Memo from Pat Mulholland and Jake Weltzin regarding restructuring of SAPOZEO into NEON Domains 7 and 8,

and upcoming COREO workshop

(Sent by e-mail 29 August 2005)

SAPOZEO members,

Milt and Amy Ward (Univ of Alabama) have indicated that they would be willing to organize a group from NEON domain 8 (Ozarks Complex, consisting primarily of northern AL, MS, LA, western TN, AR, southern MO, and far western KY). We suggest that if you want to be a part of that group, please contact Milt or Amy (mward@biology.as.ua.edu or award@biology.as.ua.edu). If you would like to remain involved in NEON domain 7 (Appalachians/Cumberland Plateaus, consisting primarily of western NC, southwestern VA, western WV, eastern TN, most of KY, southern OH and IN) please send Pat an email indicating such. However, until we hear more from NSF and NEON Inc about criteria for establishing nodes within domains (hopefully about Oct 1), it is our sense that we not have any more formal activities for the domain 7 group. If you know of someone not part of SAPOZEO that may want to be part of domains 7 or 8, please have them contact Pat or Jake (domain 7) or Milt or Amy (domain 8).

On Nov 21-23, the consortium of regional ecological observatories (COREO) that formed based on the original NEON regions will have a 1.5 day workshop at the Kellogg Biological Station, MI. Additional details concerning establishing nodes within domains should be discussed as well as other things related to implementation of NEON. Travel support will be provided for up to two individuals from each domain. We suggest that 2 individuals from domain 8 should contact Phil Robertson ( Robertson@kbs.msu.edu) about attending. Jake and I have served as SAPOZEO representatives at past COREO meetings and we would be happy to serve as domain 7 representatives at this meeting as well. However, if someone from another portion of domain 7 (e.g., KY) would like to attend, let us know and one of us will step aside.

Thanks,

Pat and Jake