From New Guinea to UC Davis

Vojtech Novotny, a professor at the Institute of Entomology, Czech Academy of Sciences, Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic, will speak on  “Ecology of Plant-Insect Food Webs in Tropical Rainforests, Particularly in Papua, New Guinea” from 12:10 to 1 p.m.

This is part of the Wednesday spring seminars sponsored by the UC Department of Entomology. Host will be Marcel Rejmanek, professor of Evolution and Ecology at UC Davis.

Folks can listen live by accessing this link. Later the Webcast will be archived on the UC Davis Department of Entomology Web site for easy retrieval.

"My main area of interest is ecology and evolutionary ecology of insect herbivores, especially in rainforest ecosystems," Novotny says. "I am particularly interested in local and regional patterns of tropical insect diversity, organization of plant-insect food webs, and plant-insect interactions. Further, I am also interested in practical problems of biological surveys, biodiversity conservation, environmental education and training of indigenous tropical ecologists."

While here, Novotny will meet with faculty and graduate students.

"If you have not read Professor Novotny's book Notebooks from New Guinea, it is definitely worth reading!" said host Rejmanek in an e-mail.

Oxford University Press published the book last May. It's officially titled Notebooks from New Guinea: Field Notes of a Tropical Biologist.

Reviewers consider Novotny a world-class researcher and a brilliant writer.

Reviewer and ecologist Francis Q. Brearley of the Manchester Metropolitan University, wrote last October in Higher Times Education:

"The big question framing the research of Czech entomologist Vojtech Novotny is that of why there are so many species of insects in tropical rainforests. His investigations, for the past decade, have focused on the tropical forests of Papua New Guinea, a land of incredible diversity and contrasts. Notebooks from New Guinea is presented as a series of short chapters of sociopolitical musings, anecdotes, adventures and misadventures in Papua, New Guinea, and details some of the unique challenges facing researchers who have chosen to work there."

Tune in Wednesday for a close look at New Guinea and an even closer look at a scientist whose research, quick wit and candor bring it all together.