Presenter Information
*In order to present in Montreal, all presenters, including symposia presenters, must register and pay for the meeting.
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Posters
Important Information for Poster Presenters
Symposium
American Elasmobranch Society (AES)
The Biology of the Devil Rays: Mantas and Mobulids
This symposium will focus on the biology, management and conservation of the devil rays, mantas and mobulids. The main goal of this symposium is to bring together scientists, aquarists, divers and others to share their expertise in diverse areas. Specific topics to be covered include movement, behaviors, natural history, fisheries interactions and conservation and management. This will help to determine the current state of knowledge of manta and mobulid biology, will provide insight on what questions remain unanswered and what is needed for conservation and management, and help bring to light some of the vast stores of unpublished data that has been collected by divers around the globe. If you are interested in attending the symposium see the guideline below.
Organizers:
John B. O’Sullivan
josullivan@mbayag.org
Heidi Dewar
Heidi.Dewar@noaa.govAmerican Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists (ASIH)
Biodiversity and Agricultural Sustainability in North America
Aquatic and riparian ecosystems are fragile environments rich in biodiversity. They are threatened by impacts related to a variety of land-water interactions. Degradation of terrestrial environments adjacent to freshwater ecosystems can adversely impact aquatic habitats and associated biological communities through many mechanisms. Understanding the mechanisms driving losses in aquatic and riparian biodiversity is important to the conservation and restoration of these environments worldwide. This symposium will address the effects of agricultural production on aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems and their resident biodiversity, and management practices and alternatives that preserve it.
If you need to contact me for additional information, please use the contact info below.
Organizers:
Frank H. McCormick, Ph.D.
US Forest Service
Environmental Sciences Research
c/o Olympia Forestry Sciences Laboratory
3625 93rd Ave. SW
Olympia, WA 98512
fmccormick@fs.fed.us
Herps in the Great White North: Survival Strategies for Short Summers and Long Winters
This symposium will examine multiple aspects of reptile and amphibian function in northern environments. Presentations will address multiple levels of biological organization - ranging from natural history through molecular biology - to examine the constraining forces and adaptive mechanisms that impinge on life in northern regions. We will consider reproductive and growth strategies of species at their northern range limits, winter survival mechanisms both underwater and on land, and adaptations of physiology and biochemistry that provide hypoxia/anoxia tolerance and freezing survival.
Organizers:
Kenneth B. Storey
Kenneth_storey@carleton.ca
Roles of amphibians in ecosystem processes
While various roles of amphibians in communities are widely appreciated, their significant at the ecosystem level is just beginning to be appreciated. There is mounting evidence that both aquatic and terrestrial amphibians influence primary productivity, leaf litter decomposition rates, and rates of nutrient cycling. The results of these studies especially in the context of declining and introduced species will be discussed.
Organizer:
Karen Beard
karen.beard@usu.edu
Herpetologists League (HL)
Cottonmouths, Agkistrodon piscivorus: the good, the bad, and the ugly
The cottonmouth is a semi-aquatic viperid snake native to the southeastern United States. The high relative abundance, broad geographic distribution, and interesting array of behaviors exhibited by this species have recently made it a popular target for many research questions over a broad range of topics. This developing interest in the species has resulted in a proliferation of new studies over the last ten years. This symposium broadly summarizes existing information and current studies on key aspects of cottonmouth biology and provides direction for future research.
Organizer:
Brian Greene
BrianGreene@missouristate.edu
Society for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles (SSAR)
Is Management of Sustainable Commercial Harvest of Long-Lived Organisms Possible?
Many species of fishes, elasmobranches, and reptiles share the life history traits of delayed maturity, low reproductive rates, and longevity. Many of these species also are commercially exploited for there flesh, skin, and the pet trade. We will consider harvest impact and how to manage populations effectively for recovery and sustainability. The symposium also will address bridging the gap between scientifically based sound management and politically driven management.
Organizers:
Willem M. Roosenburg
Ohio University
roosenbu@ohio.edu
Associated Co-organizers:
Justin D. Congdon
Savannah River Ecology Laboratory
Bar Boot Ranch
congdon@vtc.net
Henry R. Mushinsky
University of South Florida
mushinsk@cas.usf.edu
Rich Seigel
Towson State University
rseigel@towson.edu
Workshops
AES Student Workshop
Is Graduate School Enough?
We all enter graduate school hoping that a master’s or doctoral degree will guarantee more quality employment opportunities once we graduate. While obtaining that degree is no minor task, is it enough to ensure a future in scientific research? With the scarcity of higher academic and research positions, junior scientists are faced with a daunting situation upon graduating. It is increasingly important that graduate students prepare themselves to enter the job market not only with their degree, but also with additional skills and experiences that will help them stand out. For instance, how important is getting a PhD or doing postdoctoral research? What are some particularly important supplementary skills that employers look for in a job candidate? This workshop will help inform students of what they need to do to obtain a research position in today’s job market. Recently hired professors/researchers will provide advice on staying competitive in the current job market, while more experienced professors will provide insight on what they look for when serving on job search committees. Scientists from outside academia will offer a different perspective based on their experiences.
Organizer:
Tricia Meredith
ASIH Graduate Student Workshop
How to be a Successful Researcher
This workshop, created by members of ASIH graduate student committee, will consist of a panel of professors spanning the many levels of research and teaching institutions. The goal of the workshop is to give graduate students tips and suggestions for conducting a successful research project from start to finish. This workshop will provide tools to facilitate the graduate student experience and aid in professional development. The format will be a short introduction by a panel member followed by discussion, and an informal Q & A session with the panel.
Symposium Chair:
Tiffany Schriever
tiffany.schriever@utoronto.ca
Co-organizers:
April Bagwill
april.bagwill@okstate.edu
Alison Hamilton
ajenni2@lsu.edu
Rocky Parker
parkermi@science.oregonstate.edu