[ECOLOG-L] Student Collaborative Exchange Program - model/ experiment interaction
Student Collaborative Exchange Program To further facilitate collaboration in the research community, INTERFACE plans to sponsor a limited number of collaborative exchanges for US-based graduate students, in which students who primarily work with models spend a brief period (up to one month) working in an experimental setting, or students who primarily work on global change experiments spend a brief period (up to one month) working in an ecosystem or Earth system modeling setting. These exchanges should ideally allow the student to continue working on a similar topic, but from a different perspective. Interested graduate students should identify a laboratory in which they would like to work, and should secure approvals from their advisor and the exchange labs PI. To apply, students should submit as a single PDF file: (1) a one-page proposal explicitly stating the questions being addressed and why the collaboration will facilitate answering them, (2) a one page NSF-style CV, (3) a half-page budget justification, (4) an email from the collaborating lab (sent to Aimee: aclas...@utk.edu) stating they are willing to host your visit. Applications should be sent in a single PdF to Aimée Classen aclas...@utk.edu by April 29 for full consideration, but applications will subsequently be accepted on a rolling basis. Allowable expenses include airfare and housing. These funds cannot be used to cover classes or student/ PI salary. US based studnets can travel within the US or internationally. Exchanges may be partially or fully funded by INTERFACE.
[ECOLOG-L] ethology Investigates: Invasive Species, an online conference
Dear Researcher, Please join us for the next ethology Investigates online conference, where presenters will explore the behavioral impact of invasive species. The conference takes place at your desk from April, 15 to 17, 2013 and is free of charge, but you will need to register at www.ethologyinvestigates.comhttp://www.ethologyinvestigates.com . Please forward this invitation to your colleagues and students. Mark Hauber along with Phill Cassey, Naomi Langmore and Bard Stokke are hosting the second ethology Investigates online conference. Join us from April 15 to 17, 2013 for talks, presented papers and posters on the behavior and impact of invasive species as they interact with native biota. Go to www.ethologyinvestigates.comhttp://dmmsclick.wileyeurope.com/click.asp?p=20560156m=65238u=1728160t=1 to register today Animals today are regularly confronted with novel situations – destruction of habitat, introduction of new predators or new food sources. Studies on invasive species can yield critical insights into evolutionary theory, behavioral ecology, community ecology, developmental physiology, and conservation practice. This three-day event will showcase talks, original articles, and posters on the behavior, physiology, ecology, and impact of invasive species on their host environment. Confirmed speakers - Judith Weis on the role of behavior in the success of invasive crustaceans Andy Suarez on behavioral approaches to the study of biological invasions Sonia Kleindorfer on the impact of the parasite Philornis downsi for Darwin finch behavior James Russell on the common myna and the red-vented bulbul Sabine Tebbich on effectively controlling an invasive parasitic fly on the Galapagos Islands Tomáš Grim on egg rejection behavior across different temporal scales Tiffany Garcia on the antipredator behavior of American bullfrogs Richard Shine on conditioning taste aversion in bluetongue lizards to avoid toxic cane toads Heather Spence on how invasive crabs find ideal conditions at shellfish aquaculture sites Russell Ligon on invasive ants and how they alter foraging and parental behaviors of a native bird Giovanni Polverino on the behavior of mosquitofish (Gambusia affinia) Any questions or comments? Please contact Suzanne Albrecht at suzanne.albre...@wiley.commailto:suzanne.albre...@wiley.com Don't forget to forward this email to your students and colleagues! BLACKWELL VERLAG GmbH � A company of John Wiley Sons, Inc. � Sitz der Gesellschaft: Berlin � Amtsgericht Charlottenburg, HRB 28848B � Gesch�ftsf�hrer: Bijan Ghawami.
[ECOLOG-L] Inquiry: tropical tree life history information
Hello colleagues, I'm trying to find information on life history traits (growth rates, survival, etc.) of six tropical tree species (below). I imagine there is a database containing this information, but have yet to find it. I would be appreciative for any assistance or tips you all might have. Thanks very much! Best, Craig Giesecke Environment and Natural Resources Researcher USAID Knowledge Services Center 202-712-4973 cgiese...@usaid.gov Apuleia leiocarpa - Ana caspi Dipteryx micrantha - Shihuahuaco Manilkara bidentata - Quinilla Myroxylon balsamun - Estoraque Tabebuia serratifolia - Tahuari Hymenaea courbaril - Azucar huayo
[ECOLOG-L] Expedition notice and question
[NOTE:] I will be on expedition (with a stop at the National Native Seed Conference in Santa Fe NM on April 10) until the two weeks at the end of April and the first week of May, then gone again beginning the 2nd week of May until around May 24. I will not be checking email during those periods, but will respond to as many email messages as possible during those hiatuses. A third expedition following those is likely, but the period of hiatus is iffy.] Here is my parting question. Please feel free to post it on other lists. Re: Homosexuality in animals other than Homo sapiens. We know that homosexual behavior occurs in other species in some forms (Bonobo chimpanzees [Pan paniscus], for example), and we know that hermaphrodites of some species fertilize each other simultaneously. But my question is in which species other than humans, does EXCLUSIVE homosexuality, especially in the form of pair bonds, occur? WT I'll pick up my answers in late April. If I have time, I may be able to respond to some today. Please respond on-list, and not to me personally.
[ECOLOG-L] last call for RNAseq and qPCR workshop applications
Dear colleagues - We have a few slots left for the double-feature Art of Gene Expression Analysis (AGEA) workshop this June at the Mote Tropical Research Lab, FL Keys. The workshops will consist in hands-on training in both wet- and dry-lab (bioinformatics) protocols of low-cost RNA-seq (June 12-21) and quantitative PCR (June 21-28). The workshops are designed for marine biologists and ecologists who want to augment their research by learning cutting-edge molecular tools. Here is the link to the updated workshop website, which now includes payment details: http://www.bio.utexas.edu/research/matz_lab/matzlab/AGEA%20workshop.html Please respond to this message by contacting either Misha or Carly with AGEA 2013 in the subject line if you want to be considered for either or both of these workshops. We would like to ask all the accepted participants to arrange the payments as soon as they have funding available, so we could start purchasing reagents and consumables for the workshops. best regards, Misha Matz m...@utexas.edu Carly Kenkel carly.ken...@gmail.com
[ECOLOG-L] two PhD scholarships in Australia
*Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment* University of Western Sydney Locked Bag 1797 Penrith NSW 2751 Australia www.uws.edu.au/hawkesburyinstitute Two PhD scholarships are available for active, dynamic individuals with expertise and interests in soil microbiology, carbon and greenhouse gas analyses, molecular microbial ecology and biodiversity-ecosystem function relations. SCHOLARSHIP 1 – MICROBIAL MODULATORS OF SOIL CARBON STORAGE This project focuses on the impact of microbial communities on soil aggregate size and their role in soil carbon storage. Supervisors: A/Prof Brajesh Singh and Prof Ian Anderson. SCHOLARSHIP 2 – ECOLOGICAL THEORY TO EXPLAIN MICROBIAL REGULATION OF SOIL FUNCTION This project will address the question of whether ecological theory developed for plants and animals explains microbial regulation of soil function. Supervisors: A/Prof Brajesh Singh and Prof Peter Reich. Each project will use a combination of cutting edge theoretical framework, functional assays and state-of-the-art molecular and metagenomic approaches. Candidates will be provided with extensive training in appropriate methodologies, in addition to statistics, scientific writing and presentation skills. CRITERIA The successful applicant should: » demonstrate excellent academic performance in a field related to the proposed research » hold qualifications and/or experience equivalent to an Australian First Class Bachelor Honours degree » be highly motivated to undertake further study at an advanced level » demonstrate the ability to organise and work independently International applicants must also demonstrate a high level of proficiency in the English language. Please refer to the University’s web site for information about the English language Requirements: ( http://www.uws.edu.au/international/admissions/english_language_requirement) WHAT DOES THE SCHOLARSHIP PROVIDE? » Tax free stipend of $34,653 per annum and a funded place in the doctoral degree. International candidates with a strong track record may be offered a tuition fee waiver. » Funding is also available for project costs and conference travel. NEED MORE INFORMATION? » Applicants should discuss their research aspirations and eligibility with Associate Professor Brajesh Singh before applying: b.si...@uws.edu.au, phone +61 2 4570 1329 » Contact the Office of Research Services to discuss enrollment and scholarships: hdrscholarsh...@uws.edu.au phone +61 2 4736 0966 » Browse the web for more information about the Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment: http://www.uws.edu.au/hie HOW TO APPLY » Submit an application form, CV and one page research proposal that fits with the broad aims of the project as outlined above by the closing date. The application form can be downloaded from the web: http://www.uws.edu.au/research/scholarships APPLICATIONS CLOSE: 30 May 2013 HAWKESBURY INSTITUTE FOR THE ENVIRONMENT PVR2774 23/4/12 Postgraduate Research Awards
Re: [ECOLOG-L] Expedition notice and question
Warren and Ecolog: As a stock-farmer's son, I have seen plenty of what appears to us to be homosexual behavior among, for example, cows and bulls and ducks and dogs, but I have never witnessed actual penetration, nor have I witnessed any cases where bulls eschew cows in favor of sex with bulls. Homosexual in the sense that it occurs in humans is the center of my interest, and anything that is relevant to that question is of interest to me, including anecdotes. Mounting of other bulls has long been considered dominance behavior, and this occurs in humans who consider themselves heterosexual, as appears to be the case with dogs. Your point is well made about the continuum; Alan Watts once wrote an article entitled (as I recall) The Circle of Sex. That, or anything else I have read, does not address my intentionally restricted question. WT - Original Message - From: Warren W. Aney a...@coho.net To: 'Wayne Tyson' landr...@cox.net; ECOLOG-L@LISTSERV.UMD.EDU Sent: Wednesday, March 27, 2013 10:30 AM Subject: RE: [ECOLOG-L] Expedition notice and question Wayne, I once had a beef cow that refused to mate with a bull -- she did lactate and help nurture another cow's calf. The cow may have been homosexual or asexual. I've heard livestock owners say that cows frequently display homosexual behavior (mounting other cows) but a cow exhibiting excessive homosexual behavior including avoiding bills is usually sold for slaughter. As I understand it, in nature (including humans) there is a wide and continuous spectrum of sexual behavior ranging from pure heterosexuality to bisexuality to pure homosexuality, and this range of behaviors is further modified by a varying continuum of sexual intensity from hypersexuality to asexuality. Warren W. Aney Tigard, Oregon (503) 539-1009 -Original Message- From: Ecological Society of America: grants, jobs, news [mailto:ECOLOG-L@LISTSERV.UMD.EDU] On Behalf Of Wayne Tyson Sent: Wednesday, 27 March, 2013 10:32 To: ECOLOG-L@LISTSERV.UMD.EDU Subject: [ECOLOG-L] Expedition notice and question [NOTE:] I will be on expedition (with a stop at the National Native Seed Conference in Santa Fe NM on April 10) until the two weeks at the end of April and the first week of May, then gone again beginning the 2nd week of May until around May 24. I will not be checking email during those periods, but will respond to as many email messages as possible during those hiatuses. A third expedition following those is likely, but the period of hiatus is iffy.] Here is my parting question. Please feel free to post it on other lists. Re: Homosexuality in animals other than Homo sapiens. We know that homosexual behavior occurs in other species in some forms (Bonobo chimpanzees [Pan paniscus], for example), and we know that hermaphrodites of some species fertilize each other simultaneously. But my question is in which species other than humans, does EXCLUSIVE homosexuality, especially in the form of pair bonds, occur? WT I'll pick up my answers in late April. If I have time, I may be able to respond to some today. Please respond on-list, and not to me personally. - No virus found in this message. Checked by AVG - www.avg.com Version: 10.0.1430 / Virus Database: 2641/5707 - Release Date: 03/27/13
Re: [ECOLOG-L] Expedition notice and question
WT, Since I don't study this, I'm giving a, What I've heard in the news, response. There were two stories awhile back, both relating to animals in captivity, about homosexual pair bonding. One was with penguins, I think they also raised a chick together, and the other was with dolphins. Given that long-term pair bonding only occurs in 8-11 species in the entire animal kingdom, the question might be moot anyway. That is my inexpert response. Have a great expedition! Génie Eugénie MontBlanc Great Basin Fire Science Delivery Coordinator University of Nevada/Mail Stop 0186, Reno, NV 89557 Phone: 775-784-1107 (Fax: -1109) Email: e...@cabnr.unr.edu Web: www.gbfiresci.org Twitter: @GBfirescience -Original Message- From: Ecological Society of America: grants, jobs, news [mailto:ECOLOG-L@LISTSERV.UMD.EDU] On Behalf Of Wayne Tyson Sent: Wednesday, March 27, 2013 10:32 AM To: ECOLOG-L@LISTSERV.UMD.EDU Subject: [ECOLOG-L] Expedition notice and question [NOTE:] I will be on expedition (with a stop at the National Native Seed Conference in Santa Fe NM on April 10) until the two weeks at the end of April and the first week of May, then gone again beginning the 2nd week of May until around May 24. I will not be checking email during those periods, but will respond to as many email messages as possible during those hiatuses. A third expedition following those is likely, but the period of hiatus is iffy.] Here is my parting question. Please feel free to post it on other lists. Re: Homosexuality in animals other than Homo sapiens. We know that homosexual behavior occurs in other species in some forms (Bonobo chimpanzees [Pan paniscus], for example), and we know that hermaphrodites of some species fertilize each other simultaneously. But my question is in which species other than humans, does EXCLUSIVE homosexuality, especially in the form of pair bonds, occur? WT I'll pick up my answers in late April. If I have time, I may be able to respond to some today. Please respond on-list, and not to me personally.
[ECOLOG-L] Livestock practice and ethics
Ecologgers: Two items caught my attention today. One was a NPR interview program on the recent internet buzz over the Chinese government's supposed eugenics program (specifically, plans to breed for increased intelligence). The other was a story read on the Atlantic website: http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2013/03/how-state-ag-gag-laws-could-stop-animal-cruelty-whistleblowers/273962/ concerning legislative efforts to gag those who would inform the public about currently common livestock practices. What tied the two together for me were these two interlinked questions: How many of the problematic production techniques (mass rearing facilities, hormone manipulation, beak trimming, etc.) referred to in the Atlantic article were developed in university agronomy facilities and to what degree are research agronomists ethically responsible for the effect that the techniques they develop do not violate the animal welfare standards we must apply to research animals? Is there a connection here? Do research animals deserve better welfare than farm animals? If so, why so? The answer can't be that farm animals are destined for the slaughterhouse in any case. Many research animals are sacrificed. I ask these questions in a sincere desire for both information and others thoughts. I don't know who develops these techniques or how schools of agriculture treat the ethical question and would love to hear from someone who does. Why on ecolog? I am an ecologist and know that, before the rise of ecology departments, the connection between agriculture and ecology was much closer than today. Even though many ecologists are found at schools with no agriculture, I still feel connected and perhaps other ecologists do as well. The circle will be completed. It's already happening (think of the LME movement in Fishery Science). In any case, I was disturbed by the thought that university research may be behind common livestock practices that are so abhorrent to the public that the agriculture industry seeks to deprive the public of its right to know about them. Are we complicit? Phil Ganter Dept. of Biological Sciences Tennessee State University (a 1890 Land Grant HBCU)
Re: [ECOLOG-L] Livestock practice and ethics
Regarding your questions, by definition, farm and research animals both are abused by humans, to serve their causes. By this definition and the abuse that comes out of it, research animals cannot be treated humanely. It's true that you might alleviate some of their suffering, and improve their welfare, but they will never live the life they deserve. Regarding your first question, i know that in Israel, where i come from, many methods and techniques were invented, refined and applied in the Volcani center (http://www.agri.gov.il/en/home/default.aspx), an institiute asociated strongly to the ministry of agriculture. As long as the two are tied together, they will never feel they are to be held morally for what they do. I imagine this link exists in other countries as well. Animal agriculture today is very far from ecology, sadly, and i hope that is what will starve its existence eventually. Hilit On Wed, Mar 27, 2013 at 2:23 PM, Ganter, Philip pgan...@tnstate.edu wrote: Ecologgers: Two items caught my attention today. One was a NPR interview program on the recent internet buzz over the Chinese government's supposed eugenics program (specifically, plans to breed for increased intelligence). The other was a story read on the Atlantic website: http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2013/03/how-state-ag-gag-laws-could-stop-animal-cruelty-whistleblowers/273962/ concerning legislative efforts to gag those who would inform the public about currently common livestock practices. What tied the two together for me were these two interlinked questions: How many of the problematic production techniques (mass rearing facilities, hormone manipulation, beak trimming, etc.) referred to in the Atlantic article were developed in university agronomy facilities and to what degree are research agronomists ethically responsible for the effect that the techniques they develop do not violate the animal welfare standards we must apply to research animals? Is there a connection here? Do research animals deserve better welfare than farm animals? If so, why so? The answer can't be that farm animals are destined for the slaughterhouse in any case. Many research animals are sacrificed. I ask these questions in a sincere desire for both information and others thoughts. I don't know who develops these techniques or how schools of agriculture treat the ethical question and would love to hear from someone who does. Why on ecolog? I am an ecologist and know that, before the rise of ecology departments, the connection between agriculture and ecology was much closer than today. Even though many ecologists are found at schools with no agriculture, I still feel connected and perhaps other ecologists do as well. The circle will be completed. It's already happening (think of the LME movement in Fishery Science). In any case, I was disturbed by the thought that university research may be behind common livestock practices that are so abhorrent to the public that the agriculture industry seeks to deprive the public of its right to know about them. Are we complicit? Phil Ganter Dept. of Biological Sciences Tennessee State University (a 1890 Land Grant HBCU) -- Hilit Finkler PhD Zoology and urban ecology Tel Aviv University Israel
[ECOLOG-L] Economic value of outdoor recreation - esp birdwatching
Hello, Can any of you direct me to a recent peer-reviewed publication that adequately quantifies the economic value of the outdoor recreation industry in the United States? I am interested in any or all outdoor recreation activities (hiking, photography, rock climbing, etc.) but I am particularly interested in the economic value of birdwatching as a hobby. Regional or local assessments, as long as they are peer-reviewed, are also fine. Feel free to contact me off-list. Thank you. Christopher M. Heckscher, Ph.D. Assistant Professor Delaware State University
[ECOLOG-L] Job: Endowed Botany Chair, University of Hawai'i at Manoa
Gerrit Parmile Wilder Endowed Chair in Botany The Department of Botany at the University of Hawai'i at Manoa invites outstanding scientists with research interests in the biology and/or ecology of marine, aquatic or terrestrial plants to apply for a tenure-eligible position as the Gerrit Parmile Wilder Endowed Chair in Botany. The successful candidate will join a faculty with diverse research interests, including a strong focus on evolutionary biology, ecology, ethnobotany and conservation. Teaching responsibilities will include an upper level undergraduate course and a graduate course in the individual's specialty. As holder of the Chair, the incumbent would manage a substantial discretionary fund for research and training. Applicants must have a Ph.D. in botany / ecology / evolution or a related field, evidence of excellence in teaching, prior or current college or university appointment at the rank of associate professor or professor or equivalent, and a strong publication record. Desirable qualifications include outstanding communication skills, extramural funding, international recognition, a track record of collaboration, and plans for a research program that takes advantage of Hawai'i's unique biota. Individuals interested in developing innovative initiatives within the Department of Botany and the College of Natural Sciences are especially encouraged to apply. Additional details can be found under position no. http://workatuh.hawaii.edu/Jobs/NAdvert/17418/1984317/1/postdate/desc84876 at: http://www.botany.hawaii.edu/employmentopportunities.htmhttp://workatuh.hawaii.edu. To apply, please send a single PDF document to mailto:bot...@hawaii.edubot...@hawaii.edu that includes: 1) a cover letter indicating your teaching and research interests and how you satisfy the minimum and desirable qualifications; 2) a detailed curriculum vitae; and, 3) names and contact information for three professional references. Review of applications will begin on August 15 2013 and continue until the position is filled. The University of Hawai'i is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Institution and encourages applications from women and minority candidates. _ Anthony Amend Assistant Professor of Botany http://www2.hawaii.edu/~amendwww2.hawaii.edu/~amend University of Hawaii Department of Botany, 101 St. John 3190 Maile Way Honolulu, HI 96822 mailto:am...@hawaii.eduam...@hawaii.edu
[ECOLOG-L] Job: Senior Conservation Planner, Defenders of Wildlife (Washington, DC or Portland, OR)
DEFENDERS OF WILDLIFE JOB DESCRIPTION JOB TITLE: Senior Conservation Planner FLSA: Exempt DIVISION/SITE: Headquarters, Washington DC, or Portland, OR DEPARTMENT: Conservation Science Policy REPORTS TO: Director of Conservation Effectiveness NOTE: This is a two-year term position, with potential to be further extended if additional grant funds become available. How To Apply Interested applicants please reference Senior Conservation Planner in your subject line and submit a letter of interest, along with your resume and salary history to us via e-mail at: h...@defenders.orgmailto:h...@defenders.org?subject=Application%20for%20Web%20Developer BASIC SUMMARY: We believe, as you do, that the conservation of biodiversity is critically important. We need more resources, and we need to be more efficient in how we use those resources in the race to save rare wildlife and habitats that will disappear without our help. Our conservation effectiveness team works to address both these problems. We help the conservation community do a better job of identifying and building strategies that will be effective in achieving conservation goals. We help our partners figure out how to make their work more effective - how to identify priorities and effective strategies to address them. This helps make the case for greater support for conservation initiatives. Our planner is someone who works well in a team, who is passionate about biodiversity conservation, and who knows how to help others become more effective. The Senior Conservation Planner works with Defenders staff, state and federal agencies, land trusts and other non-governmental organizations to develop and promote more strategic approaches to endangered species, wildlife and habitat conservation. This professional-level position plays a leadership role in developing and implementing Defenders' programs related to strategic conservation planning and adaptive management, with the aim of improving planning tools that in turn produce better on-the-ground results. During the term of this grant-funded position, the successful candidate is expected to provide conservation planning support for a diverse set of projects, including (but not limited to): climate adaptation planning with state wildlife agencies and non-profit partners; incorporating principles of results-based management into federal forest planning; and improving the recovery planning process for listed endangered and threatened species. We are currently supporting this as a two-year position, but a successful and committed candidate will be encouraged to help us develop funding to make it a longer-term opportunity. The Senior Conservation Planner works closely with Defenders' staff experts throughout the organization. S/he works with the scientific and land and wildlife management communities to provide technical support and facilitation -- including best practices for adaptively designing, managing, monitoring, and learning from conservation projects -- to practice Results-Based Management. ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES: * Manage projects, including oversight of project administration and project meetings, including reports on project progress, implementation, and budgets. These include established projects California, Florida and the Chesapeake Bay that will be completed over the next year and that all seek to build climate change adaptation into agency and non-profit land management plans. * Provide training, coaching, and facilitation in project design and planning, monitoring, evaluation that follows the best practices in conservation planning and focuses on helping conservation teams find ways to be more effective and efficient at conserving wildlife. * Work with the U.S. Forest Service on implementation of a new national policy that guides their management of biodiversity, endangered and candidate species. * Launch new work to improve the effectiveness of endangered species recovery plans in guiding conservation investments, in ways that will result in species recovering more quickly. * Assist the Conservation Planning Director in guiding and overseeing the work of other staff on conservation planning projects * Communicate and market the conservation effectiveness projects to a diverse audience, including other conservation organizations, state or federal agencies, funding organizations, and the general public * Develop and maintain constructive relationships with project partners, including government agencies and other non-profit organizations * Represent Defenders and promote principles of conservation planning and results-based management in a variety of forums at the national, regional, and state level * Lead the development of written publications, workshops, and multi-media presentations (including webinars and the Defenders website); present training
Re: [ECOLOG-L] Livestock practice and ethics
The classic work by Muir and colleagues – in which group selection was used to increase population rate of egg production by caged chickens while reducing aggressive interactions to the point where beak trimming was no longer needed – was, I believe, instituted in a university agricultural program, and at least partly designed to increase the humaneness of production conditions. Thomas J. Givnish Henry Allan Gleason Professor of Botany University of Wisconsin givn...@wisc.edu http://botany.wisc.edu/givnish/Givnish/Welcome.html On 03/27/13, Ganter, Philip wrote: Ecologgers: Two items caught my attention today. One was a NPR interview program on the recent internet buzz over the Chinese government's supposed eugenics program (specifically, plans to breed for increased intelligence). The other was a story read on the Atlantic website: http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2013/03/how-state-ag-gag-laws-could-stop-animal-cruelty-whistleblowers/273962/ concerning legislative efforts to gag those who would inform the public about currently common livestock practices. What tied the two together for me were these two interlinked questions: How many of the problematic production techniques (mass rearing facilities, hormone manipulation, beak trimming, etc.) referred to in the Atlantic article were developed in university agronomy facilities and to what degree are research agronomists ethically responsible for the effect that the techniques they develop do not violate the animal welfare standards we must apply to research animals? Is there a connection here? Do research animals deserve better welfare than farm animals? If so, why so? The answer can't be that farm animals are destined for the slaughterhouse in any case. Many research animals are sacrificed. I ask these questions in a sincere desire for both information and others thoughts. I don't know who develops these techniques or how schools of agriculture treat the ethical question and would love to hear from someone who does. Why on ecolog? I am an ecologist and know that, before the rise of ecology departments, the connection between agriculture and ecology was much closer than today. Even though many ecologists are found at schools with no agriculture, I still feel connected and perhaps other ecologists do as well. The circle will be completed. It's already happening (think of the LME movement in Fishery Science). In any case, I was disturbed by the thought that university research may be behind common livestock practices that are so abhorrent to the public that the agriculture industry seeks to deprive the public of its right to know about them. Are we complicit? Phil Ganter Dept. of Biological Sciences Tennessee State University (a 1890 Land Grant HBCU) --
[ECOLOG-L] Job: Aquatic Ecology Field Technician
Description We are seeking a highly motivated field technician to assist graduate students with experimental studies looking at various aspects of aquatic ecology. These projects will be primarily in the field, but will also include laboratory components. Research will be conducted at Tyson Research Center near St. Louis in Eureka, Missouri. Projects that the applicant will assist in include gray treefrog habitat selection, development, and information use, newt paedomorphosis, mosquito habitat selection,, and others. **Applicants must be able to provide their own housing and daily transportation to Tyson Research Center.** Position will last approximately three months from May 13 to August 16, 2013. Start and finish dates are flexible, and position will remain open until filled. Duties include collecting field data, maintaining the study sites, and conducting lab work. Opportunities may be available to conduct independent research projects. Hours will range, but average 40 hours per week, and work weeks are typically five days, Monday to Friday, but occasional weekend work may be required. If interested please send your CV or resume with a cover letter and contact info for three references to Matthew Pintar at matthew.pin...@ttu.edu. Qualifications 1. Must have a degree or be a current student in biology or related field and have a basic knowledge of biology and ecology. 2. Applicant must be enthusiastic, a quick learner, an independent and efficient worker, reliable, and have a positive attitude. 3. Be able to withstand long hours in challenging field conditions (hot and humid environment, rain, and possibly at night). 4. Be able to lift 50 pounds. 5. Previous experience working in the field is desired, but not required. 6. Must have own housing and daily transportation to Tyson (at exit 269 on Interstate 44) Salary: depends on experience
Re: [ECOLOG-L] Expedition notice and question (same-sex pair-bonding in animals)
WT, In response to your question in which species other than humans, does EXCLUSIVE homosexuality, especially in the form of pair bonds, occur?: The zebra finch (*Taeniopygia guttata) *is known to form strong same-sex pair-bonds, and a study from 2011 showed that their bonds are as strong as the species' male-female bonds. To quote the abstract: Male–male and female–female same-sex bonds display the same behavioral characteristics as male–female ones: they are intense, highly selective, and stable affinitive relationships involving the same behavioral displays already described in wild birds. Moreover, same-sex male bonds were sufficiently strong not to split up when individuals were given the opportunity to reproduce with females. Because the pair-bond in socially monogamous species represents a partnership that may give advantages for survival (e.g., resources defense, fighting against predators, etc.), we propose that same-sex pairing in the zebra finch may result from the pressure to find a social partner. - Elie, J., Mathevon, N. Vignal, C. Same-sex pair-bonds are equivalent to male–female bonds in a life-long socially monogamous songbird.*Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology* *65*, 2197-2208 (2011). URL http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00265-011-1228-9. The article itself includes references and examples of other animals who form same-sex pair bonds, so I imagine there are many more solid examples of this out there to be found. Lauren On Thu, Mar 28, 2013 at 2:32 AM, Wayne Tyson landr...@cox.net wrote: [NOTE:] I will be on expedition (with a stop at the National Native Seed Conference in Santa Fe NM on April 10) until the two weeks at the end of April and the first week of May, then gone again beginning the 2nd week of May until around May 24. I will not be checking email during those periods, but will respond to as many email messages as possible during those hiatuses. A third expedition following those is likely, but the period of hiatus is iffy.] Here is my parting question. Please feel free to post it on other lists. Re: Homosexuality in animals other than Homo sapiens. We know that homosexual behavior occurs in other species in some forms (Bonobo chimpanzees [Pan paniscus], for example), and we know that hermaphrodites of some species fertilize each other simultaneously. But my question is in which species other than humans, does EXCLUSIVE homosexuality, especially in the form of pair bonds, occur? WT I'll pick up my answers in late April. If I have time, I may be able to respond to some today. Please respond on-list, and not to me personally.
Re: [ECOLOG-L] Livestock practice and ethics
Phil, It appears your post was about a very specific sector of agriculture and animal production. Indeed the article painted a bleek picture of animal agriculture and yes its sad. I can't really speak about research or laboratory animals and whether you or others are complicit, but as an ecologist, agricultural producer and employee of US dept of Ag I can say a few things about the relationship between or closeness of agriculture and ecology. At your local USDA-NRCS office you'll discover agronomists, biologists, engineers and conservationists all working together with ranchers and farmers in an agricultural ecosystem. One cant have a successful cattle or whatever ranch without having basic understanding of phenology, plant biology, soil biology, nutrient/watercycling, nature's economics and how they are all interconnected. The animal being produced is part of this web. The goal of many resource professionals like myself is to support ranchers and farmers in movement towards mimicking nature and understanding how your ranch or farm is a functioning agri-ecosystem staring with your soil ecosystem on up. A successful rancher or farmer is essentially an amateur applied ecologist. So yes agriculture and ecology are close today, very close, still. It was not uncommon to discuss farms and ranches as ecosystems while I was in college and I know that many Universities offer Agroecology degrees and other integrated ecology-animal science-business degrees, so I guess I dont see the disconnect, but I suppose I can imagine universities where the two departments are still miles away, literally and figuratively. Also, I would tend to agree that the public should definitely know how food is treated, produced and where it comes from. And of course we all hope humanely and ethically. And Hilit, According to your post- by definition I abuse my cows. This is slightly offensive, speaking as a producer now- I can assure you they are very well taken care of. The closest thing to abuse at the ranches I work with would be something similar to myself going through security at the airport. This sort of thing is generally done to move them to another pasture or check their health etc. Furthermore, this blanket statement Animal agriculture today is very far from ecology, sadly, and I hope that is what will starve its existence eventually is bizarre and left me wondering what you mean. Being a rancher and an ecologist I'd like to think of myself as a active participant in an ecosystem. ?? and I certainly do not wish neighboring families to go out of business. One might assume, that you are talking of what some call industrialized / globalized animal production systems. But I do not know for sure. Until that is clear perhaps in the meantime I can make a recommendation to folks out there. Step outside of your office or laboratory or maybe jump out from behind the Ivory Tower, drive to the country and milk a goat in an old barn or watch some cattle graze on a hillside. JB On Wed, Mar 27, 2013 at 4:39 PM, Thomas J. Givnish givn...@facstaff.wisc.edu wrote: The classic work by Muir and colleagues – in which group selection was used to increase population rate of egg production by caged chickens while reducing aggressive interactions to the point where beak trimming was no longer needed – was, I believe, instituted in a university agricultural program, and at least partly designed to increase the humaneness of production conditions. Thomas J. Givnish Henry Allan Gleason Professor of Botany University of Wisconsin givn...@wisc.edu http://botany.wisc.edu/givnish/Givnish/Welcome.html On 03/27/13, Ganter, Philip wrote: Ecologgers: Two items caught my attention today. One was a NPR interview program on the recent internet buzz over the Chinese government's supposed eugenics program (specifically, plans to breed for increased intelligence). The other was a story read on the Atlantic website: http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2013/03/how-state-ag-gag-laws-could-stop-animal-cruelty-whistleblowers/273962/ concerning legislative efforts to gag those who would inform the public about currently common livestock practices. What tied the two together for me were these two interlinked questions: How many of the problematic production techniques (mass rearing facilities, hormone manipulation, beak trimming, etc.) referred to in the Atlantic article were developed in university agronomy facilities and to what degree are research agronomists ethically responsible for the effect that the techniques they develop do not violate the animal welfare standards we must apply to research animals? Is there a connection here? Do research animals deserve better welfare than farm animals? If so, why so? The answer can't be that farm animals are destined for the slaughterhouse in any case. Many research animals are sacrificed. I ask these questions in a sincere desire for both
Re: [ECOLOG-L] Expedition notice and question
This story reminds me of a similar story - a male pair of Griffon vultures (Gyps fulvus). They incubated eggs and reared other pairs' youngs as part of a breeding in captivity effort in Israel some years ago. Merav Merav Vonshak Postdoctoral Fellow Gordon Laboratory Department of Biology Stanford University Stanford, CA 94305-5020 Phone: 650-725-6791 email: mvons...@stanford.edu http://www.stanford.edu/~mvonshak On 27, Mar2013, at 12:08 PM, Montblanc, Genie wrote: WT, Since I don't study this, I'm giving a, What I've heard in the news, response. There were two stories awhile back, both relating to animals in captivity, about homosexual pair bonding. One was with penguins, I think they also raised a chick together, and the other was with dolphins. Given that long-term pair bonding only occurs in 8-11 species in the entire animal kingdom, the question might be moot anyway. That is my inexpert response. Have a great expedition! Génie Eugénie MontBlanc Great Basin Fire Science Delivery Coordinator University of Nevada/Mail Stop 0186, Reno, NV 89557 Phone: 775-784-1107 (Fax: -1109) Email: e...@cabnr.unr.edu Web: www.gbfiresci.org Twitter: @GBfirescience -Original Message- From: Ecological Society of America: grants, jobs, news [mailto:ECOLOG-L@LISTSERV.UMD.EDU] On Behalf Of Wayne Tyson Sent: Wednesday, March 27, 2013 10:32 AM To: ECOLOG-L@LISTSERV.UMD.EDU Subject: [ECOLOG-L] Expedition notice and question [NOTE:] I will be on expedition (with a stop at the National Native Seed Conference in Santa Fe NM on April 10) until the two weeks at the end of April and the first week of May, then gone again beginning the 2nd week of May until around May 24. I will not be checking email during those periods, but will respond to as many email messages as possible during those hiatuses. A third expedition following those is likely, but the period of hiatus is iffy.] Here is my parting question. Please feel free to post it on other lists. Re: Homosexuality in animals other than Homo sapiens. We know that homosexual behavior occurs in other species in some forms (Bonobo chimpanzees [Pan paniscus], for example), and we know that hermaphrodites of some species fertilize each other simultaneously. But my question is in which species other than humans, does EXCLUSIVE homosexuality, especially in the form of pair bonds, occur? WT I'll pick up my answers in late April. If I have time, I may be able to respond to some today. Please respond on-list, and not to me personally.
Re: [ECOLOG-L] Expedition notice and question
Wayne, I once had a beef cow that refused to mate with a bull -- she did lactate and help nurture another cow's calf. The cow may have been homosexual or asexual. I've heard livestock owners say that cows frequently display homosexual behavior (mounting other cows) but a cow exhibiting excessive homosexual behavior including avoiding bills is usually sold for slaughter. As I understand it, in nature (including humans) there is a wide and continuous spectrum of sexual behavior ranging from pure heterosexuality to bisexuality to pure homosexuality, and this range of behaviors is further modified by a varying continuum of sexual intensity from hypersexuality to asexuality. Warren W. Aney Tigard, Oregon (503) 539-1009 -Original Message- From: Ecological Society of America: grants, jobs, news [mailto:ECOLOG-L@LISTSERV.UMD.EDU] On Behalf Of Wayne Tyson Sent: Wednesday, 27 March, 2013 10:32 To: ECOLOG-L@LISTSERV.UMD.EDU Subject: [ECOLOG-L] Expedition notice and question [NOTE:] I will be on expedition (with a stop at the National Native Seed Conference in Santa Fe NM on April 10) until the two weeks at the end of April and the first week of May, then gone again beginning the 2nd week of May until around May 24. I will not be checking email during those periods, but will respond to as many email messages as possible during those hiatuses. A third expedition following those is likely, but the period of hiatus is iffy.] Here is my parting question. Please feel free to post it on other lists. Re: Homosexuality in animals other than Homo sapiens. We know that homosexual behavior occurs in other species in some forms (Bonobo chimpanzees [Pan paniscus], for example), and we know that hermaphrodites of some species fertilize each other simultaneously. But my question is in which species other than humans, does EXCLUSIVE homosexuality, especially in the form of pair bonds, occur? WT I'll pick up my answers in late April. If I have time, I may be able to respond to some today. Please respond on-list, and not to me personally.
Re: [ECOLOG-L] Expedition notice and question
Laysan albatrosses are a fairly well-known example. Here's a (lengthy) article describing it: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/04/magazine/04animals-t.html?pagewanted=all -Kristen On Wed, Mar 27, 2013 at 6:53 PM, Merav Vonshak merav...@gmail.com wrote: This story reminds me of a similar story - a male pair of Griffon vultures (Gyps fulvus). They incubated eggs and reared other pairs' youngs as part of a breeding in captivity effort in Israel some years ago. Merav Merav Vonshak Postdoctoral Fellow Gordon Laboratory Department of Biology Stanford University Stanford, CA 94305-5020 Phone: 650-725-6791 email: mvons...@stanford.edu http://www.stanford.edu/~mvonshak On 27, Mar2013, at 12:08 PM, Montblanc, Genie wrote: WT, Since I don't study this, I'm giving a, What I've heard in the news, response. There were two stories awhile back, both relating to animals in captivity, about homosexual pair bonding. One was with penguins, I think they also raised a chick together, and the other was with dolphins. Given that long-term pair bonding only occurs in 8-11 species in the entire animal kingdom, the question might be moot anyway. That is my inexpert response. Have a great expedition! Génie Eugénie MontBlanc Great Basin Fire Science Delivery Coordinator University of Nevada/Mail Stop 0186, Reno, NV 89557 Phone: 775-784-1107 (Fax: -1109) Email: e...@cabnr.unr.edu Web: www.gbfiresci.org Twitter: @GBfirescience -Original Message- From: Ecological Society of America: grants, jobs, news [mailto: ECOLOG-L@LISTSERV.UMD.EDU] On Behalf Of Wayne Tyson Sent: Wednesday, March 27, 2013 10:32 AM To: ECOLOG-L@LISTSERV.UMD.EDU Subject: [ECOLOG-L] Expedition notice and question [NOTE:] I will be on expedition (with a stop at the National Native Seed Conference in Santa Fe NM on April 10) until the two weeks at the end of April and the first week of May, then gone again beginning the 2nd week of May until around May 24. I will not be checking email during those periods, but will respond to as many email messages as possible during those hiatuses. A third expedition following those is likely, but the period of hiatus is iffy.] Here is my parting question. Please feel free to post it on other lists. Re: Homosexuality in animals other than Homo sapiens. We know that homosexual behavior occurs in other species in some forms (Bonobo chimpanzees [Pan paniscus], for example), and we know that hermaphrodites of some species fertilize each other simultaneously. But my question is in which species other than humans, does EXCLUSIVE homosexuality, especially in the form of pair bonds, occur? WT I'll pick up my answers in late April. If I have time, I may be able to respond to some today. Please respond on-list, and not to me personally. -- -- Kristen Dybala, Post-doctoral Researcher Museum of Wildlife and Fish Biology University of California, Davis kedyb...@ucdavis.edu (415) 218-9295 - cell
