Impacts of climate on vegetation survival and mortality. Postdoctoral fellowship: We are seeking a motivated individual interested in employing either empirical or process modeling approaches to investigate mechanisms of vegetation survival and mortality during drought. The DOE-Program for Ecosystem Research (http://per.ornl.gov/) funded position is within the Terrestrial Processes group at Los Alamos National Laboratory’s Earth and Environmental Sciences Division (http://www.ees.lanl.gov/). This position is part of a multi-disciplinary and multi-institution, ~8 year project utilizing replicated, ecosystem- scale manipulations of precipitation (+ and -) in a piñon-juniper woodland at the Sevilleta Long Term Ecological Research site. As of 2009 the treatments are in their second year and micromet, water use, and carbon balance measurements are in their third year. We utilize field, laboratory and model-based techniques on plant water relations, carbon balance and stable isotopes. Candidates with interests in any of the above research foci are invited to apply. Results from this work will be of value to fundamental understanding of plant biology and climate as well as for application to climate change simulations.
Required skills include strengths in any of the above-mentioned research foci with a demonstrated ability to publish peer-reviewed papers; effective written and oral communication skills; willingness to work in a team environment; and a Ph.D. pending or received within the last five years. Desired skills may include experience with process modeling; measuring plant hydraulics, gas exchange, carbohydrates, or stable isotopes; willingness to work in the field and a broader knowledge of physiological or ecosystem ecology. Candidates may be considered for the prestigious Director's, Oppenheimer, Feynman or Reines Fellowships. For more information please see the project webpage (http://per.ornl.gov/McDowell.html) or contact Nate McDowell (mcdow...@lanl.gov, http://climateresearch.lanl.gov/) and Will Pockman (pock...@unm.edu, http://www.unm.edu/~pockman/). To be considered for the position please send a resume and a very short statement of your future research goals to Dr.’s McDowell and Pockman.
