[ECOLOG-L] Two postdoc positions, Sustainable Pastures and Climate Extremes, Australia

[David Inouye]

We are seeking to appoint two dynamic post-doctoral researchers to 
academic Level A positions in the Hawkesbury Institute for the 
Environment at Western Sydney University in Australia. These full-time 
Postdoctoral Fellowship, initially for a period of 2.5 years each, will 
focus on research related to a major new research program “Sustainable 
Pastures and Climate Extremes (PACE)”, funded by Meat and Livestock 
Australia.


Applicants for the first position should have a strong background and 
expertise in plant physiological ecology and/or ecosystem ecology and 
will conduct research into the physiological and ecological responses of 
key pasture species to elevated temperature and shifts in rainfall 
regimes, in a new, large scale field manipulation experiment. Key aims 
are to: 1) Evaluate the productivity and performance of native- and 
non-native grass and legume species, and legume-rhizobium combinations, 
under extreme climatic conditions and; 2) Identify the underlying 
mechanisms and plant functional traits associated with resistance and 
resilience to climate extremes.


http://www.nature.com/naturejobs/science/jobs/613323-postdoctoral-research-fellow-in-pastures-and-climate-extremes-plant-ecology


Applicants for the second position should have expertise in soil 
biology, rhizosphere ecology and/or microbial ecology and will 
undertake research into plant-soil interactions and belowground 
mechanisms driving responses of pasture species to climate extremes, in 
both field and glasshouse experiments.


http://www.nature.com/naturejobs/science/jobs/613325-postdoctoral-research-fellow-in-pastures-and-climate-extremes-plant-soil-interactions

Salary range $87,666 to $93,008 AUD

Closing date 17th May 2017.

Further details available via the links above, or by email to: 
s.po...@westernsydney.edu.au 

[ECOLOG-L] ASSOCIATE SPECIALIST – PHYTOREMEDIATION ECOLOGY – DEPARTMENT OF PLANT AND MICROBIAL BIOLOGY

[Lara Reichmann]

ASSOCIATE SPECIALIST, STEP I to IV – PHYTOREMEDIATION ECOLOGY – 
DEPARTMENT OF PLANT AND MICROBIAL BIOLOGY

The Terry Lab in the Department of Plant & Microbial Biology at the University 
of 
California, Berkeley has an opening for an Associate Specialist to join a 
multidisciplinary 
team that is working on developing effective phytoremediation technologies for 
the 
cleanup of sites contaminated with petroleum hydrocarbons, PAHs, heavy metals. 
The 
successful candidate will be responsible for performing field and laboratory 
research 
using plants to facilitate the degradation and removal of petroleum 
hydrocarbons. 
Duties also include training and mentoring undergraduate students, postdocs, 
and 
other lab personnel in experimental techniques and data analysis, participation 
in group 
meetings and seminars, and preparation of research presentations and 
publications. 
The successful candidate will also assist in preparing grant proposals and 
progress 
reports, maintaining the chemical inventory, and purchasing lab supplies. More 
information regarding the Terry lab can be found at http://terrylab.berkeley.edu

BASIC QUALIFICATIONS (By Time of Application)
• Candidates must have a Bachelor’s Degree or equivalent degree in Plant 
Ecology or 
related field

ADDITIONAL QUALIFICATIONS (By Start Date)
• 5+ years’ experience in Plant Ecophysiology and Ecosystem Ecology
• Experience in preparation of scientific publications
• Demonstrated collaborative and communication skills applicable to academic 
research

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS (By Start Date)
• PhD or equivalent degree in Plant Ecology or related field

APPOINTMENT
This position will report to Professor Norman Terry. The appointment will be 
full-time 
with an approximate start date of September 1, 2017. The initial appointment is 
for 12 
months, with renewal based on performance and funding.

TO APPLY: Visit: https://aprecruit.berkeley.edu/apply/JPF01363

[ECOLOG-L] post doctoral position

[Stephan Munch]

Title: Postdoc/Project Scientist: Quantitative Ecology (University of 
California, Santa Cruz)

The Institute of Marine Sciences at the University of California, Santa 
Cruz (UCSC) invites applications for the position of Project Scientist to 
conduct original research on the response of anadromous salmonid 
populations to climate change, under the direction of Dr. Benjamin Martin 
at the National Marine Fisheries Service.
 
Predicting how species will respond to climate change is a central 
challenge in ecology. For highly migratory species, such as Pacific salmon 
and other anadromous fishes, such predictions are especially challenging, 
as individuals of these species move through a sequence of dynamic 
environments over the course of their life cycle. A common way to deal with 
such complexity has been to reduce it, for example by evaluating the effect 
of riverine conditions (e.g. temperature and flow) at specific points in 
time and space on particular populations or life-stages. This project will 
take a different approach by considering the entirety of the abiotic 
landscape in space and time over which anadromous salmonid populations must 
complete their lifecycles. The overarching question motivating this work 
is, what are the abiotic conditions required in space and time for various 
anadromous salmonid life histories to persist? Furthermore, how have 
changes in spatial-temporal signature of abiotic conditions due to 
anthropogenic and climatic influences affected the status anadromous 
salmonid populations?

To address these questions the Project Scientist, in collaboration with 
scientists at UCSC and the National Marine Fisheries Service will construct 
spatial-temporal maps of abiotic conditions in streams throughout North 
America’s western coast. The Project Scientist will use these maps as the 
basis for phenomenological (e.g. image analysis/machine learning) and/or 
process-based (e.g. dynamic programming) models to identify the conditions 
required in space and time for salmonid populations to complete their life 
cycles. Duties include compiling and analyzing data, developing statistical 
and/or process based models, and disseminating results in the form of 
refereed journal publications and/or meeting presentations and seminars. 
Preferred qualifications include experience in data compilation and 
management of large datasets; performing meta-analysis/macroecological 
analysis or quantitative synthetic analyses; familiarity with geographic 
information systems and stream temperature modeling; and a strong 
quantitative background with a demonstrated ability to learn and apply new 
computational, statistical, and mathematical skills as needed.

RANK: Assistant-Associate Project Scientist
 
SALARY: $55,000 minimum starting salary, commensurate with qualifications 
and experience
 
BASIC QUALIFICATIONS:
§  Ph.D. or foreign equivalent in Quantitative Ecology, Fisheries, 
Macroecology, Ecophysiology or a related field
§  Documented experience writing scientific manuscripts
§  Documented experience programming in R, Python or MATLAB
 
POSITION AVAILABLE: As soon as possible
 
TERM OF APPOINTMENT: The appointment is for two years, with funding 
expiring July 2019. Should the hiring unit propose reappointment; a review 
to assess performance will be conducted. Reappointment is also contingent 
upon availability of funding.

TO APPLY: Applications are accepted via the UCSC Academic Recruit online 
system, and must include the following items: 1) letter of application that 
addresses how you meet the qualifications;  2) Curriculum Vitae; 3) a 
summary of your research; 4) one to two representative scientific 
manuscripts (drafts of manuscripts in review are also acceptable); and 5) 
the names and email addresses for three references (confidential letters of 
recommendation* will be sought for applicants who are under serious 
consideration). Documents/materials must be submitted as PDF files.

 
APPLY AT https://recruit.ucsc.edu/apply/JPF00446
Refer to Position #JPF00446-17T in all correspondence.
*All letters will be treated as confidential per University of California 
policy and California state law. For any reference letter provided via a 
third party (i.e., dossier service, career center), direct the author to 
UCSC’s confidentiality statement at http://apo.ucsc.edu/confstm.htm.
 
CLOSING DATE: Review of applications will begin on May 17, 2017. To ensure 
full consideration, applications should be complete and letters of 
recommendation received by this date. The position will remain open until 
filled, but not later than 6/30/2018.

[ECOLOG-L] Prof. Science Masters in Envtl Mgmt and Sustainability Deadline May 15

[Peter Beck]

The Fall 2017 application deadline is approaching for the Professional Science 
Master’s in Environmental Management and Sustainability at St. Edward’s 
University in Austin, Texas.  This program prepares future environmental 
managers to manage ecological issues through the combined disciplines of 
environmental science and project management. The program has been designed to 
provide students with an in-depth knowledge of ecosystems and to enhance their 
ability to apply tools and methods for assessing the effects of an increasing 
human impact of ecosystems. Project management and Geographic Information 
Systems software will be used to help design, implement and evaluate a research 
project in environmental management.  Field research components at St. Edward’s 
Wild Basin Wilderness Preserve and three biological research stations in Costa 
Rica provide each student with the opportunity to conduct fieldwork in four 
different ecosystems in two different countries.  The curriculum consists of 
three semesters of coursework at St. Edward’s University in Austin, Texas, a 
one-month field research course in Costa Rica in the summer after the first 
year and either a required internship or a funded field research project in 
Costa Rica supported through an NSF IRES grant, during the spring of the second 
year of the program.  

Deadline May 15

For program information contact Dr. Peter Beck or visit 
https://www.stedwards.edu/academics/masters/sustainability


-- 
Peter Beck, PhD 
Associate Professor and Coordinator of Environmental Science and Policy 
Director, PSM in Environmental Management and Sustainability 
St. Edward's University 
3001 S. Congress Ave.
Austin, TX  78704
Office: 512-428-1249

[ECOLOG-L] New grant resources for wildlife & gardens +

[Angela Braren]

Hi ECOLOGers,

New grant resources for you:

   1. 10 Wildlife Grants Your Nonprofit Should Be Applying for this Summer
    - species and habitat conservation grants
   eligible to nonprofits & some also for individuals.
   2. 7 Small Grants for Garden & Horticulture Programs
    - if any of you are working on community
   gardens, green spaces, neighborhood beautification, etc

Many of you are probably applying for a Disney Conservation Fund Grant this
fall. American Bird Observatory and Arroyos & Foothills Conservancy won in
2016 (along with dozens of others).

They shared their insights on what they think it takes to win - read more
here: How Great Storytellers Win Disney Grants 

Hope these resources are helpful!

Angela



--
Angela Braren
Cofounder Instrumentl
www.instrumentl.com

For weekly tips & new grant announcements, join our newsletter

.

[ECOLOG-L] Job Announcement: Hawaii Field Technician

[Derek Hogan]

The Blum Lab in the Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology at
Tulane University invites applications for a full-time research
associate positions to start in Spring/Summer 2017. We are looking for
enthusiastic, conscientious and highly self-motivated individuals to
work on a project investigating the consequences of aquatic invasive
species (AIS) removal for native Hawaiian stream fishes.
The Incumbent, who will be based on Oahu in Hawaii, will participate in
field surveys and related work to support genes-to-ecosystem assessments
of at-risk species responses to AIS removal. The incumbent also will
contribute to data input and analysis for project reports and peer-
review publications.
Prior experience participating in or leading field research is desired.
Successful applicants will be expected to work independently and
collaboratively as an active member of a large research group. The
incumbent must be able to conduct stream-based field work, such as
snorkel surveys, in sometimes remote locations and in variable weather
conditions.
We are particularly interested in applicants that have experience with
Hawaiian stream ecosystems, including but not limited to AIS and native
amphidromous fauna. Strong written, verbal and analytical skills are
essential. A Bachelor’s degree or higher in ecology or a related field
is also desired.
We highly encourage Hawaiian residents and Pacific Islanders to apply.
The appointment will be for eight (8) months. Salary will be
commensurate with experience and qualifications.
A PDF-format application package including (1) a letter of interest; (2)
a curriculum vitae detailing past research experience and educational
training; and (3) contact information for three professional references
should be submitted via e-mail to Ms. Shelley Meaux (sme...@tulane.edu).
Please write “Hawaii research associate position" in the subject line.
For earliest consideration, apply by 15 May 2017. Applications will be
accepted until the position is filled.
Tulane University is an Affirmative Action/Equal Employment
Opportunity/ADA Employer. Women and minorities are encouraged to apply.

[ECOLOG-L] Career Related Questions

[Angela Trenkle]

Hello everyone,
   I graduated in 2012 and despite having a solid background and lots of
experience in the sciences, I have had a tough time finding a full time
permanent position with benefits. I had a couple of questions

1.  I am possibly looking into going more of the
marketing/communications/technical writing track but with a science focus
or organization. Does anyone have any recommendations or tips regarding
this?
2. Tips for gaining experience in molecular biology/genetics?

Thanks in advance,
Angela Trenkle
angelatren...@gmail.com

[ECOLOG-L] ESA 2017 Annual Meeting: Latebreaking abstracts due Thursday, May 4th

[Jennifer Riem]

2017 ESA Annual Meeting: Last chance to submit an abstract for Portland!
Deadline: May 4 at 5:00 PM Eastern (2:00 PM Pacific)

We invite Latebreaking poster abstracts for ESA's 2017 Annual Meeting in 
Portland,
Oregon. All abstracts accepted from this call will be presented on Friday 
morning,
August 11th.

This year's theme is "Linking biodiversity, material cycling and ecosystem 
services
in a changing world."

Although abstract proposals related to the meeting's theme are encouraged, any 
timely
and coherent subject of broad interest to ecologists will be considered.
Abstracts must be submitted through the online form by Thursday, May 4 at
5:00 PM Eastern Time (2:00 Pacific). No late or emailed abstracts will be 
considered.
For more information visit: http://www.esa.org/portland/

If you have any questions, please contact the Program Chair, Christopher Swan
(chris.s...@umbc.edu) or the Science Programs Coordinator, Jennifer Riem 
(jenni...@esa.org).

Registration and housing for meeting attendees will open soon.

[ECOLOG-L] One Health Program Director

[David Inouye]

Dear Sir or Madam,

Tufts University's partner institution, the University of Global Health 
Equity (www.ughe.org ), has an exciting new 
position open: One Health Program Director. They are particularly 
interested in individuals with a background in environmental health, 
climate science, environmental science, and/or ecology. Here is the link 
to their careers page  and the posting 
 itself. The text 
of the position announcement is pasted below. Please note that the 
successful applicant may be eligible for adjunct appointment at Tufts as 
well.


Your assistance in spreading the word as we help them search for 
excellent candidates is greatly appreciated!


Sincerely,
Jeanne


   One Health Program Director

University of Global Health Equity (UGHE)  Kigali, Rwanda


Apply 


 Description

*Position Title:* One Health Program Director

*Reports to: *University of Global Health Equity (UGHE), Academic Director

*Location:* Kigali, Rwanda

The University of Global Health Equity (UGHE) is a new kind of 
university focused on training the next generation of global leaders in 
health care delivery. The university launched in Rwanda in September 
2015 with its inaugural and flagship degree program; the Master of 
Science in Global Health Delivery (MGHD). With innovative curricula that 
incorporate the latest advances in education technology, UGHE will offer 
undergraduate and graduate programs in medicine, nursing, and dentistry, 
alongside the MGHD. Through academic experiences uniquely rooted in the 
principles of equity, students are empowered to ease suffering at the 
bedside and to drive transformational, systemic changes to the health 
system.


The MGHD cuts across traditional academic boundaries to provide students 
with a foundation in global health, One Health, epidemiology, 
management, leadership, policy and biosocial approaches. Current MGHD 
students come from a variety of health disciplines and include 
physicians, nurses, pharmacists, veterinarians, agricultural scientists, 
NGO managers, and public servants. The program enables working 
professionals to leverage academic resources grounded in implementation 
science to solve complex global health challenges. The MGHD trains 
leaders skilled in multifaceted and evidence-based approaches to improve 
health in Rwanda and beyond, and it will complement all UGHE degree 
programs. UGHE seeks a One Health Program Director (OHPD) to support the 
establishment and success of the One Health programming at UGHE.


Members of the UGHE community are tenacious and resolute in their drive 
to attain social justice, make common cause with those in need, and 
listen to and learn from others. We operate with honesty and humility as 
we uphold academic integrity and intellectual curiosity. UGHE seeks 
individuals committed to these values to join the team.


*Position Summary*

The One Health Program Director (OHPD), in close collaboration with the 
UGHE Teaching and Learning Team, will support the establishment and 
success of One Health programming at UGHE. The OHPD will have 
demonstrated training, experiences and capabilities to lead One Health 
programming at UGHE, and the ability to effectively manage its various 
components including organizational, academic, and administrative. The 
OHPD will oversee the development and implementation of the One Health 
Collaborative (a consortium of institutions vested in One Health), 
implement comprehensive One Health curricula at UGHE, and support the 
establishment of a One Health research program at UGHE. As a new 
university committed to providing an unmatched academic experience 
rooted in Global Health delivery and equity, UGHE seeks a visionary 
leader with a robust research and education portfolio. S/he will have 
experience in research, program management, curriculum design, and 
innovative instructional approaches. S/he will be familiar with relevant 
fields such as Planetary Health, EcoHealth, and Ecosystem Health.


The successful candidate may be eligible for an adjunct faculty 
appointment at the Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts 
University, a UGHE partner.


*Specific Responsibilities*

/Program Management (40%)/

Strategically direct and continuously improve the One Health programming 
for UGHE and cultivate partnerships with other institutions:


 * Direct the One Health programming, including the establishment and
   continuous development of research programs.
 * Manage the annual budget and resource mobilization for the One
   Health programming, prepare and submit grant applications to
   external funding sources, coordinate reporting to external funders,
   and manage financial approvals and other financial processes.
 * Oversee the creation of a UGHE 

[ECOLOG-L] Geoscience internship with NPS in Anchorage, AK

[Miller, Amy]

Title: Water Quality Analysis Internship in Alaska

Agency: National Park Service

Location: Anchorage, Alaska

Website: https://www.nps.gov/subjects/geoscientistsinparks/index.htm

To Apply: https://rock.geosociety.org/eo/GeoCorpsJobDescriptions_gip.asp 
(scroll to bottom)

Salary: $7,000 for 20 weeks ($350/week)

Housing Allowance: $2,950 for 20 weeks ($147.50/week)

Travel Allowance: $1,000.00 (for non-Alaska residents) 

Start Date: 10/30/2017 (flexible)

End Date: 3/16/2018 (flexible)

Application Period: 5/1/2017 - 6/30/2017

Position Description: 
The National Park Service's Southwest Alaska Network (SWAN) is seeking an 
intern to help finalize, summarize, and analyze vertical profile data from 
several large lakes in southwest Alaska, and to convey the results in a 
formal technical report. Specific tasks of this position will be to: (1) 
finalize the data via uploading, correcting, and grading them in a database 
called AQUARIUS; (2) produce summary statistics for the data using AQUARIUS 
and R; (3) assess status for select water temperature variables at a range 
of depths and time scales; (4) assess trend for select water temperature 
variables via seasonal Kendall analyses in R; and (5) document findings on 
status and trend in a publishable report. Time permitting, the intern will 
use ArcGIS and R to contribute to an ongoing analysis, the objective of 
which is to quantitatively link water temperatures in lakes with water 
temperatures in rivers downstream, in order to examine whether temperature 
fluctuations in rivers follow upwelling in lakes caused by wind events.

This position is offered through the National Park Service's Geoscientists-
in-the-Parks (GIP) Internship Program in partnership with Stewards 
Individual Placement Program (Stewards) and The Geological Society of 
America (GSA). Upon successful completion of the GIP internship, the 
participant is eligible for an AmeriCorps Education Award.

Work Products:
• Uploaded, corrected, and graded data for six temperature arrays, made 
publicly available through the NPS database, AQUARIUS;
• Tabular and graphical summaries of water temperature variables derived 
from the temperature array data;
• Technical report documenting status and trend of water temperature 
variables, intended for publication in the NPS Natural Resource Report 
series;
• R code created during the course of the project, fully commented for 
transparency; and
• Intermediate data sets generated during the course of the project.

Qualifications:
Applicants must have strong backgrounds in data analysis, as demonstrated 
through coursework in statistics, applied mathematics, ecological modeling, 
etc. Applicants must also be proficient at programming in R. Experience 
communicating scientific information verbally and in writing and the 
ability to work independently and meet agreed upon deadlines are also 
required. Experience with Arc GIS is helpful but not required.

GIP participants are considered AmeriCorps members: AmeriCorps limits the 
number of terms an individual can serve to 4 terms. If an applicant has 
previously completed 4 GIP or other AmeriCorps positions, he/she will not 
be eligible to apply for an additional GIP position.

The applicant must be a U.S. citizen or U.S. permanent legal resident 
(“green-card-holder”) between the ages of 18 and 35 years old. Prior to 
starting this position a government security background clearance will be 
required.

Contact: Krista Bartz (krista_ba...@nps.gov)

[ECOLOG-L] Careers webinar for biologists

[Julie Palakovich Carr]

The American Institute of Biological Sciences will be offering a free
webinar on careers that scientists can pursue in the legal and policy space.

The one-hour program will be held on Thursday, 11 May 2017 at 1:00 pm
Eastern Time.

During this program, panelists will share experiences and insights about
their career paths in the pharmaceutical/biotechnology industry and at law
and healthcare consulting firms. Panelists will provide practical tips
helpful to those interested in potentially working in these exciting and
rapidly growing arenas.

Learn more and register at
https://www.aibs.org/events/webinar/law-and-policy-related-career-paths-for-biologists.html
.

Julie Palakovich Carr
Public Policy Manager
American Institute of Biological Sciences
1201 New York Avenue, NW
Suite 420
Washington, DC 20005
202-568-8117
www.aibs.org

-- 
This message is confidential and should only be read by its intended 
recipients. 
If you have received it in error, please notify the sender and delete all 
copies.

[ECOLOG-L] Ornithological Congress of the Americas: 8-11 August 2017

[Valentina Ferretti]

We invite you to attend the *Ornithological Congress of the Americas*
in *Puerto
Iguazú, Argentina, 8–11 August, 2017*. Puerto Iguazú is located in the
heart of the interior Atlantic Forest and is the portal to the Iguazú
Falls, one of the world’s Seven Natural Wonders and a UNESCO World Heritage
Site. The area surrounding Puerto Iguazú, the province of Misiones and
neighboring regions of Paraguay and Brazil—in addition to its many scenic
attractions and natural areas like Iguazú National Park—offers unique
opportunities for birdwatching. Over 500 species have been recorded,
including many Atlantic Forest endemics like the Blue Manakin (*Chiroxiphia
caudata*), the emblem of our congress. This is the first meeting organized
by the Association of Field Ornithologists
,
Sociedade Brasileira de Ornitologia
,
and Aves Argentinas

and promises to be an outstanding professional experience for both students
and researchers. The congress will feature workshops, symposia, over 250
scientific presentations, and 7 world-renowned plenary speakers! Finally,
join us in the celebration of the 100 years of Aves Argentinas, which
promises to be a gala event.

Registration is now open! Early bird registration and abstract submission
close on 30 May. Conference website: http://www.afonet.org/2017iguazu/

[ECOLOG-L] PhD opportunity at The University of Arizona

[Joseph Blankinship]

PhD Opportunity at The University of Arizona

The Blankinship Laboratory of Biogeochemistry in the Department of Soil,
Water, and Environmental Science at the University of Arizona is seeking a
PhD student. The student will tackle challenges related to soil carbon (C)
storage and soil health. The student will be expected to: 1) play a
leadership role in a global data synthesis to unravel mechanisms of soil
organic matter stabilization and destabilization, and 2) develop strategies
and a scientific basis for field projects aiming to accelerate soil organic
matter stabilization and improve soil health. The ideal student will have a
strong passion for and a bachelor’s and/or master’s degree in soil science,
biogeochemistry, ecosystem ecology, or a related field. The student should
have strong data analysis skills, laboratory and/or field experience
collecting environmental data, and excitement for connecting science to
societal challenges.

The University of Arizona is located in beautiful Tucson near abundant field
sites including the Catalina-Jemez Critical Zone Observatory, Santa Rita
Experimental Range, Maricopa Agricultural Center, and Biosphere II. To
apply, please send a: 1) letter of interest, 2) curriculum vitae, and 3)
contact information for three references to jblankins...@email.arizona.edu.
Please type “Soil Carbon PhD Opportunity” in the subject line. The deadline
for applications is May 5 with a preferred start date on or before August 1.
For more information, please contact Dr. Joseph Blankinship at the email
address above.

[ECOLOG-L] ESA 2017 Session on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Servi ces – Speaker Needed

[Jiangxiao Qiu]

​Because of the last minute cancellation, we have an opening in our
organized oral session on biodiversity and ecosystem services in the 2017
Ecological Society of America (ESA) Annual Meeting to be held on 6 – 11
August, 2017 in Portland, OR (http://www.esa.org/portland/). Thus, we are
soliciting talks that are relevant to this session. Please find the session
details in the following:



If you are interested in presenting your research as part of our
​​
session, please send a title and abstract to: Jiangxiao Qiu (q...@ufl.edu)
by *4 PM EST, Wednesday, May 10, 2017*. Preferences will be given to talks
that align well with the description of the session. Thanks!



Title: *Understanding the Relationships between Biodiversity and Ecosystem
Services at the Scale of Real-World Landscapes*



Slot: 1:30 PM – 5:00 PM, Wednesday, August 9, 2017



Session Description:

Human actions are causing rapid biodiversity declines worldwide. Recent
global assessments reveal that over 75% of species have been lost in the
most severely human-impacted ecosystems, and current rates of species
extinction are ~ 100 to 1000 times faster than background rates observed in
the fossil record. There is now a general consensus that biodiversity loss
is altering fundamental processes that underlie the production of ecosystem
goods and services essential for human wellbeing (e.g., food, timber, clean
air and water). However, most of this consensus has been built from
experiments performed at relatively small spatial scales over short
time-frames – scales that suffer from a lack of realism and match poorly
with the scales at which human actions, conservation policy and management
decisions take place. Ecological theory and recent empirical studies
suggest that the relationships between biodiversity and ecosystem services
might differ fundamentally in large-scale, real-world landscapes from those
revealed in small-scale, controlled experiments. At present, such knowledge
is scattered across studies from a range of different systems and ecosystem
services. In response to these research needs, we propose an Organized Oral
Session to advance our mechanistic understanding of how biodiversity
changes in real-world landscapes may alter the provision of ecosystem
services that directly affect human wellbeing. Specifically, this session
will bring together knowledge from different systems (e.g., agricultural,
urban, forest, marine, etc.) using a diversity of approaches including
field studies, modelling, and data synthesis. We aim to (1) synthesize
commonalities while addressing variations in biodiversity effects on
ecosystem services across different systems; (2) identify general patterns
of biodiversity effects on different types of ecosystem services (i.e.,
provisioning, regulating and cultural services); (3) compare and infer how
the effects of biodiversity might scale up from small experiments to
real-world landscapes with greater spatial and temporal heterogeneity; and
(4) shed light on the role of abiotic and human factors (e.g., landscape
management, temperature, nutrients) in mediating mechanistic linkages
between biodiversity and ecosystem services. Insights from this session
will help identify research priorities that will inform conservation
strategies, management and policy initiatives to sustain biodiversity and
ecosystem goods and services at landscape scales in the Anthropocene.



Thank you!



Session Organizers
Jiangxiao Qiu, Matthew Mitchell​

[ECOLOG-L] Landscape-scale biodiversity effects PhD position - Univ. Zurich, Switzerland

[Pascal Niklaus]

We are seeking a PhD student with a background (MSc degree) in ecology,
biology, environmental sciences, or a closely related discipline. The
successful applicant will be based at the Department of Evolutionary Biology
and Environmental Studies of the University of Zurich, Switzerland, and
appointed for four years.

Research of the past decades has made clear that ecosystems provide services
to humans that are of enormous economic value. At the same time, experiments
have shown that biodiversity matters for ecosystem functioning. However,
this evidence stems from relatively small and artificial setups. It thus
currently remains unclear whether the mechanisms identified also operate in
real-world ecosystems and to which extent their functioning is threatened by
biodiversity loss.

The successful candidate will analyze biodiversity-ecosystem functioning
relations at the landscape scale. The analysis will span sites in a range of
biomes distributed around the globe, and make use of existing ground-based
and remotely-sensed data on the diversity of ecosystems and their
functioning. The broader objective of the study is to evaluate how
mechanisms change with scale, and whether and how biodiversity matters for
landscape-scale functioning.

We are looking for highly motivated, enthusiastic, and independent
applicants with a MSc degree ecology, biology, environmental sciences, or a
closely related discipline. The successful candidate will have a strong
interest in ecological questions and data analysis, and in work across
disciplines. Although training will be provided, prior experience in
statistical data analysis, the processing of large data sets, or in
programming are an asset. A high standard of written and spoken English is
required.

The successful applicant will be supported and supervised by Pascal Niklaus
(http://www.ieu.uzh.ch/en/staff/member/niklaus_pascal.html), together with
Florian Altermatt
(http://www.ieu.uzh.ch/en/staff/member/altermatt_florian.html) and Bernhard
Schmid (http://www.ieu.uzh.ch/en/staff/member/schmid_bernhard.html).

The PhD project is part of the large interdisciplinary research programme
"Global Change and Biodiversity" of the University of Zurich, Switzerland
(http://www.gcb.uzh.ch). The programme offers exciting opportunities for
training and to interactions with other researchers, both within and across
disciplines.

Salaries will follow University of Zurich regulations and are in the range
of US$ 47000 to 5 p.a. The University of Zurich is the largest
University of Switzerland, and ranks on position 54 of the global Shanghai
University ranking. It offers outstanding work conditions, a high quality of
life in Zurich, and an excellent support environment.

To apply, please send a single pdf containing motivation letter, complete
CV, and the names of two references to pascal.nikl...@ieu.uzh.ch, with
subject URPP-GCB-PAN-17-01.

[ECOLOG-L] International Wetland Plant Project

[Marc Seelinger]

The Swamp School is sponsoring a new wetland plant inventory project and we 
need your help.  In the US we have a fairly comprehensive catalog of known and 
suspected wetland plants.  It was originally developed by the USFWS (US Fish 
and Wildlife Service) and is now managed by the USACOE (US Army Corps of 
Engineers).

However, internationally no such list exists.  As wetland programs evolve 
around the world the need to identify hydrophytes becomes more apparent. To 
that end, the Swamp School is hosting an international wetland plant database 
using the same ratings as the USACOE.

We are looking for volunteers to contribute to the database around the world.  
There is no cost to participate.  We have a detailed blog post that describes 
the program and how to register.

Blog Post:  http://swampschool.org/international-wetland-plant-project/

If you can help or if you know of someone who can help with this effort, please 
pass the word around.  We have also posted this information on Facebook if you 
wish to share that way.

Facebook Post: https://www.facebook.com/swampschool

Thanks in advance for any help you can offer!

Best,
Marc Seeligner
The Swamp School
SwampSchool.org