Eco-transitions in Anthropocene: PAWS-Web Start Conference
The cross-divisional PAWS-Web kickstart conference, "Eco-transitions in Anthropocene," aims to explore the ecological futures of the human-animal interface in rapidly urbanizing ecosystems worldwide. The conference will delve into how animal behaviour studies can be linked with demographic parameters to analyse patterns mediated by human impacts on wildlife. Such feedbacks shall explain spatiotemporal patterns in physical conflicts, loss of property, and diseases that spill from animals to humans.
PAWS-Web strive to develop insights that promote the sustainable and harmonious coexistence of humans and animals. This cross-institutional platform at Oxford and the Wildlife Institute of India is dedicated to building "the Science of Human-animal Coexistence in the Tropics" and enhancing ecosystem integrity in rapidly transitioning landscapes. Their work is guided by the One Health principle, where they investigate the relationship between animal populations and human/animal health while taking into account the cultural traditions of feeding and protecting non-human animals.
The conference will feature 9 keynote sessions and 3 workshops (see posters & schedule below) that will focus on the complex interplay between ecological, cognitive, and cultural dynamics in animals, and how they are affected by sociocultural beliefs/practices. The workshops are:
- Workshop #1- (17.4.23): Effects of human food subsidies on animals: behavioral & disease contagions
- Workshop #2 - (18.4.23): Animal Welfare in human-dominated landscapes
- Workshop #3 - (19.4.23): Human-animal Coexistence in transitional landscapes
Participation and contributions to the conference will enrich the discussions and help PAWS-Web achieve their goal of providing scientific insights that support the coexistence of humans and animals in a sustainable and harmonious way.
This will be held as a hybrid event at the Department of Biology, South Parks Road, Oxford and online. Zoom links with be sent to participants post registrations.
PAWS - Web (People, Animals, and Waste Systems' Web) is a part of the Sheldon Lab at the Edward Grey Institute, University of Oxford. For more information, please visit www.PAWS-Web.site or contact Dr. Nishant Kumar
Conference Schedule:
Conference Posters:
