Within the Potsdam Graduate Initiative on Modelling the response of populations, species and communities to global change a grant for a Ph.D. student is available from now onwards to study the Propagation of variability patterns from individual populations to complex food webs based on an outstanding data set on long-term observations of plankton abundance with high taxonomical resolution and using advanced techniques for time-series analysis such as spectral and wavelet analysis. This Potsdam Graduate Initiative conducts interdisciplinary research and an education program which deals with different ecological and evolutionary aspects of the response of populations, species, and communities to global change and other anthropogenic impacts. The PhD projects combine recent developments in theoretical ecology as well as process-based and statistical ecological modelling to answer and is linked to our EU Programme FEMMES and other project on ecological modelling.
The project mentioned above is supervised by Prof. Dr. Ursula Gaedke (Ecology & Ecosystem Modelling, Institute for Biochemistry and Biology; http://www.bio.uni-potsdam.de/professuren/ oekosystemmodellierung), Prof. Dr. Jürgen Kurths (Nonlinear Dynamics, Institute for Physics; http://www.agnld.uni-potsdam.de/) and Dr. David Vasseur, Calgary, Canada. Variability patterns of natural populations and communities are of focal interest e.g. within the ongoing biodiversity-stability debate. Extending previous research (e.g. Vasseur et al. (2005, OIKOS), Huber & Gaedke (2006, OIKOS) and Vasseur & Gaedke (2007, Ecology), all papers are available upon request), we aim to study variability patterns at different temporal scales at the level of individual phyto- and zooplankton populations, how they are related to ecological characteristics of the species and trophic interactions within the food web, and how they propagate to the level of functional groups, communities and the entire food web. The mechanistic understanding is enhanced by relating these variability patterns in biomass to those of production which indicate the turn-over rates within the system. Applicants must have an above-average Masters degree or equivalent in Natural Sciences and a good background and interest in statistics and theoretical ecology. The willingness, both to do interdisciplinary research and to actively participate in the activities of the Potsdam Graduate School, is a prerequisite for the application. Applications, preferably in electronic form, should be send as soon as possible and should include a CV, copies of degree certificates, and possibly a letter of recommendation to Prof. Dr. Ursula Gaedke (email: [EMAIL PROTECTED]). For more specific information see also the web pages and the literature provided and/or contact us.
