Dear all

A final reminder for those of you who have not as yet submitted your 
abstracts for our meeting on Aquatic Habitats as Ecological Islands. 
The closing date for abstracts is 17th April 2000 and judging from 
the number of abstracts for oral presentations already received it 
is unlikely we will be able to accept any beyond this deadline.

Please get your abstracts into Simon Rundle as soon as possible. 
Below are full details of the conference, abstract submission 
method, guest speakers, etc.

Yours

Martin

_________________________________

Aquatic habitats as ecological islands
Tuesday 5 - Thursday 7 September 2000

There will be a joint meeting between the Aquatic Ecology Group of the
BES, the Marine Biological Association and the Freshwater Biological
Association on the above theme. The meeting will be held at the
Robbins conference centre at the University of Plymouth.

This meeting will address several topical issues in aquatic ecology
under the general subject of island biology and its applicability to
aquatic systems.  Paper and poster sessions on the first two days will
focus on: 

· Evolution and biogeography in freshwater and marine systems
· The role of dispersal in shaping aquatic assemblages
· Habitat fragmentation and metapopulation dynamics
· Genetic differentiation in aquatic taxa

Papers addressing aspects of the topic outside these themes will also
be welcomed.

We hope that this meeting will attract scientists working on a diverse
range of habitats within the aquatic realm and encourage the search
for commonality in patterns and processes among systems. We have
already assembled an array of guest speakers with diverse research
interests and we hope that these will be complimented by additional
oral presentations and posters.

Guest speakers:

HARILAOS LESSIOS (Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Panama)
Genetic isolation and genetic diversity of marine populations on
oceanic islands.

ALEX ROGERS (University of Southampton) Getting in to hot water:
ecological islands in the deep sea.

AXEL MEYER (University of Konstanz) 
Patterns and Processes in the Evolution of Adaptive Radiations in East
African Cichlid Fish.

CHRIS TODD (University of St Andrews)  
Larval Dispersal and Population Differentiation in the Marine
Environment: Generalisations and Variations on a Theme.

BETH OKAMURA (University of Reading)  
Waterfowl-mediated Dispersal in Freshwater Invertebrates.

GARY CARVAHLO (University of Hull)
The evolution of population differentiation: isolation, gene flow and
adaptive significance.

GEORGE TURNER (University of Southampton)
Why are there so many Cichlid fish species in African lakes?

DAVID BILTON (University of Plymouth)
Population differentiation in freshwater invertebrates: what have
genetic studies revealed so far?


Oral presentations will be of 15 minutes duration with five minutes
allowed for questions. Posters will be displayed throughout the
meeting, with a dedicated poster session also scheduled. 

Abstracts for papers and posters should be submitted by e-mail to
Simon Rundle on [log in to unmask] If possible, please send your
abstract as an e-mail attachment in WORD-7 format. Closing date for
abstracts is 17th April 2000. The deadline for registration will be
15th July 2000.

Abstract should not exceed 250 words in length should conform to the
example given below.

Corresponding Author: Dr Tom Jones, Department of Ecology, University
of Anywhere, Anywhere, XX1 1XX, United Kingdom Tel: 0111 111 1111,
Fax:0111 111 1112 email: [log in to unmask] Preferred Form of
Presentation: Oral Paper

Authors: JONES, T., SMITH, P.S. (University of Anywhere)
The influence of habitat patch size on the communities within seagrass
meadows. Abstract…(250 words maximum)

Full details of registration will appear in the May BES bulletin and
on the web site (see below). If you are unable to access either of
these please contact Simon Rundle (see details below) after May 1st
for a registration form. The conference fee of £50 includes an
abstract booklet, all lunches, an evening boat cruise (with food) and
a reception at the MBA. Accommodation in the University conference
will be available at a cost of approximately £25 per night bed and
breakfast.

For more details on the call for papers, registration and
accommodation, visit the conference web pages which can be accessed
via the Benthic Ecology Research Group page (web address at the 
bottom of this email) or contact Dr Simon Rundle, Department of 
Biological Sciences, University of Plymouth, Drake Circus, Plymouth, 
PL4 8AA. Tel: 01752 232967. FAX 01752 232970. E-mail: 
[log in to unmask]
____________________________________________

Dr. Martin Attrill
Benthic Ecology Research Group
Plymouth Environmental Research Centre
Department of Biological Sciences
University of Plymouth
Drake Circus
Plymouth. PL4 8AA.
Tel: 01752 232916
Fax: 01752 232970
http://www.science.plymouth.ac.uk/departments/biology/Research/BERG.HTM


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