Vacancy: PhD position: Arctic meltdown affects tropical seagrass meadows via migrant shorebird

Vacancy: PhD position

Arctic meltdown affects tropical seagrass meadows via migrant shorebird

Global warming is most pronounced in the Arctic. Hence, Arctic-breeding
migrants might carry over the ecological effects of climate change
to their tropical wintering grounds. Although recently discovered,
reductions in body size are already considered a universal response to
climate change. Red knots (Calidris canutus), medium-sized shorebirds
breeding as High Arctic as possible, are no exception to this rule. Over
the past 30 years, their bodies have been shrinking, notably with respect
to body mass and bill length. Preliminary analyses revealed that at their
main wintering site (Banc d’Arguin, Mauritania, West-Africa), small
individuals with a short bill are now shifting niche by consuming readily
accessible seagrass rhizomes instead of deeper buried shellfish. Here
we will (A) experimentally unravel the coupling between body size and
diet; (B) link survival rate to body size and diet; and (C) quantify
the top-down effects of rhizome-grazing on seagrass.

Whilst the field work will be carried in Mauritania, the laboratory and
desk work will mainly be carried out at the Department of Marine Ecology,
NIOZ Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research (Texel, the Netherlands;
http://www.nioz.nl). However, in this MARES-EU funded project, regular
visits will be made to the two partner universities, University of Aveiro
(Portugal) and the University of Gdańsk (Poland).

Profile
The subject is open to highly motivated students that have a background
in (marine) ecology, preferably with affinities to birds. The proposed
fieldwork in Banc d’Arguin will be embedded in large expeditions in
which a consortium of international researchers is involved. Henceforth,
the candidate should be a team player, but, at the same time, should be
able to work independently under seemingly pleasant, but sometimes tough,
field circumstances. Because this project involves Dutch, Portuguese and
Polish partners, the regulations set by MARES-EU demand that candidates
should have obtained their master degree outside the Netherlands,
Portugal and Poland.

Employment details
The candidate will be employed by NIOZ for a period of three years,
under the collective agreement of Dutch universities and research
institutions. This includes a gross monthly salary of € 2,800 including
an 8%-vacation bonus and end-of-year payment.

To apply: http://www.mares-eu.org/index.asp?p=1846&a=1846
For more information: http://www.mares-eu.org/index.asp?p=2174&a=1853&mod=phd&id=207
E-mail Jan.van.Gils@nioz.nl for remaining questions

Jan van Gils