Wednesday, September 26, 2012
Monday, September 24, 2012
Feb. 12-14, Las Vegas: BLM biocrust training course
Recently annouced to me by Roger Rosentreter. I believe he and Jayne Belnap are teaching:
Biological Soil Crust Ecology and Management (1730-41)
Feb. 12-14, Springs Preserve, Las Vegas, NV
Early Registration Requested!
This 2.5 day course describes biological soil crusts, how to identify and recognize the different types of soil crusts, what factors control the distribution of soil crusts and why they are ecologically important. Included are field exercises that will reinforce classroom discussion topics, such as identification, monitoring, ecological roles, and management techniques. The facility requires a 60-day notice of cancellation. If enrollment is too low by December 10, the course will be relocated, if possible, or cancelled.
Course Name: Biological Soil Crusts: Ecology and Management Status: Active Description: Describes the types of soil crusts and their importance in maintaining rangeland and soil health. * Identifying soil crusts * Importance of soil crusts. * Effects of management actions on soil crusts.
LENGTH: 2 1/2 days
Objectives:
Overall Course Objectives: To educate land management personnel and public land users about biological soil crusts and why biological soil crusts are an integral part of the ecosystem. As a result of attending this class and field exercises, the trainee will be able to: (1) Identify the major components of Biological soil crusts; (2) Distinguish biological soil crusts from physical or chemical soil crusts; (3) Determine what soil types and plant communities have high potential for biological soil crusts; (4) Identify the ecological and hydrological roles filled by biological soil crusts; (5) Assess impacts of different types and intensities of activities on biological soil crusts; (6) Develop management alternatives and guidelines that maintain ecological functions of biological soil crusts; and (7) Integrate biological soil crusts assessment into routine monitoring procedures.
Tuition: $200.00 tuition for non-BLM participants Target Audience: Ecologists, biologists, range specialists, and botanists. Prerequisite Courses: None Delivery Type: Instructor Led Course Code: BLM-TC-1730-41 Vendor: BLM National Training Center CEU: 0 Duration: 20 hours
Biological Soil Crust Ecology and Management (1730-41)
Feb. 12-14, Springs Preserve, Las Vegas, NV
Early Registration Requested!
This 2.5 day course describes biological soil crusts, how to identify and recognize the different types of soil crusts, what factors control the distribution of soil crusts and why they are ecologically important. Included are field exercises that will reinforce classroom discussion topics, such as identification, monitoring, ecological roles, and management techniques. The facility requires a 60-day notice of cancellation. If enrollment is too low by December 10, the course will be relocated, if possible, or cancelled.
Course Name: Biological Soil Crusts: Ecology and Management Status: Active Description: Describes the types of soil crusts and their importance in maintaining rangeland and soil health. * Identifying soil crusts * Importance of soil crusts. * Effects of management actions on soil crusts.
LENGTH: 2 1/2 days
Objectives:
Overall Course Objectives: To educate land management personnel and public land users about biological soil crusts and why biological soil crusts are an integral part of the ecosystem. As a result of attending this class and field exercises, the trainee will be able to: (1) Identify the major components of Biological soil crusts; (2) Distinguish biological soil crusts from physical or chemical soil crusts; (3) Determine what soil types and plant communities have high potential for biological soil crusts; (4) Identify the ecological and hydrological roles filled by biological soil crusts; (5) Assess impacts of different types and intensities of activities on biological soil crusts; (6) Develop management alternatives and guidelines that maintain ecological functions of biological soil crusts; and (7) Integrate biological soil crusts assessment into routine monitoring procedures.
Tuition: $200.00 tuition for non-BLM participants Target Audience: Ecologists, biologists, range specialists, and botanists. Prerequisite Courses: None Delivery Type: Instructor Led Course Code: BLM-TC-1730-41 Vendor: BLM National Training Center CEU: 0 Duration: 20 hours
Wednesday, September 19, 2012
Friday, September 14, 2012
Second circular: Second International Workshop on Biological Soil C...
Some updated information on next summer's crust conference in Madrid, including format, schedule, and fees.
Maestre Lab: Second International Workshop on Biological Soil C...: We are pleased to announce the Second International Workshop on Biological Soil Cruts, which follows the successful first Workshop c...
Maestre Lab: Second International Workshop on Biological Soil C...: We are pleased to announce the Second International Workshop on Biological Soil Cruts, which follows the successful first Workshop c...
Thursday, September 13, 2012
Tiny forests in the Utah desert
Mi amiga Sasha Reed on a short PRX radio piece by Jennifer Jarret about biological crusts, dust, etc.
Piece Description
From Arches National Park, we get a close-up view of a living groundcover called "biological soil crust." This groundcover, made up of tiny organisms like mosses, lichens and cyanobacteria, helps to stablize the soil surface; "holding the place in place." It is extremely resilient to wind and water, but particularly sensitive to compressive forces like stepping or driving on the crust. Once disturbed by these kinds of compressive forces, the soil -- the place -- can start to blow away. This kind of destruction is not unike deforestation; just...smaller. Listen as Dr. Sasha Reed, a research ecologist with the U.S. Geological Survey, explains why seemingly localized impacts to Utah's crust communities have much greater implications for the western U.S. Reed was awarded the Presidentai Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers in 2011.
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Death Valley recognized with posting world’s hottest temperature -- 99 years later
News quirk for the desert enthusiasts. Having grown up in the Mojave Desert I feel vindicated somehow.
Death Valley recognized with posting world’s hottest temperature -- 99 years later
Death Valley recognized with posting world’s hottest temperature -- 99 years later
Friday, September 7, 2012
Wednesday, September 5, 2012
SCIN: Soil crust international ... new project, new website
The new website here, also I am adding it permanently to the resources at right. This is a European network of researchers in Spain, Germany, Austria, and Sweden. They are establishing an array of study sites to observe all things crust (diversity, C flux, genetics, hydrology, in a variety of European habitats ranging from semi-arid to alpine.
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| A nice shot of a Catapyrenium from the Tabernas Badlands site in Almeria (Soil Crust International). |
Tuesday, September 4, 2012
Biological Soil Crusts Course: October 6, Desert Institute, Joshua Tree National Park, California
Course registration link below, this one is taught by Dr. Nicole Pietrasiak. Contact the Desert Institute for more information.
Biological Soil Crusts
Biological Soil Crusts
Monday, September 3, 2012
Inferring local competition intensity from patch size distributions: a test using biological soil crusts Bowker 2012 Oikos Wiley Online Library
Inferring local competition intensity from patch size distributions: a test using biological soil crusts Bowker 2012 Oikos Wiley Online Library
A recent one by Fernando and I.
I just finished posting several biocrust papers from 2012, there would have been more if more publishers used share buttons. Kudos to Wiley. Boo to ESA, Springer, Elsevier. Why wouldn't you embrace every tool for sharing the abstract of papers you've published? Wierd.
Anyway, I'll see if I can dig up more recent references and post them later.
A recent one by Fernando and I.
I just finished posting several biocrust papers from 2012, there would have been more if more publishers used share buttons. Kudos to Wiley. Boo to ESA, Springer, Elsevier. Why wouldn't you embrace every tool for sharing the abstract of papers you've published? Wierd.
Anyway, I'll see if I can dig up more recent references and post them later.
Sunday, September 2, 2012
Wallflowers of the Earth system
Science Daily's article about the Elbert et al. paper I wrote about recently.
Wallflowers of the Earth system
Wallflowers of the Earth system
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