Computer models are used by ecologists for studying a broad range of research questions, from long-term forest dynamics to the functional traits that theoretically give one species an advantage over others. Despite their increasing popularity, these models have been criticized for simulating complex biological phenomena, involving numerous biotic and abiotic variables, using seemingly overly simplistic computational approaches. In this article, we review the usefulness and limitations of spatially explicit individual-based models for forested ecosystems by focusing on the attributes of a recent model, called SERA (for spatially explicit reiterative algorithm), that employs seven allometric formulas and a few physical principles. Despite its simplicity, SERA successfully predicts forest self-assembly and dynamics. It also predicts phenomena that are not part of its mathematical structure. Because of this, SERA simulations can be used to explore the consequences of experimentally manipulating plant communities in ways that cannot be achieved using real communities.

Reconsidering the relationship between human well-being and environmental quality is central for the management of wetlands and water resources and for public health itself. We propose an integrated strategy involving three approaches. The first is to make assessments of the ecosystem services provided by wetlands more routine. The second is to adopt the “settings” approach, most developed in health promotion, wherein wetlands are one of the settings for human health and provide a context for health policies. Finally, a layered suite of health issues in wetland settings is developed, including core requirements for human health (food and water); health risks from wetland exposures; and broader social determinants of health in wetland settings, including livelihoods and lifestyles. Together, these strategies will allow wetland managers to incorporate health impact assessment processes into their decisionmaking and to examine the health consequences of trade-offs that occur in planning, investment, development, and decisionmaking outside their direct influence.

Basic questions about the life histories of migratory birds have confounded scientists for generations, yet we are nearing an era of historic discovery as new tracking technologies make it possible to determine the timing and routes of an increasing number of bird migrations. Tracking small flying animals as they travel over continental-scale distances is a difficult logistical and engineering challenge. Although no tracking system works well with all species, improvements to traditional technologies, such as satellite tracking, along with innovations related to global positioning systems, cellular networks, solar geolocation, radar, and information technology are improving our understanding of when and where birds go during their annual cycles and informing numerous scientific disciplines, including evolutionary biology, population ecology, and global change. The recent developments described in this article will help us answer many long-standing questions about animal behavior and life histories.

Postdoctoral training in the biological sciences continues to be an important credential for academic careers. Traditionally, this training is focused on an independent research experience. In this article, we describe a postdoctoral training program designed to prepare postdoctoral scholars for the responsibilities of an academic career that balances both research and teaching. The results showed that the research productivity of the postdoctoral scholars involved in the program was not statistically different from that of a comparison group of postdoctoral scholars not in the program. The measures of productivity including scientific seminars presented, students mentored, service contributions, and engagement in professional development activities were significantly greater for the scholars in the program. Moreover, the scholars in the program obtained faculty positions at a threefold greater rate than did a national sample of postdoctoral scholars. This study demonstrates the value of a structured program that combines research and teaching opportunities and serves as a model for aligning training initiatives with specific career trajectories.

Writing and publishing scientific works are crucial parts of any scientist's career. Therefore, it is important, especially for those new to the process, to understand how to navigate the publication process. This study was designed to investigate the publication process in ethnobotany and to stimulate discussion among authors, reviewers, and journal editors. A survey was created and sent to ethnobotanists who had published between the years 2000 and 2009. Of the 166 invitations sent, 44 resulted in valid answers from researchers. Although the majority of the ethnobotanists who participated in this study were researchers in the early stages of their careers, the data showed that the most experienced scientists published more articles and received fewer rejections. It is likely that these more experienced researchers had a greater number of rejections early in their careers but that they had since adjusted to the requirements imposed by the journals. This study serves as a starting point for reflection on the scientific publication process in ethnobotany and about authors' perceptions.

As the Earth's climate changes, many species will have to move across human-dominated landscapes to track suitable climates and changing ecosystems. Given the magnitude of projected future climate change, expanding and connecting reserve networks—two of the most commonly recommended adaptation strategies for protecting biodiversity in a changing climate—will be necessary but insufficient for preventing climate-induced extinctions. In the present article, we explore additional policy options that could be implemented to facilitate species movements in a changing climate. We discuss both existing and new policies that have the potential to increase landscape permeability, protect species on the move, and physically move species to address climate change.

China harbors one of the most species-rich floras in the world. This plant diversity is currently severely threatened by high levels of habitat degradation and unsustainable resource extraction, the country's exceptionally fast economic growth, an uncontrolled increase in tourism, invasive species, and climate change. Furthermore, China's current system of protected areas is ineffective at conserving the country's plant resources, with low levels of enforcement and only a few small reserves located in both the most phytodiverse regions and in areas facing the highest anthropogenic pressure. Seven strategic steps are required in order to secure a future for China's wild plants, including surveys to establish current species distributions and threat levels, the creation of an effective protected-area system focused on quality rather than quantity, resettlement of parts of the scattered rural population, control of the illegal export trade and invasive species, and a streamlining of administrative responsibilities and capacity building in conservation.