Science Archives: Workshops and Conferences
ASLO/ ESA Meeting "The Land-Water Interface" (1998)
The Science Office co-organized a joint meeting between the Association of Limnology and Oceanography and ESA focused on the Land-Water Interface. The meeting included invited plenary speakers and contributed sessions. The plenary speakers published papers as a Special Feature in Ecological Applications, " Managing the Land-Water Interface," (August 2000)
The Second International Nitrogen Conference (2001) and Publications
National Marine Classification Workshop (2000)
ESA and NOAA organized this two and a half day workshop in Long Key, FL. The session brought together 22 aquatic biologists, managers, and mapping experts from around the country to develop the first steps in a national classification system for marine and estuarine ecosystems. The objectives of the workshop were to: (1) formulate the first steps in the development of a nationally consistent and compatible habitat classification system that will provide a framework to identify and map marine and estuarine communities, characterize the condition of key habitat types in terms of their biological integrity, and identify gaps in conservation; and (2) identify the components of an implementation plan for developing the full classification system. A review of the workshop was published in the July 2000 ESA Bulletin (81(3): 218-219), and the full report was published as NOAA Technical Memorandum NMFS-F/SPO-43.
Atmospheric Deposition to the West Coast (2000)
The Science Office organized a two-day workshop to outline the state-of-the-knowledge on atmospheric deposition of toxic substances to Pacific Coast ecosystems and discuss and prioritize how it can be assessed and managed. A workshop report, Where Air and Water Meet: Atmospheric Deposition to the Pacific Coast was completed. Cosponsors included the EPA's Office of Wetlands, Oceans, and Watersheds, the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA) Institute of the Environment, the University of California Toxic Substances Research and Teaching Program, and the Southern California Coastal Water Research Project (SCCWRP). It is one of a series of workshops investigating atmospheric inputs to coastal waters held jointly by the EPA and ESA. (See also Atmospheric Deposition to the Gulf of Mexico Hypoxic Zone (1999).
Ecological Forecasting (2000)
This workshop was held at the National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis (NCEAS) in October 2000, and a summary paper “ Ecological Forecasts: An Emerging Imperative” was published in Science (293:657-660) in 2001.
Atmospheric Deposition: The Ecological Response (1999)
The Science Office joined EPA, USGS, USFS, NOAA, and the Institute of Ecosystem Studies to convene this workshop, attended by leading scientists in atmospheric deposition research, to facilitate a scientific review of the ecological effects of atmospheric deposition on aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems. The goals of the workshop were to (1) evaluate the status and trends of various types of ecosystems in response to acid deposition; (2) determine whether and how the extent of ecological damage from this disturbance has evolved since observed, projected, and reported in the 1990 National Acid Precipitation Assessment Program (NAPAP) Report; and (3) ascertain whether some properties of certain ecosystems are showing signs of recovery. The workshop report
is available here.
Aquatic Restoration and Conservation Partnership for Marine, Estuarine, and Freshwater Living Resources (1998)
The Science Office worked with NOAA, USGS, the American Fisheries Society, the International Fish and Wildlife Society, US Fish and Wildlife Service, and The Nature Conservancy to organize a September 1998 workshop to develop and plan a new program, ARC, The Aquatic Restoration and Conservation Partnership for Marine, Estuarine and Freshwater Living Resources.
National Estuarine Research Reserves (1998)
The Science Office co-organized and helped facilitate a NOAA sponsored workshop held October 14-17, 1998, to develop a set of biological monitoring activities for NOAA's marine estuarine reserves. The workshop brought together marine scientists and research coordinators from NOAA National Estuarine Research Reserves to identify a set of biological monitoring activities that will complement current physical monitoring activities and can be performed under the technical and resource constraints of the reserves.
Interdisciplinary Science at USGS (1998)
A workshop focused on "Enhancing Integrated Science" was jointly sponsored by ESA, the Geological Society of America, and USGS, November 4-5, 1998. Invited participants developed principles for interdisciplinary science and recommendations to the USGS and the broader scientific community as a means of enhancing integrated science. The summary report of the workshop was presented to the Director of the USGS in January 1998 and is available at www.usgs.gov/integrated_science. The workshop was supplemented by an electronic dialogue to gather perspectives about integrated science from a wider range of interested parties.
Ecological Resource Monitoring: Change and Trend Detection (1995 – 1997)
The Science Office coorganized a workshop with ESA 's Statistical Ecology section, the American Statistical Association, and the Environmental Protection Agency's EMAP program. Products included workshop recommendations submitted to the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, Committee on Environment and Natural Resources (National Science and Technology Council), and other relevant agencies; and a May 1998 Ecological Applications Special Feature “Measuring Ecological Change”.
Atmospheric Deposition of Nitrogen to Coastal Watersheds (1996 – 1997)
In cooperation with NOAA and EPA, the Science Office organized this workshop gathering researchers from the ecological and atmospheric sciences communities, along with policymakers and coastal managers. The workshop produced a set of recommendations that were disseminated to workshop participants, at two Capitol Hill policy fora organized by the Center for Clean Air Policy, and to all members of U.S. Senate, accompanied by a letter from Sen. Moynihan. In addition, the Science Office organized a special session at the 1997 biennial meeting of the Estuarine Research Federation.
Scientific Opportunities From NBS/USGS Merger (1996)
The Science Office and the Geological Society of America jointly convened two workshops to identify the scientific research opportunities arising from the merger of the USGS and the National Biological Service (NBS). Workshop reports and recommendations were presented to the Department of the Interior, USGS, and NBS. A summary article was published in the April 1997 ESA Bulletin. ( Kearns, F.R. 1997. Scientific Opportunities Created by the Newly Consolidated U.S. Geological Survey and National Biological Service.
Research Strategies for Sustainability-Based Environmental Management (1993)
The Science Office served on the steering committee for this workshop, organized in cooperation with the Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry (SETAC). The workshop proceedings (Sustainable Environmental Management: Proceedings of the Pellston Workshop on Sustainability-Based Environmental Management, 25-31 August, 1993, Pellston, Michigan, Editors L.W. Barnthouse, J. F. Fava, J.H. Gillett, T. F. Yosie, and W. E. Cooper, SETAC Press, 1998) considered the general topic of sustainable systems and toxic chemicals, integrating SETAC perspectives within the SBI framework and the broader ecological research community.
National Park Service Strategic Ecological Science Workshop (1992)
The Science Office played an integral role in organizing an evaluation of National Park Service future research and management needs. The published workshop report recommended incorporating Science Office priorities in key resource management policies.
International Conference on the Definition and Measurement of Sustainability: The Biophysical Foundations (1992)
The Science Office organized this conference in cooperation with the United Nations University and the Smithsonian Institution, which attempted to reach consensus on a preferred set of measurements and indicators for use at the landscape, regional, and global levels. The conference volume, Defining and Measuring Sustainability: the Biogeophysical Foundations was published by the World Bank in 1995.
Modeling Sustainable Forest Ecosystems Workshop (1992)
The Science Office served on the steering committee, identified participants, and organized ecological modeling presentations. The workshop stimulated interaction among ecologists, economists, and other scientists developing and testing predictive, simulation, and impact assessment models of sustainable forest ecosystems, and synthesized existing knowledge on sustainable forest ecosystems modeling at the landscape level.
