EMERGING THREATS AND RESEARCH CHALLENGES IN THE TROPICS

William F. Laurance
Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Balboa, Panama

Date - Thu, 14th May, 2009
Time - 10am
Venue - LT20
Host - Prof Richard Corlett

Abstract ­ I will summarize several new or emerging threats to tropical
ecosystems and consider the research challenges these raise.  The drivers of
tropical forest destruction and key perils to biodiversity have changed over
the past two decades.  Industrial drivers of forest conversion‹such as
logging, large-scale soy and cattle farming, oil-palm plantations, and oil
and gas development‹have escalated in importance in recent decades, buoyed
by rapid globalization, economic growth, and rising standards of living in
developing nations.  Biofuels are likely to grow rapidly as a driver of
future forest destruction.  Climate change has emerged as a potentially
serious cause of change in the tropics, and some fauna, such as amphibians,
are being decimated by emerging pathogens.  In general, old-growth forests
are vanishing rapidly and being replaced by fragmented, secondary, and
logged forests.

These evolving threats are creating an urgent need for new research.  For
example, we know far too little about how well secondary and degraded
habitats will sustain tropical biodiversity.  Much is unknown about how
climate change will affect tropical biota at high and low elevations, or how
this will interact with ongoing land-use change.  Further, we have only the
most rudimentary idea of how climate change will affect tropical
precipitation‹a crucial deficit given the acute sensitivity of tropical
forests to drought and fire.  Information on environmental synergisms is
meager at best.  Finally, we need to develop new conservation strategies to
deal with the increasingly industrial drivers of deforestation. I will
highlight these and other issues on the horizon of tropical conservation
science.


See also: Butler and Laurance, 2008. "New strategies for conserving tropical
forests," TIEE. http://news.mongabay.com/Butler_and_Laurance-TREE.pdf

------ Forwarded Message
From: YEE NGOH CHAN <dbscyn@...>
Date: Tue, 12 May 2009 11:16:20 +0800
Subject: QE:  The Phenology of Dioecious Figs in Singapore (Nanthinee
Jeevanandam, 18 May, 9AM)


Department of Biological Sciences, NUS
Qualifying Examination







The Phenology of Dioecious Figs in Singapore


Speaker          :  Nanthinee Jeevanandam (Graduate Student, Department of
Biological Sciences, NUS)
Date                : 18th May 2009 (Monday)
Time              :  9:00 AM
Venue            :  Seminar Room 2 (SR2) S2, 04-10
Supervisor      :  Prof Richard Corlett



Abstract:
Dioecious figs have a complex, obligate mutualism with their pollinators,
the fig wasps (Insecta: Agaonidae). To add to this complexity, parasitic fig
wasps compete with pollinating wasps for oviposition sites in receptive,
functionally male figs. This often has a negative impact on the number of
potential pollinators produced in the next generation, which are needed to
pollinate fig populations. To further complicate matters, parasitic fig
wasps come in different forms; gallers, parasitoids and parasites, all
having a different impact on the pollinating fig wasp population sizes.
In a relationship between long-lived woody plants and short-lived wasps
(adult life span 2-3 days), precise timing is crucial, since even a brief
gap could result in the local extinction of pollinators and/or parasites. In
monoecious figs, this has resulted in the evolution of a plant phenology
whereby fig crops are synchronized within a plant but not between plants. In
dioecious figs, in contrast, the phenologies of different fig species are
much more varied suggesting that that there may be multiple alternative
solutions to the timing problem, with the evolutionary choice depending on
other factors, including climatic seasonality, growth form and ecological
role.  Volatile organic compounds synchronize timing between the plant and
pollinator, but their role in attracting non-pollinators is currently
unknown. Understanding what makes this delicate balance successful will
provides us with insight into the persistence of dioecy in figs

ALL ARE WELCOME


------ End of Forwarded Message



[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Download form at: http://sn.im/hzv6c-gm5

Raffles Museum of Biodiversity Research (RMBR), Department of Biological
Sciences, Faculty of Science, National University of Singapore
*
*
*Job Vacancy Advertisement: **Education and Public Relations Officer*
*
* 1.     * **RMBR designation*: Education  and Public Relations Officer

2.     * **Official NUS designation*: Laboratory Technologist

3.     * **Salary*: Consistent with qualifications and experience, as
determined by the Office of Human Resources, NUS

4.     * **Qualifications*: Polytechnic diploma, BSc, or BSc (Honours) in
biology or related fields, and/or relevant experience in public relations
and/or public education

5.     * **Contract*: Yearly, until conferred permanence (retirement at 62
years of age)

6.     * **Main role*: Handle public relations, education and outreach for
the RMBR

7.     * **Specific duties*:

a.      To guide visitors and VIPs through the RMBR Public Gallery.

    b.      To host research visitors.

    c.      To assist in the installation of exhibits in the Public Gallery.
    (The Public Gallery is one major facility for public education.)

    d.      To be the RMBR representative for the Museum Roundtable.

    e.      Communication with the media (TV, radio, newspapers).

    f.      To update and provide new materials for the RMBR website.

    g.      Maintaining the museum’s Newsblog.

    h.      To take charge of the publication of RMBR publicity materials,
    e.g., brochure, annual report.

    i.      Recording the history of the museum to generate announcements or
    news items for the RMBR website, or for newspapers.

    j.      To track the publications outputs of RMBR staff and Research
    Associates (Biodiversity and Ecology academic staff of the Department of
    Biological Sciences).

    k.      To track the use of RMBR materials in research publications.

    l.      To manage the literature collection of the RMBR Library
    (arranging, maintaining and cataloguing papers, journals and books in the
    museum’s library)

    m.      In charge of the inventory of the RMBR merchandise and
    consignments.

    n.      Assist in administration matters of the RMBR.

    o.      To back up the RMBR secretary during leave periods.


8.     * **Applicants*: are to send this form (http://sn.im/hzv6c-gm5) to
Assoc. Prof. Hugh Tan, Deputy Director, Raffles Museum of Biodiversity
Research at *dbsttw@...* <mailto:dbsttw@...<dbsttw@...>>


9.     * **Deadline*:  15 Jun 2009


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

TROPICAL MARINE SCIENCE INSTITUTE, NUS
OUTREACH OFFICER
All applications should be sent to tmshr@...


The primary scope of the outreach officer is to develop the public and
schools educational programs at TMSI. We seek an individual with interest to
develop field courses, workshops and academic activities for schools,
environment managers and scientists.

Requirements:
- Science/engineering degree with majors in marine science, biology, or
environment science.
- Strong interest in marine science and education
- Good knowledge of Singapore marine biodiversity and environmental issues.
- Knowledgeable of web page design and use of internet media
- Must be able to swim
- Some experience with organization of MICE or training workshops, and/or
experience as a field guide for nature programs, will be useful
- Out-going personality, good spoken and written communication skills

Job responsibilities include:
- assist to organise and conduct field trips to the seashore
- assist to organise and conduct public education activities at TMSI
- assist to organize workshops and conferences
- assist to host visitors of TMSI
- assist with media communications and coordinate production of publicity
materials
- manage and update TMSI website and track publication records of
researchers
- assist with liaison and support to TMSI external collaborators

Salary will commensurate with qualifications and experience. The appointment
will be for one year and extendable depending on candidate's performance.

Interested candidates are invited to send in a detailed resume to:
Attn: Dr Serena Teo, Email: tmshr@...

Only shortlisted candidates will be notified.
Deadline: 4 July 2009


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

>
> The Straits Times, 02 June 2009
> Home <http://www.straitstimes.com/> > ST
Forum<http://www.straitstimes.com/ST%2BForum/ST%2BForum.html> >
> Story
> Museum needs more space, better access
> ON May 24, a Sunday, my family and I were at the Raffles Museum of
> Biodiversity Research at the National University of Singapore (NUS). It was
> fascinating to discover that Singapore has such a wide diversity of flora
> and fauna.
>
> Due to extensive media coverage, many people were there, including old folk
> in wheelchairs and babies in strollers. Some of the older generation were
> excited to share kampung stories and their encounters with animals such as
> flying foxes and monitor lizards.
>
> However, the museum is too small for public viewing. Also, the location is
> also out of the way for most people and inaccessible to the public -
> especially for those without their own transport - as it is within NUS
> grounds. Added to that, some people had difficulty reaching the museum due
> to lack of directional signs.
>
> Guides mentioned that less than 1 per cent of the collection, which is
> mostly used for research purposes, was on display. I believe more could be
> displayed if not for space constraints.
>
> Although there were activities for children, the museum lacks the sort of
> interactivity that most museums have - for example, an electronic touch
> panel or even a video wall. There should be large and simple signs for
> children to read.
>
> The guides were wonderful in introducing us to the museum in terms of flora
> and fauna classification and diversity, as well as places to visit in
> Singapore to explore nature. However, they were pretty short-handed in
> managing guiding sessions, patrolling the specimens and helping out with
> Q&A.
>
> Singapore may have no dinosaur bones, but we have the resources to showcase
> the rich and diverse natural history of Singapore and South-east Asia.
>
> *Jaya Kumar Narayanan*
>
> Latest commentswell, at least i did not get lost.
> Posted by: jermainaw at Tue Jun 02 10:37:12 SGT 2009
> I was a visitor there too, yes, too samll.
>
> I beg to differ on some points though.
>
> The place is quite assessible even though I have no car. Just take MRT to
> clementi station, then bus 96. Then the NUS free internal shuttle bus will
> take you to science faculty.
>
> And i find the signboard quite ample too.
> Posted by: jermainaw at Tue Jun 02 10:36:38 SGT 2009
>



The Straits Times, 04 Jun 2009
http://www.straitstimes.com:80/Singapore/Story/STIStory_385554.html
Natural history needs more room
Prized exhibits are now tucked away at NUS, and space is also running out By
Victoria Vaughan
  With about 500,000 specimens of mammal, marine, insect, reptile and plant
life, the Raffles Museum of Biodiversity Research has one of the largest
collections of South-east Asian flora and fauna. -- ST PHOTO: JOYCE FANG
  AMERICA'S Museum of Natural History has been seen by countless people
thanks to two Hollywood hits, but the same cannot be said of Singapore's own
prized collection hidden away at the National University of Singapore.

The Raffles Museum of Biodiversity Research (RMBR) has the second oldest
natural history collection in South-east Asia after Indonesia's Bogor
Museum. It has one of the largest collections of South-east Asian flora and
fauna but many of its specimens remain out of sight due to lack of space.

Because of this, its director, Professor Peter Ng, is calling for a proper
space to showcase the 500,000-strong collection of mammal, marine, insect,
reptile and plant life.

Public demand for Asian natural history is high, demonstrated by 'an
overwhelming turnout' at the museum's open day on May 24, according to its
education and public relations officer Tan Sijie. 'There were about 2,000
people or more, which is possibly more than our usual walk-ins and school
group tours for a year.'

One visitor, Mr Jaya Kumar Narayanan, highlighted the lack of space and the
non-prominent location in a letter to The Straits Times' Forum page.

Singapore's founder, Sir Stamford Raffles, contributed to the collection,
amassed over the last 150 years. Its oldest specimen is a Brown Flycatcher
bird collected by British naturalist Alfred Russel Wallace, the co-founder
of the theory of evolution.

However, the museum's cramped premises do not allow it to realise its full
potential in education and research, says Prof Ng. At the rate specimens are
coming into the centre, it will be full in five years, meaning some parts of
the collection will be given away and gallery space may be further reduced,
he explained.

Prof Ng is calling for the museum to have a permanent home like its former
National Museum premises, where many more specimens could be put on display
for visitors. 'We have an art museum, a civilisations museum, a heritage
museum, but natural history is lodged in a corner of the university where no
one can find it.'

The National Heritage Board (NHB) says, however, that there are no plans to
move the exhibits to the National Museum. 'Apart from being a museum, RMBR
also carries out academic research and conservation efforts on plants and
animals both locally and in the region. This was one of the reasons why the
museum was sited within the grounds of NUS,' said an NHB spokesman.

In the last four years, Prof Ng has had informal talks with the Singapore
Zoo, Singapore Science Centre and National Parks Board about the possibility
of setting up a National History Museum. However, he explains, the zoo's
commercial interest and the centre's education focus was thought to be in
conflict with RMBR's research agenda, and NParks already has its work cut
out looking after plant specimens.

But there may be hope. NUS Science Faculty dean, Professor Andrew Wee, said
there could be plans for a new building to house the museum at the
university, together with other labs.

*vvaughan@...* <vvaughan@...>


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

The Straits Times, 05 June 2009
Our treasure
http://www.straitstimes.com/ST%2BForum/Story/STIStory_386066.html

'NHB should not delegate to NUS the duty of conserving and showcasing our
natural history heritage.'

MS JANE LIM: 'The National Heritage Board (NHB) should strongly consider a
Singapore Museum of Natural History in planning to build new museums in the
Civic District. The museum districts in Washington and London have immensely
popular museums of natural history. NHB can work in partnership with the
National University of Singapore (NUS) so the public can easily access our
valuable heritage.

It should not delegate to NUS the duty of conserving and showcasing our
natural history heritage. I have fond childhood memories of the flora and
fauna exhibits at the old National Museum of Singapore. Our kids should grow
up knowing the natural beauty of our urban city state.'

-----------

The Straits Times, 05 June 2009
Plans to expand museum at NUS
http://www.straitstimes.com/ST%2BForum/Story/STIStory_386075.html

I REFER to Mr Jaya Kumar Narayanan's letter on Tuesday, 'Museum needs more
space, better access' and would like to thank him for his positive comments
on the Raffles Museum of Biodiversity Research at the National University of
Singapore.
Held on May 24, the recent International Museum Day organised by the
National Heritage Board provided the museum with a rare opportunity to share
our extensive research collection of flora and fauna with the public. The
response was overwhelming - the museum hosted some 3,000 visitors that day.
This was a record turnout in one day and the museum's staff and resources
were stretched thin. We apologise for the inconvenience caused.

The university recognises that the museum serves as a valuable resource for
biodiversity research and helps to generate interest among the public on
important issues of ecology, conservation and the environment we live in. To
give the museum the opportunity to expand, there are plans for a new
building that could house the museum, together with other teaching and
research laboratories at the Faculty of Science. We hope to address the
issues of accessibility and space in the near future, so more people can
enjoy and appreciate Singapore's rich natural heritage at the museum.

Professor Peter Ng
Director, Raffles Museum of Biodiversity Research
National University of Singapore


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

“Darwin, Wallace, and Evolution: Celebrating a major paradigm shift in science”

[1] “Darwin and Wallace 150 years on,” by John van Wyhe, Cambridge University.
[2] “From Darwin to DNA: Evolution of blue butterflies and ants,” by
By Naomi Pierce, Harvard University.

Monday 22nd June 2009: 6.30pm

Lecture Theatre 31
Science Drive 1
Faculty of Science,
National University of Singapore

A buffet dinner will be served at 8.30pm.
Details and registration at http://darwinwallace.rafflesmuseum.net

TROPICAL MARINE SCIENCE INSTITUTE, NATIONAL UNIVERSITY OF SINGAPORE

RESEARCH FELLOW (A): PHYTOPLANKTON ECOLOGY

RESPONSIBILITIES
* Develop and conduct research projects focusing on taxonomy and ecology of
marine phytoplankton in Singapore¹s coastal waters
* Research interest preferably for bioluminescent and/or toxic
dinoflagellates. Please provide a one page description of your research
interest.
* Supervise and manage research programs, and securing of external
competitive research funding
* Assist  with water quality monitoring and biofilm research at TMSI
* Provide expertise and assistance in development of research relating to
ballast water and biosecurity issues

QUALIFICATIONS and REQUIREMENTS
* PhD in Marine Biology, with an  excellent research record in marine
phytoplankton ecology
* Good publication record, and keen interest to conduct both laboratory and
field based research
* Strong interest and passion for marine ecology and nature in the Indo
Pacific region
* Candidate must have a strong  command of spoken and written English.

SALARY
* Salary and allowances will commensurate with qualifications and
experience. The appointment will initially be for a period of one year and
extendable depending upon the candidate¹s performance.

CONTACT
* Interested candidates are invited to email their detailed resume,
including contact information for 3 referees, to Dr Serena Teo. Emails
should only be directed to the following mailbox: tmshr@.... Only
short listed candidates will be notified. More information may be found on
our website http://www.tmsi.nus.edu.sg



[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

The Biodiversity and Ecology Journal Club invites you to:
"Saving Biodiversity"

A seminar by

By Professor Stuart L. Pimm
Doris Duke Professor of Conservation Ecology
Nicholas School of the Environment and Earth Sciences
Duke University

Monday, 20th July 2009: 5:00pm - 6:00pm
Venue: DBS Conference Room, Blk S3 Level 5Map: http://tinyurl.com/map-nusdbs
Host: Dr. Navjot Sodhi

About the speaker:
Stuart Pimm became a conservation biologist watching species become extinct
in Hawai'i in the 1970s. That experience lead to his commitment to study the
scientific issues behind the global loss of biological diversity. Pimm has
written over 200 scientific papers including three review articles in Nature
and Science and four books including "The Balance of Nature?" and "The World
According to Pimm: a scientist audits the Earth".

His research covers the reasons why species become extinct, how fast they do
so, the global patterns of habitat loss and species extinction, the role of
introduced species in causing extinction and, importantly, the management
consequences of this research. His commitment to the interface between
science and policy has lead to his testimony in the US government to both
House and Senate Committees on the re-authorization of the Endangered
Species Act.

His current work includes studies of endangered species and ecosystem
restoration in the Florida Everglades, and setting priorities for protected
areas in the Atlantic Coast forest of Brazil (one of the world's "hotspots"
for threatened species. His awards include a Pew Scholarship for
Conservation and the Environment (in 1993) and an Aldo Leopold Leadership
Fellowship (in 1999). The Institute of Scientific Information recognized him
in 2002 as being one of the world's most highly cited scientists. In 2004,
Pimm was elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.

More information on his research on species preservation and conservation
can be found at http://www.thepimmgroup.org


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

*"Can medium-sized mammals coexist with man on Pulau Ubin?"
*
By Marcus Chua
Systematics & Ecology Lab, NUS

Friday, 24th July 2007: 12.00pm - 12.45pm
Botany Centre, Singapore Botanic Gardens Function Hall (Tanglin Gate)

*About the talk* - The greater mouse deer was recently rediscovered in Pulau
Ubin, an island which is one of Singapore's last rural places and a popular
recreation area.  What led to their rediscovery and comeback? What other
mammals can be found on Pulau Ubin? Why are they threatened? Can this little
hoofed creature and other medium-sized mammals live alongside man on Pulau
Ubin?

Marcus Chua, did this project for his honours thesis in NUS 2008/9.

All are welcome.

Thanks to Ria Tan, WildSingapore:
http://wildshores.blogspot.com/2009/07/24-jul-fri-talk-on-greater-mousedeer.html


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Biodiversity & Ecology Journal Club,
Department of Biological Sciences,
National University of Singazpore

All are welcome

"Contrasting the advantages of long and short distance seed dispersal
for tree populations at the Huai Kha Khaeng Wildlife Sanctuary,"
by Trevor Caughlin, Doctoral candidate, University of Florida.

Date: Tue 28 July 2009: 2pm
Venue: SR2 (S2 Level 4-10)
Host: Ahimsa Campos-Arceiz, Terrestrial Ecology Lab

Abstract - The Huai Kha Khaeng Wildlife Sanctuary in western Thailand
is notable for having intact animal populations and a dynamic mosaic
of forest types from evergreen to dry deciduous dipterocarp.  My
research examines how ingestion by large wide-ranging animals, such as
civets, affects tree populations in this landscape.  Experiments
quantifying seed fate show that the advantage of frugivory for three
trees in the family Annonaceae is likely to be related to seed
movement, rather than gut passage or deposition in dung.  However, the
benefits of movement for seed fate and ultimately tree populations are
likely to be different at different distances from conspecific tree
populations.

About the speaker - Born and grown in the United States, Trevor
Caughlin’s fascination with tropical fruits began in 6th grade, when
he conducted his first germination experiments with the seeds of mango
and papaya. Since then, Trevor has been involved in various projects
that have taken him to study tropical ecology around the world.

At present Trevor is studying how seed dispersal structures tree
populations in the Huai Kha Khaeng Wildlife Sanctuary, central
Thailand. This study is part of his PhD program at the University of
Florida under the supervision of Professor Doug Levey, an eminent
figure in tropical ecology and plant-animal interactions. He is also
involved in research on the ecology of figs and seed-dispersing
animals in South Florida.

*"Preliminary insights into the behaviour of the mangrove tree-dwelling
crab, Selatium brockii."
*
by Ben Godsall
Imperial College London
with Systematics and Ecology Lab, NUS.

Friday, 31 Jul 2009: 2pm
Venue: Seminar Room 2,
Block S2, Level 4,
Department of Biological Sciences,
National University of Singapore.

The mangrove tree-dwelling crab has not received much attention beyond its
description. Most people have never heard of it, even those who live with it
on their shores. *S. brockii *lives on trees in the sandbank areas of the
Singapore mangroves, feeding off algae at night and hiding during the day.
The current study has examined the contest behaviour of *Selatium* on the
vertical axis, contrary to common competition experiments performed on flat
ground. The preliminary results are presented along with ideas for future
research projects and the need for conservation efforts at Mandai mangroves.


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Thanks to Von Bing for the forward...

[image: The New York Times] <http://www.nytimes.com/>This copy is for your
personal, noncommercial use only. You can order presentation-ready copies
for distribution to your colleagues, clients or customers
here<http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/11/science/11naming.html?8dpc=&_r=1&pagewant\
ed=print#>
or
use the "Reprints" tool that appears next to any article. Visit
www.nytreprints.com for samples and additional information. Order a reprint
of this article
now.<http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/11/science/11naming.html?8dpc=&_r=1&pagewant\
ed=print#>
[image: Printer Friendly Format Sponsored
By]<http://www.nytimes.com/adx/bin/adx_click.html?type=goto&opzn&page=www.nytime\
s.com/printer-friendly&pos=Position1&sn2=336c557e/4f3dd5d2&sn1=339a13dc/9094b00f\
&camp=foxsearch2009_emailtools_1011076e_nyt5&ad=500Days_120x60e_NowPlaying&goto=\
http://www.foxsearchlight.com/500daysofsummer>

------------------------------
August 11, 2009
Reviving the Lost Art of Naming the WorldBy CAROL KAESUK
YOON<http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/people/y/carol_kaesuk_y\
oon/index.html?inline=nyt-per>

One spring when I was a graduate student, I would go each Monday down into
the bowels of the entomology building. There I would meet Prof. Jack
Franclemont, an elderly gentleman always with little dog in tow, to be
tutored in the ordering and naming of life — the science of taxonomy.

Professor Franclemont, a famed moth specialist, was perfectly old school,
wearing coat and tie to give the day’s lecture even though I was the only
member of the audience. Quaintly distracted, he never quite got my name
right, sometimes calling me Miss Loon or Miss Voon. After the talk, I would
identify moths using a guide written in 1923, in silence or listening to
stories of his dog’s latest antics. I enjoyed the meditative pleasure of
those hours, despite the fact that as the lone (and not terribly proficient)
student of an aging teacher, I could not help feeling that taxonomy might be
dying, which, in fact, it is.

Despite the field’s now blatant modernity, with practitioners using DNA
sequences, sophisticated evolutionary theory and supercomputers to order and
name all of life, jobs for taxonomists continue to be in steady decline. The
natural history collections crucial to the work are closeted or tossed.

Outside taxonomy, no one is much up in arms about this, but perhaps we
should be, because the ordering and naming of life is no esoteric science.
The past few decades have seen a stream of studies that show that sorting
and naming the natural world is a universal, deep-seated and fundamental
human activity, one we cannot afford to lose because it is essential to
understanding the living world, and our place in it.

Anthropologists were the first to recognize that taxonomy might be more than
the science officially founded by Carl Linnaeus, the Swedish botanist, in
the 1700s. Studying how nonscientists order and name life, creating what are
called folk taxonomies, anthropologists began to realize that when people
across the globe were creating ordered groups and giving names to what lived
around them, they followed highly stereotyped patterns, appearing
unconsciously to follow a set of unwritten rules. Not that conformity to
rules was at first obvious to anthropologists who were instead
understandably dazzled by the variety in folk taxonomies. The Ilongots, for
example, a people of the Philippines, name gorgeous wild orchids after human
body parts. There bloom the thighs, there fingernails, yonder elbows and
thumbs. The Rofaifo people of New Guinea, excellent natural historians,
classify the cassowary, a giant bird complete with requisite feathers and
beak, as a mammal. In fact, there seemed, at first glance, to be little room
even for agreement among people, let alone a set of universally followed
rules. More recently, however, deep underlying similarities have begun to
become apparent.

Cecil Brown, an anthropologist at Northern Illinois
University<http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/organizations/n/n\
orthern_illinois_university/school_shooting/index.html?inline=nyt-org>
who
has studied folk taxonomies in 188 languages, has found that people
recognize the same basic categories repeatedly, including fish, birds,
snakes, mammals, “wugs” (meaning worms and insects, or what we might call
creepy-crawlies), trees, vines, herbs and bushes.

Dr. Brown’s finding would be considerably less interesting if these
categories were clear-cut depictions of reality that must inevitably be
recognized. But tree and bush are hardly that, since there is no way to
define a tree versus a bush. The two categories grade insensibly into one
another. Wugs, likewise, are neither an evolutionarily nor ecologically nor
otherwise cohesive group. Still, people repeatedly recognize and name these
oddities.

Likewise, people consistently use two-word epithets to designate specific
organisms within a larger group of organisms, despite there being an
infinitude of potentially more logical methods. It is so familiar that it is
hard to notice. In English, among the oaks, we distinguish the pin oak,
among bears, grizzly bears. When Mayan Indians, familiar with the wild
piglike creature known as peccaries, encountered Spaniards’ pigs, they
dubbed them “village peccaries.” We use two-part names for ourselves as
well: Sally Smith or Li Wen. Even scientists are bound by this practice,
insisting on Latin binomials for species.

There appears to be such profound unconscious agreement that people will
even concur on which exact words make the best names for particular
organisms. Brent Berlin, an ethnobiologist at the University of
Georgia<http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/organizations/u/univ\
ersity_of_georgia/index.html?inline=nyt-org>,
discovered this when he read 50 pairs of names, each consisting of one bird
and one fish name, to a group of 100 undergraduates, and asked them to
identify which was which. The names had been randomly chosen from the
language of Peru’s Huambisa people, to which the students had had no
previous exposure. With such a large sample size — there were 5,000 choices
being made — the students should have scored 50 percent or very close to it
if they were blindly guessing. Instead, they identified the bird and fish
names correctly 58 percent of the time, significantly more often than
expected for random guessing. Somehow they were often able to intuit the
names’ birdiness or fishiness.

The most surprising evidence for the deep-seatedness of taxonomy comes from
patients who have, through accident or disease, suffered traumas of the
brain. Consider the case of the university student whom British researchers
refer to simply as J.B.R. Doctors found that upon recovering from
swelling<http://health.nytimes.com/health/guides/symptoms/swelling/overview.html\
?inline=nyt-classifier>
of
the brain caused by herpes, J.B.R. could no longer recognize living things.

He could still recognize nonliving objects, like a flashlight, a compass, a
kettle or a canoe. But the young man was unable to recognize a kangaroo, a
mushroom or a buttercup. He could not say what a parrot or even the
unmistakable ostrich was. And J.B.R. is far from alone; doctors around the
world have found patients with the same difficulty. Most recently,
scientists studying these patients’ brains have reported repeatedly finding
damage — a deadening of activity or actual lesions — in a region of the
temporal lobe, leading some researchers to hypothesize that there might be a
specific part of the brain that is devoted to the doing of taxonomy. As
curious as they are, these patients and their woes would be of little
relevance to our own lives, if they had merely lost some dispensable
librarianlike ability to classify living things. As it turns out, their
situation is much worse. These are people completely at sea. Without the
power to order and name life, a person simply does not know how to live in
the world, how to understand it. How to tell the carrot from the cat — which
to grate and which to pet? They are utterly lost, anchorless in a strange
and confusing world. Because to order and name life is to have a sense of
the world around, and, as a result, what one’s place is in it.

Today few people are proficient in the ordering and naming of life. There
are the dwindling professional taxonomists, and fast-declining peoples like
the Tzeltal Maya of Mexico, among whom a 2-year-old can name more than 30
different plants and whose 4-year-olds can recognize nearly 100. Things were
different once. In Linnaeus’s day, it was a matter of aristocratic pride to
have a wonderful and wonderfully curated collection of wild organisms, both
dead and alive. Darwin (who gained fame first as the world’s foremost
barnacle taxonomist) might have expected any dinner-party conversation to
turn taxonomic, after an afternoon of beetle-hunting or wildflower study.
Most of us claim and enjoy no such expertise.

We are, all of us, abandoning taxonomy, the ordering and naming of life. We
are willfully becoming poor J.B.R., losing the ability to order and name and
therefore losing a connection to and a place in the living world.

No wonder so few of us can really see what is out there. Even when scads of
insistent wildlife appear with a flourish right in front of us, and there is
such life always — hawks migrating over the parking lot, great colorful
moths banging up against the window at night — we barely seem to notice. We
are so disconnected from the living world that we can live in the midst of a
mass extinction, of the rapid invasion everywhere of new and noxious
species, entirely unaware that anything is happening. Happily, changing all
this turns out to be easy. Just find an organism, any organism, small,
large, gaudy, subtle — anywhere, and they are everywhere — and get a sense
of it, its shape, color, size, feel, smell, sound. Give a nod to Professor
Franclemont and meditate, luxuriate in its beetle-ness, its daffodility.
Then find a name for it. Learn science’s name, one of countless folk names,
or make up your own. To do so is to change everything, including yourself.
Because once you start noticing organisms, once you have a name for
particular beasts, birds and flowers, you can’t help seeing life and the
order in it, just where it has always been, all around you.

Adapted from “Naming Nature: The Clash Between Instinct and Science” by
Carol Kaesuk Yoon. Copyright 2009 by Carol Kaesuk Yoon. With permission of
the publisher, W.W. Norton & Company, Inc.

Copyright 2009 <http://www.nytimes.com/ref/membercenter/help/copyright.html>
  The New York Times Company <http://www.nytco.com/>

    - Privacy Policy <http://www.nytimes.com/privacy>
    - Terms of Service<http://www.nytimes.com/ref/membercenter/help/agree.html>

    -
Search<http://query.nytimes.com/gst/sitesearch_selector.html?query=&date_select=\
full&type=nyt>

    - Corrections <http://www.nytimes.com/corrections.html>
    - RSS <http://www.nytimes.com/rss>
    - First Look <http://firstlook.nytimes.com/>
    - Help <http://www.nytimes.com/membercenter/sitehelp.html>
    - Contact Us<http://nytimes.com/ref/membercenter/help/infoservdirectory.html>

    - Work for Us <http://www.nytco.com/careers/>
    - Site Map <http://spiderbites.nytimes.com/>


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

All lectures @ LT 31: 6.30pm - 8.00pm
Admission free, all welcome

Read abstracts and register at:
http://www.dbs.nus.edu.sg/60anniversary/public_lectures.html
Poster at: http://tinyurl.com/mecrbn

Tues, 18 August 2009
Prof. Paul Matsudaira - 'Movement is Life'
Prof. Leo Tan - 'Confessions of a Nature Addict'

Tues, 1 September 2009
Assoc. Prof. Hugh Tan - 'Cultivating the Native Plants of Singapore'
Dr. Chew Fook Tim - 'Your Sweat: Wound Healer, Virus Inhibitor and Bacteria
Killer'

Tues, 15 September 2009
Prof. Richard Corlett - 'Plants on the Move: Seed Dispersal and Climate
Change'
Assoc. Prof. Lim Tit Meng - 'Programmed Cell Death: What Happens When the
Programme Fails?'

Tues, 29 September 2009
Adj Assoc. Prof.  Stella Tan - 'CSI: NUS - Forensic Science and the Law.'
Prof. Peter Ng - 'Climate Change and Marine Biodiversity - Lessons from a
Small Red Dot'


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Biodiversity & Ecology Journal Club
Department of Biological Sciences
national University of Singapore

"How good is your river? Non specialists play a critical role in ensuring the
good ecological status of rivers"

By Bridget Peacock,
Director, Riverfly Partnership, London

Tuesday 18th August: 12.00 - 1.00pm
at the DBS Conference Room
(S3-05, next to the General Office)
See map: http://tinyurl.com/map-nusdbs

Host: Dr Esther Clews

After the seminar, there will be opportunity to discuss how aspects of Bridget's
work might be adopted in Singapore

Abstract - Trained non-specialists are playing a critical role in helping to
ensure the good ecological status of UK rivers. The Riverfly Partnership
Anglers’ Monitoring Initiative enables trained non-specialist groups to have an
informed dialogue on river water quality with the statutory bodies.

The initiative has caught the imagination of anglers and others across the UK
who care about the health of their rivers and an expanding army of volunteer
groups are now regularly monitoring their rivers. The trained groups monitor
their rivers on a monthly basis using a simple protocol, based on that used by
the statutory bodies, and record 8 easy to identify pollution sensitive
invertebrate taxa.

The partnership of non specialists and statutory bodies is proving to be
extremely effective – ensuring that rivers are checked more frequently and at
additional sites to those routinely monitored, acting as a deterrent to
potential polluters, leading to successful court prosecutions of polluters
responsible for falls in water quality and leading to a new resolution of data
that will be used to monitor change.

Matt Crocker, Head of Fisheries at the UK Environment Agency notes that ‘this
angler-driven monitoring scheme provides a really valuable increase in focus to
our rivers, with more frequent sampling and additional sites to complement the
routine monitoring by the statutory bodies.  It ensures a spotlight on water
quality, with action, if needed, taken at the earliest opportunity – a potent
deterrent to potential polluters’.

The initiative, which is now recognised in the Water Framework Directive river
basin management plans in England and Wales, is likely to be applied in other EU
states.

The Riverfly Partnership, which operates through the Salmon and Trout
Association, is a wide collaboration of organisations in the UK working to
protect the water quality of rivers; further the understanding of riverfly
populations and conserve their habitats. Partners include: The Natural History
Museum London, Environment Agency, Natural England, Association of Rivers Trusts
and more than forty other angling, conservation and academic organisations plus
relevant statutory bodies.

Further information on the Riverfly Partnership can be found at:
http://www.riverflies.org

"An Orientalist's treasure trove,"
by Bonny Tan.

Thu 20 Aug 2009: 7.30-9.00pm
@ Ngee Ann Auditorium, ACM Empress Place (Basement)

Carl Alexander Gibson-Hill, as the last expatriate director of the
Raffles/National Museum, straddled both the fading rule of the British
colonials and a rising Malayan identity. His library of collected
works reflects this rich heritage of Malaya past and the vibrant
discourse surrounding its future, much of which Gibson-Hill himself
had studied and written about.

Totalling at least 1,000 items, Gibson-Hill's library includes some of
the earliest published works which reference Malaya such as
Linschoten's "Discourse" dated 1598. Spanning the late 16th century to
the 1960s just before he died, the collection covers key subjects
Gibson-Hill had been involved in as a curator such as ornithology,
boats and ships, art and photography, and early travelogues. The talk
will peek inside these tomes and see if there is more to Gibson-Hill
than we know.

Talk is free. Admission charges to the galleries are applicable. No
registration required.

Poster: http://tinyurl.com/oh68jp

The director of the Singapore Botanic Gardens writes about Darwin,
Wallace and evolution and makes a call for a natural history museum
"in all its glory".


The Straits Times, 22 Aug 2009
Natural history, a common heritage
By Chin See Chung
http://www.straitstimes.com:80/Review/Tech%2B%2526%2BScience/STIStory_419933.htm\
l
Exhibition at Botanic Gardens showcases the region's rich biodiversity

---
Photo: The Raffles Museum of Biodiversity Research houses one of the
world's largest collections of South-east Asian species. The museum is
located on the National University of Singapore campus. -- ST Photos:
Joyce Fang
---

THE profusion and diversity of life forms, geological features and the
human cultures that they encountered in their travels were the keys
that stimulated the intellectual processes of both Charles Darwin and
his Victorian compatriot, Alfred Russel Wallace. They both searched
for a mechanism to explain long-term organic change.

Darwin spent almost five years circumnavigating the globe, observing,
documenting and thinking about his ideas on evolution. He explored
coastal areas of both sides of South America, visited the Galapagos
and crossed the Pacific landing at Tahiti, New Zealand and Australia
before returning via the Indian and Atlantic oceans.

Wallace, on the other hand, spent four years in the Amazon, exploring,
collecting and documenting. He unfortunately lost almost everything he
collected in a fire while sailing back. He then spent eight years on a
great number of islands in the Malay Archipelago, where he amassed a
treasure trove of more than 125,000 natural history specimens.

Wallace and Darwin were greatly influenced by the intellectuals of the
time and the growing momentum of scientific thought, seeking
alternatives to the Church's thinking on the origin of life.

French biologist Jean-Baptiste Lamarck, as early as 1809 in his
Philosophie Zoologique, proposed a theory to explain natural change.
Central to his thesis is that traits acquired during an individual's
lifetime could be passed on to its offspring. Though since
discredited, this was part of the growing body of thinking on the
subject.

By 1840, a clear picture of the fossil record had emerged. There was
indisputable evidence that there is a progression from the primitive
invertebrates to the fish, reptiles and finally mammals, with many
going extinct and others appearing. Creation in a single period, 'in
the beginning', did not seem tenable.

Charles Lyell's three-volume book, Principles Of Geology (1830-1833),
one of the most important scientific books of the 19th century,
outlined the geological forces that shaped the Earth over vast periods
of time. It challenged prevailing thinking that the Earth was shaped
by supernatural events, such as Noah's flood.

In the anonymously published 1844 book, Vestiges Of The Natural
History Of Creation, (actually by Robert Chambers), was the audacious
suggestion that humans had emerged from lowly animals, albeit by
divine design. While this book offended, it did not offer a biological
mechanism for change.

Another influential book was An Essay On The Principle Of Population,
by Reverend Thomas Malthus, first published anonymously in 1798.
Malthus had postulated that population growth would always exceed the
growth of food supply, leading to hunger, disease and a struggle for
survival resulting in a situation that would limit population growth.
Malthus' idea of 'struggle for survival' directly influenced both
Wallace and Darwin. While it appeared to have directed Darwin's
thinking towards the theory of natural selection, it was the trigger
that crystallised Wallace's thoughts.

In February 1858, after four years of exploring the Malay Archipelago,
Wallace was sick with malaria in the Maluku islands, east of Sulawesi,
and was thinking about the ideas of Malthus. He suddenly linked this
to a mechanism that would ensure long-term organic change.

This was the concept of 'variation and the survival of the fittest'.
Individuals that are better adapted would have a better chance of
surviving. This is the process of 'natural selection'. It was the
fundamental process leading to the origin of new species.

Wallace immediately drafted a paper and wrote to Darwin with his
ideas. Darwin had explored the same theories for 20 years and was
writing a book on this subject but had not publicly presented his
thoughts. He was advised to present Wallace's paper together with his
own at the next meeting of the Linnaean Society, the world's oldest
biological society, in London on July 1, 1858.

He was also forced to prepare his book for publication. This book that
changed the world, On The Origin Of Species, was published in November
1859, 150 years ago.

The theory of natural selection remained controversial throughout the
rest of the 19th century. It was only in the early 20th century, when
Mendelian genetics was able to explain the inheritance of specific
traits that rendered certain organisms 'fitter' and thus 'selected' to
replace the unfit, that acceptance became widespread.

In 1869, Wallace published his book, The Malay Archipelago, one of the
greatest natural history travel books of the 19th century. His travels
gave birth to his ideas on the theory of evolution. And he made
significant contributions to biogeography when he linked the
geographical distribution of animals and plants to the regions'
geological history.

While in Singapore, Wallace explored Bukit Timah and, in two months,
caught 700 species of beetles. The incredible productivity of Bukit
Timah is an illustration that we live in a region with one of the
richest biodiversities in the world.

It is a diversity that the Botanic Gardens was designed to celebrate
in all its manifestations.

This year we are holding special events to celebrate the 150th
anniversary of the Gardens, which shares the same anniversary with the
publication of On The Origin Of Species, Darwin's 200th birth
anniversary and the 140th anniversary of Wallace's book, The Malay
Archipelago.

It is therefore apt that the Gardens has staged an exhibition on
Wallace and Darwin. 'Two Minds One Theory' illustrates the region's
rich biodiversity and the beauty of natural life, and tells the story
of the theory of evolution, to generate awareness and interest in
biodiversity and inspire an ethos for conservation.

Natural history unlocked the door to the evolutionary theory. In
Singapore, the Raffles Museum, built in 1887, was the repository of
some of these records. It was an institution of magnificent displays
on zoology and ethnography and a centre of scholarship, especially
before the World War II years.

It was one of the few institutions in Singapore protected when so much
was destroyed during the war. The museum's collections were dismantled
in 1969 and its collections dispersed. The single most outstanding
exhibit was the skeleton of a blue whale which, if I remember
correctly as a child, hung over the grand main staircase.

Exhibited since 1903, this national icon etched itself into the
memories of generations of Singaporeans. Ms Lee Chor Lin, the director
of the National Museum, wrote in 2007 that the memory of the whale
lived on even for people born after the whale's departure from the
museum.

Today, what remains is largely hidden in storage vaults awaiting
permanent public airing.

Natural history, the organisms from the different evolutionary stages
and the evolutionary processes are our common heritage. It is a
heritage that children, with their imagination unfettered by cultural
norms and artefacts, instinctively identify with. They would love to
be let loose in such a museum in all its glory.

The writer is the director of Singapore Botanic Gardens

Copyright © 2007 Singapore Press Holdings. All rights reserved.
Privacy Statement & Condition of Access


"Two Minds, One Theory, An Exhibition"
- Wallace & Darwin, the two faces of the theory of evolution
1st - 31st Aug 2009: 9am - 6pm
By the Singapore Botanic Gardens
Venue: Botany Centre (Acess by Tanglin Gate at the Hollad Road/Napier
Road junction).
This exhibition highlights the lesser known 'father' of the Theory of
Evolution, Alfred Russell Wallace as well as Charles Darwin and
explains the theory in an understandable way.
http://habitatnews.nus.edu.sg/index.php?entry=/events/20090801-two_minds.txt

"After independence, we should have set up our own natural history
museum...," - Francis Ng.
--- beg ---
Taxonomic work in Malaysia: Fun in exploring the natural world
By Evangeline Majawat and Jaswinder Kaur
New Straits Times 29 Aug 2009
http://www.nst.com.my/Current_News/NST/articles/22emt/Article/index_html

Archived:
http://wildsingaporenews.blogspot.com/2009/08/taxonomic-work-in-malaysia-fun-in.\
html
========================
EYES twinkling, Dr Francis Ng spoke animatedly of his daring
scientific expeditions in remote jungles to record the trees of
Peninsular Malaysia. At times, the going was so tough that he was left
clinging onto roots for dear life while dangling off a cliff.

"Other times, we had to swim across a flooded river," the consultant
botanist reminisced in Kuala Lumpur recently. Those were some of the
best times, he said, with nature as his classroom. "Scientists those
days had the global view. Nowadays, young scientists are happy to sit
in their air-conditioned office and rely on their research assistants
to collect data and specimens."

Ng said taxonomy, the science of identification and classification,
was "fundamental to human knowledge and applies to everything".
"Taxonomy is about how we make knowledge of the natural world from the
crude understanding we have of it." He said taxonomy was "fun" then.
"We used to travel widely to study a species. It was arranged on a
scientist-by-scientist basis. Now, it must be done via governments,"
the Academy of Sciences Malaysia fellow said.

But Ng refused to believe that taxonomy was dying as claimed by many
scientists worldwide. "Look at it in a worldwide context. Taxonomy is
the basics of science. Perhaps when we talk about taxonomy of plants
and animals, there is a decline of expertise. "It takes up to 20 years
for a dedicated scientist to build his expertise in one group and
there are many groups in the natural world."

He said there was nothing to worry about lack of taxonomists. Instead,
we should overcome our "hang-up" from our colonial past, he added.
"What we have now is still very much the old colonial system. The old
empires, such as Britain, aspired to become world powers so they set
up centres to collect and store specimens from their colonies."

Over the years, these centres, like the Natural History Museum and Kew
Gardens in London, became some of the best libraries of the natural
world. "After independence, we should have set up our own natural
history museum and our scientists must be world or at least regional
experts." Ng said local scientists seemed to be confined to only
Malaysia.

"We're not producing scientists with a global outlook. "To be a world
expert, you must travel and study species in your chosen group. Look
at it in totality."

For Universiti Malaysia Sabah's Institute for Tropical Biology and
Conservation deputy director Dr Bakhtiar Effendi Yahya, "it needs time
to really love taxonomy". "Students nowadays are more attracted to
molecular and biotechnology fields. They go to the field, collect
samples and return straight to the laboratories.

"They never spend time in the jungles. Comparatively, in classical
taxonomy, we spend long hours searching for organisms in their natural
habitat, understanding their biological needs in the field and
observing their morphological differences under microscopes." Bakhtiar
said they would examine thousands of samples and that could put off
new scientists.

However, Ng stressed that classical and molecular taxonomy went hand
in hand. "Taxonomy is undergoing a revolution as it moves towards
genetic technology. But both are integrated." He said taxonomy was
about using the information available "to make sense of the world".
"Taxonomy is not old fashioned. It's just that we operate differently now."


---------------------------------------------------
Curbing loss of biodiversity in Malaysia
New Straits Times 29 Aug 2009
http://www.nst.com.my/Current_News/NST/articles/22hot/Article/index_html
Archived at:
http://wildsingaporenews.blogspot.com/2009/08/curbing-loss-of-biodiversity-in.ht\
ml
---------------------------------------------------
AS one of 12 hot spots for biodiversity, Malaysia needs more people to
take up taxonomy, or the science of naming plants and animals.

This message from the Malaysian Nature Society comes in the trail of
global environmental problems linked to loss of biodiversity, climate
change and population growth. Its president, Tan Sri Dr Salleh Mohd
Noor, said there were many species that were not named, although
taxonomy as an area of study started more than 500 years ago.

"Until we name all the plants and animals that we have in Malaysia, we
cannot study them in greater detail. It's a boring subject but it is
important. "For example, a forester must know about the different
species (that exist) in the forest. Our rainforests are rich in
biodiversity, but species are endangered because of human activities.

"Loss of biodiversity means a loss of ecosystem. This ecosystem is the
home that we live in, so ultimately, it is the loss of life itself
when we start to lose plants and animals."

Salleh said this at a talk entitled "Sharing the Environment: Global
Problems, Local Solutions" as part of the Merdeka Award lecture series
at Universiti Malaysia Sabah in Kota Kinabalu recently. MNS received
last year's Merdeka Award for the environment category for its work at
the Belum-Temenggor forests in northern Perak.

Salleh said Malaysians must understand that environmental problems
facing the world were real and that it was time to stop taking for
granted resources like water and fossil fuels. "We don't have a
conscious effort to conserve energy, and we must stress on effective
development to safeguard nature.

"The people must also understand why we need to recycle, reuse and
reduce, and how to get rid of items like handphones and computers.
"Environmental problems are on a global scale but we must offer local
solutions."

Salleh also touched on nuclear energy, saying that he was in favour of
it if there were regulatory safeguards. "I was against nuclear energy
but I changed my mind because other resources like petrol are limited.
yet. "In the long run, we may have to turn to nuclear energy but we
must put in place laws first as safety is important."
--- end ---
Thanks to Ria Tan.

DBS Seminar Announcement
All are welcome

"In Darwin’s pocket: The voyage of the beagle from Darwin’s field notebooks"

By John van Wyhe,
Director,
the Complete Work of Charles Darwin Online,
University of Cambridge, London

Monday, 7 Sept 2009: 4pm
Seminar Room 1, Blk S2 Level 4
Map: http://tinyurl.com/map-nusdbs

Host: Richard Corlett

About the talk - The story of Darwin’s voyage of the Bea- gle is
familiar from his book, Journal or researches, and from his
correspondence and other published manuscripts. But an- other record
exists that has remained almost unknown until recently.

Darwin’s pocket field notebooks reveal the intimate day-by- day life
of Darwin as a practicing naturalist in the field, in the saddle, and
on the way to becoming a highly experienced naturalist and theorist.
The specimens and evidence that eventually convinced Darwin that life
evolves were first recorded in these remarkable documents. They throw
new light and detail on one of the most remarkable expeditions in the
history of science.

Hi everyone

this is the historian the department brought down for the recent
Darwin-Wallace symposium. He's back again, giving a seminar in Faculty
of Science and one more in Arts this Wednesday.

The science one is on today at 4pm; previously announced here:
http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/ecotax/message/779

The one in Faculty of Arts is on this Wednesday:

"DARWIN’S SECRET? WAS THE THEORY OF EVOLUTION REALLY HELD BACK FOR 20 YEARS?"

John van Wyhe, PhD
Director
The Complete Work of Charles Darwin Online
University of Cambridge, London

Wed 9 September 2009, 3.00 PM
Block AS1 #04-01

Charles Darwin first conceived of his theory of evolution by natural
selection between 1837 to 1839. He published it in 1858/9. Why? For
decades historians have believed that Darwin was afraid to publish and
kept his belief in evolution a secret for 20 years - either because he
did not want to offend his religious wife, was afraid of what his
colleagues or the church would say or feared for his reputation. This
talk aims to completely overturn the view of the frightened Darwin by
a reassessment of the primary evidence. The true story may not be as
dramatic, but it makes sense of all the surviving evidence. The paper
also serves to show how unquestioned assumptions can linger far too
long amongst historians.

Hosted by Associate Professor Greg Clancey

“Trio under threat: Is there hope for Rhinos, Elephants and Tigers in Malaysia?”

By Reuben Clements
Species Conservation Manager
WWF-Malaysia

Friday, 18 Sep 2009: 7.00pm
Talk followed by a Q&A and discussion.
Please let me know if you are coming; register at
http://tinyurl.com/bejc-19sep2009

Venue: Conference Room
Block S3, Level 5 (next to the general office),
Department of Biological Sciences,
National University of Singapore.

Abstract and speaker details at NUS Biodiversity Crew:
http://tinyurl.com/reuben-tigers

*“Freshwater Aquaculture - Prospects and Challenges for meeting the global
demand."
*
Tue 15 Sep 2009: 6:30 pm – 9:30 pm.
Venue: LT3, Block 7 Science Block, NIE, NTUMap:
http://www.nie.edu.sg/nieweb/about/load.do?id=Online%20Tour

Speaker: Dr. M. Vijaya Gupta Ph.D, D.Sc (Hon)
World Food Prize Laureate
Assistant Director General, WorldFish Center (Retd.)
Senior Research Fellow, WorldFish Center, Malaysia

Thanks to Shirley Lim, NIE/NTU, for the invitation.

About the speaker:

World Food Prize laureate webpage:
http://www.worldfoodprize.org/laureates/Past/2005.htm

"Indian fish-farm researcher nets World Food
Prize<http://www.scidev.net/news/index.cfm?fuseaction=readnews&itemid=2233&langu\
age=1>."
By James Njoroge. SciDev.Net, 19 Jul 2005.*Gupta's research focussed on
improving rural livelihoods by farming freshwater fish.*

Nobel Peace Prize laureate Norman
Borlaug<http://staff.science.nus.edu.sg/~sivasothi/blog/index.php?entry=/world/2\
0052022-normanborlaugh.txt>
[Father
of the Green Revolution] set up the World Food Prize in 1986. Each year, it
honours individuals who have made "vital contributions to improving the
quality, quantity, or availability of food throughout the world".

Modadugu V. Gupta, who recently retired from the Malaysia-based WorldFish
Centre, spent more than 30 years researching ways of making fish farming a
sustainable contributor to rural livelihoods.

He has won the 2005 World Food Prize for his efforts to introduce fish
farming to poor communities across Asia and parts of Africa

Announcing the US$250,000 award on 13 June, Kenneth Quinn, president of the
World Food Prize Foundation, said that thanks to Gupta's efforts, more than
one million Asian farmers had improved their family's nutrition and
wellbeing

Gupta focused on making it possible for poor farmers to raise fish in
freshwater ponds with a minimum of inputs. He showed how farm waste such as
weeds or grass could be used in place of costly fish feed and encouraged
farmers to alternate agriculture and fish farming on seasonally flooded
land.

According to Quinn, Gupta's efforts brought "the Blue Revolution to those
most in need" and led to freshwater fish production increasing by 3-5 times
in some developing countries.'


Norman Borlaug passed away yesterday, RIP.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norman_Borlaug


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

"Trio under threat: Is there hope for Rhinos, Elephants and Tigers in Malaysia?"

By Reuben Clements
Species Conservation Manager
WWF-Malaysia

Friday, 18 Sep 2009: 7.00pm
This will be a talk/Q&A and discussion session.

Venue: Conference Room
Block S3, Level 5 (next to the general office),
Department of Biological Sciences,
National University of Singapore.

Please let me know you are coming: register at http://tinyurl.com/bejc-19sep2009

The Electric New Paper :
Right way to save turtles? Call cops
*By Teh Jen Lee 17 September 2009
*
*DJ Rod Monteiro finds hatchlings at East Coast Park. He is unable to get
help from some animal groups. 21 out of 26 hatchlings later saved by animal
activists, passers-by

**THEY are an endangered species, but the happy event of their hatching at
East Coast Park almost ended in complete tragedy. At least five hawksbill
turtles died on our shores yesterday morning.
*
---
THEY are an endangered species, but the happy event of their hatching at
East Coast Park almost ended in complete tragedy. At least five hawksbill
turtles died on our shores yesterday morning.

Another 21 could have suffered the same fate if not for Radio 91.3FM deejay
Rod Monteiro, 42, and a group of animal lovers. But what irked Mr Monteiro
in his attempt to save the hatchlings is the runaround he was given when he
tried calling for help.

He was jogging at East Coast Park near the National Service Resort and
Country Club at 7am when he spotted a turtle hatchling on the jogging track.

Unusually, it was heading inland, and was more than 100m away from the
shore. When Mr Monteiro looked around, he saw two others that had been run
over on the cycling track and killed.

'I was sad,' said Mr Monteiro, who co-hosts The Married Men show. 'I
(thought) that turtles are endangered.'

He eventually found 12 hatchlings and released 11 of them into the sea. He
kept one in case Underwater World Singapore (UWS) or some scientific
institution wanted them for research.

But when he called UWS, he was surprised that the assistant curator did not
seem to share his excitement about the turtles.

He said: 'I was just told to release the ones I had found and that they were
probably hawksbill turtles. From the way he spoke, it was as if the species
was not endangered. When I checked online later, I confirmed that it was.
Everywhere in the world, people are trying to save these turtles. Why are
they taking it so lightly?'

All seven species of marine turtles are endangered.

Mr Monteiro next called the Nature Society Singapore (NSS) office. He was
told to call the National University of Singapore's Raffles Museum of
Biodiversity Research (RMBR) - and was in turn told that RMBR couldn't help.
The reason: They can't keep live specimens.

No one told Mr Monteiro that he should have called the police (999) in the
first place.

That is the little-known standard operating procedure (SOP) jointly
developed with the National Parks Board (NParks) by the Year of the Turtle
2006 Singapore committee.

This SOP states that the public should call the police whenever they see a
marine turtle.

The police would immediately alert NParks, said committee chairman,
Associate Professor C H Diong, of the Natural Sciences and Science Education
department in the National Institute of Education.

The NParks officer-in-charge would go to the site - day or night - with a
turtle rescue kit, which includes cordon tape and a pail.

Prof Diong said: 'If there are eggs found, the police will stand guard to
prevent theft.

'NParks will contact me or another point person in NUS to assess if the eggs
need to be relocated, which would be the case if they can be easily
trampled...

'If, during the night, hatchlings are attracted to light sources and they
are found heading landward instead of seaward, they may fall into drains or
go into people's houses.

'In that case, NParks will collect them, count them and release them.'

Urgency

Eventually, Mrs Teresa Teo Guttensohn, the co-founder of Cicada Tree
Eco-place, an environmental education group, was informed by NSS about the
turtles.

She called Mr Monteiro at 10am.

He said: 'She was going to rush down and look for more hatchlings.

'There was an urgency in her voice. That was what I was looking for.'

About 15 people, including cyclists, passers-by and representatives from the
Animal Concerns Research and Education Society (Acres) helped Mrs Guttensohn
look for hatchlings.

Mrs Guttensohn, 46, who drove to the site from her home in Bukit Panjang,
said: 'When I got the call about the turtles, I was actually going to the
doctor because I have a sports injury.'

Measuring only about 5cm across, the hatchlings were hard to spot as they
looked like dried leaves. But after about four hours, the group managed to
find 26 hatchlings.

Five died from the heat or from being run over. The rest of the turtles were
released at 12.30pm in the presence of NParks staff.

Mr Monteiro was heartened by their efforts. He said: 'I'm going to talk
about this incident on air. The people I called should have known where to
direct me. It's their job to know about wildlife in Singapore. If someone
else found the turtles and let the matter go after the first call, all those
turtles found by the rescuers would have died.'

A spokesman for UWS said they are aware of the arrangement to call the
police. She said: 'Since the turtles were found near the sea, releasing them
immediately may be a more expedient solution than waiting for the
appropriate personnel to travel to the site.'

Prof Diong, who has been doing turtle research since the 1990s, said he will
look into how the key partners of the Year of the Turtle committee, which
includes UWS, RMBR and NSS, can be reminded of the SOP.

First sighting in 3 years

Hawksbill turtles are the only species of marine turtles that have been
sighted in Singapore. Mr Monteiro's find is the first reported sighting in
three years. There were no sightings in the whole of 2007 and 2008.

Copyright © 2005 Singapore Press Holdings Ltd. Co. Regn. No. 198402868E. All
rights reserved.
Privacy Statement and Conditions of Access


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Research Assistant/Technical Support Officer opportunities with the
Department of Biological Sciences, NUS and the Public Utilities Board, PUB.



As Singapore is one of most water-scarce countries in the world, water
management is critical. The Public Utilities Board recently commissioned the
National University of Singapore’s Department of Biological Sciences to
develop a lentic macro-invertebrate biotic index for shallow tropical lakes.
This will now complement the extensive water quality sampling regime already
in place.


We are seeking three Research Assistants to assist a small team with
monitoring freshwater invertebrates in Singapore.



The candidates should have either a polytechnic diploma or degree in biology
or a related subject, field experience and preferably a Singaporean driving
licence. Experience of ecological sampling protocols and/or freshwater
macro-invertebrates would be advantageous. However, full training will be
provided ‘on the job’.



The posts are initially for 6 months with a view to longer-term employment
with NUS and/or PUB. Positions are available immediately.



Interested candidates are invited to send their CV to Dr Esther Clews at
dbsec@....

The closing date for applications is *Thursday 29th October.*



Interviews will take place during the *first week of November*.








Dr Esther Clews
Postdoctoral Fellow
Marine Biology Laboratory
Department of Biological Sciences
National University of Singapore
14, Science Drive 4, Blk S1,
#02-05 Singapore 117543

+65 6516 6867


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Note: we are particularly interested in civets and wild boar right
now, due to ongoing projects.


From: Habitatnews

Mammal sightings in Singapore

Animal sighting records have always been an important resource - over
time, these can contribute to public awareness and education, suggest
student research projects and supplement research in conservation and
management projects. So any mammal record on land, sea and air is
useful and large marine animals too - this includes turtles and
interesting fish!

Just fill in the form at: http://mammal.sivasothi.com/
We would love to receive photos, of course, please send them to:
mammal@...

This data will be shared with other vertebrate researchers and
managers in Singapore. Highlights may be featured on Habitatnews from
time to time (if the records are not confidential), e.g.
http://tinyurl.com/habitatnews-mammal

Your contribution is greatly appreciated, thank you!

N. Sivasothi & Xu Weiting
Systematics & Ecology Lab.
Department of Biological Sciences,
National University of Singapore
http://mammal.sivasothi.com/

Advertised: Saturday, October 24th, 2009.
The Straits Times, Executive Appointments

Closing Date for HARD COPY applications to reach the NSS Office
by 5.00 pm on Tuesday November 10th, 2009.

For details, see: http://tinyurl.com/nss-10nov2009

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Amy Choong <amy_choong@...>
Date: Sun, Nov 1, 2009 at 5:12 PM

Hi Siva,

The school of Applied Science offers Diploma in Environmental Science to ’O’
Levels and ITE graduates. This is a three year program. As the intake of
students are going to increase next year, we’re looking for full time
(Academic Staff) or part time (Academic associate) to join us to facilitate
the following modules:


    - Environmental Science,
    - Solid and hazardous waste management,
    - Energy Utilization and Management,
    - Water and waste water treatment,
    - Membrane Technologies,
    - Pollution Control and Monitoring.

Full time staff are also encouraged to do research and apply for funding.

More details of course structure is available here: *
http://www.rp.sg/courses/appliedscience/denv/index.asp*

*Interested applicants, please apply direct using this link:
http://www.rp.sg/careers/positions/sas.asp*

Thank you.

Amy Choong (Dr)

Technology Development Centre Manager (Environmental Technology)

School of Applied Science

Republic Polytechnic

9 Woodlands Ave 9

Singapore 738964



Tel: 31001351

Fax: 64151310

---
Republic Polytechnic, 9 Woodlands Avenue 9, Singapore 738964
www.rp.sg . Fax: +65 6415-1310 .
Republic Polytechnic, championing Problem-Based Learning for an inspired
education in Singapore.
------------------------------------------------------


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Conserving Moving Targets: How to Deal with Dynamic Species and Landscapes?
by Peter Leimgruber
Monday, 23rd Nov 2009
Time : 1.30pm to 3.30pm
Venue : S2-04-11 (Seminar Room 1) Map - http://tinyurl.com/map-nusdbs

Host : Ahimsa Campos-Arceiz,
Terrestrial Ecology Lab

About the talk - Traditional conservation strategies rely heavily on
protected area approaches that attempt to conserve species and their
habitat within a network of protected spaces. Such strategies are
necessarily static in space and time and may have severe limitations
if the target species have large area requirements or are extremely
mobile. Additionally, protected areas may not capture well the
spatio-temporal variation in habitats and landscapes unless they are
very large. Using Asian elephants Elephas maximus and Mongolian
gazelles Procapra gutturosa as examples, this talk is intended to
describe the special conservation challenges posed by dynamic species
and habitats and why landscape-level conservation is required well
beyond the borders of protected areas.

About the speaker - Dr. Peter Leimgruber is the Director of the
Conservation GIS Laboratory at the Conservation Ecology Center,
Smithsonian's National Zoological Park (NZP), USA. He received his
Ph.D. from the University of Oklahoma, and his Master's degree from
the Christian-Albrechts-Universität in Germany. Dr. Leimgruber's
research focuses on the application of Geographic Information Systems
(GIS) and satellite tracking techniques to the conservation and
management of endangered charismatic fauna. His team uses satellite
imagery, GIS, and satellite radio collars to (a) map remaining
habitats for endangered species, (b) remotely track the movements of
these species and (c) develop conservation management strategies for
these species in the wild. Research projects at the lab address a wide
range of charismatic species, including giant panda, Asian elephant,
Burmese brow-antlered deer, and Mongolian gazelles.

FULL-TIME TEACHING ASSISTANT (TA) FOR
LIFE SCIENCES UNDERGRADUATE COURSES

The Department of Biological Sciences is inviting applications for the
post of Full-Time Teaching Assistant (FTTA) in Life Sciences
undergraduate courses, in the field of Biodiversity and Ecology.
Candidates should preferably possess an Honours Degree but exceptions
may be made for degree holders with relevant expertise and industrial
experience.

The FTTA will be working as a team of professors and laboratory
officers to achieve holistic goals for student education in NUS. The
FTTA must be reasonably competent with data management and
administration, comfortably manage and consult peers, be understanding
of student issues and have a passion for teaching.

The specific duties of the FTTA include overseeing modules in
biodiversity, ecology and animal behaviour, recruiting, managing and
training part-time TAs, overseeing the scheduling of field trips and
laboratory practical sessions,  marking of tests and the management
student marks and handling queries.

The appointment will commence in Janary 2010. It is for a 1-year
contract but  is renewable based on performance.

Interested candidates are invited to apply with cover letter and
detailed curriculum vitae, together with letters from three referees
by 6th December 2009 to:
Lim Miah Kyan (Mr.)
Executive, Life Sciences Undergraduate Program Committee
C/O Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore
Block S3 Level 5, 14 Science Drive 4, Singapore 117543
Email: dbslmk@...