Graduate student position in invasion ecology
University of Massachusetts - Amherst and University of California Bodega
Marine Laboratory and Reserve
We have two years of stipend and research support for a graduate student who
will be enrolled at the University of Massachusetts - Amherst and do his or
her thesis work on a USDA-funded project based at the University of
California Bodega Marine Laboratory and Reserve to test methods for
restoring native grassland along the coast of California north of San
Francisco. The position is designed for a Masters student but may be
suitable for a Ph.D. student.
The student must apply to and be accepted by either the Organismic and
Evolutionary Biology Graduate Program (www.bio.umass.edu/oeb) or the Plant
Biology Graduate Program (www.bio.umass.edu/plantbio) at the University of
Massachusetts.- Amherst for admission in Fall 2007. The student must be
available to begin field research at Bodega Marine Lab (www.bml.ucdavis.edu)
during the summer of 2007, from late May until mid-August. The student will
spend at least two full semesters in residence in Massachusetts to complete
course requirements and spend summers and other periods in residence in
California for field work.
The project builds on our recent findings that addition of carbon to
soil
and prevention of herbivory by native mammals can greatly increase the
abundance of native plant species in remnants of native grassland, and
increase the survival and growth of planted native grasses in grassland
already dominated by introduced grasses. The new research is designed to
produce methods that natural lands managers can use to restore grassland.
Field sites will include Point Reyes National Seashore and Sonoma Beach
State Parks, where we are collaborating with national and state parks staff.
Please contact Peter Alpert in the Biology Department at the University
of
Massachusetts at [EMAIL PROTECTED] to discuss applying. The deadline
for application is December 1 for Organismic and Evolutionary Biology and
January 7 for Plant Biology.
