Reprinted from InterRidge News 9.1 (Apr. 2000)
Lauren Mullineaux (lmullineaux@whoi.edu)
Biology Department, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole MA 02543, USA
The last Biology Working Group update in the IR News was November 1999; since then the group has concentrated on two major topics: organizing a workshop on Management of Hydrothermal Vents, and planning of the 2nd International Symposium on Deep-Sea Hydrothermal Vent Biology.
Management of Hydrothermal Vent Ecosystems Workshop
Recognition of the possible impacts of mining, tourism and scientific activities on vent faunas has inspired the international vent science community to enter into a dialogue with policy and industry representatives over the management of vent ecosystems. This workshop will be convened by Kim Juniper (Canada) and Paul Dando (UK) in Vancouver BC on Oct. 28-30.
2nd International Symposium on Deep-Sea Hydrothermal Vent Biology
Due to the great response to the 1st International Symposium on Deep-Sea Hydrothermal Vent Biology in Madeira, a second is being planned for Brest during October 8-13, 2001. The motivation for this symposium has come through Daniel Desbruyères, and the Chair of the Scientific Committee is Verena Tunnicliffe. The organization of the symposium will follow the general model of the Madeira meeting, and information on sessions and registration will be available soon.
My tenure as Chair of the Working Group comes to a close this year, and the InterRidge Steering Committee will be re-evaluating the need for, and mandate of, the group, and selecting a new Chair. The membership of the working group may be reconstituted in the future, perhaps at the Brest symposium.
