Two fully-funded Ph.D. research assistantships in forest ecology are available at the University of Toronto. Both Ph.D. candidates will examine how hardwood forests should be managed to supply biomass for the production of clean energy in Ontario.
One of the candidates will focus on quantifying trade-offs between the supply of wood for energy and the supply of deadwood for wildlife habitat. In particular, the candidate will quantify the amount and value of wood products that can be recovered from whole-tree harvests (including all branches down to 4 cm diameter), and assess the impact of whole-tree harvesting on both coarse and fine woody debris. A second PhD student will focus on quantifying the impact of whole-tree harvesting for bioenergy production on soil nutrient cycling. In particular, the candidate will quantify changes in the availability of macro- and micronutrients, with the aim of assessing the long-term sustainability of whole-tree harvesting. Within this project, soil microbial communities responsible for nutrient supply through decomposition and subsequent transformations will be studied in part using new molecular ecology approaches. Qualifications: 1) sincere interest in both forest ecology and forestry, 2) ability to conduct field work in remote locations under challenging conditions, 3) strong quantitative skills, 4) strong laboratory skills (position #2), 4) valid drivers' licence (Canadian or US licence preferred), and 5) excellent oral and written communication skills in English. Strong applicants who wish to pursue a master's degree will also be considered. The research will be conducted in collaboration with John Caspersen (Faculty of Forestry), Nathan Basiliko (Department of Geography) and Trevor Jones (Ontario Forest Research Institute, OMNR). Applicants should send a letter of enquiry and curriculum vitae to John Caspersen ([EMAIL PROTECTED]) or Nathan Basiliko ([EMAIL PROTECTED] ). Qualified applicants will be asked to apply to the Faculty of Forestry or the Department of Geography. Applications will be reviewed beginning January 15th, but the positions will remain open until suitable candidates are selected.
