Applications are invited for a three year DPhil studentship on enemy-mediated indirect interactions in tropical forests, Department of Zoology, Oxford, UK.
[Unfortunately, university tuition fees covered only for students from the EU.] ***PROJECT OUTLINE*** A key challenge in tropical forest research is to understand how the diversity of tropical plant communities is maintained and structured: What allows a large number of plant species to coexist at a given site? What determines the distribution and abundance of individual plant species? Many recent studies support the hypothesis that specialised plant enemies attacking seeds, seedlings, or leaves of larger plant individuals (either killing their hosts or drastically reducing their fitness) may help maintaining plant diversity in tropical forests. Although the idea has received less attention, it has also been suggested that plant enemies with diets encompassing more than one plant species may structure tropical plant communities through so called enemy-mediated indirect interactions. This possibility is supported by analyses of the distribution and survival of seedlings in relation to their phylogenetic relatedness. Nevertheless, studies linking the action of specific enemies to such patterns are still scarce. This DPhil project will address the role of enemy mediated indirect interactions such as 'apparent competition' and 'apparent mutualism' in structuring tropical forest plant communities. The student will carry out field-based observations and experiments to test the hypothesis that some rainforest plant species influence the distribution of other plant species via shared enemies. The study system will be insects killing seeds and young seedlings in the forests of the Barro Colorado Natural Monument in Panama, where information on patterns of insect host use and mapped forest plots are available to inform the research. The student will be supervised by Dr Sofia Gripenberg (main supervisor), Dr Owen Lewis and Dr Michael Bonsall who are all based in Oxford. (Two of the supervisors have ongoing research projects in Panama.) The student will start in October 2014. The project is well suited for a prospective graduate student interested in conducting research on a topical theme in community ecology/tropical forest ecology. The student will join an active group of community ecologists within the Department of Zoology at the University of Oxford, and will receive training in tropical forest ecology, experimental design and statistical analysis. Due to the nature of the research, the student must be prepared to spend substantial amounts of time at the field site. While prior experience of field work, experimental design and statistical analysis would be a bonus, the most important qualities of the successful candidate will be an enthusiasm for ecological research and willingness to learn new skills. Applications are invited from highly motivated candidates that have obtained, or are about to obtain, a minimum of an upper second class UK honours degree or the equivalent qualifications gained outside the UK. To apply please use the online application system at: http://www.ox.ac.uk/admissions/postgraduate_courses/apply/<http://www.findaphd.com/common/clickCount.aspx?theid=53341&type=75&url=http%3a%2f%2fwww.ox.ac.uk%2fadmissions%2fpostgraduate_courses%2fapply%2f> . Please remember to quote the studentship reference code GRIP01. Any queries regarding the application procedure please contact graduate.off...@zoo.ox.ac.uk. Please note that as this is a studentship project, no research proposal is required, please submit a statement of purpose/personal statement in its place. The deadline for applications is 28 March 2014. Interviews of shortlisted candidates are scheduled to take place in early April. For informal enquiries, please contact Sofia Gripenberg (sofia.gripenb...@zoo.ox.ac.uk). The University of Oxford is an Equal Opportunities employer. ***FUNDING NOTES*** The studentship (which is tied to a Royal Society funded project led by Dr Sofia Gripenberg) will provide an annual stipend (£13,863) and UK/EU tuition fees for a period of three years. (Unfortunately, full university fees will only be paid for students from the UK and the EU). Travel to, and accommodation at, the field site in Panama will also be covered. Dr Sofia Gripenberg, Department of Zoology, South Parks Road, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3PS, UK Tel: +44 (0)1865 271271; Fax: +44 (0)1865 31044
