Biogeography, Changing Climates and Niche Evolution

Organized by David Wake, Elizabeth Hadly and David Ackerly
December 12-13, 2008
Arnold and Mabel Beckman Center; Irvine, CA

This colloquium will examine what lies ahead in evolutionary studies of the nature of niches of organisms in space and time one century after Joseph Grinnell laid out a vision for studying the distributions of organisms in a changing world.  The two day meeting will address the questions of how we can use new tools and methodologies, newly generated robust phylogenies, rapidly growing databases in biodiversity informatics, evidence of the impact of changing environments, and evolving perspectives on niches to predict future patterns of distribution and even evolution from the perspectives of ecology, paleontology, phylogenetics, and biodiversity informatics dealing with microbes, plants and animals and organized under four major topics:

1.  Organisms, Geography, Climate and Evolution: Homage to Joseph Grinnell
2.  The Distribution of Organisms and their Niches
3.  Niche Evolution and Changing Environments
4.  Climate Change and its Prospects

Link to program agenda and speaker list

Registration - CLICK HERE TO REGISTER

Registration is limited to 230 participants and is confirmed upon reciept of payment.  MasterCard and Visa payments can be processed through a secure website.  To make arrangements for payment via Academic Department check, please contact the program administrator at sackler@nas.edu.

To encourage participation by younger researchers and scientists, NAS offers a discount registration for graduate and postdoctoral students.

 Graduate and Postdoctoral rate - $100
 Early registration rate (until November 12)  - $250
 Regular registration rate - $350

Student Travel Awards

Graduate and postdoctoral students are encourage to apply for travel award to offset the cost of their partipation.  Applicants must register online and indicate their intention to submit a poster abstract and CV due November 1, 2008.  A maximum of 25 awards will be given - $100 hotel award (for applicants >50 miles) and $150 airfare award (for applicants >200 miles)  plus refund of registration fee. 

Poster abstracts will be printed in the colloquium program and be included in the colloquium CD-Rom.  Posters will be presented in an informal poster session / reception prior to the Friday, December 12th dinner and displayed through lunch on Saturday, Dec 13th.

Hotel

A room block has been reserved for this event at the Marriott Newport Beach Hotel and Spa.  The discount rate of $118 per night + tax (please note that this will likely increase when federal per diem rate changes in October) is only available until November 10.  After November 10th, we cannot guarantee that the discount rate or a room will be available.  The discount rate is only available through a link provided in the registration confirmation.

Transportation to and from the Beckman Center is provided daily only from the Marriott Hotel.  Travel award can be applied to any area hotel that you choose with receipt.