2nd FMCS Symposium

March 11-14, 2001
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Biological Assessments: Evaluation of Endangered Mollusks

The second symposium of the FMCS was held at the Westin Convention Center in downtown Pittsburgh. The talks and posters covered several general topic areas including Biological Assessment, Status Surveys, Reproduction/Propagation, Life History & Ecology, Methods, Assessment & Conservation, and Evolution & Phylogenetics. Attendees also had a chance to visit the Carnegie Museum, the new Pittsburgh Aquarium, and local populations of Pleurobema clava and Epioblasma torulosa rangiana, or spend an afternoon with taxonomists and anatomists learning more about clams and snails. Even social events included a "blues party" and a lively auction (to support graduate student travel). Committee meetings were held throughout the symposium; new chairs and co-chairs were selected for each committee. Outgoing President Paul Johnson welcomed Kevin Cummings as the new society president. The next symposium is scheduled for March 2003 in Raleigh, North Carolina. Two workshops are planned for 2002: mussel propagation in Sheperdstown, West Virginia (March), and gastropod conservation with the American Malacological Society in Charleston, South Carolina (August). The 2001 symposium was coordinated by Tom Proch and hosted by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection.

Although currently almost entirely North American in its membership, the FMCS continues to invite and encourage worldwide participation. We would especially welcome new members from the museum-based community and researchers from any broader discipline with a molluscan focus.

Meeting abstracts are available in a PDF file (258K)


Parts of the meeting description were taken from Rob Dillon's symposium summary - thanks Rob!