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Current Themes in Ecology 2011
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Eco-informatics:
The silver bullet for ecology?
8 December
(CWI, Amsterdam)
Scope
The worldwide exchange of data through the Internet and the rapid developments in information technology enable ecology to enter a new and exciting era of discovery. Remote sensing, genetic screening, GPS tracking, sensor networks, radars and observatories, produce immense amounts of data thus generating new opportunities for fundamental research on the complexity and functioning of ecosystems. At the same time, new computer tools and methodologies facilitate analyses that were still unimaginable only a few years ago. They integrate different biological levels (species, ecosystems, landscapes) and incorporate GIS platforms for the visualization and spatial analysis of various layers of information, enabling the analysis of patterns and processes which relate the individual levels.
This new branch of multi-disciplinary ecology, called eco-informatics, allows us to study the stability and resilience of ecosystems in response to environmental change to better understand the way migrating organisms travel across the globe and the ways organisms interact with their allies and enemies. These developments seem to come just in time, as we have to deal at a global scale with urgent societal issues on food supply, land use planning, water availability, and the impact of climate change. But are we really taking advantage of the technical opportunities? How can we benefit from initiatives like GBIF or LifeWatch?
This symposium shows an overview of the field of eco-informatics, examples of its use and the challenges for further methodological developments that are needed to advance fundamental ecological science and its applications.
Programme
Chair of the Day: Joop Schaminée
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9:30 - 10:00
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Registration and coffee
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10:00 - 10:40
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The evolution of eco-informatics
Willem Bouten (IBED, University of Amsterdam) and Joop Schaminée (Wageningen University / Radboud University)
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10:40 - 11:20
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Bioinformatics and ecological genomics
Jeroen Raes (University of Brussels) and Yves Van de Peer (Gent University)
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11:20 - 12:00
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Taxonomic versus phylogenetic diversity patterns; An ecological niche modelling approach
Niels Raes (Netherlands Centre for Biodiversity Naturalis, section NHN, Leiden University), Campbell Webb (The Arnold Arboretum, Harvard University) and Ferry Slik (Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, China)
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12:00 - 13:00
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Lunch
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13:00 - 13:40
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Analysing traits across plant communities: opportunities and challenges
Wim Ozinga (Alterra, Wageningen-UR) and Verena Cordlandwehr (Oldenburg University and Groningen University)
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13:40 - 14:20
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Along the technology and informatics highway, please exit at field work
Judy Shamoun-Baranes (IBED, University of Amsterdam), Kees Camphuysen (Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research) and Theunis Piersma (University of Groningen / Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research);
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14:20 - 15:00
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Climate change effects on species distributions: the need for better data, models, and ecology
Robert Jan Hijmans (UC Davis, USA) and John Wieczorek (UC Berkeley, USA)
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15:00 - 15:30
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Tea
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15:30 16:10
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Forum Discussion (Chair Joop Schaminee)
· Jan van Groenendael (Gegevensautoriteit Natuur)
· Peter van Tienderen (LifeWatch Nederland)
· Robert Jan Hijmans (UC Davis)
· Jeroen Raes (University of Brussels)
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16:10 - 16:20
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One-minute introductions to demo’s
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16:20 - 17:30
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Demonstrations and drinks
1. Stephan Hennekens (ALTERRA): SynBioSys Netherland – data on the march
2. Mike Kemp (IBED): Virtual Lab for Bird Migration Modelling
3. Cees Hof (GBIF): Sharing data through the infrastructure of the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF); state of the art and future developments.
4. Tijs de Kler (SARA) LifeWad infrastructure for collaborative research in the Wadden sea
5. Edwin Baaij (Technologiecentrum UvA): BirdTracking System: Monitoring, data management, visualization and interpretation
6. Reneé Bekker (Gegevensautoriteit Natuur): Dutch Biodiversity of the Map
7. Caspar Hallmann (SOVON): TRIMmaps: from plot counts to maps of the changing distribution
8. Gerrit Hendriksen (Deltares): Maasvlakte II: did species distribution already change after setting up a marine nature compensation area?
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17:30
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End
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Prof. Dr. Ir. Willem Bouten (IBED, University of Amsterdam)
Prof Dr. Joop Schaminée (Wageningen University / Radboud University)
Dr. Claudius van de Vijver (NERN)
Fee:
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MSc and PhD’s:
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€ 25,-
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All other:
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€ 50,-
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Location:
Centrum voor Wiskunde en Informatica / WCW Turingzaal
Science Park 123
1098 XG Amsterdam
Supported by:
