Ecology is one of the natural sciences, and for many people, that means that ecologists are left-brain dominated folks. We use the scientific method, apply ecological theory, and work to understand patterns in the natural world. What people don’t always see is that ecology requires an enormous amount of creativity. In fact, this is one of the things that draws many of us to the field. Read more
A few thoughts following the 100th meeting of the Western Society of Naturalists
Monterey, CA; 11-13 November 2016
Photo: A few of the past and present Raimondi-Carr Lab members at WSN 2016.
NATURAL HISTORY
Two of the invited talks from WSN stand out to me. First, Jackie Sones won this year’s Naturalist of the Year and gave an inspiring speech on the study of natural history. A lifelong naturalist, Jackie discussed ways that she inspires others through her love of nature. Second, Jim Estes gave the closing keynote at the 100th anniversary of the Western Society of Naturalists. He used stories to discuss his serendipitous career in marine ecology. After the meeting, I’m still thinking about two things he said. Jim – a highly respected figure in ecology – told nascent ecologists that our science does not need to be hypothesis driven. I’ll repeat that. We don’t need to have hypotheses going into every study that we do! As someone who often learns best through simple observation, this was so reassuring. This doesn’t mean to me that hypotheses aren’t important for structuring science, simply that there is more than one path to discovery. He also made the point that the study of natural history is an amorphous thing. Natural history doesn’t have to simply mean being an expert in the taxonomy of organisms. Being in nature, observing and internalizing patterns and processes is also natural history. As always, I walk away from WSN with a renewed motivation to spend time in nature, watching and learning from ecology in action.
SHARING IDEAS
Imposter Syndrome has a perhaps too-close-to-home meaning for many graduate students. Like many, I go through periods of doubting my own ideas, interests and conclusions. However, the meeting of ecologists in Monterey this weekend helped to assuage these doubts. I met a recent faculty hire who is thinking about some of the same pelagic-nearshore marine connectivity questions that I’ve been thinking about for years. This seems minor, but was surprisingly affirming. So affirming, that I’m now considering writing a synthesis about what we know and don’t know on the topic!
100 YEARS
100 years is a long time! This society has promoted the study of natural history on the West coast, and members have been incredibly influential in shaping the larger field of ecology. I now find myself grappling with what I think the future of the Western Society of Naturalists should be. I think that maintaining a focus on natural history (in an era when mathematical models and global syntheses often fill top journals) is essential. To lose this focus and the inspiration that it gives to me would be a shame. But, what else could the future of WSN look like? Could the society use its large, influential membership to encourage diversity in ecology (more on this below), encourage open and reproducible science, or shape relevant marine policy? Faced with collapsing fisheries, large-scale coastal habitat degradation and difficult decisions regarding marine use, should WSN continue to shy away from advocacy? I’m not sure how this would look (and certainly acknowledge that advocacy from respected scientists is risky), but I’m now pondering if there are issues today that warrant this risk.
WOMEN IN ECOLOGY
As part of the 100th anniversary celebration, President Jay Stachowicz solicited recommendations and votes for the 100 most influential papers in the field of ecology to-date. On Saturday night, he presented the results, and the top papers are all certainly deserving of accolade. However, I came away from the presentation deflated. Not a single paper discussed was first-authored by a woman. While I understand that we can’t change the history of the sciences (few women, dominated by rich white men), we can make a conscious effort not to overlook contributions made by women now (how were Jane Lubchenco’s papers not mentioned?!). I am disappointed that Dr. Stachowicz didn’t think to acknowledge that men may have been the history of the field, but that moving forward and tackling the wicked ecological problems of today will take a much more diverse set of minds, including the minds of the many women in ecology.
** WSN 2017 – Pasadena, CA **
Sometimes the data come in, and you learn only that you understand less about your study system that you had ever realized. I’ve been poring through stable isotope data lately, and not everything is as expected.
Background
Before I talk about that, a bit of background. One of my dissertation chapters focuses on the kelp forest food web, and how trophic connections (e.g. species A eating species B) shift on a seasonal and annual basis. One of my major questions in this chapter addresses whether adult rockfish – the fish that we all love to watch while diving and that many of us love eat in tacos – tend to eat more juvenile fish in the spring and summer when juvenile rockfish recruit to the kelp forest. I’m focusing on four species of rockfish (Sebastes spp.), but also sample black surfperch (Embiotoca jacksoni) as a control species (a fish that NEVER eats fish regardless of the time of year). Species photo illustrations below are by Larry Allen (CSU Northridge).
I had the amazing opportunity to TA the Ecology and Conservation field quarter (commonly referred to by students as the Supercourse) from March – June 2016. Not only did I learn an incredible amount of natural history alongside students, but I got to observe two very talented field instructors (Don Croll, UCSC Professor of EEB and Gage Dayton, Director of UCSC’s Natural Reserves) to learn the field teaching ropes that they have perfected over the last 20 years. Now that the the quarter has wrapped up, I have time to jot down a few thoughts on field learning, ecology immersion teaching, and the benefits of teaching natural history alongside ecology theory. Read more
I spent last week alongside several hundred fisheries scientists and managers at the 2016 Western Groundfish conference in Newport, OR, and want to share several highlights and thoughts.
First, I’m accustomed to conferences with multiple concurrent sessions and several talks in each time slot that I want to attend. Western Groundfish has only one session (no tough choices on which talk to attend!) and every talk is relevant because everyone is presenting studies West Coast groundfish! I really appreciated this structure, especially as it was combined with ample time built into the schedule for networking and informal learning. Read more
A new RC Lab photo. With most of us.
I’ve had the incredible opportunity during the last several years to work with the Center for Ocean Solutions‘ small-scale fisheries working group. This group includes leaders in fisheries ecology, marine social sciences, and the interdisciplinary study of social-ecological systems. Needless to say, I’ve been working alongside giants and have learned a lot! In 2013 we decided to focus our initial working group efforts on understanding a sustainable fishery that’s close to home – the wetfish fisheries (that’s squid, anchovy and sardine) of Monterey Bay. The PLOS One paper below details our results. Read more
Another year and another great RC Lab PISCO fish survey training! All of the fish-inclined RC Lab divers got together for a day of lectures and remembering our fish ID, then two days of dives at the beautiful Hopkins Marine Station to recalibrate our fish sizes, attempt to identify juvenile surf perch, and work on our transect timing.
Another wonderful meeting of the Western Society of Naturalists! As in previous years, I left WSN this weekend with a renewed motivation to get out in the natural world, make meaningful observations, spend time in my study system, and to make my science relevant.
I spent the last ten days at a very unexpected place for a marine ecology student to spend her summer. I took part in the 24th annual North American Dendroecological Fieldweek (NADEF) in the Shoshone National Forest near Yellowstone National Park.
Dendroecology: the application of tree-ring analysis to ecological questions.
What is someone studying nearshore fisheries doing at a fieldweek in the middle of the country dedicated to the study of tree-ring analysis? As it turns out, learning a whole lot. About 10 years ago, an ecologist by the name of Dr. Bryan Black (University of Texas) made the leap from a career as a forester to an ecosystem oceanographer. With him, he brought his extensive knowledge of tree-ring analysis and began applying it to hard structures in marine organisms that have annual rings very similar to tree rings. Of particular interest to me is the hard, inner-ear bone of fishes known as an otolith. Read more