November 2015 Graduate Student Positions in Invasion Ecology - Toronto Peter M. Kotanen Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology University of Toronto, Mississauga [email protected] 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 exchange of enemies with native species 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 $25,250 from a variety of sources, as well as support for research and conference travel. Information on application procedures and our tri-campus graduate program can be found at http://www.eeb.utoronto.ca/grad.htm. We accept applications beginning in November, and begin to review them in January. Interested students should contact me via e-mail: [email protected]. Some recent publications Santangelo J.S. and P.M. Kotanen (in press) Non-systemic fungal endophytes increase host survival but reduce tolerance to herbivory in subarctic Festuca rubra. Ecosphere: accepted 28 Sept 2015. Lee, Y. and P.M. Kotanen (2015) Differences in herbivore damage and performance among Arctium minus (burdock) genotypes sampled from a geographic gradient: a common garden experiment. Biological Invasions 17: 397-408. 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. 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/
