The detailed program is still being developed; partly because we want you to have input into what we discuss, so that it is very much your workshop. And you have not been selected yet! There will clearly be no strict order of who will speak on what or when, since there are no presentations of traditional papers! Also, we start with a "Plan A" and modify it as necessary as we proceed. So here is a broad overview of what we plan. Contact us if you must see previous programs, which were on different topics.
The 2018 program outline
A general overview is that we arrive on Monday, settle in, get to know each other and gently start on the scientific program. Every afternoon, Tuesday to Thursday, we do "free-range" workshopping (=hiking/walking/naturalising/photographing according to your preferences); this is an essential part of the program and is not "time off"! It reinvigorates us after mornings of intense cerebral action and cements personal interactions. After a short period of personal time, we continue our exchange of views and ideas through less formal events (e.g. our "soap-box" sessions) fueled at your discretion by beverages - though of course we encourage participants to use alcohol responsibly! We eat breakfast and dinner together, while we take packed lunches on our walking. As the week progresses, we transition from the airing of ideas, to deeper deliberations and - critically - to make substantial progress on publications. On Friday morning we round things off, assign post-workshop tasks and time-lines, embrace (depending on your preferences) and then depart to Bariloche. The overall aim of AnDinA workshops is to identify gaps, problems, solutions, new approaches and opportunities in research and management. We bring together experienced and early-career researchers in an atmosphere where everyone gets to have their say. Outputs are focused on the writing, submission and proactive sharing of our thoughts and ideas with the scientific community at large. Attendees will be asked to raise and debate questions that are contentious, challenging or provocative. As a result, the workshop will promote the exchange and integration of opinions, knowledge and ideas from the variety of disciplines present.
The 2018 program scope
For ANdiNA IV in Bariloche, the program will be focused primarily (but not exclusively) on the somewhat overlapping themes of species range expansions and local adaptation. Some of the suggestions for specific topics made so far include:
To help you, these are the sorts of general issues that are likely to arise:
The 2018 program outline
A general overview is that we arrive on Monday, settle in, get to know each other and gently start on the scientific program. Every afternoon, Tuesday to Thursday, we do "free-range" workshopping (=hiking/walking/naturalising/photographing according to your preferences); this is an essential part of the program and is not "time off"! It reinvigorates us after mornings of intense cerebral action and cements personal interactions. After a short period of personal time, we continue our exchange of views and ideas through less formal events (e.g. our "soap-box" sessions) fueled at your discretion by beverages - though of course we encourage participants to use alcohol responsibly! We eat breakfast and dinner together, while we take packed lunches on our walking. As the week progresses, we transition from the airing of ideas, to deeper deliberations and - critically - to make substantial progress on publications. On Friday morning we round things off, assign post-workshop tasks and time-lines, embrace (depending on your preferences) and then depart to Bariloche. The overall aim of AnDinA workshops is to identify gaps, problems, solutions, new approaches and opportunities in research and management. We bring together experienced and early-career researchers in an atmosphere where everyone gets to have their say. Outputs are focused on the writing, submission and proactive sharing of our thoughts and ideas with the scientific community at large. Attendees will be asked to raise and debate questions that are contentious, challenging or provocative. As a result, the workshop will promote the exchange and integration of opinions, knowledge and ideas from the variety of disciplines present.
The 2018 program scope
For ANdiNA IV in Bariloche, the program will be focused primarily (but not exclusively) on the somewhat overlapping themes of species range expansions and local adaptation. Some of the suggestions for specific topics made so far include:
- How can we unambiguously disentangle the relative importance of local adaptation, phenotypic plasticity, population bottlenecks, drift and environmental change in causing range shifts?
- What proportion of range predictions are plausible and/or reliable? How does this affect conclusions about niche shifts?
- Is it possible to "test" the Evolution of Increased Competitive Ability (EICA) hypothesis?
- What are the implications for conservation practice--and for society more broadly--of thinking about species range expansions and local adaptation in the Anthropocene?
To help you, these are the sorts of general issues that are likely to arise:
- What do we actually know about each topic (rather than merely believe or predict)?
- Do we over-generalise from too little evidence?
- Does the ad hoc assembly of case-studies unduly dominate our work?
- Do we place undue reliance on meta-analyses of such data?
- How can we test our conclusions/predictions: indeed, can they be tested (should we even be claiming them as “knowledge”)?
- Are the tools of modellers, molecular, experimental and field researchers being used effectively in combination?
- Are the assumptions of each approach justified (for example, in non-equilibrium systems such as those modified by humans or species moved around by humans)?
- Although simplifications make analysis and modelling easier, how much error do they introduce if their assumptions are violated?
- How should we choose our case studies and “model” species?
- Are there enough rigorous questions and testable hypotheses being developed in our research?
- What questions could benefit from putting together our multiplicity of viewpoints, approaches and skills?
- What are the exciting opportunities open for us that are important and relevant?