PhD position investigating biodiversity - ecosystem functioning relationships in European forests using ecosystem modeling

A three year PhD position is available at the Institute of Silviculture, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences (BOKU) Vienna, Austria, investigating the relationships between biodiversity and forest ecosystem functioning by means of ecosystem modeling. The research is part of an international, continental scale effort aiming to quantify the effects of forest biodiversity on ecosystem functions and services such as timber production, carbon sequestration, and freshwater provisioning.

The successful candidate will
* contribute to the development, parameterization, and evaluation of spatially explicit, multi-species ecosystem models at the stand and landscape scale,
* apply these models to answer questions on the spatial and temporal stability and scalability of relationships between diversity and ecosystem functioning, and on the role of disturbances in these relationships,
* investigate the effects of different forest management strategies and climate change scenarios on biodiversity and ecosystem functioning, and
* actively participate in the dissemination of results (conferences, publications)

We are looking for motivated candidates with a master’s degree in forestry, forest ecology, environmental sciences, or related fields. The successful applicant is able to independently conduct scientific research and possesses decent command of the English language. Strong quantitative skills and experience in ecosystem modeling are desirable; the knowledge of a higher programming language (e.g., C++) is beneficial.

We are offing a dynamic, international working environment at the frontier of quantitative forest ecosystem research in Europe. In a cooperative research program the successful  candidate will be working in the labs of Prof. Manfred J. Lexer and Dr. Rupert Seidl. BOKU is one of the top tier schools in the environmental sciences in Europe, and the city of Vienna
consistently ranks among the cities with the highest quality of life globally. The salary is 24,000 €/year after taxes, including full health and social security benefits.

To apply, please send a CV, a concise motivation letter including research interests and prior accomplishments, and the names and addresses of two references to Prof. Manfred J. Lexer (mj.lexer(at)boku.ac.at) or Dr. Rupert Seidl (rupert.seidl(at)boku.ac.at). The position is open immediately until filled.

For more information see the following links
BOKU Vienna: http://www.boku.ac.at
Lexer lab: http://www.wabo.boku.ac.at/lexer.html
Seidl lab: http://www.wabo.boku.ac.at/seidl.html
the FunDivEUROPE project: http://www.fundiveurope.eu/
the stand-level model PICUS: http://www.wabo.boku.ac.at/picus.html
the landscape model iLand: http://iland.boku.ac.at

PhD position: PHYLOGEOGRAPHY AND POPULATION GENETICS OF SOUTH PACIFIC ANTS

Laboratory of Ecology and Evolution of Social Insects, Biology Center, Czech Academy of Sciences, Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic

We are looking for a motivated student with biology background to join our international team focused on ecology and evolution of tropical ants. The PhD candidate will study phylogeography and population history of ants from Melanesia and South Pacific. He/she will use various genomic and genetic tools to study the origin and relationship of ant faunas in New Guinea and South Pacific islands. She/he will combine traditional population genetics methods with Next Generation Sequencing tools. The project will involve repeated research stays in laboratories in the US (Harvard Univ.) and Mexico (LANGEBIO, http://www.langebio.cinvestav.mx/), where the student will develop genomic tools.

We offer 4 years grant contract (50%) at Biology Center, Czech Academy of Sciences (http://www.entu.cas.cz/en/). The student will be required to enroll into associated PhD program at Faculty of Science, Univ. of South Bohemia (http://www.prf.jcu.cz/en/). The salary and stipend are sufficient to cover living expenses in Czech Republic. The beginning of the project is between June and August 2012.

Requirements:
- fluent English and ability to communicate with an international team
- Master degree in biology
- experience with laboratory techniques used in molecular biology (e.g. Sanger sequencing, microsatellite genotyping)
- highly independent
- experience with work in R, and/or basic programming skills (Perl, Python) is preferred
- experience with genetic, bioinformatics, phylogenetic or biogeography research is advantageous

We offer:
- participation in cutting-edge research
- access to unique ecological and biological data and original research topics
- research stays at collaborting institutions in USA and Mexico
- opportunity to learn novel methods of data gathering and processing (NGS)

Interested candidates should send a short statement of interest, a CV, and the addresses of two potential referees to Milan Janda. mjanda@oeb.harvard.edu

Closing date for applications is April 5th 2011.

Starting date for the position is flexible between June and September 2012.
For further information, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Dr. Milan Janda
Biology Center, Czech Academy of Sciences
Branisovska 31, 37005, Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic
email: mjanda@oeb.harvard.edu

more information:
www.newguineants.org
www.entu.cas.cz/en/
http://www.entu.cas.cz/en/departments/department-of-ecology-and-conservation-biology/

Multiple research positions: Craig Moritz lab @ ANU

Several positions (two 5yr Postdocs, one Lab manager, one 4 yr PhD scholarship) are available in a new lab being established by Craig Moritz at the Australian National University (http://biology.anu.edu.au/Craig_Moritz/). The project, supported by the Australian Research Council, aims to develop and apply novel approaches to prediction and disco...very of biodiversity hotspots, with emphasis on the poorly known vertebrate (especially reptile) diversity of the monsoonal tropics of northern Australia. The overall project will integrate environmental modeling over space and time with use of next-gen sequencing, coalescent analyses and phenotype to provide robust estimates of lineage and phylogenetic endemism and to improve understanding of biodiversity dynamics in response to past climate change. The appointees will benefit from interactions across multiple labs in the Division of Evolution, Ecology and Genetics of the Research School of Biology (http://biology.anu.edu.au/eeg/) as well as geographically adjacent groups in CSIRO.

All positions are available from July 1, 2012. Details of positions and instructions for applying can be found as follows:

Postdoctoral Associates (spatial modeling and genomics): http://jobs.anu.edu.au/PositionDetail.aspx?P=2557

Laboratory Manager (Research Officer 6): http://jobs.anu.edu.au/PositionDetail.aspx?P=2566

Graduate (PhD) scholarship:
PhD scholarship in Evolutionary Biogeography (4 years @ AUD27,222, commencing July 1, 2012).
A 4 year PhD scholarship, funded by the Australian Research Council, is available in the Moritz Lab of the Division of Ecology, Evolution and Genetics, Research School of Biology, Australian National University (http://biology.anu.edu.au/Craig_Moritz/). The student will undertake comparative phylogeographic and phenotypic analyses of lizards from the monsoonal tropics of northern Australia to investigate biogeographic and speciation processes underlying the high diversity of this, as yet underexplored region. There is considerable scope for independent development of the project. The appointee should have a strong background in evolutionary biology and/or molecular ecology and enthusiasm for both field and molecular analyses. Prior research and or field experience is an advantage, but is not required. The position is open to both Australian and International applicants. For further details or to send applications, please contact Craig Moritz (craig.moritz@anu.edu.au). Review of applications will commence on March 18, 2012.

Applications close on March 18th, 2012. Please direct enquiries to Craig Moritz at craig.moritz@anu.edu.au

Positions offered at the Centre Tecnològic Forestal de Catalunya (Solsona, Spain)

Post-Doc position in conservation biology and spatial ecology in Mediterranean farmlands
http://biodiversitylandscapeecologylab.blogspot.com/2012/01/post-doc-position-conservation-biology.html

Assistant technician position in fire and landscape modelling and data analysis.
http://biodiversitylandscapeecologylab.blogspot.com/2012/01/offered-assistant-technician-position.html

Phd candidates welcome: Fire and landscape modelling in the Mediterranean
http://biodiversitylandscapeecologylab.blogspot.com/2012/01/phd-candidates-wanted-fire-and.html

PhD Assistantship - Spatial Ecology / Coastal vertebrate species response to climate change and sea level rise

We are seeking a highly motivated graduate student (PhD preferred, MS considered) to work on a project assessing the vulnerability of coastal vertebrates to climate change and sea level rise. The successful candidate will employ GIS-based models to assess which vertebrates will be most s...ensitive to changes in climate and sea level rise, and what habitat management options may exist to enhance the ability of these vertebrates to persist in the coastal region. Qualified candidates will be given flexibility to develop their own interests on this project; however s/he will focus on modeling species occupancy as a function of landscape structure and potential landscape change due to climate and sea level rise.
The research will involve field work to address species occupancy across a range of coastal landscape configurations, and will use spatial modeling tools to evaluate both vulnerability and adaptation/mitigation options.

Qualifications: The successful applicant will be motivated, have well-developed writing and communication skills, strong work ethic, and ability to work cooperatively in team setting. Experience doing field work in rough conditions is preferred. Proficiency using ArcGIS for spatial analysis, some programming experience, strong quantitative skills, and most of all… creative energy, are required! An MS in an ecological field, or substantial equivalent experience, is necessary for PhD consideration; some relevant experience outside academic programs is required for MS consideration. Minimum entry requirements are 3.0 GPA and combined verbal + quantitative GRE score > 1200 for PhD (3.0 GPA + 1000 GRE for MS).

For further information please send a CV and a letter of interest (which should include a description of past research experience and skills) to Dr. Nate Nibbelink (nate2@uga.edu). Review of applicants will begin immediately and competitive candidates will be invited to submit a full application. Our search will continue until a suitable candidate is found.

Salary: Competitive stipend, tuition remission, health insurance options
Last Date to apply: January 1, 2012 for University of Georgia fellowship consideration, otherwise open until filled.

Contact: Nate Nibbelink
Warnell School of Forest Resources
University of Georgia
Athens, Georgia 30602-2152
e-mail: nate2@uga.edu

PhD opportunity in Quantitative Conservation Ecology at UC Riverside: Effects of global change on plant biodiversity in California

The Quantitative Conservation Biology Lab at University of California Riverside lead by Helen Regan is seeking highly motivated PhD students to start in the Fall 2012. Research in the lab applies modeling and simulation techniques to address three main themes: 1) the impacts of global change on biodiversity and potential management responses, 2) characterization and
treatment of uncertainty in ecological models and 3) decision making under risk and uncertainty for conservation. While we seek candidates in any of these themes, we encourage applicants who are interested in applying spatially dynamic population models to address questions about the effects of global change on plants in fire-prone ecosystems. Strong quantitative skills are preferred and an interest in and understanding of conservation
ecology is essential. Likewise, the ability and willingness to collaborate with a broad range of researchers is desirable.

Most students in the Evolution, Ecology and Organismal Biology Graduate Program at UCR are funded by fellowships, teaching assistantships, research assistantships, or some combination of the three. Priority deadline for Fall 2012 admission and fellowship consideration is January 5th 2012. More details about the program and how to apply can be found at http://eeob.ucr.edu/

All interested candidates should contact Dr Helen Regan at helen.regan@ucr.edu before they apply. Thank you.

PH.D STUDENT OPENING IN COMMUNITY ECOLOGY OR MACROECOLOGY

The Ernest Lab at Utah State University has an opening for a Ph.D student in the general areas of Community Ecology or Macroecology to start fall 2012.
Active areas of research in the Ernest lab include long-term dynamics of communities, processes generating macroecological patterns, and the role of body size in the ecology and life-history of animals. While students interested in one of the general areas listed above are preferred, students are free to develop their own research projects based upon their interests.
Graduate students in the Ernest lab are funded through a combination of research assistantships, teaching assistantships, and fellowships.  Utah State University has an excellent graduate program in ecology with over 50 faculty and 80+ graduate students across campus affiliated with the USU Ecology Center (http://www.usu.edu/ecology/). 

More information about the lab is available at: ernestlab.weecology.org

Interested students should contact Dr. Morgan Ernest (morgan.ernest@usu.edu)
by Nov 30th, 2011 with their CV, GRE scores, and a brief statement of research interests.

Postdoc and PhD positions - Global change

Postdoctoral Position

The lab of Jason Fridley at Syracuse University(http://plantecology.syr.edu/fridley) is recruiting a postdoctoral associate to work on aspects of the vegetation of Eastern North

America in the context of global change. Specific research objectives are flexible but will ideally take advantage of vegetation and environmental databases from Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

Projects combining existing data with new field surveys of soil characteristics, plant trait data, or microclimate surveys are particularly encouraged.  Other research emphases in the Fridley lab include global change impacts on grassland vegetation, comparative studies of native and invasive forest species, and biogeographic studies of successional ecosystems.  The position is available as early as January 2012, and includes two years salary support (annual minimum $38,500), including full benefits.  A PhD in ecology or related discipline is required.  Preferred qualifications include 1) evidence of strong quantitative and writing skills; 2) statistical or GIS-based programming experience (e.g., R, GRASS-GIS); 3) relevant

field experience and taxonomic skills.  Those with expertise in plant-soil relations are particularly encouraged to apply.  Applicants should send a letter of interest, curriculum vitae and the names and full contact information (email and phone numbers) of three potential

references to Jason Fridley (fridley@syr.edu; 315-443-3098) no later than November 1, 2011.



PhD Fellowships

Two graduate (PhD) fellowships are available for students to work on aspects of the vegetation of Eastern North America in relation to global change.  At least one of the fellowships will involve a comparative analysis of old field succession patterns across

the Eastern U.S., using experimental and survey-based techniques in a 4-yr project with colleagues at Duke University supported by the National Science Foundation.  Other research emphases in the Fridley lab include global change impacts on grassland vegetation, vegetation-environment relationships in the Southern Appalachians, and comparative studies of native and invasive species in Eastern U.S. forests.  Successful applicants will join a growing plant ecology and evolution group at Syracuse University and a larger ecological community that includes SUNY-College of Environmental Science and Forestry.  Fellowships are available beginning in Fall 2012 as 2-yr research assistantships, commonly used in the first and third years of graduate study; support through teaching assistantships is guaranteed in other semesters pending satisfactory progress toward the degree.

Current graduate student stipends are $25,167/yr, with full benefits and tuition remission.  Full applications to the SU Biology PhD program are due by January 31, 2012; applicants are strongly encouraged to submit a statement of interest, curriculum vitae, and GRE scores before applying to Jason Fridley (fridley@syr.edu;315-443-3098).  General information about the Biology graduate program at Syracuse is available at http://biology.syr.edu/grad/graduate.htm.

PhD/Postdoc positions: UW-Madison

PhD/Postdoc positions: UW-Madison:
2 Postdoc and 1 PHD position available to study the effects of extreme climate events on avian demographics: the role of habitat refugia in mitigating climate change

Overview: Climate change poses severe threats to biodiversity, and conservationists have to adapt their management decisions to a chang...ing climate. The challenge is that the biological response to future climate change is uncertain. Climate change will entail a general warming, but even more importantly may increase the frequency of extreme climate events (such as multiyear droughts) and extreme weather events (such as shorter droughts, heatwaves, and cold snaps).

Our NASA funded study has two major goals. The first is a basic science question: we seek to predict the effects of extreme climate and weather events, including droughts, heat waves, and cold snaps during the breeding season, on bird demographics, focusing especially on waterfowl and forest birds. As part of this question we will test four alternative hypotheses to explain observed abundance declines: (1) the lower recruitment hypothesis, (2) the adult mortality hypothesis, (3) the long-distance dispersal hypothesis, and (4) the refugia hypothesis.

Our second goal is an applied research question: we seek to quantify the role of National Wildlife Refuges and National Forests as refugia for waterfowl and forest birds respectively during extreme events, and to identify management actions to enhance this function.

The project is a collaboration between the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (La Crosse, Wisconsin, P. Heglund), United States Geological Survey (La Crosse, Wisconsin, W. Thogmartin), U.S. Forest Service (Ft. Collins, Colorado, C. Flather), University of Wisconsin-Madison (A. Pidgeon, V. Radeloff, and S. Vavrus), University of Nevada, Reno (T. Albright), and Stony Brook University (Stony Brook, New York, R. Akcakaya). At this point, we are filling three positions that will all be based in Madison, Wisconsin. A fourth position for a PhD student with R. Akcakaya focusing on population modeling will be filled in 2012.

Positions: Three positions (one PhD and 2 Post-doc positions) will be based in the Department of Forest and Wildlife Ecology. We are offering each as a fully funded 3-year position, with the potential for a fourth year depending on performance and project objectives. In terms of the different work tasks, we envision the following team composition:

- One person (either PhD or post-doc) will focus on changes in forest bird populations in response to extreme climate events under the supervision of A. Pidgeon.

- One person (either PhD or post-doc) will focus on changes in waterfowl populations in response to extreme climate events, and will be under the joint supervision of A. Pidgeon and V. Radeloff.

- One position (either PhD or post-doc) will assess and predict extreme events, and will work under the supervision of V. Radeloff and S. Vavrus.

PhD students would be appointed as 12-month research assistants, with an annual salary of $20,400, tuition remission, and full benefits including health insurance. Postdocs would be appointed as 12-month research associates, salary is competitive and commensurate with experience, and full benefits including health insurance is included.

Start date for all positions is flexible, funding is in hand, and an early start date is preferred. The positions are open to both U.S. citizen, and non-residents.

Qualifications: We are especially interested in candidates who can contribute to the diversity and excellence of the academic community.

For applicants at the PhD level, a MS degree in ecology, wildlife ecology, atmospheric science, geography, environmental science, or related disciplines is required. Applicants with a BS degree will only be considered if substantial relevant experience can be shown. A solid working knowledge of remote sensing, GIS, and statistics is required.

For applicants at the postdoctoral level, we expect a completed Ph.D. in an appropriate field (see list in previous paragraph) prior to appointment. Candidates should have a strong background in spatial/landscape ecology; intimate working knowledge of GIS; and strong quantitative skills. For the person filling the position focusing on extreme events, experience in working with climate data is desirable.

For all three positions, we seek candidates who work well in a collaborative setting and have excellent communication and writing skills. Good English writing and verbal communication skills, and a demonstrated ability as a team member, are essential.

To apply: Candidates should send a cover letter summarizing their research interests, a CV that spells out skills, and the contact information for three references. Please indicate in your cover letter explicitly which topical area you are interested in, and at which level (PhD or postdoc) you are applying.

Review of applicants will begin immediately; position will remain open until suitable candidates are found. All applications received on or before August 1st 2011 are guaranteed consideration. Application packages (e-mailed as a single PDF file) should be sent to apidgeon@wisc.edu and radeloff@wisc.edu

PhD student: Land use change and ecosystem services

In the VOLANTE project funded by the European Commission 14 institutes collaborate to design new methodologies and integrated models to analyse human-environment interactions, feedbacks in land use systems, hotspots of land use transitions and identify critical thresholds in land system dynamics. This research contributes to the development of multifunctional and sustainable pathways of land system change. Within this project the PhD student will develop novel approaches for analyzing the linkage between global and local scale processes of land use change. For this purpose the PhD student will develop spatially explicit multi-agent modelling systems that are driven by the demand for multiple ecosystem services. The PhD student will collaborate intensively with other PhD students and staff in this project and publish the results as peer-reviewed papers.

Profile Description: A completed Msc degree in the field of geography; environmental sciences or human ecology; affinity with an interdisciplinary working environment; excellent research and publication skills, proven by past accomplishments; experience with GIS analysis and quantitative research methods.

Benefits: The initial appointment will be for a period of 1 year. After satisfactory evaluation of the initial appointment, it can be extended for a total duration of 4 years. You can find information about our excellent fringe benefits of employment at http://www.workingatvu.nl like remuneration of 8,3% end-of-year bonus and 8% holiday allowance; generous contribution (70%) commuting allowance based on public transport; discounts on collective insurances (healthcare- and car insurance). The salary will be in accordance with university regulations for academic personnel, and amounts € 2.042,- gross per month in the first year up to € 2.612,- in the fourth year (salary scale 85) based on a full-time employment.

Location
VU University Amsterdam (VU), De Boelelaan 1105

1081 HV - Amsterdam
NETHERLANDS

Deadline
9th May 2011

Link
http://ec.europa.eu/euraxess/index.cfm/jobs/jobDetails/33689079