Dear Ecological Section Members,

We would like to encourage everyone in the Ecological Section to attend and present at the BSA/CBA conference in Vancouver, BC this July 26 through 30, 2008 - http://www.botanyconference.org/. The deadline of April 1 for abstracts and oral presentations and/or posters is fast approaching http://2008.botanyconference.org/engine/login.php?next=abstract. Vancouver and the surrounding region is a botanically and ecologically fascinating location to provide a backdrop to our meeting (see the meeting website for field trips).

Our section is sponsoring or co-sponsoring three stimulating symposia at the meeting in Vancouver: “Polyploidy: Genetics, Evolution, Systematics and Ecology” – organized by Keith Adams and Jeannette Whitton; “Lichens and Bryophytes of North America: Diversity, Function and Importance” – organized by Art Fredeen and Kate Frego; and “Pollination to Population Structure - How Understanding Reproductive Biology Can Inform Conservation of Rare Plants” – organized by Vivian Negrón-Ortiz and Amy Faivre.

We have two student travel awards ($400 each for one graduate and one undergraduate student) which will assist with attendance at this meeting. Note the deadline is April 1 for this application. For more information and the application http://www.botany.org/awards/EcologicalSTA.asp. We also have student presentation awards ($100 each an oral presentation and a poster presentation). To be considered for the presentation awards, check the box when submitting your abstract.
We encourage all to attend our Social with short business meeting during the conference. Meet and relax with other plant ecologists. Refreshments will be provided. The time and location will be announced in the meeting program. This is a great opportunity to get involved and contribute to future directions in our section.

Calling for symposium ideas for 2009 meetings! It is time to propose ideas for symposia for our next meeting. We will be meeting with the Mycological Society of America, who are now organizing symposia. Consider joint symposium ideas which would integrate plant ecology with mycology.

Start thinking about fund raising ideas. We have increased our dues but limited funds are available for supporting symposia and student awards. Furthermore, research support for students would be a good idea but we need to build-up equity. For example, perhaps named endowments for conservation research. Another idea (borrowed from the Plant Population Ecology Section of ESA), is to have silent auctions of donated items. Your ideas…

We look forward to seeing everyone in Vancouver!

Diane Byers, Jeff Walck and Margaret Devall
Ecological Section Officers, Botanical Society of America
3/26/08

Mission: The Botanical Society of America exists to promote botany, the field of basic science dealing with the study and inquiry into the form, function, development, diversity, reproduction, evolution, and uses of plants and their interactions within the biosphere.

The objectives of The Society are to: sustain and provide improved formal and informal education about plants; encourage basic plant research; provide expertise, direction, and position statements concerning plants and ecosystems; and foster communication within the professional botanical community, and between botanists and the rest of humankind through publications, meetings, and committees.