[ECOLOG-L] Graduate Positions Bee Ecology OSU
Toxic Risks to Bees in Urban and Agricultural Landscapes Drs. Reed Johnson and Mary Gardiner, The Ohio State University, Department of Entomology, are seeking PhD students to investigate the impacts of toxic exposure on bee health and conservation in urban and agricultural environments. Soils in urban Cleveland, OH contains elevated levels of Pb, Cd, Cr, and other contaminants. Pesticide use in agricultural areas expose bees to potentially harmful levels of neonicotinoid insecticides, particularly through dust generated during corn planting. Both urban and agricultural areas are being studied as potential sites for arthropod conservation, thus it is vital to understand if a legacy of soil contamination or insecticide exposure influences their value for bee biodiversity and productivity. Students could quantify the impacts of pesticide or heavy metal exposure by studying bee foraging behavior, reproduction, and/or pollination services in wild or managed bees. The successful candidates would conduct a combination of laboratory and field-based research. Students with experience working with bees, extracting DNA, conducting PCR analyses, and using bioinformatics tools are strongly encouraged to apply. Selected students would begin their programs in Fall, 2019. Minimum requirements to apply include previous research experience, a 3.6 or higher undergraduate GPA and a 75th percentile or higher average on the verbal and quantitative portions of the GRE. To learn more about our projects please email us a brief statement of your interests along with a CV or resume. Reed Johnson johnson.5...@osu.edu https://entomology.osu.edu/our-people/reed-johnson Mary Gardiner gardiner...@osu.edu http://u.osu.edu/gardinerlab
[ECOLOG-L] Summer Vacant Lot Conservation Management Position
The Gardiner Lab in the Department of Entomology at The Ohio State University seeks a Summer Urban Greenspace Manager. This individual will be responsible for maintaining (including mowing, trimming, mulching, weeding, and trash removal) a network of urban vacant lot greenspaces. The selected candidate will also assist Mary Gardiner with establishing experiments and collecting data from the vacant lot sites. These habitats were established in 2014 and the Gardiner Lab is examining their value for arthropod conservation. The individual selected for this position must be able to drive, operate equipment such as lawn mowers and weed whips, and enjoy working independently and be comfortable interacting with the public. This job is titled Research Assistant 1 in the OSU system will be posted for 2 weeks (March 19-31) and can be found here: https://www.jobsatosu.com/postings/85388 The position runs from May 1 to October 15, with an earlier start date possible. The selected individual could be based in Columbus, Cleveland, or Wooster OH. Site photos and details here: https://u.osu.edu/gardinerlab/research/ Contact Mary Gardiner (gardiner...@osu.edu) with questions related to the position after reviewing the full announcement.
[ECOLOG-L] Post Doc Position - OSU Entomology, Urban Soil Ecology
A post-doctoral opportunity is available to research the legacy of urbanization on soil capacity to provide ecosystem services in former industrial cities. The postdoc will provide leadership on the project and participate in field and laboratory research to measure biological, chemical, and physical facets of soil quality. The project will compare soils from urban vacant lots, urban farms, parks, and rural organic farms for microbial community structure, invertebrates, metabolites, mineral and heavy metal levels, as well as predation activity and promotion of plant health and resistance. Qualifications include PhD in soil microbial ecology, ecosystem science, soil science, chemical ecology, or related fields. Candidates must have significant experience in field and laboratory research, analysis of multivariate datasets, and a strong record of peer- reviewed publications. Preferred experiences include molecular microbial community analysis and/or chemical characterization by GC-MS and LC-MS. Funding is available for two years through a contract with the USDA-AFRI Agroecosystem Management program. Interested applicants should submit a cover letter describing research interests and goals, current CV, and contact information for three references to the PI’s listed below. Project PI’s: P. Larry Phelan (phela...@osu.edu) and Mary M. Gardiner (gardiner...@osu.edu). Department of Entomology, The Ohio State University (http://entomology.osu.edu/) Please submit an application by October 3, 2016 for full consideration The Ohio State University is committed to establishing a culturally and intellectually diverse environment, encouraging all members of our learning community to reach their full potential. We are responsive to dual-career families and strongly promote work-life balance to support our community members through a suite of institutionalized policies. We are an NSF Advance Institution and a member of the Ohio/Western Pennsylvania/West Virginia Higher Education Recruitment Consortium. The Ohio State University is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation or identity, national origin, disability status, or protected veteran status.
[ECOLOG-L] PhD Position OSU Entomology, Urban Soil Ecology
A graduate research opportunity is available to study how a legacy industrial urbanization has influenced soil capacity to provide ecosystem services, with a focus on those needed to sustain urban agriculture. The selected PhD student will conduct field and laboratory research to measure biological, chemical, and physical facets of soil quality. The project will compare soils from urban vacant lots, urban farms, parks, and rural organic farms. The student could select to evaluate soils from these habitats for microbial community structure, invertebrates, metabolites, mineral and heavy metal levels, as well as predation activity and promotion of plant health and resistance. Interested applicants should contact project PI's for more information about the project and The Ohio State University graduate student application process. Project PI’s: P. Larry Phelan (phela...@osu.edu) and Mary M. Gardiner (gardiner...@osu.edu). Department of Entomology, The Ohio State University (http://entomology.osu.edu/) The Ohio State University is committed to establishing a culturally and intellectually diverse environment, encouraging all members of our learning community to reach their full potential. We are responsive to dual-career families and strongly promote work-life balance to support our community members through a suite of institutionalized policies. We are an NSF Advance Institution and a member of the Ohio/Western Pennsylvania/West Virginia Higher Education Recruitment Consortium. The Ohio State University is an equal opportunity employer.
[ECOLOG-L] Two Entomology Faculty Positions at Ohio State
The Ohio State University Department of Entomology currently is seeking candidates for two tenure track faculty positions. The positions focus on Horticultural Food Crops IPM and Agronomic Crop Insect Management. Please see the following link for more details: http://entomology.osu.edu/about- us/news/january-2015-faculty-positions-announced-candidates-sought
[ECOLOG-L] Graduate Student / Post Doc positions avalaible studying insect ecology in Cleveland!!
Two graduate students (MS and PhD) and one postdoctoral researcher are sought by the Gardiner Laboratory at the Ohio State University. These positions are part of an NSF CAREER funded project examining how vacant land plant community composition and surrounding landscape heterogeneity influence arthropod predator biodiversity-resource capture relationships. The starting semester for graduate students is F 2014 and W 2013 for the postdoctoral researcher. A brief project summary is below. For more information interested individuals should contact Dr. Mary Gardiner at gardiner...@osu.edu. For full consideration, applications for graduate students should be submitted to OSU by early December 2013. Project Summary: Global biodiversity decline has fueled rapid growth in biodiversity-ecosystem function (BEF) research. On average, a positive association among species richness and productivity has emerged. However, studies examining predators indicate larger variation in richness-resource capture relationships. Without greater knowledge of the mechanisms driving predator BEF relationships, conservation of predators and their functions is difficult to achieve. This project will establish a large-scale field experiment within the urban landscape of Cleveland, OH to examine how patch composition and landscape configuration influence predator resource partitioning and resource capture. Objectives include 1) documenting how patch and landscape heterogeneity affect the dietary niche overlap of generalist arthropod predators, 2) testing whether changes in heterogeneity affect resource capture via random gain or loss in richness, non-random gain or loss of highly effective predatory species, and/or altering the per- capita contributions of species, and 3) tracking the dispersal of predators to determine if heterogeneity affects the ability of a patch to serve as a source of biocontrol services. Research will take place within a network of 64 vacant lot sites assigned to one of eight plant community treatments. Decisions regarding vacant land management will shape the ecological and social quality of inner-city neighborhoods for decades to come. Therefore, understanding how the composition of these habitats and their landscape context influence BEF relationships is a critical task.
[ECOLOG-L] 2 Year Research Tech Position - Vacant Land Green Infrastructure Project in Cleveland, OH
A Research Assistant 2 position is currently available in the Gardiner Laboratory at the Ohio State University in the area of urban ecology focused on vacant land ecosystem management. This project will establish a large-scale field experiment to examine how patch composition and landscape configuration influence predator resource partitioning and resource capture. The position will be based in Wooster, OH at the Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center (http://www.oardc.ohio-state.edu/). Research will be conducted in Cleveland, OH within a network of 64 vacant lot sites assigned to one of eight plant community treatments with the goal of informing ecologically-based future greenspace design. Requirements: B.S. degree in Ecology, Biology, Entomology, or related fields is required. Candidates with experience in landscaping, GIS, PCR methods, and/or plant and insect identification skills are especially encouraged to apply. For more information about this opportunity please contact Dr. Mary Gardiner (gardiner...@osu.edu). This position is officially posted on the OSU Jobs Website (http://jobs.osu.edu/) and applications should be submitted via this site.
[ECOLOG-L] articles examining bias in citizen science needed
Hello All, I operate a citizen science program and am working with a network of collaborators on a publication examining the accuracy of insect data collected by volunteers. We are evaluating the issue of “conservation bias” where people mis-identify common taxa as rare species creating errors. I am really interested in any articles where others have found this type of bias for over reporting rare taxa or articles where this issue is discussed. I have found a some through my research but if anyone knows of articles of this nature which I could review in my paper I would greatly appreciate the references. Thanks much, Mary Gardiner
[ECOLOG-L] Assistant Professor Position: Honey Bee / Pollinator Biologist
LOCATION: Department of Entomology, The Ohio State University, Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center (OARDC), Wooster, Ohio (http://entomology.osu.edu/). QUALIFICATIONS: Ph.D. in Entomology, Zoology, or related field with focus on biology, genetics, and ecology of honey bees or other insect pollinators, including but not limited to, functional genomics, metabolomics, neurophysiology, behavior, pathology, or toxicology. Experience with pollinating insects is required, and applicants with prior experience relevant to honey bees will be strongly considered. Other qualifications include excellent oral and written communication skills, evidence of scholarly research and productivity, demonstrated potential for quality teaching, and willingness to collaborate. Desired qualifications include teaching and post-doctoral experience, and experience with extramural funding opportunities. POSITION DESCRIPTION: Assistant Professor, 9-month tenure-track appointment focusing on honey bees and/or other pollinating insects, 80% research / 20% teaching. For full posting see our website: http://entomology.osu.edu/ Research (80%): The successful applicant is expected to develop an internationally renowned research program focused on insect pollinators relevant to food production. Research areas include but are not limited to: molecular biology and functional genomics; neurophysiology, learning, and behavior; health of honey bee and other pollinators including interactions with pathogens, arthropod pests and pesticides; ecology of honey bees and other pollinator populations in agricultural and urban ecosystems; and/or pollinator services to economically important plants. Teaching (20%): The successful applicant will contribute to innovative undergraduate and graduate level curricula in entomology and related disciplines. Additional responsibilities include graduate seminar courses and the advising of graduate students. APPLICATIONS: Applicants should send a detailed curriculum vita, copies of academic transcripts, statements of research and teaching interests and philosophy, statement of experience with and approach to extramural funding, career goals, recent reprints or accepted manuscripts, and contact information (names, address, phone, and email) of at least 3 professional references to: Dr. Daniel Herms, Search Committee Chair, Department of Entomology, The Ohio State University / OARDC, 1680 Madison Ave, Wooster OH, 44691 (phone: 330-202-3506; fax: 330-263-3686; email: herm...@osu.edu). Review of applications will begin October 15, 2010, and will continue until a suitable applicant is selected. The Ohio State University is an Equal-Opportunity Affirmative Action Employer. Women, minorities, veterans and individuals with disabilities are encouraged to apply.
[ECOLOG-L] Graduate Research Assistantship Invasive Plants
Graduate Assistantship in the Agricultural Landscape Ecology Lab – Dr. Mary Gardiner, The Ohio State University Widespread occurrence of the exotic invasive shrub common buckthorn, Rhamnus cathartica, has resulted in cascading ecosystem disservices across the north central U.S. A landscape approach to understanding and managing these effects is required to enhance agricultural production and protect the natural resource base. Common buckthorn invades natural areas where it directly reduces native biodiversity. In addition, it serves as the primary overwintering host of the exotic soybean aphid, Aphis glycines, allowing it to successfully overwinter in the north central U.S. Soybean aphid negatively impacts the production of soybean and vegetable crops by direct feeding and vectoring plant viruses. Moreover, the presence of soybean aphid has facilitated an increase in the exotic multi-colored Asian lady beetle Harmonia axyridis, leading to the decline of several native lady beetle species. Harmonia adults also invade homes where they cause human allergies. The goal of this project is to develop a fundamental quantitative understanding of the cascading impacts of this keystone invader on ecosystem function and services, and to develop economically and ecologically rational strategies for its management at landscape-scales. This USDA-funded project is regional in scope and includes a citizen science component. Both PhD and MS will be considered. Student could begin program in Fall 2010 or Spring 2011. For more information contact Mary Gardiner: gardiner...@osu.edu.
[ECOLOG-L] Ph.D. Research Assistantship Invasive Plants
Ph.D. position avaliable at The Ohio State University Dept. of Entomology Invasive species permeate both the natural and managed landscapes. These exotic species often have profound negative impacts on native biodiversity by influencing abiotic conditions, or increasing competition for food or other resources. Increasingly, invaders also interact with one another in ways that exacerbate their impacts on ecological communities and environments. The success of an invasive species depends not only on the biology of the invader itself, but the ecological community and environment that is being invaded. Often these lead to invasion meltdowns, where the introduction of one species facilitates the invasion of additional species. The soybean aphid plays a key role in a recent ecological invasion meltdown involving its invasive primary host plant, buckthorn, and its key predator, the multi-colored Asian lady beetle. This USDA-funded position will specifically focus on soybean aphid population and landscape genetics, with emphasis on the role of buckthorn during secondary and primary host colonization. The project will combine field work (including soybean aphid collecting at various sites across the Midwestern US), as well as molecular data generation (microsatellites and single nucleotide polymorphisms). Ph.D. students are preferred, but Master's students are strongly urged to apply. The ideal start time would be summer of 2010, but start date is flexible. For more information, please contact Dr. Andy Michel (michel...@osu.edu).
