[Coral-List] Special Session on Algal-Invertebrate Symbiosis at 10th ICRS: Call for abstracts

[Andrew Baker]

CALL FOR ABSTRACTS

Special Session 1-9: Flexibility and specificity in algal-invertebrate
symbiosis: diversity, stability, physiological capacity, acclimation and
evolution

We welcome submission of abstracts for oral or poster presentation in
Special Session 1-9 at the 10th International Coral Reef Symposium in
Okinawa from June 28 to July 2 2004. 

This is the Special (Hub) Session for Conference Theme 1: Evolution of Coral
Reef Ecosystems. Although oral space in the session is limited, submission
is open to all conference participants interested in this area of research. 

Aim and scope of the Session: 
Reef corals, and other reef invertebrate and protist hosts, live in
mutualistic symbioses with dinoflagellate algae and respond to environmental
heterogeneity in a number of different ways. Response mechanisms include
physiological acclimation of both partners, as well as the ability of some
hosts to associate with different symbionts. This mini symposium will cover
diversity, distribution, ecology and biogeography of algal symbionts,
temporal stability of algal symbioses, physiological responses of hosts and
symbionts to environmental change, and recovery of these symbioses from
stress events. A specific aim of the mini-symposium will be to identify and
discuss these mechanisms in the context of environmental disturbance and
climate change. Can these organisms survive the environmental stresses they
are likely to experience over the next 50 years?

Please do not hesitate to contact Andrew Baker (abaker at wcs.org), Bill Fitt
(fitt at sparrow.ecology.uga.edu) or Michio Hidaka(hidaka at sci.u-ryukyu.ac.jp)
if you have any questions about the Special Session. The deadline for
abstract submission is December 25th 2003. More information on the
conference can be found at http://www.plando.co.jp/icrs2004/  

Please note that, contrary to the schedule posted on the conference website,
Special Sessions will not overlap with one another, but will be spaced
separately throughout the conference to avoid scheduling conflicts.

 
Best wishes & hope to see you there
 
Andrew Baker (Wildlife Conservation Society / Columbia University, USA)
Bill Fitt (University of Georgia, Athens, USA)
Michio Hidaka (University of the Ryukyus, Japan)

Special session co-chairs

___________________
Andrew C. Baker, Ph.D.
Wildlife Conservation Society
 
Center for Environmental Research and Conservation
Columbia University, MC5557
1200 Amsterdam Avenue
New York, New York 10027, USA
Voice: +1 (212) 854-8184
Fax: +1 (212) 854-8188