Mission Statement

The Biogeosciences Section of the Ecological Society of America seeks to promote research and education in studies of the influence of biology on the chemistry of the surface of the Earth, the processing of energy and materials in Earth’s ecosystems, and the impact of humans on Earth system function. The section shall act as a liaison between investigators, societies, and other groups interested in these subjects.

Bylaws

Article 1: NAME. The official name of this Section shall be “The Biogeosciences Section of the Ecological Society of America.”

Article 2: PURPOSE. The purpose of this Section shall be to promote research and education in studies of the influence of biology on the chemistry of the surface of the Earth, the processing of energy and materials in Earth’s ecosystems, and the impact of humans on Earth system function. The purpose of the section shall be reviewed and renewed by a vote of the membership every five years.

Article 3: ORGANIZATION. The Biogoesciences Section shall be a subdivision of the Ecological Society of America and shall be governed by the Constitution and Bylaws of that Society.

Article 4: MEMBERS. Any member of The Ecological Society of America who wishes to become a member of the Biogeosciences Section may do so upon payment of the designated dues.

Article 5: OFFICERS. The officers of the Biogeosciences Section shall be a Chairperson, Chairperson-Elect, Secretary, The Past-Chairperson, and the Webmaster. The first three shall be elected by majority vote taken by writer and/or electronic ballot of members of the Section. The Chairperson appoints the Webmaster. Officers can be re-elected with a limit of two terms of service.

Article 6: CHAIRPERSON. The chairperson shall preside at the business meetings of the Section, authorize expenditures of the Section funds, and promote the interests of the Section. The Chairperson shall serve for a term of two years. He/she shall represent the Section on the Council of the Society.

Article 7: PAST-CHAIRPERSON. Upon completion of a two-term, the Chairperson shall serve as a the Past-Chairperson of the Section for one year and shall serve as a member of the Executive Committee of the Section.

Article 8: CHAIRPERSON-ELECT. The Chairperson-Elect shall serve for a term of one year before assuming the duties of the Chairperson. During this period he/she shall assume the duties of the Chairperson whenever that person is unable to serve.

Article 9: SECRETARY. The Secretary shall keep the records of the Section and shall perform such other duties as may from time to time be assigned to him/her. The Secretary shall serve for a term of two years.

Article 10: The WEBMASTER shall promote the Section’s interests through maintaining and updating the Section’s web page.

Article 11: FINANCES. The necessary expenses of the Section shall be paid from the treasury of the Society, but in any one year the total expenses of the Section shall not exceed the sum of the amount allotted for this purpose in the annual budget of the Society plus the amount, if any, collected as due by the Society on behalf of the Section. In the event that the Section is dissolved, its assets will be transferred to the general funds of the Ecological Society of America. No officer or member of the Section shall have authority to incur any expense in the name of the Society, except as specified above.

Article 12: EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE. In intervals between annual meetings, an Executive Committee composed of the Chairperson, Secretary, and either the Past-Chairperson of the Section or the Chairperson-Elect may act for the Section.

Article 13: MEETINGS. A business meting of the Section shall be held at least once a year. Ordinarily this meeting shall be held concurrently with the regular annual meeting of the Ecological Society of America, but if such a concurrent meeting is not feasible, then the Executive Committee of the Section shall decide when and where the business meeting shall be held. Section meetings may be held at other times and places on call of the Chairperson or on written request by ten members of the Section. Notice shall be sent to each member of the Section sixty days in advance of any meeting. A quorum of twenty members must be present at the meetings of this Section when legislative action is taken.

Article 14: PUBLICATIONS. The annual report of the Section and its official notices shall be eligible for publication in print and on-line publications of the Ecological Society of America. The Section shall publish a newsletter, which shall be posted on the Section’s webpage and mailed to individual members of the Section on request.

Article 15: AMENDMENTS. These bylaws may be amended by two-thirds vote of those members present at any annual meeting of the Section, provided that notice has been given to all members situ days in advance, or by a two-thirds vote in a ballot sent to all Section members.

---

Past Section Officers

Stephen C. Hart, University of California, Merced
Jennie DeMarco, University of Florida
Denise Devotta, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Josh Schimel, University of California, Santa Barbara
Jennie McLaren, University of Texas, El Paso
Anthony Darrouzet-Nardi, University of Texas, El Paso
Whendee Silver, University of California, Berkeley
Kate Buckeridge, Lancaster University
Peter Groffman, Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies
Daniela Cusack, University of California, Los Angeles
Adrien Finzi, Boston University
Matt Wallenstein, Colorado State University
Alan T0wnsend, University of Colorado
Emily Bernhardt, Duke University
Lars Hedin, Princeton University
Christine Goodale, Cornell University