ATBC 2008
The Annual Meeting of the Association for Tropical Biology and Conservation
- Scientific Program (2,5M)
- Brochure front side (4M)
- Brochure back side (3M)
- Poster ATBC2008 (5M)
News
01/03/2009 - 23rd Annual Meeting of the Society for Conservation Biology in China
The 23rd Annual Meeting of the Society for Conservation Biology will take place in Beijing, China 11-16 July 2009. The thema is "Conservation: Harmony for Nature and Society" Since ancient times, Chinese philosophy believes that the harmony of development rests on its relationship with conservation of the environment. Humankind cannot progress without a healthy and diverse nature. Nature and society, diversity and mankind, those connections are critical for achieving the goals of conservation.
01/01/2009 - In 2009, the future of tropical rainforests, it is tomorrow
2009 will celebrate Darwin's birth and the publication of The Origin of species. Let's read again his concluding remarks : "The whole history of the world, [...], will hereafter be recognised as a mere fragment of time, compared with the ages which have elapsed since the first creature, the progenitor of innumerable extinct and living descendants, was created. In the distant future I see open fields for far more important researches. [...]. Light will be thrown on the origin of man and his history." Thus, during the very last minutes, seconds of his history, Human Beings is now ready to destroy a majority of all 'creatures' and their natural habitats. During the past year, we repeatedly warned visitors about mining threats, deforestation, palm oil plantation, burning and consequences for both tropical forests and climate change. (read Mongabay.com). As an epilogue, Cochrane and Laurance published another paper about 'Synergisms among Fire, Land Use, and Climate Change in the Amazon' in AMBIO: A Journal of the Human Environment. It is one more paper on the topic, but for what ? The audience is not listening, neither reading. Charles Darwin might conclude today that he will see open fields for far more important researches in the future, rather focusing on species extinction and his history. The French Agence Nationale de la Recherche indeed released this week a new call for a research program entitled "The 6th extinction". In 2009, the future of tropical rainforests, it is now tomorrow [Ref. Forget, P.-M. 2004. Tropical rain forests tomorrow: No future ? Tropinet (supplement to Biotropica 36) 15:1-3.]. pdf
Illegal goldmining at Brownsberg Natural Park, Suriname. (c) P.-M. Forget.
12/24/2008 - Four Seasons Greetings
Following the longest day or night, on 21st December, a new seasonal cycle just started. Even between the tropics, there is a slight change with greater rainfall and increase in fruit diversity during the fruit-rich season in the Guianas, for instance. Generally, the day after 'winter' solstice, people around the planet start to think to the new calendar year, another door to be soon open, and nobody knows what is behind. For sure, what we do know is that these four seasons will change, being drier here, wetter there. Causes are well known, and we can see repeated evidences that climate is globally affected by deforestation in the tropics, in the Amazon especially. Because Chico Mendes was murdered on 22 December 1988, we should be celebrating the Rainforest Day during this solstice. In 2008, in the Guianas and the Amazon, despite heavy precipitations above average in the first semester (see figure), rainfall suddenly dropped to very low level this year, with one of the driest season (September-December) even seen in the region; see the rainfall regime last year (2007). Season greetings thus have real value here, and we wish people living in the tropics to have more rain soon in the dry season, other less precipitations in the wet season. Then, the earth climate will most likely be in equilibrium. Four Seasons Greetings from ATBC2008 Association.
12/22/2008 - Chico Mendes was murdered 20 years ago
At Mongabay.com, Rhett Buttler reminds us that "twenty years ago today, Chico Mendes, an Amazon rubber tapper, was shot and killed in front of his family at his home. He was 44." Since then, "more than 348,000 square kilometers (134,000 square miles) of Amazon rainforest have been leveled." One should read those books below not to forget, and to think to other who are also suffering when battling against deforestation of the Amazon. In the Canadian Media. Visit Instituto de Chico Mendes.
12/10/2008 - ATBC2008 Association Book Shop
Scientists like books, and buy many of them. They also write and edit articles, chapters and entire volumes. Following meetings, conferences, symposia and workshops, they often publish proceedings. However, those books often are far too expensive for students. ATBC2008 Association decided to develop a partnership with Amazon, and now have its own Book Shop powered by Amazon. Thus, when you will buy a book with us, you'll contribute to offer books to participants with low income. Amazon coupons will be offered as Price to best oral and poster presentations at FSD2010 meeting. The number of books will depend on the amount of coupons. Visit our Book shop and our Special Selection of Books.
12/03/2008 - Release of the 4th issue of Tropical Conservation Science
Tropical Conservation Science is celebrating its first anniversary. During this 1st year 25 papers plus four editorials were published in four issues totaling 459 pages. The Editors Alejandro Estrada and Rhett Butler wrote in their editorial "that in 84% of the papers published in 2008, the main author was native to the tropics". It is very promising for the future of Conservation in the Tropics.
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