Science Matters Lecture Series 2008-2009
Nature Matters
Thursdays at 6:30pm at the San Diego Natural History Museum
Free and Open to the Public ~ Registration begins at 6:00pm
For information about air dates on UCSD-TV, click here.
November 6, 2008
Conservation and the Futures of Life
The world is fast losing species and becoming dominated by fewer plants and animals whose simplified post‐natural communities may not provide humans with the ecological services they depend upon. Dr. Woodruff will illustrate the ways conservation biologists can affect the future of life on a planet experiencing a rapid increase of a single species (humans), global environmental degradation, and climate change. He will talk about the importance of biodiversity, of parks and zoos, and his own pioneering use of genetic methods to help save endangered species including chimpanzees and elephants.
January 22, 2009
Life and Death Among the Flowers: the Perils and Secret Language of Bees
Biting into a vine‐ripe tomato is a familiar summer delight brought to you courtesy of bees who are crucial pollinators in natural and agricultural ecosystems. However, underlying the idyllic image of these nectar gatherers is a sometimes fiercely competitive world of sudden death and gang violence among scented blossoms. Dr. Nieh will talk about this other side of bee life and the ingenious adaptations, including language that bees have evolved in response to the perils of pollination.
February 26, 2009
Life on the Edge: Ingenious Survival Strategies in the Sonoran and Mojave Deserts
The giant columnar cacti of the North American deserts, in addition to their majestic appearance, serve as the homes for dozens of species of insects who depend upon these plants for their survival. In order to occupy this habitat, however, these tiny creatures have had to adapt to the high temperatures and extreme dryness of the desert as well as to the harsh chemicals and nutritionally poor food provided by the cacti. Dr. Markow will reveal the “Survivorman” adaptations that enable animals to thrive in these extreme habitats.
April 30, 2009
Climate change and Southern California Ecosystems
Numerous environmental changes are occurring in Southern California, including rising carbon dioxide levels, warmer average temperatures, increasingly variable rainfall, and more frequent and intense wildfires. Dr. Cleland will discuss her research into how these environmental changes alter growing conditions for plants, with ramifications for the conservation of California native plant communities, and the continued provision of valuable ecosystem services.
May 14, 2009
Ants Marching: a Biological Invasion in Your Own Backyard
The introduction of species into new environments has become economically costly and environmentally destructive. Because social insects (ants, bees, wasps and termites) form densely populated, well‐protected and long‐lived colonies, these insects often become abundant and can profoundly affect the ecosystems they invade. The Argentine ant, one of the world’s most widespread, abundant and damaging invasive species, thrives in California, where it displaces native ants and disrupts ecosystems. Dr. Holway will explore the factors underlying the success of this notorious invader and potential strategies to limit its abundance. Understanding invasive species can form the basis for a better understanding and management of our local ecosystems, which are increasingly under siege from introduced organisms.
Additional Resources:
Jan 21, 2009 - Dr. Nieh in a live interview for "These Days" on KPBS radio
http://www.kpbs.org/radio/these_days;id=13675
November 2008 - Dr. Nieh appeared in an episode called "Cut Flowers" to discuss the importance and biology of honey bees in "Gardening by the Yard" on HGTV:
http://www.hgtv.com/gardening-by-the-yard/cut-flowers/index.html