New Zealand PhD Fellowship Available - Effects of weed biocontrol of
Saint John's Wort on native Hypercium species
We are seeking a PhD student to revisit New Zealand's successful
biological control programme against Hypericum perforatum (Saint John's
Wort), once one of New Zealand's top pasture weeds. This has been a
particularly successful biocontrol program in New Zealand, with early
accounts of hordes of defoliating Chrysolina hyperici beetles marching
across Saint John's Wort patches. The successful candidate will assess
the impacts this control has had on the native congener, H. gramineum.
It is expected that potential damage to native H. gramineum plants
would prevent the introduction of Chrysolina species (C. hyperici and
C. quadrigemina) into New Zealand under current biosecurity policies.
Would this have been a good thing for H. gramineum? We wish to assess
the direct and indirect ecological effects of Hypericum perforatum and
its biological control on H. gramineum populations. A combination of
field observations, field experiments, and lab experiments will assess
the importance of direct competition, apparent competition mediated by
Chrysolina, and direct herbivory by Chrysolina on the population
dynamics of H. gramineum, both at present and past densities of H.
perforatum and Chrysolina species. This case study will be used to
assess how current biological control risk analysis could be refined to
better assess the direct and indirect effects of successful and
unsuccessful biological control on native plants closely related to
weeds.
This study system offers a solid foundation for the study of direct and
apparent competition between invasive plants and related native plants.
We hope it will be able to improve the safety of future biological
control programmes against invasive plants, as well as add to our
understanding of impacts of invasive plants and insects on native
plants.
The PhD fellowship is available in the Bio-Protection and Ecology
Division of Lincoln University, New Zealand
(www.lincoln.ac.nz/section133.html). The successful applicant will work
under the supervision of Dr. Jon Sullivan (Lincoln University,
www.lincoln.ac.nz/story957.html) and Dr. Simon Fowler (Landcare
Research, www.landcareresearch.co.nz). The student should have a
background in and/or interest in plant/insect herbivore/parasitoid
interactions and in applying foodweb theory to invasion ecology. Past
experience with biological control would be useful but is not
essential. The research will involve the design, implementation and
interpretation of field and mesocosm experiments in New Zealand.
Duration: 3 years
Stipend: NZ$25,000 per annum (tax-free) plus tuition fees*
It is open to applicants from New Zealand and from overseas countries.
For further details, contact Jon Sullivan ([EMAIL PROTECTED]).
Applications close on Friday 31 August 2007.
* fees will be covered at the domestic student rate. This rate now
applies to both domestic students and international students from most
countries.
____________________________________________________
Jon Sullivan, Ph.D.
Lecturer
Bio-Protection and Ecology Division
P.O. Box 84
Lincoln University / Te Whare Wanaka O Aoraki
Lincoln 7647
New Zealand
office: Room 436a, Burns Wing, Lincoln University campus
Cnr Springs & Ellesmere Junction Roads
email: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
tel: (03) 325 3838 ext. 8147
fax: (03) 325 3844
for international calls and faxes, replace (03) with (643)
web: http://www.lincoln.ac.nz/story957.html
____________________________________________________
