ERD Seminar Series

Abstract:

The limitations imposed by scale are well known in ecological research. Start too small and it’s difficult to perceive broad generalizations. Start too large and you lose most of the natural history information that makes ecology interesting in the first place. Overcoming these hurdles is difficult – it requires creative, unconventional methods. But it is central to the success of any national-scale research program (such as the ERP). Dan’s dissertation research was an exercise in cross-scale methodology, aimed at explaining the North American gradient of fish diversity. Specifically, Dan compared the highly diverse ichthyofauna of the Southeastern U.S. to the depauperate ichthyofauna of the Pacific Northwest, attempting to distinguish real-time, ecological constraints from historical artifacts. To do so, he combined large datasets from multiple sources (e.g. EMAP, state agencies, and natural history museums), taking care to ensure that the composite data were capable of supporting robust, non-biased inferences. Importantly, Dan found that local “point” samples can be used to characterize ecological patterns and processes at regional and inter-regional scales . . . albeit with considerable massaging and head-scratching. If you’ve been wondering what sorts of contributions Dan might make here at ERD, you don’t want to miss this event! Come see Dan get existential as he begins to address the all-important question: why is he here?

Biosketch:

Dan recently completed a Ph.D. in aquatic ecology at the University of Alabama, where he focused on fish biodiversity and biogeography. However, as a fellow of the National Science Foundation - Integrative Graduate Education and Research Traineeship (IGERT) program, Dan also pursued a number of interdisciplinary activities. For example, he established a presence within the environmental law community by publishing a law review article on scientific inference testing and how it relates to endangered species management. Here at ERD, Dan is excited to be pursuing research on the distribution and future of ecosystem services; this work will allow him to apply his background in aquatic ecology to cutting-edge technology in environmental management and planning.

When:

Thursday, November 8 – 10:30 a.m.

Where:

Ecosystems Research Division
960 College Station Road
Athens, GA 30606