Graduate position in conservation ecology: Ohio University, Athens, OH A masters position in conservation ecology is available starting August 15, 2014. This project will exam the effectiveness of wildlife mitigation measures installed during the construction of a highway bypass. The focus of the research is on the effectiveness of tunnels to facilitate mole salamander and Timber rattlesnake migrations, using radio telemetry, cameras, pit traps, and other methods. Collaborators in this study are also monitoring deer, bats, and other wildlife, and some participation in these projects is expected. This student will be shared between Dr. Willem Roosenburg (http://www.ohio.edu/people/roosenbu/) and Dr. Shawn Kuchta (http://www.ohio.edu/people/kuchta/public_html2/Home.html), in the Department of Biological Sciences (http://www.ohio.edu/biosci) at Ohio University (www.ohio.edu).
The construction of roads to accommodate the desire for quicker transportation, and the increasing number of cars on roads, has had a serious impact on wildlife populations, especially as previously isolated regions are developed and made accessible to vehicular traffic. Organisms with limited dispersal capacities, such as amphibians and reptiles, frequently encounter roads during their movements across the landscape to reach breeding, feeding, aestivation, or hibernation sites. To the the impact of roads on wildlife populations, mitigation measures such as wildlife tunnels and deer jump-outs are increasingly employed. However, they are expensive to install and their effectiveness is not always clear. In this study we will evaluate the effectiveness and operation of some recently installed wildlife mitigation measures in a new highway bypass. This project will be heavy on field work, and will especially involve monitoring salamander populations in the spring and fall, and monitoring snake movements in the summer. The student will be supported on a research grant for 1.5 years, and is required to TA a class for at least one semester. The candidate should hold degree in biological sciences. Applicants should provide the following documents: 1) Application letter, including a description of scientific interests 2) CV 3) GRE scores 4) College Transcripts Send applications to Dr. Roosenburg (roose...@ohio.edu) and Dr. Kuchta (kuc...@ohio.edu). The closing date is July 11, 2014. Feel free to inquire about project details.
