Students to present ecology research findings

What impact do white-tailed deer have on small plants of the forest floor? How does acidic water draining from mine sites affect microbial life in rock and soil? Have climate changes over the past three centuries influenced the location of croplands around the world?

Students from eight UW–Madison departments will tackle these and many other questions at the second annual Graduate Student Ecology Symposium 1-3:30 p.m. Friday, March 19, in Tripp Commons at Memorial Union.

Twelve graduate students from eight departments will discuss their research on topics ranging from community forest management in India to the effects of human activities on pygmy marmosets in Ecuador.

The free event, designed to showcase of the quality and breadth of ecology research by students on campus, is sponsored by the Madison Ecology Group (MEG) at the university. All presenters were nominated by faculty members and/or other students.

A reception will follow the presentations. For details about the presenters, their topics, and abstracts of their talks, see MEG’s web page at http://www.ies.wisc.edu/meg/.

For other information, contact Betsy Otto at the Institute for Environmental Studies, 40 Science Hall, 265-6712, eaotto@students.wisc.edu.