2-year full time postdoc in Baltic Sea Ecosystem Change

A 2-year full time postdoctoral position  in Baltic Sea Ecosystem Change is available starting 1 February 2018 (or as per agreement) at the Department of Ecology, Environment and Plant Sciences (DEEP). More information on the project and how to apply below (see also a second postdoc opportunity on Molecular Baltic Sea Ecology at the same department).

The project “Temporal change in Baltic Sea coastal, benthic ecosystems” aims to make use of an ‘unearthed treasure’ of data and archived samples from the Swedish national yearly monitoring program of phytobenthic communities in the Baltic Sea paired with existing data on abiotic factors and fish community surveys. The two main research questions are: How have coastal benthic communities along the Baltic Sea coast changed over the past 25 years, and to what extent are those changes driven by abiotic forcing vs. changes in trophic interactions? Have blue mussel diets changed in response to climate or nutrient loading; are changes occurring in both the Baltic proper and in the Bothnian Sea; and what are the consequences of altered diet for mussel body condition?

As most of the data exists, the focus of the work will be on isotope analyses of historical samples and/or causal time series analyses (e.g. multivariate ARIMA analyses).

The successful candidate will work in a team, that apart from the project leader Agnes Karlson, consist of Assoc. Prof Johan Eklöf and Dr Susanne Qvarfordt and Dr. Ellen Schagerström (at DEEP) but also with researchers at the  Baltic Sea Centre and Department of Geology (Stockholm University).

The position involves full-time employment for a maximum of two years, with the possibility of extension under special circumstances. Start date 2018-02-01 or as per agreement. Applicants are expected to hold a doctoral degree. The degree should have been completed no more than three years before the deadline for applications. An older degree may be acceptable under special circumstances, which may involve sick leave, parental leave, clinical attachment, elected positions in trade unions, or similar.

Apply at the Stockholm university webpage:

http://www.su.se/english/about/working-at-su/jobs?rmlang=UK&rmpage=job&rmjob=4291

At the Department of Ecology, Environment and Plant Sciences at Stockholm University research and education are conducted in an international environment. The subject areas are marine and plant ecology, ecotoxicology, plant physiology and plant systematics. Some of the research has direct environmental and societal relevance and the approach is often broad and interdisciplinary. About 150 people work at the department, of which ca 60 are teachers and researchers and 50 are PhD students.

Further information about the position can be obtained from Assistant Professor Agnes Karlsson (project leader), agnes.karlson@su.se.

 

See also Postdoctoral Fellow in Baltic Sea Molecular Ecology

http://www.su.se/english/about/working-at-SU/jobs?rmpage=job&rmjob=4290&rmlang=UK

Nordic OIKOS poster sessions

The number of posters was very large and one poster presented by a PhD student won the award as the best poster, selected by the board of Oikos during the conference. This was number 100 with the title: “Ant larvae as a secret weapon against social parasites” by Unni Pulliainen. During the poster session lots of engaged presentations occurred.

1Winning poster Ants

Winner of “Best Poster Award”

1 a Ben presents his poster

Ben presents his poster

There were also a number of marine and aquatic posters, for some the author had the possibility to pitch their poster in 3 minutes.

Tiina Salo, now being on a post-doc, showed in her poster that Lymnea stagnalis responds more strongly to a heat wave after exposure to a mixture of micropollutants. But they recovered fast after the heat wave had passed. To feed the snails she used ecological salad. In the future experiments they will be fed leaves from different aquatic plant species.

2Tiina presents her poster

Tiina (left) pitches her poster

Several posters presented different aspects on the hot topic “ top- down – bottom-up” regulation of different ecosystems and impact of cascading effects and interactions between species. One species that creates lots of emotions is the cormorant, when establishing large populations on small islands along the Baltic coast.

4 aPelagic food-web  poster

Top-down fish poster

5Cormorant poster

Bottom-up cormorant poster

From the Department of Ecology, Environment and Evolution two posters were presented, one on the long-term effect of Pilayella on the settlement of Fucus vesiculosus by Susanne Qvarfordt and the other one presented results from a master project on the Swedish west coast about two closely related Littorina snail species behaviour when placing their egg sacs on different fucoid species.

6Pylaiella påverkan på etablering av blåstång

Susanne Qvarfordt show how the effects of Pylaiella can be seen for a long time in the macroalgal community

7Littorina poster

Our poster!

The last poster that I want to present was of high interest dealing with the new crab species, the mud crab, Rhithropanopeus harrisii and its impact on the local fauna. It is just a question when this crab will arrive on the Swedish coast. Keep your eye out for it.
8Mud crab introduced

The conference ended after three intense days.

9Thanks for the conference