2 PHD positions on the behaviour ecology of shorebirds in Madagascar
1) Behavioural ecology meets disease biology and immuno-ecology
2) The scent of Madagascar plovers: communication or concealment?
2 PhD positions (3 years), Bielefeld University (Germany), Universities of Bath and Bristol (UK)
Supervisors: 1) Prof Oliver Krüger, Prof Tamás Szekely and 2) Dr Barbara Caspers, Prof Innes Cuthill
Mating
systems and parental behaviour are among the most diverse social
behaviours, and recent research suggests that the social environment
influences these behaviours. Small plovers (Charadrius spp.) exhibit
highly variable breeding systems, between and within species, making
them an ideal model system for studying the causes and consequences of
sex ratio variation. The objective of these studentships is to
investigate these fundamental issues by means of fieldwork in three
plover populations in Madagascar. The research builds on the results
from previous successful studentships working with these birds.
We
seek two bright and highly motivated students with strong interests in
evolutionary ecology and behavioural ecology. Willingness to carry out
fieldwork in a harsh tropical environment is essential for this
position. The students will search for nests, trap birds and take blood
and preen gland samples and record their behaviour. In addition, they
will use molecular methods and chemical analysis in the laboratory.
Previous experience with avian field biology or any other field
experience in the tropics is very important.
Fieldwork
will be in a remote and pristine location in SW Madagascar. Facilities
are extremely basic, the weather can be very harsh, and a great deal of
walking and cycling are required. Opportunities for outside communicate
on are very limited. You must be physically fit, hard-working and
meticulous, and have a proven ability to work independently. You must
have a positive attitude and an ability to look after yourself (i.e.
cook your own meals, deal with logistics and organise your own work over
extended periods). Speaking French or Malagasy is advantageous, but not
a requirement.
Project
1. Behavioural ecology meets disease biology and immuno-ecology.
Supervisors: Oliver Krüger, Joe Hoffman, Nayden Chakarov, Tamás Székely.
The
aim of this project is to study the immune-ecological causes of sex
ratio bias in three sympatric species of plovers with varying mating
systems at one site in Madagascar. At which stage of the life cycle do
mortality differences between the sexes emerge and what are the
demographic consequences of these differences? We aim to experimentally
manipulate parasite infection and load in plovers but also monitor the
populations closely to find the proximate causes of the adult sex ratio
biases previously described. In addition, the student will test
hypotheses of mating system evolution, and develop demographic models to
estimate key demographic properties of natural populations.,
statistical modelling and/or immunological techniques is advantageous.
Strong quantitative skills are essential, and willingness to programme
is a must.
Project
2. The scent of Madagascar plovers: communication or concealment?
Supervisors: Barbara Caspers, Innes Cuthill, Tamás Székely.
The
aim of this project is to investigate the function of preen gland
secretion variation in three sympatric species of plovers with varying
mating systems at one site in Madagascar. Within the last decades
various hypothesis have emerged, which will be tested using this unique
study system. Using state of the art chemical analysis techniques
together with behavioural experiments and molecular techniques we will
investigate whether plovers change their preen gland composition to
protect themselves, their chicks or eggs against microbes, or olfactory
hunting predators, or in order to communicate with conspecifics.
These
projects will provide cutting edge training in evolutionary biology,
behavioural ecology and disease biology. In addition, the student will
be involved in biodiversity conservation impact of the projects by
working with local conservationists and training Malagasy students in
field biology and conservation.
The students will be based at the Department of Animal Behaviour at Bielefeld University (www.uni-bielefeld.de/biologie/animalbehaviour.html).
The Department is the oldest of its kind in Germany and currently hosts
6 Principal Investigators, 7 Postdocs and 20 PhD students. It offers a
stimulating international environment and an excellent research
infrastructure with access to state-of-the-art techniques. The working
language of the Department is English. The students will also spend some
of their time at the Universities of Bath (www.bath.ac.uk/bio-sci/biodiversity-lab/index.htm) and Bristol (www.bristol.ac.uk/), United Kingdom.
These
two studentships (E13/65%) are funded by the German Science Foundation
(DFG) and are available for 3 years. Full funding is available for
fieldwork and for attending conferences. Please send your CV, the name
of 2 referees, and a concise statement of your research interests as a
single PDF file to: oliver.krueger@uni-bielefeld.de (project 1) or Barbara.caspers@uni-bielefeld.de (project 2). For further information concerning these positions, please contact Oliver Krüger (oliver.krueger@uni-bielefeld.de), Barbara Caspers (barbara.caspers@uni-bielefeld.de) or Tamás Székely (T.Szekely@bath.ac.uk).
Bielefeld
University is an equal opportunity employer. We welcome applications
from severely handicapped people. We particularly welcome applications
from women. Given equal suitability, qualifications and professional
achievement, women will be given preference, unless particular
circumstances pertaining to a male applicant predominate.
The deadline for applications is 31 May 2019. Interviews will be held soon thereafter and the positions are available as soon as possible.
Key references
Ancona,
S., Denes, F. V., Krüger, O., Szekely, T. & Beissinger, S. R.
(2017) Estimating adult sex ratios in nature. Phil. Trans. R. Soc. Lond.
B 372: 20160313.
Amano,
T., T. Szekely, B. Sandel, Sz. Nagy, T. Mundkur, T. Langendoen, D.
Blanco, C. U. Soykan, W. J. Sutherland. (2018) Successful conservation
of global waterbird populations depends on effective governance. Nature
553: 199-202
Eberhart-Phillips,
L. J., Küpper, C., Carmona-Isunza, M. C., Vincze, O., Zefania, S.,
Cruz-Lopez, M., Kosztolanyi, A., Miller, T. E. X., Barta, Z., Cuthill,
I. C., Burke, T., Szekely, T., Hoffman, J. I. & Krüger, O. (2018)
Demographic causes of adult sex ratio variation and their consequences
for parental cooperation. Nature Comm. 9: 1651.
Eberhart-Phillips,
L. J, C Küpper, T. E. X. Miller, M. Cruz-López, K. H. Maher, N. dos
Remedios, M. A. Stoffel, J. I. Hoffman, O. Krüger & T. Székely.
(2017) Adult sex ratio bias in snowy plovers is driven by sex-specific
early survival: implications for mating systems and population growth.
Proceedings of The National Academy of Sciences US 114: E5474-E5481.
Kubelka,
V., M. Šálek, P. Tomkovich, Zs. Végvári, R. Freckleton & T.
Székely. 2018. Global pattern of nest predation is disrupted by climate
change in shorebirds. Science 362: 680-683.