Post-Doctoral position on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services Scenarios and Modelling in Mediterranean Forests
A new position to conduct post-doctoral research is open at CEMFOR (CTFC) - CREAF Joint research unit (InFOREST JRU) for one to two years (with the possibility of an extension) in the context of the new joint research unit between the two research institutions and the new project INFORMED of the FORESTERRA-ERA-NET.
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We are seeking multi-disciplinary hearted researchers to investigate the relationship between forest dynamics and drivers of environmental change in a Mediterranean forest context. Main focus of the work will be on testing and applying state-of-the-art methods and models in forest and biodiversity dynamics modelling at different spatial and temporal scales. More specifically the candidates will:
• Integrate knowledge on socio-economic-ecological processes that operate at different spatial and temporal scales.
• Produce robust and credible projections of future changes in forest ecosystem services under different scenarios of global change drivers and management options.
• Translate the acquired knowledge on processes and interactions into operational tools.
• Increase research capacity by efficient interaction with other related projects in this research area.
The candidate is also expected to be involved in the activities related to the Intergovernmental Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) and promote the leadership of the InForest JRU in terms institutional organisation, development of research activities (workshop organisation) and project writing and coordination (H2020 and similar calls).
Requirements
- PhD. in environmental sciences (ecology, forestry, geography or similar).
- Excellent publication record.
- Expertise in forest or biodiversity modelling development (statistical, landscape and/or process based models).
- Strong background in modelling, programming and analytical skills in R or equivalent.
- Contrasted capacity to lead work and team up with other researchers.
- Previous experience in international project management and leadership.
Institutional context and collaborations
The InFOREST JRU is a joint research venture by CTFC and CREAF. These are two forest research centres belonging to the Catalan network of research institutions CERCA. A strength of CREAF-CTFC is that it is built on strong national, European and global networks. Collaborating with scientists within CREAF-CTFC and with the InForest research partners across Europe, America and Australia will greatly expand the candidate international network. The post-doc will be expected to coordinate collaborative research with these research groups, and participate in meetings and in the writing of project proposals related to the topics of the call.
Research context
Mediterranean forests are complex socio-ecosystems characterized by an important biodiversity, high levels of spatial environmental heterogeneity, deep interlinking with human populations to which they provide a bunch of ecosystem services. Mediterranean forests are also considered as a hotspot of global change impacts. Based on meta-disciplinary research, the InForest JRU and the project INFORMED will develop a dynamic approach to the resilience of Mediterranean forests by considering an integrated socio-ecosystem where management, ecological processes and socio-economic processes interact. Climate change, land-use change and new demands on ecosystem services act on the system as new disturbance factors or modify previous disturbance regime, which will simultaneously impact the different compartments of the system. Resilience is the maintenance of the capacity to respond to disturbance and continue providing ecosystem services, forest composition and structure can change. There is also a feed-back of the socio-ecosystem on global change: forest functions may contribute to climate change mitigation and governance response will contribute to changes in the demand for particular ecosystem services.
The InForest JRU and its research activity through research projects such as INFORMED will aim at fill-in knowledge gaps on the basic mechanisms that determine the response to disturbance of the socio-ecosystem, and it will extend existing models to integrate different processes and perform simulations that account for their interactions. Modelling expertise by project partners includes: forest dynamics and silviculture, fire behaviour, fire vegetation succession, niche models, functional and evolutionary models, economics and optimization strategy, innovative governance modes.
Working conditions
- Equivalent to the Juan de la Cierva Programme of the Spanish “Ministerio de ciencia e innovación” (http://www.investigacionenconservacion.es/index.php/becas-y-contratos/801-ayudas-juan-cierva-formacion-2015).
- Working place in Solsona (120 km north of Barcelona, Spain), CEMFOR-CTFC (http://www.cemfor.cat). Travelling often abroad with European project partners.
Send CV, a motivation letter (one page maximum) and the contacts of two reference researchers, via e-mail before March 6th 2015 to: lluis.brotons@ctfc.cat , InForest JRU (CEMFOR-CREAF), Solsona.
En català or click here for more info!
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