PARENT SESSION
Symposium 13: Interdisciplinary Challenges in the Biogeosciences
Organized by: L Hedin and R Jackson
Wednesday, August 6. 1:30 PM to 5:00 PM, SITCC Oglethorpe Auditorium.

Bioigeosciences and the elements of interactions.

Jackson, Robert^*,1, ¹ Duke University, Durham, NC, USA

ABSTRACT- Since Haeckel coined the term ecology more than a century ago, the physical environment has played a central role in ecological theory and ideas. The sophistication with which we can monitor the environment today, and the sheer volume of environmental information available, highlights the need for stronger links between ecologists and physical scientists. The new Biogeosciences section within ESA is a welcome step in this direction. In this presentation I outline three kinds of interactions that are important for the success of the new section. The first acknowledges the importance of material interactions in the field, including links between the global carbon and nitrogen cycles and between water and nutrient cycling. The second centers on interactions with other scientists and societies, such as the American Geophysical Union. The last highlights the importance of education and public outreach in our interactions with the public. Through all three interactions, we can more successfully understand the basic ecology of the earth system and provide the answers to pressing societal problems of the environment.

Key words: biogeochemistry, environment, biogeosciences, ecology