[ECOLOG-L] AGU Session on Biota and Biogeochemical Feedbacks in Arctic Ecosystems

[Syndonia Bret-Harte]

Hi All,

We welcome contributed abstracts to to our session at this year’s Fall AGU
Meeting in San Francisco:

B020:Biota and Biogeochemical Feedbacks in Terrestrial and Aquatic
Ecosystems in Arctic Alaska
Session ID: 13732

Session Description:
Arctic ecosystems are undergoing rapid change as climate warms and
disturbance regimes are altered.  Strong positive feedbacks to warming are
possible in these ecosystems as carbon stored in permafrost soils is
mobilized and evades to the atmosphere. Changing seasonality may disrupt
linkages among existing biotic and abiotic components and induce further
change.  Understanding how feedbacks between biota and biogeochemical
cycling rates are likely to alter as climate warms and disturbance regimes
change will allow better prediction of the future states of these
ecosystems.  Presentations are invited which use long term baseline studies
and process-level experiments on multiple spatial and temporal scales to
illustrate current state and trends in biota and/or biogeochemical cycling
rates, in order to enable prediction of future functional states of arctic
ecosystems.  This session will enable synergies and future collaborations by
highlighting research that addresses dependencies among terrestrial and
aquatic systems of the Alaskan Arctic.

Primary Convener:  Marion Syndonia Bret-Harte, University of Alaska
Fairbanks, Fairbanks, AK, United States
Convener:  Sally MacIntyre, University of California Santa Barbara, Santa
Barbara, CA, United States 

We look forward to receiving your abstracts and to a successful meeting!

[ECOLOG-L] Job opening: Environmental Analyst or Associate Environmental Scientist, San Francisco Estuary Institute, Resilient Landscapes Program

[Sam Safran]

The San Francisco Estuary Institute is seeking to hire an entry- to
mid-level scientist to work in our Resilient Landscapes Program on applied
projects relating to ecosystem restoration, water and sediment management,
and climate-change adaptation planning across the state of California. Primary
position responsibilities will include investigating historical and
contemporary ecosystem processes and supporting the development of
landscape-scale design concepts that promote resilient riverine, wetland,
and coastal ecosystems.

For more information please refer to the full job announcement at
*http://www.sfei.org/content/environmental-analyst-or-associate-environmental-scientist
*
.

For more on SFEI's Resilient Landscapes Program, please visit
http://www.sfei.org/programs/resilient-landscapes.

This position is open until filled.  Application review will start on July
25th, 2016.

Sam Safran | (510) 746-7383
San Francisco Estuary Institute

[ECOLOG-L] Fisheries Technician for Pahranagat roundtail chub in Pahranagat Valley, Lincoln County, Nevada

[Amy Gladding]

http://crcareers.thegreatbasininstitute.org/careers/careers.aspx?rf=ECOLOG=2016-RAP-095


In cooperation with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), the Great
Basin Institute is recruiting a Fisheries Technician to support the
Cooperative Recovery Initiative to prevent the extinction of Pahranagat
roundtail chub, which is a federally listed endangered species. The main
responsibility of this position will be to provide field monitoring support
to the Southern Nevada Fish and Wildlife Office’s recovery work for
Pahranagat roundtail chub in Pahranagat Valley, Lincoln County, Nevada.
Additionally, this position would provide field and office support to
biologists in the USFWS Ecological Services (ES) and Partners for Fish and
Wildlife branches. Tasks would include recovery work for federally
threatened and endangered species in southern Nevada. Ideal candidates
would be recent college graduates with background and experience in
fisheries management looking to gain experience working alongside a
dedicated group of natural resource professionals.

Duties:
• PIT tag monitoring: active/passive fish capture (dip netting, hoop
netting, etc.), tagging (anesthetizing fish, inserting PIT tags),
downloading data, and performing routine site maintenance
• Larval sampling with plankton nets
• Snorkel surveys
• Working cooperatively with federal, state, and private partners
• Drafting summary reports and presenting monitoring activities at recovery
implementation team meetings

As time allows, other duties may include:
• Checking camera traps at culvert sites and sorting through photos
• Collecting water samples for an eDNA project
• Springsnail surveys
• Mt. Charleston blue butterfly surveys
• Representing USFWS/GBI at outreach events
• Assisting the ES biologist with recovery work for threatened and
endangered fish
• Assisting the Partners biologist with habitat restoration on private
lands (fence building, cutting cattails, vegetation monitoring)

In addition, the Fisheries Technician will attend the Desert Fishes Council
meeting in Albuquerque, NM during 15-19 November 2016.

Timeline:
o Annual appointment beginning August 2016 upon successful completion of a
DOI Background Investigation
o Possibility of extension pending performance review and funding
availability
o 40 hours per week; some overtime may occasionally be required


Compensation:
o $18.00/hour
o $15 field per diem
o Health insurance

Location: The Southern Nevada Fish and Wildife Office is located in Las
Vegas, NV. Field work will primarily take place on a variety of public and
private lands within the Mojave Desert ecosystem, including some work
within Pahranagat National Wildlife Refuge and Desert National Wildlife
Refuge Complex.

Qualifications:
Technical requirements:
o Bachelor’s degree in biology (wildlife or conservation), wildlife ecology
or management, or related field, preferably in the field of fishery
biology;
o Familiarity and experience with standard fisheries management approaches
and techniques, such as active/passive fish capture by dip netting or hoop
netting, fish handling and tagging, larval sampling with plankton nets, and
conducting snorkel surveys;
o Familiarity with and interest in the ecology of aquatic desert habitat
and associated resource management issues;
o Experience in collecting data accurately and completely and entering data
correctly into a computer system;
o Ability to use GPS units to record and locate points and to record field
data; and
o Familiarity with use of ArcGIS to create, import, and export maps and
data.

Additional requirements:
o Possess a valid, state-issued driver’s license and clean driving record;
o Ability to safely drive a 4WD vehicle on unimproved roads;
o Ability to work productively, consistently and cooperatively as part of a
team to accomplish mutual goals;
o Possess strong organizational skills;
o Ability to communicate clearly and efficiently with the public,
coworkers, and Technical Advisors both orally and in writing, and respond
in a professional manner to inquiries from the public regarding work
activities;
o Ability to safely conduct strenuous fieldwork requiring regular physical
exertion including hiking on uneven terrain;
o Ability to lift and carry heavy items, such as equipment packs weighing
up to 50 pounds, on a regular basis;
o Familiarity with backcountry, low-impact principles preferred; and
o Ability to pass National Sex Offender Public Registry (NSOPR) and federal
criminal background checks.

How to apply: Please follow this link to apply directly through our online
portal:
http://crcareers.thegreatbasininstitute.org/careers/careers.aspx?rf=ECOLOG=2016-RAP-095


Amy Gladding
Research Associate Program Recruitment Coordinator
Great Basin Institute
16750 Mt. Rose Hwy.
Reno, NV 89511
o. 775.674.5486
f. 775.674.5499
agladd...@thegreatbasininstitute.org
www.theGreatBasinInstitute.org

 The Great Basin Institute advances environmental research, education, and
service 

[ECOLOG-L] AGU Session: Ecosystem recovery from climate extremes

[Melinda Smith]

Dear Colleagues,

We hope you will consider submitting an abstract to the AGU Fall Meeting 
session GC031: Ecosystem recovery from climate extremes. You can find 
details about the session and submit abstracts at the following link: 
https://agu.confex.com/agu/fm16/preliminaryview.cgi/Session13960. The 
early deadline for abstract submission is July 27 and for final 
submission is August 3, 2016.

Session title: GC031. Ecosystem Recovery from climate extremes
Session ID#: 13960
Session Description:
Climate extremes, such as drought and heat waves, are increasing in 
frequency and intensity, and the economic and ecological consequences of 
these extreme events can be substantial and widespread. Although there 
is still much to be learned about how ecosystems will respond to an 
intensification of climate extremes, even less is known about the 
factors that determine recovery of ecosystem function after these 
events. Such knowledge is particularly important because recovery 
periods can be protracted depending on the extent to which key plant 
populations, community structure and biogeochemical processes are 
affected. This session will address our current understanding of what 
factors determine the nature and pace of terrestrial ecosystem recovery 
after climate extremes. We invite contributions from biogeochemists, 
ecologists, hydrologists, and system modelers with expertise in the 
study of terrestrial ecosystem recovery from climate extremes. 
Conveners: Melinda Smith, Jeff Dukes, Lau Gherardi, and Alan Knapp

We hope that you will be able to participate the session! 

Feel free to contact Melinda Smith (melinda.sm...@colostate.edu) if you 
have questions about the session.

[ECOLOG-L] Amphibian and Reptile Conservation in the NW U.S. and Western Canada

[Williams, Jennifer]

*BECOME INVOLVED IN THE NORTHWEST CHAPTER OF *
*PARTNERS IN AMPHIBIAN AND REPTILE CONSERVATION! *

We are currently seeking new Steering Committee members to help guide
initiatives in Northwest Partners in Amphibian and Reptile Conservation (NW
PARC for short).



*Why become involved?*


   - Volunteering on NW PARC’s Steering Committee offers a unique
   opportunity to build social networks and interact with a variety of
   professionals involved in amphibian and reptile conservation across the
   Pacific Northwest!
   - Becoming involved can also provide valuable volunteer experience that
   may improve employment opportunities or simply provide you a sense of
   satisfaction in knowing you are contributing to the conservation of
   amphibians and reptiles, and their habitats.

Whatever your motivation for becoming involved we welcome your interest!



*What is the time commitment?*

We aim to keep Steering Committee responsibilities within reasonable
expectations. We are currently looking to fill the following Steering
Committee positions: Co-Chair, Treasurer, Website Liaison, and PARCA
Coordinator. Positions will be filled on a first-come basis; however more
than one person can participate in each role and work as a team.

Positions are generally two-year terms and Steering Committee members are
asked to attend a minimum of three short conference calls per year. If
possible, we also encourage Steering Committee members to attend our annual
meetings which are usually delivered jointly with local scientific
societies within the Pacific Northwest.



*Interested?*

Please let us know of your interest in any of the Steering Committee
positions below by sending an email to Betsy Howell, blhow...@fs.fed.us by
July 22nd 2016. Please describe which position you are interested in and
what you would hope to bring to the position.

For more information about NW PARC visit: www.nwparc.org



*Available Positions!*

*Co-Chair*: Coordinates annual regional meeting; attends monthly National
PARC Joint National Steering Committee (JNSC) calls, organizes quarterly NW
PARC Steering Committee calls; attends annual in-person JNSC meeting.

*Treasurer*: Provides general financial oversight of NW PARC including
keeping track of expenses, fundraising and revenue; reports to Steering
Committee quarterly.

*Website Liaison*: Assists Webmaster with the management of the content on
NW PARC website, including providing updates and ensuring content is
accurate and current.

*PARCA Coordinator*: Identifies avenues to promote the PARCA (Priority
Amphibian & Reptile Conservation Areas) initiative in the NW PARC region;
nominates sites for PARCA status in Pacific NW and liaises with National
PARC PARCA coordinator.



*Questions? *

Please contact Betsy Howell, blhow...@fs.fed.us


-- 

Jen Williams, Ph.D.

Federal Coordinator for Partners in Amphibian and Reptile Conservation
(PARC)
1201 Oakridge Dr., Suite 200
Fort Collins, CO 80525
Phone: 352-568-5903 (cell) or 970-267-2159
Fax: 970-225-3585

*Let us step into the night and pursue that flighty temptress, adventure.*

The mission of PARC is to conserve amphibians, reptiles and their habitats
as integral parts of our ecosystem and culture through proactive and
coordinated public-private partnerships.  To learn more, visit parcplace.org

[ECOLOG-L] Participate in the Diversity in Ecology Career Fair at the ESA Annual Meeting

[SEEDS program of the Ecological Society of America]

Are you attending the ESA Annual Meeting?  Do you want to advertise a 
program or job directly to diverse undergraduate students and faculty? 

The Ecological Society of America SEEDS program will host its yearly 
Diversity in Ecology Career Fair for students and faculty during the
2016 ESA Annual Meeting in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. The event will be 
held on Thursday, August 11th from 11:30 am – 1:15 pm during the ESA 
Diversity Luncheon at the Embassy Suites Hotel in Ft. Lauderdale. We 
would like to invite you to advertise and share information about your 
programs and opportunities with our diverse and dynamic ESA SEEDS 
students and faculty. Promote your graduate program, internship, 
fellowship, agencies and private business jobs directly to diverse 
students in a casual environment! The Diversity in Ecology Career Fair 
is a great way to connect with talented undergraduate and graduate 
students, faculty, and ESA members that can promote these opportunities 
to their peers and networks.

Exhibitors will receive: • A 6’ table to display materials, event 
attended by 250+ people. • A listing in the student ESA Meeting 
orientation binder. • A listing on the Fall SEEDS Newsletter that goes 
out to over 5,500 students and faculty. The fee for this service is $300 
for universities, government, and nonprofits, and $550 for private 
corporations. Each table comes with one (1) meal ticket for the event. 

You can find more information and register here: 
http://esa.org/seeds/opportunities/diversity-celebration-career-fair/ or 
email us: se...@esa.org with any questions. 

[ECOLOG-L] Repositories with life history traits for marine organisms

[Rob Salguero-Gomez]

Dear ecologgers,
I'm currently working with some colleagues on a comparative project examining 
differences in life 
history traits and trade-offs between sessile/limited-mobility plant and animal 
species in terrestrial vs 
marine ecosystems. We've got quite a lot of data for the terrestrial realm, but 
not heaps for the marine, 
thus rendering our comparisons a bit tricky. Could somebody suggest some 
publications, books, open-
access databases, close-access sources for life history traits in marine 
ecosystems (e.g. generation 
time, generation overlap, mean life expectancy, age at sexual maturity, 
relative growth rate, degree of 
iteroparity, net reproductive rate, mature life expectancy, post-reproductive 
life expectancy, etc). The 
trick is that it must be for strictly sessile (e.g. corals, algae), or 
short-mobility life forms when adult.
Cheers,
Rob Salguero-Gomez


"Aliud iter ad prosperitatem nos est: id est omnibus rebus vincere"
.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.
Dr Rob Salguero-Gómez
NERC Independent Research Fellow at the University of Sheffield
Honorary research fellow of the University of Queensland
Guest researcher of the Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research
https://www.sheffield.ac.uk/aps/staff-and-students/acadstaff/salguero-gomez
http://sites.google.com/site/RobResearchSite/

[ECOLOG-L] ESA 2016: Workshop about Data Management and Analysis in Movement Ecology

[Mathieu Basille]

Dear ECOLOG-L fellow members,

We are offering a workshop at the ESA meeting this year (in Fort Lauderdale
FL) to introduce a complete workflow and good database practices to manage
and analyze movement data (PostGIS, QGIS and R inside!). There is still
room for registration!

Please find all information below.

Best,
Mathieu Basille


==
WK 12 - Introduction to Data Management and Analysis in Movement Ecology
https://eco.confex.com/eco/2016/webprogram/Session11882.html

* Sunday, August 7, 2016: 8:00 AM-5:00 PM
* Organizer: Mathieu Basille
* Co-organizers: Francesca Cagnacci, David Bucklin, Simona Picardi and
Nathan Ranc

Recent technological progress allowed ecologists to obtain a huge amount
and diversity of animal movement data sets of increasing spatial and
temporal resolution and size, together with complex associated information
related to the environmental context, such as habitat types based on remote
sensing, population density, weather. Based on several years of experience
on multiple species, this intense one-day workshop is designed to handle,
manage, store and retrieve movement data in a spatial database, and how to
eventually feed them to analysis tools. In the first part of the course (3
hours), participants will be exposed to basics of spatial databases for
wildlife tracking data, using PostgreSQL/PostGIS, the reference free
software in the field. Then, the second part will focus on the integration
of environmental data in the process (2 hours). The third part (3 hours)
will specifically tackle the specifics of movement data, and how to connect
the database to the R statistical environment for analysis. Step by step,
using reproducible, hands-on exercises that will be released on-line, we
will provide a complete and seamless procedure from raw data to final
analysis that will enable participants to fully manage and integrate
complex animal movement data sets. Although the workshop is intended to a
wide audience, basic knowledge of SQL, spatial databases and R are highly
recommended to get the best experience.
==


-- 

Mathieu Basille

basi...@ufl.edu | http://ase-research.org/basille
+1 954-577-6314 | University of Florida FLREC

  « Le tout est de tout dire, et je manque de mots
  Et je manque de temps, et je manque d'audace. »
  — Paul Éluard

[ECOLOG-L] Post-doc in continental-scale sample design for monarch butterflies, USGS, Wisconsin

[Diffendorfer, James]

USGS Post-Doctoral Research – Quantitative Ecologist focused on
continental-scale sample design for monarch butterflies and the resources
that sustain them

The United States Geological Survey is recruiting a post-doctoral scientist
in quantitative ecology for a USGS Monarch Conservation Science Partnership
project focused on developing a continental-scale sample design for monarch
butterflies and the resources that sustain them. The appointment is
anticipated for 2.5 years.
​S​
alary
​is
 at the GS-11 level (ca. US$
​59,246
 per year, plus benefits; official salary level listed in official job
announcement). The post-doc will work with project lead Wayne Thogmartin
(USGS Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center [UMESC]), and will
collaborate with other scientists in the partnership as well, including Jay
Diffendorfer and Darius Semmens (both of USGS Geosciences and Environmental
Change Science Center), Ralph Grundel (USGS Great Lakes Science Center),
and Laura Lopez-Hoffman (University of Arizona). The position is located in
La Crosse, WI, at UMESC.

The successful candidate will support the project by taking lead and
collaborative roles in:
1) Developing and mapping a spatially balanced and stratified master sample
for the regions of the U.S. using a Generalized Random Tessellation
Stratified sampling framework. Development of this sample could involve
incorporation of cluster sample considerations to minimize travel among
locations. Coordination of the sample design for the monarch butterfly with
the North American Bat Monitoring Program will likely be essential.
2) Conducting power analyses for attributes collected according to the
proposed sample design. Such analyses might examine tradeoffs between
spatial intensity versus temporal intensity (e.g., sampling alternate years
at a larger number of locations versus a smaller set of continuously
sampled locations); consequences of cluster arrangements; and
identification of the extent to which portions of the landscape are
sufficiently sampled under presumed levels of spatial and temporal
variability and proposed sample sizes.
3) Summarizing data from pilot monitoring activities to inform development
and implementation of the proposed sample design.
4) Evaluating the potential for existing monarch butterfly monitoring
programs, such as Monarch Larvae Monitoring Program and Journey North, to
satisfy sampling of portions of the landscape and identify attributes
needed to draw statistically robust inferences, once those data sources are
embedded within the master sample.

Applicants should possess strong skills in sample design, the R programming
language, and experience publishing in peer-reviewed journals. Experience
modeling wildlife populations, understanding of Bayesian statistics, and
experience working on large, collaborative research projects is also
desirable.  Prior experience with monarch butterflies is preferred, but not
a necessary condition for this position.

For more information and for submission of application, please see

https://www.usajobs.gov/GetJob/ViewDetails/444134800

[ECOLOG-L] AGU 2016 Fall Meeting Pop-Up Sessions Call for Abstracts

[Ntkrell]

Dear ecologgers,
 
We would like to invite you to submit an abstract for a Pop-Up session at the 
American 
Geophysical Union (AGU) 2016 Fall Meeting. The Pop-Up sessions provide a 
platform for 
students and early career scientists to share their ideas, innovations and 
visions during 5 
minute TED-style presentations. Previous editions have drawn a broad audience 
from all 
scientific disciplines and career stages. This year, there are two Pop-Up 
sessions:
 
Water Sciences: Innovations, Challenges and Future Directions
This session provides young scientists the opportunity to give 5 minute 
presentations on their 
future vision(s) of water sciences.  Presentations should strive to go beyond 
one’s research to 
address broader issues. Some examples of questions that might be answered in 
this session 
include:
 
- How can we advance water sciences using the ever-growing pool of accessible 
data?
- How do we manage the Food-Water-Energy Nexus under a changing climate?
- “Go big or go home” or “It’s the little details that are vital”?
 
Social Dimensions of Geosciences
This session offers students an opportunity to share success stories, discuss 
challenges, and 
calls for future directions related to the social dimensions of geosciences in 
5 minute pitches. 
Topics may include both the inward- and the outward-looking needs for the AGU 
community. 
Inward-looking topics may include networking skills, work-life balance, 
interdisciplinary 
research, and mentorship experiences and opportunities. Outward-looking topics 
may include 
use-inspired science, community participation, science communication, 
environmental policy, 
and inclusive research communities.
 
Note, there’s no submission fee! The deadline to submit is August 3 and 
submissions can be 
made at http://fallmeeting.agu.org/2016/students/events/pop-up-talks/.  For 
inspiration and 
notable examples check the Pop-Up repository on YouTube (see link below). The 
Pop-Ups are 
organized by the AGU Hydrology Section Student Subcommittee (H3S) in 
cooperation with the 
Young Hydrologic Society!
 
We also want to highlight an alternative session—Sympathy for the Data: Novel 
approaches to 
the art of data visualization—which will take place as lighting talks or a 
panel discussion. For 
more information, please see the session description: 
https://agu.confex.com/agu/fm16/preliminaryview.cgi/Session13499.

We look forward seeing your Pop-Up in San Francisco!

All the best,
 
Natasha Krell (ntkr...@coa.edu)
Sheila Saia (sms...@cornell.edu)
Niels Claes (ncl...@uwyo.edu)
Harsh Beria (harsh.beri...@gmail.com)
Kevin Roche (kevinroche2...@u.northwestern.edu) 
 
Pop Ups info: http://fallmeeting.agu.org/2016/students/events/pop-up-talks/
YouTube repository: https://goo.gl/jk9PNJ
Young Hydrologic Society: https://younghs.com/ 
@AGU_H3S
@YoungHydrology

[ECOLOG-L] Seeking volunteers for ESA Annual Meeting 2016 - Special Session

[NALINI M NADKARNI]

Seeking volunteers for ESA Annual Meeting Special Session
Ecology on the Runway: An Eco-Fashion Show and Other Non-Traditional Public 
Engagement Approaches

Monday, August 8, 2016: 10:15 AM-11:30 AM
Organizer: Nalini Nadkarni, University of Utah
Co-organizer: Douglas Levey, National Science Foundation

We seek volunteers to facilitate a Special Session to highlight the importance 
of innovative public engagement by ecologists who are involving the public in 
venues and with tactics that reach people who might not visit museums, watch 
science documentaries, or attend formal lectures. The message of this session 
is that "Ecology is Everywhere" and demonstrates how academic ecologists might 
raise awareness of the importance of their research through the medium of 
fashion:

[https://eco.confex.com/eco/2016/webprogram/Session11769.html].

The organizers will host an "Eco-fashion Show" that features 13 of ESA's most 
prominent ecologists who will model custom-made clothing created from fabric 
that has biologically correct images of their own study plants, animals, 
microbes, and landscapes printed on it. The "eco-models" include present and 
past Presidents, ESA Fellows, ESA Early Career Fellows, and program officers of 
the NSF Division of Environmental Biology. The masters of ceremony will 
describe the research that each ecologist has carried out on the biota 
portrayed on the fashion clothing. This demonstration, in miniature at this 
meeting, demonstrates how something as seemingly non-academic as fashion 
clothing can serve as a future vector for outreach and education about ecology. 
The fashion designer and tailor who created the garments will describe how they 
viewed this opportunity to interact with academic scientists. Ecologists in the 
audience will have the opportunity to communicate their own ideas for 
non-traditional public engagement through social media.

Ecofashion Booklet: Ecology on the 
Runway

We need 3-5 people who are attending the meeting to assist as: music dj; taking 
photographs/video, and cueing eco-models. Please contact: Nalini Nadkarni: 
nalini.nadka...@utah.edu; (360) 870-6632.



--Nalini Nadkarni
nalini.nadka...@utah.edu; (360) 870-6632
-- Nalini M. Nadkarni
Professor, Department of Biology
404 Aline Skaggs Building
University of Utah
Salt Lake City, Utah 84112
(360) 870-6632
nalini.nadka...@utah.edu
http://nalininadkarni.com
http://nalininadkarni.com/about/science-in-prisons-2/
http://internationalcanopynetwork.org/

Re: [ECOLOG-L] Volunteers South Africa, Evolution and Socio-Ecology of small Mammals

[Carsten Schradin]

Please put this onto the ecology list server. Thanks a lot, Carsten

 

 

Volunteers needed

Evolution and Socio-Ecology of small Mammals in the Succulent Karoo of South
Africa

 

Opportunity: This is a great opportunity for anybody who wants to get more
experience in field work related to animal behavior, evolution,
eco-physiology, and ecology before starting an MSc or PhD project.

Project: We study the evolutionary and ecological reasons as well as
physiological mechanisms of group living, paternal care, communal nesting
and social flexibility in the striped mouse. One focus is on the adaptation
to droughts, combining physiological, behavioral, ecological and
evolutionary research. As this species is diurnal and the habitat is open,
direct behavioral observations in the field are possible.

What kind of people are needed? Biology/zoology/veterinary students are
preferred as candidates. Applicants must have an interest in working in the
field and with animals. Hard working conditions will await applicants, as
the study species gets up with sunrise (between 5 and 6 o` clock), and stops
its activity with dusk (19 o` clock). Work during nights might also be
necessary. Work in the field will be done for 5 days a week. Applicants must
be able to manage extreme temperatures (below 0 at night in winter,
sometimes over 40°C during summer days). Applicants must both be prepared to
live for long periods in the loneliness of the field and to be part of a
small social group.

Work of volunteer field assistants: Trapping, marking and radio-tracking of
striped mice; direct behavioral observations in the field. Volunteers will
also see how blood samples are collected for physiological measurements.
Volunteers are expected to help with maintenance of the research station
(water pump, solar power, etc.).

Confirmation letter: Students get a letter of confirmation about their work
and can prepare a report of their own small project to get credit points
from their university for their bachelor or masters studies.

Costs: Students have to arrange their transport to the field site
themselves. Per month, an amount of Rand 1450 (around 175 US$, 100 Euro)
must be paid for accommodation at the research station. Students must buy
their own food etc in Springbok (costs of about R 3000, approx. 350 US$ or
250 Euro/month). Including extras (going out for dinner; shopping), you
should expect costs of about 600 US$ / 450 Euros per month. Students get an
invitation letter which they can use to apply for funding in their home
country.

Place: The field site is in the Goegap Nature Reserve near Springbok in the
North-West of South Africa. The vegetation consists of Succulent Karoo,
which has been recognized as one of 25 hotspots of biodiversity. It is a
desert to semi-desert with rain mainly in winter (June to September).

When and how long: We are looking for volunteers to start any time in 2016
as well as beginning of 2017. Volunteers are expected to stay for 2-3
months.

How to apply? Send a short motivation letter stating why and for which
period you are interested and your CV via email to

succulent.karooo.research.stat...@kabelbw.de. 

 

More information under

 
http://stripedmouse.com/site1_3_5.htm

 

 

 

___

Dr. Carsten Schradin

Director of the Succulent Karoo Research Station (South African non-profit
organization), Goegap Nature Reserve, PO Box 541, 8240 Springbok, South
Africa

http://www.stripedmouse.com