We are announcing an opportunity for two Ph.D. students to join an exciting collaboration between Michigan Technological University and the U.S. Forest Service, Northern Research Station. The students will study responses of roots and mycorrhizae to soil warming predicted to occur in the Northeastern and North Central US during the next century. Multiple new and ongoing field experiments ranging from 0 to 17 years of warming, located in a variety of regions and ecosystem types will be utilized in the study.
Position 1. Ph.D. research will focus on the acclimation or adaptation of root systems to soil warming and the drier conditions that may co-occur. Potential topics for Ph.D. research include, but are not limited to, C allocation to root respiration and biomass production, nutrient uptake and utilization, stand-level C and nutrient budgets, and modeling primary productivity and forest biogeochemical cycles. Position 2. Ph.D. research will focus on the effect of soil warming on composition, structure and function of mycorrhizal fungal communities. Potential research topics include the response of arbuscular and ectomycorrhizal fungal biomass and community composition to warmer and/or warmer and drier conditions, and the impacts these changes have on ecosystem functions such as soil respiration, C allocation, aboveground NPP, and soil C storage. Both students will have considerable flexibility in designing a research program that investigates areas of personal interest, within the overall framework of the long-term project. A background in ecology, soil science, mycology or a related field is required, as is an interest in the linkages between community-, physiological- and ecosystem ecology. Experience with any of the following will be an asset, but is not required: root or mycorrhizal research; molecular identification methods; statistical analysis of community structure; physiological ecology of plants and fungi; measurements of ecosystem nutrient and carbon pools and fluxes. Proficiency in spoken and written English is a necessity. Selection will be based on academic achievements, reference letters and previous research experience. An on-campus personal interview may be required. Tuition and fees and a standard stipend package commensurate with your experience will be offered. Interested candidates should send a resume highlighting their experience and interests, GRE scores (TOEFL required for international students), and names and email addresses of three references to both Dr. Andrew Burton ([EMAIL PROTECTED]) and Dr. Erik Lilleskov ([EMAIL PROTECTED]). The School of Forest Resources and Environmental Science at Michigan Technological University (http://forestry.mtu.edu/) has state-of-the-art research facilities, including stable isotope and molecular genetics laboratories and instrumentation. There is a large group of faculty interested in ecosystem science at Michigan Tech and a well-established partnership with the adjacent USDA Northern Research Station’s Forest Sciences Laboratory. MTU is located in Houghton, Michigan, on the scenic Keweenaw Peninsula. Proximity to beautiful Lake Superior and extensive forests, lakes and rivers provides opportunities for a range of recreational activities, including hiking, canoeing and kayaking, fishing and cross-country skiing (http://www.keweenaw.org/visitor_info.htm). MTU is an equal opportunity educational institution/equal opportunity employer
