Dear all: This is a second posting of information regarding funded graduate =20 assistantships available for the study of boreal watersheds and the =20 impact of environmental change. Please encourage anyone you may know =20=
that may be interested to contact me before March 1st, 2007. Thanks again, Sue Susan Ziegler Department of Earth Sciences Memorial University of Newfoundland St. John's, NL A1B 3X5 709.737.2669 [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.mun.ca/earthsciences/Ziegler/Main.php Graduate Opportunities in Boreal Watershed Biogeochemistry Ph.D. and M.Sc. graduate assistantships are available at Memorial =20 University in St. John=92s, Newfoundland, Canada to study the effects =20= of environmental change on the biogeochemistry in boreal watersheds. =20 The impact of environmental change on dissolved organic matter (DOM) =20 cycling within the continuum from streams to coastal marine =20 ecosystems is the focus of a Canada Research Chair funded program. Microorganisms drive aquatic biogeochemical processes, therefore =20 their function and how they are altered by environmental perturbation =20= is paramount to our understanding of the interactions between the =20 physical, chemical and biological parameters that affect aquatic =20 ecosystem function. Dissolved organic matter is a critical component =20= of the global carbon cycle and represents the largest active =20 reservoir of organic matter in the aquatic environment. Integrating =20 energy from both terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems, DOM fuels the =20 microbial activity central to ecosystem function. A major goal of our =20= research group is to understand the impact of nutrient enrichment, =20 elevated temperatures, and changes in land use activities on =20 watershed dissolved organic carbon and nitrogen cycling. The research =20= group is focused on two main questions: (1) How is DOM cycling =20 impacted by environmental change in boreal watersheds?; and (2) How =20 can changes in DOM cycling within boreal watersheds impact coastal =20 biogeochemistry? Students joining the group will have the opportunity =20= to use stable isotope tracers and the analysis of the isotopic =20 composition of biomarkers to study the flow of carbon, nitrogen and =20 sulfur in aquatic ecosystems. The precise research undertaken by =20 individual students will depend upon their strengths and interests =20 and may include, but are not limited to investigations of: (1) sulfur =20= isotope composition of DOM in boreal watersheds, (2) DOM =20 bioreactivity and photoreactivity along a continuum from boreal =20 streams to coastal ecosystems, and (3) The impact of environmental =20 change on microbial biofilm structure and function in boreal streams. Those interested are strongly encouraged to contact Susan Ziegler by =20 March 1st, 2007 directly to discuss possible opportunities. Dr. Susan Ziegler Canada Research Chair in Environmental Science Department of Earth Sciences Memorial University of Newfoundland St. John=92s, Newfoundland A1B 3X5 Canada 709-737-2669 [EMAIL PROTECTED] www.mun.ca/earthsciences/Ziegler/Main.php www.mun.ca/earthsciences/about/ Depending upon strengths and interests students may pursue a graduate =20= degree in Earth Sciences or Environmental Sciences. Links to these =20 programs are: www.mun.ca/sgs/prog_study/easc.php and www.mun.ca/sgs/=20 prog_study/environmental.php Memorial University is the largest university in Atlantic Canada. As =20 the province=92s only university, Memorial plays an integral role in =20 the educational life of Newfoundland and Labrador. Offering a diverse =20= set of undergraduate and graduate programs to almost 18,000 students, =20= Memorial provides a distinctive and stimulating environment for =20 learning in St. John=92s (http://www.stjohns.ca/index.jsp), a very =20 safe, friendly city with great historical charm, a vibrant cultural =20 life, and easy access to a wide range of outdoor activities.
