Dear Marmamers,
please note a change to the deadline for the Phd opportunity described below.
Due to a change in administration deadlines, we unfortunately have to bring the
closing date for applications forward to January 10th 2014.
Project title: Coping styles: understanding individual differences in stress
reactivity in a wild population of grey seals (Halichoerus grypus) and their
fitness consequences
Project supervisors:
Dr. Sean Twiss (Durham University):
[email protected]<mailto:[email protected]>,
Dr. Patrick Pomeroy (SMRU, Scottish Oceans Institute, University of St. Andrews)
Project description: Within animal populations individuals differ in their
ability to cope with stress. Most wild animal populations are subject to
increasing anthropogenic stressors. Even non-consumptive activities, such as
the rapidly expanding ecotourism industry, can add stressors to animals.
Quantitatively assessing how individual animals react to, and cope with,
anthropogenic stress is critical in determining ‘acceptable’ levels of
disturbance in situations where human-wildlife interactions are inevitable.
However, behavioural measures can be misleading or difficult to interpret in
terms of how stressed and individual actually is, and should be supported by
physiological evidence of when stress becomes distress. This project will
investigate the physiological underpinnings of behavioural types in wild
pinnipeds. Individual grey seals are known to differ in behavioural type,
along a proactive-reactive axis. Proactive and reactive behavioural types are
regarded as differing coping styles, with differing behavioural and
physiological responses in the face of stressors, both natural and/or
anthropogenic. Laboratory studies suggest that individual differences in stress
reactivity may be controlled by differences in the autonomic nervous system and
the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, and are associated with
differences in heart rate (HR) parameters. HR reflects the autonomic balance
between the slowing effects of parasympathetic nerves and the accelerating
effects of sympathetic nerves, a balance that is suggested to differ between
pro- and reactive individuals.
This project aims to investigate the physiological underpinnings of
behavioural types, in wild, free-ranging grey seals, by the application of
heart rate data-loggers to individually identified seals during the breeding
season. The project will (i) use established observational and experimental
approaches to classify individual female grey seal behavioural types, (ii)
examine whether physiological indicators (heart rate and breathing rate) relate
to behavioural type, and (iii) whether individual variation in physiological
measures contribute to variation in maternal investment strategies. Over 3
consecutive breeding seasons, field data collection will involve: (1)
identifying individual breeding females using established photo-ID protocols,
(2) observations to provide metrics describing behavioural type, (3)
application of heart rate monitors allied to detailed observations from video
footage to record physiological proxies. Behavioural and physiological data
will be analysed with respect to natural and anthropogenic stressors
experienced by the focal seals. Direct measures of maternal expenditure will be
gained from the identified females, allowing examination of how differences in
coping style influence patterns of maternal reproductive investment.
Potential candidates must fulfil the University’s requirements regarding
English language ability (see below) and will require (i) a clear understanding
of behavioural ecology theory and practice and (ii) the ability to conduct
prolonged and isolated fieldwork in harsh conditions, and would ideally have
experience of; (i) behavioural observation of wild pinnipeds, and (ii)
ecological modelling approaches. Candidates should also hold a UK driving
licence (or equivalent). The student will gain extensive training in
behavioural observation, application of biotelemetry devices, compilation and
maintenance of photo-ID database, spatial data manipulation and analyses within
a GIS, statistical analyses (including quantifying ‘personality’ and analysis
of HR data), organisation of fieldwork logistics and safety in remote, isolated
locations.
Reference: Twiss SD, Cairns C, Culloch RM, Richards SA & Pomeroy PP (2012).
Behavioural Variation in Female Grey Seal (Halichoerus grypus) Reproductive
Performance Correlates to Proactive-Reactive Behavioural Types. PLoS ONE 7(11):
e49598. Doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0049598
Notes on funding: This project is in competition with others for funding. The
potential funding comes from the Durham Doctoral Studentship programme (DDS),
which funds both tuition fees and living costs. Success will depend on the
quality of applications received, relative to those for competing projects.
Details of the Durham Doctoral Studentships can be found at:
https://www.dur.ac.uk/science.faculty/postgraduatefunding/#faculty
Notes on eligibility: Applicants must be applying to start a full-time PhD in
the Faculty in October 2014. They must have fulfilled the University's
requirements regarding English language ability and must not require a
pre-sessional course as a condition of their place. See:
https://www.dur.ac.uk/englishlanguage.centre/englishlanguage.courses/prospectivestudents/summer-pre-sessional/entryrequirements/
Notes on application procedure: If you are interested in applying and/or
require further details, in the first instance contact the supervisor (Dr
Twiss: [email protected]<mailto:[email protected]>.) with a CV and
covering letter, detailing your reasons for applying for the project. Dr Twiss
will then request the best applicants to submit a full application for DDS
funding via the University’s online application process.
Candidates wishing to proceed with a full application must then complete the
University's postgraduate online application form and state, in response to the
question ‘how you plan to fund your studies’, that you wish to be considered
for a Durham Doctoral Studentship.
The following documents should be submitted, by the deadline specified, using
the University’s online application process:
• The completed application form (including a description of the
proposed research project prepared by the candidate (no more than one side of
A4). This can be based on the above project description.
• CV
• Two references for the candidate
• Copies of academic certificates and/or transcripts
• Evidence of English language ability, e.g. IELTS or TOEFL transcripts.
•
For further details, see:
https://www.dur.ac.uk/postgraduate/apply/
https://www.dur.ac.uk/postgraduate/finance/
For further information on the application procedure, contact:
Postgraduate Admissions
School of Biological and Biomedical Sciences
Science Laboratories
South Road
Durham University
DH1 3LE, UK
Telephone: +44 (0) 191 334 1200 / +44 (0) 191 334 9167
Fax: +44 (0) 191 334 1201
email: [email protected]<mailto:[email protected]>
_________________________________
Dr. Sean Twiss,
Lecturer in Behavioural Ecology,
School of Biological and Biomedical Sciences,
South Road,
Durham University,
Durham, DH1 3LE,
UK.
E-mail: [email protected]
Web-site:
https://www.dur.ac.uk/biosciences/about/schoolstaff/academicstaff/?id=1132
Blog: http://sealbehaviour.wordpress.com/
Tel: +44 (0)191 334 1350 (office)
Tel: +44 (0)191 334 1247 (lab)
Fax: +44 (0)191 334 1201
_________________________________
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