Five graduate student assistantships in ecological stoichiometry of detrital food webs

Five graduate student assistantships (3 Ph.D. and 2 M.S.) are available as part of a newly funded project examining the responses of detritus-based stream food webs to concentrations and ratios of dissolved nitrogen and phosphorus. Two Ph.D. positions will be based at the University of Georgia and will focus on detrital carbon dynamics and responses of predatory salamanders, respectively. A third Ph.D. position will be based at the University of Alabama and will examine macroinvertebrate food web responses. Both M.S. positions will be based at Coastal Carolina University and will focus on microbial responses to N:P gradients using field and laboratory experiments. All fieldwork will be based at the Coweeta Long term Ecological Research site in Otto, North Carolina. We are looking for students with a holistic view of ecological ramifications of nutrient enrichment, strong interest in integrating a stoichiometric perspective across taxonomic groups, significant research experience and demonstrated communication skills. The positions will start in Summer or Fall 2010, with microbial positions starting as early as January 2010. The successful candidates will receive full tuition waivers and competitive stipends. For more information, contact Amy Rosemond (rosemond@uga.edu) or John Maerz (jmaerz@warnell.uga.edu) for the UGA positions, Jon Benstead (jbenstead@bama.ua.edu) for the UA position, or Vlad Gulis (vgulis@coastal.edu) for the two CCU positions.

Graduate Student Position in Invasive Ascidian Tunicate Research

A position is available immediately for a graduate student to conduct thesis research on the population ecology and genetics of invasive ascidian tunicates in Newfoundland coastal waters. The student will conduct field work on the population dynamics of invasive ascidians using a variety of molecular techniques, such as DNA isolation, polymerase chain reaction, and DNA sequencing and sequence analysis, to develop species-specific molecular probes and quantitative PCR assays for native and invasive ascidians. While we are most interested in candidates for the Ph.D. degree, we will consider exceptional candidates at the M.Sc. level as well. An MSc is required for the Ph.D. position in either Biology, Marine Biology, Biological Oceanography, Ecology, Molecular Biology or Genetics. The students will join a research team working on the genetics and population dynamics of invasive ascidians in Newfoundland. This work is highly relevant to scientific and management concerns of the Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada and will be done in collaboration with DFO scientists.

Two years ago, we discovered several species of invasive ascidians living in several Newfoundland harbours. Our continuing survey work is adding to our knowledge of the geographic distribution of these species on the Newfoundland coast. Invasive ascidians are a major threat to species diversity globally and to the economic viability of aquaculture farms both in Canada and abroad. Our work has resulted in the first report of invasive ascidians in Newfoundland, and one of our objectives is to obtain the scientific knowledge required to anticipate the potential for further invasion and to know when and where to apply mitigation measures.

The Ocean Sciences Centre of Memorial University of Newfoundland is located on the open coast of the North Atlantic Ocean, 10 km from main campus. The OSC consists of approximately 125 faculty, students and staff housed in three research buildings. There are more than 50 graduate students conducting thesis research at the OSC. For more information on the OSC please click on . Memorial University is located in St. John's, the provincial capital. St. John's is a vibrant city with a metropolitan population of ca. 200,000 and an exciting cultural and civic life. The climate is cool maritime, strongly influenced by the Labrador Current, which flows just offshore. Memorial University, the largest post-secondary institution in Canada east of Montreal, has an international student body of > 15,000 students and ca. 2,000 graduate students. For more information on Memorial Univeristy and St. John's, please click on .

Please send a letter of interest and your curriculum vitae, preferably via email, to the following address to indicate your interest in either of these positions.

Dr. Don Deibel
Ocean Sciences Centre
Memorial University
St. John's, Newfoundland A1C 5S7