PhD Position Available
"Arctic Water Source Dynamics, Stream Habitat and Biodiversity In a
Changing Climate: A Field-based Investigation In Swedish Lappland"
Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences (GEES)
University of Birmingham
Birmingham, UK
Application Deadline: Friday, 16 March 2007
For further information, please see the full position description linked
under "Fluvial and Ecological Processes" on the GEES website at:
http://www.gees.bham.ac.uk/research/postgradresearch/physical
or contact:
Alexander M. Milner
E-mail: a.m.milner [at] bham.ac.uk
or contact:
David M. Hannah
E-mail: d.m.hannah [at] bham.ac.uk
The School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences (GEES) at
University of Birmingham invites applications for a PhD position as part
of the project "Arctic water source dynamics, stream habitat and
biodiversity in a changing climate: a field-based investigation in
Swedish Lappland."
The PhD position involves linking changes in water source contributions
to physico-chemical habitat and stream biodiversity, thereby providing a
tool for assessing the vulnerability of arctic ecosystems to climate
change.
Arctic stream ecosystems are influenced significantly by cryospheric and
hydrological processes due to strong links between atmospheric forcing,
snow packs/glacier mass-balance, stream flow, water quality,
hydrogeomorphology (physico-chemical habitat), and river ecology. Given
anticipated climate change and potentially increased climatic
variability, it is important to understand the impacts of altered
snowmelt, glacier, permafrost, and groundwater contributions to arctic
stream flow and their influence on benthic communities. Moreover, high
climatic sensitivity and low human perturbation makes arctic river
basins vital indicator systems for identifying early signals of, and
subtle shifts in, hydrological and ecological response to climate
change/variability.
Fieldwork will be conducted over two field seasons in the Karsavagge, a
tributary to the Abisko River, Swedish Lappland. The field program will
include (1) measurement of river discharge, electrical conductivity and
turbidity, meteorological variables, and water column and streambed
temperature (to investigate hydrological variability and habitat
conditions); (2) collection of water samples for hydrochemical and water
stable isotope analyses (to identify conceptual water sources and their
dynamics); and (3) sampling of benthic communities. Monitoring sites
will be located at key nodes along the river system to assess the
potential hydroecological influences of decreasing glacial meltwater
contribution/glacierized area, extra-glacial tributary inflows, and
lakes and riparian forest cover. Stream temperature will be monitored
year-round to give an indication of overwinter stream flow and habitat
conditions.
The PhD position will be supervised by Alexander M. Milner and David M.
Hannah, both of GEES at University of Birmingham.
For application instructions, please contact:
Gretchel Coldicott, Postgraduate Administrator
GEES
E-mail: G.Coldicott [at] bham.ac.uk
The closing date for applications is Friday, 16 March 2007.