PhD Studentship available at the University of Stirling "The extent and magnitude of negative density dependence among tropical rainforest trees"
In addition to harboring two-thirds of terrestrial biodiversity and half of terrestrial carbon, tropical forests provide a substantial fraction of global ecosystem services, including the provision of timber, fuel, oxygen and climate regulation. As anthropogenic threats to tropical forests continue to mount, there is increasing need for ecosystem management that can strike a balance between guarding against species extinctions and sustainably providing ecosystem services. Effective management, in turn, requires the ability to predict the dynamics of ecological communities into the future, even into potentially novel environmental conditions. Species diversity and coexistence are stabilized by an inverse relationship between population density and per-capita performance, measured as the vital rates of growth, survival recruitment and reproduction. As such, negative density dependence (NDD) has been a long-standing focus of ecological research. Many studies have quantified the magnitude of NDD at single ontogenetic stages. Even so, there is no synoptic understanding of the importance of NDD across the life-cycle of any tropical tree. The objective of this project is to determine the extent and magnitude of NDD for a representative set of neotropical rain-forest trees. The successful applicant will determine the degree to which each vital rate is affected by population density, and at which ontogenetic stages. Achieving this objective is key for predicting community dynamics, given the potent diversity-stabilizing effect of negative density dependence. The successful applicant will combine existing data on the vital rates of tropical rain forest trees with supplemental experimental and observational data. These data will be used to model each vital rate as a function of ontogeny and population density. As such, the ideal candidate will have skills (or interest) in both field-based ecology and statistical analysis. The project will be supervised by C. E. Timothy Paine, and will involve close collaboration with project partners in the UK and French Guiana. Depending on the applicantÂ’s skills and interests, the project may include extended periods of field-based research in the forests of French Guiana (South America). To apply, please send 1) a cover letter, 2) a curriculum vitae, 3) a copy of University grades, and 4) contact details for two academic referees as a single .pdf document to C. E. Timothy Paine ([email protected]) by February 1, 2013. The entry qualification is a First Class or Upper Second Class Honors degree and/or a relevant Masters degree in a biological or an environmental science (or equivalent qualifications gained outside the UK). Given the short duration of the PhD programs in the UK (3 years), preference will be given to applicants with previous research experience or a MSc degree. Experience in ecological fieldwork or statistical analysis, and fluency in French, would be assets. Your cover letter should clearly set out your suitability and motivation for this PhD, making reference to your past experience and achievements. Please email me if you have further questions about the studentship. Funding Note: The studentship is part of a competitive NERC-quota PhD studentship awarded to the Biological and Environmental Sciences department of the University of Stirling. The top candidate will be put forward for a final round of internal selection against candidates from other labs in the Department. The studentship will cover tuition fees and provide a stipend for UK/EU students. Overseas students are invited to apply, but must independently obtain financial support for all non-UK fees.
