POSTGRADUATE RESEARCH POSITION (WALSH FELLOWSHIP)

A test of the insurance hypothesis of biodiversity

A full-time postgraduate research position for a doctoral candidate has opened at the Teagasc Research Centre, Johnstown Castle. The project will seek to test the insurance hypothesis of biodiversity, that when an environmental disturbance occurs, diverse ecosystems have a greater likelihood of containing species that are adapted to the changed conditions. Using a novel experimental design, we will test this tenet of ecological theory in an agronomic ecosystem. This research will experimentally investigate whether and how diversity of forage mixtures (of up to six species) improves: the total biomass and stability of production over time; the ability of diversity to reduce weed invasion; the ability of diversity to maintain biomass production in the face of an environmental disturbance. The doctoral candidate will be supervised jointly by Dr. John Finn, Teagasc Research Centre, Johnstown Castle, and Dr. John Connolly at the University College Dublin (UCD).

Conditions of the award: suitable candidates will have academic credentials to be admitted into a doctoral programme at the University College Dublin. Undergraduate and/or postgraduate experience in agricultural sciences or a related field is required. The starting date of the position is September 2005.

Amount of award: Candidates will receive Euro 17,000 per year for up to three years, out of which the candidate will be required to pay University College Dublin tuition fees as well as costs of living. Fees for doctoral students are currently Euro 3,800 per year for EU citizens and Euro 7,600 for non-EU citizens, and are likely to increase each year.

Application procedure: submit three copies of a current CV, a letter containing a statement of interests, and names and contact details of two referees to:

Dr. John Finn, Teagasc Research Centre Johnstown Castle, Co Wexford. Phone: 00 353 (0)53 71273 Fax 00 353 (0)53 42213 email jfinn@johnstown.teagasc.ie. Closing date: 1 July, 2005

Posted by Dorothy Cheung at 3:01 PM on June 3, 2005