The Resource Conservation and Resiliency (RCR) team provided attendees of this year’s Ecological Society of America (ESA) conference the opportunity to learn more about DoD environmental research needs and opportunities. In addition to presenting at the ESA Workshop titled Accessing Research Funding from Federal Agencies, team members stood ready to answer questions and discuss program specifics at the SERDP and ESTCP booth in the Louisville, Kentucky convention center. 

In addition to the RCR Team, SERDP researchers highlighted their work at the ESA Conference.  

• Dr. Elizabeth Crone presented her research in a talk entitled, “Transient responses of bumble bee populations to spatial and temporal variation in food resources.” This research found that for the focal species work, in all cases, restoration had both positive and negative effects on individual vital rates and that it was necessary to integrate these effects across the life cycle to understand the net effects of restoration.

• Dr. Anna Carter discussed her ongoing SERDP project entitled “Using unoccupied aerial systems to model spatially-mediated heterogeneity in 3D microclimate landscapes.” 

Established in 1915 and possessing over 9,000 members, ESA works to promote ecological in the US and around the world. The theme of this year’s meeting was “Bridging Communities and Ecosystems: Inclusion as an Ecological Imperative”. In the spirit of the meeting’s theme, ESA held this year’s meeting in partnership with the United States Society for Ecological Economics (USSEE), so this year, in addition to ESA’s scientific sessions and business meetings, USSEE held sessions focused on economics, human impact, sustainable development and more.

The SERDP and ESTCP program leadership fully understand that participation in scientific conferences such as ESA remain critical to communication and scientific technology transfer. In turn, this communication benefits DoD through improved capabilities at minimum cost with maximum benefit. Using the information shared at the meeting, the RCR teams improves DoD’s readiness by optimizing training and testing land management.