OPS 5

A Fresh Look at Conservation Science: Students Applying Ecology to Address Societal Challenges

The goal of this organized poster session is to provide a venue for students engaged in conservation science and applied ecology to showcase their work. Since its beginnings, the Ecological Society of America has been a leading force in supporting and translating science that can make a difference in the real world. Conservation science is an emerging interdisciplinary field that explicitly recognizes the close and substantial connections between ecosystems and human systems and the imperative for scientists to engage in creating solutions to environmental challenges. While it draws on an array of natural and social sciences, conservation science has particularly strong roots in ecology. In the last two decades, ESA has shown consistent leadership in developing this field, first with the Sustainable Biosphere Initiative and most recently, with the Earth Stewardship Initiative. ESA’s Rapid Response Team is another outstanding example of ESA’s work in translating science into action. However, often for very good reasons, such efforts tend to be led by senior ecologists, rather than students. This session will highlight student perspectives on conservation science and applied ecology and also provide participants with a networking opportunity that transcends particular study systems, geographies, and institutional affiliations. Posters will be presented within one of four themes: terrestrial conservation; marine and freshwater conservation; ecosystem functioning, resilience and restoration; and theory to inform conservation. We encourage all interested members to attend, and to share impressions of the posters and the role of conservation science and scientists within ESA through live tweeting at #ESAConSci.