The following notes are from the Fall QERM Seminar, where faculty give presentations on their research. This week features Daniel Schindler from the School of Aquatic and Fisheries Sciences (SAFS).
- Ecology happens at massively varied spatial and temporal scales
- Quantitative methods allow us to integrate spatial and temporal scales
- Salmon are not only freshwater resource subsidies, but are also ecosystem engineers
- Time series of water oxygen content contains a lot of info on gas exchange rate between the water and the atmosphere
- Bayesian models can estimate gas exchange rates with orders of magnitude greater accuracy than empirical surveys
- Variation in population dynamics across streams keeps fisheries sustainable (because of fishing portfolios)
- Variability comes from local adaptation in fish and from shifting mosaics of suitable habitat
- Models can (and should!) be used to make science more transparent
I was impressed by the speaker’s example of how models could be used to communicate a scientific result to a general audience. So here’s my question to you:
What should you do (or not do) to make your research more accessible to a general audience?
Will Chen 