[ECOLOG-L] Should Calculus Be Required of All Ecology/Biology Majors?

[Neufeld, Howard S.]

Dear All -

I am participating in a study here at Appalachian State University about 
whether we should restructure the mathematics and statistics 
requirements for our biology/ecology majors. For example, should we 
require all majors to take an entire semester of calculus?


I have written an explanation of why we are looking into this, and you 
can read the essay by going to this link on Google Drive:


https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/0BxpSVO5IUz-EMGdwU1lDNjhSRFE?usp=sharing 



I would welcome comments from those interested in this subject, which 
would help us out here at Appalachian State in our discussions of this 
important subject.


Thanks!

Howie Neufeld

--
Dr. Howard S. Neufeld, Professor
Director, Southern Appalachian Environmental Research and Education Center 
(SAEREC)
Chair, Appalachian Interdisciplinary Atmospheric Research Group (AppalAIR)

Mailing Address:
   Department of Biology
   572 Rivers St.
   Appalachian State University
   Boone, NC 28608
   Tel: 828-262-2683; Fax 828-262-2127

Websites:
Academic: http://biology.appstate.edu/faculty-staff/104
Personal: http://www.appstate.edu/~neufeldhs/index.html
SAEREC: http://saerec.appstate.edu
AppalAIR: http://appalair.appstate.edu
Fall Colors:
  Academic: http://biology.appstate.edu/fall-colors
  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FallColorGuy

[ECOLOG-L] Field Courses in Panama, Summer 2017

[Alex Shepack]

TROPICAL FIELD COURSES IN PANAMA, SUMMER 2017
 
Education and research opportunities are now being offered at the Cocobolo 
Nature Reserve 
and Biological Field Station in Panama. This area of Panama is the narrowest 
stretch of the 
Central American Isthmus where the Caribbean and the Pacific are separated by 
only 30 miles of 
ecologically diverse wilderness and human impacted landscapes. The Cocobolo 
Biological Field 
Station is set in the heart of this region at the continental divide and offers 
an excellent 
opportunity for students to learn about the rich natural history of tropical 
forests and their 
conservation. CREA, a non-profit that manages the station, actively runs its 
own research at the 
reserve through collaborations with scientific faculty of international 
institutions.  It is now 
offering summer courses in 2017 designed to provide a rich student experience 
of working 
within a tropical forest environment while learning through hands on activities 
with some of the 
most renowned specialists in the field.
 
2017 Course Offerings:
Tropical Ecology and Conservation: Learn about form and function of tropical 
rainforests, their 
evolution and future outlook. (May 20th-June 3rd)
Ecological Field Techniques: Learn how to undertake research in a tropical 
environment, learn 
and practice field techniques and methods. (June 10th-23rd)
Photography for Nature Communication: Learn how to take professional 
photographs of nature 
and how to contribute to conservation and educational efforts (1 week in June, 
specific dates 
TBD, please enquire for updates).
 
Each course is limited to a maximum of 14 students
Please see www.crea-panama.org/education/apply-here/ or contact 
i...@crea-panama.org for a 
syllabus and application procedure.

[ECOLOG-L] M.S. positions at Cal State Northridge

[Casey terHorst]

Eco-Evo Lab at California State University, Northridge is seeking
outstanding candidates for the M.S. program in Biology. Research in our lab
focuses on the interface between ecological and evolutionary processes. As
community ecologists, we are interested in how species interactions affect
species and genetic diversity in communities. In particular, we are
interested in how rapid evolution affects species interactions, such as
predation, competition, and mutualism. Moreover, as evolutionary
biologists, we are interested in how interactions among multiple species in
natural communities affect selection on traits and evolutionary
trajectories. Our research combines theoretical and empirical approaches to
tackle these questions.



Current research projects in the lab focus on (1) how evolution affects the
diversity and stability of bacteria and protozoa communities that live
inside carnivorous pitcher plants, (2) genetic variation and evolution of
symbiotic algae living on coral reefs, and (3) genetic diversity in
invasive species in California grasslands. Students are encouraged to
develop independent research projects in any of these systems. More
information is available at http://www.ecoevolab.com

Northridge is located in the San Fernando Valley in Los Angeles and
provides access to many different natural habitats. The location is within
a short commute of Santa Monica and Hollywood. The Biology program at CSUN
has a reputation of turning out excellent Master’s students who often
continue on to top-tier Ph.D. programs. CSUN was recently recognized by
*Nature* as one of the top 25 Rising Institutions for Research in North
America. Our interactive group combines faculty and students from the
Ecology & Evolution program (
http://www.csun.edu/science-mathematics/biology/ecology-evolution) and
Marine Biology program (
http://www.csun.edu/science-mathematics/biology/marine-biology).

The ideal candidate will have previous research experience, familiarity
with the R programming language, and a passion for science. Interested
students should contact Casey terHorst (casey.terho...@csun.edu). In your
email, please describe your research interests, any previous research
experience, and your career goals. Include a CV, if possible. Formal
applications are due on February 15, but interested students should contact
me well before then. Members of under-represented groups in ecology are
especially encouraged to apply.


---
Casey terHorst
Assistant Professor
Department of Biology
California State University, Northridge
18111 Nordhoff Street
Northridge, CA 91330-8303
Office Phone: (818) 677-3352
casey.terho...@csun.edu
http://www.ecoevolab.com

[ECOLOG-L] PhD position in plant population and community ecology

[Amy Angert]

The Angert Lab at UBC is recruiting at least one PhD student to begin Fall 
2017. Research 
in our lab group focuses on the ecology and evolution of geographic ranges and 
community assembly. Recent and ongoing projects include a) limits to adaptation 
at range 
edges, b) dissecting recent climate-driven range shifts, c) the role of species 
interactions 
in range limits and range shifts, d) evolutionary rescue in response to extreme 
climatic 
events, and e) the evolution of species interactions and niches during 
community 
assembly. We take a variety of approaches, including a) conducting experiments 
in the 
field and greenhouse, b) monitoring and modeling the dynamics of natural 
populations, 
and c) building (and testing in the real world) ecological niche models. We 
also work in a 
variety of systems, including annual grasslands, forest communities of the 
Pacific 
Northwest, and monkeyflowers (Mimulus spp.) throughout diverse habitats in 
western 
North America. The PhD student will have the opportunity to develop his or her 
own 
research projects under the general umbrella of these topics and systems. 

Competitive applicants will have a successful track record conducting 
independent 
research in ecology and evolution, ideally with evidence of success in the form 
of a 
scientific publication; have at least some field biology experience, ideally in 
plant systems; 
be motivated to develop or expand his or her quantitative skills in 
evolutionary, population, 
and community ecology; and be eager to work independently while joining and 
contributing to an interactive, collaborative, and integrative lab group. 

Students in the Angert Lab interact with a diverse group of researchers in the 
Biodiversity 
Research Centre as well as across campus; participate in a variety of 
stimulating seminars 
and discussion groups; and have access to excellent research facilities, 
including new 
greenhouses and growth chambers and a well-supported computing cluster.

Interested students should email Amy (ang...@mail.ubc.ca) a brief statement 
describing 
your research interests and background, along with a CV and unofficial 
transcript. Please 
contact Amy well ahead of the official application deadline (which is in 
January) to ensure 
that you receive full consideration for fellowships. Please see the lab website 
for more 
information: http://angert.botany.ubc.ca

[ECOLOG-L] new book of interest!

[Judith S. Weis]

For a change, this is not a job ad!!

http://www.cambridge.org/us/academic/subjects/life-sciences/animal-behaviour/biological-invasions-and-animal-behaviour?format=HB

[ECOLOG-L] Instructor/Lab Coordinator: Wright State University

[Cipollini, Don]

Instructor/Laboratory Coordinator
Wright State University
Department of Biological Sciences

The Department of Biological Sciences at Wright State University 
(http://sciencemath.
wright.edu/biology) seeks a non-tenure track faculty member at the Instructor 
level. This
is a 12-month position, with duties divided as half coordinator of the 
Introductory Laboratory program
and half instructional faculty. Should the lab coordinator position dissolve, 
the position will become a
9 month academic-year instructor position.

The Laboratory Coordinator role encompasses oversight of laboratory operations 
for either 2 or 3
introductory biology courses each semester, with a total during Fall and Spring 
of approximately 45 lab
sections with 850-950 students each semester. Primary responsibilities of the 
coordinator include
supervision of undergraduate student workers who will set up the labs, 
coordination and guidance of
graduate teaching assistants (GTAs), ordering, maintenance, and inventory of 
equipment and supplies,
and periodic revision of laboratory exercises and laboratory manual 
development. The coordinator will
supervise student workers in occasional "special projects," such as offering 
outreach activities (Take our
Sons and Daughters to Work Day, Tech Fest, or others). Finally, the coordinator 
oversees safety issues in
the laboratory and serves as point of contact for general issues that arise in 
introductory laboratories
(e.g., weather cancellations, health and safety issues, etc).

The Instructional Faculty role will entail teaching that will include 
introductory biology courses, along
with opportunities for upper-level courses commensurate with interests and 
experience. The
department offers coursework that spans a wide range of disciplines within 
biology. Courses at the
introductory level include "Biology of Food", "Biology of Disease", and 
"Biodiversity" in the non-majors
sequence and "Cells and Genes" and "Organisms and Ecosystems" in the majors 
sequence.
Candidates should have demonstrated teaching experience appropriate for the 
position and experience
managing personnel. Experience in laboratory pedagogy a plus. An M.S. degree in 
Biology or related
disciplines is required; a Ph.D. is preferred.


Interested applicants should apply through Human Resources at Wright State 
University:

https://jobs.wright.edu/postings/10819.  Review of applications will begin on 
November 11, 2016.

Preference will be given to candidates who can start prior to the beginning of 
our Spring semester in January 2017.

Wright State University, an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer, is 
committed to an inclusive environment
and strongly encourages applications from minorities, females, veterans and 
individuals with disabilities.
Wright State University: AA/EOE/M/F/Vet/Disability


***
Don Cipollini, Ph.D.
Professor, Plant Physiology/Chemical Ecology
Director, Environmental Sciences Ph.D. Program

Wright State University
Department of Biological Sciences
203 Biological Sciences I
3640 Colonel Glenn Highway
Dayton, OH 45435
Phone: 937-775-3805
Email: don.cipoll...@wright.edu
Lab website: http://cipollinilab.wordpress.com
ResearchGate: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Don_Cipollini
Environmental Sciences PhD program website: 
www.wright.edu/academics/envsci

[ECOLOG-L] Endocrine Disruption at the Top of the World

[David Inouye]

If you're familiar with the problem of endocrine disruption, which was 
brought to public attention by the book co-authored by Dr. Theo Colburn, 
"Our Stolen Future" (http://www.ourstolenfuture.org/), you might be 
interested in this talk by Dr. Carol Kwiatkowski, the Executive Director 
of TEDX, The Endocrine Disruption Exchange. It's not only a problem for 
humans, but for other species exposed to hormone disruption.


State of the Science with a Message from Alaska

Join us 
 
on*Wednesday, October 26, 2016 at 1:00pm Eastern* to hear Dr. Carol 
Kwiatkowski, Executive Director of TEDX present the highlights of 25 
years of endocrine disruption science. She will speak about recent 
scientific advances and how hormone disruption may be a common causative 
factor in many diseases and disorders of the modern world. She will also 
share her impressions from the 2016 Children’s Environmental Health 
Summit, “Protecting Children at the Top of the World”, and how the 
stories of Alaska hold lessons for us all.


RSVP now 
 
to reserve your place on the call.


Dr. Carol Kwiatkowski has been the Executive Director of TEDX, The 
Endocrine Disruption Exchange since 2008. She is an Assistant Professor 
Adjunct at the University of Colorado Boulder in the Department of 
Integrative Physiology. She and her team review scientific studies of 
endocrine disruption, including impacts of environmental chemicals on 
the reproductive, central nervous, immune, and metabolic systems. Much 
of the work focuses on the life long health effects of endocrine 
disruption experienced during prenatal and early post-natal development. 
Chemicals of particular interest include plastics, pesticides, and air 
pollutants associated with unconventional oil and gas production.


This call is hosted by CHE-AK 
, 
a working group of the Collaborative on Health and the Environment 
 
established by Alaska Community Action on Toxics 
. 




--
Dr. David W. Inouye
Professor Emeritus
Department of Biology
University of Maryland
College Park, MD 20742-4415
ino...@umd.edu

Principal Investigator
Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory
PO Box 519
Crested Butte, CO 81224

[ECOLOG-L] UW Quantitative Ecology Graduate Program

[Erica L. Owens]

The Quantitative Ecology and Resource Management (QERM) program at University 
of Washington in Seattle is recruiting for Autumn 2017 and would appreciate 
your help getting the word out to prospective students!

QERM is a unique interdisciplinary graduate program, offering MS and PhD 
degrees, designed for students interested in applying quantitative tools to 
ecological and resource management issues. Competitive applicants have a strong 
quantitative background.

Please help us by distributing this email to students who may be interested. 
The application deadline is December 15, 2016. For more information, please 
visit our website at 
http://depts.washington.edu/qerm/about/ or contact me directly.

Thank you!

Erica Owens
Graduate Program Advisor
Quantitative Ecology & Resource Management (QERM)
University of Washington
308 Loew Hall, Box 352182
Seattle, WA 98195-2182
(206) 616-9571

[ECOLOG-L] Webinar Wednesday: The Evolution of Classification, a 2-Part Series (no charge)

[Lisa Solomon]

Webinar Wednesday: The Evolution of Classification, a 2-Part Series (no charge)
• Join us for a special 2-part webinar about Modern Classification Techniques, 
presented by Mikhail Golovnya, Senior Scientist. 
• In this webinar we will show machine learning and data science algorithms for 
Classification.

REGISTRATION LINK: http://hubs.ly/H04Mm1t0
• Alternative link:  
http://info.salford-systems.com/evolution-of-classification-2016
• Can’t Come? Sign up and receive the recording!

We will cover:
• Logistic Regression and Discriminant Analysis to Neural Networks and Support 
Vector Machine
• From Nearest Neighbor Classifiers to Trees, Forests, and Boosted Models

Live or On-demand:
Part 1: October 19 @ 10am Pacific, Logistic Regression and Discriminant 
Analysis to Neural Networks and Support Vector Machine
Part 2: October 26 @ 10am Pacific, From Nearest Neighbor Classifiers to Trees, 
Forests, and Boosted Models

REGISTRATION LINK: http://hubs.ly/H04Mm1t0
• Alternative link:  
http://info.salford-systems.com/evolution-of-classification-2016
• Can’t Come? Sign up and receive the recording!

[ECOLOG-L] Trying to find Anion Exchange Membranes - P extraction from Soils

[Katie Miller]

Dear Colleagues,

I am trying to find Anion Exchange Membranes to extract phosphorus from
dried soil samples. However, I have been having a lot of difficulty with
finding a place where I can purchase these membranes in the U.S. (I found
one place but the turn-around time is very long).

As such, I am wondering if anyone on here has an extra sheet of Anion
Exchange Membrane that they would be willing to send me or allow me to
purchase it from them.

(Note: I am hoping to use the anion exchange membranes for sequential
extraction of phosphorus from soil samples using a truncated version of
Hedley Fractionation. I am hoping to obtain enough anion exchange
membrane(s) to analyze 24 soil samples).

Please feel free to contact me directly with any information, questions, or
insight that you may have.

Any help you can give me would be really appreciated!

Thanks,
Katie


Katie A Miller
NSF Graduate Research Fellow
Department of Biology, University of Vermont

[ECOLOG-L] M.S. Position--Benefits of pollinator habitat restoration on small scale farmland to wildlife-Virginia Tech

[Sarah Karpanty]

M.S. Project

Assessing the effects of pollinator-focused plantings on wildlife-related 
ecosystem services in small-
scale agricultural settings in coastal Virginia and Maryland.

Virginia Tech Department of Fish and Wildlife Conservation

This study will elucidate how increasing plant biodiversity in small-scale 
agricultural systems may 
affect a variety of ecosystem services on and around the farm.  Farmers may 
increase plant 
biodiversity on their non-cropped or marginal lands by planting 
grass/forb/wildflower mixtures that 
often target pollinator populations (hereafter referred to as “farmscaping”), 
which is a practice 
supported by multiple USDA cost-share programs. However, plant biodiversity 
surrounding farms, 
which individual farmers cannot control (hereafter referred to as “landscape 
scale biodiversity”), may 
change the impacts of farmscaping on ecosystem services. We have formed an 
interdisciplinary team 
with specialists in agricultural ecology, entomology, wildlife biology and the 
human dimensions of 
natural resources to measure the synergies and tradeoffs amongst regulating, 
provisioning, and 
cultural ecosystem services that result from farmscapes and landscape-scale 
biodiversity.

The M.S. student sought in this advertisement will be advised by Dr. Sarah 
Karpanty in the 
Department of Fish and Wildlife Conservation at Virginia Tech and will 
collaborate closely with other 
project investigators, including Dr. Meghan O’Rourke in VT’s Department of 
Horticulture and Dr. 
Michael Sorice in VT’s Department of Forest Resources and Environmental 
Conservation, and partners 
with the Natural Resources Conservation Service, The Nature Conservancy and the 
Virginia 
Department of Game and Inland Fisheries.  The M.S. student will collect data on 
the regulating (e.g., 
pollination), provisioning (e.g., wild game harvest), and cultural (e.g., 
aesthetics) services related to 
wildlife on farmscaped sites and surrounding landscapes in coastal Virginia and 
Maryland.  Data will 
be collected using a variety of non-invasive techniques (e.g., acoustic and 
camera monitoring, point 
counts) on game birds (quail, turkey), migratory songbirds, bats, and game 
mammals (white-tailed 
deer).  

A research and teaching assistantship at a competitive level will be provided 
during the fieldwork and 
thesis preparation.  Expected duration of assistantship and project is about 3 
years. This program 
would be excellent preparation for students wishing to continue for a Ph.D., or 
those wishing to work 
for a resource management agency or conservation NGO.  
 
Duties:  Complete study design in consultation with major professor (Sarah 
Karpanty) and 
collaborators; collect behavioral and ecological data to test hypotheses and 
fit models; supervise 
technicians; operate trucks and ATVs; coordinate with the NRCS, VDGIF, and TNC 
and other 
researchers; analyze data, write reports and publish research results in 
refereed journals with advisor 
and collaborators.  Fieldwork involves long hot days, early mornings and 
nights.  Incumbent will live 
at a field site for a portion of each year in research housing.  This will be 
an excellent project for 
someone wishing to make a research contribution to basic science and, 
simultaneously, to the design 
of wildlife conservation strategies in rural and agricultural settings.  Start 
date is January 10th, 2017.  

Qualifications:  B.S. in Wildlife Science, Ecology, Conservation Biology or 
closely allied field, with 
excellent grades, GRE scores and references.  Ability to get along with 
cooperators.  Previous field 
experience required, preferably with non-invasive sampling techniques of birds 
and mammals. 
Evidence of scientific writing skills (i.e. academic papers, publications, 
etc.) and a commitment to 
scientific publication. Willingness to work long hours in the hot sun in remote 
conditions.  

To apply:  email C.V., 1 page letter of application, degree title and GPA for 
all degrees, GRE scores and 
names and contact information for 3 references including at least one field 
supervisor and two 
academic references.  Finalists will be asked to participate in a phone 
interview, to send transcripts, 
and to apply to the Virginia Tech graduate school.  Send application 
information to Shannon Ritter, 
sjrit...@vt.edu.  For questions regarding the position, please contact Dr. 
Sarah Karpanty, 
karpa...@vt.edu, 540-231-4586.  Candidate selection will begin immediately and 
will continue until 
position is filled.  Start Date January 10th, 2017.  We recommend applying as 
quickly as possible.
  

[ECOLOG-L] Two new career opportunities - The Xerces Society

[Mary Ann Lau]

*Plant Ecologist - Western Region*

*Location:* Preference is to locate this position at a home office, with
easy access to a major airport in California (especially near Sacramento,
the Bay Area, or the San Joaquin Valley) or Western Washington (Puget Sound
region). For the right candidate, we may consider additional location
options.

*Application Deadline:* November 23, 2016

*Start Date:* January 2017

Under the direction of the Pollinator Conservation Program Directors, and
working closely with other members of the Pollinator Conservation Program,
this position will:



· Develop and consistently improve habitat restoration methodology
in California and the Pacific Northwest;

· Provide regular habitat restoration technical support to other
Xerces staff, clients, and partner organizations;

· Source native plant materials for restoration projects;

· Foster native plant materials production with nursery and native
seed industry partners;

· Support Xerces’ partners with science-based advice and consulting
on restoration practice, seed sourcing and other aspects of habitat
restoration.

Please review full job details and application instructions here:

http://www.xerces.org/job-opportunities/

___

*Pollinator Conservation Specialist (Food Industry Supply Chain Projects)*

*Location:* Preference is to locate this position at a home office, with
easy access to a major airport in California (especially near Sacramento,
the Bay Area, or the San Joaquin Valley) or Western Washington (Puget Sound
region). For the right candidate, we may consider additional location
options.

*Application Deadline:* November 23, 2016

*Start Date:* January 2017

The Pollinator Conservation Specialist (Food Industry Supply Chain
Projects) will support Xerces private-sector partners in designing and
implementing cutting-edge conservation systems for bees and beneficial
insects on farms across the western United States. Under the direction of a
Xerces Pollinator Conservation Program co-director, this ground-breaking
new position will collaborate closely with farm managers, as well as key
staff at some of the largest food companies in the world to provide farm
conservation on farms that serve the organic and natural food industry.

Please review full job details and application instructions here:
http://www.xerces.org/job-opportunities/

[ECOLOG-L] Winter/Spring 2017 Marine Mammal Research Internship

[Victoria Howard]

*Winter/Spring 2017 Marine Mammal Research Internship*

The IMMS Research Internship Program located in Gulfport, MS is designed as
a way for students interested in a career in marine science to gain
valuable research experience in a real-world setting. Interns will
participate with multiple projects involving bottlenose dolphins, sea
turtles and diamondback terrapins. As an intern, you will be trained in all
aspects of dolphin photo-id research, sea turtle satellite tracking, and
other current research projects at IMMS. Interns will also participate in
other operations at IMMS including stranding response, education, and
animal care. Our goal is to give Interns a well-rounded experience in a
variety of areas while providing expert training and experience in marine
science research.

Interns must:

   - Commit to a minimum of at least 12 weeks. The internship can be
   extended depending on work performance.
   - Be available to work Mon-Fri and must be available for all boat trips.
   Some field days may fall on the weekends.
   - Have strong sense of responsibility, work ethic, attention to detail,
   and ability to admit mistakes.
   - Produce high quality research efforts and exhibit strong interpersonal
   skills.
   - *Principle Duties include*: data entry, searching and cataloging
   journal articles, learning all research protocols, cropping and sorting
   photo-id fin images, learning to use photo-id programs such as Darwin (fin
   matching software), and FinBase (Microsoft Access), boat based field
   research (21’ and 31’ boats), and learn how to use ArcGIS
   - *Secondary Duties involve*: Assisting with animal care staff,
   attending marine mammal necropsies, responding to marine mammal and sea
   turtle strandings, and assisting with educational tours.
   - *Field days: *Interns must be able to spend many hours on the water
   and on shore in sometimes extreme seasonal conditions. Seasonal
   temperatures range from over 100 °F in summer to 30 °F in winter. Field
   days typically exceed eight hours and occur at least two or three times a
   week.

Applicants must be 18 or older and must have a genuine interest in marine
research. Applicants should be actively pursuing a college degree or be a
recent graduate in oceanography, marine science/biology, biology, or a
related field. Previous research experience in any capacity is a plus.
Applicants must be able and willing to fulfill all duties outlined for this
Internship Program. This is an unpaid position and Interns are responsible
for their own housing and transportation. Once accepted, IMMS staff will be
able to assist Interns in suggesting suitable housing options and locations.

*Deadline to Apply for the Winter/Spring Session (1/2/17 - 3/24/17 and
3/6/17 - 5/26/17) is November 1, 2016*

*Please visit **http://imms.org/internship.php*
* for application and full details*

[ECOLOG-L] Graduate Assistantship: Landscape Ecology of Beneficial Insects

[Ricardo Ramirez]

Utah State University – Biology seeks a highly qualified and motivated
individual wishing to pursue an MS or PhD degree beginning fall 2017. The
successful applicant will evaluate how agricultural and urban landscape
structure affects beneficial insects (pollinators and predators) and their
interactions with abiotic (e.g., drought) and biotic (e.g., entomopathogens)
factors. As a component of this project, the student will also be heavily
involved with developing interactive identification and diagnostic tools
that include fact sheets for current and potentially invasive bees in the
U.S. The project is a collaborative effort with the USDA-ARS Pollinating
Insect-Biology, Management, Systematics Research Unit in Logan, UT.

Required qualifications include a background in ecology, entomology, plant
sciences, agriculture, or related field, experience with field research,
exposure to statistics, and an ability to work in a collaborative
environment. The graduate research assistantship includes an annual stipend,
tuition waiver, and student health insurance.

Contact Drs. Lori Spears (lori.spe...@usu.edu), Ricardo Ramirez
(ricardo.rami...@usu.edu; ramirezlab.weebly.com), and Terry Griswold
(terry.grisw...@ars.usda.gov) with your interest. Please provide a CV/resume
(include GPA and GRE scores), a statement of purpose, and contact
information for three references in your email. Review of applications will
begin December 1, 2016 and continue until the position is filled.

[ECOLOG-L] Postdoctoral position in Forest Ecology and Management

[Niles Hasselquist]

A major challenge of a sustainable bio-based economy is to balance the
trade-offs between maximizing the production of renewable raw materials
while at the same time minimizing negative impacts to ecosystems services.
In this study, we will investigate the trade-offs between increasing biomass
production and ecosystem services among a number of large-scale forest
management treatments of varying degrees of management intensities;
ranging from assisted regeneration practices that include restoration,
agroforestry and selective logging to intensively managed exotic tree
plantations. In doing so, this approach will allow for some of the first
direct assessments of the complex interactions and feedbacks between
increasing production and ecosystem services with the ultimate goal of
identifying sustainable forest management practices to aid the transition to
a more sustainable bio-based economy. 

We are seeking a highly motivated candidate for a fully funded, two-year
postdoctoral position aimed at enhancing our understanding of the trade-offs
between production of raw materials and ecosystem carbon sequestration among
different forest management practices. The successful candidate will be
responsible for organizing the collection of numerous field measurements
(i.e., tree growth, litter fall, fine root biomass, soil organic carbon and
soil respiration) and using this data to model the total carbon balance of
alternative forest management practices. This project will take advantage of
the rich history of measurements in large-scale
forest management treatments in Sabah on northern Borneo and will be
strategically centered in and around the INIKEA rain forest restoration
project (https://sites.google.com/site/sowaseedproject). 

The successful candidate will work with Dr. Niles Hasselquist and Dr. Ulrik
Ilstedt in the Department of Forest Ecology and Management at the Swedish
University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU), Umeå. Our mission at the
Department is to advance our understanding of forest ecosystem processes and
to assist in developing sustainable forest management practices
(http://www.slu.se/en/departments/forest-ecology-management/). Additionally,
the successful candidate will work closely with our collaborators on the
project at Northern Arizona University, USA (Dr. Kevin Grady) and at the
University of Western Australia (Dr. Peter Speldewinde and Dr. Philip
Weinstein) as well as researchers at the University of Malaysia Sabah (UMS),
Danum Valley Field Center, Sabah Forest Department and WWF- Malaysia.
Although this position is primarily based in Umeå, Sweden, the successful
candidate will spend at least one month a year at the field sites in Sabah.

Duties: 1) Managing field technicians to assist in data collection on tree
growth, soil carbon pools and fluxes; 2) Modeling ecosystem carbon balance;
3) Analysis and publishing in relevant high-impact scientific journals. As
such, we are looking for candidates with strong communication skills, good
knowledge of different field techniques to measure carbon pools and fluxes,
strong quantitative and modeling skills and a demonstrated ability to write
and publish.

Qualifications: . We are seeking a highly motivated individual with good
communication skills in English, both orally and written, a strong work
ethic, a team player that works well in a strong research environment. We
are searching for a person with a PhD in ecology, environmental sciences,
forestry or related fields. The successful candidate must also have: 1)
Demonstrated experience of field research in the tropics; 2) Demonstrated
experience of strong communication skills that allow for working effectively
as a member of a spatially disturbed collaborative research team; 3) Strong
statistical background and 4) Demonstrated writing skills, as evident by a
strong publication record. Previous experience modeling total ecosystem
carbon balance will be considered an important merit as will advance skills
in handing and processing large, multiple-source data sets using R or
similar software.

Competence: As postdoctoral appointments are career-developing positions
for junior researchers, we are primarily looking for candidates with a
doctoral degree that is three years old at most.

Place of work: Umeå

Form of employment: A temporary position for two years

Extent: 100%

Starting date: The position start date is somewhat flexible but is
anticipated to start January 16, 2017.

Application: We welcome your application marked with Ref no. SLU ua
3869/2016. Please submit your application to the Registrar of SLU, P.O. Box
7070, SE-750 07 Uppsala, Sweden or registra...@slu.se no later than November
3, 2016. If you have any questions about the position please contact Dr.
Niles Hasselquist (niles.hasselqu...@slu.se) or visit
http://www.slu.se/en/about-slu/jobs-vacancies/read-more/?eng=1=2583.

Specific documents attached: Persons interested in this position should send
a statement of interest outlining 

[ECOLOG-L] PhD student position in forest ecology

[Yvette Dickinson]

The silviculture and applied forest ecology, and forest insect ecology labs at 
Michigan Technological 
University are seeking a PhD student interested in the ecology and management 
of hardwood forests 
affected by beech bark disease (BBD) in northern Michigan, to start in the 
Spring of 2017.  Research in 
our labs focuses on the inter-relationships among forest composition and 
structure, ecological 
processes, forest health, and the full range of ecosystem services across 
scales from individual trees, to 
stands and landscapes.  The successful applicant will be primarily engaged on a 
project funded by the 
National Park Service investigating the potential for reintroducing American 
beech to two national 
lakeshores in Michigan that have been impacted by BBD.  

Successful applicants will be expected to collaborate as an active member of a 
research group, conduct 
fieldwork in variable weather conditions, be comfortable taking initiative and 
working independently, and 
perform detailed statistical analyses.  Strong written and verbal 
communication, and computational 
skills are required.  Prior experience participating in or leading field 
research is desired. A master’s 
degree or work experience in a related field is an advantage.

Michigan Tech’s School of Forest Resources and Environmental Science 
(http://www.mtu.edu/forest/) is 
particularly well known for its excellence in the fields of forestry, applied 
ecology, forest molecular 
genetics, and wildlife management. We currently employ 23 tenure-track faculty, 
10 research faculty, 23 
research professionals, and 11 administrative/support professionals and enroll 
155 undergraduate and 
75 graduate students.

Established in 1885, Michigan Tech is a nationally recognized research 
University, enrolls nearly 7,000 
students and is a leader in science and engineering education. Michigan Tech is 
an ADVANCE 
institution, one of a limited number of universities in receipt of NSF funds in 
support of our commitment 
to increase diversity and the participation and advancement of women in STEM.

Located in Houghton, on the shore of Lake Superior, Michigan Tech offers a 
friendly, safe, and 
affordable living environment with excellent opportunities for exceptional, 
year-round outdoor recreation 
opportunities.

The successful applicant will be jointly supervised by Dr. Andrew Storer and 
Dr. Yvette Dickinson.  
Interested candidates should contact Dr. Yvette Dickinson at yldic...@mtu.edu. 
Please include a CV, 
GPA, GRE scores (if available) and a written statement describing your research 
interests and previous 
research experience. Applicants should also initiate a free graduate school 
application at 
http://www.mtu.edu/gradschool/admissions/apply/. Review of applications will 
begin 1st December 2016, 
and continue until the position is filled.

[ECOLOG-L] Fish Ecologist Position Available (Seattle, WA)

[Carol Volk]

South Fork Research, Inc. is seeking a full-time fisheries ecologist to
join our small environmental consulting firm specializing in freshwater
ecology and monitoring/restoration of Pacific salmon and their habitat.  We
support many of our efforts through the development of fish life cycle
models, geospatial data and tools, and statistical models. We work
collaboratively with several groups as part of the Integrated Status and
Effectiveness Monitoring Program and Columbia Habitat Monitoring Programs.



The successful applicant will work as a lead fisheries biologist on life
cycle modeling and fish-habitat relationship projects and will also provide
support for related stream temperature and hydraulic modeling efforts.  The
position requires expertise in statistics (R preferred), familiarity with
databases (e.g. MS Access) and basic skills in ArcGIS. We seek applicants
demonstrating attention to detail, an enthusiasm for research and answering
management questions, excellent communication skills, and strong technical
writing skills.  A MS or PhD in fisheries, biology or ecology is required.



The position will remain open until filled but preference will be given to
applications received by 11/07/2016.  Please submit a cover letter, resume,
a short writing sample, and contact information for 2 professional
references. The cover letter should describe your interest in the position
and a brief summary of your most relevant experiences and qualifications.
Please submit application materials and questions to
ca...@southforkresearch.org.

-- 
---
Carol Volk
South Fork Research, Inc.
44842 SE 145th St
North Bend, WA 98045
ph: 206-240-0301
ca...@southforkresearch.org

[ECOLOG-L] Lecture-Track Faculty Position in Environmental Field Teaching, Emory University

[Berry Brosi]

The Department of Environmental Sciences at Emory University, Atlanta, GA, 
seeks applicants for a 
full-time lecture-track position (Lecturer) with a focus on field teaching, 
beginning Fall 2017. We are 
open to a wide range of disciplinary or interdisciplinary academic backgrounds 
relevant to field 
teaching in environmental sciences, geosciences, ecology, or related fields. 
The successful candidate 
will have a Ph.D. granted by the time of the offer letter and demonstrate a 
commitment to excellence 
in undergraduate teaching in an innovative interdisciplinary environment.

The successful applicant will advise students and teach introductory and 
upper-level undergraduate 
courses with a focus on teaching outdoor-based courses. Such courses could take 
place in and 
around the Emory campus—which has excellent resources for field teaching—as 
well as further afield, 
from the state of Georgia to around the world. We particularly welcome 
applicants with field-based 
research experience with undergraduate students, and interest or experience in 
community 
engagement and/or discipline-based education research. We also encourage 
applications from 
candidates with a strong track record of teaching and mentoring students from 
under-represented 
groups.

The initial appointment will be made for a period of three years with potential 
for promotion to Senior 
Lecturer after 6 years (in exceptional cases candidates could be considered at 
this rank). Please see: 
http://college.emory.edu/home/administration/policy/lecturer.html for details 
about lecture-track 
appointments at Emory.

The successful candidate will join a friendly and cohesive faculty group of 
tenure-track and lecture-
track faculty (http://www.emory.edu/ENVS/) and will be expected to contribute 
to the academic life 
of the department, the College of Arts and Sciences, and the University through 
service and academic 
committees.

Applicants should submit a cover letter; CV; two-page teaching statement; and 
the names and contact 
information of three references. Submit all application materials via 
Interfolio 
(http://apply.interfolio.com/37109). Evaluation of candidates will begin on 
November 14, 2016 and 
will continue until the position is filled; applications received up to 30 days 
after review begins will be 
given full consideration. Questions related to the position (but not 
application materials) should be 
addressed to: envs.sea...@emory.edu.

Geoscience-focused applicants may also be interested to apply to a different 
position in 
Environmental Sciences / Geosciences at Emory University’s Oxford campus, 40 
miles east of Atlanta: 
https://sjobs.brassring.com/1033/ASP/TG/cim_jobdetail.asp?
partnerid=25066=5449=65862br.

Emory is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action/Disability/Veteran employer. 
Women, minorities, 
persons with disabilities and veterans are particularly encouraged to apply.

[ECOLOG-L] Job: Mountain Research Initiative – Executive Dir ector (80%)

[David Inouye]

 Call for applications: Mountain Research Initiative – Executive
 Director (80%)



JOB DESCRIPTION

The Director of the Mountain Research Initiative (MRI) manages the 
Coordination Office with vision and innovative spirit, promoting 
research collaboration and scientific community development in the 
domain of sustainable mountain development at local, regional and global 
levels. Through targeted funding as well as communications and 
administrative support, the Office implements projects that link diverse 
researchers, explore areas of mutual interest, and generate common 
action. It keeps the research community informed, and works with 
research organizations and funding agencies to ensure that mountain 
topics are recognized and addressed.


The MRI Director is a 80% position under a fixed-duration contract (up 
to 3 years and renewable, dependent on funding) with the University of 
Bern and subject to the regulations of the Civil Service of the Canton 
of Bern. The position will be available on 1 April 2017. Other start 
dates can be negotiated.



RESPONSIBILITIES

 * Execute MRI’s current program with significant scientific guidance:
   supporting the development of mountain observations; promote common
   understanding of mountain social-ecological systems; sustain a
   coherent, interactive research community; identify and foster
   critical research; enhance the visibility of mountain concerns
   within existing scientific organizations and events.
 * Monitor MRI’s strategic environment to identify and pursue
   opportunities for promoting and implementing MRI’s vision: maintain
   appropriate relationships with major national, regional and global
   research funding programs and research institutions, as well as
   Swiss funding, research and government organizations; draft funding
   proposals as necessary to support MRI’s activities; and advocate for
   the mountain research community in relevant research and policy arenas.
 * Support the Initiative’s Science Leadership Council (SLC) through
   information, consultation, periodic meetings, and assist SLC members
   to promote and coordinate global change research in mountain regions.
 * Manage MRI funding: develop budgets, oversee disbursements and
   verify financial reports; and develop other reports for funding and
   control agencies
 * Supervise staff; comply with the host institution’s regulations.


QUALIFICATIONS

 * Five or more years of experience in senior strategic, operational,
   financial, and human resources management of interna tional
   scientific programs.
 * Demonstrated scientific track record illustrating commitment to
   mountain regions and peoples.
 * Familiarity with Swiss and international mountain policy processes
   and institutions; existing network of contacts.
 * Excellent intercultural communication, interpersonal and
   presentation skills.
 * Spoken and written proficiency in German or French and English.


HOW TO APPLY:
Interested candidates are invited to submit a full CV and letter of 
intent to rolf.weingart...@giub.unibe.ch by November 15, 2016. Please 
send all documents in one pdf file only.




Yours sincerely,

Prof. Dr. Rolf Weingartner
Chair of the Mountain Research Initiative


The Mountain Research Initiative

c/o Institute of Geography

University of Bern, Switzerland
m...@giub.unibe.ch

http://mri.scnatweb.ch

[ECOLOG-L] MS- Behavioral Ecology of livebearing fish, Texas State University

[Caitlin Gabor]

BEHAVIORAL ECOLOGY OF LIVEBEARING FISH

Teaching Assistantship for M. S.

Applications are being sought from students with grit and optimism that wish
to pursue a Masters degree in Population and Conservation Biology. Students
should also have both curiosity and zest about studying various aspects of
the behavior ecology of native and introduced mosquitofish and/or sailfin
and Amazon mollies starting spring 2017. San Marcos River has both native
(Gambusia geiseri) and introduced (G. affinis) species of mosquitofish
providing opportunities to ask conservation type questions. Amazon mollies,
Poecilia formosa, are a unisexual (all female) species that are essentially
sexual parasites as they require sperm from the closely related bisexual
sailfin molly, P. latipinna, and Atlantic molly, P. mexicana, but don’t use
it to fertilize their eggs. In both systems questions about speciation and
species recognition abound. We can offer an Instructional Assistant
(teaching labs) for the length of your degree. See
http://gabor.wp.txstate.edu/ for details about our lab and our research
interests.

The Department of Biology offers a strong environment for training students
in conservation and evolutionary ecology. The Masters program in Population
and Conservation Biology would be the best fit for such an applicant. For
program information see
http://www.bio.txstate.edu/Graduate-Programs/pop-and-con-biology.html.

Interested students should send an email with a statement of interest that
includes a summary of topics you might be interested in working on in my lab
and your long term goals/interests. Please include a copy of your CV,
relevant coursework, GRE, and any other relevant experience to Caitlin Gabor
by email (gabor at txstate.edu). Reference letters for top candidates will
be solicited at a later date. Applications will be reviewed as they come in.
Applications to our Masters program are evaluated on a rolling basis so it
is possible to start spring 2017.

Re: [ECOLOG-L] Introducing Cool Beans Research

[Jason Hernandez]

Looks like a valuable project. We may hope similar principles will soon also be 
applied to shade grown cacao. 

One thing I have noticed, though, that puts a bit of a damper on my enthusiasm 
for bird friendly coffee: in the countries where it is grown, the local people 
mostly drink Nescafe. I think that any solution to that problem will be more 
economic than scientific. Still, I acknowledge the good in having the shade 
grown option for those of us privileged to choose it; that is better than it 
not existing at all. 

Jason Hernandez 
Tropical Permaculturist


Date:    Thu, 13 Oct 2016 21:33:48 -0400
From:    =?windows-1252?Q?Heather_Kostick?= 
Subject: Introducing Cool Beans Research

Cool Beans Research is a non-profit research group aimed at putting the 
bird-friendliness back in bird-friendly coffee. Our small but mighty team 
currently consists of Dr. Doug Tallamy (University of Delaware), Heather 
Kostick (Prospective PhD Student at Univ. of Del., and current Masters 
candidate at Penn), and Brad Powell (webmaster extraordinaire).

We're looking to raise awareness and funds for our research!

52% of US citizens are coffee drinkers, and 17% of US citizens are birders - if 
you fit into either (or both!) of those categories, then this research should 
interested you! Help Cool Beans Research be at the forefront of bird-friendly, 
shade-grown coffee research.


Website: http://coolbeansresearch.org/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CoolBeansResearch/=20


Non-profit purpose: To learn which shade tree species used by coffee=20
growers throughout Central and South America actually produce the=20
insects required to sustain wintering and local birds within coffee=20
farms. This information is essential for coffee growers to increase the=20=

conservation effectiveness of their farms. If all trees produced insects=20=

in equal abundance and diversity, this would be unnecessary, but there=20=

are huge differences in how well trees produce the insects birds require=20=

(Tallamy & Shropshire 2009, Burghardt et al 2010). Non-native trees=20=

support fewer insects than natives because local insects have not=20
adapted to the novel phytochemical defenses of introduced trees. Yet=20
even native trees differ widely in their ability to produce insects used=20=

by birds. Using common-garden experiments and bird foraging surveys on=20=

cooperator farms in Central and South America, we will evaluate for the=20=

first time the bird friendliness of regionally favorite shade tree=20
species. We have studies currently under way on four farms in Nicaragua=20=

and Colombia for this purpose.

Thank you for your time!