Field Talk » Evolution http://www.esa.org/fieldtalk audio interviews go into the field with ecologists Thu, 18 Apr 2013 22:08:18 +0000 en-US hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.5.1 2006-2007 podcast@esa.org (ESA Podcast) podcast@esa.org (ESA Podcast) ESA, Ecology, Environment, Beyond Frontier, Field Talks, The Ecologist Goes to Washington 1440 http://www.esa.org/podcast/images/esa_podcast_small.jpg Field Talk http://www.esa.org/fieldtalk 144 144 ESA Podcast: Field Talks, Beyond the Frontier, The Ecologist Goes to Washington Field Talk explores research results – and the stories of the ecologists behind them – from three of the Society’s journals: Ecology, Ecological Applications, and Ecological Monographs. ESA, Podcast, Field, Talks, Ecology, Environment, Frontiers, Environmental, Science, Ecological, Society, of ESA Podcast ESA Podcast podcast@esa.org no no Spearfishing to depletion in Chile http://www.esa.org/fieldtalk/spearfishing-to-depletion-in-chile/ http://www.esa.org/fieldtalk/spearfishing-to-depletion-in-chile/#comments Fri, 01 Oct 2010 20:19:43 +0000 liza http://www.esa.org/fieldtalk/?p=203 Spearfishers in Chile

Spearfishers in Chile

In theory, the evolution of scuba gear and wetsuits in spearfishing allow divers to produce a more abundant catch. However, Natalio Godoy from the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile and colleagues found that the spearfishers’ catches are becoming less diverse and abundant in the temperate reefs in northern and central Chile. The result, as they suggest in a recent study published in Ecological Applications, is likely due in part to the spearfishing activities themselves.

Godoy and colleagues used several methods to obtain information on the state of reef fish communities in Chile since records of spearfishing activities, and landing records specific to certain regions, are not required by the government. Therefore, the researchers examined data from nation-wide official landing records, the catch from the top 20 divers in the 1971 and 2004 world spearfishing championships and the perceptions of local spearfishers.

They found that the average mass of reef fish captured decreased, the percentage of discarded fish decreased and the total number of species caught decreased drastically in the 30 year span between championships. The interviews, on the other hand, contributed an even greater understanding of the status of the fisheries: Divers reported that they were catching, and local markets were accepting, species of fish that were not consumed just 10-15 years ago.

]]> http://www.esa.org/fieldtalk/spearfishing-to-depletion-in-chile/feed/ 0 0:13:35 Spearfishers in Chile In theory, the evolution of scuba gear and wetsuits in spearfishing allow divers to produce a more abundant catch. However, Natalio Godoy from the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile and colleagues found that the spearfis[...] Spearfishers in Chile In theory, the evolution of scuba gear and wetsuits in spearfishing allow divers to produce a more abundant catch. However, Natalio Godoy from the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile and colleagues found that the spearfishers’ catches are becoming less diverse and abundant in the temperate reefs in northern and central Chile. The result, as they suggest in a recent study published in Ecological Applications, is likely due in part to the spearfishing activities themselves. Godoy and colleagues used several methods to obtain information on the state of reef fish communities in Chile since records of spearfishing activities, and landing records specific to certain regions, are not required by the government. Therefore, the researchers examined data from nation-wide official landing records, the catch from the top 20 divers in the 1971 and 2004 world spearfishing championships and the perceptions of local spearfishers. They found that the average mass of reef fish captured decreased, the percentage of discarded fish decreased and the total number of species caught decreased drastically in the 30 year span between championships. The interviews, on the other hand, contributed an even greater understanding of the status of the fisheries: Divers reported that they were catching, and local markets were accepting, species of fish that were not consumed just 10-15 years ago. ESA Podcast no no Lizard Evolution and the Ants In Your Pants Dance http://www.esa.org/fieldtalk/field-talk-lizard-evolution-and-the-ants-in-your-pants-dance/ http://www.esa.org/fieldtalk/field-talk-lizard-evolution-and-the-ants-in-your-pants-dance/#comments Mon, 26 Jan 2009 22:29:52 +0000 liza http://172468002 Invasive red fire ants from South America have become a major pest in southwestern U.S., bringing their stinging venom and crop-destroying ways. In this edition of Field Talk, we catch up with Tracy Langkilde, assistant professor of biology at Penn State University, who studies one of the ants’ seemingly unlikely targets: eastern fence lizards. The lizards have evolved a novel twitching response that flicks attacking ants off their bodies. But in her paper in the January issue of Ecology, Dr. Langkilde explains that since native ants don’t normally attack lizards, this behavior must have evolved in a very short time.

]]> http://www.esa.org/fieldtalk/field-talk-lizard-evolution-and-the-ants-in-your-pants-dance/feed/ 0 0:09:36 Invasive red fire ants from South America have become a major pest in southwestern U.S., bringing their stinging venom and crop-destroying ways. In this edition of Field Talk, we catch up with Tracy Langkilde, assistant professor of biology at Penn [...] Invasive red fire ants from South America have become a major pest in southwestern U.S., bringing their stinging venom and crop-destroying ways. In this edition of Field Talk, we catch up with Tracy Langkilde, assistant professor of biology at Penn State University, who studies one of the ants’ seemingly unlikely targets: eastern fence lizards. The lizards have evolved a novel twitching response that flicks attacking ants off their bodies. But in her paper in the January issue of Ecology, Dr. Langkilde explains that since native ants don’t normally attack lizards, this behavior must have evolved in a very short time. ESA Podcast no no