Ph.D.-positions in Biodiversity Research
The Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) funds a large-scale grassland project The Jena Experiment (www.the-jena-experiment.de) on the relationship between Biodiversity and Ecosystem Functioning (Grant FOR 1451). On a 10ha field site in Jena, more than 470 grassland plots have been established where plant diversity is manipulated to measure the effect of diversity on multi-trophic interactions and nutrient cycling. The following Ph.D.-positions (TVL E13 65%) are available to work in the Jena Experiment: 2 PhD positions in Soil Animal Ecology (Göttingen, Jena) 1 PhD position in Community Ecology (Oldenburg) 1 Ph.D.-position in Vegetation Science and Digital Image Analysis (Leipzig) 1 Ph.D.-position in Pollination Ecology (Freiburg) 1 PhD position in Plant-Insect Interactions (Munich) A short description of the positions is given below and on the website of the Jena Experiment (www.the-jena-experiment.de). The project is an international collaborative research effort of 11 universities and research institutes in Germany, three universities in Switzerland, two in The Netherlands as well as universities and research institutes in Austria, France and Canada. All Ph.D.-students will benefit from an already existing experimental set up and the interaction with other PhDs and researchers in an international research team. The ability to speak and write German will be appreciated but is not indispensable for candidates fluent in English. Ph.D.-students will be based at the university advertising the position but all field work will be conducted in Jena, Germany. A full description of the project and more details about the positions can be found under: www.the-jena-experiment.de Selection of applicants starts 10. April 2013 and continues until positions are filled. Applications (motivation letter, CV including publication list if applicable, addresses of 2 references and/or reference letters), preferably by email as single PDF attachment with the subject PhD in the Jena Experiment, should be submitted to the contact person given below. 2 PhD positions in Soil Animal Ecology The Animal Ecology Group of the Georg August University Göttingen and the AbovegroundBelowground Interactions Group of the Friedrich Schiller University Jena offer two PhD positions to work on the project Interactions between plant diversity and soil invertebrates. The project explores the role of soil invertebrates for ecosystem functioning in grassland systems of different diversity. One PhD student (located in Göttingen) will investigate the long-term effects of plant diversity on soil organisms as well as the relevance of the bacterial and fungal decomposition channels in structuring soil food webs via fatty acid analyses. The second PhD (located in Jena) will study effects of plant trait diversity on soil microbial biomass, meso- and macrofauna. 13C pulse labeling and the analysis of root exudates in a complementary greenhouse experiment target at studying C flow in soil food webs and plant traits mediating underlying effects. The applicants should be trained in animal ecology and experimental ecology. Knowledge on soil ecology and soil invertebrates is advantageous. For more information on the working groups visit http://www.uni-goettingen.de/en/107728.html (Göttingen) and http://www.ecology.uni-jena.de/en/Multitrophic_Interactions_Info.html (Jena). 1 PhD position in Community Ecology At the Institute for Chemistry and Biology of the Marine Environment (ICBM) at the Carl-von-Ossietzky University Oldenburg, a PhD Student will work on the chemical composition of plants along the diversity gradient and the ecological stoichiometry of interactions between herbivores, pollinators and plants. The PhD student is expected to sample, measure and analyse plant and insect chemical composition and lead the scientific dissemination of the results. The collaborative project requires active participation in the establishment, conduction and sampling of the main experiment as well as in the common scientific activities, which requires recurring stays in Jena. We are searching for highly motivated candidates having an excellent diploma or master degree in biology, ecology, or environmental science. We expect a strong interest in general ecological questions and great enthusiasm for scientific work. Contact: Prof. Dr. Helmut Hillebrand, Carl-von-Ossietzky University Oldenburg, ICBM, Schleusenstrasse 1, 26382 Wilhelmshaven, Email [email protected] 1 Ph.D.-position in vegetation science and digital image analysis A PhD based at the department of Botany and Functional Biodiversity Research of the Institute of Biology at the University of Leipzig will focus on elucidating the role of phenological and architectural diversity and identity of plant species for ecosystem functioning in grasslands. The project will use a combination of fine-scale canopy inventories and digital photography (time-lapse and close range) to acquire high temporal and spatial resolution datasets in the trait-based experiment (TBE). The selected candidate should have an excellent Masters degree (or an equivalent) in a relevant field such as botany, ecology, biogeochemistry, geosciences or computer sciences. Experience in one or several of the fields of vegetation analysis, statistics, and image analysis is necessary. Good programming skills are indispensable. Good use of spoken and written English, ambition to publish in international journals as well as creativity, enthusiasm and endurance is expected. The project will be carried out in close collaboration with the groups of Prof. Nina Buchmann from ETH Zurich and Prof. Raphael Proulx form UQTR Troix-Rivieres, Canada. Geographical mobility is necessary and a driving license will be a plus. Contact: Prof. Christian Wirth, Universität Leipzig, Institut für Biologie, AG Spezielle Botanik und Funktionelle Biodiversität, Johannisallee 21-23, 04103 Leipzig. E-mail: [email protected] 1 Ph.D.-position in Pollination Ecology The new Chair of Nature Conservation and Landscape Ecology at the University of Freiburg invites applications for a PhD research position as part of the subproject Aboveground plant-insect interaction webs and associated processes along a plant diversity gradient lead by Prof. Dr. Alexandra-Maria Klein (University of Lüneburg until June 2013, afterwards University of Freiburg) and Dr. Christoph Scherber (University of Göttingen). The overall aim of the thesis is to better understand how plant species loss affects aboveground plant-insect interactions and the functioning of pollinators in grasslands. The methodological approaches will include pollination experiments, observations of flower-visiting insects to analyze plant-pollinator interactions networks and to link the pollinator networks to interaction networks of other aboveground and belowground organisms. Stoichiometric mismatches of pollinators when plant functional groups and species get lost will be studied by conducting chemical analyses to determine the quantity and ratios of different elements and of sugars and amino-acids in nectar and pollen. The experiments will be carried out in strong collaboration with other members and students of the research group. The position will be based at the University in Freiburg in the new Faculty of Environment and Natural Resources. For more information on the Nature Conservation and Landscape Ecology group (currently Ecosystem functioning group) visit http://www.leuphana.de/en/professorships/ecosystem-functions.html. Contact: Prof. Dr. Alexandra-Maria Klein, Institute of Ecology, Leuphana University of Lüneburg, Scharnhorststraße 1, 21335 Lüneburg Germany, phone: 0049-(0)4131-677-2960, fax: 0049-(0)4131-677-2949. 1 PhD position in plant-insect interactions (Munich) The Terrestrial Ecology Research Group of the Technische Universität München offers one PhD position to work on plant-insect interactions and the role of insects for ecosystem processes within the framework of The Jena-Experiment. The project explores how plant diversity affects communities of aboveground arthropods, in particular insects, and studies a number of processes affected by insects, e.g. herbivory. The student will be able to conduct long-term analyses based on own data and data collected in the previous years. Applicants should be trained in animal ecology and experimental ecology. Plant identification skills and experience in working with insects are desirable. Experience in field work and statistical analysis (e.g. R, mixed effect models, structural equation modeling) is a strong plus. It is expected that the student will spent most of the summer time in Jena (April to September) and the winter at TUM. Information on the research group of Wolfgang W. Weisser can be found under www.toek.wzw.tum.de. Contact: Prof. Dr. Wolfgang W. Weisser, Terrestrial Ecology Research Group, Department of Ecology and Ecosystem Management, Center for Food and Life Sciences Weihenstephan, Technische Universität München, Phone: 0049 8161 71 3495, Fax 0049 8161 71 4427. Applications and pre-application enquiries should be sent to [email protected]
