Dear all,
Please find below, a list of upcoming CEE related events for the coming week.
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Forthcoming CEE Events
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CEE EVENT: Spring Symposium
4th April 2017
University College London
Predicting Biodiversity Change and Impacts on Ecosystem Function
In this symposium, we will bring together researchers modelling changes in
local biodiversity over large scales (regional to global) with researchers
working on the relationship between local biodiversity change and ecosystem
functions and services, to discuss how human pressures have and will affect the
structure and functioning of ecological systems. We will convene scientists
working on a variety of systems (freshwater, marine and terrestrial) and using
diverse approaches (from mechanistic to phenomenological). The symposium should
generate new insights into the important question of how humans are shaping
global ecosystems.
Further details including a programme can be found at
www.ucl.ac.uk/cee/events<http://www.ucl.ac.uk/cee/events>
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Integrating molecules with taxonomy and systematics: an introductory molecular
phylogenetics course for species identification and evolutionary analysis - NHM
Course
The Natural History Museum, London and BBSRC are offering a one-week
introductory course ‘Integrating molecules with taxonomy and systematics: an
introductory molecular phylogenetics course for species identification and
evolutionary analysis’, to run from 8-12th May 2017. The course is for anyone
wishing to gain expertise in molecular diagnostics and phylogenetic analysis
for systematic, taxonomic and ecological studies.
The course will be taught by NHM scientists and will benefit anyone wishing to
gain expertise in molecular diagnostics and phylogenetic analysis for
systematic, taxonomic and ecological studies. Note that this course assumes no
prior experience with DNA sequence analyses and is an introductory course. As
such, it is not appropriate for more advanced students. More information can be
found here:
http://www.nhm.ac.uk/our-science/courses-and-students/integrating-molecules-with-taxonomy-and-systematics.html
Summary:
This one-week introductory-level course will teach participants the steps
involved to produce molecular phylogenies from raw Sanger and next-generation
sequence data (i.e. Illumina paired-end). A phylogeny is essential for defining
species boundaries, species identifications, recognition of cryptic species,
testing systematic hypotheses, identifying evolutionary and biogeographic
patterns and understanding the evolution of traits. As such, knowing how to
produce a robust tree is an indispensable tool for modern taxonomists,
systematists and evolutionary biologists. By the time the participants have
completed the course, they will have had theoretical and practical experience
enabling them to i) edit raw Sanger and NGS sequence data, ii) carry out
multiple sequence alignments, iii) choose appropriate models of sequence
evolution, iv) carry out phylogenetic analyses (including Bayesian inference,
maximum likelihood), v) interpret tree topology and nodal support, vi) produce
publication ready trees, vii) work with public sequence repositories, vii)
assemble and annotate next generation sequence data, and viii) recognise
cryptic species.
Venue and duration:
The Natural History Museum, London, UK.
The course will run for one week, 9.30am-6.00pm, 8-12th May 2017.
Eligibility and how to apply:
The course is available to anyone but priority will be given to applicants
supported by BBSRC, working on a BBSRC grant or based at a BBSRC institute.
There are a maximum of 12 places available. The course is sponsored by BBSRC
and the NHM and we are charging only a nominal fee of £300, which includes all
course costs as well as accommodation in London (if necessary) and some travel
costs within the UK. Lunch and light refreshments will be provided each day. To
apply please use the application form provided and return by the closing date:
31 March 2017. Applications will be accepted up to the deadline and places will
be decided based on merit and suitability. Application forms can be found here:
http://www.nhm.ac.uk/our-science/courses-and-students/integrating-molecules-with-taxonomy-and-systematics.html
Email applications to:
molec_NHMBBSRC@xxxxxxxxx<mailto:molec_NHMBBSRC@xxxxxxxxx> (Note that this is an
automated email account do not send queries. Your application will receive a
bounce back message so you know it has arrived safely).
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State of the World's Plants Symposium, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew 25-26 May 2017
The State of the World’s Plants 2017 symposium will take place at the Royal
Botanic Gardens, Kew between 25-26 May. Similar to last year there will be six
themed sessions and a panel Q & A at the end of each session. In each session
invited speakers have been asked to address a series of globally significant
questions based on their own plant science research and policy work. These
questions are as follows:
1) Madagascar: megadiverse and misunderstood - how can we hope to reverse
threats to biodiversity?
2) The immediate risk of extinction: climate change won’t matter if everything
has already died out…
3) Wildfires: a necessary evil?
4) Invasive plants: born to invade?
5) From field to healed: how do we detect the medicinal plants of the future?
6) Valuing nature: which plant species are most valuable?
There will also be a poster session for which we are inviting abstract
submissions.
For more information, to submit a poster abstract and to register, please visit
the symposium website:
www.kew.org/sotwp-symposium<http://www.kew.org/sotwp-symposium>
Registration deadline: 25 April 2017
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State of the World's Plants Discovery Stand, Discovery Pavilion, RHS Chelsea
Flower Show, 23-27 May 2017
Also please do consider coming to see us this year at the RHS Chelsea Flower
Show in which we will showcase 3 key themes from the State of the World’s
Plants report to coincide with the symposium at Kew;
* New discoveries - a selection of plants described as new to Science
during the past few years and now in cultivation at Kew. Approximately 2,000
vascular plants are discovered each year.
* Madagascar - important and fascinating plants from this biodiversity
hotspot.
* Extreme plants - plants which are able to withstand extreme environments.
Knowledge of their resilience and distribution patterns is important to
predicting future climatic and land use changes.
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If you would like to include a seminar, event or a seminar series to the CEE,
please e-mail details of the event, at least two weeks before the seminar date,
to cee@xxxxxxxxx<mailto:cee@xxxxxxxxx> . Once accepted your event will be
publicized on the website calendar, via e-mail and to the twitter community.
Chris Langridge
CEE Administrator
The Centre for Ecology and Evolution
University College London
Gower St., London, WC1E 6BT
E: cee@xxxxxxxxx<mailto:cee@xxxxxxxxx>
