PhD student position at the University of Helsinki in PARASTOID METACOMMUNITY ECOLOGY
The student will research patterns of metacommunity structure and the mechanisms behind them using the community surrounding the Glanville fritillary butterfly (Melitaea cinxia) in the Åland islands, Finland. Example topics are (1) exploration of the prediction that food-chain length decreases with habitat fragmentation, (2) the landscape level effects of indirect interactions between butterflies and between parasitoids, and (3) the role of space in multitrophic level interactions. The work will have a field component and can have lab and/or mathematical components. The applicant must have a strong interest in population and community ecology and a Masters Degree or equivalent. For information about the research system see: http://www.helsinki.fi/science/metapop/metacom/research/metacom_structure.htm The successful applicant will be a PhD student in the Metacommunity Ecology Group, a subgroup of the Metapopulation Research Group, at the University of Helsinki (http://www.helsinki.fi/science/metapop/). We are a Centre of Excellence supported by the Academy of Finland. We have an international research environment with opportunities for mixing among ecologists, molecular biologists and mathematicians. The position is for completion of a PhD within four years, and includes a salary of about 2,300 /month plus social benefits. Please send your application or any enquiries to Saskya van Nouhuys ([email protected]). Your application should include a short CV, a one page explanation of your motivation and suitability for the project and the e-mail addresses of three researchers who can document that you are self-motivated and can do productive independent work. Consideration of applications will begin July 2009 and continue until the position is filled.
