Division of Biology, Imperial College London, Silwood Park Campus, UK
Supervisor: Tim Barraclough
Environments change over a range of time-scales. Therefore, a key task for understanding the dynamics of living systems, and for predicting the impacts of human activity on those systems, is to understand how ecosystems respond to environmental change. However, most studies have considered ecological responses (changes in species abundance and distribution) and evolutionary responses (changing genotypes and adaptation) separately. For example, ecosystem studies normally assume that species attributes are fixed, under the assumption that evolution operates over much longer timescales than ecological processes. In contrast, evolutionary studies mostly consider single species or pairs of interacting species such as pathogens and hosts. Yet, most organisms live in species rich assemblages in which the characteristics and responses of co-occurring species could have a big impact on how each species in turn responds to a given environmental change.
This project will use theory, evolution experiments and field surveys of bacteria from the tree-holes of beech (1) to test key hypotheses concerning the interaction between evolutionary and ecological responses to environmental change. Does diversity inhibit evolution as predicted by recent theoretical models (2)? Can evolvability explain which species survive periods of environmental change? Do species coevolve according to Red Queen dynamics or is the abiotic environment a more important source of selection?
We're looking for a student with a good first degree and Masters degree (or equivalent experience). NERC funding is open to UK residents or EU nationals who have spent the last three years in the UK for education or employment
(www.nerc.ac.uk/funding/available/postgrad/eligibility.asp).
We also invite applications from other students who have access to their own funding sources, for example scholarships through their home countries.
To apply, please reply by the 29th February, but preferably ASAP, sending a CV and a brief letter explaining why you are interested in this PhD to Tim Barraclough at t.barraclough@imperial.ac.uk.
References
1) Bell, T, JA Newman, BS Silverman, SL Turner, & AK Lilley.2005. The
contribution of species richness and composition to bacterial services.
Nature 436: 1157-1160
2) De Mazancourt C, E Johnson & TG Barraclough 2008. Biodiversity
inhibits species' evolutionary responses to changing environments.
Ecology Letters. In Press.
---------
Dr. Timothy G. Barraclough,
Reader in Evolutionary Biology,
Imperial College London and Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew
---------
Division of Biology
Imperial College London
Silwood Park Campus
Ascot, Berkshire SL5 7PY, UK
Telephone: +44 (0)20 7594 2247
Fax: +44 (0)20 7594 2339
Web-page: www.imperial.ac.uk/people/t.barraclough
This project will use theory, evolution experiments and field surveys of bacteria from the tree-holes of beech (1) to test key hypotheses concerning the interaction between evolutionary and ecological responses to environmental change. Does diversity inhibit evolution as predicted by recent theoretical models (2)? Can evolvability explain which species survive periods of environmental change? Do species coevolve according to Red Queen dynamics or is the abiotic environment a more important source of selection?
We're looking for a student with a good first degree and Masters degree (or equivalent experience). NERC funding is open to UK residents or EU nationals who have spent the last three years in the UK for education or employment
(www.nerc.ac.uk/funding/available/postgrad/eligibility.asp).
We also invite applications from other students who have access to their own funding sources, for example scholarships through their home countries.
To apply, please reply by the 29th February, but preferably ASAP, sending a CV and a brief letter explaining why you are interested in this PhD to Tim Barraclough at t.barraclough@imperial.ac.uk.
References
1) Bell, T, JA Newman, BS Silverman, SL Turner, & AK Lilley.2005. The
contribution of species richness and composition to bacterial services.
Nature 436: 1157-1160
2) De Mazancourt C, E Johnson & TG Barraclough 2008. Biodiversity
inhibits species' evolutionary responses to changing environments.
Ecology Letters. In Press.
---------
Dr. Timothy G. Barraclough,
Reader in Evolutionary Biology,
Imperial College London and Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew
---------
Division of Biology
Imperial College London
Silwood Park Campus
Ascot, Berkshire SL5 7PY, UK
Telephone: +44 (0)20 7594 2247
Fax: +44 (0)20 7594 2339
Web-page: www.imperial.ac.uk/people/t.barraclough