Practical Science Communication Strategies for Graduate Students.

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Practical Science Communication Strategies for Graduate Students.

Conserv Biol. 2014 Apr 24;

Authors: Kuehne LM, Twardochleb LA, Fritschie KJ, Mims MC, Lawrence DJ, Gibson PP, Stewart-Koster B, Olden JD

Abstract
Development of skills in science communication is a well-acknowledged gap in graduate training, but the constraints that accompany research (limited time, resources, and knowledge of opportunities) make it challenging to acquire these proficiencies. Furthermore, advisors and institutions may find it difficult to support graduate students adequately in these efforts. The result is fewer career and societal benefits because students have not learned to communicate research effectively beyond their scientific peers. To help overcome these hurdles, we developed a practical approach to incorporating broad science communication into any graduate-school time line. The approach consists of a portfolio approach that organizes outreach activities along a time line of planned graduate studies. To help design the portfolio, we mapped available science communication tools according to 5 core skills essential to most scientific careers: writing, public speaking, leadership, project management, and teaching. This helps graduate students consider the diversity of communication tools based on their desired skills, time constraints, barriers to entry, target audiences, and personal and societal communication goals. By designing a portfolio with an advisor’s input, guidance, and approval, graduate students can gauge how much outreach is appropriate given their other commitments to teaching, research, and classes. The student benefits from the advisors’ experience and mentorship, promotes the group’s research, and establishes a track record of engagement. When graduate student participation in science communication is discussed, it is often recommended that institutions offer or require more training in communication, project management, and leadership. We suggest that graduate students can also adopt a do-it-yourself approach that includes determining students’ own outreach objectives and time constraints and communicating these with their advisor. By doing so we hope students will help create a new culture of science communication in graduate student education. Estrategias Prácticas para la Comunicación Científica para Estudiantes de Posgrado.

PMID: 24762116 [PubMed – as supplied by publisher]

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Crabs and Shrimps of the Pacific Coast: A Guide to Shallow-Water Decapods from Southeastern Alaska to the Mexican Border

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Author: Gregory C. Jensen

Publisher: MolaMarine; First edition (January 24, 2014)

This combination book/e-book covers every shallow-water species of crab and shrimp found from the Aleutian Islands to the Mexican border: nearly 300 in all, in full color. This is the ideal guide for the beginner and the professional alike, offering a user-friendly introduction to these fascinating animals while also providing the detailed references and other resources needed by those specializing in the field. The unique print/e-book format allows readers to choose their own level, whether browsing the hundreds of photos that show the beautiful colors and interesting shapes of the varied species, or trying to identify the most challenging specimens under a laboratory microscope. The print book includes numerous (and often humorous) sidebars covering all sorts of topics, from interesting tidbits on the behavior or biology of the animals to historical vignettes. The accompanying cd contains all of the species profiles in a convenient pdf, so it can be put on a phone or tablet to take anywhere. Every piece of information in the pdf is hyperlinked to the full reference (2,600 links), while hundreds of other links connect to additional photos that show particular features, comparisons to similar species, and even short video clips showing various behaviors. Interactive keys to many of the groups are also provided, including both a color key for identifying live hermit crabs and a separate one for preserved specimens that have lost their color.

crabbook

WACFWRU Annual Research Review

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The Washington Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit would like to invite you to join us for our Annual Research Review on Wednesday, April 30th.  The review will showcase student research that is supported by the Unit at both the UW and WSU. Please see the following agenda for presentations and times.

DATE and TIME: April 30, 2014, 8 AM

LOCATION: 203 Fisheries Sciences Building, University of Washington, Seattle

AGENDA

08:00 AM             Continental Breakfast08:30 AM             WELCOMEChris Grue – Unit Leader, WACFWRU, UW

Joe Margraf – Supervisor, Western Cooperative Research Units, USGS

Steve Bollens – Director, School of the Environment, WSU

Tom DeLuca – Director, School of Environmental & Forest Sciences, UW

09:00 AM              STUDENT PRESENTATIONS – SESSION 1 

“The Niche for Reintroduced Anadromous Salmonids in the Lewis River Reservoirs” – Mark Sorel, MS student, School of Aquatic & Fishery Sciences, UW

“Will a Reintroduced Species Survive in a Non-native Dominated Food Web? – A Bioenergetics Simulation of Reintroducing Lahontan Cutthroat Trout in Lake Tahoe” – Allison McCoy, MS student, School of Aquatic & Fishery Sciences, UW

“Are Top Predators Active or Opportunistic Feeders? Evaluating the Nature of Prey Selection by Cutthroat Trout in Lake Washington” – Adam Hansen, PhD student, School of Aquatic & Fishery Sciences, UW

10:00 AM               Break

10:30 AM               STUDENT PRESENTATIONS – SESSION 2

“Environmental and Systemic Exposure of Green Sturgeon Following Application of Imidacloprid to Control Burrowing Shrimp in Willapa Bay, Washington” – John Frew, PhD student, School of Aquatic & Fishery Sciences, UW

“Black Bear Density and Demographics in Washington State” – Lindsay Welfelt,  MS student, School of the Environment, WSU

“Seasonal Habitat Selection of Lynx (Lynx canadensis) in Northern Washington State” – Grant Glover, MS student, School of the Environment, WSU11:30  AM             LUNCH & STUDENT AWARDS

Migratory Movements of Pygmy Blue Whales (Balaenoptera musculus brevicauda) between Australia and Indonesia as Revealed by Satellite Telemetry.

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Migratory Movements of Pygmy Blue Whales (Balaenoptera musculus brevicauda) between Australia and Indonesia as Revealed by Satellite Telemetry.

PLoS One. 2014;9(4):e93578

Authors: Double MC, Andrews-Goff V, Jenner KC, Jenner MN, Laverick SM, Branch TA, Gales NJ

Abstract
In Australian waters during the austral summer, pygmy blue whales (Balaenoptera musculus brevicauda) occur predictably in two distinct feeding areas off western and southern Australia. As with other blue whale subspecies, outside the austral summer their distribution and movements are poorly understood. In order to describe the migratory movements of these whales, we present the satellite telemetry derived movements of eleven individuals tagged off western Australia over two years. Whales were tracked from between 8 and 308 days covering an average distance of 3,009±892 km (mean ± se; range: 832 km-14,101 km) at a rate of 21.94±0.74 km per day (0.09 km-455.80 km/day). Whales were tagged during March and April and ultimately migrated northwards post tag deployment with the exception of a single animal which remained in the vicinity of the Perth Canyon/Naturaliste Plateau for its eight day tracking period. The tagged whales travelled relatively near to the Australian coastline (100.0±1.7 km) until reaching a prominent peninsula in the north-west of the state of Western Australia (North West Cape) after which they travelled offshore (238.0±13.9 km). Whales reached the northern terminus of their migration and potential breeding grounds in Indonesian waters by June. One satellite tag relayed intermittent information to describe aspects of the southern migration from Indonesia with the animal departing around September to arrive in the subtropical frontal zone, south of western Australia in December. Throughout their migratory range, these whales are exposed to impacts associated with industry, fishing and vessel traffic. These movements therefore provide a valuable tool to industry when assessing potential interactions with pygmy blue whales and should be considered by conservation managers and regulators when mitigating impacts of development. This is particularly relevant for this species as it continues to recover from past exploitation.

PMID: 24718589 [PubMed – in process]

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Predator avoidance during reproduction: diel movements by spawning sockeye salmon between stream and lake habitats.

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Predator avoidance during reproduction: diel movements by spawning sockeye salmon between stream and lake habitats.

J Anim Ecol. 2014 Apr 5;

Authors: Bentley KT, Schindler DE, Cline TJ, Armstrong JB, Macias D, Ciepiela LR, Hilborn R

Abstract
1. Daily movements of mobile organisms between habitats in response to changing trade-offs between predation risk and foraging gains are well established; however, less in known about whether similar tactics are used during reproduction, a time period when many organisms are particularly vulnerable to predators. 2. We investigated the reproductive behaviour of adult sockeye salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka) and the activity of their principal predator, brown bears (Ursus arctos), on streams in southwestern Alaska. Specifically, we continuously monitored movements of salmon between lake habitat, where salmon are invulnerable to bears, and three small streams, where salmon spawn and are highly vulnerable to bears. We conducted our study across 2 years that offered a distinct contrast in bear activity and predation rates. 3. Diel movements by adult sockeye salmon between stream and lake habitat were observed in 51.3 ± 17.7% [mean ± SD] of individuals among years and sites. Fish that moved tended to hold in the lake for most of the day, and then migrated into spawning streams during the night coincident with when bear activity on streams tended to be lowest. Additionally, cyclic movements between lakes and spawning streams were concentrated earlier in the spawning season. 4. Individuals that exhibited diel movements had longer average reproductive life-spans than those who made only one directed movement into a stream. However, the relative effect was dependent on the timing of bear predation, which varied between years. When predation pressure primarily occurred early in the spawning run (i.e., during the height of the diel movements), movers lived 120 – 310% longer than non-movers. If predation pressure was concentrated later in the spawning run (i.e., when most movements had ceased), movers only lived 10-60% longer. 5. Our results suggest a dynamic trade-off in reproductive strategies of sockeye salmon; adults must be in the stream to reproduce, but must also avoid predation long enough to spawn. Given the inter-annual variation in the timing and intensity of predation pressure, the advantages of a particular movement strategy will likely vary among years. Regardless, movements by salmon allowed individuals to exploit fine-scale habitat heterogeneity during reproduction that appears to be a strategy to reduce predation risk on the spawning grounds. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

PMID: 24702169 [PubMed – as supplied by publisher]

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Pesticides in urban streams and prespawn mortality of Pacific coho salmon.

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Pesticides in urban streams and prespawn mortality of Pacific coho salmon.

Arch Environ Contam Toxicol. 2013 Oct;65(3):546-54

Authors: King KA, Grue CE, Grassley JM, Hearsey JW

Abstract
The listing of several runs of Pacific salmon as threatened or endangered and associated federal, state, and local efforts to restore/enhance salmon habitat in the Pacific Northwest make it imperative that the factors associated with these population declines are understood. Prespawn mortality (PSM) has been documented in coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch) within urban streams in western Washington since the late 1990s and is characterized by a suite of neurological and respiratory symptoms with mortality occurring shortly thereafter. Mortality rates in returning adults have ranged between 17 and 100%. The cause of PSM is not known, but the presence of pesticide residues within urban streams led to a hypothesis that PSM in coho salmon and pesticides in urban streams were linked. We exposed pairs of “green” (unripe) prespawn male and female coho salmon to a pesticide mixture (“cocktail”) reported in urban streams in western Washington State, USA. Longevity, ripening in female salmon, and brain acetylcholinesterase were not significantly affected by continuous exposure to the maximum reported concentrations of the pesticides. Fertilization, hatching success, and growth of fry were also not affected when green adults were exposed to these concentrations for 96 h. The absence of effects suggests it is unlikely that pesticides within stormwater are singularly responsible for PSM in coho salmon or that they impair the reproductive capability of exposed adults.

PMID: 23744049 [PubMed – indexed for MEDLINE]

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Are large-scale flow experiments informing the science and management of freshwater ecosystems?

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Are large-scale flow experiments informing the science and management of freshwater ecosystems?

Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment 12: 176–185. http://dx.doi.org/10.1890/130076

Authors: Julian D Olden, Christopher P Konrad, Theodore S Melis, Mark J Kennard, Mary C Freeman, Meryl C Mims, Erin N Bray, Keith B Gido, Nina P Hemphill, David A Lytle, Laura E McMullen, Mark Pyron, Christopher T Robinson, John C Schmidt, and John G Williams.

Greater scientific knowledge, changing societal values, and legislative mandates have emphasized the importance of implementing large-scale flow experiments (FEs) downstream of dams. We provide the first global assessment of FEs to evaluate their success in advancing science and informing management decisions. Systematic review of 113 FEs across 20 countries revealed that clear articulation of experimental objectives, while not universally practiced, was crucial for achieving management outcomes and changing dam-operating policies. Furthermore, changes to dam operations were three times less likely when FEs were conducted primarily for scientific purposes. Despite the recognized importance of riverine flow regimes, four-fifths of FEs involved only discrete flow events. Over three-quarters of FEs documented both abiotic and biotic outcomes, but only one-third examined multiple taxonomic responses, thus limiting how FE results can inform holistic dam management. Future FEs will present new opportunities to advance scientifically credible water policies.

ss3sim: An R Package for Fisheries Stock Assessment Simulation with Stock Synthesis.

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ss3sim: An R Package for Fisheries Stock Assessment Simulation with Stock Synthesis.

PLoS One. 2014;9(4):e92725

Authors: Anderson SC, Monnahan CC, Johnson KF, Ono K, Valero JL

Abstract
Simulation testing is an important approach to evaluating fishery stock assessment methods. In the last decade, the fisheries stock assessment modeling framework Stock Synthesis (SS3) has become widely used around the world. However, there lacks a generalized and scriptable framework for SS3 simulation testing. Here, we introduce ss3sim, an R package that facilitates reproducible, flexible, and rapid end-to-end simulation testing with SS3. ss3sim requires an existing SS3 model configuration along with plain-text control files describing alternative population dynamics, fishery properties, sampling scenarios, and assessment approaches. ss3sim then generates an underlying ‘truth’ from a specified operating model, samples from that truth, modifies and runs an estimation model, and synthesizes the results. The simulations can be run in parallel, reducing runtime, and the source code is free to be modified under an open-source MIT license. ss3sim is designed to explore structural differences between the underlying truth and assumptions of an estimation model, or between multiple estimation model configurations. For example, ss3sim can be used to answer questions about model misspecification, retrospective patterns, and the relative importance of different types of fisheries data. We demonstrate the software with an example, discuss how ss3sim complements other simulation software, and outline specific research questions that ss3sim could address.

PMID: 24699270 [PubMed – in process]

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Abalone withering syndrome: distribution, impacts, current diagnostic methods and new findings.

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Abalone withering syndrome: distribution, impacts, current diagnostic methods and new findings.

Dis Aquat Organ. 2014 Apr 3;108(3):261-270

Authors: Crosson LM, Wight N, Vanblaricom GR, Kiryu I, Moore JD, Friedman CS

Abstract
Withering syndrome (WS) is a fatal disease of abalone caused by a Rickettsiales-like organism (WS-RLO). The causative agent, ‘Candidatus Xenohaliotis californiensis’, occurs along the eastern Pacific margin of North America in California, USA, and Baja California, Mexico. However, as infected abalones have been transported to Chile, China, Taiwan, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Spain, Thailand and Japan, the geographical range of the etiological agent is suspected to be broad, especially where California red abalones Haliotis rufescens are cultured or in areas where native species have been exposed to this species. Susceptibility varies among species, with up to 99% losses of black abalone H. cracherodii in laboratory and field studies in the USA to no losses among the small abalone H. diversicolor supertexta in Thailand. Some populations that have suffered catastrophic losses due to WS have developed resistance to the disease. In addition, a newly identified phage hyperparasite of the WS-RLO may reduce pathogenicity and dampen associated losses. Diagnosis of WS requires the identification of infection with the pathogen (WS-RLO detected via in situ hybridization or histology coupled with PCR and sequence analysis) accompanied by morphological changes that characterize this disease (e.g. pedal and digestive gland atrophy, and digestive gland metaplasia). A quantitative PCR assay was developed and may be useful in quantifying pathogen DNA. Confirmation of infection cannot be done by PCR analysis alone but can be used as a proxy for infection in areas where the agent is established and is recommended for inclusion in health examinations. Avoidance of WS is best accomplished by the establishment of a health history and multiple health examinations prior to movement of animals.

PMID: 24695239 [PubMed – as supplied by publisher]

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