Ecological Visions Report Vision 2: Areas B and C Incentives for anticipatory and innovative research; promoting standardized data exchange Prepared for BIO Ecology at Wilkes University 1 October 2004 Keith Heim, Sahima Rasul, Annie Searfoss, Andrea Rumford

In this presentation we will discuss Vision 2 Vision 2: Area B Create new incentives to recognize ecology research Encourage anticipatory and innovative research Vision 2: Area C Establish the standardization of data collection, data documentation, and data sharing

Area B in detail… Create new incentives to recognize ecological research People should be rewarded for outstanding ecological contributions Technology Synthesis Informatics Quantitative approaches

Area B in detail…(cont’d) P. 2 In order to answer the difficult problems facing ecology, experts need to: Coordinate their efforts in creative ways Make their voices heard to funding agencies In order to achieve these tasks they will need some incentives

Area B in detail…(cont’d) P. 3 Encourage anticipatory and innovative research Provide training to young scientists Continue educational programs for ecologists in order to keep up with new technology

Recommended Actions for Area B

Action 2: Seek a Nobel or Equivalent Prize in Ecology Create a prestigious award to recognize individual contributions in the field Develop a committee of respected scientists and influential ecological leaders from outside the discipline

Action 3: Establish an annual award for the best new instrument or new technology New instruments and technology serve as being: Essential Profitable A good way to increase ecological understanding

Action 4: Establish an international contest among collaborative groups to solve an annual ecological challenge. Gather a group of graduate students Pose an ecological challenge Have them find solutions to the challenge Post their solutions Give an award for the best solution

Action 5: Create a prestigious journal on methods development. Recognize and encourage research Showcasing important new methods Provides high profile outlet for ecological findings Note: A new section can also be added to an existing journal

Area C in detail… Promote the standardization of data collection, data documentation, and data sharing To this date, there is still haphazard and inaccessible forms of research, which places a burden on the progress within ecological research Organized data is in formats that are no longer useful or credibly identifiable Most importantly, this information is simply not accessible

Area C in detail…(cont’d) P. 2 Currently, technological researchers are forming templates in which ecologists can take their data and format it into documents that will allow easier access. Ecology as a whole would benefit from: The development of technological means Cultural inducements Training opportunities to effectively represent ecological knowledge.

Area C in detail…(cont’d) P. 3 To implement the idea, proposals have been given to increase: Effort in technology development Training in ecoinformatics Training in Ecological CyberInfrastructure (ECI) All data should be digitally inputted early into the research Generate metadata (information about the data itself) Easily accessible to all parts of the world ECI should be efficient, flexible, and consistent in describing and reporting ecological information.

Area C in detail…(cont’d) P. 4 These advances will allow: Rapid downloads of datasets, promoting more analysis of ecological knowledge Faster growth of ecological understanding A decreased amount of time required looking for supportive information on topics of research The prevented onset of other ecologists copying your idea Inspiration for more thorough research on the topic

Recommended Actions for Area C

Action 6: Develop a data registry The registry would allow simple input of data into a basic format This will generate a catalog, organizing these datasets It would help identify the author and/or researcher involved with the dataset

Action 7: Make raw data and metadata easily and freely available. Share for the analysis and modeling of ecological data Identifies what research is currently being explored

Action 8: Convince funding agencies and federal agencies to require and support open access to data. Free access for the public Broadens public awareness and knowledge

Action 9: Encourage training in ecoinformatics both during graduate school and in ongoing programs. Workshops Meetings

Why should the American public care? Ecology has many practical applications in the environment Air pollution Water pollution Degraded land Waste management Loss of biological diversity Invasive and pest species Global climate change

Imagine the field of ecology without contributions from: Cowles – nature is dynamic Shelford – law of tolerances Elton – niche as community function Haeckel – coined the term “ecology”

What does this have to do with Northeastern Pennsylvania? Mines have created environmental problems Presence of iron sulfide in the water Use of wetlands to clean up water Culm banks diminish greenery and prevent herbaceous growth Culm won’t hold water Culm conducts heat Prevents growth Land needs to be graded and fertilized Most people are unaware these problems exist

How is this relevant to Wilkes University? Students are becoming more aware of ecological problems, findings, and research due to the wonderful faculty at Wilkes University People outside of the field of biology still need to become knowledgeable about the incentives and opportunities the field of ecology has to offer

Create incentives for students at Wilkes Teach students how to use ecoinformatics and data sharing Get students involved in Eco Challenge

References Klemow, Kenneth. Class Lecture. Sept Klemow, Kenneth. Personal Website. 30 Sept Palmer, M., Bernhardt, E., et al Sept