[ECOLOG-L] Multivariate Webinar Series 14-18 September 2015
Multivariate Analysis for Community Ecologists using PC-ORD 5 half-day webinars (online delivery) Monday-Friday 14-18 September 2015 09:00-13:00 EST daily More information about this and future courses can be found at: http://ecosystems.psu.edu/research/labs/silviculture/pc-ord For registration details, questions, or the mailing list, contact Jeri Peck at Penn State: pe...@psu.edu
[ECOLOG-L] Last chanceto respond to ESA Centennial Survey
We are hoping to get all survey responses in within the next two weeks, your participation in this survey is encouraged. Thank you if you have already responded. If you would like to participate in one or more of these surveys, please follow these links: Environmental Research estimated time- 10-20 minutes https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/YL2DK6Q Environmental Management estimated time- 5-15 minutes https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/YLGX3LQ Environmental Policy estimated time- 5-15 minutes https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/M3D7S7D The Centennial of the Ecological Society of America is a time to reflect upon ecology’s successes and shortcomings, and the opportunities and challenges that lie ahead. ESA’s Science Committee has developed three parallel surveys- one for researchers, one for environmental managers, and another for environmental policy makers. The goals of these surveys are to summarize: o the most interesting and important advances in ecological science o the key unanswered/ partially answered ecological questions o the most significant contributions of ecological science to policy and management o the most pressing environmental challenges that need to be addressed o the key scientific gaps that limit our ability to address environmental challenges, and application to environmental management and policy o the key opportunities and obstacles in integrating ecological research, management, and policy Please share these survey links with colleagues, particularly in management and policy. Your assistance in distributing these links will increase the reach of our ESA Centennial survey. Survey results will be summarized in talks, websites, white papers and publications targeted to researchers, environmental managers, policy makers, and funding agencies. Results of the survey will also be highlighted at the ESA 2015 Centennial Meeting. These results are intended to: • Enhance collaboration in research and outreach between scientists, managers, and policy makers through: identification of mutual interests and critical gaps that limit the application of ecology in management and policy. • Facilitate cutting-edge ecological research (both basic and applied) by providing syntheses of core gaps in our knowledge. • Guide program development by individual researchers, environmental managers, and policy makers, as well as research institutions, organizations focused on management and/or policy, funding agencies, and scientific societies. In particular, the survey results will guide ESA’s Science Committee in the prioritization of key synthesis projects, outreach activities, and program development. For any questions, please contact Valerie Eviner: vevi...@ucdavis.edu Thank you from the ESA Centennial Survey Committee! Elena Bennett Valerie Eviner Kelly Garbach Leah Gerber Daniel Scholes
[ECOLOG-L] teaching evolution in ecology courses
It would be interesting to preface discussions of evolution in ecology courses with a few minutes about the cognitive differences considered in the paper mentioned in this NPR story: http://www.npr.org/sections/13.7/2015/06/29/418289762/don-t-believe-in-evolution-try-thinking-harder?utm_source=npr_newsletterutm_medium=emailutm_content=20150705utm_campaign=mostemailedutm_term=nprnews I wonder whether some of the students I taught in introductory ecology/evolution who were resistant to the idea of evolution might have been influenced by this. David Inouye Dr. David W. Inouye, Professor Emeritus Department of Biology University of Maryland College Park, MD 20742-4415 2014-15: President, Ecological Society of America Principal Investigator Rocky Mtn. Biological Laboratory PO Box 519 Crested Butte, CO 81224 ino...@umd.edu 301-405-6946
[ECOLOG-L] 2016 Gordon conference: Unifying Ecology across Scales. July 24-29, 2016. Biddeford, Maine. Save the date!
This conference provides a discussion forum for those wanting to make links between physiological, behavioral, population, community and ecosystems ecology. If you want to reach out from specialized research and are passionately interested in linking the levels and putting the pieces together, or if you want to apply ecology in, e.g., conservation, fisheries, risk assessment or climate change, then this is the conference for you. We look forward to welcoming you at this five-day meeting at the beautiful seaside campus of the University of New England overlooking the Saco River Estuary. To attend: just apply; to speak: contact the chair. Bursaries are available to speakers to part cover registration which includes accommodation and meals. Special focus will be on linking the levels using insights from the factors that constrain individual physiologies such as availability of energy and nutrients. Major themes are Metabolic Ecology and Individual-based Modeling using computer simulation. Approaches will include energy-based methods but also ecological stoichiometry accounting for chemical flows within and across levels. Examples will include animals, plants and microbes. Speakers include Brian Enquist, Mary O'Connor, Gabriel Yvon-Durocher, Jim Elser, Steve Railsback and Volker Grimm More details and online application are available at: http://www.grc.org/programs.aspx?id=13261 Associated Gordon Research Seminar for postgrads: https://www.grc.org/programs.aspx?id=15150 Organizers: Chair: Richard Sibly; Vice Chair: Mary O'Connor Hope to see you there Best wishes Richard Sibly School of Biological Sciences Harborne Building University of Reading Whiteknights, PO Box 217 Reading, RG6 6AS, UK Tel +44 (0)118 931 8461 http://www.reading.ac.uk/biologicalsciences/about/staff/r-m-sibly.asp
Re: [ECOLOG-L] teaching evolution in ecology courses
While care needs to be taken to avoid seeming confrontational, it may also be worth pointing out to students, if the issue arises, that even in this country a large majority of the populace belong to religions that do not consider their doctrine and the theory of evolution to be incompatible. http://www.pewforum.org/2009/02/04/religious-groups-views-on-evolution/ This is true even among the Christian population – so not everyone considers religion and evolution at odds. I doubt many of those who reject evolution are remotely aware of this. Then there is my personal favorite for mainstreaming evolution… Sigh. http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_U7QmAM2W0g/UVFm9wyrWSI/jFg/EzTKrMO7nOg/s1600/DarwinTenPoundNote.jpg William J. Resetarits, Jr. Professor of Biology and Henry L. and Grace Doherty Chair in Freshwater Research Department of Biology The University of Mississippi P.O. Box 1848 University, MS 38677-1848 Phone: (662) 915-5804 Fax: (662) 915-6554 http://www.olemiss.edu/resetaritslab Experiments are only experience carefully planned in advance. R. A. Fisher You can’t step twice in the same river. Heraclitus From: Malcolm McCallum malcolm.mccallum.ta...@gmail.commailto:malcolm.mccallum.ta...@gmail.com Reply-To: Malcolm McCallum malcolm.mccallum.ta...@gmail.commailto:malcolm.mccallum.ta...@gmail.com Date: Sunday, July 5, 2015 at 12:07 PM To: ECOLOG-L@LISTSERV.UMD.EDUmailto:ECOLOG-L@LISTSERV.UMD.EDU ECOLOG-L@LISTSERV.UMD.EDUmailto:ECOLOG-L@LISTSERV.UMD.EDU Subject: Re: [ECOLOG-L] teaching evolution in ecology courses I have no doubt that many who are from firm, literalistic religions have this problem. Early on when I was a student, I struggled with the conflict I thought existed between religion and evolution. After taking a pile of evolution coures I slowly transitioned. IT was not a sudden lightbulb coming on.I think everyone deals with it differently when confronted with the logic of evolution and how it sometimes conflicts with the dogma of some religions. I concluded as an instructor that I was not going to change in a semester, a set of beliefs that this person has evolved over 18 or more years of life. I also kinda believe that many of the most intelligent are the most stubborn to accept contrary views. So, my goal was not to challenge those beliefs, but avoid the entire issue via a cop out. Rather, get the student to learn the facts they need to know and understand them. For the most part, I was able to do this. 1) Most of my classes are entrenched in evolutionary biology as I often bring it up even in AP, but seldom ever have any problems, even though I have taught it in some very bible beltish areas. However, when I teach ecology its there from day one, they know it is going to be there and I use an abbreviated version of my introduction from general bio shpeal. IN general bio, I tell them, I am not trying to change your beliefs, or turn you into an athiest. You have a right to believe whatever you want, I'm not here to change what you believe. I'm here to teach you biology, and evolution is central to biology. Whether you believe in evolution or not, if you are in biology, you must understand it and you must know how it works. Besides, learning what it is and what it is not can only strenghthen your beliefs because you are not blindly saying you don't believe in something, instead you know what it is you don't believe. Regardless, if you are going to be a biologist, MD, Nurse or dentist, you must be versed in evolution, period. IF you don't, you will not make it through freshman biology. This course is about learning what the science of biology is about, it is not about religion. Evolution is biology. If you do not learn it, your will be as successful in biology as someone who can't add would be in mathematics. You can disbelieve the laws of addition all you want, but if you cannot follow their rules, you are not going to make it through math. Likewise, you must know the rules of evolution or you will not make it. This is in a lot of ways a cop out for both the instructor and the student. It allows the instructor to approach the issue without challenging student beliefs, and it allows students who do not want to believe, the opportunity to learn without the conflicting underlying moral and emotional conflicts getting in the way. They are not being asked to believe anything, they are being asked to repeat what they don't believe. That is basically how I approach it. THe commentary is not exactly worded like that everytime, but that is pretty darn close. It might not work for every instructor, but it has for me (I think). 2) Of course, the first thing I do after this in freshman biology class is tell them the downright basic idea of evolution is things change over time. I state that exact phrase everytime I teach it. then, A major question in biology is why did they change? I then insert a simple example
Re: [ECOLOG-L] teaching evolution in ecology courses
You are absolutely correct – it is a sticky wicket. But to the extent that Christianity as a whole is viewed as a religion, albeit with many denominations, it is (perhaps – always context dependent) worth at least dispelling the widespread notion that opposition to evolution is a universal Christian thing. This is certainly the impression one gets from many elements of mainstream media, even those that know better. William J. Resetarits, Jr. Professor of Biology and Henry L. and Grace Doherty Chair in Freshwater Research Department of Biology The University of Mississippi P.O. Box 1848 University, MS 38677-1848 Phone: (662) 915-5804 Fax: (662) 915-6554 http://www.olemiss.edu/resetaritslab Experiments are only experience carefully planned in advance. R. A. Fisher You can’t step twice in the same river. Heraclitus From: Malcolm McCallum malcolm.mccallum.ta...@gmail.commailto:malcolm.mccallum.ta...@gmail.com Date: Sunday, July 5, 2015 at 2:40 PM To: William Resetarits wrese...@olemiss.edumailto:wrese...@olemiss.edu Cc: ECOLOG-L@LISTSERV.UMD.EDUmailto:ECOLOG-L@LISTSERV.UMD.EDU ECOLOG-L@listserv.umd.edumailto:ECOLOG-L@listserv.umd.edu Subject: Re: [ECOLOG-L] teaching evolution in ecology courses I think the value of what you just mentioned is that most people don't know that there is no issue with their own religion and evolution. However, where I was coming from is a step different from that, because most whose religion have no issue, end up having no issue. However, there is a serious risk of the student thinking you are criticizing their religion, which will literally cause tons of grief. When you say, plenty of religions have no problem with it, SOME (not all or even most) will interpret that more like other religions have no problem, so what is wrong with yours? or other sorts of imagined criticisms. Its a real tight rope with some of the extreme religious views. Also, I suspect that teh approach you take is going to be very dependent on the kind of student you are dealing with. I suspect that the students you get at Ole Miss are significantly more prepared than a open (wide-open) enrollment university. The approaches to students are completely different. I learned this going from LSUS to TAMUT to UMKC. At UMKC students largely knew exactly why they were in school ad how to be their. They were more prepared, but by NO MEANS were they on average smarter. However, your approach would have worked well with most of them, I suspect. IF students have poor academic backgrounds (in attainment or in exposure) their ability to interpret your motives are also poorly developed. At least that is my experience. I'm sure others have plenty of other views. On Sun, Jul 5, 2015 at 2:32 PM, wresetar wrese...@olemiss.edumailto:wrese...@olemiss.edu wrote: While care needs to be taken to avoid seeming confrontational, it may also be worth pointing out to students, if the issue arises, that even in this country a large majority of the populace belong to religions that do not consider their doctrine and the theory of evolution to be incompatible. http://www.pewforum.org/2009/02/04/religious-groups-views-on-evolution/ This is true even among the Christian population – so not everyone considers religion and evolution at odds. I doubt many of those who reject evolution are remotely aware of this. Then there is my personal favorite for mainstreaming evolution… Sigh. http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_U7QmAM2W0g/UVFm9wyrWSI/jFg/EzTKrMO7nOg/s1600/DarwinTenPoundNote.jpg William J. Resetarits, Jr. Professor of Biology and Henry L. and Grace Doherty Chair in Freshwater Research Department of Biology The University of Mississippi P.O. Box 1848 University, MS 38677-1848 Phone: (662) 915-5804 Fax: (662) 915-6554 http://www.olemiss.edu/resetaritslab Experiments are only experience carefully planned in advance. R. A. Fisher You can’t step twice in the same river. Heraclitus From: Malcolm McCallum malcolm.mccallum.ta...@gmail.commailto:malcolm.mccallum.ta...@gmail.com Reply-To: Malcolm McCallum malcolm.mccallum.ta...@gmail.commailto:malcolm.mccallum.ta...@gmail.com Date: Sunday, July 5, 2015 at 12:07 PM To: ECOLOG-L@LISTSERV.UMD.EDUmailto:ECOLOG-L@LISTSERV.UMD.EDU ECOLOG-L@LISTSERV.UMD.EDUmailto:ECOLOG-L@LISTSERV.UMD.EDU Subject: Re: [ECOLOG-L] teaching evolution in ecology courses I have no doubt that many who are from firm, literalistic religions have this problem. Early on when I was a student, I struggled with the conflict I thought existed between religion and evolution. After taking a pile of evolution coures I slowly transitioned. IT was not a sudden lightbulb coming on.I think everyone deals with it differently when confronted with the logic of evolution and how it sometimes conflicts with the dogma of some religions. I concluded as an instructor that I was not going to change in a semester, a set of beliefs that this person has evolved over 18 or
Re: [ECOLOG-L] teaching evolution in ecology courses
I think the value of what you just mentioned is that most people don't know that there is no issue with their own religion and evolution. However, where I was coming from is a step different from that, because most whose religion have no issue, end up having no issue. However, there is a serious risk of the student thinking you are criticizing their religion, which will literally cause tons of grief. When you say, plenty of religions have no problem with it, SOME (not all or even most) will interpret that more like other religions have no problem, so what is wrong with yours? or other sorts of imagined criticisms. Its a real tight rope with some of the extreme religious views. Also, I suspect that teh approach you take is going to be very dependent on the kind of student you are dealing with. I suspect that the students you get at Ole Miss are significantly more prepared than a open (wide-open) enrollment university. The approaches to students are completely different. I learned this going from LSUS to TAMUT to UMKC. At UMKC students largely knew exactly why they were in school ad how to be their. They were more prepared, but by NO MEANS were they on average smarter. However, your approach would have worked well with most of them, I suspect. IF students have poor academic backgrounds (in attainment or in exposure) their ability to interpret your motives are also poorly developed. At least that is my experience. I'm sure others have plenty of other views. On Sun, Jul 5, 2015 at 2:32 PM, wresetar wrese...@olemiss.edu wrote: While care needs to be taken to avoid seeming confrontational, it may also be worth pointing out to students, if the issue arises, that even in this country a large majority of the populace belong to religions that do not consider their doctrine and the theory of evolution to be incompatible. http://www.pewforum.org/2009/02/04/religious-groups-views-on-evolution/ This is true even among the Christian population – so not everyone considers religion and evolution at odds. I doubt many of those who reject evolution are remotely aware of this. Then there is my personal favorite for mainstreaming evolution… Sigh. http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_U7QmAM2W0g/UVFm9wyrWSI/jFg/EzTKrMO7nOg/s1600/DarwinTenPoundNote.jpg *William J. Resetarits, Jr.* *Professor of Biology *and *Henry L. and Grace Doherty Chair in Freshwater Research* Department of Biology The University of Mississippi P.O. Box 1848 University, MS 38677-1848 Phone: (662) 915-5804 Fax: (662) 915-6554 http://www.olemiss.edu/resetaritslab *Experiments are only experience carefully planned in advance. * R. A. Fisher *You can’t step twice in the same river. * Heraclitus From: Malcolm McCallum malcolm.mccallum.ta...@gmail.com Reply-To: Malcolm McCallum malcolm.mccallum.ta...@gmail.com Date: Sunday, July 5, 2015 at 12:07 PM To: ECOLOG-L@LISTSERV.UMD.EDU ECOLOG-L@LISTSERV.UMD.EDU Subject: Re: [ECOLOG-L] teaching evolution in ecology courses I have no doubt that many who are from firm, literalistic religions have this problem. Early on when I was a student, I struggled with the conflict I thought existed between religion and evolution. After taking a pile of evolution coures I slowly transitioned. IT was not a sudden lightbulb coming on. I think everyone deals with it differently when confronted with the logic of evolution and how it sometimes conflicts with the dogma of some religions. I concluded as an instructor that I was not going to change in a semester, a set of beliefs that this person has evolved over 18 or more years of life. I also kinda believe that many of the most intelligent are the most stubborn to accept contrary views. So, my goal was not to challenge those beliefs, but avoid the entire issue via a cop out. Rather, get the student to learn the facts they need to know and understand them. For the most part, I was able to do this. 1) Most of my classes are entrenched in evolutionary biology as I often bring it up even in AP, but seldom ever have any problems, even though I have taught it in some very bible beltish areas. However, when I teach ecology its there from day one, they know it is going to be there and I use an abbreviated version of my introduction from general bio shpeal. IN general bio, I tell them, I am not trying to change your beliefs, or turn you into an athiest. You have a right to believe whatever you want, I'm not here to change what you believe. I'm here to teach you biology, and evolution is central to biology. Whether you believe in evolution or not, if you are in biology, you must understand it and you must know how it works. Besides, learning what it is and what it is not can only strenghthen your beliefs because you are not blindly saying you don't believe in something, instead you know what it is you don't believe. Regardless, if you are going to be a biologist, MD, Nurse or dentist, you must be
Re: [ECOLOG-L] teaching evolution in ecology courses
I am not sure that I find the NPR article all that compelling -boiled down to essentials it seems to be saying that people who think differently, think differently . I wrap Darwin into just about every -make that EVERY class I teach. I am NOT a fan of the term evolution -my mentor always spelt it with an i - because I think that over-use of the word encourages an unfortunate level of teleology overall determinism. I DO talk about Natural Selection a LOT (my students tease me that when all else fails on an exam with me answer surface to volume ratio or the cool thing about Natural Selection is that it WORKS and they can hope for at least SOME credit). I deeply believe that the more folks actually know about Darwin his th0ught process the more they will be drawn in to what is still a fascinating area of study. I also point out to them that I am an Anglican as was David Lack neither of us seem/ed to have trouble also being Darwinian Biologists. Back when students had still heard of Stephen Gould I would talk with them about separate Magisteria but for better and for worse Gould seems to have been consigned to the dustbin of history as far as Today's Youth is concerned... I have the luxury of teaching at a College of Human Ecology, which gives me license to talk about science in context as well as science I think it is VERY important that we include questions of culture and ethics in what we are talking about -while at the same time pointing out that however much one might like to believe it, Darwinian biology doesn't have anything to say about what is right , just about what might happen and seems to have happened... On Sun, Jul 5, 2015 at 3:40 PM, Malcolm McCallum malcolm.mccallum.ta...@gmail.com wrote: I think the value of what you just mentioned is that most people don't know that there is no issue with their own religion and evolution. However, where I was coming from is a step different from that, because most whose religion have no issue, end up having no issue. However, there is a serious risk of the student thinking you are criticizing their religion, which will literally cause tons of grief. When you say, plenty of religions have no problem with it, SOME (not all or even most) will interpret that more like other religions have no problem, so what is wrong with yours? or other sorts of imagined criticisms. Its a real tight rope with some of the extreme religious views. Also, I suspect that teh approach you take is going to be very dependent on the kind of student you are dealing with. I suspect that the students you get at Ole Miss are significantly more prepared than a open (wide-open) enrollment university. The approaches to students are completely different. I learned this going from LSUS to TAMUT to UMKC. At UMKC students largely knew exactly why they were in school ad how to be their. They were more prepared, but by NO MEANS were they on average smarter. However, your approach would have worked well with most of them, I suspect. IF students have poor academic backgrounds (in attainment or in exposure) their ability to interpret your motives are also poorly developed. At least that is my experience. I'm sure others have plenty of other views. On Sun, Jul 5, 2015 at 2:32 PM, wresetar wrese...@olemiss.edu wrote: While care needs to be taken to avoid seeming confrontational, it may also be worth pointing out to students, if the issue arises, that even in this country a large majority of the populace belong to religions that do not consider their doctrine and the theory of evolution to be incompatible. http://www.pewforum.org/2009/02/04/religious-groups-views-on-evolution/ This is true even among the Christian population – so not everyone considers religion and evolution at odds. I doubt many of those who reject evolution are remotely aware of this. Then there is my personal favorite for mainstreaming evolution… Sigh. http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_U7QmAM2W0g/UVFm9wyrWSI/jFg/EzTKrMO7nOg/s1600/DarwinTenPoundNote.jpg *William J. Resetarits, Jr.* *Professor of Biology *and *Henry L. and Grace Doherty Chair in Freshwater Research* Department of Biology The University of Mississippi P.O. Box 1848 University, MS 38677-1848 Phone: (662) 915-5804 Fax: (662) 915-6554 http://www.olemiss.edu/resetaritslab *Experiments are only experience carefully planned in advance. * R. A. Fisher *You can’t step twice in the same river. * Heraclitus From: Malcolm McCallum malcolm.mccallum.ta...@gmail.com Reply-To: Malcolm McCallum malcolm.mccallum.ta...@gmail.com Date: Sunday, July 5, 2015 at 12:07 PM To: ECOLOG-L@LISTSERV.UMD.EDU ECOLOG-L@LISTSERV.UMD.EDU Subject: Re: [ECOLOG-L] teaching evolution in ecology courses I have no doubt that many who are from firm, literalistic religions have this problem. Early on when I was a student, I struggled with the conflict I thought existed between religion and evolution. After
