Subject: Trans-generational effects of climate and social adversity on survival in the Asian elephant (Elephas maximus)
Background: Adverse environmental and social experiences are known to have short- and long-term effects on survival and reproduction in many mammals. However, whether the effects of adversity also manifest across generations is less studied and is an interest question, especially in the context of changing climate. This Masters project will explore this question using a multigenerational dataset on the demography and health records of thousands of Asian elephants (Elephas maximus). Specifically, the project will examine if the adverse bioclimatic (droughts, heat waves, low primary productivity), social (death/translocation of relatives) and health and well-being (injuries, disease) experienced by female elephants affects the survival of their offspring and grand-offspring.
Internship and supervision
This project will be based at the University of Turku, Finland, within the Myanmar Timber Elephant Project led by Prof Virpi Lummaa. The Myanmar Timber Elephant Project is a multi-disciplinary and international research group, investigating the evolution, ecology and behaviour of a semi-captive population of timber elephants in Myanmar (https://elephant-project.science/). For this project, you will be supervised by Dr. Hansraj Gautam and Dr. Martin Seltmann, along with Prof. Virpi Lummaa.
Preferable starting date: January 2025 but the dates are flexible.
Note: there is no financial help provided from our research group but you can apply for Erasmus grants and mobility grants (see the modalities with your university) and we will support your applications.
Requirements
We are looking for a motivated Master’s student who is interested in evolutionary biology and behvioural ecology and has a curiosity to learn more about trans-generational effects of adversity in a long-lived mammal. This project would require knowledge of statistical analyses and previous experience with R software. The project also requires using AI tools processing textual descriptions of regular health check-ups of elephants to obtain health indices – the student will learn this during the internship.
Please send your CV and a cover letter (1 page max) that includes a summary of about your academic background, interests and motivation for this project.
Last date: November 15th 2024. Interviews will be held the following weeks.
Contact: Dr Hansraj Gautam (hansraj.gautam@utu.fi), and Dr. Martin Seltmann (martin.seltmann@utu.fi), Department of biology, University of Turku (Finland).