[TABD] PhD opportunities

Mon Feb 28 11:31:40 GMT 2011

Interne & externe vacature

The focus of NCB Naturalis is biodiversity. NCB Naturalis curates a
collection of 37 million specimens; this is one of the world's largest
natural history collections. We present the history of our planet and
the diversity of life on Earth with permanent and temporary exhibitions,
educational programmes and websites. Our research and education are
maintained at a high academic level. 

NCB Naturalis is appealing to a wide audience, attracting over 250,000
visitors and 5 million hits to its website annually. Co-operation with
international institutions, including three renowned Dutch universities,
and the outstanding collections, are all factors that attract hundreds
of visiting scientists every year. 

Expectations and ambitions for the next few years are high. We will
develop new exhibitions and plan to integrate several collections. NCB
Naturalis will invest significantly in infrastructure for collections
and research, including new buildings. In short, we are a developing,
world-class institution, and present this exciting opportunity for you
to help us achieve our ambitions and meet our challenges.

Starting May 1st 2011, the NCB Naturalis has positions available for:

Three PhD students

For 36 hours a week

We seek to attract three PhD students who will be working on one of
three projects described below. You are an energetic and enthusiastic
scientist with interest in systematics in general and one of the
projects specifically. You are eager to join our new institute and to
study the NCB Naturalis natural history collections.

PhD project 1: Diversification of mycoheterotrophic angiosperms

In deeply shaded understory of forests plants are light-limited. To cope
with this limitation numerous plant lineages have evolved to take
advantage of mycorrhizal networks, or free-living saprotrophic fungi, by
gaining organic carbon and other essential elements from the fungi.
These achlorophyllous plants are referred to as 'mycoheterotrophs'. A
mycoheterotrophic mode of life has evolved many times independently in
flowering plants, both in monocots and eudicots. While some species of
mycoheterotrophs are remarkably widespread, many other species are rare
and have very limited distributions.

Unlike mycorrhizal autotrophic plants some species of mycoheterotrophic
plants are associated with very narrow lineages of mycorrhizal fungi.
Because the availability of a suitable mycorrhizal fungus is crucial for
the germination and development of specialized mycoheterotrophic plants,
it has been suggested that mycorrhizal specialization and the
distribution of their host fungi drives the diversification and
distribution of the mycoheterotrophs. Evidence for this hypothesis is
lacking, and due to the rarity and minute habit of many
mycoheterotrophic species, little is known about their evolutionary
history, phylogenetic relationships, and interaction with mycorrhizal
fungi.

The aim of the proposed PhD study is to elucidate the evolutionary
history of selected groups of mycoheterotrophic plants that associate
with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, and the potential role of mycorrhizal
specialization in their diversification and distribution. This includes:

-          inferring the phylogenetic relationships and biogeographical
history of the study groups;

-          investigating their fungal associations and host specificity;

-          studying the role of mycorrhizal specialization in plant
diversification and distribution.

The study will be focused on mycoheterotrophic genera in Burmanniaceae,
Triuridaceae, Corsiaceae, and Gentianaceae. You will construct molecular
phylogenetic hypotheses and infer biogeographical histories of the study
groups. You will use molecular tools to identify the associated
mycorrhizal fungi. This project combines molecular laboratory techniques
and advanced data analysis. The project also includes fieldwork in the
tropics.

Skills: The successful applicant will have proven knowledge of molecular
phylogenetics and plant systematics.

PhD project 2: Ecomorphology and evolution of sharks

The study of feeding mechanics in chondrichthyans (sharks and relatives)
is becoming well developed. However, understanding the role of an
organism in a marine ecosystem can be hampered by the inability to
observe it in its natural habitat-a factor that influences both living
and fossil organisms- though to different degrees. In this project, the
candidate will use a combination of discrete character analysis and
morphometric landmark analysis to explore the relationship between
locomotor and feeding strategies in modern chondrichthyans (sharks and
relatives). Landmark analysis will be used to quantify shape differences
in major locomotor features such as fin shape and position, and body
profile, as well as jaw gape, branchial chamber size, etc. The student
will be expected to use the ichthyological collections at NCB Naturalis,
as well as collections at institutions abroad, and develop research
collaborations with other working groups on ichthyology. This project
will require creating photographic records of body shape and fin shape
for digitization and landmark analysis, as well as recording aspects of
gape, dentition, and jaw function. The candidate will integrate methods
in systematics, collections-based research, possible fieldwork, and
comparative quantitative morphometrics. The goal will be to try to
discover predictors of trophic level and feeding ecology in
chondrichthyans. These results will hopefully be transferrable to
conservation research, as well as macroevolutionary studies.

Skills: The successful applicant will have proven ability in maths and
some background in zoology or a related discipline; and demonstrate a
keen interest in learning morphology and systematics of sharks and their
relatives. Some experience with statistics and/or computer programming
are desirable.

PhD project 3: Biodiversity responses to environmental change in the
Netherlands.

Most studies assessing impacts of past land use and climate change on
flora or fauna target single species or species groups (e.g. flowering
plants, birds or butterflies). As a result, we have a fragmented
understanding of how communities respond to change, have to assume that
the observed response in the focal species is representative for other
species' responses, and do not know how individual changes percolate
through the food web. This project aims to improve our understanding of
the main environmental drivers that are affecting Dutch biodiversity by
(1) assessing the spatial congruence in colonization and extinction
patterns for multiple taxa (e.g. pollinators, grasshoppers, plants,
spiders, beetles); (2) analyzing whether responses can be predicted from
functional traits; (3) determine the role of historic land use and
environmental change in species occupancy patterns, by means of species
distribution modelling; (4) assess the role of ecological dependencies
(e.g. plant-pollinator, host-parasite, insect-plant) in species
responses; (5) assess whether species-habitat relationships have changed
over time. Besides making scientific progress, this project will provide
a range of tools and knowledge that can be applied in nature
conservation and species management in NW Europe.

You will use the collections and databases of NCB Naturalis, EIS, FLORON
and others which are among the best in the world. There will be
intensive collaboration with UVA-IBED, Alterra and several dataholders
and you will be part of a dynamic and growing group with an extensive
network of collaborators.

Skills: The successful applicant will have considerable expertise in
spatial ecology and data analysis (e.g. GIS, Access, R) and interest in
biodiversity and global change.

General requirements

You have a master degree in systematics, evolutionary biology,
palaeontology or other relevant discipline. You have a scientific and
critical attitude, excellent time management and organizational skills,
the ability to work independently, good verbal and written communication
skills. Fluency in English required.

We offer

A fulltime contract (36 hours per week) for a period of four years. A
salary that is comparable with salary for PhD's at Dutch Universities.
All our employees are incorporated into a pension fund. The successful
candidates will be employed by NCB Naturalis in Leiden. The candidate
will also be affiliated to either the University of Leiden, the
University of Amsterdam or Wageningen University. The appointment must
lead to the completion of a PhD thesis. During your appointment you will
be supervised by either Dr. Vincent Merckx (project 1), Dr. Martin
Brazeau (project 2) or Dr. Koos Biesmeijer (project 3).

Procedure

You are invited to submit your application including your curriculum
vitae, a list of publications, up to five keywords describing your
research interests, and the names and e-mail addresses of at least two
persons that can be contacted for reference (and who have agreed to be
contacted) before March14th  2011 by e-mail to; 
sollicitaties at ncbnaturalis.nl <mailto:sollicitaties at ncbnaturalis.nl> ,
or by mail; NCB Naturalis, HR department, PO box 9517, 2300 RA Leiden,
the Netherlands.

For more information on the current research and facilities, see the
websites of the founding partners of the NCB Naturalis, on 
www.ncbnaturalis.nl <http://www.ncbnaturalis.nl/>  - 
www.nhn.leidenuniv.nl <http://www.nhn.leidenuniv.nl/>  - 
www.science.uva.nl/zma <http://www.science.uva.nl/zma>  - 
www.bis.wur.nl/UK/Organisation/Herbarium
<http://www.bis.wur.nl/UK/Organisation/Herbarium> 

Any additional information can be requested from:

Prof.Dr. E.F. Smets, scientific director

Netherlands Centre for Biodiversity Naturalis 

E-mail: erik.smets at ncbnaturalis.nl <mailto:smets at nhn.leidenuniv.nl> 

Phone: +31 71 5687 713

----------------------------- 

Blanca Huertas FLS DIC MSc 

Curator (Lepidoptera)

Entomology Department

The Natural History Museum

Cromwell Road

SW7 5BD, London, UK.

Tel.  +44 (0) 20 7942 6215

Museum Website www.nhm.ac.uk <http://www.nhm.ac.uk/>  

TABDProject www.andeanbutterflies.org
<http://www.andeanbutterflies.org/> 

P please don't print this e-mail unless you really need to

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