M.S. Project Assessing the Importance of Cape Cod National Seashore to Staging Endangered Roseate Terns
Virginia Tech Department of Fish and Wildlife Conservation The goals of this collaborative project will be to assess 1) the importance of Cape Cod National Seashore to the fall staging population of the federally-endangered Roseate Tern (Sterna dougallii) and 2) the impacts of human activities on the Seashore on Roseate Tern adults and chicks during this staging period. This is a unique opportunity to work collaboratively with scientists from the National Park Service (which is the funding agency), MassAudubon, SUNY ESF, and USGS Patuxent Wildlife Research Center. We will also partner with and work closely with breeding colony managers and scientists from throughout the U.S. and Canadian range of this endangered species. We have several major objectives to this study. This advertisement is for a M.S. student to focus on one of the objectives related to the interactions of parents and hatch-year chicks. Specifically, we will work to quantify the time-activity budgets of hatch-year roseate terns on the fall staging grounds at Cape Cod National Seashore and we will assess the potential effects of human activities on the Seashore on the hatch-year birds and on the cohesiveness of parent-offspring groups. This advertisement is for a M.S. student for the Department of Fish and Wildlife Conservation at Virginia Tech. This student will be advised by Sarah Karpanty, but will also work closely with all partners described above, especially Kathy Parsons and Ellen Jedrey (MassAudubon), Jon Cohen (SUNY ESF), Jeff Spendelow (USGS) and Mary Hake (NPS). The student must also work collaboratively with roseate tern scientists and managers throughout the species’ range. Data collected will include, but is not limited to, tern behavior, tern and shorebird abundance, IDs of metal and plastic field-readable bands, survival, prey composition, human activities and habitat selection. A research and/or teaching assistantship at a competitive level will be provided during the field-work and thesis preparation. Expected duration of assistantship and project is 3 years. In addition to the individuals identified above, this student will join a collaborative group of waterbird biologists at Virginia Tech, including Drs. Jim Fraser and Dan Catlin. Synopses of similar projects can be found at http://fishwild.vt.edu/faculty/karpanty.htm, http://fishwild.vt.edu/faculty/fraser.htm , , http://fishwild.vt.edu/Catlin/index.html, and http://fishwild.vt.edu/vtshorebirds/index.html. This program would be excellent preparation for students wishing to work for a resource management agency or conservation NGO or in a research career in an academic or other setting. Duties: Complete study design in consultation with major professor (Sarah Karpanty) and co-investigators; collect behavioral, demographic and ecological data to test hypotheses and fit models; supervise technicians; operate trucks, boats, and ATVs; coordinate with the National Park Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, USGS, SUNY ESF, MassAudubon, the state biologists for Massachusetts and other partner states, Canadian Wildlife Service; analyze data, write reports and publish research results in refereed journals with advisor and other investigators. Fieldwork involves long, hot days, early mornings, and late nights. Incumbent will live at a field site for 4-5 months each year and may live in remote National Park Service housing during that time. This study will be conducted at Cape Cod National Seashore (http://www.nps.gov/caco/index.htm) . This will be an excellent project for someone wishing to make a research contribution to basic science and, simultaneously, to the design of avian conservation strategies. Start date for student is negotiable for Fall semester 2013 or Spring semester 2014, although Fall 2013 is preferred. Field work starts Summer 2014. Qualifications: B.S. in Wildlife Science, Ecology, Conservation Biology or closely allied field, with excellent grades, GRE scores and references. Ability to get along with cooperators and also with beachgoers, not all of whom love shorebirds and terns. Previous field experience required, preferably with birds. Experience with band reading, bird capture and handling preferred. Evidence of scientific writing skills (i.e. academic papers, publications, etc.) and a commitment to scientific publication. Coursework or experience with population and/or behavioral ecology desired. Willingness to work long hours in the hot sun in remote conditions. To apply: If you plan to apply, send a brief email immediately to Shannon Ritter ([email protected]) to let us know you plan to do so. To apply, email C.V., 1 page letter of application, degree titles, GPA for all degrees, GRE scores and percentiles, scanned unofficial transcripts, and names and contact information for 3 references, including at least one field supervisor and two academic references. Finalists will be asked to participate in a phone interview and then to apply to the Virginia Tech graduate school. Send information to Shannon Ritter ([email protected]). Candidate selection will begin immediately and will continue until position is filled. We recommend applying as quickly as possible.
