The Department of Aquatic Ecology offers a PhD position on the project modelling decreasing greenhouse gas emissions from surface waters by climate‐smart water management (DIGS).

Project description:
Shallow inland waters are greenhouse gas (GHG) emission hotspots. High anthropogenic nutrient and organic loading combined with global warming provides ideal conditions for high emissions of the potent GHGs methane (CH4) and nitrous oxide (N2O). On the other hand, there is great potential for the reduction of aquatic GHG emissions and for carbon (C) burial in water systems. Emission quantification is so far seriously hampered by the low number of measurements and even more by the fact that methane emission via bubbles, making up >60% of the total emission, has mostly been overlooked. Quantification of inland water GHG emissions is urgent, as in water‐rich regions they are most likely responsible for a considerable share of national emissions. Even more importantly, successful GHG mitigation strategies are lacking due to limited insight into the biogeochemical key drivers of both processes and potential mitigation strategies.

Aim of this PhD project is to further develop, parameterize and validate a dynamic process based GHG module for the most frequently used water‐system model PCLAKE/PCDITCH and contribute to a GHG-mitigation toolbox for water managers and engineers. PC‐lake and PC‐ditch are ecosystem models that have been successfully applied in regional and global cases, to study eutrophication and climate change effects and derive critical boundaries for nutrient loads. Adding GHG processes to these models will strongly increase the scope and allow for studying the combined effects of water quality management on ecological status and GHG emissions.

The PhD candidate will follow a new, integrative and stepwise, multidisciplinary approach to advance from understanding to prediction. This PhD research will be carried out in close cooperation with the Aquatic Ecology and Water quality management group of Wageningen University. It is part of the DIGS project coordinated by Dr. Sarian Kosten from the Radboud University, and consisting of 1 more PhD student and 1 Postdoc. The DIGS project also involves researchers from the Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), Wageningen University and Research (WUR) and the Radboud University. You will also work closely with partners in the Dutch water sector.

The project will contribute to the understanding and prediction of GHG emissions on ecosystem functioning and identify different ways to mitigate potential negative impacts.

The PhD student will be based in Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW) supervised by Dr. Lisette de Senerpont Domis (principal investigator, NIOO-KNAW), Dr. Jeroen de Klein (Co-promotor, WUR) and Prof. Dr. Wolf Mooij (Promotor, NIOO-KNAW & WUR)

The candidate is motivated to pursue a PhD, show independence and ability to collaborate and engage with stakeholders. She/he should have a passion for water quality and ecological modelling (e.g. carbon and nutrient flows), aquatic food-web and ecosystem state, and have an interest in scenario analysis and evaluation of water-related policies. Importantly, she/he needs to have a strong background in programming skills and data analysis, and willingness to face complex modelling problems. Experience with biogeochemical and ecological processes affecting (ecological) water quality is highly appreciated. She/he needs to have a master degree in environmental sciences, or equivalent degree.  If the candidate has not completed her/his higher education with English as the language of instruction, she/he has to submit an internationally recognised Certificate of Proficiency in the English Language (TOEFL internet-based 90, with minimum sub-score 20 (was 23) for speaking or equivalent). She/he will be part of the AKWA team at the NIOO (headed by Lisette de Senerpont Domis), where a team science approach is taken to strive for diversity, inclusiveness and equality, therefore requiring good team player skills.

Appointment:
This is a temporary appointment, initially for 1 year and upon satisfaction to be prolonged for a maximum of 4 years (1.0 fte). Starting day: September 1, 2021. The PhD position is for four years.

Salary:
The gross salary starts at € 2.395, - per month in the 1st year, and will gradually increase to a maximum of € 3.061,- per month in the 4th year, scale P, Collective Agreement for Dutch Universities (CAO Nederlandse Universiteiten), excluding 8% holiday pay and a year-end bonus.

Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO)

The Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW) is an Academy research institute. It conducts ecological research on land, in the ocean and in fresh water and studies how living organisms interact with one another and their environment. NIOO stimulates biodiversity and sustainability in nature and society through its worldwide network of researchers, policymakers, conservationists and other stakeholders.