<div dir="ltr">Date: Tue, 14 Jun 2016 12:41:19 -0500<br>
From: Sarah Batterman <<a href="mailto:sabatterman@GOOGLEMAIL.COM">sabatterman@GOOGLEMAIL.COM</a>><br>
Subject: Post-doc: Modelling Amazonian tree mortality, U. Leeds, UK<br>
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Applications are invited for a postdoctoral research associate in the<br>
Ecology and Global Change Group within the School of Geography at<br>
University of Leeds, UK. The position will focus on the mechanisms and<br>
consequences of increasing tree mortality across Amazonian forests. The<br>
position will involve analysis of long-term Amazonian forest plot data to<br>
evaluate empirical support for potential mechanisms behind increased tree<br>
mortality observations as well as improving the representation of mortality<br>
processes in an individual-based forest model.<br>
<br>
Further details are pasted below, and a full description of the post can be<br>
found here: <a href="https://jobs.leeds.ac.uk/Vacancy.aspx?ref=3DENVGE1030" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">https://jobs.leeds.ac.uk/Vacancy.aspx?ref=3DENVGE1030</a><br>
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Mortality rates of Amazonian forest trees have risen markedly over recent<br>
decades, with potentially profound implications for the South American and<br>
global carbon cycles. However, the mechanistic basis of increasing tree<br>
mortality patterns is poorly resolved, limiting our ability to make<br>
informed projections of the impacts of global environmental change on<br>
tropical forests.<br>
<br>
We are seeking a Researcher to work on the Natural Environment Research<br>
Council (NERC) funded TREMOR (Mechanisms and consequences of increasing<br>
TREe MORtality in Amazonian rainforests) project to 1) evaluate the<br>
importance of different drivers in contributing to observations of<br>
increased Amazonian tree mortality and 2) improve the representation of<br>
Amazonian tree mortality processes in vegetation models.<br>
<br>
Your work will involve both data analysis and modelling components. The<br>
data analysis component will focus on using long-term Amazonian forest plot<br>
data, spanning over 30 years of tree dynamics, to evaluate evidence<br>
supporting a number of potential mechanisms behind the observed increases<br>
in tree mortality, including the role of drought, lianas and storm damage.<br>
The modelling component will focus on improving the representation of tree<br>
mortality processes in an individual-based forest model; trait-based forest<br>
simulator (TFS), specifically developed for the simulation of Amazonian<br>
forest plots. There will also be scope for using dynamic global vegetation<br>
models to evaluate the large-scale impacts of increasing tree mortality on<br>
Amazonian forest carbon storage.<br>
<br>
You will hold a PhD in a relevant discipline (e.g. ecology, biology,<br>
mathematics) by the start of the appointment/project and have excellent<br>
quantitative skills with an interest in important ecological and climate<br>
change questions. You should have previous vegetation modelling experience,<br>
preferably in the simulation of forest demographic processes. You should<br>
also be competent with scientific programming (preferably Java) and have<br>
previous experience with analysing large ecological datasets. You will have<br>
a strong interest in tropical forest ecology and biogeochemistry.<br>
<br>
You will be based in the Ecology and Global Change (EGC) research cluster<br>
in the School of Geography, University of Leeds. EGC has a long history of<br>
high-impact work in tropical ecosystems and you will join a<br>
multidisciplinary team of researchers interested in better understanding<br>
the dynamics of tropical forest ecosystems and their sensitivity to<br>
environmental change processes. You will work directly with Dr. David<br>
Galbraith, Prof. Emanuel Gloor, Prof. Oliver Phillips and Dr. Roel Brienen.<br>
<br>
The University of Leeds=E2=80=99 commitment to women in science has been re=<br>
cognised<br>
with a national accolade. The University has received the Athena SWAN<br>
Bronze Award and the Faculty of Environment holds the Athena SWAN Bronze<br>
Award in recognition of our success in recruiting, retaining and<br>
developing/promoting women in Science, Engineering and Technology (SET). We<br>
are proud of our commitment to equality and inclusiveness.<br>
<br>
The University also offers family friendly policies including generous<br>
maternity and paternity leave; full details of the policies can be found<br>
here <a href="http://hr.leeds.ac.uk/homepage/4/policies" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">http://hr.leeds.ac.uk/homepage/4/policies</a>.<br>
<br>
General enquiries may be made to the Geography HR team email<br>
<a href="mailto:geojobs@leeds.ac.uk">geojobs@leeds.ac.uk</a>, tel <a href="tel:%2B44%20%280%29113%20343%200203" value="+441133430203">+44 (0)113 343 0203</a><br>
<br>
Specific role related enquiries may be made to Dr. David Galbraith, tel +44<br>
(0)113 343 2730, email <a href="mailto:d.r.galbraith@leeds.ac.uk">d.r.galbraith@leeds.ac.uk</a><br>
<br>
Click here for further information about working at the University of Leeds<br>
<a href="http://www.leeds.ac.uk/info/20025/university_jobs" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">www.leeds.ac.uk/info/20025/university_jobs</a></div>