New Zealand PhD Fellowship Available - How native plant-insect foodwebs can disrupt and be disprupted by weed biocontrol
Indirect effects of weed invasion and biocontrol on native plant- insect foodwebs may act to reduce the effectiveness of weed biocontrol and reduce the abundance of native insects and plants. Current knowledge is limited on the nature and importance of these effects. Would this knowledge result in more effective and ecologically beneficial weed biocontrol? A New Zealand PhD fellowship is available to explore these indirect effects using the foodweb of native Senecio herbs and their insect herbivores, and the invasion into this foodweb by the weed ragwort, S. jacobaea, and its biocontrol insects. The PhD fellowship is available in the Bio-Protection and Ecology Division of Lincoln University, New Zealand (http://www.lincoln.ac.nz/ section133.html). The successful applicant will work under the supervision of Dr. Jon Sullivan (Lincoln University, http:// www.lincoln.ac.nz/story957.html) and Dr. Simon Fowler (Landcare Research, http://www.landcareresearch.co.nz). The student should have a background in and/or interest in plant/ insect herbivore/parasitoid interactions and in applying foodweb theory to invasion ecology. The research will involve the design, implementation and interpretation of field and mesocosm experiments in New Zealand. Duration: 3 years Stipend: NZ$23,000 per annum (tax-free) plus tuition fees* It is open to applicants from New Zealand and from overseas countries, but the cost of airfares to/from New Zealand is not covered. Please see http://www.mollivan.com/science/senecios/phd.php for further details or contact Jon Sullivan ([EMAIL PROTECTED]). Applications close on Friday 30 June 2006. * fees will be covered at the domestic student rate. This can now apply both to domestic students and international students. For details, see http://www.minedu.govt.nz/index.cfm? layout=document&documentid=10874&indexid=6663&indexparentid=1216. ____________________________________________________ Jon Sullivan, Ph.D. Lecturer Bio-Protection and Ecology Division P.O. Box 84 Lincoln University / Te Whare Wanaka O Aoraki Lincoln, Canterbury New Zealand office: Room 436a, Burns Wing, Lincoln University campus email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] tel: (03) 325 3838 ext. 8147 fax: (03) 325 3844 for international calls and faxes, replace (03) with (643) web: http://www.lincoln.ac.nz/story957.html? web: http://homepage.mac.com/tabebuia/jon.html ____________________________________________________
