Sat & Sunday : Monday : Tuesday : Wednesday : Thursday : Friday

Ecological and evolutionary processes in complex networks
Tuesday, August 8, 8-11:30 am
Organizers: Timothy Keitt, Bill Fagan

Network theory has emerged recently as a hot topic in ecology. The impetus driving renewed interest in networks has been recent work in complexity theory applying principles and models from statistical physics to a variety of networks ranging from the Internet to social cliques. Traditional areas of network research in ecology such as food webs have begun to employ these new models with powerful results. New classes of ecological webs are also beginning to be explored. For example, recent work on plant-animal interaction webs has provided insight into structural commonalities underlying these systems. In parallel, network theory has found important new applications in landscape ecology and conservation planning where geometric networks—mathematically represented as graphs—are used to model connectivity among reserves or other landscape elements. This symposium brings together leading researchers in the application of network theory to landscapes, communities, and disease spread to address commonality and important differences among applications of network theory in ecology and evolution.

Linking ecology and environmental justice
Tuesday, August 8, 8-11:30 am
Organizers: George Middendorf, Charles Nilon, Leanne Jablonski

Of the many ways to frame ecological studies, the most prevalent is that of basic research or inquiry as an activity (i.e., science for its own sake). Another approach is research conducted either for or as the result of policy (i.e., applied science). There is a hybrid state where both basic and applied approaches are combined by extending the conceptual framework of basic ecological studies into the human domain. The result is basic ecological research framed within policy decision-making needs. This latter framework has become increasingly important in ensuring that research addresses critical issues, that there is public support for both types of research, and that information is available to the public for use in the policy process. One increasingly used framework linking ecology with critical environmental issues is environmental justice (EJ) which holds that environmental impacts should not disproportionately affect any group and that all should be included and involved in the decision-making process. By examining the distribution of environmental benefits and harms with particular focus on the role of the decision-making process, EJ provides both a focus and a use for the results of ecological studies. Thus, linking ecology and EJ provides great opportunities for the integration of ecological knowledge into the resolution of critical environmental issues. The goals of this symposium are to illustrate how ecologists can conduct science that is useful in decision making, particularly as related to EJ issues, to encourage the development of research that incorporates societal concerns and community issues in design, and to encourage the development of research that provides information useful in decision-making. In this session, leading ecologists will explore the relationship between ecology and EJ from the perspective of their research fields and examine how linking this might change the face of ecology.

The detection of catastrophic thresholds: perspectives, definitions, and methods
Tuesday, August 8, 8-11:30 am
Organizers: Robert Washington-Allen, Lucinda Salo

The concept of threshold behavior of ecosystem variables and parameters in space and time has received theoretical treatment as early as C.S. Holling's (1973) landmark paper on resilience (Annual Review of Ecology and Systematics 4:1-23). Contemporary research has renewed this focus, particularly on the use of catastrophe theory as a mathematical framework for operational use in natural resource management. The speakers in this symposium will discuss threshold concepts including catastrophe theory, self-organized criticality, operational definitions, scaling laws, and methods for detection of thresholds including time scale calculus and renormalization. For example, catastrophic regime shifts in aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems will be discussed, as will the novel use of time scale calculus to model the outbreak of West Nile virus in NYC and to direct the mosquitoes spraying schedules, and a recently discovered general scaling law for landscapes. The symposium will conclude with a discussion and synthesis of talks.

Functional roles of fine roots and mycorrhizal fungi in carbon and nutrient cycling
Tuesday, August 8, 8-11:30 am
Organizers: Erik Hobbie, John Hobbie

Fine roots and mycorrhizal fungi are primary pathways for nutrient uptake by plants and are important sinks for carbon acquired in photosynthesis. Quantification of carbon and nutrient cycling driven by fine roots and mycorrhizal fungi is difficult for several reasons including the fine-scale heterogeneity of soil, uncertainties in turnover rates of fine roots and fungal hyphae, and potential pitfalls in extrapolating from laboratory studies to the field. To circumvent these difficulties, several methods have been employed to estimate belowground carbon allocation: mycorrhizal allocation, root allocation, nutrient uptake, and fungal and root turnover. Promising methods include in-growth cores, carbon flux budgets, girdling or chilling trees to restrict belowground allocation, mapping mycorrhizal and nutrient heterogeneity in soil, and using the natural abundance of 14 C and 15 N. Our goal is to advance understanding of the strengths and limitations of these methods through presentations and discussion.

The modern paradigm in population ecology: stochastic, statistical, and inferential
Tuesday, August 8, 8-11:30 am
Organizers: Elizabeth Holmes, Chris Jordan, Brian Dennis

In the last 10 years, the study of population and community dynamics has shifted towards stochastic models away from the deterministic models so familiar in ecology during the last century. Understanding of the properties of stochastic versions of familiar ecological models is an active area of research and, along the way, the field of theoretical ecology is shifting to new paradigms of thinking about ecological processes. The familiar concept of population state or carrying capacity as a fixed line passing through a series of observations is not particularly meaningful in a stochastic framework and is replaced by the concept of stationary probability distributions. The concept of equilibria is replaced by the concepts of inflection points in first passage probabilities and modes and antimodes in stationary distributions. At the same time, there has been a fundamental shift away from qualitative visual comparisons of model output with qualitative system behavior and towards rigorous statistical linking of stochastic ecological models and observations using modern, often numerical, statistical methods that are suited for non-linear stochastic models which include both process and non-process variability. Concepts such as likelihood surfaces, first passage distributions, conditional probability distributions, prior and posterior distributions, numerical statistical algorithms, and formal model support have joined nonlinear dynamics and stability as permanent parts of the landscape of ecological understanding. This session features some of the contemporary research on stochastic ecological dynamics and estimation that is changing the face of population ecology and that will ultimately fundamentally change the way we think and make inferences about ecological processes.

How you can REALLY achieve conservation goals: merging academic research with management and restoration
Tuesday, August 8, 11 :30 am-1:15 pm
Organizers: Alice Levine, Jennifer Skene

For many researchers in academia the standard of “publish or perish” not only drives their productivity, but also defines the kinds of research questions asked and the manner in which they are investigated. Studies on conservation and restoration ecology must therefore be limited in their duration and conducted on smaller scales than what actual management decisions are applied towards. Under these conditions, is it possible for academic researchers to tackle and accomplish management-level objectives? Or is restoration itself better facilitated by working with state, federal or non-governmental organizations? How would you go about starting and running a non-governmental organization of your own instead? If these topics interest you, then don't miss this workshop! Dynamic speakers experienced in habitat protection and restoration through working with academic researchers, state, government and NGO groups, and creating and managing non-profit organizations will be in attendance to share their thoughts and experiences on these issues. Lunch is provided.

SEEDS program: how ESA members can get involved
Tuesday, August 8, 11 :30 am-1:15 pm
Organizers: Katherine Hoffman, Melissa Armstrong

ESA 's successful SEEDS (Strategies for Ecology Education, Development and Sustainability) program strives to diversify and advance the profession of ecology by promoting opportunities that stimulate and nurture the interest of underrepresented students. Celebrating its tenth year, SEEDS continues to attract highly talented students to the field of ecology through campus ecology chapters, field trips, travel awards to the ESA Annual Meeting, and undergraduate research fellowships. This workshop will provide ESA members with information on SEEDS and how they can become involved in the program. Opportunities for rewarding involvement include hosting a field trip, giving a presentation to a chapter school, and mentoring students. Lunch is provided.

Upstart perspectives on restoration icons
Tuesday, August 8, 1:30-5 pm
Organizers: Daniel Larkin, Joy Zedler, Donald Falk

Restoration ecology is no longer an upstart discipline in ecology but an established star, and so it is with some of the field's theoretical underpinnings. Over the past decade, many have called for greater integration of the restoration (applied practice) and ecology (fundamental theory) halves of restoration ecology. Theorists and empiricists alike have responded by working hard to bridge the gaps. This symposium will move beyond calls for integration and critically assess what has been gained by efforts already underway. We have chosen three big questions of concern to theorists and empiricists alike: How does community structure develop? How does structure influence ecological function? How does heterogeneity alter these relationships? For each question, a speaker will present a perspective on a restoration icon and be followed by others offering upstart views that either challenge or complement the icon. The question of how community structure develops has historically been explained with succession theory. This iconic theory will be joined by views from alternative state and assembly rule theory and restoration case studies. Questions regarding structure-function relationships have been at the forefront of ecology for over a decade. Here, we will examine the paradigm of a positive relationship between biodiversity and ecosystem function along with considerations of species and genetic effects and context-dependency. Another icon, the role of environmental heterogeneity in mediating structure and function, will be viewed in light of theory on threshold effects and patchiness, and attempts to mimic natural heterogeneity in restoration settings. Like the ideas presented, our speakers will include both established and rising stars and be drawn from the ranks of theorists and empiricists alike. We hope for lively exchanges that will help pull, push, and prod restoration science along on its continuing evolution.

What makes an ecological icon?
Tuesday, August 8, 1:30-5 pm
Organizers: Aaron Ellison, Paul Dayton

How do upstarts evolve into icons? In this symposium, we examine historical contexts and developments of representative key ideas in ecology as refracted through their "discoverers". We discuss why some ideas take off quickly, propelling their originators to iconic status, whereas others don't, but are later rediscovered and claimed anew by the rediscoverer (who becomes the icon). Speakers include historians and ecologists who draw on examples from terrestrial, aquatic, and marine systems that span the continuum from organisms and populations to communities and ecosystems. Each speaker traces the historical development of central ecological paradigms through an examination of iconic figures responsible for generating (and often promoting) the paradigms. We contrast these individuals with contemporary upstarts – some remembered, some forgotten – who contributed formatively to the development of these paradigms. We also discuss how current norms of scholarship and publication, and mechanics of citation interact in the creation of new ecological icons.

Exchange between channel and floodplain in large rivers
Tuesday, August 8, 1:30-5 pm
Organizers: Cliff Hupp, Jack Grubaugh

In recent decades, research on large river ecosystems has enumerated differences between these complex systems and smaller river ecosystems. Hydrologists and ecologists have developed a tremendous amount of field research and, coupled with technological advances in remote sensing, modeling, and GIS , have produced a steady stream of information on the patterns and processes of large river systems. Integrating results from such studies is not a trivial task because large rivers are: 1) unique in biological and physical characteristics; 2) unique in the quantity and quality of human alterations; and 3) generally not found in similar climate zones. Further, large rivers may have drastically different hydrologies, physical processes, and ecological processes in their upper sections compared to their lower sections. A contemporary view of the patterns and processes of large rivers is needed to identify "research horizons" for studies in the coming decade. This symposium has been developed for speakers to present our current knowledge of large rivers' structure and function, differences between large and small river systems, concepts for understanding ecosystem exchanges, and an overview of ecosystem services of large rivers.

Climate change and timing in ecological communities
Tuesday, August 8, 1:30-5 pm
Organizers: Abraham Miller-Rushing, Richard Primack, David Inouye

Global climate change has the potential to alter and disrupt ecological communities. Among the most important and dramatic ecological changes are changes in phenology, i.e., the timing of climate-sensitive ecological events. Changes in phenological events could disrupt close ecological relationships, such as leaf-out, insect emergence, pollination, fruit dispersal, and the feeding behavior and breeding success of birds. These changes will also affect critical ecosystem functions, such as carbon sequestration, productivity, and water availability. In this session we will hear evidence of phenological changes, mostly involving plants, that are already occurring as a result of climate change. We will learn about new techniques that are available to monitor these changes, such as remote sensing and multi-continental networks of ground observations. Lastly, we will hear predictions of how time-sensitive ecological relationships will change in response to climate change. Climate change is already affecting ecological systems and will continue to do so over the coming years, providing a particularly relevant topic for this session.

Ecology and poverty alleviation: bringing ecological knowledge to the forefront of development goals
Tuesday, August 8, 1:30-5 pm
Organizers: Fabrice De Clerck, Cristina Rumbaitis del Rio , Jane Carter Ingram

Globally, 1.2 billion people live on less than $1 per day. This population is highly dependent on natural resources for daily survival, whether they live in rural or urban areas. Often the poorest are the most vulnerable to degradation of natural resources, loss of ecosystem services, and natural disasters. Thus, ecologists have a distinct role to play in the alleviation of global poverty. At the Montreal ESA Meeting, more than 50 ecologists gathered at a discussion session to identify specific ways in which ecology can be used in poverty alleviation. It was clear that ecologists are needed to “paint the big picture.” The tradition of elucidating complex systems and relationships and working across scales and disciplines enables ecologists to tackle the similarly complex, multi-faceted problems of poverty reduction. Much of the ecological knowledge needed to address the challenges of poverty is already known; we must focus on information needs and exchange and applying knowledge in the appropriate social and ecological contexts. The main obstacle to the use of ecology in poverty reduction is that sustainability is often treated as an afterthought in development projects. It is understandable that ecological sustainability is overlooked when primary development goals focus on such basic issues as eliminating hunger, eradicating HIV, and providing universal access to safe drinking water. However, as ecologists we must make the case that ecological sustainability is neither simply a benefit of development interventions nor an impediment to development. Rather, ecological sustainability is a means to achieving poverty alleviation goals; the foundation of a healthy society is a healthy environment. The goals of this oral session are: 1) to present examples of the application of ecological principles and knowledge to poverty reduction strategies; 2) to synthesize information from recent environment and development initiatives, assessments, and meetings; and 3) to engage in a discussion of the challenges and opportunities that arise from using ecological sustainability as means to alleviate poverty.

Trends in Long Term Ecological Research: opportunities and challenges in the synthesis of long term data
Tuesday, August 8, 8-10 pm
Organizers: Debra Peters, Christine Laney

Long term studies are increasingly recognized as critical to understanding short term patterns and dynamics and providing the context for short-term mechanistic studies. In addition, data from long term studies are needed to distinguish directional changes from natural variability. Synthesizing long term data from a variety of ecosystem types for different kinds of ecological and social science problems provides opportunities as well as challenges. In this informal session, we will discuss both the opportunities and challenges associated with this type of synthetic effort. We will also discuss an ongoing collaborative effort among federal agencies ( USFS , USDA-ARS) and the NSF-supported Long Term Ecological Research sites to synthesize long term data into a book format and a web page. Opportunities to contribute to this effort and to access the data sets will also be discussed.

How to land and keep a job at a small liberal arts college
Tuesday, August 8, 8-10 pm
Organizers: Andrew McCall, Richard Niesenbaum, Phil Camill

Are you a graduate student thinking about an academic career at a small college or university? Do you have a love for teaching and ecological research, but want to do both well? Many of us are trained to be productive researchers at primarily research institutions, but too often we leave graduate school having no idea how to get a job at a small college or university. If you would like to understand how small schools hire, how professors juggle research and teaching early in their career, or are just plain curious about the academic life at small colleges, this evening session is for you. Join us for a series of informal talks by professors at small institutions. Individual speakers will go through the processes of grad school preparation, hiring of faculty, tenure application, and getting funds for faculty/student research. We will then have a general discussion about the differences and similarities between what research institutions and small colleges are looking for in their faculty. You just may be surprised at what colleges like Carleton, Grinnell, and Claremont are looking for in potential professors.

Ecological analogies, metaphors, and anecdotes
Tuesday, August 8, 8-10 pm
Organizers: Rich Pouyat, Nadine Lymn
Cash bar and snacks will be provided.

Explaining the complexity of ecological systems to policy makers and the public is challenging for ecologists. This evening session will address the use of analogies, metaphors, and anecdotes (AMAs) that can be used to explain complex ecological principals. Prior to the Annual Meeting, we will solicit ESA members to submit their favorite AMAs, which they have used in their teaching or technology transfer activities. The Public Affairs Committee (PAC) will then select the top submissions, which will be presented at the evening session. Richard Pouyat, PAC Chair, will begin the session with an introduction and the winning submissions will be presented by the original authors. The presentations will be followed by discussion and the development of new AMAs. A final compilation of AMAs will be used to develop an encyclopedia, which can be updated by ESA on a continual basis with the ultimate goal to develop a workshop for subsequent annual meetings.

Icons/upstarts: steady-state working hypotheses, disturbance/response models and data on contrasting space-time scales

Tuesday, August 8, 8-10 pm
Organizers: Jerry Olson, Wilfred Post

Near-balance of input/output is often assumed tentatively in estimating fractional turnover rates in models (global, regional, very local) before refining simulations for localized transient recovery as: 1) measured in experiments (~local), 2) allocated over heterogeneous landscapes and climate gradients, and 3) suitably integrated for regional/global management/policy issues. This session will address problems in representing unmeasured conditions (biomass, soil pools in biogeochemistry, etc.) over heterogeneous combinations of soil and vegetation after disturbance. Cropping and grazing alter steady states (if any, recovered after natural disturbances). Pools and process rates/turnovers change differently among grid or polygon map cells. To estimate fluxes (e.g., for greenhouse gases) requires accounting for scale(s) of dynamic disequilibrium. Combining data and model analyses to infer initial conditions under non-steady states is progressing. Examples of historical reconstruction, remote sensing, model-data inverse analyses and continuous inventory will be presented. Rapid and slow humus pools, consumer dynamics, resource inventories and GIS arrays quantifying biome contrasts, formerly described or theorized by field detective work, will be addressed in a pre-meeting field conference computer lab. Co-sponsors: INTECOL website and NASA DAACS.