Of particular interest for this Binghamton Geomorphology Symposium (BGS) are empirical, theoretical, and modeling investigations of geomorphic and ecological links that occur at the whole ecosystem scale. Recent advances in ecological research have emphasized that material and energy flows and cycling across ecosystems are dominated largely at the biochemical and microbial levels, and further, that such processes are influenced heavily by either geomorphic setting or concurrent geomorphic processes. As such, we will place particular emphasis on soliciting papers focusing on links between geomorphology and biogeochemistry, nutrient cycling, and primary productivity within ecosystems, both because of its relevance in terms of pure and applied research (e.g., hypoxia in Gulf of Mexico, Carbon fluxes within landscapes), and because this area has received relatively little attention within the geomorphic community.

We soliciting papers that examine geomorphic and ecological links across a range of trophic levels within ecosystems, thus drawing attention to entire food-web dynamics that are influenced by geomorphic forms and processes. Finally, we will draw upon more traditional geomorphic-ecological research by soliciting papers focusing on geomorphic influences on community ecology (e.g., habitats), and the influence of animals on landscapes. We expect that several papers will be targeted at more applied research within the realms of ecosystem restoration (e.g., river restoration, coastal restoration), and will thus provide an appropriate balance between pure and applied science. We strongly believe that the proposed program is needed not only to provide a whole-system context for geomorphology and ecosystems, but also to expose some of the most critical and novel research currently underway. Further, we want to create an atmosphere of truly interdisciplinary thinking and collaboration between geomorphologists and ecologists.

Our goal is a bit non-traditional from other BGS in that we will explicitly target both geomorphologists and ecologists as speakers in order to draw upon the expertise and cutting edge research in both fields, rather than what geomorphologists perceive to be as cutting edge in ecology and vice versa. That is, we seek to make each group more aware of the fundamental concepts, approaches, and current research within each discipline.

The goals of the proposed symposium are 

1. current geomorphic research which is expressly focused on how geomorphic forms or processes affect whole ecosystems (at the watershed scale), 
2. current ecological research (at the ecosystem scale) which expressly considers geomorphology, 
3. conceptual issues within ecology and geomorphology which promote or restrict collaborative research (e.g., temporal and spatial scales, opposing methods of problem formulation), 
4. applications of geomorphology and ecology in environmental management or restoration, and 
5. increase exposure of research from young scientists, female scientists, students, and scientists from regions of the world not strongly represented in past Binghamton Symposia.

Send mail to rensch@buffalo.edu with questions or comments about this web site.
Copyright © 2003 Binghamton Geomorphology Symposium 2005
Last modified: February 12, 2008