lundi 14 janvier 2008

Field Assistants needed immediately for a community ecology

Field Assistants needed immediately for a community ecology / invasion biology study in the Samoan Archipleago

I am currently conducting field experiments on the influence of mutualisms between Morinda citrifolia (Nonu) and Anoplolepis gracilipes (Yellow Crazy Ant-an invasive insect in Samoa) on (i) the dynamics of the yellow crazy ant invasion of Samoa and (ii) the response of native plant and arthropod communities to the invader.

There are now positions available for field assistants for this project. I request that field assistants commit to work on this project for at least one month. However, this is an ongoing project, so interested applicants can work up to 6 months as a field assistant. Duties include assisting in the maintenance of plot-level manipulative experiments (including limited vegetation clearing), conducting surveys of ants, plants, and nectar excreting arthropods across the Samoan Archipelago, assisting with short-term behavioral ecology experiments, mapping vegetation dynamics, and collecting and sorting samples of arthropod communities.

Field assistants are expected to pay for their own travel expenses. However, I will pay for lodging and meals for all field assistants. Assistants should be comfortable working outside in the sometimes very hot and humid conditions common to tropical islands.

To apply or for further inquiries, please contact me at savage@rice.edu

Amy M. Savage
PhD Candidate
Rice University
Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
6100 Main Street MS-170
Houston, TX 77005