[Coral-List] Call for Abstracts - 3rd International Symposium on Deep-Sea Corals (ISDSC)

[SOWDER,MICHELLE K]

Greetings!

We are pleased to announce the 3rd International Symposium on Deep-Sea 
Corals (ISDSC) will be held November 28-December 2, 2005 in sunny Miami,
Florida at the University of Miami Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric 
Science (RSMAS) on Virginia Key, an island off the coast of Miami, Florida, USA.  
Oral presentations will take place in the 250-seat RSMAS Auditorium.

The purpose of the 3rd ISDSC is to facilitate global exchange of the current scientific
 knowledge of deep-sea corals and associated fauna and to discuss possible statutory 
means available to conserve and protect deep-sea habitat. So mark your calendar 
and make plans to attend this symposium.

VERY SPECIAL REQUEST: If you could please take a moment to forward this
message to your staff, external colleagues and constituents who may be interested in 
attending, we would appreciate your help with getting the word out.


WHO SHOULD ATTEND
This symposium is designed to bring together scientists, resource managers, students, 
and policy-makers from around the world who are actively involved in the monitoring
and research management of deep-sea corals and other deep-sea habitats as well as 
the animals associated with them. As responsible management decisions are based 
upon the best available science, resource managers and policy-makers will also find 
this symposium invaluable to identifying information gaps and planning management 
activities.


TOPICS TO BE PRESENTED 
Theme 1 Taxonomy and Molecular Systematics
   Conveners: Stephen Cairns (USA) and Timothy Shank (USA) 

Theme 2 Habitat Mapping, Sampling and Characterization
   Conveners: Anthony Grahan (Ireland) and Kathy Scanlon (USA) 

Theme 3 Geology: Paleontology and Climate Change
   Conveners: André Freiwald (Germany) and Michael Risk (Canada) 

Theme 4 Feeding, Growth and Reproduction
   Conveners: Paul Tyler (UK) and Sandra Brooke (USA) 

Theme 5 Biodiversity: Microbial and Invertebrate Association
   Conveners: Robert George (USA) and Pål Mortensen (Norway) 

Theme 6 Deep-Sea Coral Reef and Seamount Fish Ecology
   Conveners: Anthony Koslow (Australia) and Kenneth Sulak (USA) 

Theme 7 Ecosystem Based Fisheries Management: Deep-Sea Corals/Seamounts
   Conveners: Andrew Rosenberg (USA) and Susan Gass (Scotland) 

Theme 8 Conservation and Protection of Deep-Sea Corals
   Conveners: Murray Roberts (UK) and Simmon Cripps (WWF) 


CALL FOR ABSTRACTS
All individuals involved in deep-sea coral research are strongly encouraged to 
submit an abstract under the appropriate symposium theme for consideration as 
an oral or poster presentation. Abstracts must be submitted electronically by 
June 1, 2005 following the detailed submission instructions provided in the symposium
web page http://conference.ifas.ufl.edu/coral/. Thematic topic co-conveners will decide 
which abstracts will be presented orally and those by poster. ALL abstracts, both oral 
and poster, will be published in the symposium book of abstracts. 


PUBLICITY & CONFERENCE DETAILS
For more information, visit the symposium web site for a preview of what's to come 
http://conference.ifas.ufl.edu/coral/ Furthermore, if you could please take a moment 
to forward this message to colleagues who may be interested in attending, we would 
appreciate your help with getting the word out. You may also choose to print out this 
email as a one-page notice to post on your inter-office bulletin board. Thank you for 
your assistance, and we look forward to seeing you in Miami!

Best wishes on behalf of the symposium organizers.

Sincerely,

Ms. Shelby Sowder, Symposium Logistics Coordinator
Office of Conferences and Institutes (OCI)
University of Florida Leadership and Education Foundation, Inc. (UFLEF)
Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (IFAS)
PO Box 110750
Building 639, Mowry Road
Gainesville, FL 32611-0750
PHONE: 352-392-5930 / FAX 352-392-9734
EMAIL:  msowder at ifas.ufl.edu
Website: http://conference.ifas.ufl.edu/coral