MSc/PhD Opportunity in Paleoecology at the University of Victoria,
British Columbia, Canada
Funding is available for a MSc or PhD student interested in pursuing
graduate research in paleoecology at the University of Victoria,
beginning September 2010 or January 2011. The assistantship is part of
a large interdisciplinary research project focussed on improving our
understanding of ecological dynamics of aspen parkland and oak
savannah in Riding Mountain Nation Park (RMNP) in southwestern Manitoba.
Project description: Research and management actions aimed at
restoring natural disturbance regimes in aspen parkland and oak
savannah in RMNP dictate a need to understand the vegetation and fire
history of these ecosystems as well as ecological resilience and
thresholds associated with aspen and oak communities. When coupled
with changes in climate and probable pre-contact land-management
practices, paleoecological investigation is necessary to elucidate the
long-term characteristics of ecosystem structure and function. A multi-
proxy approach to understanding the vegetation, disturbance, and
inferred climate history of the Park's oak and aspen ecosystems will
involve the use of biological (pollen, charcoal, plant macrofossil,
and phytolith analyses), and physical evidence (magnetic
susceptibility, radiometric dating) from lake sediment cores. These
biological and physical indicators will provide information regarding
how ecosystems have changed since the last glaciation, as a result of
natural and anthropogenic drivers.
There are substantial research funds and student salaries for this
project. Applicants should be highly-motivated with a solid background
in ecology or Quaternary science, and the ability to work both
independently and as a part of a research team. Interested students
are encouraged to send a CV, unofficial university transcripts, and
the names and contact information for two references to
[email protected]. Further information about graduate studies at the
University of Victoria can be found at http://web.uvic.ca/gradstudies/ .
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Terri Lacourse
Department of Geography
University of Victoria
Victoria, British Columbia
V8W 3R4
Canada
[email protected]
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