Society of Systematic Biologists

Systematics is the study of biological diversity and its origins. It focuses on understanding evolutionary relationships among organisms, species, higher taxa, or other biological entities, such as genes, and the evolution of the properties of taxa including intrinsic traits, ecological interactions, and geographic distributions. An important part of systematics is the development of methods for various aspects of phylogenetic inference and biological nomenclature/classification.

The objective of the Society of Systematic Biologists is the advancement of the science of systematic biology in all its aspects of theory, principles, methodology, and practice, for both living and fossil organisms, with emphasis on areas of common interest to all systematic biologists regardless of individual specialization.

Books recently reviewed in Systematic Biology, or written by members of the Society.

A new online presentation sponsored by SSB aims to inform biologists about proposed federal funding for science and how individual scientists can help secure increased funding for competitive, peer-reviewed grant programs. The webinar, presented as part of the 2nd Annual Biological Sciences Congressional District Visits event, features information on the federal budget process, pending Congressional appropriations bills that would fund biological research in fiscal year 2011, and tips to help scientists prepare for meetings with lawmakers.

The webinar was presented by policy staff from the American Institute of Biological Sciences (AIBS) to participants of the 2nd Annual Biological Sciences Congressional District Visits event. SSB is a sponsor of the event, which will take place throughout the month of August 2010. This nationwide event was developed to encourage scientists to meet with their members of Congress in their home state in order to showcase the people, equipment, and facilities that are required to support and conduct scientific research.

As a sponsor of this event, SSB is able to offer our members access to a recording of this webinar program until August 31, 2010. The webinar can be viewed for free at http://www.aibs.org/public-policy/congressional_visits_recording.html.

The Ernst Mayr Award is given to the presenter of the outstanding student talk in the field of systematics at the annual meetings of the Society of Systematic Biologists. The award consists of $US 1000 and a 2-year free subscription to Systematic Biology. This year's competition at the Portland meetings was very stiff and we congratulate all of the participants. We split the award this year between two awardees: David Winter, Otago University, for his talk, Mayr’s hydra grows another head: could Rarotonga’s Lamprocystis radiation have arisen by sympatric speciation?, and Jeremy Brown, University of California, Berkeley, for his talk, Detecting inadequate Bayesian phylogenetic estimates.

California State University, Northridge (CSUN) seeks an evolutionary biologist for a tenure-track Assistant Professor position in the Department of Biology, starting August 2011. Applicants must have a Ph.D. and postdoctoral experience. The successful candidate shall develop a vigorous research program involving undergraduate and M.S. students, seek extramural research funding, and demonstrate teaching excellence. A research focus on patterns or processes of diversification among species or populations is preferred. Teaching options include a course on the diversity of a group of terrestrial organisms, molecular systematics, evolution, and introductory biology. Applicants shall also be screened on how well they complement existing strengths in the department.

The Systematics Association Sir Julian Huxley lecture for 2010 will be "Species for Macroevolution" by Prof. Andy Purvis, Imperial College, London. The lecture will be held at The Linnean Society, Burlington House, Piccadilly, London, Wednesday 7th July 2010, 6 pm. The meeting is open to visitors. Wine will be served after the lecture to members and guests.

Abstract: Species are fundamental units for evolutionary biology. Alone among the levels of classifications into which we place individuals, the species level has the potential to have an objective reality: when we count them, we think we are counting something meaningful. If we compare number of species in different taxa, regions, or times, we are led to try to understand why the numbers are different or similar. Incomplete knowledge may lead us to use higher taxa, such as genera or families, instead, but we do so in the hope and expectation that they will reflect what good species-level data would show. I will argue: 1. That this hope is misplaced – analysing higher taxa conflates processes that should be kept separate; 2. That analysing temporal patterns in numbers of higher taxa might be particularly problematic when using large, multi-author databases; 3. That even species cannot be used uncritically in macroevolutionary analyses – even with good data (a complete phylogeny of present-day species, or a complete record of fossil species) – but that 4. The best fossil records can let us come close to the ideal species for macroevolution, letting us tackle questions that cannot be addressed any other way.

A NSF-funded graduate student position is available to work on a systematic revision of the New World Ampullariidae in the laboratory of Dr. Robert H. Cowie in collaboration with Dr. Ken Hayes, Dr. Ellen E. Strong (Smithsonian Institution), and Dr. Silvana C. Thiengo (Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Brazil). For more details visit http://www.hawaii.edu/cowielab/GA_notice.htm.

Initial informal inquiries are welcomed and should be directed to Dr. Hayes, but all applicants will be required to submit a formal application consisting of: (1) cover letter, (2) curriculum vitae, (3) statement of research experience that explains your background, specific interest in the project, and experience/interests in the topic areas mentioned above, and (4) the names and contact information for at least three academic/scientific references.

Applications must be made online
Closing date: 16 May 2010

Understanding coevolution at the macroscopic level is the key to understanding the “big picture” of how parasites and pathogens coevolve with, and switch between, their hosts. The central aim of this project is to develop and extend the statistical framework of coevolution at the species level and above, to fill this gap in our knowledge.

Proposals for Sabbaticals and for collaborative working groups (Working Groups and Catalysis Meetings) are now being accepted at The National Evolutionary Synthesis Center (NESCent). We are looking to support innovative approaches to outstanding problems in evolutionary biology. In particular, proposals that have a clear interdisciplinary focus, or involve evolutionary concepts in non-traditional disciplines, are strongly encouraged, as are proposals that demonstrate international participation and a mix of senior and emerging researchers, including graduate students.