PhD opportunity (Fall 2025)

Impacts of aquatic connectivity loss on terrestrial-aquatic food webs

The Research Chair on Cross-Ecosystem Linkages (CREE) is looking to recruit a PhD candidate interested in working on the combined impacts of a loss of ecological connectivity in streams and a concomitant alteration of the riparian zone on the coupling between the terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. These impacts include the effects on fish diet, ecosystem functioning as well as on the aquatic and terrestrial food webs via the use of molecular methods (e.g. lipid or isotopic signature). The key concepts of interest for this project are related to meta-ecosystems, meta-communities, cross-ecosystem couplings and food webs. One of the main objectives of the project is to better understand how different types of disturbances can alter the functioning of ecosystems via spatial cascades between ecosystems. The project is designed to give flexibility to the candidate who wants to explore different ideas and approaches. The project is funded through a larger collaborative effort on ecological connectivity in streams involving researchers from four universities, the MELCCFP (Quebec environment ministry), Hydro Québec and Nature Conservancy Canada. In that context, we are looking for an autonomous, curious, creative candidate who is comfortable working in a larger team. This project is co-supervised by Dr. Vincent Fugère (UQTR), a specialist of stream biodiversity.

CREE research: The ecosystems that make up a landscape are connected via the exchange of resources (e.g. leaf litter, dissolved carbon, trophic transfers) which can greatly contribute to the functioning and trophic dynamics of each ecosystem. Generally speaking, CREE research focuses on exchanges among the different ecosystems or habitats that make up a landscape (aquatic-terrestrial and terrestrial-terrestrial). We therefore embrace a vision of the landscape as a set of dynamic ecosystems which interact with each other in such a way as to generate patterns of biodiversity and functioning which are specific to the configuration of the different elements of the landscape.

The long-term objective of the CREE research program is to develop a better understanding of the dynamics of connectivity between ecosystems in the landscape, so as to be able to predict the effects of human transformations on the distribution of biodiversity and functioning at the landscape scale.

Working conditions: $35,000/year (3 years). Funding is also available for conferences and training activities. The CREE is a member of GRIL, QCBS and RIVE.

Work environment: The student will be based at the Université du Québec in Trois-Rivières.

To apply: Interested candidates can contact eric.harvey@uqtr.ca directly to indicate their interest by attaching a CV and a short cover letter. Applications will be evaluated until we find our new crew member!