Postdoctoral fellowship and two PhD student positions at the University of New Mexico
Postdoctoral fellowship Summary: A postdoctoral position is available in the Biology Department at University of New Mexico for a DOE funded project to conduct a large- scale manipulation to quantify the ecosystem consequences of large-scale piñon mortality in piñon-juniper (PJ) woodlands. The successful applicant will join an interdisciplinary team from the University of New Mexico (Marcy Litvak, Bob Sinsabaugh), Los Alamos National Lab (Nate McDowell, Thom Rahn), and the USFS (Mike Ryan). We are using eddy covariance to directly measure continuous net exchange of carbon, water and energy in three PJ woodlands: an intact PJ woodland which serves as the control, a nearby PJ woodland in which all of the piñon will be girdled, and a PJ woodland in which > 95% of piñon trees died in 2002. Primary responsibilities will be analyzing and interpreting eddy covariance data and associated ecosystem measurements to prepare and submit manuscripts to peer-reviewed journals. Field work will include aiding in the physiological and ecosystem measurements required to characterize the tower sites. Results from this work will be of value to fundamental understanding of how large-scale climate induced shifts in ecosystem structure alter biosphere-atmosphere interactions and climate-land surface feedbacks. The position is open immediately and initially offered for one year with the possibility of renewal for two more years. Required skills include experience using and interpreting eddy covariance systems and eddy flux data, demonstrated ability to publish peer-reviewed papers, effective written and oral communication skills, willingness to work in a team environment, and a Ph.D. in physiological ecology, ecosystem ecology, micrometeorology, or related field. Desired skills include programming experience in Matlab, and the use of eddy flux data and remotely sensed data in regional modeling applications would be particularly valuable. PhD student positions: PhD student positions are available for Fall 2009 in the Biology Department at the University of New Mexico. One graduate student RA is available to work on a DOE-funded project to conduct a large-scale manipulation to quantify the ecosystem consequences of large-scale piñon mortality in piñon-juniper (PJ) woodlands. A second graduate student RA is available to work on an NSF-funded project to quantify the change in energy balance associated with woody encroachment in desert grasslands. Students in the general area of micrometeorology, ecosystem ecology or physiological ecology are encouraged to apply. Application deadline is January 15, 2009 for admission in the fall of 2009. For more information on the postdoc or PhD positions or to apply please send a CV and names of 3 references to Marcy Litvak ([EMAIL PROTECTED], http://biology.unm.edu/litvak/index.html).
