2010
07-28
Postdoctoral position in avian ecology and conservation
A postdoctoral position in avian ecology and conservation is available
in the laboratory of Cagan Sekercioglu at the Department of Biology,
University of Utah. The successful candidate will have a Ph.D. in
ecology, ornithology, conservation biology, environmental science,
wildlife management, or related fields, a good publication record,
first-rate command of spoken and written English, and excellent
quantitative and computer skills. Duties will include performing
ecology/conservation meta-analyses, ecological modeling, and analyses
of radio-tracking and mark-recapture data, with the possibility to
participate in related field research.
The post-doc will analyze large datasets on the ecology and life
history of the birds of the world and will help develop new long-term
projects on bird ecology and conservation. The research will focus
on
understanding the determinants of native species’ survival and
extinction in response to global change, particularly in
human-dominated landscapes. See papers below for examples of the type
of research conducted in the Sekercioglu lab (e.g. PNAS 2002, 2004;
Conservation Biology 2007, 2008; Ecology 2008):
http://www.stanford.edu/~cagan/abstracts.html
We are looking for candidates who fulfill at least two of the
following criteria:
-Strong programming skills, especially in R
-Good publication record in ecological modeling, especially in
relation to global change
-Good publication record in mark-recapture analyses and in using
the
program MARK
-Extensive experience with GIS/ArcView
Other desirable skills include:
-Proficiency in database construction and management
-Field experience in ornithological/ecological research
-A bird banding (ringing) license
-Experience in radio/satellite tracking and data analysis
-Fluency in Spanish
-Grant-writing and fundraising skills
Intent of initial appointment is for two years, with reappointment
after one year contingent upon satisfactory performance and
availability of funding. Position begins on January 1, 2011.
Applicants should send a CV, a statement of research plans, and
contact e-mails for three references to Cagan Sekercioglu
(cagan###stanford.edu, cagan1###gmail.com>). Please include “Postdoctoral
position in conservation ecology“ in the subject line. University
of
Utah is an equal opportunity employer.
--
Doç. Dr. Cagan H. Sekercioglu
Senior research scientist
Stanford University
Center for Conservation Biology
Department of Biology
371 Serra Mall
Stanford CA 94305-5020 USA
www.sekercioglu.org
07-26
Multiple postdoctoral positions will be available at the Bioinformatics
Research Center at North Carolina?State University. The starting dates
for these positions are flexible and the duration will be two years?with
the possibility of renewal. Dr. Eric Stone and Dr. Jeff Thorne are
collaborating to study the impact of protein?tertiary structure on
protein-coding sequence evolution, to reconcile population genetics
and interspecific?evolution, and to rigorously predict which non-synonymous
variants are most likely to have health-related effects. In addition,?a
position related to the statistical alignment of protein tertiary
structures is available. This topic involves a collaboration?between
Dr. Abel Rodriguez of the University of California - Santa Cruz, Dr.
Scott Schmidler of Duke University,?and Jeff Thorne. ??
Candidates for these positions should be statistically inclined and
comfortable with computer programming and molecular?evolution. Most
importantly, candidates should be willing and able to function in
a highly collaborative environment.??
Informal inquiries about these positions are welcome and should be
addressed to Eric Stone (eastone2###ncsu.edu) and/or?Jeff Thorne (thorne###statgen.ncsu.edu).
A CV along with contact details for 3 referees will be necessary
for applicants.??Sincerely,??Eric Stone and Jeff Thorne?Bioinformatics
Research Center?North Carolina State University?Raleigh NC 27607
07-17
Dear colleagues,
please find an announcement for a postdoc position at the Center
for
Macroecology, Evolution and Climate in Copenhagen under the following
link - the focus is on species geographical ranges.
http://macroecology.ku.dk/news_list/nyhed01072010/
07-06
Doctoral Position “Ecosystem services in cacao agroforestry: the
role of ants and vertebrate predators” Starting date as soon as possible.
Rationale The project will deliver further insight into top-down ecological
control of herbivores in tropical agroforestry systems, and into their
spatial and temporal variability. In the main experiment, manipulation
of ant and vertebrate predator access will be used to disentangle
the effect of these predators on herbivory, insect herbivores and
spiders in cacao agroforests differing in shading conditions and distance
to natural forest, factors which have been shown to affect the composition
of insectivorous bird communities. Requirements MSc or Diploma degree
in biology, agriculture or related disciplines. Knowledge in plant-insect
interactions and insect communities as well as experience in tropical
ecosystems. Interest in independent research, leadership and communication
skills. Salary and conditions The project will be based in Göttingen,
but extensive field work in Indonesia will be required. The doctoral
thesis will be done as a series of manuscripts in English. The salary
will be in accordance with the German state regulated public service
salary scale (PhD: 65 % E 13 TV-L) for at least 18 months. An extension
by a further 18 months is possible with funding from other sources.
The University of Göttingen actively seeks to foster career opportunities
for female scholars and therefore strongly encourages qualified women
to apply. Candidates with disabilities who are equally qualified for
the position will receive special consideration. Applications Applicants
should send their CV, including a short summary of research interests,
and the names (with email address) of two references before July 4th
2010, 12am to the email address given below. For further information,
please contact Dr. Yann Clough, Agroecology, University of Goettingen,
Waldweg 26, D-37073 Goettingen, Tel. +49-551-3922358, Fax +49-551-398806,
email: yclough###gwdg.de
06-25
2) POSTDOC, "UNDERSTANDING SOCIAL BEHAVIOUR A GENOMIC APPROACH",
QUEEN
MARY UNIVERSITY LONDON
One of several possible postdocs offered at Queen Mary University
(see also
below)
Understanding social behaviour a genomic approach - Chris Faulkes
Using African mole-rats as a model system we aim to characterise
genes
implicated in the expression of social and mating behaviours, in particular,
receptors for the two hormones oxytocin and vasopressin. Studies on
North
American voles have shown that differences in the patterns of expression
for
these receptors in the forebrain underpin species-typical patterns
of
behaviour (e.g. monogamous versus promiscuous mating systems). These
differences in expression are associated with differences in the promoter
regions of the receptor genes, suggesting that a strong genetic component
exists for these complex mammalian behaviours. Such findings may contribute
to our understanding of certain human behaviours. For example, oxytocin,
dubbed by some as 3the love molecule2, has been shown to increase
interpersonal trust, the memory of familiar faces; furthermore, differences
in the oxytocin receptor gene have been associated with autism spectrum
disorders. Our own recent studies suggest a broad role for oxytocin
in
facilitating social and cooperative behaviours. Utilizing our unique
access
to a variety of mole-rat species and our recently constructed genomic
libraries, we now aim to screen for and then sequence specific genes
of
interest. Using comparative analyses we will elucidate genetic differences
among species marked by different levels of social and affiliative
behaviour.
Kalamatianos T., Faulkes, C.G, Oosthuizen, M.K., Bennett, N.C &
Coen, C.W.
(2010) Telencephalic binding sites for oxytocin reflect social organisation:
evidence from eusocial naked mole-rats and solitary Cape mole-rats.
Journal
of Comparative Neurology. 518, 1792-1813.
General application proceedures:
We are seeking candidates who are internationally competitive, taking
into
account the current stage of their career. The strongest candidates
may be
offered a short term departmental fellowship during which time they
would be
expected to seek external funding. We will provide other candidates
with
help in applying for appropriate fellowships that can be hosted at
QMUL. For
example, if you are interested in applying for a Marie Curie fellowship,
it
would increase your chances of success if you could contact the appropriate
PI by 5th July 2010, so we can provide you with advice on your application.
Currently available projects in the School of Biological and Chemical
Sciences are at http://www.sbcs.qmul.ac.uk/research/16201.html - please
follow the project title link to find out details and contacts.
If you would like to apply for one or more projects, contact the
PI with
attaching a CV and two paragraphs describing your relevant background.
More
details might be obtained from the PI if required.
----------
3) POSTDOC/POSTGRAD, CRYPTIC BUMBLEBEE SPECIES, STIRLING, SCOTLAND
I have funding for a 6-8 month post starting September 2010, based
at the
University of Stirling, Scotland. It has recently been discovered
that the
widespread bumblebee Bombus lucorum actually contains a number of
cryptic
species about which we know nearly nothing. Working in conjunction
with
partners at the Natural History Museum and Royal Holloway, this project
will
use mitochondrial sequencing to distinguish between species, using
a large
sample of bees from across the UK. Subsequent analyses will investigate
niche partitioning and geographic distributions of the component species.
Sequencing will be outsourced, but experience of analysing genetic
data
would be very useful. The post might suit a recent postdoc or experienced
postgrad.
Enquiries and applications (CV + covering letter) to dave.goulson###stir.ac.uk
Professor Dave Goulson,
Head of School
School of Biological & Environmental Sciences,
University of Stirling,
Stirling
FK9 4LA
Tel: 01786 467759
http://www.sbes.stir.ac.uk/people/goulson/
----------
4) POSTDOC, HONEYBEE PROTEOMICS, PERTH, AUSTRALIA
Postdoctoral position (ref: 3163) ARC centre of excellence in plant
energy
biology and collaborative initiative for bee research (CIBER)
A key opportunity to explore proteomics of honeybees:
2 year appointment, available immediately Salary range: Level A,
AU$ 53,542
- AU$ 72,537 p.a. - minimum starting salary for appointee with PhD
will be
AU$ 70,058 p.a. Closing date: Friday, 16 July 2010
The Collaborative Initiative for Bee Research (CIBER) is dedicated
to
facilitate interdisciplinary research on honeybees. The ultimate goal
is to
better understand honeybees and counter the dramatic losses currently
occurring. To achieve this, CIBER combines expertise from beekeepers
with
decades of experience, sociobiologists and their insights into the
functioning of bee societies, evolutionary ecologists and their
understanding of evolutionary processes and molecular biologists that
provide expertise to harness the honeybee genome and proteome. The
latter
occurs in conjunction with ARC Centre of Excellence in Plant Energy
Biology
(CPEB) which houses state-of-the-art equipment for proteomics and
metabolomics approaches and major resources for microarray analysis,
imaging
and computing.
Applications are invited from a suitably qualified postdoctoral Research
Associate to work in a team environment in CIBER on quantitative proteomics
and mass spectrometry of honeybees. The project aims to study male
bee
fertility to understand molecular determinants of sperm survival that
influence paternity success in managed as well as feral bees in Western
Australia, which will also generate information important for future
bee
breeding in Australia. A PhD in protein biochemistry or molecular
biology or
related discipline is essential. The position is available immediately.
For further information see CIBER: http://www.ciber.science.uwa.edu.au
or
CPEB http://www.plantenergy.uwa.edu.au or contact Professor Harvey
Millar,
email hmillar###cyllene.uwa.edu.au or Associate Professor Boris Baer,
email
bcbaer###cyllene.uwa.edu.au for more information on the project.
Application Details
The position description follows. Written applications quoting the
reference
number, personal contact details, qualifications and experience, along
with
contact details of three referees should be sent to Director, Human
Resources, The University of Western Australia, M350, 35 Stirling
Highway,
Crawley WA 6009 or emailed to jobs###uwa.edu.au by the closing date.
Role Statement
As the appointee you will undertake innovative laboratory-based research
in
a team environment to study male bee fertility to understand molecular
determinants of sperm survival that influence paternity success in
bees
which will also generate information important for future bee breeding
in
Australia. Your primary aim will be to use proteomic approaches in
collaborative projects, aimed at publication in international research
journals. You will be supervised by Assoc. Prof. Baer and collaborate
closely with the other chief investigators on the project and personnel
from
the Industry Partner.
Key Responsibilities
*Design, execute and analyse research on proteomic approaches to
understanding honeybee male fertility.
*Set up reliable and reproducible experimental systems to extract
samples
from honeybees sourced from UWA or from collaborators to use in experiments.
*Work closely with CIBER scientists in designing the use of proteomics
in
projects and troubleshooting protein separation, quantification and
analysis.
*Keep records and follow procedures required by the partners in an
ARC
Linkage project.
*Help maintain and troubleshoot issues in the mass spectrometry facility
in
collaboration with other researchers and the manufactures.
*Other duties as directed.
A/Prof. Boris Baer
CIBER: The Collaborative Initiative for Bee Research
Website: www.ciber.science.uwa.edu.au
MCS Building M 310
The University of Western Australia
Crawley
WA 6009
Australia
phone: +61 8 6488 4495
fax: +61 8 6488 4401
E-mail: bcbaer###cyllene.uwa.edu.au
06-15
VACANCIES FOR 2 PhD STUDENTS AND 1 POSTDOC IN THE CONTEXT OF A
COLLABORATIVE PROJECT ON "BIO/ANT-INSPIRED COMPUTING", LEUVEN,
BELGIUM
We currently have three open positions for 2 PhD students and 1 postdoc
for
computer scientists or biologists with an interest in computer science
in
the context of a new IDO project
"Bio-inspired computing for coordination and control in large-scale
and
dynamic systems (BioCo3)"
This interdisciplinary project (involving computer science, biology,
operations research and logistics expertise) studies decentralized
approaches for controlling large-scale, dynamic systems - e.g. for
controlling a large number of vehicles that need to accomplish transport
tasks for clients (package delivery service). Achieving efficient
and
effective collective behavior is known to be quite a challenge, esp.
if the
systems are large in scale and submitted to changing operating conditions.
Complex collective behaviour occurs in many socio-biological systems.
Social
insects, e.g., are able to find the shortest path to food sources
without
any central control, or can build enormously complex nests with built-in
ventilation systems, or divide the work such that the chances of survival
are optimal.
Some socio-biological mechanisms for collective behavior have already
been
studied in the context of computing (e.g. stigmergy and digital pheromones,
or in discrete optimization techniques, such as ant colony optimization,
artificial immune systems, genetic algorithms). It becomes apparent,
however, that (1) large-scale and dynamic systems still hold major
challenges, and (2) many socio-biological concepts and techniques
have been
unexplored.
The project therefore aims to study advanced concepts and mechanisms,
known
from social biological systems, and their applicability in decentralized
control systems. To guide the research, the project will use concrete
application scenarios, based on decentralized control in pickup-and-delivery
problems (PDPs).
The partners in this project are
Dept. of computer science, DistriNet labs
Prof. Tom Holvoet
http://distrinet.cs.kuleuven.be/
Dept. of biology, Laboratory of entomology
Prof. Tom Wenseleers
http://bio.kuleuven.be/ento/
Dept. of mechanics, Center for industrial management
Dr. Paul Valckenaers
http://www.mech.kuleuven.be/en/cib/
Saint-Lieven College, IT department
Dr. Greet Vanden Berghe
http://ingenieur.kahosl.be/personeel/greet.vandenberghe/
Requirements
For this ambitious project, two PhD positions and one position for
a
postdoctoral researcher are open. We invite applications from:
People who have a strong computer science background (master degree
for PhD
positions, PhD degree for the postdoc position with a strong affinity
and
interest in biology,
or
People who have a strong a biological background (master degree for
PhD
positions, PhD degree for the postdoc position) and strong affinity
and
interest in computer science.
The positions are available from October 1, 2010 (negotiable), deadline
for
application is July 15 2010.
Further requirements for candidates include:
- having a scientific, critical attitude
- being ambitious
- having good communication and social skills, team player
- having an independent working style
- being proficient in English
- experience as a researcher is welcome but not mandatory for the
PhD
positions
For more information about the project and the positions, and for
applying
for a position, contact the project coordinator:
Prof. Tom Holvoet, email Tom.Holvoet###cs.kuleuven.be
DistriNet Labs - Dept. of Computer Science, KULeuven, Belgium
http://people.cs.kuleuven.be/Tom.Holvoet
Posted 14/6/2010
Vacancies for 2 PhD students in the labs of profs. Kevin Vestrepen
and Jan
Michiels in the context of a collaborative project on "socioevolutionary
dynamics in microorganisms"
----------
3) TWO PhD POSITIONS ARE AVAILABLE IN THE RESEARCH GROUPS OF PROF.
J.
MICHIELS AND PROF. K. VERSTREPEN IN THE FRAMEWORK OF AN INTERDISCIPLINARY
RESEARCH PROJECT "SOCIO-EVOLUTIONARY DYNAMICS OF MICROBES",
LEUVEN, BELGIUM
Target organisms: Saccharomyces cerevisiae (K. Verstrepen) and Pseudomonas
aeruginosa (J. Michiels).
Partner groups: Lab. of Entomology (Prof. T. Wenseleers) and Lab.
of Aquatic
Ecology (Prof. L. De Meester)
Topics: flocculation and green-beard recognition in yeast and the
evolution
of antibiotic-tolerance (persistence) in P. aeruginosa.
Key words: experimental evolution, microbial genetics, high-throughput
analysis, fluorescence microscopy, flow cytometry, mutant construction,
ecological and evolutionary theory (social evolution theory, bet-hedging
theory).
As a member of the CMPG, you will be part of a multidisciplinary
and
international team of researchers using state-of-the-art infrastructure.
Start: autumn 2010 (two 4-year projects)
Required:
Master in life sciences (Bioengineering, Biotechnology,...).
Strong interest for science and outstanding skills to work in a team
on an
intellectually and technologically challenging project.
Ready to present for an interview.
Application: send your CV and two reference letters to Prof. J. Michiels
(jan.michiels###biw.kuleuven.be) or Prof. K. Verstrepen
(kevin.verstrepen###biw.vib-kuleuven.be) before June 23, 2010.
General information on the research groups involved:
http://www.biw.kuleuven.be/dtp/cmpg/G%26G1/
http://www.biw.kuleuven.be/dtp/cmpg/research.aspx
http://bio.kuleuven.be/ento/wenseleers/twenseleers.htm
http://bio.kuleuven.be/de/dea/people_detail.php?pass_id=u0008482
Posted 14/6/2010
----------
4) VACANCY FOR A SUMMER HELPER,LEUVEN, BELGIUM
We have a vacancy for a part time summer helper for the months of
July and
August 2010 to help us out with our ongoing wasp research. For more
information please contact Annette Vanoystaeyen (email
Annette.VanOystaeyen###bio.kuleuven.be, tel. 0474479172).
Having a driving license (type B) is a requirement, as well as having
a
healthy dose of enthusiasm. Pay is ca. 11 euros/hour (plus as much
Belgian
beer as you like). Perfect for a student who would like to earn a
bit of
money in the summer whilst gaining some first hand experience in carrying
out exciting research.
Dr. T. Wenseleers
Dept. of Biology
Zoological Institute
K.U.Leuven
Naamsestraat 59
B-3000 Leuven
Belgium
tel. +32 (0)16 32 39 64
mobile +32 (0)472 40 45 96
e-mail tom.wenseleers###bio.kuleuven.be
web http://bio.kuleuven.be/ento/wenseleers/twenseleers.htm
----------
5) POSTDOCTORAL RESEARCH OPPORTUNITIES, QUEEN MARY UNIVERSITY LONDON
Research Centre for Psychology, Lars Chittka's laboratory
We are seeking candidates who are internationally competitive, taking
into
account the current stage of their career. The strongest candidates
may be
offered a short term departmental fellowship during which time they
would be
expected to seek external funding, especially for Marie-Curie postdoctoral
fellowships. We will provide candidates with help in applying for
appropriate fellowships that can be hosted at QMUL.
For more information, please contact Prof Lars Chittka: l.chittka###qmul.ac.uk
Possible projects:
1. Cognitive responses of birds to warning colours in insects
This is a collaborative project with Prof Daniel Osorio at the University
of
Sussex. Many palatable animals, for example hoverflies, deter predators
by
mimicking well-defended insects such as wasps. However, for human
observers,
these flies often seem to be little better than caricatures of waspstheir
visual appearance and behaviour are easily distinguishable from those
which
they are attempting to mimic. This imperfect mimicry baffles evolutionary
biologists, because one might expect natural selection to do a more
thorough
job. The goal of this project is to test domestic chicks for two types
of
cognitive processes that might explain why distinguishable mimics
could
enjoy increased protection from predation. Speed-accuracy tradeoffs
in
predator decision making might give imperfect mimics sufficient time
to
escape, and predators under time constraint might avoid time-consuming
discriminations between well-defended models and inaccurate edible
mimics
and instead adopt a "safety first" policy of avoiding insects
with similar
appearance. Categorisation of prey types by predators could mean that
wholly
dissimilar mimics may be protected, provided they share some common
property
with noxious prey. If predators use experience with multiple prey
types to
learn rules rather than just memorising the appearance of individual
prey
types, it follows that different individual predators should form
different
categories, each including separate types of novel prey. Experimental
studies to test these hypotheses should be straightforward, because
we can
use the relatively simple signals (e.g., striped patterns) with which
prey
manipulate predator behaviour as tools for investigating cognitive
processes
that underlie decision making and object recognition in animals' daily
lives.
2. Social learning across species boundaries
The study of social learning - how animals obtain information not
by
individual exploration of the environment, but instead by extracting
information from other animals - has almost entirely focussed on information
transmission within species boundaries. This raises the question on
whether
animals do, or should, predominantly copy from conspecifics. While
genetic
information, by definition, might be transmitted only within species,
social
information might transcend species boundaries freely. Some animals
might be
relatively flexible in what other animals they copy, and subsequently
evaluate the usefulness of the copied behaviour, or the usefulness
of the
particular model in general. In fact, where resources as shared (e.g.
flowers between generalist pollinators) or where generalist predators
lurk
(e.g. crocodiles in a river), picking up information from heterospecifics
may be just as valuable as from members of the same species. This
raises the
question of whether conspecifics are indeed a unique entity in social
learning, or whether animals might simply learn to pick any environmental
cue that facilitates identifying salient conditions in the environment.
In
this project, we will study these questions using bumblebee pollinators.
3. How fast should colour vision be? An electrophysiological study
of the
early visual system
Metabolic costs are a major constraint on brain design. How much
should be
invested in brain specifications? Consider colour vision. Colour entails
wavelength sensitivity, which in turn requires comparisons of signals
from
photoreceptors with differing spectral sensitivities. However, much
of the
basic business of vision (form and motion perception) is colour-blind,
relying on the input from a single spectral class of photoreceptor
(or
pooled inputs from similar classes). To a considerable extent, chromatic
and
achromatic information are processed in parallel and the chromatic
channel
is slower. Since fast temporal processing is metabolically expensive,
the
question arises of how the early visual system might be optimized
to
economize on temporal processing in colour vision.
There are well established links between visual ecology and photoreceptor
processing speed. At low light levels signaling is slower, because
photoreceptors have to integrate over time. More importantly, even
if
absolute light levels are not the limiting factor, high temporal precision
is neurally expensive. Fast ionic membrane conductances are needed,
which in
turn requires more active transport to maintain ionic concentration
gradients. However, although differences in photoreceptor frequency
responses are well documented between species, there is much less
information available for within-species comparisons of photoreceptors
from
different spectral classes.
In both bees and humans, photoreceptors with maximum sensitivity
in the mid-
to long-wave region of the visible spectrum provide a fast achromatic
signal, and a major function of photoreceptors with shorter-wave spectral
sensitivities is to add a chromaticity signal. Colour vision in honeybees
and bumblebees is well-modelled by spectral comparisons between UV,
blue and
green photoreceptors, but the temporal dynamics of photoreceptor responses
have not yet been studied. Nevertheless, behavioural data shows that
chromatic processing is slower. Are photoreceptors optimized for chromatic
and achromatic vision? This implies the requirement for high frequency
responses should be greatest in the long-wave (green) photoreceptors.
Preliminary data obtained in our lab from bumblebee photoreceptors
indicate
higher temporal resolution in green compared with UV photoreceptors.
The object is to compare time discrimination of different spectral
photoreceptors by means of intracellular recording from the bumblebee
retina. Can a photoreceptor discriminate signal intensity from duration?
At
very short timescales the answer is clearly no for any photoreceptor.
Response amplitude depends equally on flash duration or intensity
(Bloch's
law) so long as the duration is shorter than the photoreceptor integration
time. But there are various methods of describing and measuring integration
time, which complicates comparisons between studies. This project
will
directly compare photoreceptor frequency responses using white noise
analysis, which avoids possible confounds of other methods by directly
measuring contrast-gain as a function of frequency at various levels
of
adapting light. The techniques needed to do this are already established
in
our lab. The project will provide a thorough training in state-of-the-art
electrophysiological techniques, using intracellular recording and
single
electrode voltage clamp. Some understanding of signal processing theory
would be an advantage, but not essential.
Lars Chittka, PhD, MSc
Director, Research Centre for Psychology
Professor in Sensory & Behavioural Ecology
School of Biological & Chemical Sciences
Fogg Building
Queen Mary College
University of London
Mile End Road
London E1 4NS
UK
Email: l.chittka###qmul.ac.uk
Tel: +44 (0) 20 7882 7485
Fax: +44 (0) 20 8983 0973
Lab web page: http://chittkalab.sbcs.qmul.ac.uk/
Psychology Research Centre: http://psychology.sbcs.qmul.ac.uk
06-12
Postdoctoral position (2 years) in stream/riparian biodiversity and
ecosystem functioning
The Stream Ecology group, within the Department of Ecology and
Environmental Science, investigates patterns and processes in stream
environments, i.e. factors that drive stream biodiversity and the
importance of stream biodiversity for stream ecosystem processes.
The
majority of the research is performed on benthic organisms and on
leaf
litter decomposition.
The holder of the present position should carry out research on the
relationship between biodiversity and ecosystem functioning in the
aquatic-terrestrial interface, with focus on how movements of
nutrients across the ecosystem boundary may drive biodiversity and
thereby influence ecosystem functioning. Previous experience from
working with aquatic and terrestrial invertebrates, and with isotope
analyses, is an advantage, but not a prerequisite.
For more information, see:
http://www8.umu.se/umu/aktuellt/arkiv/lediga_tjanster/315-589-10.html
Sincerely,
Micael Jonsson
06-09
2 Doctoral positions (UNIVERSITÄT GÖTTINGEN)
The DFG-GK 1644 “Scaling Problems in Statistics” invites applications
for Two Doctoral Positions “Scale
dependence of insect community structure and trophic interactions
in
fragmented landscapes”
Rationale
Spatial processes play an important role in community and population
ecology, but mechanistic insights into
the underlying processes are lacking. In particular, the data
collected so far do not allow explicit spatial modelling
approaches, spatial interpolation, or the incorporation of spatial
dependencies. In addition, data on
dispersal rates, plant-pollinator and herbivore-predator interactions
as well as on the relative role of habitat area,
fragmentation, and landscape matrix are lacking so far (see
www.agroecology.uni-goettingen.de and e.g.
Tscharntke et al. 2005, Ecology Letters 8: 857-874). The Research
Training Group 1644 on "Scaling Problems
in Statistics", funded by the German Science Foundation (DFG),
offers
two PhD Position in Agroecology.
The highly interdisciplinary Research Training Group aims at the
solution of current questions in agroecology,
landscape ecology and spatial statistics and includes joint
multidisciplinary supervision and a study program
consisting of methodologically oriented lectures and interdisciplinary
research seminars. For more information,
please visit the website http://www.uni-goettingen.de/en/156579.html.
Salary and conditions
The position will start October 1, 2010, and is awarded for up to
3
years. The salary is around 1500 € net income
per month (75% E13 TV-L). The University of Göttingen actively seeks
to foster career opportunities
for female scholars and therefore strongly encourages qualified women
to apply. Candidates with disabilities
who are equally qualified for the position will receive special
consideration. The doctoral thesis will be done as
a series of English manuscripts.
Requirements
MSc or Diploma degree in ecology (biology, agriculture or related
disciplines). Knowledge in spatial statistics
and plant-insect interactions is desirable.
Applications
Application deadline: June 30th, 2010. Applications must be uploaded
to the online form located at
http://zfs.uni-goettingen.de/sps by June 30th, 2010. Full contact
and
application information can be found
within the portal link. The interviews are intended to take place
12
and 13 July, 2010. For more information
please contact Dr. Christoph Scherber
(Christoph.Scherber###agr.uni-goettingen.de) and Prof. Teja Tscharntke
(ttschar###gwdg.de).
06-05
A PhD and a PostDoc position are available at the Biodiversity and
Climate
Research Centre (BiK-F) in Frankfurt/Germany. BiK-F is a new
interdisciplinary institute with the mission to carry out internationally
outstanding research on the interactions of biodiversity and climate
change. It provides a dynamic research environment that integrates
a
variety of disciplines from both natural and social sciences. The
Project
Area E “Data and Modelling Centre” invites applications for
1 PostDoc position (Ref. #E16)
1 PhD position (Ref. #E18)
“Modelling of the terrestrial biosphere”
Candidates are expected to further develop ecosystem and terrestrial
biosphere models, with a particular focus upon interactions between
climate, ecosystems and biodiversity. Envisioned key development areas
include interactions between herbivores and ecosystems, climate impacts
on
forests, and an improved representation of functional diversity within
Dynamic Global Vegetation Models (DGVMs).
The applicant should hold a master/diploma or PhD degree in Biology,
Geography, Geoecology, Physics, Forestry, Earth System Science,
Environmental Science or similar. He/she needs to have expertise in
numerical modelling and computer programming, and an interest to work
in
interdisciplinary teams. Expertise in Linux system administration,
shell
programming and C++ are an advantage. Very good written and oral English
language skills are required. Applicants for the PostDoc positions
should
have published in international, peer-reviewed journals.
The Research Centre BiK-F advocates gender equality. Women are therefore
strongly encouraged to apply. Equally qualified severely handicapped
applicants will be given preference.
Salary and benefits are according to public service positions in
Germany
(TV-H E 13 for PostDoc positions and TV-H E 13 50% for PhD positions).
The contract shall start as soon as possible and will initially be
restricted to three years. An extension of an additional three years
is
possible being subject to personal performance and availability of
funds.
The duty station will be Frankfurt am Main, Germany.
Please, send applications by mail or e-mail, mentioning the reference
of
this position (#E16 or #E18), and including a cover letter describing
the
applicant’s motivation to apply, a detailed CV, two references, a
copy of
your thesis and a list of publications, until June 20th, 2010 to
Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. V. Mosbrugger, Scientific Coordinator Biodiversity
and
Climate Research Centre, Senckenberganlage 25, D-60325 Frankfurt am
Main,
Germany. E-mail to Service and Finances: recruiting###senckenberg.de.
For scientific enquiries please write to Prof. T. Hickler (e-mail:
thomas.hickler###senckenberg.de).
Further information: http://www.bik-f.de (click “en” in upper right
corner
for English version)
06-05
itle of the PhD study (maximum of 150 characters including space):
Effects of extreme precipitation events on biodiversity and the
capacity to retain and delay water in natural ecosystems
Objectives, motivation and skills of the applicant for the PhD study
+
contact person (maximum 10 lines of text)
In order to quantify the role of natural ecosystems in retaining
water
and waterborne nutrients and particles in solution or suspended from
being discharged directly into the waterways after extreme
precipitation events we need to i) understand the effect of extreme
precipitation events on the biodiversity and ecosystem functioning
of
natural ecosystems; and ii) to measure the capacity of different
natural ecosystems to retain and delay water flows and waterborne
matters; iii) understand the interaction between carbon built up and
water retention capacity. During the three year training period the
PhD student is expected to plan and conduct experiments in natural
ecosystems, and to work with large data sets and apply relevant
ecological models on the data.
Contact person: Prof. Christian Damgaard, e-mail: cfd###dmu.dk
Professor Christian Damgaard
Department of Terrestrial Ecology, NERI (DMU), University of Aarhus
Vejlsoevej 25, 8600 Silkeborg, Denmark
Email: cfd###dmu.dk
Phone: +45 89201598
Fax: +45 89201414
"http://www.dmu.dk/International/AboutNERI/Departments/TerrestrialEcology/Christian+Damgaard/"
05- 25
vacancy for teaching assistent/phd student at Ghent University
We have currently an open job position in our research group. Given
the short time for candidates to apply (June 11th at latest), i would
be gratefull if you could pass the message to potentially interested
candidates.
http://www.ugent.be/nl/nieuwsagenda/vacatures/aap
05-13
Two Post-Doctoral research positions.
Climate Change, Forest diversity and Changes of productivity in the
Alps: an
analysis of tree growth and mortality responses.
Laboratory: Cemagref – Grenoble (France). Mountain Ecosystem Research
Unit
Description:
These two positions are part of the EU FP7 project BACCARA (Biodiversity
And
Climate Change: A Risk Analysis). The goal of this project is to evaluate
risks of European forest biodiversity and productivity loss under
climate
change focussing on forest trees and associated species (mainly insects
and
pathogens). In this project our team focuses on the relations between
climate, tree demography, tree functional diversity and productivity
in the
Alps. We participate both to the observational/experimental and to
the
modelling effort in this project.
The objective of these post-doc projects are to assess the risk of
change
in productivity and mortality due to climate changes in mountain forests.
More specifically the goal is to rate the risks of dysfunction (loss
of
forest cover) and loss of productivity due to the effects of climate
change
in forest of different functional and phylogenetic compositions. The
project
will be organised around the diversity-stability paradigm. Adapted
to our
context, this paradigm states that more diverse communities should
experience less risks of dysfunction and loss of productivity due
to climate
change. Functional diversity will be analysed based on traits related
to
climate stress tolerance (for instance a low tolerance of water stress),
but
we will also consider traits related to competitive ability (for instance
shade tolerance). We consider that tree-tree interactions are keys
to
understand the response of forest communities to global change. Our
approach
will be based both on a retrospective analysis of National Forest
Inventory
(NFI) data covering a 50 years period and the development of an individual
based model of growth and mortality. The model will be used to forecast
future change in tree growth and mortality based on climate scenarios.
We
will make use of recent advance in Hierarchical Bayesian statistic
to
analyse this large data set. We have developed non manipulative methods
to
analyse tree growth and mortality response to tree-tree interaction
and to
climate effects. These growth and mortality model will be used to
forecast
changes of stand productivity and mortality of virtual communities
of
varying functional composition.
These two post-doctoral fellowships are proposed in the
Mountain Ecosystem
Research Unit, Cemagref Grenoble. The unit studies mountain forest
and
grassland ecosystems of the Alps, to develop basis for their sound
and
sustainable management. We develop a multifunctional approach of forest
ecosystem services with special focus on forest diversity and protection
efficiency against natural hazards. The work of the team is based
on Samsara
a simulation model in the simulation software Capsis, which used to
train
forest managers.
Education: Required qualifications include a PhD degree in the fields
of
ecology, forestry, environmental science or related field. Preference
will
be given to candidates who have experience in R statistical software,
modelling, or Hierarchical Bayesian statistics.
Conditions:
Work will be located in Cemagref in Saint-Martin-d’Heres near Grenoble.
Gross salary will be of 2200 €/month.
Duration of appointment 19 months for one position and 14 months for
the
second position. To start as soon as possible .
Contact:
Applicants should send a cover letter summarizing their research background,
suitability and interest in the position, a CV including a publication
list,
and contact information for two referees (everything as one PDF document)
no
later than 18 June 2010 by e-mail using the keyword "Post-doc
position" to
Dr. Georges Kunstler & Dr. Benoît Courbaud (georges.kunstler###cemagref.fr,
benoit.courbaud###cemagref.fr), Research Unit Mountain Ecosystems, Cemagref
de
Grenoble, 2, rue de la Papeterie - BP 76, F-38402 Saint-Martin-d'Heres
cedex
(France), Tel : +33 4 76 76 27 61.
05-13
PhD offer from Oslo University, Norway. Incase interested or please
pass it around
zooplankton
http://uio.easycruit.com/vacancy/401579/64322?iso=no
eelgrass (seagrass)
http://uio.easycruit.com/vacancy/403148/64322?iso=no
population biology
http://uio.easycruit.com/vacancy/401622/64322?iso=no
for all available offer
http://www.admin.uio.no/opa/ledige-stillinger/vitenskapelige.htm
05-05
Summary of posts
A 5-year European Research Council grant "The evolution of mechanisms
that control behaviour" (principal investigator: A I Houston)
provides
funding for 3 postdoctoral researchers. The project involves working
with Prof Alasdair Houston (Biological Sciences) and Prof John
McNamara (Maths) to develop mathematical models of the evolution of
decision-making mechanisms.
Research Fellow (ref. 15406)
Research: The Research Fellow will implement his/her own subprojects.
He/she will interact with the collaborators, spending time at their
institutions and will take the initiative in writing papers.
Administration: Oversee the day to day running of the project and
help
to organise workshops.
Details can be found at
http://www.bris.ac.uk/boris/jobs/feeds/ads?ID=86628
Research Assistants (two posts) (ref. 15405)
Research: The RAs will implement their own subprojects. They will
be
responsible for getting results, relating results to empirical data
and checking that the results are robust.
Administration: Help to organise workshops.
Details can be found at
http://www.bris.ac.uk/boris/jobs/feeds/ads?ID=86630
04-15
1) 4 POSTDOCTORAL POSITIONS: ANT BEHAVIOUR - GENOMICS - BIOINFORMATICS,
LAUSANNE, SWITZERLAND
University of Lausanne, Department of Ecology and Evolution
We are looking for postdocs to work on three lines of research:
1. Ant behaviour. The idea is to study the dynamics of division of
labour
with a new system based on fiducial identification labels and video
tracking. This system which automatically follow all the individuals
in a
colony will allow the first quantitative studies of behaviour.
2. Artificial evolution with robots. We want to study how the level
of
cooperation within colonies, the reliability of communication systems
and
division of labour have been shaped by within-colony relatedness and
other
social factors
3. Ant genomics. We are currently sequencing the fire ant genome
and are
looking for bioinformaticians and molecular biologists interested
in making
use of this genome to address questions related to social behaviour.
These positions will be funded by an ERC-funded grant and the Swiss
NSF.
Other topics of research on social behaviour are also possible if
they fit
the research interests of our group:
http://www.unil.ch/dee/page7717.html
The Department of Ecology and Evolution is a well-funded and vibrant
research institution, with superb facilities.
http://www.unil.ch/dee/page5090_en.html
Inquiries and applications can be sent to laurent.keller###unil.ch.
Applications should comprise a CV, a list of publications, 1 page
describing
why you are interested in joining our group and contact information
for
three referees. Only applications with all these informations will
be
considered.
Laurent Keller
Department of Ecology and Evolution
Biophore
University of Lausanne
1015 Lausanne
Switzerland
----------
2) PHD POSITION IN ANT POPULATION GENOMICS, LAUSANNE, SWITZERLAND
University of Lausanne, Department of Ecology and Evolution
We are looking for a highly motivated student to work on the population
genomics of the fire ant Solenopsis invicta. The work will include,
collection of samples in South American ad the US, use of a microarray
that
we developed in our laboratory and computational analyses of the data.
The position is for 3 years - Gross salary follows the Swiss NSF
scale and
is around CHF 40,000.- per year.
Our group (http://www.unil.ch/dee/page7717.html) is part of the Department
of Ecology and Evolution, a well-funded and vibrant research institution,
with superb facilities.
Inquiries and applications can be sent to laurent.keller###unil.ch.
Applications should comprise a CV, a list of publications, 1 page
describing
why you are interested in joining our group and contact information
for
three referees. Only applications with all these informations will
be
considered.
Laurent Keller
Department of Ecology and Evolution
Biophore
University of Lausanne
1015 Lausanne
Switzerland