Ecology of a changing planet - from Borneo to Boston

Dr. Knott will talk about the lessons she's learned in her longterm research on critically endangered Bornean orangutans in West Kalimantan, Indonesia. She will focus on the importance of longterm research in illuminating orangutan life history strategies, ecology, and reproduction. In addition, she will discuss conservation implications of palm oil, effects of climate change in Indonesia, and unique approaches to protecting the Bornean rain forest through her NGO, the Gunung Palung Orangutan Conservation Project.

It's easy to think of climate change as something happening on a global scale. Here, we bring together three experts who study the effects of climate change on New England and Boston specifically. They will discuss their research in Maine, around Boston, and at Walden Pond to illuminate how climate change is visible around us, and ways we might act within our local communities to mitigate these challenges.

Dr. Rich will discuss her research on overlapping primate and human health in South and East Africa in the context of global climate change. She will focus on two case studies. First, she will explain what vervet monkey responses to drought in South Africa tell us about ecological flexibility and species' limitations - and what these monkeys can tell us about epigenetics and obesity. Next, she will discuss her ongoing research in Uganda examining how wild chimpanzees respond to forest loss and environmental toxins.