National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis 2006 - Report to the National Science Foundation

In response there has been a dramatic increase in scientific and public attention to the protection 5 of biodiversity and fisheries through marine reserves and protected areas, and the introduction and impacts of non-native species. [...] Mark Ritchie Sabbatical Fellow 09/01/2005-08/31/2006 Thermodynamics of trophic interactions: Toward a reconciliation of energy and elements Management of the world’s ecosystems in the face of changes in climate, availability of carbon, nitrogen and other elements, and invasion of new species will require a much better understanding of trophic interactions. [...] The effect of the warming on the ecosystems in the lakes depends on the impact on the physics of the lakes. [...] We have loosely identified three levels of attributes of the publication and dissemination process in ecology: characteristics of the study (number of hypotheses, effect size, support for main hypothesis), attributes of the publication itself (merit, length, number and gender of authors), and attributes of the journal (reputation, impact factor, circulation). [...] Much of this uncertainty arises from uncertainties in the extent of wetland distributions and incomplete understanding of the controls and mechanisms of methanogenesis, methanotrophy, and CH4 transport pathways to the atmosphere.