Netherlands – Vrije University Amsterdam PhD Student ‘Tundra Plants Monitoring Present and Past Climate’

PhD Student ‘Tundra Plants Monitoring Present and Past Climate’
For 0,8 – 1,0

Vacancy number: 1.2007.00231

The department of Systems Ecology of the Faculty of Earth and Life Sciences of VU University Amsterdam offers a PhD position for the project ‘Long-lived evergreen shrubs from polar ecosystems as monitors of present-day and past cilmate change, the development of a tree ring like proxy to reconstruct polar climate’.

The project aims to:

1. Develop transfer relations and correlative relationships between climate factors (temperature, precipitation) and morphological and isotope (δ¹⁸O, δ¹³C, δ²H) plant growth parameters.
2. Eco(physio)logically analyse the response of evergreen polar shrubs to (experimental) warming, PAR and precipitation in terms of growth, morphology and the build-in of ¹⁸O/¹⁶O, ¹³C/¹²C and ²H/¹H into plant dry matter.
3. Reconstruct palaeo-temperature based on the above tree-ring like transfer relationships from living and (sub)fossil remains of evergreen arctic shrubs.
4. Compare reconstructed palaeo-temperature with other (palae)-climate reconstructions and existing instrumental weather records.
   Field work will be performed on Svalbard and possibly other arctic locations.
   The project is funded by the Dutch International Polar Year programme of the Dutch Science Foundation (NWO).

Required Skills and Education
University degree (MSc) with preferably experience in field and lab plant ecophysiology, isotope analysis, (palaeo)-climatology, tree ring research, data analysis. Good statistical skills and writing skills are required. The candidate must be willing to work for some weeks per year at Svalbard.

Particularities
The initial appointment will be for a period of 12 months. After satisfactory evaluation of the initial appointment it will be extended for a minimal total duration of 4 years (depending on working hours a week). Visit our website www.vu.nl/vacatures for a review of working conditions at the VU.

Salary
Gross monthly salary starts at € 1.956,- in the first year and increases to €2.502,- in the last year of the appointment, based on the full-time appointment.

Information and application
More information about the position and project will be gladly provided by prof. dr. Jelte Rozema, tel. +31 (0)20 59 87055, e-mail: jelte.rozema@falw.vu.nl

Please send your application and resume before August 24th, 2007 to:
The VU University Amsterdam
Faculty of Earth & Life Sciences
attn. dr. J.M.R.M Neutelings
Managing Director
De Boelelaan 1085
1081 HV Amsterdam
The Netherlands

or by e-mail to falw-vacatures@falw.vu.nl

Any other correspondence in response to this advertisement will not be dealt with.

Please kindly mention GetScholarship.net when replying to this position

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