Job Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences - PhD position Community and Conservation Ecology (1,0 fte)

Ecologists are well aware of the importance of interactions between plants (competition, facilitation) for the structure and functioning of ecological communities. However, we are only beginning to understand how these plant-plant interactions change with increased abiotic stress (drought, flooding, salinity) or biotic stress (herbivory). Even more challenging is the question how both types of stress (abiotic and biotic) together affect the interactions between plants species, and what the consequences are for the spatial configuration, diversity and stability of ecological communities. These questions are presently also highly relevant in the light of the global changes in land-use and climate that pose severe stress to our ecosystems.
The aim of this PhD project is to come up with clear hypotheses on how plant-plant interactions change along environmental gradients consisting of abiotic and biotic stress, and to test these hypotheses via a series of descriptive and experimental (field) studies. Field work will be mainly performed at the salt marshes, coastal dunes and intertidal mudflats of Schiermonnikoog, where our well-equipped field lab is permanently available. Additional lab experiments can be performed at our excellent research facilities (green houses, growth cabinets, common garden experiments) at the University of Groningen.

The PhD student will be supervised by Dr C. Smit (daily advisor) and Prof. H. Olff.

We are looking for a highly motivated person with a master's degree in biology or equivalent, and with a strong background and interest in experimental ecology. The ideal candidate is an ecologist motivated for both field work and the advancement of ecological concepts, is able to work independently (under sometimes unpleasant field conditions), and has proven experience with setting up and running (field) experiments, statistical analyses of the data, and scientific writing. Some knowledge of the study systems is beneficial, but not a prerequisite. Good proficiency of the English language is required. The candidate will be enrolled in Groningen Graduate School of Science, attend graduate courses within the Research School Ecology and Evolution and have a role in our teaching programme (10% of time).

The University of Groningen offers a salary of € 2,042 gross per month in the first year up to a maximum of € 2,612 gross per month in the final year. The full time appointment is temporary for 1 year with the perspective of prolongation with another 3 years. After the first year, there will be an evaluation on the perspectives of the successful completion of the PhD thesis within the next three years. If these perspectives are poor, the contract may not be renewed. A main objective of the position is the publication of a number of research articles in peer-reviewed scientific journals, which together will form the basis of the thesis leading to the granting of the PhD degree (Dr) at the University of Groningen.

We would like to receive letters in Dutch or English, including the personal motivation for the position, a curriculum vitae along with names and addresses, including telephone/fax and e-mail addresses, of three referees.

The vacancy is at the Community and Conservation Ecology group at the Centre for Ecological and Evolutionary Studies (CEES), Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, University of Groningen. The research of our group focuses on understanding the structure, dynamics and diversity of ecological communities in both temperate and tropical ecosystems. Important processes that we study are: spatial heterogeneity and biodiversity, plant-plant & plant-herbivore interactions, herbivore-predator interactions, plant dispersal, food web analysis, neutral biodiversity theory and speciation theory.

Dr. C. Smit, daily advisor, c.smit@rug.nl or smitchr@gmail.com
Community and Conservation Ecology group