Biosciences Seminar Speaker 15 March 2018

Biosciences Seminar Series - Winter 2018
15 March 2018 - 1pm - Zoology Museum

Mapping and modelling the impacts of dams, weirs, and road culverts

Dr Stephanie Januchowski-Hartley

(Swansea University, UK)

Our Biosciences Seminar Series continues with a talk by Dr Stephanie Januchowski-Hartley , who joined us this year as Sêr Cymru Rising Star Fellow at the Department of Biosciences at Swansea University (UK). Steph joined us from the Laboratoire Evolution et Diversité Biologique at Université Paul Sabatier in Toulouse (France), where she worked as research fellow on evaluating impacts of dams, weirs and roads on freshwater fish distribution and community composition. Originally from Michigan (USA), Steph is a Conservation Biologist especially interested in freshwater/fish conservation and more generally about the relationships between humans and nature, and her research has taken her widely across the world. Steph also is dedicated to connect the ecological and social aspects of Conservation Science and is passionate about communicating science, conservation and nature, using diverse media including poetry, sketching and drawing, photography and macro & micro blogging. Steph is also President of the Society for Conservation Biology Freshwater Working Group and European Section Board Member and closely works with the British Ecological Society, too.

Abstract

Fresh waters are some of the most heavily modified ecosystems on earth, impacted by diverse human-induced stressors, many of which are associated with urbanization and infrastructure. Under ongoing global change, there are the both threats to, and opportunities for freshwater resources, and the species and communities that depend on these resources. Despite this, our understanding about instream infrastructure such as dams, weirs, and road culverts remains limited. To develop proactive conservation strategies requires an understanding about current and potential future occurrences of human-induced stressors within the context of global climate change. Drawing on examples from Colombia, North America, and France, I will discuss how we have begun to address these challenges for freshwater ecosystems by determining spatial locations and characteristic of current and potential instream infrastructure. Drawing on these cases, along with knowledge gained from local-scale case studies, I introduce future directions that my lab will be taking to inform cross-scale policy and management decisions related to instream infrastructure.

Hope to see many of you - everyone most welcome to attend!


For the list of forthcoming seminars see here

Biosciences Science Club Series 13 March 2018

Biosciences Science Club Series - Winter 2018
13 March 2018 - 12pm - Wallace Lecture Theatre (140)

Individual variation in fitness components in migratory white storks (Ciconia ciconia)

Dr Shay Rotics

(University of Cambridge, UK)

We are delighted to welcome Dr Shay Rotics, from the Department of Zoology at the University of Cambridge (UK). Shay is an ecologist, especially interested in behavioural ecology and conservation science. He has recently started his Blavatnik Research Fellowship at LARG (the Large Animal Research Group at the Department of Zoology at Cambridge University), after completing his PhD on Movement - fitness relationships in white storks at the Movement Ecology Group at the Department of Ecology, Evolution and Behavior at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem (Israel).

Abstract

Migration facilitates the exploitation of seasonally abundant food resources and favorable climate, yet, migration is also considered costly and risky. In my PhD study I investigated individual variation in survival and breeding success of white storks in light of their long-distance migration. Solar GPS-body-acceleration transmitters were used to monitor movement, behavior, and energy expenditure proxy (derived from overall dynamic body acceleration, ODBA) of juveniles (<1 year) and adults, which were coupled with environmental data. Using these multifaceted data, we found that the juveniles’ early life behavior, fall migration flight attributes and wintering decisions could illuminated juvenile survival differences. We further examined the spring return migration of the adults which provided insights on the causes of individual differences in arrival time to breeding grounds and consequently on breeding success. The research identified key factors that affect survival and breeding success in white storks and demonstrated the feasibility of addressing fitness components in the wild while combining high-resolution, multifaceted tracking and environmental data.

Hope to see many of you - everyone most welcome to attend!


For the list of forthcoming seminars see here

Biosciences Seminar Speaker 08 March 2018

Biosciences Seminar Series - Winter 2018
08 March 2018 - 1pm - Zoology Museum

Asking good research questions in a wicked world

Prof Kathryn Monk

(Natural Resources Wales, UK)

Our Biosciences Seminar Series continues with a talk by Prof Kathryn Monk, Honorary Professor at the Department of Biosciences at Swansea University (UK) and Principal Advisor for Science at Natural Resources Wales (UK).

Abstract

How do we think about and develop our work in government and academia? Are we changing the way we think and work? In all walks of life, including research, policy, and tackling the grand challenges facing society, we increasingly recognise complexity, synergies, and the need for innovative approaches. We've moved from multi- to intra- to trans-disciplinary working in research, management, design etc. Between research and policy, how do we enable the impact of our research to be realised, let alone be confident that we have asked the right question in the first place?

Hope to see many of you - everyone most welcome to attend!


For the list of forthcoming seminars see here