Tim Smith

Four new graduate assistantships have been funded to support outstandingstudents seeking an MS degree in Biology at Fort Hays State University while working at the new Kansas Wetlands Education Center.

The graduate assistantships will be available for students who will begin graduatestudies in the fall semester of 2008. Please inform prospective applicants about these assistantships and the excellent reputation of the graduate programs in Biology at Fort Hays State University.

The Kansas Wetlands Education Center, located at Cheyenne Bottoms in central Kansas, will be a branch museum of the Sternberg Museum of Natural History. Cheyenne Bottoms is the largest marsh in the interior of the United States. It is approximately 70 miles southeast of Fort Hays State University and consists of three units: 19,857 acres known as the Cheyenne Bottoms Wildlife Area and managed by the Kansas Department of Wildlife andParks; 7,200 acres known as the Cheyenne Bottoms Preserve and managed byThe Nature Conservancy; and 21,820 acres known as the Quivera National Wildlife Refuge and managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

The role of the Kansas Wetlands Education Center will be to interpret wetlandsand educate the public. The facility is under construction and is scheduled to open in the autumn of 2008. Persons interested in applying for the graduate assistantships must seekadmission as graduate students in the Department of Biological Sciences at Fort Hays State University (for application procedures, go tohttp://www.fhsu.edu/gradschl/forms.shtml).

uidelines for graduatestudents in the Department of Biological Sciences can be reviewed athttp://www.fhsu.edu/biology/GradStudentGuidelinesFall2005.pdf. Studentswho wish to pursue graduate studies in any area of Biology that relates towetlands are encouraged to apply. A partial list of appropriate areas of study includes ornithology, wildlife management, conservation biology,mammalogy, herpetology, aquatic biology, ecology, wetland microbialecology, ichthyology, and entomology. Consult the list of faculty membersin the Department of Biological Sciences at Fort Hays State University (http://fhsu.edu/biology/faculty-staff.shtml) to ascertain whether or notyour area of research interest is covered.

The graduate assistantships will be awarded in the spring (probably Marchor April) of 2008. They are for one year and are renewable for a secondyear. The stipend is $12,000.

For additional information about these graduate assistantships, contact me(jchoate@fhsu.edu) or Dr. Elmer Finck (efinck@fhsu.edu), Chair of theDepartment of Biological Sciences at Fort Hays State University.

Jerry Choate

J. R. Choate, Director Sternberg Museum of Natural History

Fort Hays State University

3000 Sternberg Drive

Hays, KS 67601-2006,

USA Phone: 785-628-5664

Fax: 785-628-4518

Email: jchoate@fhsu.edu

Museum website: http://www.fhsu.edu/sternberg

Elmer J. Finck

Professor and Chair

Department of Biological Sciences

Fort Hays State University

600 Park StreetHays, KS 67601-4099

e-mail: efinck@fhsu.eduwebpage: http://www.fhsu.edu/biology/finck.shtmlphone:

(785) 628-4214

fax: (785) 628-4153

Dear Colleagues:

Below (and attached) please find an announcement for a PhD position inmy lab in the Department of Forestry and Natural Resources at PurdueUniversity. Please share as you see fit. My apologies for anycross-postings.

Very best, Reuben Goforth

Reuben Goforth, PhD

Assistant Professor of Aquatic Community Ecology

Department of Forestry and Natural Resources

Purdue University195 Marstellar StreetWest Lafayette, IN 47907

Voice: 765-494-0009 Mobile: 269-967-7620 E-mail: rgoforth@purdue.edu

Position Announcement Ph.D. Assistantship in Aquatic Community Ecology, Purdue University,Department of Forestry and Natural Resources

I am seeking a highly motivated, energetic, and dedicated individual tojoin my lab as a PhD student in Aquatic Community Ecology beginning inMay - August 2008. This position is fully funded for three years basedon departmental funding, and there is potential for an additional fourthyear of funding if needed. The successful candidate will conductresearch in aquatic community ecology related to research themes in mylab, including (but not limited to):

1) Evaluating and modeling stream ecosystem responses to landscapechange resulting from increased corn production to support risingethanol demands

2) Evaluating stream conservation success for watersheds subjectedto varied levels and strategies for conservation

3) Elucidating mechanisms underlying the displacement of nativeaquatic species by introduced aquatic nuisance species

4) Evaluating the ecology and life history of native freshwatermussels to inform efforts to conserve and manage this highly imperiledtaxonomic group

Financial support for this position provides a stipend for livingexpenses, full tuition coverage, and an insurance package.

Interestedcandidates should have a strong background in aquatic sciences,including species and community ecology and biology, and should beprepared to conduct independent, novel scientific research related tothe areas described above (other areas are possible, too). The studentwill incorporate field, laboratory, and theoretical approaches inher/his work. Travel to support research activities and to presentresearch findings will be necessary, and this may include long periodsin the field. Experience with boat operation and SCUBA desirable butnot absolutely necessary. Students will work closely with other facultyand students in the Department of Forestry and Natural Resources atPurdue University. The position will ideally begin in May 2008, although it is alsopossible for the successful candidate to start as late as August 2008.

More information on the graduate program in the Department of Forestryand Natural Resources at Purdue University is available at:http://www.fnr.purdue.edu/students/graduate.shtml. Although still underconstruction, the departmental web site for Dr. Reuben Goforth can beviewed at: http://www.fnr.purdue.edu/faculty/goforth/index.shtml.For consideration, please send a letter/email of intent (electronicsubmissions strongly encouraged), including a statement of research andcareer interests, resume, names and addresses of 3 references, andtranscripts (photocopies or scans okay) to:

Reuben R. Goforth, Ph.D.

Department of Forestry and Natural Resources

195 Marstellar Street

Purdue University

West Lafayette, IN 47907

Office Voice: 765-494-0009

Mobile: 269-967-7620 FAX: 765-496-2422 E-Mail: rgoforth@purdue.edu Web:www.fnr.purdue.edu/faculty/goforth/index.shtml

Help me understand this point.

 

Joseph

Brenden is asking about the criteria for "navigable" in Wisconsin.

The COE lists a very few Illinois rivers as "navigable", but many many more than that can be negotiated with small craft. So which one is legal?

It has always been my impression that most Wisconsin streams are legally "navigable", but I don't know the details.

Research Assistantship (1 or 2 available at MS level):

Fresno RiverWatershed Assessment (Madera County, CA)

One or two MS-level research assistantships are available starting in thesummer or fall 2008 at California State University-Fresno (Fresno State). Students will participate in a collaborative project with the goal of usingpast and current stream monitoring to identify watershed functions andprocesses that are most compromised by current watershed activities and mostat risk with future development. Priorities for a student thesis within the project include bioassessmentusing macroinvertebrates or microbial indicators of septic infiltration, butother theses based on hydrology and/or water chemistry within a watershedcontext may be considered.

Assistantship duties will include supervisingstream sampling field crews and laboratory processing of macroinvertebratesamples in addition to the thesis. Successful applicants should demonstrate evidence of being able to workcollaboratively, but also independently, as well as the ability toeffectively supervise undergraduate technicians. Experience with dataanalysis including multivariate techniques is desirable. Presentations atconferences and publication is expected.

Depending on the number ofstudents on the project, one or two years of support of at least $15,000 isavailable. The assistantships will be largely supported through a researchgrant, but may also include a teaching assistantship and internal support. Fresno is a relatively affordable area in central California at the base ofthe Sierra Nevada Mountains. Yosemite National Park is 50mi north ofFresno, and of two other national parks are within 1.5hrs drive. Monterey(on the coast) is approximately 2.5hrs west.

To apply, send an e-mail message (and attachments) describing researchinterests and career goals; names, phone numbers, and email addresses of 3references; academic history and GRE scores to Dr. Steve Blumenshine: sblumens@csufresno.edu Phone: 559-278-8770; Address: Biology Dept. M/SSB73, CSU-Fresno, Fresno, CA 93740.

Make a difference and do graduate work that contributes to conservation and basic ecology. I have openings in my lab for students (1 M.S. and 1 Ph.D.) interested in conducting research on the conservation and ecology of the Hine's emerald dragonfly (Somatochlora hineana).

The Hine's emerald dragonfly is a federally-listed endangered species that occurs at a limited number of sites in the Midwestern United States. The species has a number of unique ecological and behavioral attributes (www.usd.edu/biol/DanSoluk.htm). Its ecology is closely linked to groundwater dynamics. It also has a complex relationship with one of its predators (the devil crayfish, Cambarus diogenes). Opportunities exist for research on the behavior and ecology of either the adult or larval stages, as part of an ongoing research program that includes habitat restoration and creation. Students with interests in wetland hydrology or crayfish ecology will also be considered. Research is conducted primarily in the Chicago area and in Door County, Wisconsin. Support will be primarily in the form of Research Assistantships. I am most interested in self-motivated students that are able to conduct independent research, and that have an active interest in both basic and applied ecology.

If you are interested in conducting research that may play a vital role in saving this rare and unusual dragonfly, contact:

Daniel A. Soluk,

Dept. of Biology, The University of South Dakota,

dsoluk@usd.edu <mailto:dsoluk@usd.edu> .

Daniel A. Soluk, Assoc. Prof.Dept. of Biology

University of South Dakota

414 East Clark St.Vermillion, SD 57069

ph. 605 677-6172

Shan, thank you for passing on that information. Sympathies to you for the loss of your friend.

PhD Opportunity

Survival and behaviour of fishes in rivers of variable winter severity

The Canadian Rivers Institute is looking for an independent, resourceful, and motivated individual to conduct a unique doctoral research project. Previous research on the winter ecology of riverine fishes has improved our understanding of how salmonid fishes react to declining temperatures and ice conditions, and the microhabitats and mesohabitats selected. However, reach-scale movements and the determination of mortality for different species and life-stages remain largely unknown, particularly in early winter and spring when emigration confounds estimates of mortality. The objective of the doctoral research project is to measure the movement and survival of individual, wild Atlantic salmon (parr), brook trout and non-salmonid fishes between autumn and spring in small and medium-sized rivers in eastern Canada. Survival of salmonid eggs will also be determined and compared between streams with relatively mild winter thermal regimes (Prince Edward Island) and those with extended periods of ice cover (New Brunswick).

The project will involve significant periods of winter field-work with some manipulative experimentation in laboratory settings, and modelling of population dynamics. Monitoring of fish movement will be accomplished using PIT (passive integrated transponder) and acoustic technology with fixed stations and active tracking of tagged individuals. Applicants will have a strong academic record and previous experience working with stream fishes, preferably in the area of ecology and/or population dynamics. Experience with PIT technology or biotelemetry, and mark-recapture population models would be a definite asset.

The student will be located at the Canadian Rivers Institute (CRI) at the University of New Brunswick (UNB) in Fredericton, New Brunswick. The CRI is an interdisciplinary research institute with >60 students and scientists from diverse academic and government departments interacting to resolve complex problems in aquatic science.

Full funding for salary and research is available for a 4-year term. International students are encouraged to apply. UNB offers a full waiver of the international student fee supplement for graduate students registered in doctoral programs.

Deadline for receipt of applications : January 20, 2008. Ideally, the successful candidate will start by April of 2008.

Interested individuals should send a letter of interest and full CV to:

Dr. Rick Cunjak,

Canada Research Chair in River Ecosystem ScienceFellow,

Canadian Rivers Institute (www.unb.ca/cri/)

Department of Biology, and Faculty of Forestry and Environmental Management

University of New Brunswick

Fredericton, New Brunswick, CANADA. E3B 6E1Email: cunjak@unb.caTel: 506-452-6204

Glad to hear yer feeling better Norm. That canoe adventure sounds like a good photo or video-op.

Packing list: wet suit, snorkle, water wings, water proof camera,

I think special teams will utilize him the best. Our offense is just "offensive", whether its play calling, the QB or the line. The D is nothing to write home about either.

Devin is the world's best in the open field, but the reference to Forrest Gump is right on. The most logical play to run for him, the bubble screen, ends up with him asking Mushin Muhammed where he should line up and the Bears having to call time out. He hasn't picked up the offense well at all...and he isn't likely to soon.

...and at this point I agree with Steve. He is too good on special teams to risk in the offense or defense. If you're lucky, you'll get 4-6 years of this incredible speed of his. Keep him healthy as long as you can. Once he has blown out his knee and he's merely blazing fast rather than superhuman, then you can insert him into the offense and have him be just another lowly receiver.

He's fine where he is. He's already giving you more offense just in yardage gained on punts out of bounds than that waste of a 1st round running back ever gave us. Devin has run back 126 kicks and put 11 of them in the end zone. That statistic alone is freakish enough. Then consider that some have been called back and some have gone for long gainers...and apparently he's only 3 TDs away from the all time record for run back TDs. The current record holder had over 1,000 run backs. Devin's going to catch him with 1/10th that many chances...AND the smart teams aren't even kicking to him anymore. THAT's how special Devin is as a run-back guy.

Watching those U-tube clips just emphasizes it even more. Everyone else out there is like a child next to him. It's like watching a man playing with boys. Watch how many of them he dumps on their butts just by making just the right cut at just the right time. It's like he has found a tear in the space time continuum and he goes into warp drive while everyone else is floundering around at half speed.

He is truly an all time best...enjoy it while he's around. You won't see this again soon.

Not off topic at all. The more we know about this the better off we are. Hopefully more people will specific knowledge will chime in.

The dam/dispersal issue is addressed here a bit. I'd be interested to see Chapman's data as well. That's a 92 MB Pdf so don't click it unless you mean it.

http://www.icais.org/pdf/2006ppt/Martin_OCONNELL.pdf

Notice they don't show them on the Sangamon until 2003, and they still don't show them on the Vermilion. Data holes like that are so incredibly common.

And it is an interesting paradox isn't it...

Tens (hundreds?) of millions are being spent to keep the Asian Carp out of the Great Lakes, but tens of millions are being spent as well to remove dispersal barriers in other systems. Granted, any major flood will render a low head dam useless as a dispersal barrier, but the time to failure for both barriers is probably similar within tens of years.

Your question about being stacked up by the dam, yes they were and also there is an old abandoned gravel pit that is attached to the Sangamon River just to the west where they also seem to stack up. I haven't been downstream a long way so I can't tell you about that but since they are coming up from the Illinois River, it only makes sense to me that they must be all along that corridor.

Don't be surprised if you catch some flack for saying they have quality meat. I posted a link saying that 2 years ago and almost got hooted off the forum.

I wouldn't be surprised they are stacked against the dam but less dense downstream...hopefully tribs like the Sangamon don't have the same scenario as on the Illinois and Mississippi where they're so thick people are shooting them from the backs of moving boats.

There are currently studies underway at the U of I looking at the viability of these fish under differing productivity scenarios. The main objective is to find out if they can survive in Lake Michigan. Keep an eye out for those data. They may have applications in large rivers too.

Sorry to be so far off topic...but...

Just watching his 2nd touchdown run back TODAY.

A lot of people get thrown up as the "best ever", but Devin really is the best run-back man ever in the history of the league. That stuff is pure gold. He almost makes it bearable watching the Bears in their currently lowly state.

I'm going out to buy my #23 jersey this week.

But better yet, come join me in my canoe next summer on a warm quiet night and we'll go see for ourselves on the Sangamon below Decatur. Sounds like a great road trip.

I'll bring the dynamite ("...are you going to talk or are you going to fish?").

Thanks for the info. Rob. Are they stacking up against that dam, Rob or are they abundant in the river miles downstream of it too?

I see the Sangamon as similar to the main stem of the Vermilion...relatively large, silty and productive. That's why I agree with you that they could establish there.

And since you took some home I have to ask:

1. Did you eat some?

2. How did they taste?

Jack, from there you have to get down to the Laguna Madre and try for redfish on the grass flats. Even the party boat cruises offshore for kingfish can be a blast.

Or if you want to swing north of there to do some stream fishing, you might become the 2nd ISA member ever to catch Guadelupe Bass. The hill country streams are fantastic! I think lake Travis near Austin still has smallmouth too, but they're the ones that are wiping out the Guadelupe bass, so I wouldn't encourage anyone to support that fishery.

The 4th and hopefully last stent in , all is well . Back to catching a fish or two , now and then .

Glad to hear it, Norm!

I've got a spot all picked out for you to float with me during the pre-spawn next spring.

In the next several years they will be up here in numbers, there is absolutely nothing that will stop them unless the plankton count diminishes as you head upstream.

Statistically, this is exactly what happens as you move into smaller drainages from larger ones like the Wabash and Vermilion. Big rivers generally have a lot of phytoplankton, small rivers have less. There is an inverse relationship between stream size and phytoplankton production in Illinois. Smaller streams have sunlight on the bottom and produce aquatic plants or periphyton (attached algae or macroalgae) instead of suspended plankton that the Asian carp need.

There are definitely Asian carp in smaller rivers like the Sangamon right now, but unless some one wants to come forward with some new data I haven't seen, they aren't abundant there. It's places like the Mississippi and Illinois that are taking the hardest hits from Asian carp so far.

Marc, the ISA has consistently supported dam removals where the data showed they would be beneficial. Is there a role we might play on the Vermilion?

I suspect Asian Carp aren't going to stay long in the Middle Fork. It has some of the highest water quality in Illinois and they'll avoid it for the same reason that common carp aren't really a problem there...there's not much productivity there and there's there nothing there for them to eat. Low productivity systems aren't really habitats where they thrive. The main stem of the Vermilion may turn out to be a different story.

The assertion about dams in general stopping invasives is an interesting one that has been raised here before. I guess if you could show that the effects of a dam were less than the effects of exotics, you might have a reason to keep a dam in place. I haven't seen anyone make that arguement yet in the peer reviewed literature. Maybe it slipped by me.

In the case of Asian Carp...I can imagine a dam slowing them down in some cases although a low head dam won't hold them back forever.

See? I TOLD you they interbreed!

I do believe that is a Chinese subspecies, Mike. As juveniles, they're normally found at large discount stores and then later shift their habitat use to garage sales and still later to landfills and the walls of confirmed bachelors (or those who soon will be).

Gary, thank you for taking the time to address this topic.

We probably all learned something vital about a service we probably take for granted.

Could you tell us in terms of costs what kinds of expenses are involved in keeping a stream gauge going or installing a temperature probe?

From: Ecological Society of America: grants, jobs, news (ecolog-l@listserv.umd.edu) on behalf of Gretchen Gerrish (ggerrish@ND.EDU)

Sent: Sat 11/17/07 7:43 PM

Reply-to: Gretchen Gerrish (ggerrish@ND.EDU)

To: ECOLOG-L@LISTSERV.UMD.EDU

We are taking applications for UNDERC-East summer 2008 and the potential to participate in UNDERC-West that continues the following summer 2009. (Additionally, applications directly for UNDERC West 2008 will be accepted from students of Junior or Senior standing that have had prior research experience)

In each summer, you receive six credits. From the 32 students participating in the summer 2008 at UNDERC-East, 8 students will be selected to continue the next summer at UNDERC-West 2009. Acceptance in either program includes tuition, housing, round trip transportation between Notre Dame and the UNDERC site and a $2500 summer stipend. The UNDERC-East site encompasses more than 7500 acres with abundant wildlife (including wolves, black bear, deer, and fisher) and includes 30 lakes, several streams, wetlands, and northern forests that have been protected for nearly a century. The UNDERC-West site encompasses more than a million acres with abundant wildlife (including bison, elk, mountain lion, and grizzly bear) and includes grasslands, montane forests, streams and lakes on the Flathead Reservation in Montana and associated tribal lands. Each summer includes 4 - 5 modules (each a week) on field biology. At UNDERC-East, modules include bird/mammal ecology, amphibian/reptile ecology, insect ecology, aquatic ecology and forest ecology. At UNDERC-West, modules include wildlife and grassland ecology, mountain ecology, stream ecology and Native American ecology. Remaining time is spent designing and completing an independent field research project under the direction and assistance of a faculty member or graduate student. Applications are available at http://underc.nd.edu/ and the extended deadline is December 3rd, 2007.

Unfortunately, we don't really have a national smallmouth alliance that can act on things like this. We're talking about a regional alliance at the moment...and Indiana has specific interests in access rights...

This will be one to discuss for sure.

Wow. Kevin, what an issue.

We would all do well to keep our eyes on this one and as a group we should think carefully about our role.

This is an area that strikes at not only our hobby, but also our civil liberties, quality of life and the environmental integrity of those rivers.

I don't know the actual players involved in this, but if they fall true to stereotype, they'll be some real...characters.

Passions run high out west over water issues. Law suits are the more pedestrian part of that dynamic. There could well

be guns involved before it's all over...oh...and by the way, if you dare to stand up and say that the public should have

access to rivers you'll get called a commie pinko bastard before the process is all over too.

Things aren't nearly as bad in Illinois, but we have tenuous water access rights too. This may be an area where we want to

get involved.

Description: Several Ph.D. assistantships are available in the Department of Land Resources and Environmental Sciences at Montana State University. These assistantships commence in August of 2008 and are based in Bozeman, MT – an outdoor enthusiast’s paradise!

Students will pursue questions in one of three broad research areas: 1) elucidating geomorphic and hydrologic controls on habitat diversity and biotic processes (e.g., biogeochemistry, productivity, metabolism, greenhouse gas emissions) in floodplain ecosystems; 2) developing novel, agent-based modeling approaches to simulate transport and biotic uptake of solutes from stream channels and hyporheic zones of gravel-bedded streams; and 3) linking geomorphology and hydrology to fish habitat diversity and utilization in mainstem rivers of Montana.

Students will work with Dr. Geoffrey Poole and will apply quantitative research techniques including simulation modeling, GIS analysis, and/or remote sensing, coupled with ample opportunities for field data collection and laboratory experiments and analyses.

Successful applicants will be highly self-motivated and creative problem solvers with excellent computer skills. As members of collaborative and interdisciplinary research teams, students must also possess outstanding interpersonal and writing skills. More information, including application instructions, can be found at http://www.eco-metrics.com/MSU/

Seeking highly qualified graduate students to pursue graduate degrees inecology, starting in the Summer or Fall of 2008 in the lab of John Drake atthe University of Georgia Odum School of Ecology.

Research in this labfocuses on population dynamics in experimental systems, infectious diseaseecology, and ecology of invasive species. We have strengths in modeling,computation, and stochastic population theory. Recent projects includeinvasive aquatic species in the North American Great Lakes, extinction inexperimental zooplankton populations, and models of the 2003 SARS outbreakin Singapore.

For other past research seehttp://dragonfly.ecology.uga.edu/drakelab/. Students interested either inmodeling/computation/theory or in empirical research are encouraged to apply. Potential students are strongly encouraged to email (jdrake@uga.edu) aletter of introduction and expression of interest by December 1, 2007).

Formore information about the Graduate Program in Ecology and instructions forapplying, please see http://www.ecology.uga.edu/programs/doctorate.htm.

Funding is immediately available for the following position. Outstandingapplicants with other interests are encouraged to contact us about forinformation about fellowships and other sources of funding. POPULATION ECOLOGY OF BRANCHIOPODA IN TEMPORARY PONDS Drs. John Drake (University of Georgia) and Stephen Golladay (Joseph W.Jones Ecological Research Center) are seeking a graduate student at eitherthe MS or PhD level to study the population ecology of rare branchiopodcrustaceans in temporary ponds of the Ichauway conservation site insouthwest Georgia. Results of this work will be used in the conservation andrestoration of coastal plain isolated wetlands.

The successful applicantwill complete coursework at the Odum School of Ecology (University ofGeorgia) and will be subsequently stationed at the Jones Center forresearch.

For more information about the UGA graduate program in ecology,please see http://www.ecology.uga.edu/programs.htm. For more informationabout joint program between the Odum School of Ecology and the Jones Center,please see http://www.ecology.uga.edu/facilities/asso...phjones.htm.For more information about the Jones Center, including information about thesite, facilities, and programs, please see http://www.jonesctr.org/.