching and learning, and visit schools as necessary to support our education programs. Please go to: http://www.caryinstitute.org/job_11015-I.html for more details. Thank you! Cornelia Harris Ecology Program Leader Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies
Re: [ECOLOG-L] Media Inquiry: Wilderness
Ecolog: With respect to Conover's and Aney's responses (and influenced by my recent communication with another retired ecologist, whom I'm blind-copying), I'm going to jump off the bridge and suggest that diversity is proportional to heterogeneity. I invite criticism and evidence or speculation to the contrary (or in confirmation), as well as discussion about measures of diversity and their utility and relevance to the real phenomenon we call ecology (as opposed to its study). WT For the sake of full disclosure, here is the text of my off-list response to Jonathan Brown: [[Jonathan: [[You've got a good subject and good questions. However, there's a lot more to the answers than you might expect. Your research will no doubt provide an important public service, but it will help science too. For example, many scientists, scholars, and practitioners may not have a good grip on the number, extent, and diversity of wilderness areas, or their history. I hope your work will reveal how this whole area can open up new and untold stories as well as reveal the politics of the whole process and what is and is not being done scientifically. Any of these, of course, can constitute stories in of themselves. [[There is a lot of propaganda on many sides of this issue; often it can be identified by what I call the Shrill Index (sorry, it's not my fault that it rhymes with shill). And, follow the money is always useful, yet difficult to tease out. One of the richest areas within this subject lies in the lies about wildland fire--that's sure to heat things up, and drive the sides to firmly dig in their heels along traditional lines of bias, making a casualty of the reasonable middle. There's a whole herd of elephants in that room. There's so much more . . . you'll be inundated. You'll have thousands of tigers by the tail, but it should be fun--if you survive. WT]] - Original Message - From: Ross R. Conover emberi...@gmail.com To: ECOLOG-L@LISTSERV.UMD.EDU Sent: Friday, April 29, 2011 6:19 AM Subject: Re: [ECOLOG-L] Media Inquiry: Wilderness In concert with Warren's response, I would speculate that as the wilderness designation tends to protect large areas with a range of biological productivity, they are unique in their high *gamma* diversity. Ross Conover On Thu, Apr 28, 2011 at 11:41 PM, Warren W. Aney a...@coho.net wrote: As a field ecologist, my observations are not entirely scientific or empirical but I hope they are objective. First, a Wilderness designation does not generally prevent mining since the Federal Mining Act of 1872 precedes and supersedes the Wilderness Act of 1964. Second, designated Wilderness Areas vary so much ecologically it is difficult to generalize about conditions of air, water, and biota. Generally, however, it has been my observation that designated Wilderness Areas tend to have these qualities in comparison to adjacent non-wilderness lands: 1. Wilderness tends to be structurally and biologically more diverse and resilient. 2. Wilderness source streams and lakes tend to be cleaner in terms of pathogens, pollutants and silt (but grazing is still allowed in wilderness areas, so don't drink downstream from the sheep herd -- and even high altitude wilderness streams may contain giardia). 3. The greatest risks to headwaters are from soil disturbance due to road construction and mining, steep slope soil movement due to tree removal, chemical-laden seepages and runoff from mined areas, over-grazing, and riparian area disturbances. Except for mining and grazing, these activities do not occur in designated Wilderness Areas. 4. Certain species assemblages are much more likely to exist and be productive in designated Wilderness Areas or in areas with wilderness conditions, e.g., wolverine, fisher, lynx, brown and grizzly bears, Capercaillie, Northern Spotted Owl and some of its prey species, bull trout. 5. Several species are less likely to conflict with humans and human enterprises when they inhabit large, contiguous wilderness areas, e.g., cougar, grizzly bear, wolves. Hope this helps a little, and I'm sure others on this list will provide more specific information. Warren W. Aney Senior Wildlife Ecologist 9403 SW 74th Ave Tigard, OR 97223 (503) 539-1009 (503) 246-2605 fax -Original Message- From: Ecological Society of America: grants, jobs, news [mailto:ECOLOG-L@LISTSERV.UMD.EDU] On Behalf Of Jonathan Brown Sent: Thursday, 28 April, 2011 14:15 To: ECOLOG-L@LISTSERV.UMD.EDU Subject: [ECOLOG-L] Media Inquiry: Wilderness Hello- My name is Jonathan Brown. I'm a reporter with Colorado Public Radio and I'm working on a story about federal designations of wilderness. I'm trying to get a scientific/empirical response to this question: What do federal wilderness designations do? We already know they prevent road building, construction of any kind, motorized use, drilling, mining, timber harvesting and humans can only visit, not remain. But what - if
