AFRICA
International Symposium on the Biogeography of Madagascar: Diversity and Endemism in Madagascar - Endemism and Priorities to Conservation. Paris, France. 31 August - 2 September. Information: Dr. Wilson R. Lourenco, Laboratoire de Zoologie, Museum National D'Histoire Naturelle 61, rue de Buffon, 75005. Paris, France. Email: arachne@mnhn.fr.
The Caribbean Journal of Science. Individuals are invited to submit manuscripts related to the Caribbean-southern Florida, Bahamas, Yucatan, Venezuela, and the Caribbean Islands. The Caribbean Journal of Science offers international peer review, careful editorial review, efficient processing of manuscripts, papers in press listed in our web site, simultaneous publication in print and on the Internet, international distribution and global availability on the web, traditional and electronic reprints, article delivery service, typesetting from electronic copy, quality printing and excellent presentation, timely publication and low page charges. Information: http://mayaweb.upr.clu.edu/artssciences/cjs. Email: J_Mari@rumac.upr.clu.edu.
III CONGRESS of the Mesoamerican Society for Biology and Conservation. Guatemala City, Guatemala. 4-9 July. All researchers are invited to participate in this week-long congress. Field trips are offered on 10-12 July. More than 500 participants are expected, from all branches of biology and conservation. The congress provides an important opportunity for foreign researchers looking for local collaborators, national contacts for government permissions, or information on potential field sites, since most participants will be Central American and Mexican. The first day will be dedicated to registration and the inauguration, while the following days will have scheduled papers sessions, symposia and workshops. One day will be reserved to celebrate the annual general assembly of the Society. The objective of the congress is to "Promote the exchange of information and progress in the field of conservation biology." The activities include keynote lectures, open paper sessions, symposia and workshops on specific topics or projects, poster and audiovisual sessions, roundtable discussions of topics related to the Society's mission,. ecotourism trips (during the weekend of 10-12 July), and cultural activities that will demonstrate the cultural richness of the country. Field trips are scheduled to visit Biotopo del Quetzal, Manchon Guamuchal, Reserva Natural Monterrico, Biotopo Chocon Machacas, Reserva de Biosfera Sierra de Las Minas-Albores, and Parque Nacional Tikal. Papers on any topic related to biology or conservation are welcome, but are especially sought if they match one of six general themes for the congress: (1) Ecology of fragmentation of the tropical landscape; (2) Studies for the selection and conservation of priority areas; (3) Genetics and conservation (taxonomy, phylogenetics, population structure, applied biotechnology, wildlife); (4) Agroecology, integration of agrosystems with wild species; (5) Integration of indigenous knowledge and community participation in the conservation of natural resources; and (6) Land use and planning. The program of symposia, workshops, open papers sessions, plus information on lodging, registration costs, and deadlines, can be seen in the Congress Convocatoria, at the Society's webpage: http://ccb.stanford.edu/mesoamericana/CONGRESO.htm. The deadline for abstracts is 31 March 1999 but requests for extensions will be considered. Information: Mercedes Barrios (Congress Coordinator), Universidad de San Carlos de Guatemala, or Pilar Negreros (Scientific Program Coordinator), Universidad del Valle de Guatemala, or Ana Carolina Rosales Zamora, Country Representative for Guatemala of the Sociedad Mesoamericana para la Biologia y la Conservacion, Avenida La Reforma 0-63 zona 10, Guatemala. C.P. 01010. Tel: (502) 334-6064, Fax: (502) 334-7664. Email: cecpm@usac.edu.gt. You may also contact the Society's US representative for the latest information in English: Mark Bonta, Louisiana State University. Tel: (504) 383-1073. Email: mbonta@ibm.net.
Field Station Profile:
Saint Eugäne Research Station (MusÇum national d'Histoire naturelle), French Guiana
The Saint Eugene research station was founded in 1993 by the Museum national d'Histoire naturelle (MNHN) with a grant from the ElectricitÇ de France (EDF). It is located upstream the Courcibo river (a tributary of the Sinnamary river), approximately 2 1/2 hours by speed boat from the Petit Saut Dam (50 km from the city of Kourou at the base of the Centre Spatial Guyanais (CSG)). Its founding occurred just months before most of the region was flooded due to the construction of the dam. The lake is 36500 ha with a mean depth of 10-11 m, and a maximum depth of 35 m, and approximately 10500 ha of islands were formed in 1994-1995 during the forest inundation. Consequently, this station is devoted to the study of the consequences of forest fragmentation with water as a matrix between fragments.
The core area of the station consists of a large peninsula of about 1500 ha. which is connected to the mainland by a corridor several hundred of meters in width, and of 110 islands ranging 0.1- 78 ha. The research area is part of the EDF concession, and is protected from hunting by national guards. Apart from clearing and casual logging nearby previous gold miner camps situated along the river (now flooded), no extensive logging occurred before or after flooding, and the forest is considered old and mature. Several networks of trails have been established at 100-m intervals on several large islands and at 500-m intervals on the large peninsula. Two 1-ha permanent plots have been mapped and all trees greater than 10 cm in dbh were tagged, inventoried and identified, one being on the large peninsula, the other on a 28-ha island. The forest is rich in Lecythidaceae and Leguminosae, and the fauna, at least on the mainland, is complete and rich with six species of Primates and large terrestrial ungulates and felins. Populations of vertebrates (reptiles, birds, rodents, marsupials, bats, primates and ungulates) have been studied since the beginning of the fragmentation processes. Along with the long-term survey of fauna and flora, the goals of the Saint Eugene Fragmentation Program (SEFP) is to investigate animal-plant relationships in collaboration with other European and international institutions. Studies are currently being developed in other areas as well, such as invertebrate-soil relationships (dung beetles, termites).
The housing facilities are rustic (i.e. one sleeps in a hammock with a net). The station is equipped with three main rooms with wooden floors, metal roofs, a generator, refrigerator, water pump, shower and running water, allowing up to 10 persons to live for extended periods of time. Food and necessities can be purchased easily from Kourou, and brought to the station on routine. Currently, the station is open twice a year, during the wet (Mar-June) and the dry season (Oct-Dec) depending on usage. Information: Dr. Pierre-Michel Forget (topic: Botany & animal-plant relationship), Email: forget@mnhn.fr, Lab. Ecologie GÇnÇrale (MNHN), 4 avenue du Petit ChÉteau, F-91800, Brunoy, or Dr. Jean-Marc Pons (topic: Zoology), MNHN, Lab. Mammifäres & Oiseaux (MNHN) 55 rue Buffon, F-75005 Paris, France. Email: pons@mnhn.fr.
*VIII International Aroid Conference. Missouri Botanical Garden, USA. 9-11 August. Conference will provide a forum for the presentation and discussion of current topics in the family Araceae, including their biology, ecology, taxonomy, and horticulture. Registration fee: $100. Includes admittance to all scientific sessions, evening lectures, poster sessions, and receptions. Box lunches, morning coffee, and afternoon breaks are also included in the fee. Information: Beth L. Cosgriff, Secretary General, Missouri Botanical Garden, P.O. Box 2999, St. Louis, MO. 63166-0299, USA. Fax: (314) 577-9596. Email: bcosgriff@lehmann.mobot.org.
Tropical Restoration for the New Millennium. San Juan, Puerto Rico, 23-28 May. Co-sponsored by the Society of Ecological Restoration (SER), the International Union of Forestry Research Organizations (UFRO), and the University of Puerto Rico. Held jointly with the 4th Annual Puerto Rico Forestry Conference. Information: J. Parrotta, International Institute of Tropical Forestry, USDA Forest Service, P.O. Box 25000, R°o Ouedrasm OR 00928-5000, USA. Email: j_parrotta@uprl.upr.clu.edu.
Annual Meeting of the Society for Conservation Biology. University of Maryland, College Park, MD. 17-21 June. Information: David Inouye, Tel: (301) 405-6946. Email: di5@umail.umd.edu. WWW: http://www.inform.umd.edu/SCB.
Animal Behavior Society Annual Meeting. Bucknell University, Lewisburg, Pennsylvania. 26 June-1 July. Symposia include "Educating about Animal Behavior: A Broader Perspective". Plenary speakers include Gail Michener, Lynne Houck, and Steve Nowicki. Information: Michael Pereira. Tel: (717) 524-1430. Email: mpereira@bucknell.edu. WWW: http://www.cisab.indiana.edu/ABS/index.html.
COURSES
Courses offered by the Organization for Tropical Studies (OTS):
Ecosistemas Amazonicos. This intensive Spanish language field course will be offered for the first time in May 1999 by the Organization for Tropical Studies in collaboration with the Amazon Center for Environmental Education and Research. Ecosistemas Amazonicos will focus on the unique characteristics of the flooded and upland forests of the western Amazon region near Iquitos, Peru. Coordinators will be Drs. Bette Loiselle and Alejandro Farji. Dates: 10 May - 7 June. Information: Dr. Nora Bynum, Box 90630, Durham, NC 27708-0630. Tel: (919) 684-5774. Fax: (919) 684-5661. Email: elb@duke.edu.
OTS 99-10 Tropical Biodiversity. This three-week course introduces participants to the diversity of plants, animals and biotic interactions at OTS's three field stations in tropical low-land rain forest, seasonally dry forest and mid-elevation forest in Costa Rica. Participants will learn about these tropical environments and their conservation via orientation walks, faculty-led field research projects, discussions and lectures. Past participants range from advanced undergraduates to university faculty seeking an introduction to the tropics. Application deadline: 15 April.
Undergraduate Summer Program in Costa Rica - Support available! This four-week intensive summer program provides field-based, hands-on instruction of tropical biology at OTS' three Costa Rican field stations, Las Cruces, Palo Verde, and La Selva, each located in a distinct ecosystem. Students will enroll in a one-credit laboratory course, BIO 134: Fundamentals of Tropical Biology (NS). Students must have completed one year of college-level biology. Credit is granted by Duke University. Through a grant received from the Division of International Programs at the National Science Foundation, OTS funding is now available to support the participation of economically-disadvantaged and under-represented groups in this course. Application deadline extended to 15 April in order to take advantage of this funding opportunity.
Undergraduate Semester Abroad Program. The 15-week OTS/Duke semester in Costa Rica has proven to be an unforgettable experience for students from more than 30 universities. This first rate program combines biology, environmental science and Spanish language and culture. Students receive rigorous academic instruction while they study in incredible tropical forest sites. Application deadline: 10 March 1999.
Wild Lands Management in the Tropics - New Course! This eight-week course provides integral training in the conceptual and practical aspects of wild lands management in the tropics. Participants will explore a broad range of management problems and alternative solutions as they visit areas with contrasting landscapes, ecosystems, socioeconomic conditions and management categories. The course will be offered in Spanish and is open to resource managers from Latin America. Application deadline: 25 June 1999.
For more information please contact OTS at: Box 90630, Durham, NC 27708, Email: nao@duke.edu. Tel: (919) 684-5774. Fax: (919) 684-5661.
The Birds of Costa Rica: Tropical Bird Ecology for Birding Enthusiasts. 13-26 April, 24 August - 6 September. Cost: $1,900. Information: The Monteverde Institute, Email: <mvipac@sol.racsa.co.cr>.
Brazilian Ecosystems. Opportunities to study ecology, culture, and environmental issues in Brazil. Fall Term: September-December 1999. Application Deadline: 15 March 1999. Open to graduate students and undergraduates who have completed two years of academic study. Preparation in basic earth sciences or environmental studies is required. Previous study of Portuguese or Spanish is recommended. Information: Antioch Education Abroad, Antioch College, Yellow Springs, Ohio, 45387. Tel: (937) 767-6366. Toll free: (800) 874-7986. Email: AEA@antioch-college.edu. WWW: http://www.antioch-college.edu/aea/.
The mammals of Paracou, French Guiana: A Neotropical lowland rainforest fauna. Part 1: Bats. Simmons, N.B. and R.S. Voss. 1998. Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History. 237pp. Information: Dr. Nancy B. Simmons, Associate Curator, Department of Mammalogy , American Museum of Natural History. Central Park West at 79th St., New York, NY 10024. Tel: (212) 769-5483. Fax: (212) 769-5239. Email: simmons2amnh.org. WWW: http://research.amnh.org/mammalogy/simmons.html.
Leccunim and Phyllophorus in Costa Rica. A multi-authored DELTA Intkey data set has been developed for the mushroom genera Leccunim and Phyllophorus. WWW: http://www.nybg.org/bsci/res/hall/deltaindex.html. Access over the web requires the test version of Intkey and Windows95/NT or later. Authors are R.E. Halling (New York Botanical Garden, Bronz, NY), G.M. Mueller (Field Museum, Chicago, IL.) and M.J. Dallwitz (CSIRO, Canberra, Australia.
Insect Science and its Application. The International Journal of Tropical Insect Science. This quarterly journal, edited by Hans R. Herren, publishes research papers, short communications and review articles on tropical agricultural pests, stored products pests, forests entomology, pests of wood products; disease vectors, host-insect relationships, plant resistance, integrated pest management, biological control, social and beneficial insects, commercial insects, arthropod ecology and biodiversity, arthropod physiology, morphology, pathology, immunology, toxicology, taxonomy, population studies and genetics, molecular biology and biochemistry, behavioral and chemical ecology, economic entomology, extension entomology, pesticide residue studies, social science, and technology transfer. Information: ICIPE Science Press. Subscriptions Dept., P.O. Box 72913, Nairobi, Kenya, East Africa.
A Field Guide to Medicinal and Useful Plants of the Upper Amazon. Castner, J.L., Timme, S.L., and J.A. Duke. 1998. Feline Press. 160pp. 240 color photos. $38. ISBN: 0-9625159-7-8. This book is the first photograph-oriented color guide book that treats the medicinal plants found in the Amazon Basin. Written in terms that a layperson can understand, an informative and concise description of the uses and identification of over 120 species of plants is provided. Orders: Feline Press, P.O. Box 7219, Gainesville, FL 32605, USA. Email: jlcastner@aol.com.