“Conservation areas under global change: managing habitats and landscapes to preserve biodiversity and ecosystem services”
Rationale
Climate change, habitat management and the surrounding landscape context can have profound effects on biodiversity in conservation areas and the provision of ecosystem services. One PhD position is available in a multidisciplinary EU project (SCALES http://www.scales-project.net/). The PhD candidate will conduct climate experiments and surveys of biodiversity and multitrophic plant-insect interactions in grasslands and agricultural systems. A further focus will be on spillover effects between semi-natural grasslands and agricultural fields, ecosystem services and functional resilience. The PhD position will be located at the University of Würzburg, Germany (http://www.zoo3.biozentrum.uni-wuerzburg.de/en/) with intensive field work in the region Unterfranken.
Requirements
MSc or Diploma degree in biology, agriculture or related disciplines. Knowledge in at least some of the fields of plant-insect interactions, ecological field experiments, insect identification skills, GIS and statistics preferably in R+ is desirable. A driver license is compulsory and an own car is of advantage. English speaking and writing skills, the capacity for teamwork and physical fitness are required. A broad background in ecological theory and hypothesis testing is of advantage.
Salary and conditions
Salary is ca. 1100 Euro per month (TVL 13/2). Start date: 1st March 2011 (negotiable). The position is for three years. The doctoral thesis will be done as a series of English manuscripts. We offer the participation in an interdisciplinary European project, a good research atmosphere and modern facilities in a growing and ambitious young research team in Bavaria.
Applications
Please send your applications per e-mail in a single pdf document including cover letter, CV, certificates, a short summary of research interests, and names of two potential referees (with e-mail address) at the latest 5th January 2011 to ingolf.steffan@uni-wuerzburg.de and j.krauss@uni-wuerzburg.de. Interviews of candidates will be held on 21st of January 2011.
For further information, please contact
Prof. Dr. Ingolf Steffan-Dewenter and PD Dr. Jochen Krauss. Department of Animal Ecology and Tropical Biology, Biocenter, University of Würzburg