"Fires, watersheds, and risks" Concludes Falconer Spring Lecture Series, April 26

The effect of glacier retreat in the Andes of Ecuador, Peru and Bolivia was the subject of a March 29 talk by Professor Mathias Vuille.

ALBANY, N.Y. (April 13, 2011) --

The Falconer Natural History 2011 Lecture Series concludes April 26 with Deborah Martin, USGS, Denver, Colo., on "Fires, watersheds, and risks: comparing western and eastern landscapes." Though wildfires in the western U.S. are prominently featured in the headlines, fire is also considered one of the major ecological disturbances in eastern ecosystems.

Martin will compare the legacy of fire in western and eastern ecosystems and explore the role of fire in future climate scenarios. The talk, free and open to all, will be held at 8 p.m. at UAlbany's John J. Sullivan Auditorium, CESTM building, 251 Fuller Road, Albany.

The Falconer Lectures have featured leading scientists on topics ranging from bird migration to melting glaciers.The schedule began on March 15 with Professor Lynn M. Russell of the Scripps Oceanographic Institute's talk on "Can Aerosol Particles Offset Global Warming?", then on March 22 hosted Professor Victor Magaña Rueda of the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México and his talk on "Urbanization and climate change: the case of central Mexico" on March 22.

It was followed on March 29 by Professor Mathias Vuille of ASRC, addressing "Climate Change in the South American Andes: will the glaciers survive?" and on April 5 by ASRC's Doug Wolfe on "Whiteface Mountain - A Natural Laboratory." On April 12, Dr. Judy Shamoun-Baranes, from the Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics of the Universiteit van Amsterdam in The Netherlands, discussed "The intimate relationship between birds and their atmospheric environment.

Tax-deductible donations to sustain the Natural History Lectures may be made out to the University at Albany Foundation: and mailed to the University at Albany Foundation, UAB 226, 1400 Washington Ave., Albany, N.Y. 12222. Address donations “Attention: Ray Falconer Fund.”