Graduate Research Assistantship Announcement School of Natural Resources – University of Missouri
“Ecology of shortleaf pine regeneration and recruitment for woodland restoration in the central US” Shortleaf pine forests provide important ecological services and conservation value throughout the central, eastern, and southern US. Currently, there are several large restoration projects and initiatives for increasing the abundance of shortleaf pine and mixed shortleaf pine- hardwood ecosystems, yet shortleaf pine regeneration has remained challenging in many areas. There are several factors possibly limiting shortleaf pine regeneration success, such as variable seed crops, poor seedbed and germination, and abundant competition from established hardwood stems. Prescribed fire is often used to favor shortleaf pine regeneration yet success is marginal in the Missouri Ozark region. Thus, other release treatments may be more efficient for reaching regeneration targets. This project will study the regeneration ecology of shortleaf pine in relation to common competing hardwood trees to better understand the factors affecting regeneration success and inform silvicultural practice. Evidence suggests that managers could alter prescriptions to target specific forest composition goals, including pure shortleaf pine stands or various mixtures of shortleaf pine-hardwood stands. This project will support a Doctoral Graduate Research Assistantship with Dr. Benjamin Knapp in the School of Natural Resources (https://snr.missouri.edu/graduate-studies/forestry-graduate-program/) at University of Missouri, in collaboration with the USDA Forest Service and Missouri Department of Conservation. This graduate assistantship will include four years of funding support ($24,000/year stipend, health insurance, tuition). The duties of this position will include completion of required coursework, field sampling throughout the Missouri Ozarks, data organization, and data analyses related to study objectives. The candidate is expected to complete a dissertation and at least three peer-reviewed publications, one of which should be published prior to graduating. Competitive candidates for this position will have a M.S. degree in forestry or a closely related discipline, proficiency in written and oral communication, strong GRE scores, and evidence of scholastic success. The position will begin in January 2019. To apply, please submit the following to Dr. Benjamin Knapp (kna...@missouri.edu): 1) personal statement of career goals 2) resume or curriculum vitae 3) transcripts (can be unofficial) 4) GRE scores 5) contact information for three references Review of applications will begin immediately and continue until a candidate is selected. Dr. Benjamin Knapp Associate Professor School of Natural Resources University of Missouri 203S Anheuser-Busch Natural Resources Building Columbia MO 65211 Email: kna...@missouri.edu
