Dear Listers,
Eight PhD positions will be available at the Leibniz Center for Tropical Marine Ecology (ZMT) in Bremen/Germany beginning this year. Please find below the details for each position and contact details. A first tentative deadline for applications is March 15. Please feel free to distribute to interested parties. Best regards Sebastian Ferse The Leibniz Center for Tropical Marine Ecology GmbH (Leibniz-ZMT GmbH; www.zmt-bremen.de) in Bremen is a member of the Leibniz Association, which is supported by the German Federal and State Governments. Through its research, Leibniz-ZMT GmbH contributes to developing science-based strategies for sustainable use of tropical coastal ecosystems such as mangroves, coral reefs, sea grass meadows as well as rivers, estuaries and the adjacent coastal waters. It addresses issues related to the functioning of these habitats, their interactions with the hinterland and the open ocean as well as their response to anthropogenic interventions and climate change. To cover the entire complexity of interactions between humans and the environment, the ZMT conducts research with an interdisciplinary approach which includes both natural science and social science working groups. Leibniz-ZMT GmbH currently offers 8 PhD positions within different projects and disciplines: Effects of environmental change (nutrification, acidification) on calcareous green algae The PhD student position will be part of the working group at ZMT focusing on the effects of environmental change (nutrification, acidification) on carbonate secreting communities. The PhD project will focus on calcareous green algae in various modern tropical environments. We are looking for a student with a background in carbonate sedimentology and/or marine botany. Requirements - MSc or equivalent degree in geology or biology - basic analytical skills in carbonate sedimentology Contact: for questions Prof. Hildegard Westphal: [email protected]; applications should be sent to [email protected] Movement patterns and habitat use of tropical estuarine crabs Estuarine swimming crabs (Portunidae) are commercially important species in many tropical countries. Knowledge on their resource use, their dependency on different habitats and dial/tidal/seasonal as well as ontogenetic movements is necessary for understanding the ecological role of these crabs and for reaching sustainability of their exploitation. The successful applicant will perform direct observations of feeding and reproductive behaviour, conduct stomach content analyses, CN and isotope analyses, and will have the chance to investigate the movement of crabs with telemetry/t-tags. Requirements - Biologist/Marine Biologist with field work experience - Experience working with Decapods and with GIS is desirable - The candidate will spend several months in a tropical country (Brazil or Indonesia) Contact: Dr. Inga Nordhaus: [email protected] Project number: 1.2.1 Earliest starting date: May 1st, 2011 Patters of fish habitat use in tidal mangroves of different landscape complexity We are seeking an excellent candidate to investigate the movements and habitat use of fish in simple and complex mangrove landscapes using the four-eyed fish Anableps anableps as a model organism. The fish will be studied in the field using mark-recapture, Radio Frequency Identification (RFID), and visual censuses. RFID antenna systems for continuous monitoring of movements of tagged individuals will be installed in simple and complex mangrove creek networks. This study will be undertaken within the Biology/Ecology Group of the ZMT under the supervision of Prof. Dr. Ulrich Saint-Paul and Dr. Uwe Krumme, and in cooperation with the Universidade Federal do Pará (Brazil). Places of work are Bremen, Germany, and Bragança, Pará, Brazil. Requirements - Master or Diploma degree in Ecology, Biology or any related field - Besides English (writing), Portuguese or good Spanish (speaking) is mandatory - good physical constitution and intercultural skills are welcome - experience in electronics, good knowledge of statistical methods, and interest in individual-based modelling (IBM) Contact: Dr. Uwe Krumme: [email protected] Project number: 1.2.4 Physiological and ontogenetic responses of tropical benthic calcifiers towards changing environments Marine flora and fauna are facing ocean acidification, rising water temperatures and other stressors, particularly in tidal and estuarine environments. The aim of the project is to understand how selected tropical calcifying species from different phyla (coralline algae, coral, crustacean, mollusc) respond to single and combined effects of abiotic stressors in their environment. The study will focus on physiological (e.g. photosynthesis, respiration and calcification) and ontogenetic (e.g. development, growth and survival) responses of organisms and their critical tolerance levels to multiple stressors. Requirements - ecophysiological background with experience in performing lab experiments with marine organisms and sound practical skills regarding their cultivation - willingness to conduct research in the tropics, making previous field experience desirable Contact: Dr. Andreas Kunzmann: [email protected] Project number: 1.4.1 Institutions for Sustainable Coastal and Marine Social-Ecological Systems Formal and informal institutions that regulate human-nature relations in coastal areas range from informal norms to universally applied legal constructs. The recent focus on MPA networks at large geographical scales (e.g. CTI, LMMAs) poses new institutional challenges. The candidate will conduct a comparative institutional analysis of coastal and marine area protection case studies and will research into approaches for upscaling effective institutional solutions to coastal and marine area protection at ecologically relevant scales. The geographical focus of the post should be on one or several focal regions of the ZMT. Requirements Successful applicants will have a strong background in one or more of the following areas of expertise: sociology, maritime anthropology, maritime law, political sciences, coastal and marine management, marine and coastal governance. Contact: PD Dr. Marion Glaser: [email protected] Project number: 1.5.1 Biodiversity and Mangrove Ecosystem Functioning Mangrove forests are destroyed at an alarming rate. Fragmentation, pollution, overfishing and climate change may result in declining floral and faunal biodiversity. How species losses affect the functioning of mangrove ecosystems will be investigated by experimental long-term exclusion of dominant crab and mollusc species. The successful applicant will measure a wide range of parameters, e.g. changes in primary productivity, leaf retention, sediment physico-chemistry, overall benthic diversity and biomass. He/she will have the opportunity to conduct comparative field experiments in a species-poor Brazilian and a species-rich SE-Asian mangrove. Requirements - excellent Biologist/Marine Biologist with field work experience - eagerness to work for several months in the tropics - Knowledge on mangrove ecology and invertebrates is desirable Contact: Dr. Karen Diele: [email protected] Project number: 2.1.5 Earliest starting date: May 1st, 2011 Ecological Modelling The candidate will contribute to the analysis of phase shifts and resilience in coral-reef systems. The focus will be on the representation of trophic interactions as well as spatial connectivity of fish between adjoining habitats. It is expected that the candidate develops software modules as well as conducts field work on Zanzibar/Tanzania to parameterize the model. Requirements - Master's or Diploma degree in Ecology or related fields and experience in ecological modelling - Strong interest in spatial explicit modelling methods such as individual/agent-based modelling. Knowledge of Java is an asset. - Familiarity with reef-ecological field work and the fish community of the Western Indian Ocean - Good skills in English are essential; Swahili would be helpful in the field. Contact: PD Dr. Hauke Reuter: [email protected] Project number: 2.2.2 Innovation for sustainable coastal livelihoods Under conditions of a changing socio-ecological environment, the capacity for adaptation and innovation is imperative for sustaining the wellbeing of coastal communities and their natural environment. The candidate will research into the innovation potentials of coastal communities with regard to sustainable livelihoods and marine and coastal management outcomes. Research will go beyond classical livelihood analysis and address the roots and drivers of local innovation processes. The geographical focus of the post should be on one or several focal regions of the ZMT. Requirements Successful applicants will have a strong background in one or more of the following areas of expertise: sociology, maritime anthropology, sustainability sciences, coastal and marine management, community-based natural resource management, sustainable livelihoods analysis. Contact: PD Dr. Marion Glaser: [email protected] Project number: 2.5.1 ZMT is an equal opportunity employer. Disabled persons with comparable qualification receive preferential status. Applicants of any nationality are eligible to apply for this position. Applicants should hold a Master or Diploma degree as specified above. We seek excellent and highly motivated candidates with team spirit and interest in multidisciplinary research. Proficiency in English is mandatory in all projects. All positions are for a 3-year period. Salary will be according to the German TV-L E13 (50%). The call is open until filled with an initial application review date of March 15th, 2011. Applications should include a short outline of research interests and experience, two letters of reference, and a complete CV by email in a single pdf-file to the respective contact person. For financial reasons we cannot refund travel expenses. Leibniz-Zentrum für Marine Tropenökologie GmbH Fahrenheitstrasse 6 28359 Bremen Germany Homepage: www.zmt-bremen.de _________________________ Dr. Sebastian Ferse Leibniz-Zentrum für Marine Tropenökologie (ZMT) GmbH Leibniz Center for Tropical Marine Ecology Fahrenheitstrasse 6 D-28359 Bremen Germany Phone: +49-421-238 00 28 Fax: +49-421-238 00 30 Mobile: +49-1577-237 9259 e-mail: [email protected] ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------- Leibniz-Zentrum für Marine Tropenökologie (ZMT) GmbH Fahrenheitstraße 6 28359 Bremen Deutschland Tel. +49(0)421 238 00-0 Fax +49(0)421 238 00-30 www.zmt-bremen.de <file:///C:\Dokumente%20und%20Einstellungen\Sebastian\Anwendungsdaten\Micros oft\Signatures\www.zmt-bremen.de> Sitz der Gesellschaft: Bremen Registergericht: Amtsgericht Bremen Handelsregister Nr. HRB 25746 HB Steuer-Nr. 71/607/12036 USt.-IdNr. DE 266278207 Vorsitzender des Aufsichtsrates: Dr. Walter Dörhage Geschäftsführerin: Prof. Dr. Hildegard Westphal
