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Southern Hemisphere Ecology: SEEDS goes to Chile
Melissa Armstrong
ESA and SEEDS are incredibly excited to report on an international partnership program that takes us to the southernmost areas of the Americas! From Dec. 27, 2009 – Jan. 12, 2010 I had the great pleasure of participating with the subantarctic research alliance program (an international and interdisciplinary program, coordinated by the University of North Texas and the Universidad de Magellanes in association with the Chile’s Institute of Ecology and Biodiversity). The program’s theme is biocultural conservation in the subantarctic ecoregion of Chile. From 2009-2011, ESA SEEDS will collaborate with this program in an NSF funded grant titled “International Research Experience for Students (IRES)” that will send up to 8 student per year to southern Chile’s Cape Horn Biosphere Reserve, where they will work under the guidance of foreign mentors and in teams with Chilean and Argentine students. Two of these eight students will come from the SEEDS program each year, and this year our representatives were Christopher Cheleuitte-Nieves of Texas A&M University and Debora Viera of University of North Texas.
This is the first time SEEDS has participated in an international activity, and according to Dr. Christopher Anderson, Director of the Sub-Antarctic Research Alliance, “this collaboration is already turning out to be a huge opportunity for our two programs; we have come together to promote an innovative and unique experience for diverse students from across the US to not only do research abroad, but also integrate into a meaningful biocultural conservation program with colleagues from various disciplines and countries.” I could not agree more. As the manager of the SEEDS program for over a decade, I am thrilled to see an example of interdisciplinary, international conservation in the name of both biology and culture successfully at work. SEEDS has been talking about these ideas for a long time now and our network of folks involved in biocultural conservation has just grown dramatically, not to mention across borders.
I will summarize some of the program’s highlights for me, which started with an introductory course called “Tracing Darwin’s path”:
The spectacular amount of sunlight. Being as far as 56 degrees of southern latitude in the southernmost village of the world, the sun set at 11:00 pm and rose by 4:00 am. It energized us all.We are excited that we are in the early stages of the partnership with the subantarctic research alliance. If you are interested in participating you will see an application from SEEDS this spring for this opportunity. SEEDS will also begin incorporating more biocultural conservation themes into our own program. We have a biocultural conservation breakout group as part of the upcoming SEEDS Leadership Meeting, and we will be highlighting biocultural conservation in March and April on SEEDSNet.
The 2010 Ecological Society of America Annual Meeting is just around the corner and you don’t want to miss all the excitement! This year’s Annual Meeting is being hosted by the beautifully sustainable Pittsburg, Pennsylvania. With this year’s theme “Global Warming” the hottest topic on the planet, you do not want to miss all of the new chatter, recent findings or all the fun that SEEDS Students seem to create and find where ever they go!!!
SEEDS is thrilled to welcome three new schools to the SEEDS Chapter family! We re-welcome Oakwood University, who participated with SEEDS in it's original phase from 1997 - 2001! A big welcome to the University of Vermont and their Rubenstein School Diversity Task Force. And finally, we welcome our 4th SEEDS Chapter in our island neighbor Puerto Rico at the Universidad Metropolitana (SEEDS-Atabey). You can read the goals of these new Chapters below, and be sure to check out the alumni highlight in this newsletter where alumni Zack Brym tells us how we can get the Chapters working together!
The Oakwood University Ecology club strives to gain an understanding of our environment and our place in it while becoming more actively, physically and spiritually involved with nature. Our goal is to promote ecological awareness on Oakwood’s campus and to the surrounding communities. We seek the improvement of the natural environment and provide a service to our community by teaching others what we have learnt.
Plans for 2010
Nicole Frazier, Student Highlight
Ecology is not only about saving the environment through service, but also about finding new ways to protect and enhance the environment through research. Currently, Nicole Frazier, a Biomedical Science major Oakwood University, is conducting research through the SEEDS Program at Alabama A & M. Her research includes studying the effects of the reniform nematode on the tomato plant. Tomatoes, which account for over a billion dollars in U.S. economic consumption, are being destroyed through the reniform nematode, a semi-endoparasitic organism. Her research includes finding and creating a tomato plant that will be resistant to the reniform nematode, as well as creating some type of detection device for the early discovery of reniform nematodes that will be readily accessible to the everyday farmer. Her research involves certain techniques, such as DNA isolation and analysis, PCR, seed extraction, and gene analysis.
The Rubenstein School is committed to enhancing the understanding of the natural world in ourselves and our constituents through full inclusion of the unique and valuable perspectives reflected by diverse peoples.
The Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources at the University of Vermont has engaged in programs designed to educate students, faculty, and staff about multicultural issues and perspectives as they relate to natural resources and the environment. This includes work of The Rubenstein School Diversity Task Force.
The Rubenstein School Diversity Task Force (DTF) was created in 1991. It is a volunteer group of faculty, staff, and students who are committed to issues of diversity and creating a welcoming community. The DTF generates and contributes to the development of ideas for diversity initiatives in curricular and other programming in The Rubenstein School. The DTF Sponsors and hosts diversity-related events and speakers.
Additional activities include funding for scholarships to multicultural students at the undergraduate and graduate levels; curriculum transformation; collaboration with other university organizations like the ALANA (African-, Latino/a-, Asian- and Native-American) Student Center; recruitment and retention efforts.
To learn more about the Rubenstein School Diversity Task Force, go to: www.uvm.edu/envnr/?Page=diversity/default.html
RSENR Diversity Task Force Plans for 2010
Spring 2010
SEEDS-Atabey: Ecology Chapter at Universidad Metropolitana, San Juan, Puerto Rico
ATABEY, meaning ‘‘Mother Earth’’ in the Taino language from Puerto Rico’s long-deceased Indian population, is a chapter focused on giving the students the opportunity to participate in outdoor activities which can help them connect to Nature and the different ecosystems our island has to offer. Our objective is to get the students out of the classroom and inspire them to love the Ecology behind every natural process which could have been learned theoretically in science classes. It is through this way, they can associate to theory and realize that understanding and preserving our natural resources is very important for enjoyment. Most of our students are freshmen, which at the same time let us help build up their careers with actual ecological activities which draw them to environmental and biological careers. They also bring friends and students from other disciplines, who get motivated by the Chapter and by science-motivated careers. Our Chapter is mostly sub aquatic-oriented; in the island coral reefs are threatened by diseases and climate change and we are encouraging our students to see them and learn about them so they can educate other students and their families about it.
So far we’ve certified the Chapter as an official University Association and we have almost 30 active members, all from different majors. Between our activities, we’ve given a talk to first graders (Francisco Matias Lugo Elementary School, Carolina, Puerto Rico), we’ve given a coral reef talk in our University, a massive Snorkeling Activity on a Marine Reserve and we’ve participated with The Sierra Club and the Northeast Ecological Corridor Coalition on it’s camping and Bioblitz (Atabey participated mostly at the marine survey). For the upcoming year our main goal is to keep promoting the chapter presence at the University and prepare our activities such as: planting and restoration of a Coastal Mangrove Forest (Cerrillos Forest, Ponce, Puerto Rico), participate on a camping/sea turtle night watch, a Speleology/Caves Workshop and field-trip bythe Speleological Organization of Puerto Rico, kayaking on the bioluminescent bay (Fajardo, Puerto Rico) and on April the big birthday celebration of GAIA (mother earth) at the University. All of these, with the purpose of keep our active group and make other students interested on our chapter main objectives.
Ecology Club- Wilbur Wright College
Plans for 2009-2010
“International Research Experience (US-Kenya): Effects of habitat changes on distribution, abundance and resource exploitation by forest specialist birds in Arabuko-Sokoke Forest, Kenya” Special Project
Each year for three summers (2010-2012), four undergraduates and one research mentor will travel to Kenya to conduct field research in a tropical forest. The purpose of this project is to tap into the talent and diversity of Wright College undergraduate students and individually mentor potential scientists and encourages them to pursue ecology and environmental sciences as a future lifelong career. The project engages and train undergraduate students into applied ecological research by investigating how habitat alterations affect bird communities in Arabuko-Sokoke Forest. Arabuko-Sokoke Forest in coastal Kenya ranks second as the most important forest for bird conservation in mainland Africa. The 270 bird species known from it include six globally threatened, three near-threatened species, eight species categorized as regionally threatened in eastern Africa and several other forest-specialist birds. Both threatened and forest specialist birds show preference for certain habitat types. However, Arabuko-Sokoke Forest is under severe pressure due to selective logging, pole harvesting for building, fuel wood collection and unplanned tourism activities. These activities have different impacts on the forest and have the potentials of altering the forest structure and negatively affect forest birds including other biodiversity within the forest. The objective is to examine how these habitat modifications relate to the distribution, abundance and resource exploitation by rare bird species and forest specialist birds that occur in Arabuko-Sokoke forest.
Specifically, students and mentors will use census data, mist netting and the foraging behavior observations to determine the environmental and ecological factors that either promote the success or threaten the survival of these species. During the project, the students would also get the opportunity to interact with friendly surrounding local communities and conservation groups through guest lectures and field work. This project will provide students with opportunity for self discovery through “hands-on” training in field ecology that includes, field preparations, experimental designs, data collection and analysis, writing and research presentation in workshops, conferences and relevant scientific publications. The data from this research would also provide the required information for the long-term conservation of the Arabuko-Sokoke Forest. This International Research Experience for is funded by National Science Foundation (NSF) Office of International Science and Engineering (OISE).
After refusing to leave the city of Ann Arbor with his new wife and an undergraduate degree from the University of Michigan in the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Zachary Brym is a first year masters student at the University of Michigan School of Natural Resources and Environment. As a result of a number of undergraduate research opportunities, Brym has drifted towards studying community ecology in the terrestrial ecosystems program. Most interesting to him is characterizing the effects of invasive species as they relate to the native community assemblage. Invasive species contribute significantly to ecosystem degradation and are generally a result of anthropogenic disruption. Currently, Brym is in the process of testing theoretical predictions of a shrub invasion in the understory of Michigan forests. Autumn olive is a horticultural escape that dominates grasslands and forest edges that it colonizes. However, autumn olive is also persisting in the shaded understory despite its characteristic light-loving leaf characteristics. Brym seeks to find out how this population of autumn olive will contribute to the invasion and what mitigation is best suited to this situation.
“Most helpful to me along my academic career has been finding a core group of people and mentors that can understand the struggles and triumphs of this lifestyle,” Brym reflects. “It certainly helps to know someone who has made the mistakes already and can lend a bit of wisdom when the work gets tough.” Through his career, Brym has sought to incorporate societal implications with his work in the field, until recently mostly an uphill battle. The public must understand the importance of local biodiversity in order for them to take action against an invasive species or any number of extractive industries. Sustainability starts with taking ownership of your neighborhood and maintaining it for the next generation.
Brym is leading the National Coordinated BioBlitz Project to instill just those principles in communities across the country. College campuses and National parks are working together to provide a venue for the public to understand the importance of environmental stewardship. It is not difficult to see that those communities most affected by ecosystem degradation are those that have the least access to this information and ownership of their natural habitat. Diversity is all around us, especially as environmental scientists. We must treat our academic community as we would our native community in order to reach a truly sustainable future.
For more information on the National Coordinated BioBlitz please visit: www.goearthtrek.com/BioBlitz/Campus.html
December 7th – 11th, 2009, SEEDSNet was proud and delighted to unveil its first ever SEEDSNet Virtual Career Fair. With more than ten students in attendance (despite it being finals week for many), SEEDSNet presented one outstanding graduate program and two incredible organizations with over 40 opportunities!
Each representative was present at least two day to answer any and all questions attendees could think up. The chat feature on SEEDSNet allowed for intimate and meaningful exchange between participants. We were proud and excited to discover that at least one of these incredible positions was filled by a SEEDS Student. Keep logged in to SEEDSNet for our next career fair, when it happens and learn how you can join in for exclusive access to top schools, organizations and internship opportunities!!!
Read more about the Winter Career Fair and the opportunities that are looking to be filled by SEEDS Students below:
Thoughts and Feeling on the SEEDSNet VCF by a SEEDS Alumni
~ Anne Stahley
Attending general career fairs can be pretty hectic. You find yourself quickly navigating through the crowds to visit tables of employers that you are interested in working for. You anticipate that by the end of the event you walk away with a few promising job opportunities. For someone that has an interest in getting field experience in ecology, these types of career fairs are hard to come by. That is why I planned on participating in this winter's SEEDSNet Virtual Career Fair.
The SEEDSNet Virtual Career Fair went amazingly well. Any questions that I had for Paul Super, the Research Coordinator with the Great Smokey Mountain National Park about the advertised intern positions were answered shortly. Due to a firewall issue, chatting was disabled on his end, but Melissa Armstrong found a way around the firewall problem. There were other great questions asked by participants interested in graduate school opportunities with the University of Cincinnati, and it was beneficial to be a part of the discussion. Attending the online career fair was a positive experience for me. Ingenious, the idea of participating remotely in an event that advertised job opportunities and potential graduate schools in ecology to the budding ecologist. Being able to ask field professionals and grad school professors pertinent questions in live chat about the opportunities being showcased and seeing other great questions asked by peers was well worth my while. I hope that others who attended felt the same way, and that more of you will show up at the next one!
Anne Stahley
SEEDS in Action: Webinar to save the NEC
~ Charlee Glenn
Northeast Ecological Corridor Webinar
On December 15th, 2009 at 7:00 pm Puerto Rico time, the AKKA SEEDS Chapter of the University of Puerto Rico, Rio Piedras led a very special SEEDS In Action Webinar on SEEDSNet. The event was to raise awareness near and far about the proposed devastation that is pressing upon the Northeast Ecological Corridor of the El Yunque National Forest of Puerto Rico. The stretch of more than 3,000 acres of beach and forest was a protected area until this past October, 2009 when the current governor of Puerto Rico Luis Fortuño removed the protection and planned to build golf courses and resorts on the biologically rich stretch of land. The NEC, home to more than 50 rare and endangered species and the second most important beach for the nesting of the Leather Back turtle would be devastated and simply destroyed by the development. The SEEDS students and science professionals of Puerto Rico saw that it was time to act.
Guest speaker Camilla Feibelman from the Sierra Club and students, Ana Elisa Pérez of the University of Puerto Rico, Río Peidras and Ricardo Colón-Rivera of Texas A&M University spoke on the NEC what it is, why it’s so valuable and more importantly on how we can help to save this world wonder. There were more than 17 viewers in attendance and I think I can speak for all when I say that the webinar was not only informative but meaningful. Students did not only reach participants, but also their family members, as SEEDSNet webinar offer the ability for students to participate from the home. One student (Lorna Moreno) has this to say about the webinar.
“I had my dad sitting with me during the webinar and he was sooo excited about the whole thing. He learned a lot about the corridor and from the comfort of our house! I want to thank you guys because for me it’s so difficult to convince him to go to meetings with me and get him to learn about what I do and what I’m concerned about...but this webinar opportunity allowed me to have a different kind of outreach. It was super cute, then he kept on saying how awesome its technology was because he could learn through it and the coolest thing is that he said he's going to tell everyone at his work to go visit the corridor. “
The AKKA SEEDS Chapter and her students hope to hold one more webinar in the spring to further their mission of expanding awareness and giving other SEEDS students the tools to disseminate powerful knowledge and to show them how they can make a difference in a world that is so often set against itself and her youth. SEEDS and SEEDSNet will be there to support them and their efforts in any way that we can. For more information on this incredible movement and how you can get involved, visit: http://esaseeds.ning.com/group/northeasternecologicalcorridor
To see parts of the webinar click here.
Stay tuned on SEEDSNet for other exciting events!
Charlee Glenn
Diversity Program Assistant
1990 M Street | Suite 700 | Washington, DC 20036 | phone 202-833-8773 | fax 202-833-8775 | email seeds@esa.org
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