[Australia] PhD scholarships in Ecological Modelling at Macquarie University

Two PhD scholarships are available in Ecological Modelling at Macquarie University.

(1) MQRES Modelling Climate Change Impacts on Australian Forests

Closing Date: 11 June 2007

Australian forests provide a range of important ecosystem services, such as wood production, carbon sequestration and protection of water catchments. Climate change is highly likely to modify how forests function, and land managers urgently need information about how these ecosystem services will be affected. To address this need, this project will develop ecophysiologically-based models of climate change impacts on Australian forests over the next century. Data assimilation techniques will be used to incorporate information from state-of-the-art climate change experiments, both local and international. Strong collaboration with experimental scientists will be encouraged.

(2) MQRES Modelling Climate Change Impacts on Plant Competition

Closing Date: 11 June 2007

Climate change threatens to change the composition of plant communities. Climate change does not impact on all species equally, so changes in climate will modify competitive relations among plants, with important consequences for biodiversity and ecosystem functioning. This project will develop simulation models to investigate how changes in atmospheric CO2 concentration, water and nitrogen availability combine to modify the outcomes of competition among different plant species. The modelling work will be informed by data from a long-term US experiment that manipulates atmospheric CO2, N deposition, rainfall, and species composition.

MQRES scholarships are available to Australian and international students. Applicants should have completed an Australian four-year undergraduate degree in a relevant discipline with first class honours, or demonstrate equivalent research qualifications from an Australian or overseas University. These projects would suit candidates with a strong numerical aptitude and an interest in plant ecology. Candidates should have a background in one or more of the following areas: plant physiology, ecology, pure or applied mathematics, physics or statistics.

The scholarship pays a living allowance currently $19,616 per annum, tax exempt (2007) and the tenure is 3.5 years full time, subject to satisfactory progress. Tuition fees will be funded for the scholarship tenure, with domestic students receiving Research Training Scheme (RTS) placement for their tuition, and International award holders having their fees sponsored.

Further information on the project is available from supervisors:

Dr Belinda Medlyn,
telephone +61 2 9850 8208,
bmedlyn@bio.mq.edu.au,

and

Professor Lesley Hughes,
telephone +61 2 9850 8195,
lhughes@rna.bio.mq.edu.au.

Application forms and conditions for MQRES awards are available from the Higher Degree Research Office,
telephone: (02) 9850 7663,
e-mail: hdrschol@vc.mq.edu.au
or from our website:
www.research.mq.edu.au/students/scholarships/pages/ELS_AustralianForests www.research.mq.edu.au/students/scholarships/pages/ELS_PlantCompetition

Applications should be forwarded to:

The Scholarship Officer
Higher Degree Research Office
Cottage C4C
Macquarie University NSW 2109
AUSTRALIA