180-Minute Symposium

180-011

Biodiversity in a Rapidly Changing World: Science-Based Strategy for the 21st Century

Session Start/End Time:

Sunday, Feb 15, 2009, 8:30 AM -11:30 AM

HRC Grand A

Since the 1986 National Forum on Biodiversity, biodiversity research, education, and conservation have advanced, but biodiversity itself is significantly diminished and much more precarious today. This symposium looks broadly at scientific discoveries and issues involving the evolutionary and ecological roles, use, abuse, and conservation of biodiversity, including cultivated and wild species and ecosystems. It will look at how biodiversity is being affected by global climatic disruption, globalization, changing patterns of resource use, and other rapid changes. These changes affect fundamental evolutionary processes and pose challenges to traditional applications of conservation science such as protected areas, invasive species control, endangered species recovery, and captive breeding. The impacts on humans through reductions on ecosystem services, loss of crop varieties and other species, as well as increases in some disease organisms are not well understood. This symposium builds on the Ninth National Conference on Science, Policy, and the Environment: Biodiversity in a Rapidly Changing World, National Council for Science and the Environment. Speakers will present a strategy developed by scientists, conservationists, and policy-makers to expand scientific and public understanding of biodiversity and the applications of science to decision-making for conservation and management. All will have an opportunity to provide feedback and discuss next steps.

Organized by:

David E Blockstein, National Council for Science and the Environment, Washington, DC;Nicole Buell, National Council for Science and the Environment, Washington, DC

Presentations:

  Symposium Organizer--David E. Blockstein, National Council for Science and the Environment, Washington, DC

  Symposium Co-Organizer--Nicole Buell, National Council for Science and the Environment, Washington, DC

  A North Ameican Perspective--Hans Herrmann, Commission for Environmental Cooperation, Montréal, QC, Canada

  Scientific Issues and Needs for Biodiversity--Peter Crane, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL

  Applying Science for a New Conservation Strategy--John Wiens, PRBO Conservation Science, Petaluma, CA

  A New Strategy--David Blockstein, National Council for Science and the Environment, Washington, DC

  New Approaches To Communicate and Educate--Jane Elder, Jane Elder Strategies, Madison, WI

  Discussant--Paul M. DeLong, State of Wisconsin, Madison, WI

  An Overview of the Issue--Thomas Lovejoy, The H. John Heinz III Center for Science, Economic, Washington, DC

  Discussant--Lynn Scarlett, U.S. Department of the Interior, Washington, DC