Development of full annual cycle models for Arctic-nesting geese using state-of-the-art tracking devices for holistic conservation planning

Description: An MSc or PhD studentship is available with Dr. Mitch Weegman in the Department of Biology at the University of Saskatchewan (https://www.ducks.ca/our-work/science/saskatchewan-endowed-chair/). The student will use state-of-the-art tracking devices deployed on mid-continent white-fronted geese to conduct research in movement and population ecology.

This project is an international partnership among the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks, Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, Environment and Climate Change Canada, US Geological Survey, US Fish and Wildlife Service, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Texas A&M University-Kingsville, and University of Saskatchewan. Our project goals are to quantify habitat use and the degree of inter- and intra-winter movements of white-fronted geese within and among wintering sites, and assess the extent to which variation in migration attributes (e.g., staging and wintering habitat use) explains variation in nesting propensity and reproductive outcomes. We anticipate the student will explore bird decision-making during subarctic staging, which is a relatively unknown period of the annual cycle. Based on tracking devices currently on individuals, we anticipate collation of millions of data points providing examples of individual decision-making. Using multi-year data, the student will develop full annual cycle models for the first time for these birds, yielding novel opportunities for conservation planning.

Prerequisites: Ideal candidates will have an undergraduate degree in ecology, statistics or a closely related field, and interpersonal skills to lead discussions among collaborators. Preference will be given to those with a strong quantitative background (e.g., experience with Program R, Bayesian methods), knowledge of migratory bird ecology and management, and field skills (e.g., capturing and handling birds). Students must have a valid driver’s license. The successful applicant will be expected to publish manuscripts in peer-reviewed journals and present papers at scientific meetings.

Salary and benefits: $35,000 Canadian per year plus compensation for tuition and fees

Start date: 1 Sept 2023 or 1 Jan 2024

Last date to apply: 16 June 2023

To be considered for this position, please send the following (preferably as a single PDF) to Dr. Mitch Weegman (mitch.weegman@usask.ca):

(1) Letter of interest summarizing your experience, (2) Curriculum vitae or resume, (3) University transcripts (unofficial are OK), (4) Contact information for three references.

We are recruiting four graduate students (one MSc and three PhD) to join a well-funded multi-investigator project focused on understanding climate-impacts of alternative grazing practices in grassland ecosystems. At the core of this initiative is a very large, replicated, grazing experiment conducted at two locations in Southern/Central Alberta. Team members will measure many aspects of these complex systems, including GHG emissions, soil C dynamics, vegetation responses, enteric methane production, soil genomics and metabolomics, and other key variables.

The field work for this project will begin in Spring 2024, and thus candidates that should be able to arrive in Edmonton and begin their program no later than a Jan 2024 in-person start date (Sept 2023 preferred).

These are highly interdisciplinary positions, and thus we are particular interested in intellectually curious, independent, and creative students who are keen to help develop data-driven approaches to facilitate decision making. Further, this research is highly collaborative and all students will work closely with each other and additional team members. Though the project provides an overall direction students will be given substantial opportunity to develop additional research questions and directions.

This project is suited for individuals interested in research at the intersection of discovery and real-world application. Through collaborations with numerous private-operators, there will substantial opportunity to test the generalizability of research findings well beyond the confines of a single experiment.

We are committed to the principles of equity, diversity and inclusion and encourage applications from all qualified individuals, including those belonging to underrepresented groups.

The positions will remain open until a suitable candidate has been found. To express interest, please see the contact information listed for each position.

1. PhD Student Position Available: Grassland soil microbiome responses to grazing.

Cahill Lab (https://cahilllab.ca/), Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Canada

This PhD student will lead the soil genomics/metabolomics aspects of the experiment, working closely with other students (e.g., those focused on vegetation dynamics and soil C) and PIs. The soil microbiome has strong impacts of plant growth, nutrient cycling, and GHG emissions. Thus, to understand climate impacts of grazing requires a detailed understanding of soil microbes. This work will combine both barcode descriptions as well as functional gene analyses to understand the composition and function of the soil microbiome. Demonstrated experience (research and/or coursework) in genomics (amplicon-based and/or shotgun metagenomics) is an asset. Additional fields of relevance include bioinformatics, community ecology, plant-soil interactions, microbiome-function, rangeland ecology, and climate change biology.

We are seeking a PhD student interested in forest resource analysis and management planning to work on a project investigating and developing novel resource and planning models. The successful candidate will join a team at the University of New Brunswick and Natural Resources Canada – Canadian Forest Service who are developing a long-term strategic-level forest management plan for a military base. The plan will accommodate military training needs, fire risk, environmental compliance (e.g. Species At Risk), and other values such carbon storage, while considering the effects of climate change. The PhD student will build, develop, and evaluate forest projection models that integrate succession, climate change, and silviculture to predict future forest condition. The project will provide the opportunity to explore and research novel analytical methods of land inventory analysis, spatial simulation modeling, optimization, and trade-off analysis for a wide-range of objectives and indicators. Specific outcomes and research direction will be driven largely by student interest providing the opportunity to make advances in both theoretical and/or applied research. The successful candidate will be encouraged to develop their own research questions related to forest management and planning that can be addressed in a modelling/simulation framework and/or with targeted field experiments. Results from this work will be used to inform land management locally, and to inform a national strategy for land management on military bases.

Interested candidates are encouraged to contact Dr. Anthony Taylor (Anthony.taylor@unb.ca) or Dr. Chris Edge (christopher.edge@nrcan-rncan.gc.ca) to discuss the position.

Official applications are accepted through the Government of Canada Job Portal (https://emploisfp-psjobs.cfp-psc.gc.ca/psrs-srfp/applicant/page1800?toggleLanguage=en&poster=1975489).

Application deadline 11 June 2023

We offer competitive compensation equivalent to NSERC PGSD ($21,000) plus tuition costs (~$10,000).