[ECOLOG-L] Postdoc: Plant-Soil-Microbe Interactions in Nitrogen Biogeochemistry

[Wendy H. Yang]

A postdoctoral position is available in the Department of Plant Biology at the 
University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign (UIUC) as part of the Sustainability 
Theme in the new U.S. Department of Energy-funded Bioenergy Research Center 
(BRC), the Center for Advanced Bioenergy and Bioproducts Innovation (CABBI). 
The goal of the CABBI Sustainability Theme is to develop the predictive 
capability to determine which feedstock combinations, regions and land types, 
market conditions, and biofuels and bioproducts have the potential to support 
the ecologically and economically sustainable displacement of fossil fuels. 
 
The postdoc is sought to support research on plant-soil-microbe interactions in 
bioenergy cropping systems (sorghum, energycane, and Miscanthus) with regards 
to nitrogen biogeochemistry, including mineralization, nitrification, 
denitrification, nitrogen fixation, etc. Job duties include designing and 
conducting field and laboratory experiments, developing and testing innovative 
stable isotope methodologies for measuring in situ nitrogen cycling process 
rates, coordinating research activities with a large team of collaborators, 
supervising technicians and undergraduates, and writing manuscripts.
 
The postdoc will work with Dr. Wendy Yang in her Global Change Ecology and 
Stable Isotope Biogeochemistry lab and will collaborate with other ecosystem 
ecologists, microbial ecologists, ecosystem modelers, ecophysiologists, 
ecohydrologists, and others in the CABBI Sustainability Theme. Collaboration 
with researchers in the CABBI Feedstocks and Conversion themes and the other 
BRCs is encouraged. The postdoc will be housed in the Institute for Genomic 
Biology with the other UIUC-based CABBI researchers to facilitate these 
collaborative interactions and help build a strong community of postdocs and 
graduate students.
 
Required Qualifications:
· A Ph.D. or the equivalent in ecology, biogeochemistry, soil science, 
or related field
· Experience with laboratory and field work
· Strong English writing and oral communication skills

· Strong organizational skills

· Ability to work in a collaborative environment

· Ability to travel to research sites in Florida, Iowa, and other 
locations in the eastern U.S. for short sampling campaigns

· A valid driver’s license

 
Strong candidates will also possess the following attributes:
A strong publication record from their Ph.D. (papers published, in press, or 
submitted)
Experience with natural abundance or tracer stable isotope techniques
Experience with method development or tinkering with major instrumentation 
(e.g., isotope ratio mass spectrometer, quantum cascade laser)
Creativity, independence, and the desire to learn new things.
 
The position is available for four years; however, annual renewal is dependent 
on funding and progress made by the individual. This position includes a 
competitive salary and full benefits.
 
Application review will begin Dec. 1, 2017 and will continue until the position 
is filled. The start date is flexible, but ideally in January 2018. 
Applications should include a brief cover letter, curriculum vitae, and the 
names and contact information for three references. Please put “CABBI postdoc 
application” in the subject line of your email to Ank Michielson, the CABBI 
Program Manager, michi...@illinois.edu.
 
For further information about the position, please contact Dr. Wendy Yang at 
ya...@illinois.edu.
 
Illinois is an Affirmative Action /Equal Opportunity Employer and welcomes 
individuals with diverse backgrounds, experiences, and ideas who embrace and 
value diversity and inclusivity. (www.inclusiveillinois.illinois.edu)
 
The University of Illinois conducts criminal background checks on all job 
candidates upon acceptance of a contingent offer.

[ECOLOG-L] Graduate Assistantship - University of Louisiana, Monroe

[Joydeep Bhattacharjee (Biology)]

The Plant Ecology Lab in the School of Sciences at the University of 
Louisiana, Monroe is seeking a motivated M.S. student to develop a 
thesis project on the ecology of forest stand and canopy using 
multispectral and hyperspectral cameras on UAVs (Unmanned Aerial 
Systems) coupled with data collected on ground. We anticipate collecting 
and using LiDAR data from the forest stand as well. The student will 
have access to a fleet of drones and high-ended data processing 
facility. The student may be required to work with faculties from the 
Geosciences and Aviation departments at times. The plant ecology lab has 
been collecting carbon flux data along with a suite of meteorological 
variables from a 120-foot tower in the Russell Sage Wildlife Management 
Area. The student will integrate these data to understand how trees 
respond to variation in abiotic factors and what drives the variation in 
the spectral properties of the canopy and the implications thereof, in 
light of the changing climate.

I am looking for someone who has prior experience working on aspects of 
forest ecology, good quantitative skills, and interest in learning new 
techniques. Preference will be given to candidates who have passed the 
Part 107 of FAA to fly drones or have flown them as a hobby. Others, if 
selected, will have to obtain the Part 107 during the first semester of 
being admitted to the program. The graduate student will be supported 
through teaching assistantship of $10,000/9 mo (+ summer stipend) and 
tuition waiver. Preferred starting date would be Spring 2018 but not 
later than Fall 2018. 

To apply, please email Dr. Joydeep Bhattacharjee (joyd...@ulm.edu) a 
single PDF containing (1) a statement of interest, (2) a CV, and (3) 
contact information for three references by December 15, 2017.

[ECOLOG-L] Dec 12 Webinar: Conservation and Management of Amphibians and Reptiles of the Southwestern United States

[Williams, Jennifer]

You are invited to join us for *Conservation and Management of Amphibians
and Reptiles of the Southwestern United States*, a webinar sponsored by the
US Forest Service.


*Date:* Tuesday, December 12, 2017

*Duration:* 1-1.5 hours

*Start time: *12 pm MT, 11 am PT

*Registration URL:*
https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/4984958508161515777

*Webinar ID:* 625-549-003


*IMPORTANT: *



1. GoToWebinar will send you an email soon after you click the above
registration URL. The email will contain the link you need to click to join
the webinar at the specified time and date. You will also receive a
reminder email the day prior to the webinar and that email will contain the
log-in information as well.

2. You must use your telephone to call in to the webinar. We do not provide
audio connection via computer because it creates malfunctions during the
recording.



This webinar covers material provided in *Habitat Management Guidelines for
Amphibians and Reptiles of the Southwestern United States* by Larry Jones,
Ken Halama, and Rob Lovich (Eds.). This book was published in August 2016
and is available on Amazon:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/0966740246/ref=dp_olp_new_mbc?ie=UTF8&condition=new


*About the speakers:*


*Lawrence L. C. Jones* is a retired biologist who spent some 40 years
working for federal, state, and local natural resource agencies. He
received a B.S. in Zoology and M.S. in Biology from California State
University, Long Beach. His professional career landed him in California,
Oregon, Washington, and Arizona, where he worked on a variety of taxa,
including fishes, birds, mammals, reptiles, amphibians, and some
invertebrates. However, his passion has primarily been on amphibians and
reptiles of the western United States. Larry has authored about 100
scientific and popular papers and books. His books include *Lizards of the
American Southwest, Amphibians of the Pacific Northwest, Amphibians of
Washington and Oregon, *and most recently, *Habitat Management Guidelines
for Amphibians and Reptiles of the Southwestern United States. *The latter
publication is through Partners in Amphibian and Reptile Conservation, an
organization he has been involved with for many years. Currently, Larry is
involved in long term studies on lizards and scorpions of southeastern
Arizona; he is also working on a new book, *Venomous Animals of the
American Southwest*.



*Ken Halama* received a B.S. in Biology from Penn State University, a M.S.
in Environmental Sciences from the University of Virginia, and a Ph.D. in
Evolutionary Ecology from the University of California, Riverside. In the
past he worked for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the National Zoo’s
Conservation and Research Center, and the Rocky Mountain Biological
Laboratory. Currently, he serves as director of the Motte Rimrock Reserve
and Emerson Oaks Reserve for the University of California Natural Reserve
System at U.C. Riverside. Ken has worked on a wide range of taxa and has
collaborated on a number of research projects including the ecology and
conservation biology of amphibians and reptiles, the population ecology of
small and medium sized mammals, the pollination ecology of montane
wildflowers, and the physiological ecology of marine angiosperms.

*Robert (Rob) Lovich *is a Senior Natural Resource Specialist for the U.S.
Navy in San Diego, California, and manages projects throughout the
southwest. While his work for the Navy involves all manner of natural
resource issues and species, his passion is amphibians and reptiles and he
has been studying them for over 20 years. He has been the Program Director
for the Department of Defense Partners in Amphibian and Reptile
Conservation (DoD PARC) since its inception in 2009. Active in PARC at
large since 2004, he previously served as Co-chair for PARC’s Federal
Agencies Steering Committee, Co-chair for Southwest PARC, as a member of
PARC’s Joint National Steering Committee, and presently serves on the SW
PARC steering committee. Rob was also the California State Coordinator from
2004-2009. Rob received his B.S. in Zoology from the University of Hawaii
in 1996. His M.S. thesis on the phylogeography of the Granite Night
Lizard (*Xantusia
henshawi*) was completed in 1999, and resulted in the elevation of the
Sandstone Night Lizard (*Xantusia gracilis*) to full species. He has
several dozen peer-reviewed publications, and his academic pedigree
includes a dissertation on the phylogeography and conservation of the
Arroyo Toad (*Anaxyrus californicus*), at Loma Linda University in
2009.  Also in 2009, Rob co-published his first book, *Lizards of the
American Southwest*, with Larry Jones. Rob has served as Assistant Editor
of Herpetological Conservation and Biology since 2006, and is a member of
the Herpetologists’ League Conservation Committee. He is an active member
of several herpetological societies, and has been the fortunate recipient
of several awards including the President’s Award upon gradua

[ECOLOG-L] ESA 2018 Annual Meeting: Proposals for Workshops, Special Sessions, Field Trips, Inspire ESA Sessions due Nov. 16

[Jennifer Riem]

2018 ESA Annual Meeting: Propose a Session for New Orleans!
Deadline: November 16 at 5:00 PM Eastern (2:00 PM Pacific)


We invite proposals for Workshops, Special Sessions, Field Trips, and Inspire 
ESA
Sessions (Ignite-style) for ESA's 103rd Annual Meeting in New Orleans, 
Louisiana.

This year's theme is "Extreme events, ecosystem resilience and human 
well-being."

Although session proposals related to the meeting's theme are encouraged, any 
timely
and coherent subject of broad interest to ecologists will be considered. 
Proposals
will be peer reviewed using criteria described in the proposal calls.

Proposals must be submitted through the online form by November 16 at 5:00 PM 
Eastern
Time (2:00 Pacific). No late or emailed proposals will be considered.

For more information visit: http://www.esa.org/neworleans

If you have any questions, please contact the Program Chair, Timothy Schowalter
(tschowal...@agcenter.lsu.edu) or the 
Science Programs Coordinator, Jennifer Riem
(jenni...@esa.org).