Eviner Joins Scientific Staff Newsletter Volume 19 , Number 2 March- April 2002 Director's Note Newsletter editor Jill Cadwallader died on 19 April 2002 after a determined struggle against cancer. I met Jill more than two decades ago at the Bermuda Biological Station. Impressed with her abilities, I enticed her off the island to help us bring lES science to a diverse audience of all ages. She did this exceedingly well, enjoying particxilariy being present when young children realized the excitement of the natural world and scientific discovery. Her death deprives us of a fine colleague and friend. In February we welcomed Dr. Valerie T. Eviner to the Scientific Staff. Dr. Eviner was our top choice among an unusually large number of superb ecologists compet- ing for this position and she is already hard at work establishing her research program. The lead article provides an introduction for this new staff scientist and her research interests. The lES Newsletter is published by the Institute of Ecosystem Studies, located at the Mary Flagler Cary Arboretum in Millbrook, New York. Director: Gene E. Likens Administrator: Joseph S. Warner Head of Education and Interim Newsletter Editor: Alan R, Berkowitz Writer: Sherri Hitz Address newsletter correspondence to: Public Information Office Institute of Ecosystem Studies Education Program, Box R Millbrook NY 12545-0178 e-mail: Beikowitza@ecostudies.org Printing: Central Press, Millbrook, N.Y. Most young scientists find themselves playing a life-sized game of musical chairs as they begin their careers; college- move/- graduate school- move/- post-doctoral position- move/- and then a job as an independent scientist in a research or teaching institution. Usually, each of these maneuvers happens in an orderly fashion, with plenty of time for the budding scientist to consider their options before making the next leap. But, Dr. Valerie Eviner did not have the luxury of “plenty of time” to work with. As she was just finishing her PhD research at the University of California at Berkeley, and getting ready to start writing her dissertation, she found out that her dream job- something she thought would arrive years down the road, if ever- was open. Now. It was an assistant scientist position at the Institute of Ecosystem Studies. The success of the Institute’s first capital campaign, planned in the mid-1990s, had provided for an endowed chair, which made funds available for a new scientific staff position, the first in almost a decade. Institute Director Dr. Gene E. Likens appointed a search committee, headed by Dr. Peter Groffiman, to plan and execute the search for a new assistant scientist. Staff scientists wrote to col- leagues at universities with strong ecology programs, asking them to identify potential candidates and encourage them to apply. This aggressive outreach supplemented the posting on the lES web site, and an advertisement in Science magazine, a journal with a broad international readership. The efforts brought results, attracting 175 applications from an international pool of talented, bright ecologists, many already embarked on research programs at top universities. Others, like Valerie Eviner, were just nearing completion of their PhD training. “It was simultaneously a delight to see so many strong candidates and an agonizing process to winnow the list to a short list and ulti- mately a handful to invite for interviews” said Groffman of the search committee challenge. “This search involved the entire core scientific staff in the final stages,” added Likens. “We are very pleased that Valerie accepted our offer and look forward to seeing her research evolve with that of others here.” Evinefs interest in ecology was sparked as an undergraduate at Rutgers University, where she majored in biology, with an emphasis on biomedical research. In 1992, she earned a place in the EES summer Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) program. The program opened her eyes to the field of ecology and the intellectual satisfaction of a more collaborative scientific environment than she had experienced in biomedicine. Her undergraduate achieve- ments led to acceptance into the Department of Integrated Biology at Berkeley, where her studies were supported by national and institutional fellowships. At Berkeley, Eviner had a big project in mind: the effects of plants on ecosystems, from nutrient cycling to soil stability to microbe and animal populations. She investigated each effect with monocultures (plantings of a single continued on page 2 Valerie Eviner, the newest member of the iES Scientific Staff by Victoria Kelly Anatomy of a Drought when dcxjs a “diy speO” become a droughC* According to recorck at the Institute of Ecosystem Studies, we are in die midst of the driest 12-month period since we started measuring precipitadon 14 years ago. Rain and snowfall from April 2001 dirough March 2002 fell 17 inches short of die 12-month average during diis time. Perhaps a better comparison, diough, Ls widi die longer-term average precipitation at die Dutchess County Airport in Pouglikeepsie, which dates back to 1949- Only one 12-mondi period was drier than the current one: April 1964 to March 1965. And dial dry spell was right in the middle of a prolonged dry period running from 1962 to 1966 (diat drought actually extended through die summer of 1966) - among die driest years in die 51 -year record. Tlius, our current dry spell is bad, but still hasn’t developed into a full-fledged drought like this earlier one. According to die National Weather Service’s Climate Prediction Center, we need 3-39 inches above the normal monthly precipita- tion of 3.5 inches in order to end the current drought. However, as temperatures rise, evaporation of water increases and drought conditions worsen. So, while many of us enjoyed the unseasonably hot spell in mid- April, it only made matters worse. In our deciduous forest region, the leafing out of trees in the springtime marks a sharp increase in the evaporation of water from the trees themselves, a process called transpiradon. By summer, transpiiadon outpaces direct evaporation to become die primary pathway of water loss from the soil. Tliis could gready exacerbate the drought if adequate rainfall doesn’t arrive soon. What will happen if we don’t get more rain? Droughts produce a cascade of effects diat impaa entire ecosystems, including humans. While mild and short-lived drought conditions are of less concern, more severe and longer lasting droughts pose many serious conse- quences. Crop yields can decline, groundwater reserves and reservoirs can shrink, and in severe cases, wildfires become more likely and smaller streams, lakes and ponds can even dry up completely, forcing resident wildlife to adapt, migrate or die. What will happen to the reservoirs that provide water for distant communities such as New York City? Because of the severity of these effects, and the long times required to mitigate against them, a series of drouglit declaration levels has been developed by government officials. Drought declarations are based primarily on day-to-day temperature and precipitation measurements, but also include factors such as stream flows, reservoir and lake levels. PRECIPITATION Month Dutchess County Airport 1971-2000 average (mm) IBS 2001-2002 monthly (mm) Deviation Apr 94.98 32.26 -62.72 May 122.85 57.40 -65.44 Jun 94.39 125.22 30.83 Jul 121.55 60.71 -60.85 Aug 98.57 52.07 -46.50 Sep 92.18 136.14 43.97 Oct 88.10 9.65 -78.45 Nov 91.22 22.86 -68.36 Dec 81.03 48.26 -32.77 Jan 83.00 38.35 -44.65 Feb 65.39 29.72 -35.67 Mar 89.07 65.53 -23.53 Annual Total - mm 1122.33 678.18 -444.15 Annual Total - in 44.19 26.7 (60%) -17.5 (40%) groundwater water levels and well yields, soil moisture, and meteorological forecasts for the upcoming few months. In a drought watch, the first level of response, residents and businesses are asked to make voluntary efforts to conserve water. A drought warning, the second level, involves no mandatory restric- tions for private individuals but water suppliers are asked to intensify their water conservation efforts and make plans to use emergency supplies if needed. Once a drought has reached the level of a drought emergency there are mandatory restric- tions on all water use. If conditions remain warm and we don’t get more than average rainfall over the coming weeks, we can expect the drought currently being experienced in the Hudson Valley to continue and probably worsen during the upcoming summer. • Evmcr, continued from page 1 species) and polycultures (species combina- tions) to see how each species behaved with and witliout competition from other plants. A “Sustainable Agroecology” summer course at the University of California at Santa Cruz pushed her research in a new direction: the interface of agriculture and ecology. Eviner spent the rest of her time at Berkeley using her own ecological research and that of colleagues to build what she calls an “ecological toolbox”. The toolbox contains 26 plant species that farmers can use as tools to provide essential ecosystem services, decreasing their reliance on chemicals. Importantly, the toolbox also tells farmers about potential problems each plant can cause (like attracting a certain pest insect), and details management practices and environmental conditions that each plant thrives under. Eviner was awarded the PhD in December 2001, and arrived at lES in February. Switch- ing coasts, from west to east, means starting work with a new set of plant species and a very different growing season, but Eviner is looking forward to tire challenge of developing an ecological toolbox for this region. As she continues to bridge the gap between ecology and agriculture, her research will offer a new set of more sustainable, lower-chemical management options to farmers. • In Memoriam: Jill Cadwallader by Alan R. Berkowitz Jill has left a lasting legacy at lES that extends far beyond her print, graphical and elecfronic products. This legacy is etched in the caring and upbeat interactioas she had with each of us, and tlie myriad ways in which she touched our lives . . . hosting montlily lunches in Spanish, leading origami ecosystem activities for children, lending an empathetic ear for a co-worker’s tribulations, patiently editing an intern’s multiple drafts of his first newsletter article, tending orphaned office plants, organizing countless celebrations of birthdays and farewells. Those of us who were lucky enough to know and work witli Jill every day enjoyed her spirited personality and wry wit, evidenced in her “wall of blo