November 2014 Graduate Positions in Invasion Ecology - applications open Peter M. Kotanen Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology University of Toronto, Mississauga http://www.utm.utoronto.ca/~w3pkota/
I am looking for Ph.D. and M.Sc. students for investigations into the ecology of plants and their natural enemies (herbivores and pathogens) in Ontario and elsewhere. Recent work by my lab has centred on the effects of these enemies on non-native species. We have used field experiments and surveys to test whether alien plants experience reduced rates of insect and pathogen damage, as predicted by the Enemy Release Hypothesis, and whether damage depends upon phylogeny, latitude, population isolation, and other factors. Information on our research can be found at my home page (www.utm.utoronto.ca/~w3pkota). We are a thriving department at a leading research institution, with excellent resources and many opportunities for interaction and collaboration. All graduate students are guaranteed a stable minimum income, currently around $24,000 from a variety of sources, as well as support for research and conference travel; it also is welcome if you have your own fellowship support! Information on application procedures and our tri-campus graduate program can be found at http://www.eeb.utoronto.ca/grad.htm; applications for 2015 are now open, and we begin to review them on January 9. Interested students should first contact me via e-mail: [email protected]. Some recent publications Kambo, D. and P.M. Kotanen (2014) Latitudinal trends in herbivory and performance of an invasive species, common burdock (Arctium minus). Biological Invasions 16: 101-112. Dunn, A.M., M.E. Torchin, M.J. Hatcher, P.M. Kotanen, D.M. Blumenthal, J.E. Byers, C.A.C. Coon, V.M. Frankel, R.D. Holt, R.A. Hufbauer, A.R. Kanarek, K.A. Schierenbeck, L.M. Wolfe, and S. E. Perkins (2012) Indirect effects of parasites on invasions. Functional Ecology 26: 1262-1274. Hill S.B. and P.M. Kotanen (2011) Phylogenetic structure predicts capitular damage to Asteraceae better than origin or phylogenetic distance to natives. Oecologia 166: 843-851. MacDonald A.A.M. & P.M. Kotanen (2010) The effects of disturbance and enemy exclusion on performance of an invasive species, common ragweed, in its native range. Oecologia 162: 977-986. Peter M. Kotanen Dept. of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology University of Toronto Mississauga 3359 Mississauga Road North Mississauga, ON, L5L 1C6 CANADA tel: 905-828-5365; fax: 905-828-3792 e-mail: [email protected] http://www.utm.utoronto.ca/~w3pkota/
