MS Assistantship in Plant Physiological Ecology Ecotypic variation of Big Bluestem along a precipitation gradient, testing for local adaptation in response to drought
Fort Hays State University, Department of Biology We have a position available for a MS student to study plant physiological ecology of drought stress. The project will include studies of the responses of natural prairie ecosystems to variation in precipitation using the ecologically dominant prairie grass big bluestem (Andropogon gerardii) as a model. The work will be part of a project funded by the USDA Plant Biology Abiotic Stress program. The project will include common garden reciprocal transplant experiments and phenotypic characterization to test for the adaptive differentiation of natural populations of big bluestem across the precipitation gradient from southern Illinois to Colby, Kansas. Relevant measurements will include tiller density and height, flowering time/success, leaf mass area, gas exchange, chlorophyll fluorescence, and plant and soil water potential. There is also opportunity for the student to develop other measurements and hypotheses within the field treatments. This student will also interface with others in the collaborative project that are investigating the functional genetic variation and expression in big bluestem ecotypes and identifying genes that are responsive to drought. There will also be opportunities to interact with other researchers in the context of the Kansas State University Ecological Genomics Institute (www.ksu.edu/ecogen). The student will be co-advised by Brian Maricle (brmari...@fhsu.edu) Biology, Fort Hays State University, Hays KS and (http://www.fhsu.edu/biology/brmaricle/) and Keith Harmoney at the KSU Agricultural Research Center, Hays, KS (kharm...@ksu.edu) and will work as part of a larger collaborative team with Loretta Johnson (KSU; http://www.k- state.edu/johnsonlab/), Ted Morgan (KSU; http://www.k- state.edu/morganlab/Morganlab/lab.html), Sara Baer (Southern Illinois University; http://www.plantbiology.siu.edu/Faculty/Baer/index.html), Karen Garrett (www.ksu.edu/pdecology) and Eduard Ahkunov (KSU; eakhu...@ksu.edu). Applicants should have a demonstrated interest in plant physiological ecology and/or ecological genomics. Preference will be given to students who have experience or demonstrated potential in these areas. Review of applicants will begin in December 2008, and continue until the successful applicant is identified. Applications should include a cover letter with a statement of research interests and timing of availability, a CV, and names and contact information for three professional references. Please send your application through e-mail to brmari...@fhsu.edu. To ensure that your application is received, please include the following in the subject of your e-mail: ‘Application for Ecotype Assistantship’. The starting date is flexible. Applicants who can begin on the project by June 2009 will be given preference. The position offers competitive salary and benefits.
