IPY Postdoctoral Positions Available
International Tundra Experiment (ITEX)
University of British Columbia
Vancouver, Canada
Application Deadline: Friday, 23 March 2007
For further information about ITEX, please go to:
http://www.geog.ubc.ca/itex
or contact:
Greg Henry
E-mail: ghenry [at] geog.ubc.ca
The University of British Columbia (UBC) invites applications for two
IPY postdoctoral fellowships as part of the International Tundra
Experiment (ITEX).
Tundra Vegetation Ecology: Synthesis of Vegetation Change In ITEX and
Other Experiments
The candidate will help to organize syntheses of vegetation and soils
data from plots associated with ITEX, with a focus on responses in
control plots to climate variability. The project will also involve
searching for other circumpolar vegetation data sets for use in the
synthesis. Field research will be conducted at a long-term ITEX site on
Ellesmere Island in the Canadian High Arctic and will include
standardized measurements of species abundance and plot-level Normalized
Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI). The candidate is expected to have
strong skills in field and analytical techniques in vegetation ecology
and in climate-plant interactions. An ability to build and manage
databases will be an important asset. In addition, the candidate will be
involved in the operation of the ITEX Secretariat at UBC and interact
with ITEX and IPY researchers involved in related research. The
candidate will also help supervise graduate and undergraduate students
involved in research projects with the tundra ecology group at UBC.
Ecosystem Ecology: Carbon and Nutrient Dynamics In Tundra Ecosystems
The candidate will conduct measurements of net ecosystem exchange (NEE)
at sites across the Canadian Arctic as part of a Canadian IPY project.
Measurements of Leaf Area Index (LAI), biomass, plot level NDVI and soil
properties will also be made to relate to NEE. Sites will include
long-term and newly established experimental plots. In addition, the
candidate will help to organize a synthesis of soil carbon and nutrient
dynamics across the Canadian and ITEX networks. This will include
ensuring all sites receive ion exchange membranes for measurements of
nutrient flux rates in experimental plots and organizing analysis of
soil samples. The candidate is expected to be familiar with static
chamber measurement methods of NEE and to help develop protocols for the
measurements across ITEX sites. The candidate will contribute to a
synthesis of NEE measurements in tundra during IPY. The candidate will
also participate in the operation of the IPY project office at UBC,
including supervision of students and staff.
Each position is for a maximum of three years. The preferred start date
for the positions is 1 May 2007. Applicants must hold a PhD (or
equivalent) relevant to the research described above. Applications
should contain a CV, full publication list and electronic copies of
relevant publications, and contact information for two references, and
must be submitted by Friday, 23 March 2007 to:
Greg Henry
Department of Geography, University of British Columbia
E-mail: ghenry [at] geog.ubc.ca