From aceska@cue.bc.caMon Feb 13 23:28:50 1995 Date: Sat, 11 Feb 1995 14:44:19 -0800 From: Adolf Ceska To: ben@cue.bc.ca Subject: BEN # 91 BBBBB EEEEEE NN N ISSN 1188-603X BB B EE NNN N BBBBB EEEEE NN N N BOTANICAL BB B EE NN NN ELECTRONIC BBBBB EEEEEE NN N NEWS No. 91 February 11, 1995 aceska@freenet.victoria.bc.ca Victoria, B.C. ----------------------------------------------------------- Dr. A. Ceska, P.O.Box 8546, Victoria, B.C. Canada V8W 3S2 ----------------------------------------------------------- UNIVERSITY OF NORTHERN BRITISH COLUMBIA - BOTANY/ENVIRONMENT From: "Hugues B. Massicotte" The Faculty of Natural Resources and Environmental Studies of the new University of Northern British Columbia offers 3 main B.Sc. options for the scientifically and biologically inclined candidate. The B.Sc. in Natural Resource Management can be accomplished with 4 different majors (Forestry, Wildlife, Fisheries, Recreation & Tourism). The recognition that manage- ment of any natural resource has implications for all other natural resources is a primary driving factor in the under- graduate curriculum for this degree. The Forestry major is designed to meet national and provincial accreditation standards. The B.Sc. in biology offers 4 different majors (Biology, Fisheries, Plant Science, Wildlife) and this program is designed to present the major concepts of contemporary biology at the molecular, cellular, organismic, population and community levels. A third B.Sc. program in Environmental Science also offers a broad-based curriculum to help candidates deal with contemporary complex environmental questions and issues. At present, a M.Sc. program is already available and it is anticipated that a Ph.D. program should be in place by 1996. For more specific information on these programmes, one should contact the office of the registrar at UNBC at (604) 960-5555. Faculty Dr. Josef Ackerman, bio-fluid mechanics related to the ecology and evolution of plants and animals, and implications of these processes in environmental systems. Dr. Lito Arocena, geochemistry of natural processes in ter- restrial environment (cation balance in forest ecosystems, soil mineralogy and chemistry, acid mine drainage and industrial wastes. Dr. Max Blouw, ecological genetics and behavioural ecology of fishes and shellfish. Dr. Darwyn Coxson, plant environmental physiologist (functional diversity, plant survival strategies, nutrient cycling). Dr. Keith Egger, molecular approaches to the study of fungal biodiversity, particularly forest mycorrhizal communities and population genetic structure. Dr. Arthur Fredeen, plant ecophysiology (acclimation and adapta- tion of understory plants to light, stomatal physiology and photosynthesis in boreal forest species. Dr. Fred Gilbert, management, habitat requirement and impacts of human activities on wildlife populations. Dr. Michael Gillingham, population and wildlife ecology, modell- ing, plant-herbivore interactions and behavioural ecology. Dr. Allen Gottesfeld, surfacial ecology of Northern BC, fluvial geomorphology, terrain analysis, watershed processes. Dr. Kevin Hall, periglacial processes, glacial sedimentology, Quaternary environments. Dr. Alex Hawley, animal and human interaction with the environ- ment. Dr. Daniel Heath, molecular approaches to address questions in the evolution and ecology of fishes. Dr. Peter Jackson, atmospheric science including mesoscale wind flow, micrometeorological measurements, atmospheric fluxes. Dr. Winifred Kessler, ecological studies to support integrated land and resource management. Dr. Kathy Lewis, role of disease in natural disturbance of ecosystems, disease epidemiology, population genetics of root disease fungi. Dr. Staffan Lindgren, chemical ecology of forest insects, espe- cially bark beetles, forest pest management. Dr. Hugues Massicotte, botany, forest and microbial ecology with emphasis on structure and function of mycorrhizal associa- tions and rhizosphere organisms. Dr. Katherine Parker, wildlife biology especially plant-animal interactions, nutritional and physiological ecology, and bioenergetics. Dr. Ellen Petticrew, aquatic science especially limnology, hydrology and sedimentology. Dr. Michael Walters, ecological and ecophysiological aspects of northern and montane forests, shortgrass prairies, oak savannas and tropical forest systems. Roger Wheate, cartography, GIS, remote sensing and digital imaging. Jane Young, plant adaptation in aquatic ecosystems, functional morphology and anatomy. NEW MONOGRAPH OF ELDERBERRY (SAMBUCUS) Bolli, R. 1994. Revision of the genus Sambucus. - Dissertationes Botanicae, Band 223, J. Cramer in der Gebruder Borntrae- ger, Berlin - Stuttgart. 227 p. + 29 plates. ISBN 3-443- 64135-0 [soft cover] The taxa recognized in the new classification of the genus are 9 species, 8 subspecies and 2 varieties. Richard Bolli treats North American elderberries, Sambucus canadensis and S. cerulea as subspecies of Sambucus nigra (subsp. nigra and subsp. ceru- lea). North American members of Sambucus racemosa complex are all treated as Sambucus racemosa var. melanocarpa. The author suggests the North American origin of Sambucus racemosa from an ancestor of S. nigra subsp. canadensis and advocates treating Sambucaceae, Viburnaceae and Adoxaceae as separate families. [Sambucaceae and Viburnaceae are traditionally considered as a part of Caprifoliaceae.] The publication can be ordered (no price given) from Institut fur Systematische Botanik Universitat Zurich Richard Bolli Zollikerstrasse 107 CH-8008 Zurich Switzerland US NATIONAL WILDERNESS CONFERENCE From: Terje Vold The 6th interagency US National Wilderness Conference was held in Santa Fe, New Mexico last November, 1994. The conference, whose theme was "The Spirit Lives," also marked the 30th an- niversary of the 1964 US Wilderness Act. One of the objectives of the conference was to develop an interagency strategic wil- derness action plan; this plan should be completed in the next few months. The conference was co-sponsored by the four US agencies who manage designated wilderness areas: the US National Park Serv- ice, the US Forest Service, the Bureau of Land Management, and the US Fish and Wildlife Service; and also by the National Biological Service and the Society of American Foresters. About 750 people attended the conference (over 1000 wanted to but many could not due to space limitations). British Columbia participants included Dennis Moffatt, Brian Dyck and Kris Kennett from BC Parks, and myself (Terje Vold) from the BC Forest Service. Brian presented a joint BC Parks/BC Forest Service paper, and a poster display was set up on BC's Protected Areas Strategy. The conference covered many themes including: -the role of wilderness as core areas in maintaining biodiver- sity, and in the ecological management of larger bioregions (like ecoregions or ecosections) -the importance of the recently passed California Desert Protec- tion Act which increases protected areas in 25% of the state from 2.5 million ha to about 5.7 million ha (about 45% of the overall desert area) - a 3.2 million ha in- crease. By comparison, there has been a 2.2. million ha increase in BC over the last 2 years. The Act creates 3 large parks and designates 69 smaller Bureau of Land Management and US Forest Service wilderness areas. Some of the keynote presentations: Stewart Udall, writer and conservationist, former US Secretary of the Interior, provided an introductory talk to the conference on "Why are we here?" Max Peterson, former Chief Forester of the US Forest Service, now VP with the International Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies, provided a "Wilderness Perspective" since the first National Interagency Wilderness Conference in 1983. David Brower, well-known conservationists, previously with the Sierra Club, spoke on "Wilderness Stewardship - How are we doing?" Gaylord Nelson, a former US senator, now a counselor with the Wilderness Society, talked about "Environment-Population- Sustainable Development". Ed Grumbine, Director of the Sierra Institute and author of "Ghost Bears" discussed "Future Trends" in wilderness preservation. Roger Kennedy, Director of US National Park Service, gave his vision of wilderness preservation within the national park system. Joe Feller, a law professor at Arizona State University, spoke about "Grazing and Wilderness in Conflict" Jerry Asher, a Bureau of Land Management resource specialist, spoke about invasive alien plants and how this can "Crush the Wilderness Spirit". Ron Pulliam, Director with the National Biological Survey, discussed how the NBS intends to provide information needed to manage and conserve biological resources. Ed Zahniser, writer with the National Park Service, and son of the author of the 1964 US Wilderness Act, Howard Zahniser, gave a personal first-hand account of his father's struggles in getting the Act passed 30 years ago. John Roush, president of the Wilderness Society, spoke about "The Biological Values of Wilderness". Bruce Vento, congressman who chairs the subcommittee on national parks, forests and public lands, spoke on "Barriers to Wilderness Preservation". There were many more speakers at the conference as well, and I can provide a summary of talks I attended to anyone wanting more information. SUMMER JOBS IN FOREST ECOLOGY: PACIFIC NORTHWEST From: Charles Halpern DESCRIPTION: Field crew and crew leader positions are available to assist with ecological studies of alternative methods of forest harvest in the Gifford Pinchot (Washington) and Umpqua (Oregon) National Forests. Tasks will include establishing permanent plots, sampling understory vegetation, measuring trees, assessing site characteristics, quantifying amounts/types of coarse woody debris, and additional measurements to charac- terize vegetation composition and structure. The locations of the study sites and the nature of the field work will require extended periods of camping near field sites or in staying in bunkhouses. We will work 8-day periods with 5 days off. QUALIFICATIONS: Familiarity with the flora of western Oregon and Washington; previous experience in sampling forest understory vegetation or coursework in botany and ecology; ability to identify plants and collect/catalog specimens; attention to detail and legible handwriting; ability and willingness to work long hours under harsh field conditions. SALARY: $1400/month or more, depending on experience and qualifications. DURATION: 12 June through early- to mid- September 1995 CLOSING DATE: 21 March 1995. We will continue to accept applica- tions after that date only if positions remain open. TO APPLY: Send HANDWRITTEN letter of interest; resume; copies of either college transcripts or professional work products; and 2 letters of reference to one of us: MELORA GEYER (for work in Oregon) Department of Forest Science Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR 97331 E-mail: geyerm@ccmail.orst.edu Phone: 503-737-6105 Phone days and hours: 2:00-5:00 pm SHELLEY EVANS (for work in Washington) Division of Ecosystem Science and Conservation, College of Forest Resources, AR-10 University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195 E-mail: saevans@u.washington.edu Phone: 206-685-9553 Phone days and hours: 7:30-9:30 am (Tu), 11:30-1:30 (W), 5:30- 7:30 pm (Th)