Fire is a natural part of Texas plant and animal communities. Too little fire has altered our savannas and woodlands and put them at risk for catastrophic wildfires. This talk will explore how prescribed fire can be used to restore endangered species, manage invasive species, and reduce extreme wildfire risk.

All lectures in this series are free, open to the public, and held at 7:30pm outdoors at Brackenridge Field Laboratory, 2907 Lake Austin Blvd, Austin, Texas 78703 (map). In the case of inclement weather, lectures will be held indoors. Arrive early for complimentary refreshments and fun activities for kids of all ages!

]]> http://scienceunderthestars.org/2013/04/12/christinaandruk/feed/ 0 Austin Naturalist http://scienceunderthestars.org/2012/10/11/up-next-patrick-stinson-oct-11/ http://scienceunderthestars.org/2012/10/11/up-next-patrick-stinson-oct-11/#comments Thu, 11 Oct 2012 22:00:27 +0000 h. gillespie http://scienceunderthestars.org/?p=494 ]]> How Animals Adapt to Living Around Humans

Patrick Stinson explains the myriad ways in which animals and humans interact in urban ecosystems!

Patrick Stinson is a graduate student in the Ecology, Evolution and Behavior graduate program at the University of Texas at Austin.

West Nile and Vector-borne Disease in Texas

★ Texas’s iconic longhorn cattle are descended from herds arriving with Columbus in the 1490′s. Left to roam the unfenced southwest, they adapted to their new environment through natural selection.

★ Using genomic data, we will trace the longhorn’s remarkable history – both around the globe, and back to the time of cattle domestication 8,000 years ago!

Lichens are a diverse group of organisms in Texas, occupying many different types of habitats throughout the state. There are over 500 species reported for the state, and the number is undoubtedly greater considering the relatively low amount of collecting that has been conducted. With a diverse flora and fauna well-reported for Texas, lichens also need to be included in the discussion of the state’s high biodiversity levels, and also towards developing conservation strategies for threatened ecosystems.

This lecture is focused on the southern Texas ecosystem where the speaker Larry Gilbert grew up. Much of the region lacks permanent streams and has a highly unpredictable climate.  These factors shaped the ecology and natural history of organisms (including people) in the area known as the brush country.  Explorer’s accounts from the early 16th century to the early 19th century allow interpretation of certain myths about the vegetation that have shaped management tactics from the 1950s. Conservation of diversity in this region will rely on a certain amount of myth busting along with private initiatives to recognize and retain remaining tracts of native landscape matching earliest accounts.  Economic incentives to conserve natural landscapes in the region include hunting and holistic range management for cattle production. Fragmentation of large private ranches is encouraged by inheritance taxes. Tax “write-offs” for “range improvement” encourage removal of natural vegetation. Legal mechanisms to reverse such trends would indirectly promote conservation of remaining tracts of quality habitat.

From reductions in productivity to severe illness and death, Influenza has a profound impact on our state, country and world.  In addition, recent concerns surrounding Avian Influenza and Swine Origin H1N1 have only served to heighten our sense of insecurity about the emergence of a highly virulent, pandemic flu strain.  Can we predict the spread of flu in Texas?  How are modern vaccines produced and are they safe? Can the effect of a pandemic flu be mitigated?  In this talk I will discuss these questions and present research on the dynamics of flu in Texas, our response to emerging pandemic strains, and the development/safety of vaccines.

Hayley is a graduate student studying the ecology and behavior of the endangered Barton Springs Salamander (Eurycea sosorum) that lives right here in Austin, Texas. Texas is home to many species of salamanders including the giant black & yellow tiger salamanders, two-legged Sirens, waterdogs, spotted newts, slimy salamanders and a diverse group of permanently aquatic salamanders in the genus Eurycea, all very closely related to our Barton Springs Salamander. Come and learn about their incredible biology, how they survive in all kinds of habitats, and what’s being done to conserve and protect these fascinating amphibians!

We will talk about the Hill County and the remarkable animals and plants that make up its biotic community. How well are we preserving this biodiversity? What is its future? What will climate change do to it?