[Taxacom] PhD. student position in fungal biodiversity and ecology at Leiden University

[Jozsef Geml]

The National Herbarium of the Netherlands at Leiden University in
cooperation with the Netherlands Centre for Biodiversity Naturalis (NCB
Naturalis) is offering a position for a:



PhD. student on the subject mycology (38 hours per week)

Vacancy number: 12-054



Tasks:

The diversity and ecology of fungi is one of the foci of the botany
department of NCB Naturalis. The arctic tundra, which is on the brink of
significant changes due to the climatic changes and growing human impact.
Despite their critical roles, fungi are still understudied in arctic
ecosystems. The aim of the current PhD. project, funded by the Netherlands
Organization for Scientific Research (NWO), is to better understand how
fungal community composition correlates with vegetation and soil
characteristics, and what fungal taxa are expected to play roles in
vegetation change and/or the resilience of plant communities to climatic
stress.



To achieve this aim the candidate will:

•Assess taxonomic and phylogenetic diversity of arctic fungi;

•Compare species composition of fungal communities among vegetation types
along soil moisture and pH gradients;

•Determine the influence of elevated air and soil temperature on fungal
diversity and species composition.



In the current project, the taxonomic focus will be on root-associated
fungi, e.g. root endophytes and various mycorrhizal fungi. The envisaged
PhD. candidate will closely collaborate with another PhD. student who is
working on the ectomycorrhizal basidiomycetes in the same area.

Application deadline: April 1, 2012


More information:
http://vacatures.leidenuniv.nl/wetenschappelijk/12-054-phd-mycology.html


-- 
József Geml, PhD.
Assistant Professor
National Herbarium of the Netherlands
Netherlands Centre for Biodiversity Naturalis
Leiden University
P.O. Box 9514
2300 RA Leiden
The Netherlands