Project 1- Behavioural ecology & evolution: the
role of phenotypic
plasticity in species divergence
The Groningen Institute for
Evolutionary Life Sciences (GELIFES) offers an NWO-funded PhD
position for a research
project on the role of phenotypic plasticity in speciation,
using African
cichlid fish as a model system.
Project description
Phenotypic plasticity is a key
determinant of organismal performance, allowing rapid adjustment
to
environmental variation. In this project, we aim to investigate
plasticity’s
role in species divergence. On the one hand, plasticity may
promote
evolutionary differentiation by facilitating range expansion. On
the other
hand, plastic responses will weaken selection for genetic
change, hampering
adaptive evolution.
We study the
role of visual plasticity in the evolution of cichlid fish
species diversity.
Variation in colour vision, among individuals, populations and
species, is
determined by both genetic factors and phenotypic plasticity.
Since visually
mediated behaviours influence both mating behaviour and
ecological performance
in cichlids, plasticity in colour vision could be important in
divergent
evolution. The PhD student will conduct experiments and analyses
addressing the
consequences of visual plasticity for both 1) macro-evolutionary
processes and
2) individual behaviour and fitness. Approaches include
behavioural
experiments, molecular analysis of visual pigments (sequencing,
qPCR, HPLC) and
phylogenetic comparative analyses.
The project is
a collaboration between Dr Martine Maan, Prof dr Rampal Etienne
and Dr Louis
van der Zande. The PhD student will join a lively and
international team of
researchers and (PhD) students working on (cichlid) behavioural
ecology and
evolution, supported by laboratory technicians and animal
caretakers.
Qualifications
We are looking for an
enthusiastic and talented PhD candidate with a master's degree
(or equivalent)
in Biology, preferably with a strong interest in behavioural
ecology, evolution
and biodiversity. The ideal candidate has experience with
behavioural
observation, animal handling and molecular genetics techniques.
We also ask for
a collaborative mindset, and excellent communication and writing
skills (also
in English). Other helpful competences include statistical
proficiency (e.g. in
the R software environment), possession of a driving licence,
and a license to
perform animal experiments (art. 9 Wet op de dierproeven (the
Dutch Experiments
on Animal Act)) or the willingness to obtain these.
For more information and
application procedure, see:
Project 2 - Biology & philosophy: inheritance of
acquired
characters
The Young Academy of Groningen (YAG)
was established in 2016 to bring together young researchers from
diverse
academic backgrounds. The YAG stimulates interdisciplinary
research, contributes
to internationalization and science policy, and promotes public
outreach. We
offer an interdisciplinary PhD scholarship for a project at the
interface of
biology and philosophy.
Project description
How do living organisms transmit
their characteristics to the next generation? The textbook
answer is: by
passing on their DNA, which encodes all heritable traits. In
recent years,
however, biologists have discovered that this is not the whole
story. Evidence
is accumulating that environmental influences during the
lifetime of an
individual, such as nutrition or stress, can influence the
phenotype of their
progeny across several generations. This phenomenon reminds us
of the concept
of ‘inheritance of acquired characters’, already formulated in
1809 by the
French naturalist Jean Baptiste de Lamarck in his Philosophie
Zoologique.
Lamarck’s ideas have often met with skepticism, but recent
developments in
molecular genetics have inspired a re-evaluation of his legacy.
Indeed, we seem
to witness a renaissance of Lamarckian thought.
In this
project, we aim to explore the Lamarckian nature of recent
discoveries in the
transmission of inherited traits, and in this way to explore
what modern
biology can, or cannot, learn from the original ideas of
Lamarck, whether or
not the works of Lamarck offer lessons that change the way we
think about
evolution. This project will contribute to that debate by
bringing together the
disciplines of evolutionary biology, and the history of science
and philosophy.
The project is
a collaboration between Dr. Martine Maan
(www.rug.nl/staff/m.e.maan) and Dr.
Han Thomas Adriaenssen (www.rug.nl/staff/h.t.adriaenssen).
Qualifications
The ideal candidate has a
background in both biology and the history of science or
philosophy.
Alternatively, the candidate will have a background in one of
these
disciplines, and be prepared to be trained in the other as a
part of their PhD
trajectory.
For more information and
application procedure, see: