Dr. E. Geiser, a Biogeographer from Salzburg (Austria) will be visiting the University of the West Indies, Mona, as a guest of the Electron Microscopy Unit and the Department of Life Sciences. The first of her two presentations is part of the seminar series of the Natural History Society of Jamaica. The title is “Why is Damage to Forests a greater threat to Species Diversity in Tropical Regions compared to Central Europe”. This takes place on February 4 at 5:30 p.m. in the Petroleum Corporation Auditorium, 36 Trafalgar Road, New Kingston. The second seminar will take place on February 5 at 1:00 p.m. in the Botany Seminar Room, Department of Life Sciences, Mona Campus and the title is “Use of Biogeographical Databases for Biodiversity Research and Conservation Biology in Europe”.
Biogeographical information is primarily needed in research on systematics and evolution, but Government agencies responsible for nature conservation have become interested in detailed biogeographical databases as well. Thus, digital records containing site and date of collection were established for numerous species. The lecture will outline innovative retrieval strategies of data from biogeographical databases. In addition, an overview of such databases and their activities in Europe will be presented.