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Past Symposia


Symposium on the Effects of Fishing Activities on Benthic Habitats: Linking Geology, Biology, Socioeconomics, and Management (2002)

This symposium, a collaborative effort between NOAA, USGS, ESA, and the American Fisheries Society (AFS), was held November 11-15, 2002, in Tampa, FL. The symposium featured three days of plenary sessions, poster sessions, and a moderated panel and open discussion covering management and livelihood issues, characterizing and understanding natural change to bottom habitats, understanding the ecological and economic effects of fishing, and minimizing adverse effects of fishing on benthic habitats.

Ecosystem Simplification: Why a Patchwork Quilt is More Valuable than a Burlap Sack (2001)

The Science Office co-organized this half-day symposium at the 2001 SRM Annual Meeting, which focused on ecosystem complexity and the anthropogenic forces that are simplifying ecosystem structure, species composition, and processes. Topics covered included the hows and whys of ecosystem complexity, land use change impacts, impacts of global changes in climate and nutrients, and impacts of invasive species and extinctions, as well as how to manage for heterogeneity in resource use. The symposium was cosponsored by ESA , SRM, The Nature Conservancy, the USGS Biological Resources Division, and the Natural Resources Conservation Service.

ESA Symposium: Cows and Conservation (2000)

The Science Office organized a half-day symposium, “Cows and Conservation: A Role for Ranching in Protecting Biodiversity,” at the 2000 ESA Annual Meeting, which focused on efforts that western ranchers are taking to protect biodiversity on their lands. Speakers included ranchers and ecologists working with ranchers to include biodiversity in ranch management and increase our understanding of the ecology of these working landscapes. The symposium was cosponsored by the ESA Western Chapter, the Society for Range Management, The Nature Conservancy, the National Cattleman’s Beef Association, and the Natural Resource Conservation Service Wildlife Habitat Management Institute.

Sagebrush Steppe Communities: Origin, Ecology, Impacts, and Resources (2000)

The Science Office participated in the planning of a one-day symposium at the 2000 SRM Annual Meeting which focused on the ecology and natural resource use of these ecosystems. Topics included the ecological and evolutionary history of sagebrush steppe communities, ecophysiology and water relations, carbon and nitrogen balance, livestock grazing, weed invasion, fire, restoration, wildlife, and rare plant communities. The symposium was co-sponsored by ESA , SRM, and the U.S. Forest Service Rocky Mountain Research Station.

The Art and Science of Wetland Restoration (2000)

The Science Office co-organized this symposium for the 2000 AAAS Annual Meeting. Speakers included: Bill Mitsch, Ohio State University , on “Creating and Restoring Wetlands: A Whole Ecosystem Experiment in Self-Design,” Mark Kraus, National Audubon Society Florida State Office on “The Everglades: How Do You Begin an Ecosystem Level Restoration?” Jean Marie Hartman, Rutgers University , on “Developing a Reference Set for Restoration Assessment,” and Beverly Getzen , U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, on “Wetland Restoration Policy and the Corps of Engineers.” The presenters also participated in a stimulating discussion on whether wetland restoration works, on whether we monitor long enough to determine success, on whether our understanding of wetlands is sufficient to know if it works, and the evolving political, scientific, and societal cultures impacting wetland degradation and restoration.

Ecosystem Services: A Free Lunch? (2000)

The Science Office organized this symposium for the 2000 AAAS Annual Meeting, which paired talks on the science behind the ecosystem services of pollination and flood control and the application of this knowledge in resource management. Presentations were given by Kathy Ewel (co-organizer), Rebecca Sharitz, David Inouye and Jordi Bosch. AAAS featured this symposium in their press efforts and set up a press briefing prior to the symposium. The symposium and speakers were featured in an Environmental News Network article. A review of the symposium was published in the July 2000 ESA Bulletin (81(3): 222).

Non-Regulatory Approaches to Species Conservation (2000)

The Science Office co-organized this half-day symposium for the 2000 SRM Annual Meeting, which focused on alternative approaches to prevent the need to list declining species by taking action to remove threats and protect them before they become critically endangered. Topics included the need for nonregulatory approaches, Candidate Conservation (Safe Harbor Agreements) under the Endangered Species Act, conservation agreements and local partnerships, financial incentives for conserving species, and multi-species conservation strategies. The symposium was cosponsored by ESA , SRM, and the U.S. Forest Service.

Great Plains Grasslands at the Millennium (1999)

The Science Office co-organized a two-day symposium at the 1999 SRM Annual Meeting on the current knowledge and research on Great Plains grasslands. Topics included the ecological uniqueness and history of the central North American grasslands region, land use management patterns, climate change, biodiversity, invasive species, linking science and management, recreation, grazing by domestic livestock and native ungulates, the ecology of riparian areas in the region, and economic and sociological issues. The symposium also featured a poster session of additional research and management approaches on Great Plains grasslands. The symposium was cosponsored by ESA , the U.S. Forest Service, SRM , the USDA Agricultural Research Service, and the University of Nebraska ‘s Centers for Grasslands Studies and Great Plains Studies. Selected papers from the symposium were published as a special issue of Great Plains Research. A meeting summary was published in the ESA Bulletin (83(3): 219-222).

The Metropolis in the Millennium: Integrated Science and Urban Ecosystems (1999)

Urban ecology was featured in this Science Office-organized symposium at the 1999 AAAS Annual Meeting, which brought together key scientists from a variety of disciplines who are at the forefront of this emerging field to discuss innovative ways for understanding the interface between natural and human systems. Speakers included Mark R. Walbridge, Steward T.A. Pickett, William E. Rees, Carol Carmichael, and Timothy D. Hogan.

Alien Invasions!: Impacts and Control of Non-indigenous Species (1999)

The Science Office co-organized this 1999 AAAS Annual Meeting symposium, which explored the issues involved in exotic species invasions and efforts to control them. Participants included: Andrew N. Cohen, San Francisco Estuary Institute; Thomas Fritts, USGS BRD; William Gregg, USGS BRD; Don Schmitz, Florida Department of Environmental Protection; and Isi Siddiqui, Deputy Under-Secretary for Marketing and Regulatory Programs at USDA.

Understanding Land-use Change: Research and Application at the Cutting Edge (1999)

The Science Office co-organized this 1999 AAAS Annual Meeting Symposium. Understanding land-use change, and providing guidance to inform land-use decisions, is inherently an interdisciplinary undertaking. The causes and impacts of land-use change have both biophysical and sociopolitical dimensions. This symposium examined these multiple dimensions as they are being explored in both theoretical and applied settings. Speakers reported on current efforts to understand land-use change, its causes and consequences; provide input into the land-use decision-making process; and design and implement alternative future land-use scenarios.

Ecological Perspectives on Land Use (1999)

In collaboration with Virginia Dale, the Science Office organized this symposium for the Association of American Geographers 1999 Annual Meeting, which reported on the ESA white paper “Ecological Principles for Managing Land Use. In addition, the symposium featured papers on land-use decision making processes in the United States and case studies examining the interplay of ecological factors and land use decisions in specific areas of the country ( New Jersey pine lands, greater Yellowstone ecosystem, and mid-western agricultural lands).

Implementing Ecological Principles for Forest Management (1999)

With Virginia Dale, the Science Office organized this symposium for the National Center for Environmental Decision Making 1999 Annual Meeting. The symposium explored the connections between forest land management and ecological principles that can be used to guide land use and management decisions, and featured presentations from federal and state forest management agencies, as well as private forest wood lot owners.

Leopold and Hippocrates: Linkages between Human Health and Ecological Change (1998)

This symposium for the 1998 ESA Annual Meeting investigated how ecological change impacts human health and how ecological science can contribute to human health studies. Speakers included: Dr. Thomas Lovejoy, Smithsonian Institution, moderator; Dr. Jonathan Patz, Director, Program on Heath Effects of Global Environmental Change, Johns Hopkins School of Hygiene and Public Health; Dr. Francesca Grifo, Director, Center for Biodiversity Conservation, American Museum of Natural History; Dr. Elaine Matthews, NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies; Dr. Paul Epstein, Associate Director, Center for Health and the Global Environment, Harvard Medical School; Dr. Eric Chivian, Director, Center for Health and the Global Environment, Harvard Medical School.

Fossil Fuel Energy Use Symposium (1998)

The Science Office developed a symposium with Orie Loucks of Miami University for the 1998 AAAS Annual Meeting, entitled “Fossil Fuel Consumption: Aggregated Costs and Options for Alternatives.” Speakers included Orie Loucks, Paul Runci (University of Maryland ), and Paul Jefferiss (Union of Concerned Scientists).

Fisheries as Experimental Systems in Ecology (1997)

The Science Office co-organized this symposium for the 1997 ESA Annual meeting. A summary article was published in the April 1998 ESA Bulletin. (Kearns, F.R. 1998. Fisheries as Experimental Systems in Ecology. Bulletin of the Ecological Society of America 79(2):165-166.)

Human Population and Consumption: What Are the Ecological Limits? (August 1996)

This symposium at the 1996 ESA Annual Meeting focused on the link between human populations and ecological problems. A summary article was published in the April 1997 ESA Bulletin. ( Kearns, F.R. 1997. Human Population and Consumption: What Are the Ecological Limits? Bulletin of the Ecological Society of America 78(2):161-163.)

Ecology and the Social Sciences (1995)

SBI organized this symposium for the 1995 ESA Annual Meeting. A summary article was published in the April 1996 ESA Bulletin and four papers appeared in a May 1998 Ecological Applications Special Feature, “Ecology, the Social Sciences, and Environmental Policy.”