[ECOLOG-L] M.S. Graduate Research Assistantship: Prescribed fire and oak forest birds
M.S. Graduate Research Assistantship: Prescribed fire and oak forest birds The Department of Natural Resource Ecology and Management at Oklahoma State University announces a Graduate Research Assistantship beginning Jan. 2015. The successful applicant will take the lead on a project to study the long- term effects of prescribed fire on ground-dwelling birds in upland oak forests of central Oklahoma. In this transition zone between eastern forests and central grasslands, fire frequency can have dramatic effects on vegetation, litter, and coarse woody debris. We are interested in vegetation structure and arthropod availability at the ground level as mechanisms to explain avian community composition along a gradient of fire frequency. The GRA will manage this project, overseeing all data collection and taking the lead on analysis and manuscript preparation in partial fulfillment of the requirements for a Master of Science degree in NREM. The GRA will be co-advised by Drs. Steve Hallgren and Tim OConnell. Compensation: Full project support for two years including non-resident tuition waiver, 3036-hour tuition remission, field housing and travel costs, OSU insurance, and annual stipend of $15,504. Qualifications: B.S. in wildlife ecology or related discipline, GPA 3.3, combined GRE 1100 (300 for 2011 revised scores), English fluency, and a valid U.S. drivers license. Desired experience: Excellence in written and oral communication; proven ability to identify eastern U.S. songbirds by song and call; solid quantitative background and comfort in study design and statistics; maturity, responsibility and dedication to meticulous field work despite harsh conditions; leadership in supervision of 12 field technicians. For consideration, please send the following via email to tim.oconn...@okstate.edu: 1) cover letter expressing interest in and suitability for the position, 2) CV or resume, 3) names and contact information for at least 3 references, 4) unofficial transcript and GPA, and 4) unofficial GRE scores. Documents should be attached as MS Word files or pdfs. Please do not submit a formal application to the Department unless requested to do so. Applications will be accepted until 31 August 2014.
[ECOLOG-L] GRA Ecology and Management of Bottomland Hardwoods
Ecology and Management of Bottomland Hardwoods The Department of Natural Resource Ecology and Management at Oklahoma State University seeks a graduate student to fill a Graduate Research Assistant (GRA) position in ecology and management of bottomland hardwoods. The bottomland hardwoods vegetation type is one of the richest and most productive ecosystems and it is also one of the most threatened due to agricultural clearing and flooding by reservoirs. We seek a MS student to study the pattern of bottomland hardwood vegetation in relation to environment to learn whether recent forest decline is related to local variation in hydrologic regime and edaphic factors. The work will be conducted on the Deep Fork National Wildlife Refuge and nearby Wildlife Management Areas. The MS Graduate Research Assistantship (GRA) stipend will be $15,500 per year. It will begin January 1, 2014 and will be renewed for two years provided satisfactory progress in the project. GRAs receive health insurance and tuition waivers. Please contact: Steve Hallgren, Oklahoma State University, 405-744-6805, steve.hallg...@okstate.edu
[ECOLOG-L] Graduate Research Assistantship in Forest Ecology
Graduate Research Assistantship in Forest Ecology I seek a student of ecology to fill a MS GRA position in forest ecology to research the consequences of abrupt canopy tree mortality on forest succession in upland oak forests. Old-growth oak stands suffered unusual total canopy mortality in 2008 that killed nearly 70 ha of forest in several stands surrounded by hundreds of ha of apparently healthy forests. We have extensive measurements of the herbaceous and woody plants in these stands before and after canopy death. Further study and re-measurement is warranted to determine effects on forest succession and biogeochemical cycles. Will these dead stands recover to forest or change to grassland? If the forest recovers, will it have the same composition as the original forest. How will N and C pools and cycles change due to the sudden death. As these stands are frequently prescribe-burned we would like to know the effects of fire on recovery from the sudden canopy death. Increasing drought due to global change may lead to more abrupt forest death and more openings. This study will provide new knowledge about the consequences of sudden forest canopy death. The successful candidate will have considerable leeway to design a high quality project. The MS Graduate Research Assistantship (GRA) stipend will be $15,500 per year. The GRA will begin in August 2012 and will be renewed for two years provided satisfactory progress in the project. GRAs are offered with tuition waivers and health insurance. Please contact: Steve Hallgren, Oklahoma State University, 405-744-6805, steve.hallg...@okstate.edumailto:steve.hallg...@okstate.edu Steve Hallgren 022 Ag Hall Natural Resource Ecology and Management Oklahoma State University Stillwater, OK 74078 office: 405-744-6805 FAX: 405-744-3530
[ECOLOG-L] Graduate Research Assistantship in Fire Ecology
Graduate Research Assistantship in Fire Ecology I seek a MS student to research the effects of prescribed burning on ecosystem services of oak forests and savannas of south-central USA. The ecotone between the eastern forest and southern Great Plains has been subjected to anthropogenic burning for thousands of years. Because of recent changes in the fire regime there is growing interest in using prescribed burning to manage forests, savannas and grasslands for maintenance and enhancement their ecosystem services. A MS student is sought to conduct independent research on prescribed burning effects on ecosystem structure and function. The research will be done within the context of a larger DOD project concerning how to manage the carbon footprint of forests and savannas. The MS Graduate Research Assistantship (GRA) stipend will be $15,500 per year. The GRA will begin in mid-May 2012 and will be renewed for two years provided satisfactory progress in the project. GRAs are offered with tuition waivers. Please contact: Steve Hallgren, Oklahoma State University, 405-744-6805, steve.hallg...@okstate.edumailto:steve.hallg...@okstate.edu
[ECOLOG-L] Oak seedling production
There are numerous nurseries across the range of oak species in the southern USA that produce millions of oak seedlings each year. A call to a nursery manager that produces oak seedlings would provide plenty of first-hand information. Just down the road from OSU the Oklahoma State Nursery produces bare-root and container seedlings of blackjack oak, bur oak, chinkapin oak, northern red oak, pin oak, post oak, sawtooth oak, Shumard oak, water oak, white oak, and willow oak. That is a nice selection of white and red oaks to cover the range of seed dormancy. They know how to collect, treat, store and plant seeds and how to grow seedlings. Call Scott Huff the nursery manager at 405-288-2385. The website is: http://www.forestry.ok.gov/regeneration. Oak seedlings produce a long and sturdy tap root that must be carefully managed to produce a seedling that can be transplanted. Call a nursery manager for the straight practical information. Steve Hallgren 022 Ag Hall Natural Resource Ecology and Management Oklahoma State University Stillwater, OK 74078 office: 405-744-6805 FAX: 405-744-3530
[ECOLOG-L] MS Graduate Research Assistantship in Forest Ecology
I seek a MS student to research the effects of prescribed burn frequency on nitrogen dynamics in the litter and soil of upland oak forests. The forests, savannas and grasslands have been subjected to anthropogenic burning for thousands of years. Changes in the fire regime may have important consequences for nitrogen dynamics of these relatively nutrient poor sites. Because fire volatilizes N frequent burning could lead to reduced site N. Conversely, fire exclusion and infrequent fire could result in increased site N. Nitrogen dynamics and pools can have important consequences for competitive interactions among native and invasive species such as eastern redcedar. There is growing interest using prescribed burning to manage forests, savannas and grasslands. To insure effective and intelligent use of prescribed burning more information is needed about its effects on ecosystem processes such as nitrogen dynamics. The MS Graduate Research Assistantship (GRA) stipend will be $15,500 per year. The GRA will begin in January 2012 and will be renewed for two years provided satisfactory progress in the project. GRAs are offered with tuition waivers. Please contact: Steve Hallgren, Oklahoma State University, 405-744-6805, steve.hallg...@okstate.edu
[ECOLOG-L] Graduate Research Assistant in Forest Ecology
Graduate Research Assistant in Forest Ecology The Department of Natural Resource Ecology and Management (NREM) at Oklahoma State University is seeking applications for an MS graduate research assistantship in forest ecology to study the relationships among fire frequency, habitat quality, and wildlife values in Cross Timbers forests including vegetation composition and structure, forage production and amount and quality of litter and coarse woody debris. The Cross Timbers vegetation type is a mosaic of oak forest, oak savannah and tall grass prairie covering almost 5 million hectares from southeastern Kansas across Oklahoma to north-central Texas. It retains some of the best preserved old-growth oak forests in the south-central US because the forest has little commercial timber value. These forests are highly threatened today by overgrazing, invasive species, exclusion of fire and clearing for agriculture and urbanization. Evidence suggests the quality of savannahs and forests for wildlife habitat is changing due to increasing density of woody vegetation. This research position is part of the project Fire Frequency Effects on Habitat Quality of Three Wildlife Management Areas Dominated by Cross Timbers Forests supported by the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation. Dr. David M. Leslie, Jr., Leader of the Oklahoma Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit is co-director of the project. In addition to the cooperation of several departments at OSU, the research includes collaboration with the staff of several wildlife management areas in the state. Position: The student will enroll in an MS program at OSU starting Winter 2010. The stipend will be $15,500/year and will be renewed after each year based on satisfactory progress. Benefits include tuition waiver and health insurance. Application: A complete application includes the following: personal statement, three letters of reference, curriculum vitae, official transcripts of all college level study, GRE scores and a completed OSU Graduate College application. Please contact Steve Hallgren with questions. Steve Hallgren 022 Ag Hall Natural Resource Ecology and Management Oklahoma State University Stillwater, OK 74078 office: 405-744-6805 steve.hallg...@okstate.edu
[ECOLOG-L] Forest Ecology Summer Technician Position
Forest Ecology Summer Field Technician Position: Forest ecology summer field technician position is offered for work in the Cross Timbers forests of Oklahoma. This is a full time summer job for May, June, July and early August. The pay scale starts at $10 per hour and all work related travel expenses will be paid. The project office is in Stillwater, Oklahoma. Type of work: The job requires extensive field work in the Okmulgee, Lexington and Cherokee Wildlife Management Areas. These sites are all within a two-hour drive of Stillwater, Oklahoma. We will be measuring and sampling vegetation along randomly located transects. There will be some office work managing data bases and analyzing data. Project: This position is part of the project Fire Frequency Effects on Habitat Quality of Three Wildlife Management Areas Dominated by Cross Timbers Forests supported by the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation. Dr. David M. Leslie, Jr., Leader of the Oklahoma Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit is co-director of the project. The objective is to quantify relationships among fire frequency, habitat quality, and wildlife values in Cross Timbers forests including vegetation composition and structure, forage production and amount and quality of litter and coarse woody debris. Qualifications: The persons applying for the job should be capable of extensive field work in Oklahoma in the summer. It would be best if they have strong background in biology or ecology and are capable of identifying plant species. Contact: Steve Hallgren, 022 Ag Hall, 744-6805, steve.hallg...@okstate.edu Steve Hallgren 022 Ag Hall Natural Resource Ecology and Management Oklahoma State University Stillwater, OK 74078 office: 405-744-6805 FAX: 405-744-3530
[ECOLOG-L] GRA Position in Forest Ecology
PhD Graduate Research Assistantship in Forest Ecology A MS GRA position is available for a student to join a team studying the ecological role of fire in Cross Timbers forests, a vegetation type covering almost 5 million hectares from southeastern Kansas across Oklahoma to north-central Texas. Research is focused on relationships among fire frequency, vegetation composition and structure, community biodiversity, litter and coarse woody debris and wildlife values. This research position is supported by the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation. Dr. David M. Leslie, Jr., Leader of the Oklahoma Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit is co-director of the project. The Cross Timbers forests are highly threatened today by overgrazing, invasive species, exclusion of fire and clearing for agriculture and urbanization. Evidence suggests the quality of savannahs and forests for wildlife habitat is changing due to increasing density of woody vegetation. Position: The student will enroll in a MS program at OSU starting Fall 2009. The stipend will be $15,500 per year and will be renewed after each year based on satisfactory progress. Benefits include tuition waiver and health insurance. Contact: Steve Hallgren, 022 Ag Hall, Natural Resource Ecology and Management, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK 74078, 405-744-6805, steve.hallg...@okstate.edu.
[ECOLOG-L] GRA Position in Forest Ecology
PhD Graduate Research Assistantship in Forest Ecology A PhD GRA position is available for a student to join a team studying the ecological role of fire in Cross Timbers forests, a vegetation type covering almost 5 million hectares from southeastern Kansas across Oklahoma to north-central Texas. Research is focused on relationships among fire frequency, vegetation composition and structure, community biodiversity, litter and coarse woody debris and wildlife values. This research position is supported by the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation. Dr. David M. Leslie, Jr., Leader of the Oklahoma Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit is co-director of the project. The Cross Timbers forests are highly threatened today by overgrazing, invasive species, exclusion of fire and clearing for agriculture and urbanization. Evidence suggests the quality of savannahs and forests for wildlife habitat is changing due to increasing density of woody vegetation. Position: The student will enroll in a PhD program at OSU starting Fall 2009. The stipend will be $17,500 per year and will be renewed after each year based on satisfactory progress. Benefits include tuition waiver and health insurance. Contact: Steve Hallgren, 022 Ag Hall, Natural Resource Ecology and Management, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK 74078, 405-744-6805, [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[ECOLOG-L] GRA in Forest Ecology
GRA in Forest Ecology: The Department of Natural Resource Ecology and Management (NREM) at OSU is seeking applications for a PhD graduate research assistantship in forest ecology to study the relationships among fire frequency, habitat quality, and wildlife values in Cross Timbers forests including vegetation composition and structure, forage production and amount and quality of litter and coarse woody debris. The Cross Timbers vegetation type is a mosaic of oak forest, oak savannah and tallgrass prairie covering almost 5 million hectares from southeastern Kansas across Oklahoma to north-central Texas. It retains some of the best preserved old-growth oak forests in the south-central US because the forest has little commercial timber value. These forests are highly threatened today by overgrazing, invasive species, exclusion of fire and clearing for agriculture and urbanization. Evidence suggests the quality of savannahs and forests for wildlife habitat is changing due to increasing density of woody vegetation. This research position is part of the project Fire Frequency Effects on Habitat Quality of Three Wildlife Management Areas Dominated by Cross Timbers Forests supported by the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation. Dr. David M. Leslie, Jr., Leader of the Oklahoma Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit is co-director of the project. In addition to the cooperation of several departments at OSU, the research includes collaboration with the staff of several wildlife management areas in the state. Position: The student will enroll in a PhD program at OSU starting Summer or Fall 2008. The stipend will be $17,500 per year for 3 to 4 years and will be renewed after each year based on satisfactory progress. Benefits include tuition waiver and health insurance. Application: A complete application includes the following: personal statement, three letters of reference, curriculum vitae, official transcripts of all college level study, GRE scores and a completed OSU Graduate College application. Please contact Steve Hallgren with questions. Steve Hallgren 022 Ag Hall Natural Resource Ecology and Management Oklahoma State University Stillwater, OK 74078 office: 405-744-6805 FAX: 405-744-3530 [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[ECOLOG-L] PhD Assistantship in Forest Ecology
PhD Assistantship in Forest Ecology The Department of Natural Resource Ecology and Management (NREM) at OSU is seeking applications for a PhD graduate research assistantship in forest ecology to study the relationships among fire frequency, habitat quality, and wildlife values in Cross Timbers forests including vegetation composition and structure, forage production and amount and quality of litter and coarse woody debris. The Cross Timbers vegetation type is a mosaic of oak forest, oak savannah and tallgrass prairie covering almost 5 million hectares from southeastern Kansas across Oklahoma to north-central Texas. It retains some of the best preserved old-growth oak forests in the south-central US because the forest has little commercial timber value. These forests are highly threatened today by overgrazing, invasive species, exclusion of fire and clearing for agriculture and urbanization. Evidence suggests the quality of savannahs and forests for wildlife habitat is changing due to increasing density of woody vegetation. This research position is part of the project Fire Frequency Effects on Habitat Quality of Three Wildlife Management Areas Dominated by Cross Timbers Forests supported by the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation. Dr. David M. Leslie, Jr., Leader of the Oklahoma Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit is co-director of the project. In addition to the cooperation of several departments at OSU, the research includes collaboration with the staff of several wildlife management areas in the state. Position: The student will enroll in a PhD program at OSU starting Summer or Fall 2008. The stipend will be $17,500 per year for 3 to 4 years and will be renewed after each year based on satisfactory progress. Benefits include tuition waiver and health insurance. Application: A complete application includes the following: personal statement, three letters of reference, curriculum vitae, official transcripts of all college level study, GRE scores and a completed OSU Graduate College application. Please contact Steve Hallgren with questions. Steve Hallgren 022 Ag Hall Natural Resource Ecology and Management Oklahoma State University Stillwater, OK 74078 office: 405-744-6805 FAX: 405-744-3530 http://nrem.okstate.edu/
GRA Forest Ecology
MS Assistantship in Forest Ecology =20 Oklahoma State University Natural Resource Ecology and Management =20 The Department of Natural Resource Ecology and Management (NREM) at OSU is seeking applications for a MS graduate research assistantship (GRA) in forest ecology to study the extent, magnitude and possible reasons for forest composition and structure changes over the past 50 years. Research will involve remeasurement of forest plots and dendroecological techniques and is part of the project, Magnitude and geographic distribution of the threat of eastern redcedar encroachment in Oklahoma Cross Timbers forests. In addition to the cooperation of several departments at OSU, the research includes collaboration with the Tree Ring Laboratory at the University of Arkansas and the Oklahoma Biological Survey at the University of Oklahoma. =20 =20 The Cross Timbers vegetation type is a mosaic of oak forest, oak woodland and tallgrass prairie covering almost 5 million hectares from southeastern Kansas across Oklahoma to north-central Texas. It retains some of the best preserved old-growth oak forests in the south-central US because the forest has little commercial timber value. When Washington Irving visited these forests in 1835 he called them the cast iron forest. These forests are highly threatened today by overgrazing, invasive species, exclusion of fire and clearing for agriculture and urbanization. =20 Position: The student will enroll in a MS program in at OSU starting Summer or Fall 2008. The stipend will be $15,504 per year for two years and will be renewed after one year based on satisfactory progress. Benefits include tuition waiver and health insurance.=20 =20 Application: A complete application includes the following: personal statement, three letters of reference, curriculum vitae, official transcripts of all college level study, GRE scores and a completed OSU Graduate College application. Please contact Steve Hallgren with questions. =20 =20 Steve Hallgren 022 Ag Hall Natural Resource Ecology and Management Oklahoma State University Stillwater, OK 74078 office: 405-744-6805 FAX: 405-744-3530 [EMAIL PROTECTED]
