Graduate Student Positions in Invasion Ecology at the University of Toronto - applications open

Graduate Student Positions in Invasion Ecology at the University of
Toronto - applications open

I am looking for Ph.D. and M.Sc. students for investigations into the
ecology of plants and their natural enemies (herbivores and pathogens)
in Ontario and elsewhere. Recent work by my lab has centred on the effects
of these enemies on non-native species. We have used field experiments and
surveys to test whether alien plants experience reduced rates of insect
and pathogen damage, as predicted by the Enemy Release Hypothesis, and
whether exchange of enemies with native species depends upon phylogeny,
latitude, population isolation, and other factors. Information on our
research can be found at my home page (www.utm.utoronto.ca/~w3pkota).

We are a thriving department at a leading research institution,
with excellent resources and many opportunities for interaction
and collaboration. All graduate students are guaranteed a stable
minimum income, currently $25,250 from a variety of sources, as
well as support for research and conference travel. Information on
application procedures and our tri-campus graduate program can be found
at http://www.eeb.utoronto.ca/grad.htm. We accept applications beginning
in November, and begin to review them in January. Interested students
should contact me via e-mail: peter.kotanen@utoronto.ca.

Some recent publications

Santangelo J.S. and P.M. Kotanen (in press) Non-systemic fungal endophytes
increase host survival but reduce tolerance to herbivory in subarctic
Festuca rubra. Ecosphere: accepted 28 Sept 2015.

Lee, Y. and P.M. Kotanen (2015) Differences in herbivore damage and
performance among Arctium minus (burdock) genotypes sampled from a
geographic gradient: a common garden experiment. Biological Invasions
17: 397-408.

Kambo, D. and P.M. Kotanen (2014) Latitudinal trends in herbivory
and performance of an invasive species, common burdock (Arctium
minus). Biological Invasions 16: 101-112.

Dunn, A.M., M.E. Torchin, M.J. Hatcher, P.M. Kotanen, D.M. Blumenthal,
J.E. Byers, C.A.C. Coon, V.M. Frankel, R.D. Holt, R.A. Hufbauer,
A.R. Kanarek, K.A. Schierenbeck, L.M. Wolfe, and S. E. Perkins (2012)
Indirect effects of parasites on invasions. Functional Ecology 26:
1262-1274.

Hill S.B. and P.M. Kotanen (2011) Phylogenetic structure predicts
capitular damage to Asteraceae better than origin or phylogenetic distance
to natives. Oecologia 166: 843-851.
 
Peter M. Kotanen
Dept. of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology
University of Toronto Mississauga
3359 Mississauga Road North
Mississauga, ON, L5L 1C6 CANADA
tel: 905-828-5365; fax: 905-828-3792
e-mail: peter.kotanen@utoronto.ca  
http://www.utm.utoronto.ca/~w3pkota/

"peter.kotanen@utoronto.ca"