World-renowned scientist
to speak
By Dave Stephens
Assistant
Campus Editor
 A
world-renowned speaker and scientist of conservation biology will give
a lecture at Purdue today.
Reed Noss, president of the Society for Conservation
Biology and an adjunct professor of biological sciences and forestry
and natural resources at the University of Oregon, will give a seminar
entitled "The Science of Conservation Planning".
"I don’t really know what he is going to talk
about," said Morris Levy, a professor of biology. "He is a man who has
so many different interests that he can talk about a lot of subjects."
Noss, who was invited on behalf of graduate students
in both forestry and natural resources and biological sciences, is probably
most famous for his work on large carnivores, most notably wolves and
grizzly bears.
"Noss helped develop the theories of carnivores
being the top species in any ecosystem and how they maintain ecosystem
stability," said Levy. "He also developed theories about what happens
when those carnivores are wiped out by civilization."
Barny Dunning, an associate professor of wildlife
ecology, said Noss is also famous for making people upset with his provocative
talk.
"Noss came up with the idea that very large predators
range over a large area. He was one of the first to propose that corridors
be built between protected areas so that animals can move more freely,"
said Dunning. "People, especially those living in the proposed corridor
area, assumed that it meant kicking the people out."
Levy said that Noss, who was the top choice for
visiting lecturers of both departments, would be good for people in
different majors to hear speak.
"I expect people from civil engineering, horticulture,
biology, statistics and education would all be interested in what Noss
has to say," said Levy. "The work that he does impacts everything across
the educational board."
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