Doctoral position at Åbo Akademi University

Doctoral Student position at Doctoral Network in Functional Marine Biodiversity (FunMarBio)

We offer a doctoral position for the period 1.1.2019-30.6.2021 (max. 30 months), within the Doctoral Network in Functional Marine Biodiversity (FunMarBio)

The main objective with this position is to offer research education in marine biology and ecology. Understanding what generates spatial and temporal variation in natural and sexual selection is one of the major challenges in current evolutionary ecology. This doctoral project focuses on how the availability of food and feeding habitats for females affect spatial variation in mating success and sexual selection in males in a resource defence breeding system. The model system is the sand goby, Pomatoschistus minutus, a small marine fish species and a well-established model system in evolutionary behavioural ecology. How female fecundity variation is reflected on mating systems and sexual selection has received little attention despite that there is a direct link between female reproductive rate and sexual selection through the effects on the operational sex ratio.

The project combines trophic ecology with behavioural ecology. It seeks to explain eco-evolutionary feedback processes that arise between individual behaviour and the community and seascape through their influence on female fecundity and hence population sustainability. Information gained through this project will be relevant in predicting the effects of climate change and device management strategies to mitigate the effects of this. The project is part of the recently initiated strategic multi‐disciplinary Profiling area The Sea (https://www.abo.fi/en/the-sea/) at Åbo Akademi University. The position is part of the Doctoral Network in Functional Marine Biodiversity and the successful candidate will be working a diverse and international environment that provides a stimulating intellectual environment for research, networking and career development.

We are seeking a highly motivated, self-driven student who is able to work independently but also in a team. Experience from fieldwork in aquatic environments will be considered as a benefit. The current funding is for 30 months, starting no later than March 2019.

For further information about the position and application process, please contact Professor Kai Lindström, kai.lindstrom@abo.fi and Tel. +358 2 215 4355.

See the full announcement at https://abo.rekrytointi.com/paikat/?o=A_A&jid=146

Deadline for submission of application is on 15^th December 2018 at 3 p.m. (Finnish time). Complete documentation is required.

PhD position on the evolution of sexual conflict

What do we offer? We offer a PhD position starting on December 2018-January 2019.

To do what? We are looking for a PhD student interested in studying the evolutionary factors modulating the intensity of male-male competition and sexual conflict, and its consequences in terms of population viability. Strong sexual selection can improve population viability and evolvability through a number of processes, such as genic capture. However, strong sexual selection will also often give rise to sexual conflict and female harm, which does not only tend to deviate females from their evolutionary optima, but can drastically affect population viability, leading to a “reproductive tragedy of the commons”. We are still far from understanding what factors modulate the evolution of female harm levels, and sexual conflict at large, and how this feeds back into population viability. Our on-going research aims to contribute to fill these gaps in knowledge by investigating factors potentially modulating the evolution of sexual conflict. This PhD will explore the role of different ecological and demographic factors (e.g. temperature, population density and structure) affect male-male competition levels and the potential for sexual conflict, mainly in Drosophila melanogaster. The research project involves behavioural experiments in the lab, experimental evolution, and considerable fieldwork in Spain, the USA and Australia.

Funding We offer funding for 3 yrs, but applicants will be expected to apply for independent PhD fellowships.

Where? The student will be supervised by Dr. Pau Carazo, and based at the Behaviour and Evolution group of the Ethology Lab, at the Cavanilles institute of Biodiversity and Evolutionary Biology (University of Valencia, Spain). For information about our group visit our website (http://paucarazo.com).

Who? We are looking for a motivated, enthusiastic, hard-working candidate with some background (and a strong interest) in sexual selection, and evolutionary biology and animal behaviour at large.

Contact For further information and expressions of interest, please contact Pau Carazo (University of Valencia; pau.carazo@uv.es). The deadline for applications is the 10^th November.

Two funded PhD positions in animal behaviour at the University of St Andrews

Two PhD positions available for Sept 2019 start!

1/ Understanding the effects of environmental chemical mixtures on seabird health and fitness (Ref IAP2-18-91)

Supervised by Dr Karen Spencer, St Andrews, Dr Caroline Gauchotte-Lindsay, University of Glasgow and Dr Liz Humphreys, British Trust for Ornithology.

Seabirds rate as some of the fastest declining species globally, but the reasons underlying these widespread declines are not fully understood. One potential reason lies with increasing levels of pollution.

We manufacture thousands of different chemicals for use in a range of different products, including pharmaceuticals, personal care products, detergents and pesticides/fertilisers. The majority of these ‘environmental chemicals’ (ECs) persist within the environment, facilitating bioaccumulation and their ubiquitous presence is a real concern for vertebrate health Worldwide. One major concern is that ECs can interact with physiological systems, altering many biological processes, including reproductive ability. There is now a real need to study EC exposure profiles in an ecologically relevant way to determine the importance of ECs in driving seabird health changes across the life cycle and estimate population-level effects.

This innovative and multi-disciplinary project will focus in on the effects of differential EC exposure on reproductive success and health in three declining seabird species that show species differences and individual specialisations in their foraging habitats: Herring Gull, Greater Black-backed Gull and Lesser Black-backed Gull. These species utilise forage in urban, inland and marine habitats during breeding and hence are likely to be exposed to a wide range of EC profiles. This makes them excellent models from which to extrapolate the potential fitness effects of ECs on other seabird species. As such this project represents a potential step-change in our understanding of anthropogenic impacts on wildlife populations.

Further details - file:///C:/Users/kas21/Documents/IAP2-18-91_StAndrews_Spencer.pdf

All enquiries to Karen.spencer@st-andrews.ac.uk – make sure you contact me soon – final application deadline is 18^th January 2019!

2/ Pre-natal acoustic programming in birds

Supervised by Dr Karen Spencer, St Andrews and Prof. Simone Meddle, Roslin Institute, Edinburgh. 

Even before it is born the conditions an animal experiences can have profound long-term effects on later phenotypes. This phenomenon of developmental programming has led to an increasing focus on how pre-natal conditions can impact on the health and welfare of animals, particularly in avian species. However, the main focus of research in this areas has been into in-ovo factors, such as hormones or yolk nutritional value. Avian embryos are regularly exposed to ‘external’ acoustic stimuli, including natural conspecific calls and anthropogenic noise. Recent work from the Mechanisms of Behaviour group at St Andrews has shown that embryonic exposure to different sound types can program different neuroendocrine and behavioural phenotypes in early post-natal life in Japanese quail. This suggests that external stimuli may also play a role in shaping later health outcomes and they could be a tool for optimising welfare. However several questions still remain unanswered: 1. Are phenotypic responses to pre-natal acoustic stimuli adaptive in that they prepare an individual for the post-natal environment?  2. How persistent are acoustically altered phenotypes into the post-natal period and 3. What are the mechanisms by which acoustic stimuli alter phenotypic traits in the short and long-term?

This PhD project will utilise a range of techniques to answer these three questions using a well-established captive avian model, the Japanese quail. There will also be the possibility to extend the work into free living birds, using the semi-precocial herring gull as a model. The project will integrate information across different levels of complexity, from organismal to molecular to truly understand how pre-natal acoustic stimuli can shape avian phenotypes. The student will gain experience in behavioural assays, bioacoustics, physiological assays, neuroendocrine measurement, immunohistochemistry and cutting edge molecular techniques. One aim of the project will be to use RNA seq analyses to identify candidate mechanisms for the potential programming effects of different acoustic stimuli. Work on captive species may also lead to the development of tools for the poultry industry to maximise avian chick welfare, which would allow the student to gain experience of applied research.

Full details of how to apply can be found here: https://www.findaphd.com/search/ProjectDetails.aspx?PJID=101263

Please contact Karen.spencer@st-andrews.ac.uk first – make sure you contact me soon – final application deadline is 5^th December 2018!

 

Volunteer - Avian Field Assistant

- Agency:  University of Groningen

- Location: Groningen, The Netherlands.

Job description:

We are seeking one volunteer to help us collecting breeding and behavioral data on Pied flycatchers (Ficedula hypoleuca) next spring 2019 (estimated start April 1st 2019-end of June 2019). Our current research focuses primarily on identifying how genetic and ontogenetic factors influence the advancing timing of pied flycatchers. The candidates will work closely with an international team consisting of one technician, one PhD and several students. Duties include nest monitoring, bird handling (ringing, measuring), behavioral observations, temporary aviary building, caretaking of captive birds, data entry and data management.

Qualifications:

Candidates should have a BSc in Biology or a related field and preferably have proven experience with bird handling and/or behavioral observations in the field. Candidates should be highly motivated, willing to work independently, well organized and have a valid drivers' license. Fieldwork will involve long hours and work in the weekend while still maintaining a positive attitude. We will provide housing in the lovely field site in Drenthe (~60 km south Groningen). Non-EU applicants should make sure that they are eligible for an extended stay in Europe.

Applications will be accepted until February 2019 or until the position is filled and should include (1) a statement that highlights relevant experience, and (2) a short resume or CV and contact information for references (up to 2).

Send applications to Xuelai Wang (EMail: xuelai.wang@rug.nl);

Conservation Ecology Group, Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Science (GELIFES), University of Groningen, PO Box 11103, 9700 CC Groningen, The Netherlands;

For more information about the lab visit: (URL: http://www.rug.nl/research/institute-evolutionary-life-sciences/ceg/).